Between a Rock and Another, Really Big Rock

I have to talk about the national debt, but first...

I have been watching Raising Hope.  This show is really funny.  It strikes me as the Simpsons in real life.

I'm not sure what type of chair air traffic controllers use, but it seems to me they shouldn't have the ability to recline.

Egypt is now a free country right?

A blogger there got 3 years of jail time for criticizing the military now in charge of things over there.  He didn't get a lawyer.  Justice was swift.  Here is an excerpt from an article about the event:

"A general in charge of the "Morale Affairs Directorate" of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said on television that "Nabil had used 'inappropriate language' and defamed the military, and that his calls for an end to military conscription would have a negative effect on the youth of Egypt," according to Human Rights Watch."

I also heard that he used an inappropriate font.  The nerve of some bloggers...

Thank God I'm not in Egypt.  I criticize our government all the time. In spite of this, I am forever thankful that we live under a government where that is possible.

The Chinese government has banned television shows and movies that show time travel.  It seems writers have been sending people back in time to change the present.  Not good.  Creation of any society better than the one currently in place is seen as misleading.  In a sense, they have banned HOPE.

I didn't know this but citizens of the web are called Netizens.  This is interesting to me.  The world is rushing toward homogeneity.  It has always been moving in that direction; One world - one citizenship.  A hundred years ago, it was so slow as to seem improbable.  Today, we can almost see the boundaries fall.  Politically, there are some tall walls out there but economically, there's crumbling afoot.

Now with regards to the budget.

I believe that if we are to keep the untouchables (defense, social security, medicare and such) that we are talking about 10-15% of the budget that can be worked with.

I believe both parties want to eliminate waste.

I absolutely believe that we will not get anywhere near to balancing a budget by simply cutting costs.  At least not if we want to keep Medicare and Social Security.

I absolutely believe that a tax cut for the rich is the most ridiculous strategy out there.  Scammers make a living by offering things that are too good to be true.  This is what the GOP is doing.  In their response to Obama's speech they said that by even mentioning a possible tax raise, businessmen and going turtle - cutting back spending and cutting jobs because taxes might go up.  This is ABSOLUTELY WRONG.  To even imply such a thing shows how out of touch the GOP is with the world of business. I don't want to repeat my argument here but read my April blogs to find out why the GOP is being intellectually dishonest.

The GOP is slamming Obama with two arguments.  They say he lacks leadership because they got their proposal out before he did.  They go on to say Obama is looking at 12 years instead of the "traditional" 10 years, all the while ignoring the fact that theirs is a 39 year plan.

They slam it as irresponsible without any specifics.  it's as if Glen Beck is writing their lines for them.

To be fair, Obama's speech lacked specifics as well.

Let's summarize in spite of specifics.

GOP: Cut taxes and rework Medicare plus some cuts in minor things like education.
Dems:  Raise taxes and keep entitlements.

It will come down to a combination of cuts and tax increases.

My position, as a superhero:  Cut waste (minor savings), Keep entitlements (major cost), raise taxes (increase revenue).

That "increase taxes" thing sounds soooo bad.  But it's the only way to do it.  No educated person can actually believe that cutting taxes is going to balance the budget or create jobs.

The GOP had the courage to put something untouchable on the table.  Too bad they lacked the courage to be honest about taxes.

Onward...

It seems that there is a royal wedding afoot.  I don't know which I am less excited about: Hockey playoffs, Basketball playoffs or the Royal wedding.

Talk about exciting, I just saw the Hungarian equivalent of the QVC channel.  Since I have no idea what they are saying, I get an interesting perspective on how excited the two salespeople are about the plastic slicer and dicer they are selling.  It's really funny.

I have a world to save.  If your world needs saving, I recommend the video below.

Up, up and away...

j