Pre-4th of July Follies
I’m not going to spend too much time here today. I’ve got the day off and plan to spend it getting caught up on some much needed sleep. But as I was on the Interstate yesterday I heard numerous stories about how small towns were cancelling their 4th of July celebrations because they were short on funds.
And in all that time, I did not hear about one community that decided to go into a joint agreement with another community and do a regional fireworks show. It was nothing but whining and complaining instead of looking for viable solutions and alternatives.
And the more I listened, the more I thought that if these guys can’t even figure out how to go in together on fireworks, how will they ever figure out how to survive when property tax caps fully kick in January and they have to make serious calls regarding police, fire and public safety.
Happy 4th!
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:30 am
Excellent points. Happy 4th!
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:53 am
The other option, of course, is that the people voluntarily pitch in toward the Independence Day celebration effort. Does anyone else find it contradictory to tax people under threat of violence to finance a celebration of “liberty?”
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:26 am
Good observation; but how will citizens deal with the circumvention of “caps” due to variable assessments (opinions of value are all over the map & without a standard, the only being a transaction) & legislatively loopholed referenda protections? Happy Independence Day!
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Palin resigns! Happy 4TH
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Now if Mark Sandford will resign….
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Im gonna miss Sarah…..fractured speech patterns and all.
I won't miss her ideas: she's a wingnut. But she was a pit bull…and wasn't afraid of anything. Something more is up here…
Thank God McCain didn't win. Can you imagine this dingbat as vice president?
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
It'd rather take my chances with the “dingbat” than the madman. Pummel the pirates, demand Wall Street and banks stop being the legal equivilent, and stop “No Mullah left behind” energy standards- I'm there. Robert Samauelson of Newsweek says 82% of our economy in 2019 will be devoted to paying-off what we owe. The percentages of spending on entitlements versus defense are roughly reversed from 1960 (same source). But, we're going to quadruple deficit and expand health care? Our President is as polished, educated, and as verbose a figurehead as I think I'll ever see. But, the fiscal dementia of Bush has been left in the dust. The most ironic thing I've ever seen in real life is that he's also the best leader suited for ALL of us to try to pull the wagon. But, not as long as he believes in the magic buckets….
.
I enjoy the partisan chatter, but sincerely, will some genuine economist or historian tell me how we get out of this?
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:16 pm
What about the 'dingbat' we got instead for VP, Think Again? You, and those of your ilk, went after that woman for two simple reasons: 1) She dared to have her child with Down's Syndrome rather than aborting him; and 2) She was an attractive, accomplished woman, and bitches like you are catty, vindictive, hateful people who begrudge other women their success. Chew on that, loser.
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:35 pm
No, Rico, I went after her because: she's not very bright, evidenced by her knowledge of the Constitution and the 25th Amendment, and because she's done a mediocre job in her service to Alaska. She speaks in sentences that are discordant, illogical and sometimes without common sense. She lied about her family's vindictive rage against a former in-law/state trooper. She violated her holier-than-thou convictions by accepting, nay demanding, a wardrobe that would befit a queen.
I railed against anyone in my party who took off after her children, for any reason. I don't and won't condone that kind of attack–although she invited some of it, I still think they're off-limits. Ditto with the new grandkid and all the circumstances surrounding that child. Kids have no choice to enter the world, and thy deserve unquestioned love.
I'm no raging Joe Biden fan. But he's smarter asleep than Sarah is awake. I said the same about that unindicted(yet) co-conspirator Dick Cheney, with whom I agreed about nothing, but whose brains I admire. Brains will get you a long way in life, even if you sternly disagree with folks.
And to top it off, you haven't been paying very close attention over the last few months; you got my gender wrong. So maybe you should think of a non-gender insult to hurl at me. Ogherwise, thanks for stopping by. You can have your opinions, but you cannot have your own facts–this woman wasn't right for Alaska, let alone right for America. I wish McCain had chosen Romney or someone else. His choice doomed him the more she opened her mouth. He deserved better.
Taxpayer–you might want to research Samuleson. His track record is abysmal. I think the serious economists out there believe we get out of this in multiple ways, but most importantly: for the time being, until the economy rebounds more robustly, the government has to be the largest purchasing agent.
To be fair, the recession is so deep and broad, there are no econometric models or history on which to judge their opinions. They're guessing, as best they can, using their book smarts.
This may defy their logic. Who knows? I only know this: by the admission of none other than Bush's stellar economic team, waiting around was no option.
We can and should post-mortem this thing as best we can. When we can look back on it with objective minds. Conservative and liberal economists should be tested to probe this recession and government's response. In case it ever happens again: this is ground zero.
I have no idea if the stimulus and its accompanying trickle-down will work. Ditto government takeover of auto companies. I'm a lot more confident of a health care solution because I've had to pay close attention to that area for years, and I can tell you, from first-hand experience: it's not the care providers who are bilking the system. It's the hospitals and insurance companies, in cahoots up to their eyeballs. Massive waste and overcharging.
If you think school superintendents build castles, they've got nothing on hospital administrators. Drive around 465/Indy and look at the Methodist, Community and St. Francis monuments to inefficiency. They're pandering to suburbanites and it's disgusting–no one stopped them. Way more rooms and equipment than the population needs. Someone has to pay for that.
I think the decision-makers have most of their collective minds wrapped around the health care debate. We'd better pray they're equally committed to economic turnaround.
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Maybe we can get Comrade Obama to find some of the unaccounted SPENDULUS funds and use it for yet another thing that looks good bud has no substance
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Think again, I have often enjoyed reading your posted thoughts. However, in this last, single, vindictive post with statements that you choose to be facts, but which are mostly liberal media speculations, leaves your proposed insightful comments at best subject to what is obviously a very hateful bias. Again, a lowering to the level of throwing around personal attacks. This hurts because it is so powerful to get more than a single view on issues, not personal attacks. However, when they are presented through such obviously passionate hate; well, such a missed opportunity for the rest of us. Peace.
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I forgot to mention. All of the above comment did not let me get by your first paragraph.
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Maybe I jumped to the conclusion you are female because you call males who post on here 'honey'. Maybe you're just a woman-hating middle-aged gay male. Either way, I stand by my post.
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 pm
…and it doesn't surprise me that, in your elitist arrogance, you feel you can speak for the people of Alaska, who happen to give her approval ratings of around 80%. You're a typical liberal who believes you know what's best for everyone.
…and WTF do you care about the Constitution? Your boy Barry uses it as toilet paper!
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:53 pm
If you think our country is spending too much money, I stongly suggest you attend the White River Park, July 4th Taxpayer rally. Speakers commence roughly 7 PM. In the gamut of likes and dislikes including: public prayer, patriotic songs, abortion protests, anti-Obama signs, Libertarians, flags on everything, country music- you name it, I guarantee everybody (including me) will find SOMETHING there they don't like. But, if you agree we're deep, deep in the hole and need to stop spending- you need to be there anyway.
.
Abdul- thanks for your forum. Hope your Daddy's doing well.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:12 am
Any festivities you attend today- check the weather as it's not looking good. Happy Independence Day to all.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Taxpayer: please point out one non-truth in my first paragraph. There's more. I don't know what you mean by hatefulness–but the gender thing was a perhaps-misguided attempt at humor.
Rico: you might wanna check the soon-to-be-former Alaska gov's approval ratings in-state. Drastically dipped, once folks found out more. I've visited Alaska often, most recently in May. I have many friends there, most of them Republicans. They are not pleased. Their governmental anguish is now over–the state is very pleased with its lieutenant governor, who didn't always see eye-to-eye with Sarah.
At any rate, if she's happy now, as a future former governor, I'm happy for her. And her family. She clearly had a love-hate thing with the media attention. Listen to her resignation news conference. It is a summary of the reasons she's risen beyond her abilities. She actually said she was resigning because she didn't want to be a quitter.
Whenever I listen to her I feel like I need a Palin-to-English dictionary. All of McCain's other choices were articulate, particularly Romney, whose ideas and calm demeanor are attractive to many voters.
July 4th, 2009 at 8:57 am
He's always done that. Why is now any different? lol…I take his blathering with a grain most times or skip over them.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Rico, If you are going to talk about individuals with Down syndrome could you at least take the time to learn something. It is Down syndrome not Down's and syndrome is not capitalized. Now to your credit you did put the child before Down syndrome…person first language so thanks for that. If you are going to use Down syndrome as part of your argument please take the time to know something about it…..Thanks.
July 4th, 2009 at 10:42 am
I don't want or expect the government to finance my July 4th celebrations. I spend the 4th with family and friends and we usually put on a show that's longer and more enjoyable with no crowds or traffic.
The answer to our budget problems is to stop looking at government for solutions and to start taking personal responsibility to live free from government. If we're not celebrating our defiance and our freedom from government on July 4th, we're no different than any other country who is proud of their heritage.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Palin comparisons favor a self-styled Sarah over media-molded or moldy, consultant creations. She & time will tell more than pundits- folks who also give great “investing” advice; those hip-diseased, hip-whipped, consultants of swing. Principled isn't perfect (there are good not perfect, friends, parents, etc), but that doesn't excuse the “principle-free” policy making or big tent circus, of the one party system. The Cocktail Party is unconstitutionally & wickedly bound, to pseudo-power & greedom; vs. the constitutional virtues of their official responsibilities- OUR FREEDOM. We don't need more vomitribe from position du jour responsibility holders, bent on impressing us with their “power,” keeping jive alive hocus-pocus, or “canned to perfection for your protection” speech. Stylized elements of Strunk & White aside, language is intrinsically accented & colloquial; making it difficult at times, to catch a good breath in the hyperbolic chamber.
July 4th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Dave, you win the prize for the best overuse of trite, meaningless, and out of date cliches in one post…….can you give us the bottom line of that drivel you wrote and what you were trying to say?
July 4th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Dear Puzzled: Thanks, you're my best friend.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Dave, thanks. if you cant trust your friends to tell you the truth, who can you trust.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Thanks, Jeff. If the apostrophe negates my point for you, then I apologize I didn't cater to your pettiness.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
…and when correcting my word usage, could you, at least, use proper punctuation? I still got your point, but, as you have made me aware, there are many simple-minded folks on here who may not have.
July 4th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Rico, I was only correcting your use of Down syndrome for making your petty political point on abortion which I doubt you know much about either. And in your usual fashion you hide in the shadows and make your petty little attacks. Good luck growing up some day. Looking forward to seeing you at Cocktails and Conversations on the 15th. See you there.
July 4th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I no more hide in the shadows than does anyone on here who chooses not to use his/her actual name.
And I consider nothing about the abortion issue petty.
July 5th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Jeff: just so you know, there are some pretty ugly consequences to some of us using our real names. It shouldn't be such, but it is. I rarely agree with Rico, but the anonymity of his posts does not influence my opinion. It's the freaking internet, Jeff.
July 5th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I'm only happy withe the prospect of having Palin as our President if it meant replacing Obama. Same reason I voted for McCain. I don't like McCain,, but given his Citizens Against Government Waste record of zero pork for Arizona- I doubt if I'd like some aspects of his foreign policy, but I don't think he would have spent us four times deeper into the abyss. He was the only one with a shot at beating Obama.
.
'Quadruple the deficit of what Bush left us' is from The Economist. Not exactly a right-wing publication. They were none too reticent about their enthusiam for then-Senator Obama in the course of the campaign. The Samuelson figures were not his opinions, but stats he obtained, at least one being from the Congressional Budget Office.
.
I don't disagree that the crux of American health care's demise is from insurance and hospitals, with a heathly assist from doctors and lawyers. An incredibly powerful collective group. I don't disagree that something needs to be done to leverage change to the status quo. Given our incredible debt and deficit, I would argue the clout of the Federal govenment be applied to a test, or section of health care first. Maybe emergency care, maybe preventative- I don't know. I do know as expensive as it is to overhaul, it's imperative it costs not a dime more for productive families that are keeping our economy as afloat as we relatively are.
.
I think the biggest problems are the apathy of our citizens and our disfunctional beliefs. Soft landings for everything and everybody has never been societally sustainable in any civilzation. Please- give me a historical l example if I'm mistaken. I wish it were true, but not at the present state of our collective behavior, evolution, motivation- whatever the heck our problem is.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I'm only happy withe the prospect of having Palin as our President if it meant replacing Obama. Same reason I voted for McCain. I don't like McCain,, but given his Citizens Against Government Waste record of zero pork for Arizona- I doubt if I'd like some aspects of his foreign policy, but I don't think he would have spent us four times deeper into the abyss. He was the only one with a shot at beating Obama.
.
'Quadruple the deficit of what Bush left us' is from The Economist. Not exactly a right-wing publication. They were none too reticent about their enthusiam for then-Senator Obama in the course of the campaign. The Samuelson figures were not his opinions, but stats he obtained, at least one being from the Congressional Budget Office.
.
I don't disagree that the crux of American health care's demise is from insurance and hospitals, with a heathly assist from doctors and lawyers. An incredibly powerful collective group. I don't disagree that something needs to be done to leverage change to the status quo. Given our incredible debt and deficit, I would argue the clout of the Federal govenment be applied to a test, or section of health care first. Maybe emergency care, maybe preventative- I don't know. I do know as expensive as it is to overhaul, it's imperative it costs not a dime more for productive families that are keeping our economy as afloat as we relatively are.
.
I think the biggest problems are the apathy of our citizens and our disfunctional beliefs. Soft landings for everything and everybody has never been societally sustainable in any civilzation. Please- give me a historical l example if I'm mistaken. I wish it were true, but not at the present state of our collective behavior, evolution, motivation- whatever the heck our problem is.