JUST SAYIN'

What a joyous week. Michigan House passed a budget that taxes seniors and the poor, takes from schools, does away with property tax and charitable credits while giving big business a huge tax break. Now I know it's been since the early 70's since I took college econ, but I do believe I remember the old supply and demand scenario described by Professor MendelScleck. When you tax the crap out of the widget buyers, they don't buy widgets. Instead tax breaks allow huge bonuses and large salaries for short-time CEO's who do nothing to improve the bottom line. But apparently it's all the fault of the workers or the pensioners or the poor. It had nothing to do with Wall Street and the Banks greedily absconding with all the money (which funded the pensions btw) or large businesses run into the ground by inept management. Again basic economics says the company deserves to go under if it is not run efficiently. New economics apparently is strip the company of its assets, pay the top couple of folks and blame the workers. Sad part is, "we the people" are buying into it that it's all our fault and hating on each other. Hmmmmm

For 40 years the r's have been saying cutting taxes will lead to jobs. Uh duhh, definition of stupidity "keep doing the same thing and expect different results". I'm no genius, but I do think cutting entitlements to special interests and lobbyists that benefit a few, chasing fraud and waste rather than assuming "everyone" is on the "take" and taxing services would be palatable and would involve "all of us" to participate in the cure. Oops too logical I guess.

LOVE & OTHER MUSINGS

Mother told me when I first got engaged. Love is easy to find. Staying in love is hard. Being in the throes of exciting romantic love I did not fully understand what she meant.

Now 40 years later I think I am beginning to understand.

JUST SHOOT ME

Opinion this week on the legislation presented this week on doing away with "no gun zones" - churches, schools, sporting venues, etc.

"Carrying to a sporting event, a street festival or school without incident appears overly optimistic. Police are highly schooled on when to draw their weapon and even they make mistakes. With sports fans threatening referees on a decision and parents physically attaching other parents at their children's events, I have to think there will be times when good judgment will probably not prevail."

NO APOLOGY

Heard something today that underlines what I have been thinking for quite awhile. I am so tired of our constant "glamorizing of ignorance" and putting down education and intellectual abilities. We truly need the best of us, the most intelligent, the most educated to help solve the problems of this world. And we need to quit putting down compassion and offering a hand up as un-American.

Are you listening SP and others of your ilk? Notoriety does not give you the right to have a worthwhile opinion on matters that are clearly above your level of intelligence and experience. Those getting the press are merely loud entertainment. Meanwhile the worthwhile people of the world are quietly going about their business making it better for us all. Thank you.

ENTITLEMENTS

Why is it ok to provide bailouts, tax breaks, etc. to large corporations, banks or Wall Street but not a handout to individuals who need assistance? I can only conclude that it is far easier to hate an individual and assume they are lazy then to blame the corporation who caused the situation.

BUTTERFLIES ARE DISTRACTING

Odd thing happened today. At the very moment Dad called to see if I wanted something he and Mother received as a wedding gift many moons ago, a butterfly was frantically trying to get my attention at the window. I know that messenger, so I said "yes". Symbols are where you find them and I always had a thing for brushed aluminum anyway....

CONVENIENT TRUTHS/POLITICAL SCENES & SCHEMES

Really hate this time of year. When the exaggerations and outright lies permeate the airways pretty much 24/7 or 31 as Jake says. If this whole economic mess was the fault of one person or two why haven't we taken them out already? So easy to sit on the periphery and point out what should be or should have been done. And, oh yes, it's the fault of one person, or one philosophy or one party. Grow up already! Shall we point out that this whole ball of yarn starting unraveling due to the unsheathed claws of the wall street traders, greedy CEOs (with no expectations, stake or loyalty) and unscrupulous bankers, as we merrily played along buying houses we knew we couldn't afford and running up debts that we were assured we had years to pay off....

The rallying cry "Let us have less regulation and let business run it's business". Would it be facetious (or obvious)to point out that business as usual is what probably caused this morass of molasses that we call the economy. Need I point out that jobs got moved out of the US when it became cheaper to ship things in then pay our own people? Ah well. That's business. Then when something goes wrong-think oil spill- the scream for govt regulators rings out across the land. Make up your minds people!!!!

Ok to bail out banks who don't make loans, wall street with its traders who are happily taking their profits with their manipulations of panic vs. optimism. However not ok to save an industry and it's suppliers that employed a lot of the middle class. And lest we forget-who is actually paying back the loans made by govt? Hmmmm makes you think.... Replace the incumbents with the other side and we take the same route the other way, wasting time and money merrily along the way again!

The anger and frustration is healthy. All I ask is "do the homework" "research the issues" "determine who is legit and who really has the interests of all at heart" "take care of your fellow citizens who need help" "offer assistance to those who just need a little something to get back on their feet" "say no to the power brokers who do not care what happens to you" "don't be swayed by personal or religious agendas" "do not believe the lies". Do your own thinking and do the right thing. I will respect you more.