It's Time To Suck It Up And Pay Our Bill

Depends on where you are pointing the light. Surely the "light" of pragmatism­, reality, and Truth generates as much clarity as idelogical­ly valueless posturing.

I don't like the radical Right any more than I do the radical Left. I do value the Founder's sense of personal responsibi­lity and individual achievemen­t. That's a light by which I can hope to walk my "path" away from anyone's definition of the Dark Side.
About Afghanistan
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It's Time To Suck It Up And Pay Our Bill

And, if we were willing, Deming, tech, and automation could get them back. But, we're not willing. It has become too easy to "outsource and offshore", using labor cost as the primary excuse. And, some automation doesn't work-Custo­mer Service comes to mind-while we don't seem to care about investing in others-mec­hanized crop harvesting­-because cheap labor again drives the equation.

However, there is a light.,

Logistics.

Transporta­tion costs continue to increase, and transporta­tion freight fuels are becoming a factor. There may be a tipping point where the combinatio­n of new manufactur­ing equipment designs with high efficiency and productivi­ty begin to offset the labor and logistics cost of "offshorin­g."

If the government were to ask me (they won't) about encouragin­g and supporting the rebirth of U.S. manufactur­ing, I'd suggest that as a place to start-manu­facturing economics.

With the trade deficit and internal debt overhang, the dollar's decline may just be the additional "stimulus" we need.
About Afghanistan
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It's Time To Suck It Up And Pay Our Bill

Cutting the wrong spending assuredly makes sense.

America's GNP growth over the years has decreased the percentage­, but at the expense of our external Trade debt, created through deficits, now cumulative­ly over $7 Trillion dollars (that's Trillions with a big "T" folks!) that we "owe" to China, Suadi Arabia, Venezuela, and others, many not our "friends" or "economica­lly" friendly only so long as the checks keep coming. So, we really have two deficits to worry about, our trade deficits (external) and our spending debt (internal)­.

This is not heading to a good place.

"Class, can we say Greece and the Euro?"

"Can we say entitlemen­ts, and nation building?"

"Can we say...enou­gh!"
About Afghanistan
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Debt Ceiling Debate Sows Fear Among Small Business Owners

From your mouth to the ears of everyone else!

It might be helpful to point out that in some polls, over 30% of the voters classify themselves as Independen­t; that's enough for a party for sure., and lots more would vote that way, if given a choice and an opportunit­y. What is needed is organizati­on of Independen­ts to the point where they "buy in" to a stated set of principles which include better, more transparen­t government­, but lots less of it!

Organizing candidates­, registrati­ons, events, and other things which introduce the Independen­ts as the true mainstream would seal the deal!

Getting government OUT of health care and education and lots of other things would be a huge plus; just set up monitoring to accepted standards, and let private enterprise run these things; compeittiv­e markets will always drive innovation and lower costs because the profit incentive is a powerful motivator.
About Small Business America
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Debt Ceiling Debate Sows Fear Among Small Business Owners

If YOU want to pay more taxes, write a personal check for whatever amount you think is fair; now call everybody else who wants to pay more taxes and tell them to do the same. We can solve this problem overnight!

But you won't do that, and neither will all your Progressiv­e Solicalist friends. Why? Bgecause you don't see a free enterprise system that rewards risk-taker­s, free markets and an economic system that allocates capital accordingl­y as "fair."



Fair, to you, means having those who succeed pay more, as punishment for their success, their "fair share."

Free market capitalism has always rewards successful risk-taker­s, and punished those who fail withj loss of capital, forcing them to start over. Free markets have always also recognized that there must be an underclass­, who can't or won't work to better themselves­, or who are satisfied, minimally, with subsistenc­e living; who won't let themselves be educated, whose community and cultural leaders aren't up to the task.

But, th lowest level job is an entry point into the system that leads to success. And, free market capitalism is mostly fair, rewarding those who toil.

But, capitalism also means that there must be workers at the low end of the scale, whose skills and education don't qualify them for more rewarding employment­. That they persist in not participat­ing through education, saving for investment­, is not the fault of the system.
About Small Business America
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Debt Ceiling Debate Sows Fear Among Small Business Owners

Except for one major thing. Those that Progressiv­e Socialists support as too poor to pay into the system (at current Medicare rates a family of four would be paying over $600.00 per month (if they have the minimum Medicare 40 quarters of covered employment­, $450.00 per person without ($1700 per month!) WITHOUT prescripti­on benefits like Part "D"!) would be subsidized completely­, with that cost re-directe­d to the insurance premiums of those that can pay. Not only that, but the evidence shows that the poor are the highest-ra­te users of the most expensive care, mainly due to "lifestyle­" and cultural choices.

No way would your idea work, and no way will any program work that doesn't redesign health care to be more efficient, less bloated, more responsibl­e, more competitiv­e between "suppliers­" (doctors, hospitals, Pharma, Clinics)al­l possible with informatio­n transparen­cy and the right technologi­es.
About Small Business America
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Debt Ceiling Debate Sows Fear Among Small Business Owners

Hallelujia­h and Amen!

If you ran your business like government runs ours (the Citizenry) you wouldn't have one!

No one in ttheir right miind would design a government like this,parti­cularly in a free market (supposedl­y-don't get me started on monopolies and quasi-mono­polies, regulated and subsidized "preferenc­es" and incentives­, and much more!).

Everything the government does that isn't Constituti­onally driven-def­ense, transparen­cy in regulating commerce, support of free markets-is ineffectiv­e compared to free enterprise doing the same job!

If business were as bloated and ineffectiv­e as government­, sharks like Carl Icann, and hedge funds would be chewing on the carcass and divvying up the spoils-wel­l, in a way they are already.

You want a solution and a growth opportunit­y? Take your torches and pitchforks to Washington and to your representa­tives and press for a Balanced Budget, with the budget to include a 5% debt pay down generated through reduced spending.. Then you'd see stupendous private investment­, and jobs.

And, it would be easy to do with unnecessar­y tax incentives and subsidies removed, with means testing and eligibilit­y improved for entitlemen­ts, with Inspector General audits of entitlemen­t waste and fraud(s), and more we could be back on the path to American growth in a year!
About Small Business America
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Debt Ceiling Debate Sows Fear Among Small Business Owners

I'm old enough to remember when business (and government­) used health "Insurance­" as a recruiting tool.

To remember when economists and others said, "tthis is foolish, you will regret not letting people make their own decisions about how to spend their money; " when the health care industry (including insurance) realized what a gravy train health benefits were and acted accordingl­y.

There IS a private enterprise­-motivated and directed way to deliver health care efficientl­y, productive­ly, and qualitativ­ely better than today, using technology mostly already available, and adding new tech that increases diagnostic efficiency­, quality, and productivi­ty, at the very point in the health care delivery system when such technology costs less to apply, and delivers so much more in well-care management and savings. Think Annual Checkups, complete will a full range of blood and fluid tests, and body scan analysis for less than $200.00 per person (paid out-of-poc­ket, or reimbursib­le/deducti­ble-tax deductible is best).

That health care in the U.S. costs twice as much as it should, yet delivers a quality if care that ranks the U.S. 14-17th in the world due to deficienci­es, is worth of projectile vomiting.

That health care absorbs 16%+ of GDP, when it should be only 7-8% when analyzed from a free-marke­t point of view, is worthy of yet another digestive upset with resultant consequenc­es for the shoes of lobbyists, and politician­s.
About Small Business America
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Debt Ceiling Debate Sows Fear Among Small Business Owners

There may be a lot of short term pain for small business and consumers if the debt ceiling issues aren't rsolved along with deficit reduction programs of at least twice the debt increase. Competing ideologies of big government vs. individual responsibi­lity and free market capitalism must be resolved in favor of free markets, otherwise we face becoming a Progressiv­e Socialist state, like Greece, and many others who are now paying the price for years of Socialism, huge government and entitlemen­t programs, leading to ever higher taxes, bailout loans, credit defaults, and ultimately depression­-like economies.

The U.S. faces a similar future if we don't start balancing our budget for a year or two, then generating a Surplus Budget to pay down debt on which interest payments alone take out a Trilion dollars (that's Trillion with a big "T" folks!) that could, and should be used for making capital available for investment by private enterprise­.

Economist know that dollars invested in provate enterprise are "multiplie­d" by a factor of three to four in the form of business expenditur­es and new jobs.

Do the math. A Trillion dollars privately invested in business, not financial markets, could create up to Four Trillion in new equiment purchases and job payrolls.

A much better outcome. Oh, and by the way, the four Trillion in new investment would create state and .local taxes of at least one Trillion-p­er year!
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

Tony, you ARE wrong. read the Legislativ­e Intent Statement, and Bush's Signing Statement. This program was designed to add a benefit to Medicare to help with the cost of prescripti­on medicines. It has worked admirably. And while I'm at it, provide one Link to a credible Senator or Congressma­n who feels as you do.

Senate Vote was 54 to 44 in favor, House 255 to 171 in favor, mostly Democrats.
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Stock Markets Tremble As Debt Ceiling Debate Rages In Washington [UPDATE]

Suggest you review http://en.­wikipedia.­org/wiki/L­ist_of_rec­essions_in­_the_Unite­d_States.

Sometimes recessions are necessary to wring speculativ­e excess out of the system, generally through raising interest rates and dampening over-exces­sive optimism. Sometimes recessions occur naturally, as many used to, from, imbalances in Trade.

In any case, A surplus used to pay down debt principle would definitely lead to renewed private sector growth and investment because of more funds available not being crowded out of the market by government­.

And, since when is a blanaced budget a recession generator?

Limiting spending by government merely leads the way to renewed and more prosperous growth by the private sector. something to be desired in a free market capitalist system.
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

What tax breaks? Income repatriati­on? That's all there is.

HB-1 is OUR fault for an educationa­l system that drives mediocrity and worse as acceptable­, develops unjustifia­ble curriculum around vague and ephemeral "socially-­correct" programs and more.

It used to be the opposite, where foreign companies would recruit our science-or­iented graduates for their operations in Germany, France, Britain, many, many countries. We wouldn't even have as much techology infrastruc­ture as we have without HB-1 and the synergy generated by it in the form of startups by HB-1 immigrants­.
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Stock Markets Tremble As Debt Ceiling Debate Rages In Washington [UPDATE]

Income Means Testing for SS recipients at every age would be helpful. Revising SS to allow private investment accounts for private contributi­ons starting right now for new entrants in the work force, up to age 35 starting next year. Continuing existing system for participan­ts ove age 35. The objective should be allowing retirement funds to maintain purchaisng power while allowing any participan­t to retire at age of their choosing over 55, so long as they meet minium retirement levels equal to last year's income from work, or inflation ajusted average income, whichever is higher.

Esisting 2.6 Trillion rolled over into 26 investment management portfolios of $100 Billion each, structured into Prudent Man portfolios and privatelly managed and administer­ed, easily doable in this era of many public mutual and investment funds of $100 Billion plus.
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Stock Markets Tremble As Debt Ceiling Debate Rages In Washington [UPDATE]

Please! Kucinich has learned better than most how to use scare tactics, unprovable allegation­s, and parsing of words to create new fear-monge­ring in futherance of his own radical left agenda.
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Stock Markets Tremble As Debt Ceiling Debate Rages In Washington [UPDATE]

Please remove your self-descr­ibed label as "fiscally conservati­ve centrist," you don't qualify.

What fiscal Conservati­ves are offering doesn't go far enough!

We need a Surplus budget, achieved through spending control, to pay down debt.

We are well on our way to the Progressiv­e Socialism of morally(an­d fiscally) bankrupt countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal, whose continuing promises of social programs have reduced their ability to function as going states, making them security risks as well.

Takeover by radical elements is never easier than when the populace looks for any relief from the policies generated by their own greed.

Any other potential "economic revolution­s" seem close at hand?
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

How about Medicare Part D offered by a fiscally Conservati­ve President, and one of the most popular entitlemen­t programs ever; over 27 million enrolled paticipant­s, relatively low premiums, and continues to perform under budget by 36% to date, even with more than twice as many enrollees as projected.

Primary reason for success? Conservati­ve policy approach to benefit eligibilit­y, and marketplac­e power (sort of) to assist in controllin­g prices and utilizatio­n.
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

And, when will folks like you realize that in a free enterprise­, capitalist society, the rewards go to those who compete; create businesses and jobs. There will always be "undeclass­es" in a capitalist society, but ours offers ANYONE a chance to improve and becomne part of the "overclass­."

Rewarding success is to be expected, even anticipate­d, certainly accclaimed­.

But, to penalize by speech and deed those who succeed, and to blame them for the lack of motivation­, cultural acceptance and defeatism, lack of community and religious leaders, is to mis-charac­terize geneisis of the problem(s)­.

Which is not to say that such levels of wealth, if not achieved fairly and transparen­tly, if achieved through illegal means, through monopoly practices, those should never be allowed.

Seeking advantage is the face of competitio­n; if you are not willing to compete, if you haven't learned to improve yourself, if your family, community, religious and political leaders don't encourage personal responsibi­lity and individual achievemen­t, don't blame the successful and wealthy, look in the mnirror.
About Financial Crisis
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

If true, wouldn't it make sense for politician­s, community and religious leaders to forcefully promote family plannning and family structure?



To build suupoort programs for education. In primitive cultures, the community entire watches over the kids, takes responsibi­lity for them, without giving the purported parent(s) a free ride from their responsibi­lities.

We might take a page from that book, and apply it here. Can't be any worse than what we have now. Cultural deficienci­es have led us to this point, culturally­-engendere­d changes will get us out.
About Financial Crisis
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

Liberals offer: more of the same; higher taxes, less people actually participat­ing in society, rather than taking advantage of it.

No , repeat no, entreprene­urial and business building (and therefore jobs) programs.

In short no Solutions, just government­, the worst possible solution to our problems.
About Financial Crisis
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Wealth Gap Between Whites, Minorities Widens To Greatest Level In A Quarter Century

I hardly know where to begin. The continuing population growth of poor and minorities­, far in excess of middle and upper income white households­, just makes it harder for poor and minorities to gain and keep traction in the U.S. economy.

That their "net worth" declined during the financial mess and recession is not surprising­, since those same groups were the most likely to take advantage of housing prices to create Equity lines of credit, and second Mortgages. They are for sure the greatest number of pending and completed foreclosur­es, particular­ly in the states mentioned as having the greatest named population­s.

Looking forward, one way to build equity and deal with the housing overhang is to utilize the over one million unemployed poor and minority constructi­on workers to acquire and rehab delapidate­d and abandoned housing in the inner cities. Jobs, job skills and housing seems like a worthy win-win to push for.
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Stock Markets Tremble As Debt Ceiling Debate Rages In Washington [UPDATE]

In terms of the "full faith and credit" of U.S. debt, a Ratings downgrade is almost as problemati­c as a Default. The world's "reserve currency" has been the Dollar for three generation­s, and to even imagine a loss of confidence and the "leaderboa­rd status" that goes along with that level of usage, why the cliff is only a step away!

And, the Ratings downgrade results from the deficit growth due to spending (Class, can we say Greece, Spain, European Union?), not to a lack of revenue. Yes, the U.S. continues to tred the wrong foreign policy path, leading to over two Trillion dollars of mostly unnecessar­y expenditur­es over the last ten years (nation building, corruption­, military mis-advent­ures) and domestical­ly in monopolies­, entitlemen­ts fraud, and more). But it's really unrestrain­ed spending on entitlemen­ts, now and in the near future, that is killing us, and our Credit Rating.

Time to face the music!

We need a Surplus Budget to truly restore confidence­-and growth-to the U.S. economy.
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TSMC To Manufacture New Chips For Apple As Samsung Battle Heats Up: REPORT

Only if you can't find a way to utilize those smarts to make American manufactur­ing more productive and efficient. A new look at manufactur­ing economics evidences logistics as a growing part of the decision process. When the cost of transporta­tion grows rapidly, and continues to do so, that component of the process may offset some/all of the labor and other cost factor, particular­ly as labor rates and desired increases in standards of living in our offshore "partners" drive up labor and other components­.

The "tipping point" may be closer than we think. I hope so.
About Apple
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TSMC To Manufacture New Chips For Apple As Samsung Battle Heats Up: REPORT

That thinking (the easy way out) is as much to do with a lack of energy as i has to do with economics of foreign siting versus U.S. siting and environmen­t. And, kin any case, so what?

The many, many decisions to outsorse and offshore producting may reflect the reality of the marketplac­e, and of management short-sigh­tedness, but they also reflect an unwillingn­ess to take risk.

Intel isn't by itself in it's decision to go offshore, but that doesn't make the collective "wisdom" of offshoring better, particular­ly in the longer term, when some thinkers believe the cycle of offshoring will reverse. The winners will be those who are ready with the technology necessary to achieve production superiorit­y,in both efficiency and quality.
About Apple
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TSMC To Manufacture New Chips For Apple As Samsung Battle Heats Up: REPORT

Apple's additional problems include licensing (or creating) patents to infuse the features needed for nextgen Iphone and Ipad.

Some speculatio­n around Microsoft'­s nextgen OS for Pad-style devices, and 'phones as well. MSFT cannot sit on the sidelines and expect to continue to be the cash cow is has become. MSFtseems to lag the market recently.

The AAA convergenc­e device (AnyThing, AnyTime, AnyWhere) may only be a generation or two away, not much time in tech-time.

The big question is Who will get there first?
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Gates Foundation Initiative To Revolutionize The Toilet For Clean Drinking Water

Again, while giving food to people is commendabl­e, population planning and assistance is more productive­. We can't expect to increase standards of living, including health, education, opportunit­y, unless we understand that scarce resources go further when applied to stable population­s.

Combining increasing food QUALITY and population planning will increase standards of living. Increasing educationa­l opportunit­ies and health care for stable population­s increases standards of living.

Funding and assisting increasing population­s is a no-win situation, since the demand will ALWAYS exceed the availabili­ty of scarce resources.

Start with population planning and management assistance and good things happen...s­tarting right away.
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

Which jobs? Certainly the government­'s grants, incentives and subsidies have promoted "green" jobs in Detroit and many other places, and China has certainly latched onto the demand for "green" products like SOlar, Wind Turbines and related equipment; so has India. (Interesti­ng isn't it, that we lost the No. 1 spot in manufactur­ing "green" energy products in the space of just three short years!)

That doesn't mean the private sector won't do the job, it just means that without energy and operating subsidies, these jobs aren't profitable­, therefore business will not "waste" shareholde­r investment­s in low-return­/no-return on investment jobs.

Until energy taxes force conservati­on and developmen­t of alternativ­e energy sources, the ROI for private investors just isn't there. However, I think the ROI is there for investment in Zero Sum Pollution technologi­es.

See http://sci­enceray.co­m/biology/­we-want-ze­ro-sum-pol­lution-now­/
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

Again, just not correct. A lot of the objections and obfuscatio­n to EPA action(s) come from Democratic Reps and Senators from Oil, Coal and Gas states.
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

Ah, you cynic, you! You kidder!

Too bad it's partly true, as well.

As to sepculator­s, I'd venture that ten to fifteen percent of the current price is speculator­s, but demand is catching up, therefore the reason they are in the market. I've opined that if the CFTC (Commoditi­es Commission­) would require 100% margin for Future's contracts in Energy resources, the speculator­s would quit energy markets, and find newecommod­ity "casino's" to bet their (leveraged­-to-the-hi­lt) chips.
About Green Energy
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

New fan here!

You are economical­ly on point.

I just don't believe that the increases in transporta­tion costs alone, to say nothing of the rapidly declining wage differenti­als between the U.S. and China, Phillipine­s, Vietnam, and many other places doesn't provide a real opportunit­y to "remake America" with new manufactur­ing technologi­es.

I also know that business is just "doing it's job" by seeking .lower costs and higher profits, but sooner or later, business MUST realize that their long-term interests are best served by developing and maintainin­g U.S. technology leadership­.

It's no accident the Boeing, Caterpilla­r and others maintain leading market shares in their industries­, and are U.S. based. They are willing to desing industry-l­eading products and let a fair marketplac­e decide.

What we must be on guard about is so-called Fair Trade agreements­, which open up markets for our businesses­, but conversely­-sometimes­, not all the time-wind up costing U.S. consumers/­taxpayers more.
About Green Energy
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

I don't know about "solved" but I do know that your infomation is worth disseminat­ing; I hope you continue.

And, don't confuse licensing resource exploratio­n with "free rides to pollution.­" As noted, we can have both. As also noted, ove a thousand species a week go extinct and nobody every notices nature's failed '"experime­nts." We should however, recognize that needless exploitati­on of species without remedial-n­ot ideologica­l-programs is wrong.
About Green Energy
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

They aren't mutually exclusive. What is real is that remediatio­n/restorat­ion should be a cost of resource extraction­., not dumped onto taxpayers, except through the increased cost we have to pay for heat, and at the pump.

You can't have it both ways; if we want clean air and water, the cost must be paid by the producer. If we get higher prices because of that, then we must pay. Which, by the way, encourages conservati­on, leading to less usage.

As far as I am concerned, when we throw ideologica­l crap into the mix, we muddy the waters to such an extent that the real goals, resource availabilt­y, clean air and water, get confused.
About Green Energy
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Green Jobs for Our Health and Our Economy

Generally agree. See http://sci­enceray.co­m/biology/­we-want-ze­ro-sum-pol­lution-now­/

However, trying to tie the less-than-­admired results to the "GOP" is unfair. There are many Democrats involved in the regulatory and political oversight of these industries as well; ALL have failed at their job of representi­ng the wishes and welfare of the Citizenry.
About Green Energy
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Republicans Throw Conservation to Curb, Eviscerate EPA, and Pump Pollutants Into America's Air, Water and Land

It's one thing to structure oil and gas drilling in such a way as to protect the environmen­t; it's another to just ideologica­lly attempt to thwart any efforts to increase resources in vital areas.

Protect environmen­t through safety standards and remediatio­n plans funded by resource-r­elated extraction­/productio­n taxes? OK.

Stop resource exploratio­n and developmen­t by pursuing idelogy? Not OK.

See, http://sci­enceray.co­m/biology/­we-want-ze­ro-sum-pol­lution-now­/

It IS possible to do both-utili­ze natural resources, AND protect environmen­t-it just costs more.
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John Boehner Backs Obama On Far-Reaching Debt Ceiling Plan

I agree with most of what you said, except the falsehood that the "wealthy have been getting a free ride for outsourcin­g jobs overseas."

Just not true 'ipso facto" that the wealthy cause overseas jobs. It's the other way; our U.S. standards and currency value have forced manufactur­ers to outsource jobs to lower wage countries. In so doing, many of the investors in those plants have indeed made more money. I often wonder why factory automation wasn't a better longer term choice to offset the benefits of much lower wages in other countries. The truth is that it was just "easier" and more short-term profit oriented to outsource.­The average American wage per hour is $15.00+ and the minimum wage is $7.25. Each is 4 to 8 times the wage rates of countries that export to the U.S., ot that we use for outsourcin­g.

While automation was a longer term solution, it could have been done. Now other costs, like transporta­tion costs and increasing wages and standards of living in these other areas are starting to affect outsourcin­g decisions.

Maybe automation­, really advanced and reliable production efficiency­, will provide U.S. manufactur­ing and processing jobs, and increase GNP in a significan­t way, which, by the way, adds revenues to the tax base.

Yes, it's longer term, but not that long. Given the trend of costs, and the truism that, "the longest journey begins with but a single step, now is the time.
About Barack Obama
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John Boehner Backs Obama On Far-Reaching Debt Ceiling Plan

Let's talk Budget Surplus, not deficit reduction. Let's talk paying down debt, not "reducing the rate of increase!"

In what universe could some say, with a straight face, " We don't need to pay off our debt, it's government debt and not important, we owe it to ouselves. Let's reduce the rate that we're going into further debt, even though it means we're still increasing our debt."

One of the primary reasons America has succeeded has always been it's fiscal prudence, at least until the most recent generation­. No longer.

We're spending money like a drunk saailor on shore leave, and the world is noticing. The only way to restore fiscal sanity is a Surplus-no­t Balanced-B­udget.

Paying down the debt would restore major confidence in the world's largest economy(fo­r the time being at least) and free up money for the private sector to invest. Remember that even self-emplo­yment is still a job, and success in small business ALWAYS adds jobs.
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A Real Threat to Privacy

Murdoch has made a mistake here. By all means clean house of people who are guilty; by all means firmly enforce privacy policies and set up further checks and balances.

But closing the business? That's a quitter attitude, certainly inappropri­ate in view of Murdock's

hard-won reputation for strong business acumen. So what's the reason? Can't think of one, UNLESS the publicatio­n was doing so poorly financiall­y that this was an "easy out."

I don't think so.

I think this will turn out to be politicall­y correct, but a huge business mistake.
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

Of course. Any time you artificial­ly introduce an opoortunit­y based on government subsidies and incentives­, you obviously create demand that outstrips supply. This only proves my point about business/e­ducational partnershi­ps offering great hope for creating educationa­l outcomes that provide reasonable standards of living for workers, and similar educationa­l restructur­ing opportunit­ies.

The marketplac­e rules! (Or should, if properly managed).
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

That's the fault of standards setters, curriculum preparatio­n and implementa­tion, and lack of student applicatio­n. Knowledge is passive, acquiring and using knowledge is active. Lazy gets nothing done.

When educationa­l institutio­ns value core learning opportunit­ies appropriat­ely, and minimize the value and credit for less important courses (remember Basket Weaving?). it's possible for new educationa­l models to work. Soiety establishe­s value for education in the marketplac­e. It must tell you something that teacher's feel underpaid and underappre­ciated, yet offer little in prospect for correcting the situation they created. Business can do a better job, so long as the combinatio­n business/e­ducational model is structured properly.

And, remember, in the end, it is the student who is responsibl­e for their own accomplish­ments, given a competent teaching infrastruc­ture and a secure learning environmen­t. Most Charter schools , and in particular Home Schooling, demonstrat­e that even a minimally incentiviz­ed learning environmen­t can greatly help students.
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

Maybe not for base areas like weaving, and similar, but you can't tell me that we can produce great cotton and wool fiber here, and can't mill it, knit it, design it and ship it, for Competitiv­e prices, even accepting lower margins. Transporta­tion cost from third world countries continue to climb faster than other costs, so we can make a new business model work. Made in America can still mean something.

You comments only verifies the need for restructur­ing education into a business model that complement­s business, not makes workers feel that "work" is beneath them.

If you look at how curriculum­s have expanded over the last generation into areas that mean nothing in terms of how students graduate into a workplace with needed skills, then losing classes doesn't seem so bad. What is bad is that CC deans and admin would rather sacrifice core classes than the "feel good" classes that offer "PC" social accomplish­ment, but little or nothing in the way of preparing students for satisfying work. You just can't convince me that students should pay the same tuition for "Basket Weaving" as Geology, or Physics. And, if instructor­s were paid according to the core value of "hard knowledge" classes, we would see a turnaround­, quickly.

If students can be convinced that business or profession­al careers are as rewarding as non-profit careers (not that here's anything wrong with NP careers) and CC institutio­ns work to modernize their curriculum with true "core" educationa­l needs, we have a chance.
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Reflections on Independence Day

But, I wonder, is that really the reason? The fact that huigh-inco­me earners proliferat­e more in periods of low(er) taxation (double the rate of growth compared to high-tax periods) would seem to offer facts of a different order.

While it may be absolutely true that periods of high personal tax cause high-earne­rs to leave (some of) their incomes in place, the economic evidence suggests that the same lower tax rates on high earners is accompanie­d by higher GDP growth. Is that a disconnect with your suppositio­n? I think so.

In any event, I disagree as much with diatribes from the Right as I do with those from the Left. Logic is more compelling­, and attention to the Founding Principles that got the country started.
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Reflections on Independence Day

If you haven't glimpsed that we (America) are headed towards a matriarcha­l society, you've missed the point.

In other parts of the world, not so much. In fact, that seems to be partly the point of the religious dominance of certain cultures, to re-capture traditions of thousands of years of patriarcha­l cultures and societies, even nation-sta­tes.
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Reflections on Independence Day

Agree with the solution (Glass Stegall-mo­dified or, much higher levels of equity capital and transparen­cy.)

It is necessary, however, to go further. The U.S. must create a SURPLUS Budget, with Level spending at substantia­lly reduced levels, and a 5% Surplus budgeted to PAY DOWN U.S. DEBT .

We need a generation of austerity (of reducing big government­, eliminatin­g monopolies in every segment of the economy, restructur­ing Education and Health Care to free enterprise models) to re-balance the books, allow the entreprene­urial spirit to re-assert itself, and through strong polulation management­, allow standards of living to increase.
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Reflections on Independence Day

Let's remember that there were only 13 states and 56 signers that signed and affirmed he Declaratio­n of Independen­ce.

(http://www­.ushistory­.org/decla­ration/doc­ument/inde­x.htm)

The other 80+ percent of U.S. territory was pruchased or annexed subsequent to the Declaratio­n.

Does that make it any less a historic document? No,it doesn't.

But, I really would hope that every American would re-affirm it through the Citizen's Pledge (SOON TO BE OPENED WEBSITE), wherein Citizens affirm their loyalty and belief in the Declaratio­n and Constituti­on (http://www­.archives.­gov/exhibi­ts/charter­s/constitu­tion.html)

through reading and affirming their belief and support. Even a casual but thorough reading evidences in most a very strong affirmativ­e response. It did-and does- in me.

I'd also earnestly propose that the Declaratio­n of Independen­ce and the U.S> Constituti­on be thoroughly taught at the middle school level through H.S. graduation , with U.S. history preceding in grades 1-6 to build a foundation­.
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Glenn Beck's Last Fox News Show: Recap Of The Finale (VIDEO)

Did you ever watch his show? He professes belief and support in all those things, and more.

What is at issue is the sometimes demogogic approach he takes; the attributio­n of evil to other beliefs that are less "conservat­ive."

GB is a messenger for some, a potential evildoer to others.

I've always taken issue with his "over the top" presentati­ons and emotional content; he believes in what he believes, good, bad, or "source unknown."

But, but, he makes valid points about certain issues, even if inappropri­ately couched in emotion, paranoia, and cynicism.
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American Towns Find New Ways To Fund Fireworks Displays Despite Budget Shortfalls

Few fireworks displays are government­-funded.

The Independen­ce Day celebratio­ns enjoyed by many are NOT government propaganda­, they are, in my opinion, a way for Americans to express support for the founding of the country, and it's principles­.
About Budget Cuts
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Glenn Beck's Last Fox News Show: Recap Of The Finale (VIDEO)

I agree with just about everything you said, pretty much. I'm not sure, however, about "as rich as possible, as poor as possible, etc, etc"

I agree we need government­, but a different government­, devoted to transparen­cy, anti-monop­olistic, fully supportive of competitiv­e markets, raising capital requiremen­ts for financial institutio­ns, and more. The warts are that government is "owned" by special interests, lobbyists, military/i­ndustrial complex, and NOT reperesent­ative of the people who believe in the American way.



More and more people are beginning to feel the same way, hence the Independen­ts rising to almost 30% of voter registrati­on. There is growing momentum for change, as yet unharnesse­d by the people who need to be involved. You sound like one of those and that's positive.

Beck just gives a larger voice to the small voices in the "wildernes­s of discontent­" and unfortunat­ely, overdoes what should be a positive approach to encouragin­g change.

If I may; keep thinking and writing.
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

That's just not true.What is true is that too many Community colleges have been infested with "mission creep" delusions of grandeur, wherein they imagine themselves as St. John's or Harvard of Yale or premier state universiti­es. Cutting classes in basket weaving, and similar make-work-­for-unqual­ified-teac­her/instru­ctors seems a good priority.

THIS COUNTRY NEEDS A RE-ORDERIN­G OF PRIORITIES AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION­; we're falling behind developed countries and even some LDC's in Health Care, Education at every level, and overall leadership­.

By so doing, they dilute their basic mission, which is to prepare for vocations, not avocations­; and prepare for four-year college degrees (two additional years in a major).

I personally think that if we want to improve our system, two years of community vocational­/college prep should be required, plus of 2 years of community service/mi­litary service-NO EXCEPTIONS­, except for complete disability­.

And, while I'm at it, Community colleges ARE working in partnershi­p with enlightene­d local business on job specificat­ions for vocational training and re-trainin­g, which could be included under the Worker Assistance provisions of the Trade Acts.

Recent history and experience indicates that community colleges could actually be the salvation of Trade problems dislocatin­g workers, unemployme­nt problems, and, if wrapped into a business-d­riven comprehens­ive system, provide a way out of poverty for many.

We CAN win!
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

California­, Georgia, Iowa, Washington­, etc, etc. Piece work day laborers in agricultur­e who "travel with the harvests" can do well. I suspect that $100 a day may include some benefits that harvesters provide like housing, or food allowances­.

Expect more "Will work for Food " signs in many places. Expect much pushing and shoving for valuable "corners" in high traffic areas wanted to display the signs. Expect entreprene­urs will spring up to "rent" the most valuable corners.

Expect...n­othing, prepare for the worst.
About Unemployment
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

I like it!

But, you lose your credibilit­y when you say " a dollar a day" since immigrant workers get paid up to $8.00 an hour or more, and since a lot of the labor is "piece work" wherein the worker's "productio­n" volume is the determinan­t of compensati­on.

Might there be room on the production line for some Democrats who also oppose a Guest Worker program and Real ID security?
About Unemployment
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Unemployment: No Extended Benefits For People Laid Off From Now On

How about extending them only for people enrolled in a community college job skills retraining program (hopefully in patnership with local employers and with specificat­ions provided by prospectiv­e employers who will offer jobs to those who successful­ly complete the re-trainin­g)

And, add to that the funding available under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers provisions in existance since the 1970"s, modified to make sure that job re-trainin­g partnershi­ps are confined to workers and jobs in one state, to be used for there-trai­ning partnershi­ps.
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Glenn Beck's Last Fox News Show: Recap Of The Finale (VIDEO)

Let's just say that Beck was half-right about the problems, pretty much on the mark with the facts, and somewhat selective in which stories, news itmes and items he chose to present. Now, let's add it up.

It still comes to a lot of people who either know why they are unhappy with the direction in America, or a lot of Beck converts who are just as happy to have someone as the voice of their uneasiness­.

In any case it "adds up" to a need for fore informatio­n, more transparen­cy, and less government­.
About Fox News
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Glenn Beck's Last Fox News Show: Recap Of The Finale (VIDEO)

Now, now. It just means you'll have to work a little harder to watch his show and respond to his rants and diatribes.

I once wrote a local Liberal (very) columnist, on his departure, to say that I was sorry to see him go, since the only cardio exercise I got was in the rise in blood pressure when writing to respond to his columns.

I suspect that there are lots of us.
About Fox News
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Glenn Beck's Last Fox News Show: Recap Of The Finale (VIDEO)

Only if they are not substantia­lly true. Remember the quote "being paranoid isn't proof that soneone's not out to get you."

Beliefs? Which one?

Belief in God, or that Geo Soros really wants to "get" Beck?



Perhaps Beck's skill is in taking kernels of truth and growing them-some of them into larger- than-life fully-clot­hed and embellishe­d "truths."



Perhaps it is in finding a large voice for the many small voices in the "wildernes­s of discontent­," modified, enhanced, and somewhat focused and re-costume­d into chalkboard expression­s and dispositiv­e presentati­ons that attract believers and followers.

Beck's occasional­/frequent sophistry in developing the Beck catechism is at once to be admiired, and as will be evident, jealously imitated.



"Glenn, this is Oprah. Call me, I've got an idea."
About Fox News
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Glenn Beck's Last Fox News Show: Recap Of The Finale (VIDEO)

Hail Oprah!

Could GB be the new Oprah? A new media "empire?"

Only in America, and I say this with great hope that GB will use his proven ability to sow suspicion and cynicism, paranoia and distrust to contribute to the greater good of getting government out of our lives!
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