Free Speech Blog

I saw the pilot episode for “V” online.  The episode was pretty good I suppose.  Keep in mind that I personally like 24, lost, etc… I found it a bit odd that the “V’s” were here to bring “hope and change”.  This has to be an intentional jab at Barack Obama, doesn’t it?  They even want to give the planet “universal health care”… Is it a coincidence that our Obamacare plan passed 4 days after the pilot episode?  Probably.  Maybe ABC is saying that Obama is an alien.  Either way, the show is pretty good and my dvr is set to record the rest of the episodes.  Anyone else see the comparisons of the aliens and our government?  Funny and scary at the same time…

Click HERE to see the pilot episode on hulu.

Its been a while since I updated this blog. I have a few articles that I will post this week as well as some new content from other authors on this site. I am working on a podcast as well!

If you are interested in posting an article or thought just let me know and I will be happy to add you as an author.

If you would like to add a link to this site, send it to me and I will put it up.

Thanks again for looking and check back in the next day or two for new content.

The following is a good article that was emailed to me this morning.  It provides an additional perspective of our economic situation.  It is written by Bruce Bartlett who was a leading Republican economist and now considers himself an independent.  I would like to share it…

Where is the evidence that everything would be better if Republicans were in charge? Does anyone believe the economy would be growing faster or that unemployment would be lower today if John McCain had won the election? I know of no economist who holds that view. The economy is like an ocean liner that turns only very slowly. The gross domestic product and the level of employment would be pretty much the same today under any conceivable set of policies enacted since Barack Obama’s inauguration.

Until conservatives once again hold Republicans to the same standard they hold Democrats, they will have no credibility and deserve no respect.

In January, the Congressional Budget Office projected a deficit this year of $1.2 trillion before Obama took office, with no estimate for actions he might take. To a large extent, the CBO’s estimate simply represented the $482 billion deficit projected by the Bush administration in last summer’s budget review, plus the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, which George W. Bush rammed through Congress in September over strenuous conservative objections. Thus the vast bulk of this year’s currently estimated $1.8 trillion deficit was determined by Bush’s policies, not Obama’s.

I think conservative anger is misplaced. To a large extent, Obama is only cleaning up messes created by Bush. This is not to say Obama hasn’t made mistakes himself, but even they can be blamed on Bush insofar as Bush’s incompetence led to the election of a Democrat. If he had done half as good a job as most Republicans have talked themselves into believing he did, McCain would have won easily.

Conservative protesters should remember that the recession, which led to so many of the policies they oppose, is almost entirely the result of Bush’s policies. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the recession began in December 2007—long before Obama was even nominated. And the previous recession ended in November 2001, so the current recession cannot be blamed on cyclical forces that Bush inherited.

Indeed, Bush’s responsibility for the recession is implicit in every conservative analysis of its origins. The most thorough has been done by John Taylor, a respected economist from Stanford University who served during most of the Bush administration as the No. 3 official at the Treasury Department. In his book, Getting Off Track, he puts most of the blame on the Federal Reserve for holding interest rates down too low for too long.

While the Fed does bear much responsibility for sowing the seeds of recession, it’s commonly treated as an institution independent of politics and even the government itself. But the Federal Reserve Board consists of governors appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Because the president appoints the board, he has primary influence over its policies. This is especially the case for chairmen of the Fed appointed by Republicans because they often have ties to Republican administrations. Chairman Ben Bernanke was originally appointed as a member of the Fed in 2002, serving until 2005, when he became chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the White House, a position that made him Bush’s chief economic adviser.

As early as 2002, a majority of the seven-member Federal Reserve Board was Bush appointees, and by 2006 every member was a Bush appointee. While many critical decisions about monetary policy are made by the Federal Open Market Committee, the board’s position always prevails.

The Treasury secretary also has had breakfast with the Fed chairman on a weekly basis for decades. Consequently, most economists generally believe that every administration ultimately gets the Fed policy it wants. Therefore, one must conclude that if there were errors in Fed policy that caused the current downturn, it must be because the Fed was doing what the Bush administration wanted it to do.

To the extent that there were mistakes in housing policy that contributed to the recession, those were necessarily committed by Bush political appointees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other agencies. To the extent that banks and other financial institutions made mistakes or engaged in fraudulent activity, it was either overlooked or sanctioned by Bush appointees at the Securities & Exchange Commission, the Comptroller of the Currency, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and elsewhere.

But in a larger sense, the extremely poor economic performance of the Bush years really set the stage for the current recession. This is apparent when we compare Bush’s two terms to Bill Clinton’s eight years. Since both took office close to a business cycle trough and left office close to a cyclical peak, this is a reasonable comparison.

Throughout the Bush years, many conservative economists, including CNBC’s Larry Kudlow, extravagantly extolled Bush’s economic policies. As late as December 21, 2007, after the recession already began, he wrote in National Review: “the Goldilocks economy is outperforming all expectations.” In a column on May 2, 2008, almost six months into the recession, Kudlow praised Bush for having prevented a recession.

But the truth was always that the economy performed very, very badly under Bush, and the best efforts of his cheerleaders cannot change that fact because the data don’t lie. Consider these comparisons between Bush and Clinton:

• Between the fourth quarter of 1992 and the fourth quarter of 2000, real GDP grew 34.7 percent. Between the fourth quarter of 2000 and the fourth quarter of 2008, it grew 15.9 percent, less than half as much.

• Between the fourth quarter of 1992 and the fourth quarter of 2000, real gross private domestic investment almost doubled. By the fourth quarter of 2008, real investment was 6.5 percent lower than it was when Bush was elected.

• Between December 1992 and December 2000, payroll employment increased by more than 23 million jobs, an increase of 21.1 percent. Between December 2000 and December 2008, it rose by a little more than 2.5 million, an increase of 1.9 percent. In short, about 10 percent as many jobs were created on Bush’s watch as were created on Clinton’s.

• During the Bush years, conservative economists often dismissed the dismal performance of the economy by pointing to a rising stock market. But the stock market was lackluster during the Bush years, especially compared to the previous eight. Between December 1992 and December 2000, the S&P 500 Index more than doubled. Between December 2000 and December 2008, it fell 34 percent. People would have been better off putting all their investments into cash under a mattress the day Bush took office.

• Finally, conservatives have an absurdly unjustified view that Republicans have a better record on federal finances. It is well-known that Clinton left office with a budget surplus and Bush left with the largest deficit in history. Less well-known is Clinton’s cutting of spending on his watch, reducing federal outlays from 22.1 percent of GDP to 18.4 percent of GDP. Bush, by contrast, increased spending to 20.9 percent of GDP. Clinton abolished a federal entitlement program, Welfare, for the first time in American history, while Bush established a new one for prescription drugs.

Conservatives delude themselves that the Bush tax cuts worked and that the best medicine for America’s economic woes is more tax cuts; at a minimum, any tax increase would be economic poison. They forget that Ronald Reagan worked hard to pass one of the largest tax increases in American history in September 1982, the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act, even though the nation was still in a recession that didn’t end until November of that year. Indeed, one could easily argue that the enactment of that legislation was a critical prerequisite to recovery because it led to a decline in interest rates. The same could be said of Clinton’s 1993 tax increase, which many conservatives predicted would cause a recession but led to one of the biggest economic booms in history.

According to the CBO, federal taxes will amount to just 15.5 percent of GDP this year. That’s 2.2 percent of GDP less than last year, 3.3 percent less than in 2007, and 1.8 percent less than the lowest percentage recorded during the Reagan years. If conservatives really believe their own rhetoric, they should be congratulating Obama for being one of the greatest tax cutters in history.

Conservatives will respond that some tax cuts are good while others are not. Determining which is which is based on something called supply-side economics. Because I was among those who developed it, I think I can speak authoritatively on the subject. According to the supply-side view, temporary tax cuts and tax credits are economically valueless. Only permanent cuts in marginal tax rates will significantly raise growth.

On this basis, we see that Bush’s tax cuts were pretty much the opposite of what supply-side economics would recommend. The vast bulk of his tax cuts involved tax rebates—which failed in 2001 and again in 2008, because the vast bulk of the money was saved—or tax credits that had no incentive effects. While marginal rates were cut slightly—the top rate fell from 39.6 percent to 35 percent—it was phased in slowly and never made permanent. Neither were Bush’s cuts in capital gains and dividend taxes.

I could go on to discuss other Bush mistakes that had negative economic consequences, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which imposed a massive regulatory burden on corporations without doing anything to prevent corporate misconduct, and starting unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will burden the economy for decades to come in the form of veterans’ benefits.

But there is yet another dimension to Bush’s failures—the things he didn’t do. In this category I would put a health-care overhaul. Budget experts have known for years that Medicare was on an unsustainable financial path. It is impossible to pay all the benefits that have been promised because spending has been rising faster than GDP.

In 2003, the Bush administration repeatedly lied about the cost of the drug benefit to get it passed, and Bush himself heavily pressured reluctant conservatives to vote for the program.

Because reforming Medicare is an important part of getting health costs under control generally, Bush could have used the opportunity to develop a comprehensive health-reform plan. By not doing so, he left his party with nothing to offer as an alternative to the Obama plan. Instead, Republicans have opposed Obama’s initiative while proposing nothing themselves.

In my opinion, conservative activists, who seem to believe that the louder they shout the more correct their beliefs must be, are less angry about Obama’s policies than they are about having lost the White House in 2008. They are primarily Republican Party hacks trying to overturn the election results, not representatives of a true grassroots revolt against liberal policies. If that were the case they would have been out demonstrating against the Medicare drug benefit, the Sarbanes-Oxley bill, and all the pork-barrel spending that Bush refused to veto.

Until conservatives once again hold Republicans to the same standard they hold Democrats, they will have no credibility and deserve no respect. They can start building some by admitting to themselves that Bush caused many of the problems they are protesting.

In my years as a bartender, I was taught one very important lesson.  This came long before I learned how to mix a single drink.  The “Rule of the Bar”.  Simply defined, the “Rule of the Bar” is that you do not discuss two subjects; Religion and Politics.  Why, you ask?  Because it will almost always end in a fight.  I abided by this rule for a long time, doing my best to change the subject or interrupt conversations between my guests when I heard such topics arise.  I learned (the hard way) the importance of this rule one year during voting season…

It was voting day, and I had a full bar that night.  I, along with my other bartender, geared up for a night of stopping debates and vowed to keep our mouths shut about the whole thing.  Of course, everyone was talking about it, but most seemed to have voted the same way so I didn’t see much of an issue about the whole thing.  Towards the end of the night, I was tired and cranky, thus had let my guard (and judgement) down a bit.

A middle aged woman at the bar had been making comments about an abortion law trying to pass.  I don’t recall the exact wording, but it was something to do with having parental consent if the girl was under the age of 18.  I agreed with the law, this woman did not.  She felt the law would cause more black market abortions.  Although this did make sense, I still felt the law would encourge girls to talk to their parents.   I made the fatal mistake of saying this last statement out loud.

This woman began screaming at me.  Telling me of my ignorance, that I was a “stupid kid” who had no idea what I was talking about, and idiots like me are the reason we have a messed up society.   Being the professional that I am (along with the help of my other bartender quickly pulling me aside), I simply smiled and walked out back to get some air, returning after about 3 cigarettes and the assurance that the woman had left.

So my point is this… in our world of Free Speech, how free can we really speak?  We are trained to not bring up certain subjects for fear of offending others.  When we do speak our minds, we are chastised for having a different opinion.  It seems like our Free Speech is limited to the confines of the voting booth, or in the company of others with like-minded opinions.  For what did this whole experience teach me?  To keep my damn mouth shut, smile and nod, and go through my day.   Hmmmm, perhaps this woman worked for the government?

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

George Washington

Palin kills Michael Jackson

FEMALE CALLER (31:50): He (Michael Jackson) is truly the soundtrack of my life. I also have a theory about Sarah Palin as well and I’m going to put it out there on radio, hopefully someone can investigate.

But, I think maybe she did something to Michael Jackson. Maybe there’s a scandal there. Maybe she’s stepping down because something’s about to come out. I don’t know, but I’m gonna just put it out there on your show so we’ll see.

SHARPTON: All right, thank you for your call, Ashley. That’s interesting. I’ll put it out, we’ll see. I don’t know.

____________

Are you kidding me!!  This is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard!  I can’t believe that Sharpton didn’t tell her what a moron she was.  Actually maybe I can believe it…  

Click on the link above to hear this ridiculous caller on Al Sharpton’s radio show today.  Yup, this is where we are at…

Independence Day in the U.S., is an annual holiday commemorating the formal adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, the Fourth of July holiday has been accepted as the official anniversary of U.S. independence and is celebrated in all states and territories of the U.S.

So as we celebrate our independence I can’t help but feel concerned about the current path of our great nation.  I believe that it is blatantly obvious that we are heading towards a dependency on our government.  AKA Socialism.  Our president and his progressive party members are trying to increase our dependency on them.  Cap and Trade.  Universal Healthcare.  They now own a television station.  Buyouts and Bailouts.  Spread the wealth. 

The folks in Washington; Republicans, Democrats, and Progressives on both sides need to realize that they are dependant on OUR votes.  We should not be dependant on them!  These people need to be knocked down a few notches.

On this 4th of July lets take a look at the issues not political affiliation.  Lets take the time to do the research about what kind of elected officials we have put in place.  If we have elected poorly, lets make it a point to get the bad apples out of office.  Lets take a common sense approach to our government.  Lets get involved with the new non violent revolution to get the government back in the hands of the people.  Lets have a clear conscience and really celebrate Independence Day.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  There will be plenty of info in the near future that will help people understand what is reallygoing on in Washington.  Happy Independence Day.

April 15th Tea Party in Jacksonville

In 1773 a group of ordinary citizens protested Britain’s tea tax by dumping that tea into the harbor. The Boston Tea Party was a direct act of defiance against the King of England. This single event galvanized the colonists and led to something much bigger­-the American Revolution.

Today’s Tea Party Movement is also a direct act of defiance­–against policies that are inconceivable to everyday Americans. And today’s Tea Party will lead to something bigger­–a political revolution that will reform Washington. The Tea Party Movement will force politicians to remember that this country was founded on the principles of “We the people.”

There is a way to show government that we will not stand for their reckless habits.  The above is for a local tea party on the 2nd of July from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at the Jacksonville Landing.  There are actually tea parties in every state.  Check out www.teapartypatriots.comfor local tea parties.  Its important to let the folks in Washington know what we the people really think!

So let me see if I understand this correctly… The UN bans North Korea from selling arms to others.  There has to be some sort of “intelligence” that suggests that the Kang Nam is transporting arms with the intent of selling.  The UN resolution allows other countries to request an inspection of any vessel that is suspected of carrying arms.  Kim Il Sung has stated that any such act is an act of war.  The US along with a few other countries are following and monitoring this ship but are apparently unwilling to request an inspection. 

Really guys?  If you are unwilling to call this guys bluff then why pass the UN sanction in the first place.  Oh wait… Maybe it was the UN that was bluffing.

On a side note, I find it interesting that anything that I have posted in the politics category is also applicable to the WTF? category.  Coincidence?  Probably not…

Family man!?

Here are a few of the emails sent to his mistress…  First of all I have to question the legitimacy of these emails.  I would “assume” that he is a fairly educated man and it would seem like email is an inappropriate platform for love letters to your mistress.  Here are a few of them anyway.  Governor Mark Sanford if these are legitimate emails, you are a moron…

Please note that I have not corrected all of the spelling errors below…

_______________________________

From: Mark Sanford

To: Maria

Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 03:09:44 +0000

Dearest,

You are glorious and I hope you really understand that. You do not need a therapist to help you figure your place in the world. You are special and unique and fabulous in a whole host of ways that are worth a much longer conversation. To be continued …

Have been having a few email problems as I am getting email through an aircard at the farm, where access to computer world is more than tough. Please let me know if you have gotten my last two eamils (sic) so I know it is working in getting to your part of the world …

Another glorious day outside. Hope you are doing well, and am anxious to hear about your week. Know that I miss you. Unbeleivably (sic) hard to imagine it has been a week. Please also send your mailing address as I want to send you an insignificant something next week when I am back in civilization that I think you might find interesting given our conversation.

Want to write an indepth note with some thoughts on our visit when I know you are getting these emails. Hugs and much love. M

———————————————-

From: Maria

Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 4:26 PM

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

My beloved, (hope you also change the dearest …)

I’am (sic) reading your last two mails sitting outside with a great seaview here in Ilhabela, a beautiful island near Sao Paulo. Have been thinking of you while watching the beautiful blue sea (a) great part of my day and remembering with a great smile on my face, the time we had spent together. As I told you before, you brought happiness and love to my life and (I) will take you forever in my heart. I wasn’t aware till we met last week, the strong feelings I had for you, and believe me, I haven’t felt this since I was in my teen ages, when afterwards I got married. I do love you, I can feel it in my heart, and although I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to meet again this has been the best that has happened to me in a long time You made me realized (sic) how you feel when you realy (sic) love somebody and how much you want to be beside the beloved. Last Friday I would had stayed embrassing (sic) and kissing you forever.

Don’t know why you think you bore me with the description of your farm. I am an urban girl but that doesn’t inhibit me from loving other things, specially if they are the ones you love. I was able to imagine the place with every single detail you wrote and had trassmitted (sic) me the love you have for your farm. It sounds to be a great and peaceful place and loved you had shared it with me.

Thanks for your beautiful words, I don’t know if I do need or not therapy but I have to find my new place in this new stage of my life. Life has been very generous with me and I want to return at least a little bit of what I have been given. I have time and think helping others who haven’t been as lucky as me will do me fine.

My address is (deleted by The State). It will be great finding at home once I am back, whatever you send me, I’ll keep it near my bed so as to feel you nearer.

Miss you so much… love you from the deepest of my heart. Sweet kisses. 

From: Mark Sanford

To: Maria

Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 03:09:44 +0000

Dearest,

You are glorious and I hope you really understand that. You do not need a therapist to help you figure your place in the world. You are special and unique and fabulous in a whole host of ways that are worth a much longer conversation. To be continued …

Have been having a few email problems as I am getting email through an aircard at the farm, where access to computer world is more than tough. Please let me know if you have gotten my last two eamils (sic) so I know it is working in getting to your part of the world …

Another glorious day outside. Hope you are doing well, and am anxious to hear about your week. Know that I miss you. Unbeleivably (sic) hard to imagine it has been a week. Please also send your mailing address as I want to send you an insignificant something next week when I am back in civilization that I think you might find interesting given our conversation.

Want to write an indepth note with some thoughts on our visit when I know you are getting these emails. Hugs and much love. M

———————————————-

From: Maria

Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 4:26 PM

To: Mark Sanford

Subject: RE:

My beloved, (hope you also change the dearest …)

I’am (sic) reading your last two mails sitting outside with a great seaview here in Ilhabela, a beautiful island near Sao Paulo. Have been thinking of you while watching the beautiful blue sea (a) great part of my day and remembering with a great smile on my face, the time we had spent together. As I told you before, you brought happiness and love to my life and (I) will take you forever in my heart. I wasn’t aware till we met last week, the strong feelings I had for you, and believe me, I haven’t felt this since I was in my teen ages, when afterwards I got married. I do love you, I can feel it in my heart, and although I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to meet again this has been the best that has happened to me in a long time You made me realized (sic) how you feel when you realy (sic) love somebody and how much you want to be beside the beloved. Last Friday I would had stayed embrassing (sic) and kissing you forever.

Don’t know why you think you bore me with the description of your farm. I am an urban girl but that doesn’t inhibit me from loving other things, specially if they are the ones you love. I was able to imagine the place with every single detail you wrote and had trassmitted (sic) me the love you have for your farm. It sounds to be a great and peaceful place and loved you had shared it with me.

Thanks for your beautiful words, I don’t know if I do need or not therapy but I have to find my new place in this new stage of my life. Life has been very generous with me and I want to return at least a little bit of what I have been given. I have time and think helping others who haven’t been as lucky as me will do me fine.

My address is (deleted by The State). It will be great finding at home once I am back, whatever you send me, I’ll keep it near my bed so as to feel you nearer.

Miss you so much… love you from the deepest of my heart. Sweet kisses.

So the turtle tunnel is going to cost 3.4 million, right?  The actual cost to finish the entire project is 6 million.  So for 3.4 million of our tax payers money, we get an incomplete turtle tunnel?!  WTF? RUFKM?  I would like to personally volunteer to install a turtle tunnel for the low, low, low bargain price of 1.2 million.  I will even finish it…