Author Archives: cassandra_m

About cassandra_m

"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." -Shirley Chisholm

Friday Afternoon Bacon Blogging — Crowd Sourced Edition

We’re getting plenty of suggestions for Bacon Blogging and this week’s entries come from RSmitty a faithful reader and the foodie team of UI and Free Radical.

This is from our favorite Republican, and I’d bet that either this woman or perhaps her T-Shirt is figuring prominently in work-escapist fantasies (just speculatin’ from the hints you been droppin’, Smitty!) Not sure where this came from, but thanks to the reader who sent it in:

Baconbetter_160by600_1

And then there is this from UI and Free Radical — Bacon Tempura.
20090923_bacontempura_560x375

We would hold the next Drinking Liberally at a local establishment that would make us Bacon Tempura!

How ACORN Helped Defund the Entire Military Industrial Complex

Well, maybe not all — but there’s some nervousness out there. After yesterday’s post on why reducing spending and government is so tough — today I find that Congress has just enacted a way to really cut back on expenditures that I whole heartedly endorse:

The congressional legislation intended to defund ACORN, passed with broad bipartisan support, is written so broadly that it applies to “any organization” that has been charged with breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws, campaign finance laws or filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency. It also applies to any of the employees, contractors or other folks affiliated with a group charged with any of those things.

In other words, the bill could plausibly defund the entire military-industrial complex. Whoops.

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) picked up on the legislative overreach and asked the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) to sift through its database to find which contractors might be caught in the ACORN net.

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Gumman both popped up quickly, with 20 fraud cases between them, and the longer list is a Who’s Who of weapons manufacturers and defense contractors.

Anyone laughing yet? Rep. Greyson is planning on filing a list of organizations charged with “breaking federal or state election laws, lobbying disclosure laws, campaign finance laws or filing fraudulent paperwork with any federal or state agency” or with employees so charged so that judges can be really clear who got defunded. Want to help him build the list? Greyson set up a Google Spreadsheet where you can suggest contractors to add.

And apparently there are some other constitutional hurdles for this ACORN bill, but I love that this may have just functionally put out of business a huge swath of the military industrial complex. PleasePleasePlease, Democrats, do NOT fix this without getting multiple pounds of flesh out of it…..

Why the Rightwing Jihad for Cutting Spending is a Loser

Read every word of Bruce Bartlett’s explanation.

Bartlett goes into great detail on how “cutting spending” is a pipe dream — either because the kind of stuff that conservatives always tell you they want to get gone won’t do much to balance the budget or because there are not enough votes to get rid of it. He starts with showing how much control the President and Congress respectively have over spending and ends with busting the myths about how Reagan or Thatcher cut spending.

Many of those favoring budget cuts have ridiculous notions about how much of the budget can be cut without reducing services. A recent Gallup poll found that Americans generally believe that 50% of the budget is wasted. This suggests that they believe the federal budget could be cut in half without cutting anything important like Social Security benefits or national defense.

Just so people know the round numbers, total spending this year is about $3.6 trillion. At most, $200 billion of that represents stimulus spending, so even if there had been no stimulus bill and the economy had done as well as it has done, we would be looking at a $3.4 trillion budget.

Revenues are only about $2.1 trillion, so we would be looking at a substantial deficit even if the stimulus package was never enacted. Revenues would be even lower if Republicans had gotten their wish and the stimulus consisted entirely of tax cuts. How tax cuts would help people with no wages because they have no jobs or businesses with no profits to tax was never explained. But many right-wingers are convinced that tax cuts are the only appropriate governmental response no matter what the problem is.

Looking at last year’s budget, only 38% was classified as discretionary; that is, under Congress’s control through the appropriations process. All the rest was mandatory: entitlements and interest on the debt. Within the discretionary category, 54% went to national defense. Just $37.5 billion, 3.3% of the discretionary budget, went for international affairs including foreign aid. Over the years I have encountered many conservatives who thought that abolishing foreign aid was just about the only thing needed to balance the budget. Obviously, that’s nonsense.

Domestic discretionary spending amounted to $485 billion last year. With a deficit last year of $459 billion, we would have had to abolish virtually every single domestic program to have achieved budget balance. That means every penny spent on housing, education, agriculture, highway construction and maintenance, border patrols, air traffic control, the FBI, and every other thing one can think of outside of national defense, Social Security and Medicare.

This means that it is impossible to get control of spending without cutting entitlement programs. Many Republicans agree, but they never make any serious effort to do so. On the contrary, they defend entitlements when Democrats suggest cutting them. The Republican National Committee has run television ads opposing cuts in Medicare because Obama proposed using such cuts to fund health reform. Many demonstrators at right-wing tea parties were seen carrying signs demanding that the government keep its hands off Medicare.

Seriously, read the whole thing. Bartlett is quite right that the political will does not exist to cut spending on the levels that Republicans or their handlers keep pushing. Not even among their own. Because why would a Republican controlled Congress create structural deficits with every program they implemented — from tax cuts to Medicare Part D to their wars.

I still think that people have the government they want. There are just some people with pet peeves about particular programs. If a politician wanted to cut spending enough to actually balance the books, that politician would be shown the door and his party wiped out for a very long time. Who — really — will cut Medicare? And why not? This is a program with a broad approval across many voting constituencies. And constituencies that vote are not constituencies that pols are going to spend much time pissing off. Unless you are a progressive Democrat. There are folks who milk this cutting spending business because it is a stalking horse for “people I don’t like getting tax money”. But the folks doing the milking don’t do much to propose real spending cuts. Like the repubs who howl about earmarks, but who busily submit their lists and take all they can get. It is way past time to deal with the fact that people have what they want — and work at telling people that they have more of it if they pay for it. Which is not an argument you hear very often.

Howard Dean Alert!

The Amazing Dr. Dean will be at the Philadelphia Free Library this coming Thursday at NOON. He is speaking to promote his new book — Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Health Care Reform. Dr. Dean has been just everyplace, powerfully making the case for health care reform, and I’m sure this will be just as interesting.

The author series is held at the Main Library on Vine St. in the auditorium on the lower level. This event is free and the Philly Library is great about getting authors to sign books. You can usually buy a copy of the book (and perhaps some of the others from the same author) at the Library (proceeds to to their building fund), but you can bring your own books in.

I’m thinking about taking a long lunch that day…

More Like This Please!

Fox News has apparently been whinging that President Obama did not appear with them in the WH blitz to appear on all of the talking heads shows this Sunday morning.    Why would that be?  Here is the WH spokesman answering that to ABC news:

“We figured Fox would rather show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ than broadcast an honest discussion about health insurance reform,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told ABC News. […]

“Fox is an ideological outlet where the president has been interviewed before and will likely be interviewed again,” Earnest said. “Not that the whining particularly strengthens their case for participation any time soon.”

Nothing wrong with reminding people of the fact that Fox Noise continues to be the PR arm of the RNC. And nothing wrong in letting them live with their ideologically driven choices.

The Teabagger Pledge

I saw this at dKos yesterday, but it also turned up in my email several times today, so I thought I would post it here. Perhaps our local teabaggers will print this up and make a point of getting their cohorts to signup. Or perhaps tell us they endorse this letter in the comments!

I crack myself up.

I, ________________________, do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:

I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights.

I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.

I will foreswear the time-honored principles of fairness, decency, and respect by screaming unintelligible platitudes regarding tyranny, Nazi-ism, and socialism at public town halls. Also.

I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

  • Social Security
  • Medicare/Medicaid
  • State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
  • Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
  • US Postal Service
  • Roads and Highways
  • Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
  • he US Railway System
  • Public Subways and Metro Systems
  • Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
  • Rest Areas on Highways
  • Sidewalks
  • All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal senate appropriations)
  • Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
  • Public and State Universities and Colleges
  • Public Primary and Secondary Schools
  • Sesame Street
  • Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children
  • Public Museums
  • Libraries
  • Public Parks and Beaches
  • State and National Parks
  • Public Zoos
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services
  • Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)
  • Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)
  • Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
  • Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD’s ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking
  • Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies
  • Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies

If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care.

I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:

  • Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
  • The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments
  • The government-operated Statue of Liberty
  • The Grand Canyon
  • The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials
  • The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery
  • All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC

I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.

I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.

I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.

I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.

Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.

Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF __________ IN THE YEAR ___.

_____________ _________________________

Signed Printed Name/Town and State

Avast Maties — It’s Talk Like a Pirate Day!

We interrupt your ritual pillaging and mayhem to remind you that today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, with a message from its founders direct from Pirate News Network:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMb9a18Lzi4[/youtube]

As for me, I’ve assigned myself extra rum rations all day, and gotten myself a Pirate Name — Red Flint Charity (and I’ll take a machete to the scurvy bilge rats who don’t like it!)

Kavips has lots more links and fun, including instructions on how to turn your Facebook page into pirate language.

And then there’s Pirate Lingo for LEET Speak for you texting fiends.

Calling Them Out on Their Lies

President Obama made a point of this promise in his speech to the Congress and it looks like it starts now:

Last week, when the President addressed the Joint Session of Congress in a speech on health reform, he referred to some of the untruths – okay, lies – that have been spread about the plan and sent a clear message to those who seek to undermine his agenda and his presidency with these tactics: “We will call you out.” So consider this one of those calls.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen with increasing frequency and volume issues raised around the use of “czars” by this Administration. Although some Members have asked serious questions around the makeup of the White House staff, the bulk of the noise you hear began first with partisan commentators, suggesting that this is somehow a new and sinister development that threatens our democracy. This is, of course, ridiculous. Just to be clear, the job title “czar” doesn’t exist in the Obama Administration. Many of the officials cited by conservative commentators have been confirmed by the Senate. Many hold policy jobs that have existed in previous Administrations. And some hold jobs that involved coordinating the work of agencies on President Obama’s key policy priorities: health insurance reform, energy and green jobs, and building a new foundation for long-lasting economic growth

But of course, it’s really the hypocrisy here that is noteworthy. Just earlier today, Darrell Issa, a Republican from California and one of the leaders in calling for an investigation into the Obama Administration’s use of “czars”, had to admit to Fox News that he had never raised any objections to the Bush Administration’s use of “czars”. Many of these members who now decry the practice have called on Presidents in the past to appoint “czars” to coordinate activities within the government to address immediate challenges. What is clear is that all of this energy going into these attacks could be used to have a constructive conversation about bringing this country together to address our challenges moving forward – and it doesn’t take a “czar” to bring that about! Just some folks willing to act in good faith.

Read the whole thing from the White House blog — it is nicely done, names names and does a good job of calling out the stupidity of this entire argument. I hope that they keep this up and make sure that lots of folks flood the airwaves pushing back on this point.

Allan Loudell Assesses the State of Local Radio

In today’s NJ, Allan Loudell has a published piece assessing the current state of and the opportunities for local radio.

This is very good and there is alot to think about here. The entire profession of journalism is rethinking its role and the venues by which they communicate. Of course, they are also thinking about how to monetize this — especially since the traditional media’s usual revenue sources seem to be collapsing, and have yet to come to grips with how to get paid for the content that is still the backbone of much of the newer media. I think that I read Jay Rosen once speculate that as larger papers collapse, venues that can focus on and cover local news extremely well may find a profitable niche. Increasingly, the places I look for very local news is at WDEL and the Community News. I would like more of this news, not less — especially since I think that the City of Wilmington is undercovered. But I’m a news junkie, so asking for More is a knee-jerk reaction for me.

You should read the entire piece, but here is Allan on the opportunities for local radio news:

But for local radio to survive — and I use the term “radio” here loosely, as in broadcasting by cell phone — surely local content remains key.

For “spoken word” stations (news and talk), that means aggressive community involvement and marketing, and yes, local news reporting. In the case of Delaware — with the demise of WHYY TV’s “Delaware Tonight” and newspaper staff cutbacks — that places an even greater burden — and opportunity — for local radio news.

We must creatively use the available resources. For example, harnessing the talent and reach of local bloggers. Challenging our listeners to call or e-mail tips. Using our Web site as an extension for what we can’t do on the air.

And Allan on the “objectivity” business:

Addressing civic, business and church/synagogue audiences, we used to vigorously discuss objectivity and perceived media bias. I would point to examples of both conservative and liberal media bias. I long argued that the bias of U.S. parochialism (more entertainment and sports, less international news), fed by advertising pressure to cater to younger audiences, trumped boilerplate ideological bias. The unstated assumption: Objectivity was the Holy Grail.

[…]
Bloggers — both of the Right and the Left — sought not evenhandedness, but the “truth.” “Don’t give both sides,” I’ve been told. “Just report the truth.”

Allan seems to conclude that given the reduced resources available for reporting, coupled with the unending rush of news each day, that perhaps reporting “the truth” is more work than reporting both sides.

If I’ve represented his conclusion appropriately, I understand this. But I also understand that there are players being reported on who know the imperative to repeating what both sides say. And some of those just say anything because they know no one will call them on it. Pew recently released a poll about the media where distrust in their work seems to hit a new low, and I think that this is directly related to the gaming with objectivity as well as the apparent disappearing of the line between reported news and opinion.

The media is a favorite topic of mine and a major pet peeve, so I’ll stop here. But I’m very interested in what you think — what do you think of the role of radio in reporting local news? What do you think about the objectivity standard?

h/t P. Baumbach — thanks for bringing this to our attention!