Exploiting Your Mother

Exploiting your mother?  No, not you.  But Republican legislators and candidates, who are trotting out their moms in campaign ads, to support their sons in claiming that they would never, never, never do anything to hurt Social Security or Medicare.  At least, not for their mothers.  And other seniors.  And maybe other people over 55.  If their mothers trust their sons, then the voters sure can.  So now Paul Ryan is taking his mother with him on his tour around Florida today.   I guess that is insurance against anyone hurling brickbats at him, as they have been doing.  Presumably attendees will be too respectful of his mother to dissent.  But I truly feel sorry for her if they do.

Note 1:  Of course if Social Security and Medicare are for current seniors was short-changed, these wealthy Republican legislators’ mothers would be taken care of.  Imagine the pensions that some of them probably already receive in addition to their entitlements.  I am not even in their class.

Note 2:  Of course, in fact, Conservative plans would affect SS and Medicare of current seniors.

·         They are trying to change the COLA structure so that annual increases would be less.  That would take effect sooner rather than later.

·         If they repeal ACA, seniors would lose some benefits they have started receiving under ACA the last few years, such as free preventative health care, annual screenings, no annual or lifetime caps, no pre-existing conditions (in the case of their private supplemental plans), savings on donut hole of Medicare Part D, and others.

 Note 3:  I do not understand how they can talk of raising the eligible age to receive Social Security and Medicare.  In this time when unemployment rate is high, and particularly devastating to older citizens who will either never find work again, or find work only at much lower wages than they received before.  Many are already filing for Social Security early, and consequently reducing their lifetime payments.  But still are not eligible for Medicare, cannot afford private insurance, and may not qualify for Medicaid.  They ought to, rather, LOWER the age to apply for Social Security and Medicare benefits, without a reduction in payments.  To age 62 or even 60, in order to free up the job market for younger people.  It probably won’t cost that much more than for someone to be on unemployment insurance, food stamps, and Medicaid.

What do you think?

[Note:  I may be mistaken on some of these details, but I have tried to keep up with the politics and economics of Social Security and Medicare.  Please feel free to question, correct or modify this item.]

Gramma Windy

Musings Fri Aug 20 to Wed Aug 15

I'd better get these musings posted before they get to be too many to read at a sitting:

Bob Shrum remarked, in response to item about the mega farmer that Romney visited with in Iowa, that next thing you know he will visit a 5-star restaurant with $300 meals and say that it is a food bank.  Gramma Windy says:  I guess now, if you ask Romney, he will say:  “I like farms.  Some of my best friends own 54 of them.”

Says Gramma Windy:  The most important amendment:  #9.  “The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”  This very clearly states that (1) the government cannot deny a man and a woman the right to enter into heterosexual marriage, if they so choose.  Or force either one of them to marry a same sex partner, against their will, and (2) the government cannot force a woman to have an abortion, or to use contraception, against her will.  Or deny her the right to have as many children as she chooses.

Overheard:  Just remember this: If the right wing can't count on your vote, they don't want your vote to count.

If pharmacists can decline to fill women’s prescriptions for contraceptives, according to their conscience, can grocery store checkout clerks who are teetotalers decline to run up purchases of liquors, according to their conscience, and can waitresses who are vegans decline to serve meat to their customers, according to their conscience?

During his 14 years in office, Paul Ryan only had two bills passed:  (1) to name a postoffice, and (2) to get tax breaks for archers.  Because he is into archery. 

So Dick Gregory suggests that the conservative mantra is that:  Look, we’re going to do something really, really hard on Medicare, and we’re going to do something really, really hard on Social Security…Yeah, but how about something really, really hard on the rich?

Rachel Maddow says that Ryan is not a fiscal conservative, he is a supply-sider, which is that you cut taxes on the rich as deeply and as often as you can then sit back and watch the magic happen.  Used to be called voodoo economics. 

How dare they pontificate about the undeserving poor?  Those right-wing pundits of Fox News and conservative talk radio who are paid millions of dollars a year to bloviate, to spew brown stuff out of their mouths, are the least productive members of society.   What have they ever done for you or me?  They do not inform or educate us, make not even a pretense of elevating the discourse, foster hate and stir up resentment, distort and distract and destroy civility, foster conspiracy theories, demonize members of any demographic, civil, or political group outside of themselves, make a mockery out of journalism.  How can they sleep nights?  How can they live with themselves?  How do they justify their existence?  How do they fool their followers?  How do they justify those millions?  They are unproductive parasites on society. 

Lawrence O’Donnell says we know how Paul Ryan’s career will end.  He’s 85 days away from becoming the next losing vice-presidential candidate who will never become president.  See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45755883/ns/msnbc-the_last_word/#48654868  Ezra Klein, whom I consider  to be one of the most knowledgeable and articulate about budget and monetary policy, says here that  the Medicare discussion so far has made him want to slam his head into the wall a thousand times. 

Did you see where Ryan was heckled at the Iowa State Fair—questions shouted about war on the middle class and cuts to Medicare—and the protesting women were hauled away by security, he remarked that they couldn’t be Iowans, because Iowans are respectful.  But, according to Ed Schultz, they are members of a group called the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.  Hmmm, sounds like community organizers to me.  Meanwhile, President Obama was also at the fair, over in the beer tent buying beers for customers.  When he plunked down money enough for ten beers, the crowd started chanting:  “Four more beers, four more beers.”

BTW, here is a video clip of a Ryan “Pay to play” last fall, in which he jeers at a 71-year-old man being taken down for heckling him.  http://www.salon.com/2012/08/13/paul_ryan_thinks_losing_entitlements_is_funny/?source=newsletter

Problem with hecklers at Ryan and Romney appearances, it will give the Romney team and supporters the excuse to arrange for busloads of protesters to show up at Obama and Biden appearances to try to shout them down.  They’ve got the money to do it.

D J Dione says that Romney has done a rare thing, brought Republicans and Democrats together, because how often do you hear them cheering for the same thing, The Ryan Pick for VP.

The majority of white men vote Republican.  What?  Are they not related to, or in relationship with, women?    Aren’t they affected by issues that affect women—pay scale, reproductive rights, health care, child care?

Andy Borowitz places Sarah Palin above Paul Ryan as a VP candidate, because, although Palin didn’t read, Ryan read Ayn Rand.

The most common reaction to Ryan’s pick as VP by Republican strategists and campaign operatives ranges from gnawing apprehension to hair-on-fire anger [according to Politico].

FOX NEWS a cult?  Someone pointed out that a characteristic of a cult is that members are warned not to listen to anyone else, not to read anything not approved by them, that everything else is a LIE, LIE, LIE.  And that is what Fox News purveyors such as O’Reilly, Hannity, also radio spewers such as Beck and Limbaugh, tell their viewers, listeners, all the time.  “Don’t listen to those liberal commentators, don’t turn on msnbc or pbs, don’t turn on Air America, don’t read mediamatters.  They will poison your mind and destroy your faith.”   When I read something posted by a conservative vilifying Ed Shultz, Al Sharpton, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, and others, I know that they haven’t even turned them in.    They are only repeating what they have been told to believe. 

Musings week of August 5 2012

Musings Week of August 5

Republicans are all over Harry Reid for questioning whether Romney may not have paid taxes for ten years, and they expect the Obama campaign to repudiate Reid’s assertion.  Yet when Bachmann  accuses the administration of harboring Muslim Brotherhood members in its ranks, naming one person in particular, Romney says that it is not his responsibility what other people say.  

Ann Coulter says Obama wants to keep the focus on Romney’s past instead of the present economy, but the Republicans want to keep bringing up Obama’s drug use as a teenager, his college records, his associations with Ayers, Wright, and Alinsky.  Even now, when Obama’s past includes 3-1/2 years as president.

Romney says that Bachmann’s accusations about Muslims are not part of his campaign.  He had better be careful.  She is going to take on Mormons next.

Russia is sending warships to Syria?  For whose side?  I thought they support the Syrian government.  Now USA is supporting the rebels.  Now what?

Ohio Republicans passed a law eliminating the last three days of early voting—for everyone except the active military.  So DNC, Ohio Democratic Party, and Obama campaign are suing, asking the court to reinstate those days for everyone in order to have a level playing field, citing equal protection laws as justification.  So FOX news portrays this as the Democrats trying to stop the military from voting.  And Romney picks up on this as well.   The new law also does not allow military families or veterans to vote those last three days.  Question:  What does Romney and the far right have against veterans?

[Later]  Just learned that Ohio has passed laws reducing early voting to weekdays, hours of 8 to 5, in Democratic districts, but expandingearly voting to weekends and night hours in Republican districts.   Okay, I’m speechless, my jaw just hit the floor.

 I have commented several times on Romney’s rigidity and on his robotic walk, short stiff strides.  Here is an essay about Romney’s body language.  The video clip is revealing, I had noticed this when I saw it on the news.   The robot is programmed to move just its head when speaking. 

http://www.alternet.org/print/tea-party-and-right/what-mitt-romneys-body-language-trying-tell-us

The Romney’s paid cash for their $12 million house in California, but then filed for reduction of property taxes on the grounds that the house had lost value—they saved $109,000 in property taxes over four years. 

Right wing pundits having a lot of fun with DNC speakers Elizabeth Warren and Jimmy Carter.  But apparently wholeheartedly pleased with RNC speakers Gov Rick Scott, Martinez, Kasich, Haley, Walker, two other governors.  Also Condeleeza Rice, Santorum.  Trump claims he has a role, and Gingrich claims he will be conducting seminars.

Sen Harkin, concerning  Rep Mike Kelly (R-PA) saying that  August 1^st, the day women’s benefits of ACA took effect,  is a “day of infamy,” like Dec 7 and 9/11, says he cannot explain it other than to say “that because of their adherence to this rigid ideology has made their hearts rigid, has made their hearts hard.  That’s not befitting a just society like America.”

30.5% of gun deaths are children, as shown by 2009 figures.  Of 9,146 deaths, 2,791 were children.  An additional 13,000 children were injured.  Every year, a 9/11 just for children.

As real estate billionaire Leona Helmsley once said, “Only the little people pay taxes.”  [not quoted by Romney, as far as I know.]

Although Southern Poverty Law Center and other groups had been monitoring Wade Paul for a decade, the FBI had not.  They were too busy monitoring peace groups, occupiers, students, PETA, mosques, environmentalists, and the Brady Bunch.

Did you see where ReiNCe PRieBuS RNC PR BS) called Sen Harry Reid a ‘dirty liar?’ When I was a child and called a brother a liar my daddy washed my mouth out with soap.  But of course, RNC PR BS feels perfectly secure—the precedent was set when Rep Joe Wilson yelled “You lie,” to the President.

If Sen Reid is lying, it is not about whether Romney paid zero taxes some years, but only if he is lying that a Bain invester told him this.  If his source is lying, so be it, it does not make Reid a liar.

How do we now this whole thing isn’t a diversion created by Romney himself?  He puts up a Bain invester to call Reid and tell him this lie, and after a few weeks he will release his records, and prove Reid wrong, thereby embarrassing him and his fellow Democrats.

Republicans spent the last three years doing everything possible to keep President Obama from helping the country, and will spend the next three months telling you he hasn’t done anything to help the country.

When nothing goes right, go left.

So quick, quick, whose your pick for Romney’s VP?  Or who’s his pick?  Cenk Uygur and Michael Schuer did a ‘fantasy football’ pick for likely candidates, and their teams came out as follows:

                                    Cenk                                                     Michael

                                Paul Ryan                                            Rob Portman

                                Tim Pawlenty                                     Chris Christie

                                Marco Rubio                                      John Thune

                                Bobby Jindal                                       Kelly Ayotte

                                Condoleeza Rice                               Susannah Martinez

                                Nikki Haley                                                                                                                                                                                        

Dark Horses:      Jim DeMint                                         Terry Branstad

I wonder why Michael’s list is one short.  And why no one picked McDonnell.  Michael may be including a previous dark horse, John Cornyn. 

My dark horse:  Gen Petraus.

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Did President Obama keep his promises? Or was I wrong?

In 2008 when we had a Meet-the-Candidates Rally (in Hampshire County WV) in October, candidates were invited to make the case for their election, and some who were unable to attend send surrogates to speak for them, or to read a statement.  I took it upon myself to read my prepared statement for Presidential Candidate Barack Obama.  Now maybe it is time to review that statement, and see how closely the president has come to measuring up to our hopes for change.  I am copying the statement below, with the only change being that I have numbered the items, to make it easier to discuss them; also, 9 & 10 were one item in my original statement.  Did we fail to keep his feet hot enough?

Notes of support for candidacy of Barack Obama in 2008. 

If you are a person who cares about the future of our country, you will vote for Barack Obama.

1.       If you believe in liberal values and progressive action, you will vote for Barack obama.

2.       If you believe in bringing an end to the occupation of Iraq and redirecting the billions being spent on the war to restoring our infrastructure and providing for our citizens, you will vote for Barack Obama.

3.       If you believe in engaging diplomatically with heads of state in order to reduce conflicts around the world and to regain the trust and respect of the world’s peoples, you will vote for Barack Obama.

4.       If you believe in establishing fair trade practices with the peoples of the world, for the mutual benefit of our own and the world’s citizens, you will vote for Barack obama.

5.       If you believe in the urgency of developing plans to provide for equitable sharing of food, water, and energy resources for all the world’s peoples, you will vote for Barack Obama.

6.       If you believe in attacking the problems of energy by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and developing alternative energy sources, you will vote for Barack Obama.

7.       If you believe in the urgency of protecting the environment by reducing pollution, dealing with  the causes of global warming/climate change, protecting threatened and endangered species, reducing the destruction of forests, protecting our waters, you will vote for Barack Obama.

8.       If you believe that a fair taxation program would provide tax relief for the working middle class and increase taxes on the top 2% of the country who have achieved their wealth on the backs of the working class, you will vote for Barack Obama.

9.       If you believe that all citizens should have a fair living wage, that will provide adequate shelter and food, you will vote for Barack Obama.

10.   If you believe that all citizens should have adequate health insurance and medical care, you will vote for Barack Obama.

11.   If you believe that Social Security and Medicare should be strengthened, not privatized, you will vote for Barack Obama.

12.   If you believe veterans deserve access to higher education and appropriate medical care, you will vote for Barack Obama.

13.   If you believe in being informed about the issues you will go to www.barackobama.com, and read about Barack Obama’s proposed policies and solutions, and you will vote for Barack Obama.

And if you do not vote for Barack Obama, and we are treated to another four to eight years of devastating Republican conservative policies, then God have mercy on America.