New York state legalized gay marriage last week. Today, the Rhode Island legislature approved gay civil unions (which legally will be the exact equivalent of civil marriage in that state). And today the marshmallow-in-chief, Barack Obama, congratulated New York state for approving gay marriage but refused to commit himself to support it. His view is still "evolving," he says.
Think about that for a moment. Does anybody honestly believe that Barack Obama has not made up his mind about gay marriage? Neither the pro- nor the anti-gay marriage people believe a word this man says about the issue. Both sides know that his refusal to stand on one side of the issue or the other is a crass, cynical political calculation intended to minimize liability with voters in 2012 just as his waffling in 2008 was a crass, cynical political calculation that may have helped get him elected but also helped Proposition 8 to pass in California.
Whom does Barack Obama think he's fooling? All he's doing is proving that when it comes to leadership he's an empty suit--he won't take a definite stand one way or the other and take whatever heat comes his way as a result. A genuine leader would do that. Obama is a fake leader and quivers at the thought of standing his ground--whatever ground that might be. What a coward this man is.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Now he's a martyr
I'm watching the "Osama bin Laden is dead" celebration on MSNBC over the web. Cheering crowds celebrating outside the White House. Some baseball game was interrupted with chants of "U-S-A U-S-A." Fireworks in South Carolina. Stupid commentators yacking about the "psychological" consequence.
How can Americans be so damn stupid and frivolous?
Osama bin Laden, former fugitive, is now a martyr safe in Allah's bosom. His body is dead but his fame will live forever as an inspiration in the Muslim world. How will our ultra-secret, super-sneaky special forces who gunned down an old, sick man going to deal with a living idea in the minds of hundreds of millions? How are they going to kill that?
Martyrs are the last thing we need. We just made one. And we're cheering about it!
We are not a serious people any more.
How can Americans be so damn stupid and frivolous?
Osama bin Laden, former fugitive, is now a martyr safe in Allah's bosom. His body is dead but his fame will live forever as an inspiration in the Muslim world. How will our ultra-secret, super-sneaky special forces who gunned down an old, sick man going to deal with a living idea in the minds of hundreds of millions? How are they going to kill that?
Martyrs are the last thing we need. We just made one. And we're cheering about it!
We are not a serious people any more.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Pack of lies and nonsense
As the Great Depression of the 21st century continues, something I've written about is now being generally recognized: the Social Security system is broke.
The financing scheme behind Social Security is called "pay as you go," which means whatever money you pay out this year you also raise this year in payroll taxes. One dollar raised is one dollar paid out. However, for at least the last generation, the government has collected annual surpluses because it jiggered the payroll tax rate. The government immediately applied these surpluses to its annual budget and gave Social Security IOUs in return. Thus, Social Security was converted into a surreptitious income tax that partially disguised the size of annual federal budget cash deficit. Then came the 2008 Great Depression; unemployment reduced payroll tax revenues and claims on Social Security increased. All of a sudden not only is there no longer any surplus; the system can't even pay as it goes because Social Security revenue is less than expenditure. The system is in trouble. Time to call in those IOUs. But wait! Who pays these IOUs? Answer: the government. Question: how? Answer: with borrowed money that increases the federal budget deficit. Question: how long will this go on? Answer: it must go on indefinitely because as far as anyone can tell Social Security revenues will never again be sufficient to cover expenditures.
That's the Ponzi-scheme scam that has now blown up. Social Security payroll taxes don't raise as much money as Social Security pays out, so Social Security is being supported by funds from the general budget. As 41% of the federal budget is borrowed money (previously borrowed from the Chinese and Japanese and now just printed dollars issued by the federal reserve), Social Security is now living on borrowed money. And borrowed time.
What's likely to happen? Two things: big cuts in benefits and higher taxes. Grandma must live on less while grandson sees his take-home pay shrink. That's the inescapable future of Social Security. But who in Congress will vote for such a thing? Nobody. So some sneaky, under-handed scam will be invented. Like indefinitely postponing cost of living increases even as the cost of living sky rockets. Like removing the annual limit on the payroll tax and in effect converting it into a second income tax. Or like imposing new tax rate hikes disguised as "temporary" surcharges or adjustments. The possible deceptions are innumerable. Whatever happens, we will hearing an endless barrage of political talk about the absolutely sound foundation of Social Security even as it falls apart before our eyes.
The simple, unavoidable fact about Social Security is this: the future demands on the system will far exceed the ability of the system to pay. As the Baby Boom generation ages, the need for income support will overwhelm the ability to provide it; this failure will undermine public support for Social Security, which may be the only part of government most people care anything about nowadays.
The financing scheme behind Social Security is called "pay as you go," which means whatever money you pay out this year you also raise this year in payroll taxes. One dollar raised is one dollar paid out. However, for at least the last generation, the government has collected annual surpluses because it jiggered the payroll tax rate. The government immediately applied these surpluses to its annual budget and gave Social Security IOUs in return. Thus, Social Security was converted into a surreptitious income tax that partially disguised the size of annual federal budget cash deficit. Then came the 2008 Great Depression; unemployment reduced payroll tax revenues and claims on Social Security increased. All of a sudden not only is there no longer any surplus; the system can't even pay as it goes because Social Security revenue is less than expenditure. The system is in trouble. Time to call in those IOUs. But wait! Who pays these IOUs? Answer: the government. Question: how? Answer: with borrowed money that increases the federal budget deficit. Question: how long will this go on? Answer: it must go on indefinitely because as far as anyone can tell Social Security revenues will never again be sufficient to cover expenditures.
That's the Ponzi-scheme scam that has now blown up. Social Security payroll taxes don't raise as much money as Social Security pays out, so Social Security is being supported by funds from the general budget. As 41% of the federal budget is borrowed money (previously borrowed from the Chinese and Japanese and now just printed dollars issued by the federal reserve), Social Security is now living on borrowed money. And borrowed time.
What's likely to happen? Two things: big cuts in benefits and higher taxes. Grandma must live on less while grandson sees his take-home pay shrink. That's the inescapable future of Social Security. But who in Congress will vote for such a thing? Nobody. So some sneaky, under-handed scam will be invented. Like indefinitely postponing cost of living increases even as the cost of living sky rockets. Like removing the annual limit on the payroll tax and in effect converting it into a second income tax. Or like imposing new tax rate hikes disguised as "temporary" surcharges or adjustments. The possible deceptions are innumerable. Whatever happens, we will hearing an endless barrage of political talk about the absolutely sound foundation of Social Security even as it falls apart before our eyes.
The simple, unavoidable fact about Social Security is this: the future demands on the system will far exceed the ability of the system to pay. As the Baby Boom generation ages, the need for income support will overwhelm the ability to provide it; this failure will undermine public support for Social Security, which may be the only part of government most people care anything about nowadays.