Monday, July 30, 2012

Associated Press: Ed Donahue: 'Today in History For July 30th'

Source:Associated Press- go back in time.

"Highlights of this day in history:  Ex-Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa disappears; Medicare and Medicaid signed into law; A blast rocks Black Tom Island; The USS Indianapolis sunk; Henry Ford and Arnold Schwarzenegger born." 


The Jimmy Hoffa story is obviously fascinating, for the simple reason that we'll never know what happened to him, or why it happened to him. The best guess is that we either murdered or died at some point during the summer of 1975. He wasn't exactly Howard Hughes who was afraid to be seen in public. Hoffa was obviously a very public man as a labor celebrity and one of the founders of modern Las Vegas. So had he lived much longer after this point, we would've heard about it.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Mike Atkinson: Stan Atkinson- Interviews Susan Atkins in 1976: Acid Made Her Do It?

Source:Mike Atkinson- Stan Atkinson, interviewing Manson Family solider and killer Susan Atkins, in 1976. 
Source:The Daily Press

"Stan Atkinson interviews Susan Atkins"

From Mike Atkinson

Source:FRS FreeState- Manson Family soldier and killer Susan Atkins, in 1976. 
Susan Atkins represents what can happen when people who are not sure where they are going in life, perhaps somewhat lost and need to and is term is used over and over, but to find themselves. Perhaps take a trip to Europe after high school or something. The way Susan Atkins life turned out, probably doesn’t happen that way if she never meets Charlie Manson.

Not to excuse Susan’s role in the vicious crimes of Sharon Tate and others, because she’s clearly responsible for her actions in these crimes. But she represents the damage that Manson not only did by ordering all of these murders, but the damage he did to his followers.

Charlie Manson, picked up all of these young adults were somewhat lost and didn’t feel needed and felt unwanted and assembling them into his cult, what I call the Manson Crime Family. That Charlie Manson assembled in the late 1960s, starting in the Bay Area and moving down to the Los Angeles Area.

Susan, was one of the Manson Family members that managed to make a life for herself behind bars. And hopefully her criminal career would’ve been over had she ever been released from prison. She was sentenced to life and died in prison in 2009.

And to some extent Susan’s life in prison sparked a debate in whether or not she, Pat Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, should ever be paroled or not. Me personally I don’t believe that convicted murderers, especially serial murderers, should ever be paroled. That they should be officially held responsible for the crimes they committed. Which is what you get with life sentences, because their victims will never recover from their crimes and it’s that simple.

But these three women do represent the potential of prison rehabilitation not just for lifers, but for inmates who will eventually be released from prison. The lives of some of the Manson Family members, except for their leader and perhaps Tex Watson, is a damn shame. Because some of these people are very intelligent, articulate and had a lot of potential that they could see come to life. Had they not ended up part of the Manson Family and ended up going to college, getting educated and living a productive life instead.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Associated Press: Ethan Harris: 'US Economic Growth Slowed to 1.5 Pct. Rate in Q2'

Source:Associated Press- Ethan Harris talking about economic growth in the United States.

"The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.5 percent from April through June, as Americans cut back sharply on spending. The slowdown in growth adds to worries that the economy could be stalling three years after the recession ended." 

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Associated Press: 'Gov't Upping Fight Against Health Care Fraud'


Source:Associated Press- United States Attorney General Eric Holder, talking about health care fraud.

"The Obama administration is upping the ante in the fight against health care fraud, joining forces with private insurers and state investigators on a scale not previously seen in an attempt to stanch tens of billions of dollars in losses." 

It's the uncompensated health care in the health care system, that's the biggest problem with the health care system in America, along with the unaffordable health insurance in the country. I'm not talking about Medicaid, which is also a problem in that they don't compensate a lot of hospitals who treat their clients. I'm talking about people who go to the emergency room for the most basic of procedures, who don't have health insurance and not even Medicaid, who can't afford to pay for that health care out-of-pocket, who get that health care for free. And those costs are passed onto the hospitals, and they pass those costs onto to either the taxpayers or the patients that they have who are covered by health insurance. 

What the Affordable Care Act of 2010 does, it requires everyone who can afford it, to get covered by health insurance. And low-income workers, they can now be covered by Medicaid. And for lower middle class workers, they are now eligible for a tax credit to cover their health insurance. Uncompensated health care is not technically health care fraud, at pre-2010, but it's a major source for why our health care is so expensive, at least compared with the rest of the developed world.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Associated Press: Raw Video- ‘New York Debates Proposed Ban on Sugary Drinks’

Source:Associated Press- Shira Gans works for the Manhattan, New York Borough President.

“New York faced the next step in a bitter battle over large sugary drinks Tuesday, with the soft drink and restaurant industries protesting the mayor’s proposed ban and the public lining up to have its say.”

From the Associated Press 

NYPD: “Son, you need to put that slurpy before it eventually kills you or rots out your teeth.” No, I don’t know if that cop in this cartoon actually said that to this little boy, but that’s the attitude that nanny statists on the Far-Left represent in America: “Big Government knows what’s best for the people. The people are too dumb to make their own decisions.”


Source:FRS FreeState- Welcome to Mike Bloomberg's New York Nanny.

Another example of blogging on a slow news day, I’m probably just a step away from bloggers block if there’s such a thing. And if there isn’t, I just invented it.

I know I covered this back in June (but like I said, it’s a slow news day) but New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg apparently has had some vision that he knows how New Yorker’s and perhaps Americans in general, how they should live better than the people themselves. He has the classic one- size fits all to governing, that if this works for him or other people, that it must work for everyone.

In 2008 the prospect of Mike Bloomberg running for President as an Independent, didn’t bother me. He seemed like a classical Northeastern Republican: “keep big government out of our wallets and bedrooms” Republican. But now he seems not only believe that big government should be in our wallets, like calling for all the Bush tax cuts to expire on everyone, including the middle class, but Mayor Bloomberg also wants big government down our throats. Telling us what we can drink and how much we can drink, he’s becoming a hero in today’s so-called progressive (communist, in actuality) politics.

What New York is attempting to do with soft drinks is another example of prohibition. If New Yorker’s can’t get large sodas in the city, then they go to Long Island, North Jersey or Connecticut, someplace where people have the freedom to decide how much they can drink and eat. Of course as long as they have the money to pay for it and then if that jurisdiction has a sales tax, they’ll end up paying taxes on those products that they buy. Which will go to help that jurisdiction pay for schools, roads, hospitals, everything that communities need to be vibrant.

Tax money that could’ve otherwise been spent in New York is now helping local jurisdictions outside of New York, pay for those services. That’s what leftists and religious fundamentalists  have never figured out about prohibition, that just because you tell people they can’t do something, doesn’t mean they stop doing it. It’s just done in other ways and in other areas.

If you think people are living unhealthy and you believe that this unhealthy living is somehow negatively affects the rest of society as a whole and you want to correct that bad behavior, what you should do is incentivize people to correct that behavior. Have them pay a price for living unhealthy, short of putting them in jail. And have them pay a financial cost for living unhealthy. Like taxing soft drinks extra than what you would tax water or milk. 

You can also see this post on WordPress

You can also see this post at The Daily Press, on WordPress. 

You can also see this post at The Daily Press, on Blogger.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Associated Press: Marcela Isaza: 'Stars Don't Blame Hollywood for Shooting Rampage'



Source:Associated Press- actress Demi Levato.

"The AP's Marcela Isaza asks Will.I.Am, Demi Levato and others if on screen violence is to blame for the Colorado shootings." 


First of all, the fact that Hollywood actors and other workers in Hollywood wouldn't blame their own industry and company town for the violence in America, is as surprising as seeing an ocean full of water, or a lot of people at the pool on a hot day. That's where they work, that's where they got rich and famous. And besides, they're entertainers, so you have to at least consider that anytime they take a public position on anything. They're not going to do or say anything that could put their future earnings and career at risk. 

Second, Hollywood is a business more than anything else. If there's a large market for violent films and other violent entertainment and they can make a lot of money producing that entertainment, that's exactly what they're going to do. Which is their right as private individuals and businesspeople. 

So I believe this gets to personal responsibility and people knowing what they're looking at and seeing and then deciding it's not real. And just because some celebrity looks cool in a film or on TV blowing someone away or violently beating someone else up on TV or in the film, doesn't mean that would be a cool thing to do in real life. Well, that wouldn't be the right thing to do in real life, even if did make you look cool with hipsters. 

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Associated Press: 'USA Elects Sigourney Weaver to Political Show'

Source:Associated Press- Hollywood Goddess Sigourney Weaver.

Source:The Daily Press

“Sigourney Weaver and Carla Gugino on the strong women they play as Secretary of State and journalist in USA Network’s new ‘Political Animals’ miniseries.”  

From the Associated Press 

I saw the premier of the new USA mini-series Political Animals last Sunday night and I liked the show. Much different from NBC’s The West Wing, with a lot more humor. The West Wing was also a funny show, but Political Animals to me looks like a political satire. Not completely based, but definitely inspired by real-life political stories.

The Elaine Barish character (played by the still gorgeous, sexy, and funny Sigourney Weaver) is divorced from the former President of the United States. Her relationship with her ex-husband, looks a hell of a lot like the relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton, a couple who obviously loves politics and is deeply involved in politics.

This show looks like 2008 all over again with the Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential race, where of course then Senator Obama not only wins the Democratic nomination but is elected President.

Senator Hillary Clinton who loses the Democratic nomination in 2008, but comes out of it strong and is able to form a good relationship with President Elect Obama in late 2008 and early 2009 and is nominated by President Obama to be his Secretary of State and obviously gets confirmed by the Senate.

I haven’t figured out if Elaine Barish was in Congress at all (House or Senate) but she goes from being a former presidential candidate who loses the nomination to her opponent who is elected President in the same year and then nominates his former opponent in the Democratic race, to be his Secretary of State. This looks like the third installment of the Bill and Hillary Show, the real-life Bill and Hillary Show, the Primary Colors version of the Bill and Hillary Show.

The latest installment of the Bill and Hillary Show with Hillary as Secretary of State and we get to see how Bill and Hillary interact with each other as Secretary of State. But instead of Bill making Hillary’s career all about him, plays more of a counselor to Hillary and tries to steer her on the right course.

There are some added new twists to the Bill and Hillary Show. With how they interact with their kids and struggles that their kids are going through as well, as well as Hillary’s relationship with the media. This looks like a very funny and entertaining show, with the new Bill Clinton doing an excellent job of playing a horny bastard who not only cheats on his wife, but mistress’s as well, similar to Bill, but the new Bill is not as Yankee or yuppie as Bill. More of a redneck, but someone who is also highly intelligent and knows and how to play the game of politics and someone who has been very successful at it. 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

David Von Pein: WFAA-TV News: JFK Assassination First Coverage

Source:David Von Pein- WFAA-TV Dallas coverage of the JFK Assassination
Source:The Daily Press

"Assassination of John F. Kennedy, mortal shooting of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, as he rode in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. His accused killer was Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine who had embraced Marxism and defected for a time to the Soviet Union. Oswald never stood trial for murder, because, while being transferred after having been taken into custody, he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby, a distraught Dallas nightclub owner.
Encyclopedia Britannica."

From David Von Pein

"Part 1 of 3.

8-and-a-half hours of WFAA-TV's live coverage of the events surrounding President John F. Kennedy's assassination and the subsequent murder of JFK's killer, Lee Harvey Oswald, two days later.

WFAA (Channel 8) was the ABC-TV affiliate in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. A considerable amount of video footage from the ABC Television Network in New York is also included in this video series.

Part 1 begins at approximately 12:45 PM (Central Time) on Friday, November 22, 1963, which was about 15 minutes after the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, had been shot in downtown Dallas, Texas.

Local Dallas station WFAA-TV was airing "The Julie Benell Show", a regular midday program, when WFAA's Program Director Jay Watson interrupted with a report about the shooting -- "About 10 or 15 minutes ago, a tragic thing, from all indications at this point, has happened in the city of Dallas...".

Watson, who was himself a witness to the assassination in Dealey Plaza, talks with some of the eyewitnesses to the shooting within minutes of the shots being fired, such as Bill and Gayle Newman (whom Watson repeatedly refers to as the "Nunnallys" throughout the early afternoon). Abraham Zapruder, who filmed the assassination with his home movie camera, was also interviewed live on the air by Watson."

Source:David Von Pein

I saw a documentary about the JFK assassination about three years ago. I’ve seen several documentaries about the JFK assassination before. Most of them have been conspiracy theories relating to other people being involved in this 1963 assassination of a United States President. Ranging from the Italian Mafia being involved in it, because of U.S. Attorney General Bobby Kennedy’s involvement in trying to bring down organized crime in America.

As well as the CIA and U.S. Military being involved in the JFK assassination, because they didn’t like President Kennedy’s national security policy. The most warped conspiracy theory I’ve heard so far was that Vice President Lyndon Johnson ordered this assassination, because of how badly he wanted to be President. There’s no credible evidence to any of these conspiracy theories that I’ve seen, except for the organized crime connection. And in LBJ’s case, no evidence at all, but the documentary about the JFK assassination that I saw on the History Channel, wasn’t a conspiracy theory at all and was much different.

Because it was about the media coverage of the JFK assassination, with limited commercial interruptions and about three hours long, with no outside commentary. They just showed the media coverage of the JFK assassination from 1963, up till the JFK movie from 1991. What made this media coverage more interesting was that it was the first ever of a U.S. presidential assassination that was broadcasted live on TV. So all the TV news anchors and reporters who were reporting this story, were covering something for the very first time not only in their careers, but in American history.

With no precedent to fall back on. All they really had was their knowledge of how to cover big stories and what you saw were people who were doing a very good job. Under heavy pressure and having to do it live, with no retakes and you got to see some of these people as they were actually were. How they actually react on live TV. With CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite actually choking up during a CBS Special Report reporting that President Kennedy was dead. Which was made this JFK documentary even better because of how clever and unique it was.

I liked this documentary of the JFK assassination so much that I recorded on DVD the first time I saw it. Because the preview of it looked so good and with Jack Kennedy being a political hero of mine. I expected I would want to see it again and again which I have. You even get to see things like Jack Ruby killing Lee Oswald as it happen and coverage of the 1978 U.S. House hearing on the JFK assassination and is something that anyone whose interested in this story should check out.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Associated Press: President Obama: 'There Will Be Other Days for Politics'


Source:Associated Press- President Barack H. Obama (Democrat, Illinois) talking about the shooting in Aurora, Colorado.

"President Barack Obama says the tragic movie theater shooting in Colorado that left 12 people dead is a reminder that life is fragile. He says the event "reminds us of all the ways that we are united as one American family." 

From the Associated Press

I voted for Barack Obama for President in 2008 and will probably vote for him again in 2012. There are moments when I'm even more glad than normal that he's our President, or believe there is simply no one more qualified for that job, because he always knows what's the right thing to say and what's the right tone to have. He seems to always be at his best when he's the most under pressure. He has that JFK or Bill Clinton, even Ronald Reagan quality when the heat is on (so to speak) he not just shows up, but is at the top of his game.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Brandon Tube: 'Wendell Willkie 1940 Presidential Election'

Source:Brandon Tube- 1940 Republican Party presidential nominee Wendell Willkie.

"Wendell Willkie is speaking in this 1940 spot against Roosevelt as the Republican nomination." 

From Brandon Tube 

Before I saw this 1940 video of Wendell Willkie, I had him down as a Classical Liberal or what some people might call a Conservative today. Outside of America, at least in the rest of the developed world, Liberals are center-right, Social Democrats are center-left. But in America, Liberals are considered center-left and the mainstream media in this country has almost no use for labels like social democrat or even democratic socialist, even with Bernie Sanders in Congress. 

But after seeing this video, I think Wendell Willkie, at least based on the positions that he was taking, sounds like a Theodore Roosevelt Progressive Republican. Still to the right of Franklin Roosevelt and other Progressive Democrats of the 1930s and 40s and to the left of the Conservative Republicans, but someone who would put more limits on what the Federal Government should. 

A Roosevelt Republican would be in favor of the safety net for people who truly need it. But not for a universal, cradle to grave welfare state, that would replace the private employment benefits system that so many American workers rely on. And would want that safety net there not just to assist people in need financially, but to help them back on their feet through education and work requirements, and time limits.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Associated Press: Karen Sloan: 'Liberal Alliance Beat Islamists in Libya Vote'


Source:Associated Press- interviewing a Libyan about their elections.

"Results from Libya's first national election after the ouster of Moammar Gadhafi put a liberal alliance ahead of Islamists, but both sides will woo independents to form a government." 

From the Associated Press

Anytime there is any sign of freedom and democracy breaking out anywhere in the Middle East and Saharan Africa, that's a good sign. This is a region that's been dominated by military dictators, Islamists, and monarchs, for most of its history. And what we might be seeing in Libya today is a sign that major coalition in that country wants to join the rest of the western developed world and not just taste freedom and democracy, but be able to live with it.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Brookings Institution: Robert Greenstein: 'Agreeing to a Budget Deal'



Source:Brookings Institution- Robert Greenstein is the head of the Progressive Washington think tank the Center On Budget & Policy Priorities.

"Robert Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: The possibility that legislative inaction could lead the nation's economy back into a recession next year, could be the impetus to get both sides to agree to some sort of deal.

On July 16, 2012, the Budgeting for National Priorities project at Brookings hosted Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), member of the Senate Budget Committee, former chair of the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction and a member of Senate Democratic leadership, for a conversation on the upcoming fiscal cliff, how she views the path to a balanced and bipartisan approach to avoiding it, and what steps she believes can be taken on the expiring Bush tax cuts and the scheduled sequestration. Following Senator Murray's keynote address, a panel of Brookings experts reflected on the current budget situation and prospects for a "grand bargain" to rein in the deficit and spur economic growth." 


The reason why we have a so-called fiscal cliff and sequester headed to the American economy and U.S. Government early next year, is because House Republicans wouldn't agree to any new revenue, including even cutting expensive tax loopholes, that only benefit investors and businesses,  in these deficit reduction talks. 

House Republicans idea of new revenue is for more economic growth. Their idea for more economic growth is cut more taxes and regulations on investors and businesses, without paying for them, saying that those cuts would lead to new economic growth and would pay for themselves. Which is what's known as supply-side-economics, also known as borrow and spend economics. 

Monday, July 16, 2012

Brookings Institution: Benjamin Wittes- Interviewing Ron Haskins: 'The Next President Needs to Focus on the Federal Budget'


Source:Brookings Institution- fellow Ron Haskins.

"The federal budget crisis is a key issue in the upcoming presidential election, with both parties unable to compromise thus far on government spending and tax reform. Ron Haskins and Campaign 2012 Project Director Benjamin Wittes discuss what the next president must do to address the nation's budget crisis during his term." 

From the Brookings Institution

I agree with Ron Haskins about the problem, as well as the size of the problem that the U.S. Government has and will have fiscally now and going forward. But I believe the Federal Government has simply taken on too much responsibility and doing things that it simply shouldn't be doing and not just as it relates to social policy and defense. And the revenue problem has to do with tax policy and the tax code which has things like corporate welfare in it and other wasteful tax loopholes. As well as too many people in poverty in America and an unemployment rate at around 8% doesn't help either. 

So for America to get it's fiscal house in order: 

the states need to take on more responsibility as it relates to social welfare and I even believe Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. And everyone whose on public assistance, should be working and going to school and get the childcare that they need while they're doing those things. 

The rest of the developed world needs to defend itself, instead of relying on America taxpayers to finance their national defense. 

And we need a tax code that encourages success and growth, that eliminates most of the loopholes on everyone, with low rates for everyone based on ability to pay taxes.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Focus on The Family: Dr. James Dobson-Ted Bundy 1989 Interview

Source:Confessions of a Bundy Phile- convicted serial murderer and rapist Theodore R. Bundy, being interviewed by Dr. James Dobson from Focus on The Family, days before he was executed in January, in 1989.

Source:The Daily Press

"I’m involved in an abusive relationship with a dead man. Metaphorically-speaking, of course. I am constantly thinking about, imagining, and reading about a violent serial killer. His ice blue eyes and wavy brown hair call forth feelings of both compassion and revulsion. I am both drawn to and repelled from this handsome charmer, moonlighting as a bloodthirsty necrophile. Ambivalence lingers as I contemplate the dirty deeds of Theodore Robert Bundy, even twenty-eight years since his execution in Florida’s electric chair at age 42.

Bundy Smile.jpg
What a smile!
As if we were lovers, my thoughts often turn to him as I imagine the things we share in common. We both grew up in the Methodist church, were involved in scouting activities, and we were withdrawn and shy in high school. Despite being raised on the opposite sides of the country (he in Washington state and me in North Carolina), I’ve always felt a connection to Ted’s family upbringing and working class family. His mother clearly loved him, as did mine, and his siblings looked up to him."

From Bundy Phile 

"Ted Bundy Interview"

Source:Focus On The Family- serial murderer Ted Bundy, being interviewed by Dr. James Dobson in 1989.

From Focus On The Family 
Source:Focus On The Family- Serial murderer and rapist Ted Bundy in 1989 

It wasn’t until the last few hours, days, weeks, months perhaps, that Ted Bundy finally admitted to the murders that he committed over a 3-4 years period in the mid and late 1970s. Because he knew what was coming his way and was scared for his life. He knew he was about to pay the ultimate price for the murders of all of these women and even offered to help law enforcement. And give them new supposed evidence of other murders that he committed. Ted Bundy and Henry Lucas are different serial murderers in this sense, well there are several reasons.

Ted Bundy being very intelligent and fairly well-educated and Henry Lucas not intelligent at all. But another reason that makes them different, was that Lucas at least had enough character to confess to the murders that he committed. And went even farther than that and admitted to committing murders that he couldn’t of possibly had committed. Having been somewhere else when those murders were committed to use as an example. Ted fought for his life as long as he possibly could, even representing himself in court during his murder trials. And only finally admitted to committing the murders that he did, when he knew he was out of hope of saving his life, when he was out of appeals.

That’s one of the reasons why he did these interviews with Dr. James Dobson one of the most influential leaders of the Religious-Right in America. He was trying to get Dr. Dobson to feel some feeling for what he did, even try bring him on his side, perhaps in hope of getting Dr. Dobson to perhaps help him out. And maybe get his life spared. Dr. Dobson was too smart to fall for this, but this was Ted’s hope and perhaps get Dr. Dobson’s followers behind him as well. And even take it to the point of trying to put some responsibility on his viewing of pornography for some of his murders. And even taking it to the point of blaming his drinking of alcohol on these murders as well.

Well again Ted was a very intelligent man and understood American politics well enough to know that pornography and alcohol were two of the biggest targets among the Religious-Right in America. All Ted Bundy was doing in these interviews with Dr. Dobson, was trying to save his life. Perhaps to get Dr. Dobson to do something for him That’s why he finally admitted to the murders of twenty plus women or so in the mid and late 1970s. Because he knew the gig was up and he was out of bullets he was headed for being executed and was scared to die and wanted someone to save his life.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Associated Press: President Obama: 'GOP 'Not Serious About Deficit Reduction'


Source:Associated Press- President Barack H. Obama (Democrat, Illinois) campaigning for reelection somewhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"President Obama called on Republicans to extend tax cuts for all Americans earning up to $250,000 a year. The President was campaigning in Virginia, a key swing state." 

Don't get me wrong, because I don't think Barack Obama has the best credibility and record when it comes to deficit reduction and fiscal policy. But he doesn't talk like a fiscal Conservative and then governs like a borrow and spender. He's a true Center-Left Progressive that believes that government can play a big role in helping people move forward with their own lives. 

President Obama is very different from today's Republican Party that talks like Barry Goldwater Conservatives, but then governs Jack Kemp supply-siders, who when they're actually being honest or are in private will tell you that deficits and debt doesn't matter. They only act like it matters when there's a Democratic President, especially a Progressive Democratic President. 

President Obama's basic point here is correct. If you think the deficit and debt is actually a big deal and real threat to the economy, but aren't willing to do anything about the trillions in tax cuts that only benefited the wealthy the last ten years, that were never paid for and I would add you think the military budget should be off table when it comes to deficit reduction, and no plan to reform entitlements to make them financially affordable for generations to come, then you are not serious about deficit reduction. 

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Nancy Pelosi: 'Leader Pelosi on GOP Repeal of Patient Protections'



Source:House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi- (Democrat, California) speaking on the U.S. House floor about House Republicans plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"Leader Pelosi speaks on the House floor against the GOP repeal of patient protections." 

From Nancy Pelosi

The U.S. Supreme Court (thanks to Chief Justice John Roberts) just saved the Affordable Care Act, which gives President Barack Obama, as well as House Democrats (led by Nancy Pelosi) and Senate Democrats (led by Harry Reid) and every House and Senate Democratic candidate whose running for Congress this year, who needs Democratic votes to get elected to Congress this year, a huge political victory. 

The Supreme Court ruling in favor of the constitutionality of the ACA is a huge victory for national Democrats, not just because of the benefits that comes from the ACA (also known as ObamaCare) which are actually popular, but now this bill is officially constitutional. (According to the U.S. Supreme Court) 

House Republicans, especially the House Republican Leadership knows this and now knows that the ACA will be with us until Congress (House and Senate) and the President (Democratic or Republican) repeals the law. And now they're going to have to deal with questions on the campaign trail, as well as their Republican presidential nominee, who passes almost the exact same law in Massachusetts, when he was governor of that state, they're going to have to deal with questions like: "We know you are against the ACA, but what would you do instead?" knowing that they don't have an answer for that question.

The House Republican Leadership knows that their ObamaCare repeal with no replacement will pass in the House, with just Republican votes and that they may even lose some Republican votes and it will die in the Senate and perhaps not even come up for a vote, unless Senate Democrats led by Majority Leader Reid wants to use that vote against vulnerable Senate Republicans who are up for reelection this year. 

But House Republicans want to give their right-wing, Republican base something that says that they're trying to repeal ObamaCare, but simply don't have the power in Washington to do that right now. Their ObamaCare repeal attempt, is nothing but partisan, Washington politics.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Associated Press: Terry Caffey- 'New Show Recounts Crimes From Victim's View'

Source:The Associated Press- Terry Caffey, talking about his experiences as a crime victim.
Source:The Daily Press

"Terry Caffey of Texas shares the horrific story of his family's murder and how he came to forgive his daughter who helped plot the attack in the new ABC crime show 'Final Witness.' It tells true crime stories from the victim's perspective."

From The Associated Press

Discovery ID which is definitely one of my favorite cable networks, especially as a true crime junky. And for anyone who’s really into reality TV instead of celebrity TV, is a channel that anyone of this genre should checkout. Because they mostly cover stories that happened in real-life. Crimes that made the headlines, but also interesting stories that were either underplayed by the media, or have been forgotten, but are still very important. And they cover the people who made these stories either happen, like the criminals and victims and their friends and families.

But also the people who deal with the aftermath of these stories. Law enforcement, lawyers, the media and others, people who covered these stories. They cover murderers, especially serial murderers, rapists, gangsters and others and many times they even cover these stories from the vantage point of the offenders. Not to take their side, but just to hear what their side is, as well as cover the people who brought them justice. And many times what you hear from these offenders is a lot of truth. They admit to what they had done and layout, without getting themselves into further trouble with what they had done.

Discovery ID broadcasts a lot of programming from other media organizations. Like CBS News which has a lot of programming on DID, like 48 Hours. But also ABC News shows 20/20 on DID and NBC News shows Dateline on DID as well. But DID also produces a lot of their own programming. Like I Almost Got Away With It, one of my favorite shows on anywhere right now, that’s about criminals on the run, life on the run and cover criminals who’ve actually escaped from both prison and jail. And in sometimes from both.

DID has a show that covers mob wives, undercover cops, as well as people who have been stalked and many others. And now they are about to release a show that covers what life is like for people who are victims of crimes, how they have dealt with it, what it was like to go through the crimes that were committed against them. And how they are dealing with the aftermath of those crimes. So if you are actually interested in what happens in real-life, Discovery ID is a good channel for you. Especially if you’re also interested in true crime.

So if you are interested in shows like this and are convinced that there is nothing to watch anymore, or perhaps want a break from prime time talking heads, or celebrity TV, or whatever you might be looking for a break from, I suggest you checkout Discovery ID. You’ll find it interesting, you’ll learn about true stories you’ve never heard of, as well as learn new info about true stories, you might think you know everything about.

Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democracy