Poor Edgar's Almanac

It's the economy, stupid

2010-11-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

All this talk about the election is beginning to drive me crazy. Americans are beginning (beginning?) to resemble preschoolers. We are impatient with anyone who is in office, we want overnight solutions to complex issues that took years to develop and if someone doesn't provide immediate results, we demonize them.

Republicans win back half of one of the three branches of government and suddenly they think they're on a mission from God. I am so sick and tired of the pandering and empty words from both parties and even more torqued by the tea party people who talk a blue streak of self righteousness.

I believe that Americans vote their pocketbook in every election. This election was a referendum on the state of the economy. "It's the economy stupid." If the Democrats want to stay in office and get on the good side of America they better find some way to get the economy moving. Otherwise, it's Republicans again in 2012.

There's not enough beer for me ! ! !

Tea Party Republicans Are a Sad Joke

2010-02-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

This Tea Party movement is taking on the signs of a sad joke. This morning, USA Today has an interesting article about the Tea Party movement and the powers that are trying to co-op it.

As a Practical Libertarian, I have been against high deficits, high national debt and high taxes for years. But where were all the Tea Party people when George Bush wiped out the budget surplus he inherited, created his own huge budget deficit and more than doubled the existing National Debt from 5 trillion to over 10 trillion?

I'll admit to being a cynic at times, but the Tea party movement is nothing but hot air. The well meaning people who started it are falling by the wayside while the political animals in the Republican Party are taking it over as their own little pet project. The problem is that people like Sarah Palin and Dick Armey are the same type of Republicans who drove our country to the edge of the abyss in 2008.

Let me be clear. I believe that many top Republicans these days are are two faced liars. From George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to Rush Limbaugh to Sarah Palin. These are the people who would double your deficit and gladly encourage Wall Street to do whatever the hell they please right up to the edge of the cliff, and then bail them out. Also, please don't blame Obama for the financial mess and the bad economy. TARP was passed while George W. Bush was still in office. Bush and Henry Paulson bailed out the banks and AIG after their eight years appeared to be ending in a spiraling death-spin.

Republicans under Reagan and George W. Bush are responsible for the the two largest increases in both federal spending and the national debt. Do not be fooled by these charlatans. I call them "Borrow and Spend Republicans". These fakers can blow our money faster and more effectively than anyone. They've just learned to hide it better.

I support and balanced budget which includes a concrete plan to reduce the National debt. For more information about a responsible approach to fiscal conservatism, check out the Concord Coalition, a non-partisan group trying to shed light on the mounting debt problem in the United Sated government.

Do not fall for these fakers and liars from the who want to co-op the ideals of the Tea Party movement and use it for their same old "borrow and spend" tactics. Borrow and Spend Republicans are worse than Tax and Spend Liberals. Enough with the lies.

Finally, the first phone I must have

2010-01-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

I interrupt all my previous post writing to say a few words about the new Fender 3g My Touch phone.

I'm a blues nut, a guitar nut and a serious musician. Up to today, I had no interest in a cell phone other than as an emergency device. Now I "have" to get one of these. My friend George in New Hamster will tell me that Clapton is an old has been, but I don't give a S**t. This is the bomb. YOU CAN EVEN STRUM IT!!!!

Did Obama miss the boat?

2010-01-27T06:29:00.001-08:00

On NPR this morning I listened to several reports about President Obama’s popularity rating and voter’s complaints about his agenda since taking office. My first reaction was to shake my head at how fickle voters can be. American voters have always been willing to put their Congressional Representatives and Senators back in office, but like to blame the President for whatever ails the country.

Obama rode a wave of “throw out the bums" during the election of 2008. In retrospect, there is no other explanation for his win. I’ve listened to all the arguments about how Americans wanted healthcare and wanted the troops out of Iraq and on and on. I don’t believe most of that. Americans have and always will vote first with their pocketbooks. In 2007, American pocketbooks were getting nailed, business was slowing and our economy looked shaky and vulnerable.

This might have been a chance to go after special interests and expose some of the “best and brightest” in Banking and Wall Street for what they are; poor managers who didn’t direct their companies well, can’t accept responsibility and deserve to be tossed. Obama might have taken the case to the American people that each one of us bears responsibility for managing our own affairs and if we have a mortgage we can’t afford, then maybe we can’t afford the house. At the same time, Obama might have put the screws to banking and finance and forced some real honest talk from the financial sector about just how bad they screwed up. Instead, he let everybody off the hook, supported the idea of bailing out American Big Business from end to end and looked the other way.

When Roosevelt came into office in 1933, he addressed the financial crisis by announcing a bank holiday and new legislation to reform banking and the economy. Roosevelt recognized that the a sound economy was the key to everything else. If the eonomy is sound, then we can move forward. If the economy has major problems, then nothing is safe.

I fear President Obama assumed the economy would bounce back and missed his opportunity to get it fixed. Our budget deficit is much too high and the banks and Wall Street are back to business as usual. The Bush Recession might be behind us, but the economy still is in tank, the American people are still hurting and Wall Street thinks it won another bet.

How can we forget so quickly?

2010-01-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

Check out the transcript of this conversation between Bill Moyers and Thomas Frank. I watched this on PBS the other day and even with my cynical take on the world I was amazed at the way right wingers can stretch, bend and twist the truth. (read the transcript)

It reminds me to remember to refer to our current mess as the "Bush Recession". I wish Obama would use that phrase every time he opens his mouth to answer a question or talk about the economy. The Republicans controlled Washington for eight years, got us into two unfinished wars and drove the country into the biggest hole since the Hoover (a Republican) did it in 1929. How can we forget this? (read the transcript)

I am so tired of politicians right now. Obama is doing his best to pass a health care bill which will be flawed at best and might actually drive the country's debt over the edge into financial failure. At the same, John McCain tries to pretend to be some sort of tough guy beating up National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair at the Homeland Security hearings yesterday. McCain looked like he was running for office again. Someone please tell him the election is over. (read the transcript)

And how about Sarah Palin? I don't even have words to describe her recent book and Fox contract. And she calls other people trailer trash? Let's just say that when I looked in the dictionary under "piece of work", I saw her picture. (read the transcript)

This post is a bit dis-oriented, I'm just so disgusted with our leaders right now.

Scott Brown and Politics 101

2010-01-20T06:33:00.000-08:00

Now that Massachusetts has flipped it's lid and elected a Republican to Ted Kennedy's seat, the world must be about to end. Having lived in New England for the better part of forty years, I know something about The Bay State. The Democrats have a stronghold on the Legislature and have for decades.
However, Republicans have controlled the governor's seat for 30 of the last 48 years. The Governor has been a Republican 62.5 percent of the time since 1961.

Having said that, Massachusetts Republicans are more moderate in their approach. A good example is William Weld who was a US Attorney during the Reagan administration and Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997. Weld is conservative, but in a small L way. The people of Massachusetts are far less liberal in many ways than the rest of the country realizes. Puritanism and social conservatism still lingers there.

I am not surprised that the senate race went to the GOP. Voters are fickle and the past year has been filled with bad news. Scott Brown was a well spoken candidate who sounded moderate positions, and got voters to trust him. He says he supports the Massachusetts version of Universal Health care (see link to 'The Economist'), but now is opposed to the National Health care bill in Congress.

What Scott Brown did was he tailored his positions and statements to the average, working Joe and Jane. In my opinion, the average worker these days is hoping to hold onto what they have and is sitting tight until the economy gets better. They don't feel they can afford to pay more taxes and they see the Democrats
trying to push thrugh a large new plan when the economy is in the toilet.

Scott Brown has studied politics 101 and ran a great race. He memorized his soundbites and delivered them flawlessly. I'd be surprised if he believed half of what he said, but then again I'm a skeptic.

Democrat, Republican, Libertarian? How about a new Party?

2010-01-14T10:11:00.001-08:00

I've devoted quite a bit of time thinking recently about my political beliefs. I used to be a fairly staunch Democrat in the old Clinton Days, but I just can't agree as much with the party anymore. The National Debt troubles me more than ever.   I have trouble seeing how a National Healthcare plan is going to be possible when our economy is in such trouble at the same time we already owe so much.

I definitely am not a Republican because of their tremendous defense of Big Business, self righteous, we are right attitude and their pandering to Evangelical Christians. I am a Christian from a Lutheran background, but my religious beliefs are based on tolerance and complete separation of church and state. Republicans have good ideas on small business and small government, but they never seem to follow through on their talk. Newt Gingrich and his Contract with America went no where and George W. Bush increased the size of both the government bureaucracy and the National Debt to insane proportions. When Republicans complain about the Democrats and the size of the budget its like listening to Rush Limbaugh complain about illegal prescription abuse.

Libertarian philosophy attracts me, but the problem with the Libertarian Party quickly comes into focus. The party platform is clearly small government, but to the point where people and businesses are on their own. Bar the door and load the ammunition. Libertarians trust the free market on everything from immigration to the environment to the economy. I only have to think of Mexican drug lords, the City of Pittsburgh pre-Clean Air Act and Bush's recession to see that government does have some role in keeping things on track for the common good.

I hear the questions already. What exactly do I think is best? Here's a few ideas.

1. A strong Federal Government based upon the existing US Constitution, established and maintained for the protection and benefit of its citizens. Corporations and other non human entities of any sort are not citizens. Each citizen has one vote.

2. Absolute separation of church and state. All citizens are given the responsibility to respect and tolerate other religious views. Religion shall not be regulated, endorsed or controlled by the government. Religion shall not intrude on the government.

3. A Strong National Defense focused on protecting our country without having to be the global police officer.

4. An economy based on minimal but necessary regulation. The government's job in the economy is to maintain a level playing field for all businesses and to protect citizens from corporate and business abuse and neglect.
A fundamental principal shall be that no business is too big to fail.

5. Foreign policy based on respecting other nations sovereignty backed by a strong national defense capable of acting as a capable deterrent to attack from another country.

6. The government's role in the environment is to establish standards for clean water, air and safe disposal of toxic waste. Dealing with problems related to climate change no matter the cause falls under the responsibility of the federal government.

7. Lobbying of elected representatives by corporations is illegal.

I don't think I'm done yet, but you get the idea.

Who is Debra Medina?

2010-01-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

Today's Dallas Morning New has an interesting article about Debra Medina, the Libertarian leaning, Tea Party supported Republican candidate for governor in Texas. She seems to be representing those people in Texas who hate the federal government and want to secede and become a sovereign state again. I get that she holds up the flag for smaller government, but it just sounds like pandering to the far right.

No matter what issue she is asked about, she doesn't seem to have any real plans. Regarding the border, she said she would dispatch Texas troops to "protect the border". That a great sound bite but for how long? What would they do to protect the border? She apparently believes that states have the right to ignore federal laws they believe are unconstitutional. That sounds great to the right also, but history majors will remind her that 'State's Rights' that is what we fought the civil war over and it is a settled issue. I'd like to hear more about what her vision for an actual term as governor might look like. I am all for small government, but I'm also for a practical approach to keeping the buses and trains running on time.

I'll be keeping my eye out watching her. I think Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchinson will be watching pretty closely also. Right now Medina looks like a spoiler for one or the other.

ROTC for Xbox

2010-01-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

Is it only me or is America training millions of children to be soldiers? Video games like Medal of Honor, Spec Ops, SOCOM, Mercenaries and many others seem like training for little minds. What are we doing? Has America has become so militarized that we can't even see it?

These games glorify war and combat but don't represent anything like the real world. Ask most veterans of real combat about their experience and you will get a picture of what I am getting at. I am a patriotic American and I love my country. We are a shining light not the bad ass on the corner. What are we doing?

Political philosophy

2009-12-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

Over the years I've studied political systems and watched a few come and go. I've seen the same power plays pop up around the world as well as here at home. Big questions erupt in my head all the time. Questions like: How can China be the big comer in capitalism if they are a communist nation? Other questions poke at me: How did Daniel Ortega of the Nicaraguan Sandinistas remake himself as some sort of christian, conservative, post revolutionary friend of Iran. If you can figure that one out, I will buy you fries to go with your cheeseburger.

I've come up with a few lines to describe how I see government at its best. Whether you agree or disagree with any of these, I would love to interact in some dialogue about politics. Please leave a comment.

While studying and observing politics over the last quarter century, I've come up with some basic principals that lead to the best performance of government

1. Smaller government is better

As a government grows, citizens often seek to have government take on more responsibility. I believe that in general, citizens need to be responsible for themselves. Government cannot effectively solve all problems.

2. Separation of Church and State is essential to good government

Religions are based on absolute belief. This inevitably causes some citizens to see their beliefs as right and other beliefs as wrong, which seems to lead directly to using the government to limit the liberties of others. Liberty includes the right of citizens to pursue their own religious beliefs. Government should not establish, embrace or limit any religion.

Purpose of government

1. Protect individual liberties

2. Provide a strong national defense

3. Provide an independent judicial system for resolving individual conflict and providing law enforcement

4. Protect stable economy. A level playing field is central to a stable economy

I describe myself as a Small L Independent, the L referring to Libertarian. I see the world in a very practical way. Different issues require dialogue and common ground to find solutions, but in general I lean toward a small government which stays out of moral issues.

Christmas eve - eve thoughts

2009-12-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

It is amazing the kind of stuff your brain can come up with when walking the dog. My daughter and I were cruisng along tonight and we got talking about Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. My daughter had been long since disabused of the notion that any of these are real, but she still holds strong emotions about each of these individuals.

This led to a conversation about how the Christmas went from the birth of Christ to the night a fat, old man delivers presents to the world's children. I like to believe that two hundred years ago, some department store executive sat at his desk on the day after Thanksgivinbg and had a massive brain storm. probably one that required a double gin and tonic. After he woke up, he invented Black Friday, Santa and the 24 hour drug store. If I could go back in time like on Quantum Leap, I'd find that guy and kick his ass because I'm tired of shopping. (Sorry, I digress)

Before I go any further, as the father of three most excellent kids, I dig Christmas and Santa. I also love christmas eve church and expect to find myself performing the usual trick of letting myself float back to a christmas past when I would get through church, go home, climb into bed and wake up to a serious haul of gifts under our tree.

My mother has always been seriously into filling the undeside of the tree with a lot of gifts. These days I would say too many, but in those daays I loved every minute of it.

Well, Time flies and soon we'll opening gifts. I hope we all spend a minute remembering the baby Jesus. I'll enjoy the church service, sleep like a baby and then wake up to fill the stockings because the truth is that I am Santa in my house.

Islam needs a Reformation and Enlightenment

2009-12-21T04:23:00.000-08:00

Tom Friedman, columnist for the New York Times, wrote a lightning rod in the December 16th edition. In the piece, Friedman, a very smart guy, suggested that what the Islamic world needs is a civil war not unlike the civil war which the United States fought over slavery. His idea runs in the right direction, but in my opinion, his argument uses the wrong underlying analog. In my opinion, the Islamic world needs something on the lines of a Reformation followed by an Enlightenment. These two historical events shaped the western world in profiund ways which still reverberate today.

I am a Lutheran by birth and choice. My interest in the subject of Islam is driven by the intense political and religious struggle that seems to be going on the Islamic world. Anyone trying to analyze Islam from the outside needs to be mindful that history repeats itself, but not always in the same way. The western world came to see the need to limit the power of a central church, and eventually establish the rights of man. I suggest that much of the economic and political success of the western world over the last five hundred years can be traced to societal change driven by these two world changing movements. It will be interesting to see watch where Islam philosophy goes in the next century.

A Cynic's View of Climate Change - Change

2009-12-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

I am a part time cynic. I'm a part time optimist. What does that tell you? I'm confused. Not really. I view the world through the eyes of history and the past performance of humanity. History and people have a tendency to repeat themselves.

Regarding climate change, I cannot see any rich countries actually limiting themselves economically. Ask Jimmy Carter if Americans will sacrifice and I bet he will give you a good spin, but admit in the end that no one took his sweater request seriously. (thanks to sustainability digest for the link). Only when the G8 have replaced their dirty energy sources with 'clean' energy sources, will they become green. Will that ever happen? I have my doubts. I'm a cynic, remember?

People and politicians supported clean air and clean water legislation because when they could actually see trash, oil and poop (isn't that a great word? poop - poop - poop) floating in their local river, they got pissed. When they couldn't breath outside of their house and their backyard smelled like a tannery, people and politicians got hot under the collar. But the fact is that no one really gives enough of a shit about climate change because its easy to ignore, like poverty in third world countries. If you spend most of you time at ESPN or the Fox network, its easy to ignore stuff.

This is the whole reason smart people invented and continue to grow Star Trek. If you can't change the real world, then just make up a perfect imaginary world and climb inside. Am I wrong? Maybe. I don't think so.
Live Free or Die

Healthcare Reform?

2009-12-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

Is it me or does it seem as if healthcare legislation is heading down the tubes. Nobody can agree on anything and the most united block is against any legislation. I have personally reached the point where I think that everybody ought to just pay for their own insurance and healthcare. It would completely reform, (and I mean re-form) the industry. However, every time I get into a detailed discussion of healthcare, it is clear to me that my fellow Americans are completely unaware and unrealistic about how healthcare works in our nation.

Lets make a short doo-doo list for starters.

1. Americans want the best healthcare no matter the price. If a person has a headache, they want a $3000 MRI. Am I wrong?

2. Americans think they already pay too much for health insurance and don't want to pay anymore.

3. One of my older relatives thinks Medicare is "not" socialized medicine because she has paid money into the system and therefore it is a "different" kind of insurance.

4. Nobody who has insurance really gives a shit about those who don't. I'm sorry to say it but it really seems to be the truth.

Anybody have anymore?

Later.
Live Free or Die.
.

How to amplify my resonator guitar?

2009-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to figure out the best way to amplify my spider bridge resonator. It seems that the available options are to install a transducer onto the cone or put a humbucker up by the neck like a jazz guitar. However, I have a spare piezo under-saddle pickup and preamp. I wonder if I can find a way to get it under the saddle and install it like a typical acoustic guitar. I'll keep you informed.

While I was searching for options for pickups, I ran across a lot of people who have quite the collection of guitars. I mean serious collections. Someday maybe I can have more guitars than I can count. . .

Nah, I'd rather have a few precious ones and play them them a lot. Those bakers dozen families always kind of freak me out. YAAAAHH!

Monday again

2009-12-14T14:25:00.002-08:00

Well Monday just keeps rolling around and I'm getting a little sick of it. I'd sort of like to try doubling my Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and skipping some of the the other days of the week.

Has anyone else noticed that the climate change talks in Norway are breaking down into a pissing match - again? I have a suspicion that the delegates are mostly there for the food and the cute girls. In fact, I think I saw Tiger lurking in the background of one of the TV shots. I guess he's looking for a new northern-euro squeeze.

I know this climate change thing is going to change the world in ways big and small, but I really do believe that humans will adjust to actual climate change faster than we will change our behavior to to stop or reverse it.

Global Warming?

2009-12-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Last night I read a fascinating interview of Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) . It's in the Dallas Morning News and the article is here if you would like to read it. He is known as one of the most vocal critics of the idea that humans are causing climate change. I'd suspect that science is not his best subject, but I'd say he's pretty damn good at smelling the political wind on his side of the aisle.

The interview is fascinating because you get a sense for how the far right views the subject of global warming. Senator Inhofe is about as right wing as you can get without being off the chart. He's got the idea in his head that "the liberals" are infiltrating evangelical organizations and he uses a bible passage to compare them to devil worshipers. (really... it's in the interview)

My take on this has nothing to do with whether humans are responsible for global warming or not. I happen to think the science is pretty convincing that our industrial world is definitely contributing to the warming of the planet. However, after following the subject of global warming and political attempts so far to deal with it, I have come to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter who is causing it. Humans are too selfish to do anything about it. The talk will continue and countries will make promises that will not be kept. In the end, not much will get accomplished and we'll have to deal with the results of a warmer planet.

Industrialized nations are not willing to actually cut back their real pollution output if it will have a detrimental effect on their economy. Politicians and people say they will sacrifice but they won't in the end. Human are selfish. Capitalism is based on the selfishness (in the good way) of the consumer.

One interesting aspect of Inhofe's argument seems to be that he is concerned that China, India and Mexico (read: developing countries) want the US to limit it's carbon output so they can take advantage of us and get our manufacturing jobs. There is probably a grain of truth that all developing countries would like to see the US get hamstrung a bit. But haven't we already given most of our manufacturing jobs to them anyway?

Another Day

2009-12-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

Today I am inspired. I put my latest favorite subject into Google and decided to see if I was lucky. The subject is slide guitar. I have been casually trying to learn to play lap slide guitar for 18 months. I've certainly gotten better but even after playing guitar, electric bass and piano for twenty years, I've had a hard time getting the hang of the lap slide.

But today, I found a slight variation on tunings at the lap steel page of wikipedia. I grabbed my cheap Dobro style guitar, adjusted the tuning and began to play along with a few Allman brothers tunes. It sounded pretty good. I actually felt like I knew what I was doing. Based on my little success, I decided to launch my long planned blog. Welcome to Poor Edgar's Almanac.