Buck Naked Politics

Someone's Gotta Pay

Bloomberg tells us:

"Americans want their government to create jobs through spending on public works, investments in alternative energy or skills training for the jobless.

"They also want the deficit to come down. And most are ready to hand the bill to the wealthy."

Yeah, and?  Who else even could pay? 

More of our nation's wealth is concentrated in fewer hands than was the case, say, 25 years ago.   Basically, corporations are pass-through entities for wealthy individuals, be those individuals  shareholders or employees (e.g., execs and managers).

Corporations (and wealthy individuals) have reaped tremendous financial benefits through governmental policies (e.g., policies relating to taxes, worker's wages, and corporate regulation).  Corporations (and wealthy individuals) have directly or indirectly received huge taxpayer-funded subsidies (e.g., government contracts and agricultural programs for landowners).

I don't think there's much left to squeeze out of us middle- and working-class folks.  Thus, if jobs are needed to repair our nation's economy, whom else can we expect to give up a little in order to fund those jobs?

"Compromise" on Public Option a Win-Win?

by Deb Cupples |   The New York Times reports:

"The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, said Tuesday night that he and a group of 10 Democratic senators had reached “a broad agreement” to resolve a dispute over a proposed government-run health insurance plan, which has posed the biggest obstacle to passage of sweeping health care legislation....

"Under the agreement, people ages 55 to 64 could “buy in” to Medicare. And a federal agency, the Office of Personnel Management, would negotiate with insurance companies to offer national health benefit plans, similar to those offered to federal employees, including members of Congress."

If one overlooks the millions of people who are younger than 55 and lack adequate health-care coverage, this "compromise" certainly seems to be a win-win.

First, our elected officials would be able to grab headlines and trumpet on the campaign trail about having achieved something in terms of health-care reform.

Man Chucks Tomatoes at Palin

A Twin Cities TV station website reports:

"A man was arrested for throwing tomatoes at Sarah Palin during her book signing on Monday at the Mall of America.

"Jeremy Olson, 33, allegedly threw two tomatoes from the second balcony, however did not come close to hitting Palin.

"Bloomington Police report that Bloomington Commander Mark Stehlik was struck in the face with one of the tomatoes and may face charges for assaulting a police officer. Olson was booked at the Bloomington jail. He was arrested for suspicion of assault and disorderly conduct."

Oooops!  I know a few cops, and not one of them has ever demonstrated a tendency to laugh off being unexpectedly hit with a piece of food.

Perhaps Mr. Olson could have avoided arrest had he practiced a bit more beforehand with his pitching arm.  No, probably not: throwing objects at people -- even at politicians with whom one disagrees --  tends to be a crime.

At least Mr. Olson was considerate enough to choose a soft fruit that would have a softer impact than, say, an apple or a cantaloupe.

'Climate-Gate?' Oh, I Wish...

by Bill Kavanagh: As Brad DeLong is fond of saying, "Why oh why can't we have a better press corps?"

It's pretty disheartening, just as President Obama has announced he'll be going to the Copenhagen Climate Conference at its closing (implying a possible deal to announce on carbon emission reductions) to see that the WaPo is instead playing up the ridiculous 'Climategate' story so prominently. It's a great distraction for those who'd rather bury their heads in the sand than deal with the reality of climate change, but a real disservice to readers who by now should have little doubt of the severity of the crisis we are into.

I remember when the Post was a beacon for press freedom and independence. Do you?

(Bill cross-posts at Bill's Big Diamond .)

Keeping Faith

by Bill Kavanagh: Today, with our spirit beaten down by two long wars, an economic collapse, and a seemingly paralyzed political process; we wait for the President’s speech on Afghanistan. We’ve become restless and fearful now, still waiting, but less hopeful for the big changes we thought would be coming after we threw off the chains of our former right wing leaders. Many of us are out of work; many are underwater in our homes.

Despite the trepidation we feel about the future, there are reasons to hope that yes, we can, in fact, make a better America and a better world for our children. The first one is remembering that we did elect someone because he inspired hope. Whether or not he lives up to our high expectations, Barack Obama is in the White House because he embraced hope and change. His campaign succeeded largely on the premise that this democratic experiment in the United States still had the potential to be reinvigorated by our participation in it. Across racial, age and economic boundaries, Americans responded to that premise, with the belief that yes, we could make a more progressive and vital America.

Bin Laden Was "Within Grasp" in 2001

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee released a report indicating that U.S. military strategists could have taken Osama bin Laden in December of 2001 -- or at least stopped him and his deputy from moving into Pakistan -- but they failed to.  (NY Times).  

According to Al Jazeera, bin Laden was "within grasp" in the Tora Bora Mountains of Afghanistan. 

That seems so strange, given that then-President Bush (the armed forces' then-commander in chief) seemed to daily trumpet his pledge to get bin Laden "dead or alive."

Good News Round-up

by Deb Cupples |  Given that the holiday season has just kicked off, I thought I would focus today on charitable acts.

Sherrie Gahn, principal of Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, has started a food bank to help feed students and their families.  Reportedly, about 75% of Ms. Gahn's 622 students living in the "Boulder Strip" neighborhood of Las Vegas have experienced some period of homelessness or are at risk of experiencing it. [CNN, via the Good News Network (or GNN)]

Jason O'Neill, a San Diego eighth grader who started the company Pencil Bugs when he was nine years old, raised money to buy a teddy bears.  Jason plans to give the teddy bears to children at Rady's Children's hospital in San Diego.  [MSNBC via HappyNews.com]

Obama and Afghanistan: Decision Made Long Ago?

by Deb Cupples |  Today's New York Times tells us that President Obama "may add" 30,000 troops in Afghanistan.  This is not news, given that two weeks ago, CBS News reported that Obama was considering adding tens-of-thousands of troops in Afghanistan.

Though treated as "news" two weeks ago, even CBS's report wasn't "news."  At least as far back as July 2008 (when then-Senator Obama was campaigning for the  Office of President), he told God, the public, and the media that he wanted to increase troop levels in Afghanistan.

For better or worse (and I do not have enough information to determine which), it sounds as though Mr. Obama made up his mind about Afghanistan quite a while ago. 

Citizens Groups Sue Florida Legislature over Education System

by Deb Cupples |   My home state of Florida is the fourth largest state in the U.S. -- and it's a fairly wealthy state.  Yet, our K-12 school system is among the worst in the nation in some pretty important respects.  

According to the Miami Herald, Florida is 39th (or 47th) in the nation in terms of school funding, and Florida schools got an "F" from Education Week Magazine in terms of our students' college readiness.  In 2008, Florida ranked 29th in teacher pay. 

A Johns Hopkins think tank found that Florida was among a few states whose low high-school graduation rates render Florida in a "crisis category."  According to one report, Florida has among the highest high-school-drop-out rates in the nation (1 in 4).  It gets worse: less than 44% of our state's tenth graders are reading at grade level.

None of this is very good, considering that Florida is (again) one of the largest and wealthiest states in the U.S.

All that said, non-partisan citizens' groups have united to sue Florida's legislature over the poor quality of our education system -- an understandable move, given that our state constitution includes mandates regarding a high-quality, public-education system.  The Gainesville Sun's Ron Cunningham reports:

Energy Jobs for a Renewable Economic Future

posted by Bill: Check out what Stan Ovshinsky is doing in Detroit to create energy jobs for an American economic and environmental renewal. You won't hear about his work on the evening news, but Bob Herbert writes about him today in his column.

Chris on Beneficiary Designations

posted by Chris |  As you go through the various stages of life, it is important to periodically update your beneficiaries on your life insurance, annuities, IRA’s and other qualified retirement plans.

We have all heard stories of the ex-spouse receiving the current spouse’s benefits upon the death of person who DID NOT change their beneficiary designation.  Did you know that utilizing your beneficiary provisions for philanthropic donations ( while a great idea ) can cause your other natural person(s) beneficiaries to lose their ability to stretch their payments from an IRA or qualified plan?

Good News Roundup

by Deb Cupples |   This is an older story but a good one.  A female toddler named Oluchi Nwaubani  fell into a swimming pool earlier this year and survived after 18 minutes under water.  At the hospital, Oluchi was put on a respirator.  Believing that she would never recover, doctors discussed turning off the machine.  Three days later, Oluchi started breathing on her own.  Doctors said that she would never pass urine normally, because her kidneys had failed.  Reportedly, Oluchi has since been urinating normally....  See the rest of the story at Good News Blog.

The New York Times reports:

"The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Thursday announced its biggest education donation in a decade, $290 million, in support of three school districts and five charter groups working to transform how teachers are evaluated and how they get tenure."

Hat tip to the Good News Network (GNN).

MSNBC reports:

"However, a team of engineers plans to investigate whether algae commercially grown in the ocean on specialized platforms could reduce the high costs of biofuel production, potentially bringing our energy economy one step closer to shifting from fossil fuels to renewable resources."

Hat tip to  HappyNews.com.

Revitalizing American Industry

posted by Bill: I highly recommend Bob Herbert's column today as he tours through downtown Detroit, or what's left of it, with an economist from the Motor City. It's time we all started thinking about how America is becoming less like the capital of the world and more like Detroit all the time.

Herbert's piece ends on this note:

"We need a revitalized industrial policy, including the creation of whole new industries, if American families are to prosper in the coming decades. If there is any sense of urgency about this in the hearts and minds of our corporate and government leaders, I’ve missed it."

Finally, a Bank Official Says Executive Compensation Must Be Controlled

 by Deb Cupples | Yesterday, the Financial Times reported:

"Germany’s new finance minister has echoed Chinese warnings about the growing threat of fresh global asset price bubbles, fueled by low US interest rates and a weak dollar.

"Wolfgang Schäuble’s comments highlight official concern in Europe that the risk of further financial market turbulence has been exacerbated by the exceptional steps taken by central banks and governments to combat the crisis."

I can't say that I fully understand the details of that statement, but I do understand this other one:

"Separately, Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB president, issued his strongest warning yet that banks must control pay and bonuses.

"Striking a noticeably stiffer tone, Mr Trichet told the Frankfurt conference: 'Profits earned should be used, as a priority, to build capital and reserves, rather than be paid out as dividends or excessive compensation.'”

Yes!  And I'll take it a step further and apply it to large, non-bank companies:

More Jobs

posted by Bill: Hey, maybe I'm being too tough about the need for a jobs program, incentives, and more. Maybe people out of work just aren't looking hard enough.

According to McClatchy, Mickey D's is hiring...at Guantamamo Bay. All you need is some restaurant management experience, a valid passport, a willingness to relocate to Cuba (er, or the 45 square miles you'll be living and working in on the island nation), and a love of grease.

Link here for more application info...

(A hat tip to Allen McDuffee for this catch.)

Bill cross-posts at Bill's Big Diamond.

Job One

by Bill Kavanagh:  Healthcare reform, climate change legislation, education reform, even changes in war strategy will all fall short of creating a lasting political program if Americans don’t have jobs. We have a crippling level of under/unemployment, which many believe actually tops 20% today (higher than the 17+ percent reported by the feds), even while the government tells us the recession is now over. Still more Americans fear losing their jobs, or struggle with reduced pay and reduced expectations. This reality is the primary area the Obama Administration must grapple with— and soon.

Next month, the White House will convene a Jobs Summit, bringing together economists, academics, labor leaders, businesspeople, and non-profit groups to discuss putting Americans back to work. While the date of the summit has yet to be announced, a bigger unknown is whether the President will put the government’s money and energy squarely behind the effort; whether he realizes how basic creating jobs is to his success in dealing with every other problem he faces.

Human Light Emissions and Water on the Moon

by Deb Cupples |  I came across two science-related pieces recently.  The first, from Live Science, begins:

"The human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day, scientists now reveal."

The second piece, from the New York Times, begins:

"There is water on the Moon, scientists stated unequivocally on Friday.

“Indeed yes, we found water,” Anthony Colaprete, the principal investigator for NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, said in a news conference. “And we didn’t find just a little bit. We found a significant amount.”

Interesting, isn't it?

Ex-Congressman Sentenced to 13 Years

It was June 2007 that the U.S. House passed a resolution (373-26 votes) to investigate Rep. William Jefferson (DLA), who was indicted on corruption charges.  Today, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported:

"Former Rep. William Jefferson was sentenced Friday to serve 13 years in prison for what the lead prosecutor described as "the most extensive and pervasive pattern of corruption in the history of Congress."

"While the sentence by federal Judge T.S. Ellis III fell well short of the 27 to 33 years recommended by the government, it is by the far the stiffest jail term ever imposed on a member or former member of Congress for crimes committed while in office.

"Jefferson, 62, was found guilty Aug. 6 on 11 charges, including soliciting bribes, depriving citizens of honest service, money laundering and using his office as a racketeering enterprise."

"Justice" ain't quick, is it?

Florida Yogi Helps Veterans

by Deb Cupples | On Veterans Day, I cannot help thinking of the thousands of Americans who have returned home from foreign soil suffering injuries.  When I think of wounded veterans, I cannot help thinking of the Exalted Warrior Foundation, founded by Annie Okerin -- a fantastic yoga instructor and proprietor of Yogani Studios in South Tampa, Florida. 

For some years now, Yogani has been offering free yoga classes to veterans outside the hospital, in partnership with the Exalted Warrior Foundation.  Here's a bit about Okerlin's work with Veterans:

"The Exalted Warrior Foundation facilitates a yoga instruction program that is designed for wounded soldiers in military and veteran hospital facilities.

"Faced with the demands of both a physical and emotional recovery, yoga allows newly disabled veterans to reconnect both with themselves and their loved ones. Soldiers with amputations, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries have benefited greatly since the program began.

"The gentle movements of a yoga practice support the restoration of the body-mind connection. Practice varies from subtle breath work, accompanied with gentle stretching postures, for beginners to intense exertions, as the patients’ comfort with these healing techniques increases. Through practice, the soldier will begin to release the 'issues from the tissues....' "

There have been a lot of write-ups about Okerlin's work with vets and some news coverage (see videos at EWF home page).   If you'd like to donate to this non-profit foundation, click here.

Since 2006, Okerlin and staff have also been traveling to Walter Reed Army Medical Center  to work with severely wounded veterans, including amputees.  Okerlin's team has also started working in veterans' hospitals in Tampa and Brooklyn.

Another site worth checking out is Yoga for Vets, which has a list of yoga studios nationwide that offer at least four free classes to vets.

Muddying the Health Care Bill Could Be a Win-Win (for Some Politicians)

by Deb Cupples |  Apparently, most Americans want the freedom to choose to pay less for health insurance through a publicoption (as opposed to being forced to pay skyrocketing premiums to private insurance companies).  A poll released in July by the Employee Benefit Research Institute indicates that "between 68 percent and 88 percent of Americans either strongly or somewhat support health reform ideas such as national health plans, a public plan option...."

Over the summer, some media outlets, pollsters and interest groups tried to create the impression that most Americans didn't want the freedom to choose to pay less for health insurance.  Some outfits even fudged their polling data by changing survey questions yet comparing new polling results to older polling results based on surveys in which questions were phrased differently.

Whatever data-manipulation may or may not have occurred, an ABC-Washington Post poll released in late October indicates that 57% of Americans favor a public-insurance option  [likely because a public option would be cheaper for us ordinary folks.]

Given that a majority of Americans seem to support a public option, congressional Democrats likely feel pressure to at least appear to support a public option. 

At the same time, many Dem politicians (along with their Republican siblings) also feel pressure from the insurance industry (and other health-related industries) to make sure that a truly effective public option doesn't get passed by Congress.

Talk about a "rock and a hard place" -- the horns of a dilemma.