Names and Labels

So.  What makes someone rich?  What makes someone "Evil rich"?  Are they one and the same?  Is it a specific dollar amount?  Does it change with the economy?  IN a good economy, is someone "Filthy, evil rich" if they make $500 Million?  $500 Thousand?  In a poor economy does that number drop?  Down to $250Thousand even?  IF so, WHO is the person or group that decides this?  IS it people in DC that themselves make MILLIONS?  IS it everyday people like US? (Already answer this one: NO, it isn't)  Why is it that the answer to ALL the economic woes is to go find out who's making the most and try to take as much of it as we can from them so we can continue to spend more than we bring in.  Always, the answer for the debt problem is to FIRST tax the rich, THEN (If we still need to) cut only the increases in the budget.  And if it's NOT enough top continue the increases, go back and tax the rich even more.  I mean, hey, it's safe, the poor and middle class WANT to stick it to the rich.  Right?

Problem is, it's also the rich who provide the jobs for the middle and low income folks.  Tax them enough and they themselves have to start adjusting things.  Stopping expansion plans for small to mid level businesses. Maybe hiring only 5 people instead of the 10 they though they needed.  And how does this effect the people who raised the taxes?  Well, not a bit financially.  They still get their congressional, senatorial, and Presidential salaries, no matter how many businesses slow hiring, stop hiring, or even shut down due to the business climate.

And when it's time to get "rehired"?  Out comes the class warfare saying it's all the "rich" hogging the money that's causing the joblessness.  Or blaming a previous administration that's been out of the White House for nearly three years.  We're WELL into the time frame where the CURRENT administration's policies are directing the economy, so there can and should be NO more finger pointing.  If things aren't working, own up to it and change direction.   It's called adapting to the current situation.  It's what intelligent people do.  Recognize successes AND failures and make necessary changes.  Sometimes they might not be what you wanted, but they MAY be necessary.

Why is it we're asked to understand that the ONLY way out of this mess is if the government is allowed to borrow more solely to be able to SPEND more, instead of trying to make REAL cuts.  And by REAL cuts I don't mean in decreasing the amount of the increase.  I mean first freezing things at the current level (Like a corporation suspending pay increases to get through a tough time)  and then, CUTTING those areas that aren't "Mission Critical".

Defense?  Sure, there's probably some stuff that's non-essential, or can be put off for a few years til we get our feet under us. Military pay is NOT one of those, and there are probably some development programs we need to keep.  But probably not ALL of them.

Government agencies?  Most likely plenty of those that can be eliminated or at least mothballed for a while  (This IS a debt CRISIS, according to the President, isn't it?)  Federal Dept of Education, for example.  Don't all the States have one of those?  I think the States have more of a handle on the local needs of students than the DC folks do. (Except, of course, for the DC schools, but that shouldn't be Fed either).  That's the problem.  The farther away you get from the details, the less you actually KNOW about the situation.  I'm pretty sure if you poll the 100 senators, at best TWO MIGHT be able to tell you who the Superintendent of a given city's school district is, yet they are making global decisions that directly effect that district. THEY feel they know best.  And then they say now that we've implemented this, we need to pay for it.  But don't worry, we'll only raise taxes on the rich.  You know, those evil folks that do nothing but roll around in their ill gotten gains every night and laugh at you poorer folks.  We'll make sure they pay their "fair share"  As soon as WE decide what that fair share is.  At least, for THIS week.  And manage to get OUR wealth the heck out of here or hidden before it takes effect.

It's ridiculous.  We elect them to represent us. (ALL of us, poor AND rich).  Why is it that their answer to everything is to sell HALF of that equation out?

Okay.  I'm done venting.  For now.  At least until people start telling me how much and who I should start hating and punishing next.

Budgets, credit, spending, saving, . . . . . . . INSANITY!!!!

Wow.  For supposedly a bunch of smart folks we elected to "REPRESENT" us in Washington DC, well, we apparently need to collectively check our work.  Revenues are short of covering everything, we're at our credit limit, income is NOT likely going to increase anytime soon, and the answer is . . . . . "More credit please!"  Oh, yes, and make sure it's high enough to cover us through this next election so we can not only CONTINUE to pay for all the unnecessary crap we promised you to get here in the first place, but so we can do it and NOT be bothered by it (or YOU) during our campaign to get back here.  There's a LOT of you unemployed right now, so you can, of course, understand why we wouldn't want to be bothered by questions that probably would end up with US unemployed.

What is going through their heads.  Yes, I'm a political conservative at heart, but that means I'm oriented towards minimizing government (Gee, think a reduced government would be cheaper to run?) and keeping them out of our personal business.  My DEMOCRAT wife agrees on this point.  They seem to think we need them for everything and require the tax (and credit it seems) to keep them that involved.  When WE'VE undergone some job losses, and hence an decrease in revenue, we didn't go to the remaining job provider and say "Well, since you've cut hours to save YOU money, you need to pay us MORE per hour so we maintain our income level"  I guarantee the least result of that would be to be laughed out of the office.

Well, maybe that's what we should start doing to them:  laughing (Or rather, voting) them out of office.  What's WRONG with a balanced budget amendment.  Heck, Harry Reid wanted one before it went against what he wants now.  What's wrong with making it a requirement that we don't spend more than the revenue we get in?  If we think we need more money to spend?  Put it to a vote, and get the required majority to agree, both on the amount of an increase AND what the increase would be designated for.  That SHOULD better reflect what the PEOPLE at large want, since THEY are the ones who elected the senators and REPRESENTatives to vote the way WE feel.  After all, it's NOT really about keeping THEM employed as much as it is about keeping this a REPRESENTATIVE government OF, BY, and FOR the people.  I think a LOT of them have forgotten about that.  THEY work for US.

Well, that got resolved quickly!

Okay, no more QB speculation.  Hmmmm.  Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Leinart in and Hasselbeck is out.  I guess we're officially in moving on mode.  Whitehurst is gonna have to earn the spot, and this is DEFINITELY going to be an interesting year.

WooHoo! Football Lives!

Finally, they got it figured out.  Now, let's hope the 'Hawks get the QB situation figured out. Right now given the timeframe especially, I'd make sure to keep Hass on staff.  He knows the stuff and wouldn't need a learning curve.  Plus, we've beefed up the line a bit more.  Get Whitehurst some serious preseason workouts and then make sure to get him some (maybe) late gametime reps during the season. If the game's in hand, he's proven he probably WON'T lose the game and he DOES need some real gametime experience.  Then, plan for a serious draft move next year to maybe get the QB of the future who can sit and learn for a couple seasons.  Heck, maybe Whitehurst IS that guy and we just need to see more.  Anyway, I wonder how much of this labor stuff could have been worked out a month or two ago and how much of this getting done now was due to the fact that the preseason/training camp schedules were about to get seriously affected.

Couple other bits . ..

I've set up links to the wife's blogs. Chef Lorrie. (Yes, she's a REAL chef, not playing one on TV.) She's got a cooking blog AND starting one on couponing. (No, NOT the extreme stuff. Most of us DON'T have the time or space to buy 5000 packs of toilet paper and/or Cheerios) But she HAS already started to save us a BUNCH of money just doing a bit of research and planning using the thing they send out every week in the Sunday paper. AND she's been finding the stuff online too. I'm starting to be impressed by this. I've watched several $80 totals drop to about $28. Not too bad.

Gotta stop the gaps. Hell, I post, post a cleanup/reset, and then wait nearly another year. Okay. It's blog fear. Must be. Never considered myself a writer, but I think things have gotten to the point I need to try. Politically, maybe. Definitely observations. Social issues? Again, these days, anything is a good topic. MOSTLY, always a sucker for a good, DECENT, well thought out conversation. Matching AND opposing viewpoints allowed, provided it stays respectful. If I post something, remember, it's just my OPINION. Not carved in stone. If you disagree with something, just make sure you can back it up with clear facts, not talking points. I can find those easy enough from BOTH sides of any argument. I'll listen to other sides, sometimes I can convince them I'm right and sometimes they convince me they are. The beauty of free speech and independent thought. And during these times, THAT'S something we all need to see. And yes, topics that are PURELY entertainment may (Okay, probably) will pop up here and there. (DAMN I wish I had made it to ComicCon this year. Say that every year! Geeks Unite!) So, How 'bout them Seahawks? (Now that it looks like the league will actually get down to PLAYING the season?)

Okay, the door is open again, I'll try to keep the coffee flowing.

Okay, reset and a LOT of dusting!

Well, just over a year and a half and I come back to this corner I had decided to start up. Best laid plans and all that I suppose. Well. Good a time as any for a second post. (Okay, second FIRST post as it would seem). I'll dust up around here and clean up the cobwebs and give this thing a second shot. Gotta have someplace to vent and comment on stuff, might as well be here. It's why I staked it out in the first place! Again, nothing in particular, probably whatever is on my mind at the time. Pull up a chair (Once I find them again) and well see what happens!