The Supercommittee was destined to fail; it was determined from the beginning.
Why?
Because there is no reason for it to succeed, at least for Republicans.
The $1.2 trillion dollars in automatic budget cuts that will take place if the Supercommittee can not come to a compromise, as they are expected to announce today, will come mostly from defense, with a 10% cut in militaristic spending. The other spending cuts will come from "domestic sources" and a 2% cut in Medicare.
However, Republican legislators are already laying the groundwork to fight the military cuts, as the automatic triggers are hardly set in stone.
The Red: 9/11! 9/11!
The Blue: You dirty, lying cheating bastards! Play fair!
The Purple Truth: Republicans simply outwitted Democrats in this negotiation. Of the three automatic cuts on the table - military, Medicare and domestic - two of them are Republican initiatives, with military cuts being the only cuts that they oppose. Envisioning a scenario in which military cuts are taken off the table, Republicans have achieved a full ideological victory for this election cycle without having to pass any legislation directly cutting funds from the poor or the elderly. Republicans may then blame these cuts on Democrats by claiming that Democrats caused the sequester by blocking negotiations. In effect, by doing nothing, Republicans ran out the clock and pushed their agenda through without a single legislative fingerprint to smear the goodwill of their constituencies. And of course, Republicans can blame the tax hikes on the Democrats while declaring that they all remained true to their Norquist pledge.
However, the premise still remains that military spending must be taken off the table for this scenario to work. Here is why that is a virtual certainty.
The defense industry is one of the strongest lobbies in Washington, contributing $24 million to candidates in the 2008 election cycle. Here's the rub: That money was split almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans.
Democrats can not afford to lose a $24 million bloc of political investors. In their first active measures since the beginning of the election cycle, Republicans will introduce legislation to rescind the military spending cuts, strong arming Democrats into compliance with the help of the defense lobby and cries of 9/11.
Genius.
Even better is Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's assertions that they will abide by the automatic cuts. Of course they will - until they are "convinced" by the singular mandate of the Congress, which they will conveniently interpret as the mandate of the "people," absolving them of any blame in their forced about-face.
Democrats were simply outfoxed, and it might cost them the Presidency as well as more seats in Congress. Although somewhat tragic that power must be delegated in this way, especially during a time when real people are really hurting, any student of politics must admit that this was a thing of beauty. Political art.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Stopping Black Friday is Getting Attention
Until November 25th, most of my attention will be placed into promotion for my other blog, Stop Black Friday. Since there is only a small window of time in which that will be relevant, it will receive priority for the moment.
That blog is getting major attention, having inspired two articles from independent outside sources within a week of its christening. There must be something to this.
Stop Black Friday TheStreet Article
Stop Black Friday Business Insider Article
Visit the original blog here.
That blog is getting major attention, having inspired two articles from independent outside sources within a week of its christening. There must be something to this.
Stop Black Friday TheStreet Article
Stop Black Friday Business Insider Article
Visit the original blog here.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
84 Year Old Activist Pepper Sprayed in Occupy Seattle
The picture below is of 84 year old Dorli Rainey, a community activist from Seattle. She was pepper sprayed while protesting on November 15th.
Don't these cops get it? Outside of the appalling cowardice they are showing personally, professionally, this is just a bad move. Movements and uprisings are fueled by actions and images such as this, not quelled. I think some stupid Seattle cop just gave the entire protest new life.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Gingrich VS Huntsman
As the Republican primaries wind down, the Grand Ol' Party still does not truly have a candidate that they like. The majority of the core Republican audience continues to shun the perennial frontrunner Mitt Romney who can not break 27% approval in any poll.
The other candidates in the race have, one by one, disqualified themselves from contention through various gaffes, some of which are listed below:
Donald Trump - basing his entire platform on the citizenship of Barack Obama, which was quickly proven
Michelle Bachmann - subpar debate performances and extreme views on core issues made her seem crazy
Rick Perry - the Texas governor is a horrid debater
Herman Cain - he sexually harasses women
The two candidates left with the potential to overcome Romney are former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Governor Jon Huntsman.
The Red: Anybody but Romney! It would help if you can beat Obama!
The Blue: Whatever happened to that idiot Trump? Bring him back!
The Purple Truth: Huntsman has a much better grasp of the issues, having served as an ambassador to China under Barack Obama and as a governor and diplomat in other capacities. He advocates a nuanced coordination of trade with China and protection for businesses through tax incentives while protecting the social safety net for poor Americans.
Newt Gingrich is an old school guy who really made his mark opposing Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In many instances, his views on the issues lack the sophistication of the younger Huntsman, seeming at once more ideological and less applicable to current situations. He does, however, have quite the talent for one-liners during debates, and he absolutely roasts anyone who dares challenge him verbally, a showman's quality that Republicans seem to love, because it is Newt that is surging in the polls.
Huntsman would be a better President for the country, no doubt. Gingrich would be much more fun. The choice that a voter would have is really between getting the country back on track for all Americans or watching what amounts to a political highlight reel of exclusionist and polarizing policies. In short, if you are already rich, it would benefit you to vote for Gingrich for the entertainment value. If you are poor, you had better vote for Huntsman, or daddy might be unemployed for a while longer.
The other candidates in the race have, one by one, disqualified themselves from contention through various gaffes, some of which are listed below:
Donald Trump - basing his entire platform on the citizenship of Barack Obama, which was quickly proven
Michelle Bachmann - subpar debate performances and extreme views on core issues made her seem crazy
Rick Perry - the Texas governor is a horrid debater
Herman Cain - he sexually harasses women
The two candidates left with the potential to overcome Romney are former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Governor Jon Huntsman.
The Red: Anybody but Romney! It would help if you can beat Obama!
The Blue: Whatever happened to that idiot Trump? Bring him back!
The Purple Truth: Huntsman has a much better grasp of the issues, having served as an ambassador to China under Barack Obama and as a governor and diplomat in other capacities. He advocates a nuanced coordination of trade with China and protection for businesses through tax incentives while protecting the social safety net for poor Americans.
Newt Gingrich is an old school guy who really made his mark opposing Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. In many instances, his views on the issues lack the sophistication of the younger Huntsman, seeming at once more ideological and less applicable to current situations. He does, however, have quite the talent for one-liners during debates, and he absolutely roasts anyone who dares challenge him verbally, a showman's quality that Republicans seem to love, because it is Newt that is surging in the polls.
Huntsman would be a better President for the country, no doubt. Gingrich would be much more fun. The choice that a voter would have is really between getting the country back on track for all Americans or watching what amounts to a political highlight reel of exclusionist and polarizing policies. In short, if you are already rich, it would benefit you to vote for Gingrich for the entertainment value. If you are poor, you had better vote for Huntsman, or daddy might be unemployed for a while longer.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Is Purple Politics Just Blue Dog in Disguise? A Political Blog
How does one end up being shot and end up looking better than before? One could ask that of Gabrielle Giffords.
Before a madman's bullet: Yeah, ok, I guess it kind of works.
After getting friggin SHOT: Sweet Jesus! Hot tamales coming through!
One could also ask that of Blue Dog Democrats.
In the 2010 elections, Blue Dogs were the unfortunate victim of Obama's overzealous attempts to compromise with a Republican legislative minority that simply hated him. Whether the Republican contempt was a product of racism or ideology, the preponderance of circumstantial evidence points to Republicans, as a bloc, simply bearing a personal hatred for the man, and still doing so.
One would think that the Blue Dog, coming into power with the President, would be a welcome compromise between the interests of business and the responsibility of government in current legislative efforts, with its affinity for self reliance coupled with its sympathy for middle class erosion. Although one may drill down into the individual campaigns of Blue Dog leaders Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Baron Hill and make a case of some impropriety, if one is to truly access the more balanced solutions and compromised efforts to the problems of the day, they all lead back to the Blue Dog, both in legislation and in philosophy.
- Wow, health care can be socialized without promoting socialism;
- Wow, business can be incentivized to grow through progressive corporate social responsibility;
- Wow, gun rights can be protected by people who don't even own guns!!
But it would seem as if the movie (ment) has ended, and Old Yeller is about to be shot offscreen, to the chagrin of the moderate who does not thrive on political volatility, i.e., the political child who does not yet understand that DC is simply Hollywood for Ugly People, and cannot yet face the sticky nature of the entire ball of wax.
Where Purple Politics, and this political blog in particular, differentiates itself from the Blue Dog Democrat - we do not minimize the people's need for a show. Republicrats play their roles from 9 to 5, then they go play golf. Together. Koch, Soros, Speaker Boehner, Ron Paul, these names do not matter. Do they stop you from loving the people around you? Do they take away or give to the beauty in your life?
No, but they make for great demagogues to fleece the proletariat.
No, but they make for great demagogues to fleece the proletariat.
The reason that the Blue Dogs got shot out of the 112th Congress is because they took things too seriously. They thought that the bank bailouts and the income inequality would actually get people to compromise. Please. Compromise isn't fun. Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party Movement - now that's fun.
I'm ecstatic to see Gabrielle Giffords back on the path to life. What a wonderful spirit - able to vote against the welfare of the bailout, but for the necessity of the debt ceiling. Able to support public schools while seeing the inefficiency of the No Child Left Behind law. Able to support gun rights and solar energy in the same breath.
I hope that smile that we saw on the ABC interview was a smile of release and realization - it looked like one - that you can fight for someone as hard as you want, but in the end, they have to save themselves.
Remember that this whole thing is a game - so we are gonna have a good time over here!!!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Joe Paterno, Penn State: $72 Million vs. A 10 Year Old
The Pennsylvania State child rape scandal involving Joe Paterno is fast evolving into a criminal conspiracy, with the revered coach increasingly caught in the middle of a vast cover up to protect his defense coordinator Jerry Sandusky - and everyone is taking sides.
The NCAA, the governing body of the athletic programs of Penn State, has chosen to remain silent, kicking the can to local and state governments. While this may be sufficient for the criminal charges, as Sandusky and many of the perpetrators of the cover up have been indicted (save the notable exception of Mike McQueary, the assistant coach who was an eyewitness to one of Sandusky's rapes), it hardly brings satisfaction to the civil issue of college sports overlooking heinous crimes for the sake of money.
Against a wide media outcry that Penn State should cancel its game against 16th ranked Nebraska this Saturday, Penn State has taken sides. Coaches and players have been asked to wear white in solidarity with Paterno and the other ousted staff. Penn State fans will be wearing blue, along with many Husker fans, to show support for the child abuse victims. There will be heightened security at the game, with more than 1,000 policemen there.
A campus divided, with many taking the side of ousted coach Joe Paterno
The Red: Will be wearing white.
The Blue: Will be wearing blue.
The Purple Truth: Conservatives have reversed positions on this issue notably - a single parent on welfare who is perhaps too lazy to work (*cough* MTV's Teen Mom) deserves what he or she gets, but the ideological conservative viewpoint cuts holes in the social net so that the kid suffers too. With this viewpoint, the sins of the father, Paterno and Sandusky, should be visited on the sons (the Penn State football program). However, this conservative attitude does not apply with Penn State.
Pennsylvania is known widely as a blue state, but that liberal lean is focused largely in two urban centers, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Outside of those areas, the state bleeds blood red. Penn State is definitely in a red area. An argument can be made, I feel quite correctly, that the Penn State program should not disappoint the thousands of fans who have made plans around the game for the sake of a few in conspiracy.
However, let's be clear. This is really about the Penn State football program revenues of $72 million dollars, not the young men who were raped and permanently scarred nor the tailgating drunk season ticket holders. The reason that the NCAA is not interfering, the reason that the Penn State Board is not even considering an official censure to the program, is all about this money.
I hate to make the rape of children a political issue. However, it exposes an hypocrisy in the philosophy of the free market lovers. If someone makes $7,200 a year, everyone around them suffers. If someone makes $72 million a year, the problem is extracted like a tumor, destroyed, and those around the evil are allowed to continue on.
I do not begrudge the innocent Penn State players and fans their good time, in the same way that we cannot begrudge the child of a lazy parent their education and health. To have a great country, one of the integrity that the Penn State program does not have, this type of focused extraction of problem cancers from communities or individuals with no other blame should be extended to all Americans, not just grossly rich football programs.
And lest we get too political in this blog, let's not forget the real issue here: Sandusky needs to fry, and the victims of his heinous crimes need to get paid a boatload of money and receive a public, official apology from Penn State.
The NCAA, the governing body of the athletic programs of Penn State, has chosen to remain silent, kicking the can to local and state governments. While this may be sufficient for the criminal charges, as Sandusky and many of the perpetrators of the cover up have been indicted (save the notable exception of Mike McQueary, the assistant coach who was an eyewitness to one of Sandusky's rapes), it hardly brings satisfaction to the civil issue of college sports overlooking heinous crimes for the sake of money.
Against a wide media outcry that Penn State should cancel its game against 16th ranked Nebraska this Saturday, Penn State has taken sides. Coaches and players have been asked to wear white in solidarity with Paterno and the other ousted staff. Penn State fans will be wearing blue, along with many Husker fans, to show support for the child abuse victims. There will be heightened security at the game, with more than 1,000 policemen there.
The Red: Will be wearing white.
The Blue: Will be wearing blue.
The Purple Truth: Conservatives have reversed positions on this issue notably - a single parent on welfare who is perhaps too lazy to work (*cough* MTV's Teen Mom) deserves what he or she gets, but the ideological conservative viewpoint cuts holes in the social net so that the kid suffers too. With this viewpoint, the sins of the father, Paterno and Sandusky, should be visited on the sons (the Penn State football program). However, this conservative attitude does not apply with Penn State.
Pennsylvania is known widely as a blue state, but that liberal lean is focused largely in two urban centers, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Outside of those areas, the state bleeds blood red. Penn State is definitely in a red area. An argument can be made, I feel quite correctly, that the Penn State program should not disappoint the thousands of fans who have made plans around the game for the sake of a few in conspiracy.
However, let's be clear. This is really about the Penn State football program revenues of $72 million dollars, not the young men who were raped and permanently scarred nor the tailgating drunk season ticket holders. The reason that the NCAA is not interfering, the reason that the Penn State Board is not even considering an official censure to the program, is all about this money.
I hate to make the rape of children a political issue. However, it exposes an hypocrisy in the philosophy of the free market lovers. If someone makes $7,200 a year, everyone around them suffers. If someone makes $72 million a year, the problem is extracted like a tumor, destroyed, and those around the evil are allowed to continue on.
I do not begrudge the innocent Penn State players and fans their good time, in the same way that we cannot begrudge the child of a lazy parent their education and health. To have a great country, one of the integrity that the Penn State program does not have, this type of focused extraction of problem cancers from communities or individuals with no other blame should be extended to all Americans, not just grossly rich football programs.
And lest we get too political in this blog, let's not forget the real issue here: Sandusky needs to fry, and the victims of his heinous crimes need to get paid a boatload of money and receive a public, official apology from Penn State.
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