24 November 2008

Update no.362

Update from the Heartland
No.362
17.11.08 – 23.11.08
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
Happy Thanksgiving to all.

The follow-up news items:
-- Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska [346, 359] conceded his re-election defeat. I suspect he shall endeavor to stretch the appeal process as long as possible to avoid what appears inevitable – enjoying an all-expenses-paid stay at the hospitality of the Federal government. His defeat brings the Democrat Senate seats to 58, including the Independents. Only Georgia and Minnesota remain contested.
-- U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon of the District of Columbia ordered the immediate release of 5 of 6 Guantánamo detainees – the petitioners in U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling in Boumediene v. Bush [553 U.S. ___ (2008); no. 06-1195] [340] – after determining the government had insufficient evidence to prosecute. At this point, with the Obama administration to begin soon, I say let them all go, send ‘em back to the battlefield, give ‘em their guns back, and then kill ‘em properly. Does that sound too cynical?

The Gray Lady joins the bandwagon . . .
“Flunking the Electoral College”
Editorial
New York Times
Published: November 19, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/opinion/20thu1.html?th&emc=th
This Grand Republic has never been a simple majority rule democracy, for very good, sound, historic reasons. The Founders & Framers constructed a system of checks and balances, and included a division of authority with the states. The states have gradually abdicated to the Federal government, and the Federalist-leaning Supremes have conveniently ignored the 9th Amendment. Further dilution of the influence of the states will NOT serve future generations of this Grand Republic well. With respect, the New York Times is wrong!

There has been a flurry of uncharacteristic leaks on a wide range of supposed Obama cabinet, staff and agency selections. I shall refrain from speculation. Some of the candidates are quite intriguing, but I will wait for the actual nominations.

Economic news:
-- Citigroup announced worldwide work force reductions of 53,000 jobs (nearly 20% of its employees). Later in the week, rumors began circulating about the bank selling off assets to raise need funds. The banking giant appears to be the most troubled of the mega-banks. Then, on Sunday, we hear of some dramatic government rescue plan for the bank. We need to hear more.
-- The economic news is not all doom & gloom, fortunately. Hewlett-Packard (HP), the computer giant, expects 4th Quarter results to exceed expectations.
-- An opinion on the economy by Secretary of the Treasury Henry Merritt ‘Hank’ Paulson, Jr.:
“Fighting the Financial Crisis, One Challenge at a Time”
by Henry M. Paulson Jr.
New York Times
Published: November 17, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/opinion/18paulson.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
-- The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped 1% on a seasonally adjusted basis in October – the biggest decrease in 61 years. Home construction starts fell 4.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis. Both are measures of our contracting economy.
-- GMAC Financial Services submitted an application to become a bank-holding company and petitioned for participation in the USG’s Troubled Asset Relief Program.
-- Congress passed and the President signed into law the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 [PL 110-449; H.R.6867, S.3507; House: 368-28-0-38 (1); Senate: cloture: 89-6-0-4 (1), passed without amendment by voice vote] to extend unemployment benefits during these troubled times.

No comments or contributions from Update no.361:

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)

17 November 2008

Update no.361

Update from the Heartland
No.361
10.11.08 – 16.11.08
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
This week we celebrated the 233rd year of our glorious Corps of Marines. We also remembered – Veterans Day (U.S.) and Remembrance Day (UK) – those who have served the preservation of freedom. As an extra blessing, our oldest grandchild – Aspen Shae – invited Taylor and me to join her school’s tribute to veterans. Taylor was on duty and could not attend. On Friday, Jeanne and I joined Aspen and 4-500 of her classmates along with several hundred veterans from each of the military services, and from World War II through each of our Nation’s wars to the present War on Islamic Fascism. Thank you very much goes to Prnicipal Ms. Jeanne Pfannenstiel of Maize Middle School for the recognition and tribute – well done! And, thank you Aspen Shae for thinking of your Poppi. Life is good.

The follow-up news items:
-- U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan announced that the U.S. Government would not press criminal charges against former New York Governor Eliot Laurence Spitzer [327], who had been disgraced by leaks to the Press. His political opponents sought his demise and our foolish morality laws provided the tools for weak men to accomplish their objective.
-- The Senate confirmed and General Ann E. Dunwoody, USA, was promoted – the first woman in U.S. history to become a 4-star general [343]. She will be posted as Commanding General, Army Materiel Command. Congratulations, General Dunwoody.

Interesting reports from doctors in Berlin indicate they have cured a man of AIDS, using a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT). The potential treatment has been hypothesized for more than a decade. While the reports are encouraging, the use of BMT for HIV / AIDS infected people is simply not practical. The registry of world-wide donors just does not have the size necessary for such massive application. Further, the highly specialized medical facilities necessary for successful BMT seriously limit the capacity of the system to conduct such treatments. I would also like to see parallel, independent results before I jump on the bandwagon. Perhaps, this success, once validated, will lead to other advances toward finding a broadly available and accessible cure.

I am not a particular fan of Keith Olbermann as I tend to discount opinions that appear to be blind political dogma rather than considered and rational arguments in the public debate. Yet, here is a URL link to an Olbermann commentary that is worthy of your time regardless of your politics, political biases or views.
http://www.youtube.com/v/hnHyy8gkNEE&hl=en&fs=1
If you would like to read the text of his commentary:
“Everyone deserves the same chance at permanence and happiness”
by Keith Olbermann
msnbc.com
Updated 20:13 CST, Monday, 10.November.2008
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27650743

As everyone will recall, the international community has endured persistent piracy by Somali and Yemeni criminals in the Gulf of Aden for the last two years. Congratulations and gratitude go to the crew and Royal Marines aboard HMS Cumberland, who managed to catch the bad guys in the act. Even better, the bad guys thought they could shoot it out with the Marines. Well, let’s just say, the bad guys did not fair so well. Great job, lads. God bless you all.

The continuing litany of news from the economic front:
-- The USG altered its course in the effort to save the insurance giant AIG from collapse. They have apparently scrapped the original ‘cheap loan’ approach in favor of a more ambitious, larger, equity stake infusion. We have no way to judge the wisdom or validity of this latest course change; only history will tell that tale. But, one thing I do know is, exorbitant compensation and lavish ‘training’ junkets will NOT help me gain confidence in either AIG or the USG’s effort to save the company from itself.
-- The communications giant Nortel Networks reported a 3rd Quarter loss of US$3.4B, and its intention to eliminate some executive positions, freeze salaries, and lay off about 1,300 employees. This is how a depression begins, and we must stem the tide.
-- Consumer electronic retailer Circuit City Stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection about a week after it said it would close 20% of its stores.
-- Deutsche Post AG, parent of DHL Express, will close all of its service centers in the U.S, eliminating 9,500 jobs, and terminating its U.S.-only domestic shipping by land and air, amid heavy losses and fierce competition with FedEx and UPS.
-- The USG agreed to allow credit card giant American Express become a bank-holding company, which will allow the company to access government emergency stabilization funds, while giving the government deeper visibility into the company’s operations.
-- The USG attacked the bad-debt mortgage market via quasi-governmental, mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by modifying the terms of hundreds of thousands of loans supported by the two lenders. Again, we must trust that the USG is doing the correct thing to stabilize the market and enable recovery.
-- As is its penchant to do, Congress has stepped up meddling, second-guessing and hand-wring regarding the Treasury’s effort to stimulate economic recovery. While oversight is within its mandate and essential, trying to direct the conduct of a war, albeit military or economic, mixes the ingredients for a disaster. Congressional meddling does not instill confidence, as it inevitably degenerates into rancorous, partisan politics that detracts from any reasonable endeavor.
-- As the USG changed course with AIG, apparently, they are changing course with the banking credit crisis as well. Rather than execute their initial Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), they are now moving toward direct equity investment in various banks, which is more aligned the European approach. Whether this is part of any on-going international coordination or negotiation, I do not know.
-- The Citigroup Board of Directors has made public rumbling about replacing their Chairman – Sir Winfried Franz Wilhen ‘Win’ Bischoff – for poor performance by the international banking giant. Governance is the Board’s ultimate responsibility. I trust this action is at least reflective of the Citigroup Board fulfilling its obligation to stakeholders, customers and the public.
-- The European Union officially declared itself in recession as it reported two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.
-- President Bush hosted the G-20 economic summit in Washington, DC. The G-20 leaders issued an 11-page, broad agreement to coordinate their effort to stimulate rapid economic recovery. The G-20 includes: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, People’s Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and the European Union (a bit of a double-dip for the European nations) + the G-8, which includes Russia + the G-7, which in turn includes Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States. President-elect Obama had monitors for his impending administration, attending the summit.

One of the principles of propaganda used so effectively by Nazi information minister Josef Goebbels involved a reality of human nature – if you tell a lie often enough and long enough, sooner or later people will believe the lie. So it is with those who wish to malign President George W. Bush. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy as the next man to see him go, but attempting to proclaim his actions in the War on Islamic Fascism as ‘illegal,’ or ‘criminal,’ or ‘deceitful,’ is wrong in the worst possible way. Various and numerous sources in the Press, politics, and individual citizens have relentlessly attempted to do just that by branding his lawful actions under Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution as: ‘war of aggression,’ ‘policy of torture,’ ‘illegal killings,’ ‘unlawful Guantanamo detentions,’ and ‘secret spying on Americans.’ I think we can all agree he has at least stretched his Article II authority under his war powers interpretation, but I have a very hard time branding his actions as ‘illegal,’ or calling him a liar, or dishonest, or a criminal. He has done what he thought best to defend this Nation against a hidden, diffuse, determined enemy in a complex world of instant communications and amplification of violence. And, he has been successful. I can only urge everyone to step back and recognize what has happened, rather than succumb to political dogma.

On Monday, 27.October.2008, in Kismaayo, Somalia – the dysfunctional country’s southern port and third-largest city – a 13-year-old girl by the name of Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was stoned to death by dozens of men before an audience of 1,000 plus spectators. What could possibly have been her crime, you may ask? She was accused of adultery for reporting that she had been raped by three men, which brought disgrace to her family. Her only crime was being the victim of a violent crime. And, these people want to be respected in the civilized world. This is what fundamentalist, religious extremism does . . . no matter what the particular religion happens to be.

The sordid saga of the Phelps clan continues without respite. The latest episode comes as a minor victory from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals – Phelps-Roper v. Nixon [8CCA no. 07-1295 (2008)]. The screaming banshee daughter, Shirley, filed a 1st Amendment claim in Missouri, and the 8th Circuit judges granted her a preliminary injunction against enforcement of a state law regarding protests at funerals. The court was careful to note they were only passing judgment on the request for injunctive relief, and not on the constitutional argument. What near perfect timing for a Phelps temporary win! The Phelps clan has positioned itself well to be the face of hatred, bigotry, religious extremism, and generally disrespectful citizens. The Phelps clan is far too determined and resilient to be cowed by judicial setbacks, and the occasional minor win will only encourage them to press on. The sobering fact is, they are breeding and passing their hatred to a new generation.

Comments and contributions from Update no.360:
“I think he'll need Rahm [Emauel] to protect him [Obama] from the left wing of the Democratic Party. He's got the right personality for that job. Chief of Staff can't care too much about how much he's liked, just how much he can get done. But I do hope he deals equally with members of both parties... and I expect he will. It certainly won't bother him to piss off some Dems.
“Also, I totally agree on the sexual orientation thing. I was shocked that CA banned same sex marriage.”
My reply:
I hope you are correct in your hypothesis regarding Rahm.
Thank you for your support. We were all shocked that it was so easy to deny equal rights under the law to a portion of our population who hurt no one, who are good, decent, productive citizens making this nation a better place, and who have asked for nothing more than equality. I realize, recognize and acknowledge that some folks see homosexuals as untermenschen and worthy of their scorn, which is their choice. Where I object strongly and directly is any attempt to impose their opinions / beliefs on other citizens regardless of their sexual orientation – thus, my objection to Prop H8 and the others.

Another contribution:
“I do marvel at your commentaries, I rarely disagree with even the minutiae. Another good blog.
“Happy 233rd birthday to the Corps!
“And lastly, a semi-rhetorical question, if a friend of yours asked you to pull up roots at home and help the new administration in some way in DC, would you do so?
My response:
Thank you for remembering – 233 glorious years for our Corps of Marines.
The short answer is, depends. I would be honored to be asked, and if I thought I could really make a difference in national service, yes, I think would.

A contribution via comment on the blog from Anonymous:
“Not every American must support Obama. President Bush was not supported by everyone because of a basic mistrust. I have a serious integrity issue regarding Obama and would not compromise integrity. Plus his campaign tactics were devious. Many Americans obviously were not concerned with integrity when they voted for Obama. In 4 years, I intend to vote against Obama. He is not a president or person whom I can trust.”
My reply:
As with all things in life, we choose – each of us chooses – to see what we wish to see. If we think negative, we see negative, and vice versa. Barack Obama is a flawed man, just as we all are. For better or worse, he has been duly elected to be our President. You have every right to think and say what you believe, just as I do. This Grand Republic and the citizens who are its life blood must rise above flawed men, and we must help our President rise above parochial party politics for the sake of the Nation, just as George Washington did, just as Abraham Lincoln did, and just as Franklin Roosevelt did. I shall hope that you can find generosity in your heart to help the Country be strong and success. Barack is just a man who will soon occupy an office.

A different contribution:
“I've known you personally and professionally for many, many years now, both as a Marine, and as my good friend. And I've been reading your weekly Blog for a long, long time. At times I have gotten bogged down by the depth and breadth (if you will) of the discussions. I get lost in the intricacies of what is being said in some individual ‘Update.’ But I always try to read them through and to understand what you and others who contribute have to say. Why? Because in what is said and discussed in your weekly pieces there is a wide array of people's thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. Now I admit that Sometimes I wonder how Anyone at all could believe or think as whoever it was who said it believes and thinks. But then I realize that we are all So much better off when we have an intelligent, thoughtful and purposeful ongoing discourse about those things of vital interest to us all, and of vital importance to furthering and forever refining the Core Principles upon which our now very diverse nation was founded. We are indeed a Nation Of the People, For the People, and By the People. May it always be that way. And may we always stand together as One, even while we disagree as Many on any set of specifics. (Hope I got those in the correct order).
“So having said that, I have to say that this particular ‘Update #360,’ is probably, in my mind anyway, one of the best I've Ever seen. Keep 'em coming, my friend. We need you. Actually, we need ALL of us.
“Happy 233rd Birthday and Semper Fi, by the way.”
My response:
First and foremost, happy birthday to you as well, Marine.
Thank you for your most generous words. I try to strike a balance between accuracy, thoroughness, and brevity. I do not often find the correct balance, but I continue to try. And, I enjoy the process of researching, learning and writing, so as long as the joy remains and the passion is hot, I shall continue to write.

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)

10 November 2008

Update no.360

Update from the Heartland
No.360
3.11.08 – 9.11.08
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
Our duty is done! We, the People, have elected our next and 44th President of the United States of America – Barack Hussein Obama.

When I can vote at the polls, I try to be there when they open on Election Day. This year, I did just that. In 40 years of casting my precious vote, I have never seen so many citizens waiting to perform their civic duty. Incredible! Oddly, and I am not embarrassed to admit that watching so many of my fellow citizens standing peacefully and quietly in line in the dark at 06:00 CST, waiting to cast their vote, brought tears to my eyes – the majesty of the democratic process. We, the People, chose the next leader of this Grand Republic along with the representatives who will stand on our behalf in the halls of government. It took me 30 minutes to do my duty, longer than any previous voting experience I can recall, which was indicative of the turnout and this moment in history.

As of 9.November, the results are:
Electoral votes Popular votes
Barack Obama (Dem) 365 (67.8%) 65.3M (52.5%)
John McCain (Rep) 162 (30.1%) 57.3M (46.2%)
Ralph Nader (Ind) 0 00.7M (00.5%)
Bob Barr (Lib) 0 00.5M (00.4%)
Chuck Baldwin (Ref) 0 00.2M (00.1%)
The Electoral College will cast their votes in mid-December, which will make this election official. Barack Obama will be inaugurated on 20.January.2009. It would appear Barack has won handily with a clear decision, which hopefully will preclude any legal challenges. I would like to personally thank John McCain, Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and all the other candidates who made the run at this year’s presidential election so stimulating for so many citizens to vote – a magnificent event, an historic moment.

I think Barack has proven himself to be the real deal. He ran a masterful campaign against several, hardcore, veteran political opponents and prevailed by a good margin. Also, I am amazed that John McCain did as well as he did in the face of all the anchors thrown on his campaign. His concession speech was gracious, honorable and eloquent. I truly believe John would have done much better, if he just had been John McCain, instead of what ‘they’ made him into for the sake of ‘winning’ the election. But, hey, that’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong.

Just a couple of days later, President-elect Obama chose Representative Rahm Israel Emanuel of Illinois – a Chicago hardball hitter politician – to be White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel is known for his fierce, partisan, political energy – not exactly the sign I was looking for, but we shall see.

I will dispense with the dark side before we turn to the more interesting election outcomes. ‘Ted’ ‘I am a crook’ Stevens of Alaska hangs onto a narrow lead in his senatorial re-election campaign, despite his conviction on corruption charges [295-6, 346, 359]. Even if he wins, he is destined to be censured under Senate rules, which would throw the seat open, presumably to be filled by Governor Palin. The Democrats picked up six Senate seats so far and will hold at least a 57 seat majority in the 111th Congress with several seats as yet too close to call. In other contemporary corrupt politician news, ‘Dollar Bill’ Jefferson of Louisiana [233, 346, et al], survived the primaries and the election, but faces a runoff election to be held on December 6th. He will most likely be re-elected again as he has the last two elections since his indictment on corruption charges.

Beyond the historic election of Barack Obama and the looming Democratic supermajority in the Senate, numerous important state initiatives were decided.
-- The resident voters of Washington State approved Initiative 1000, making the state the second state in the Union to enact an end-of-life, death with dignity law [349A]. There is hope.
-- San Francisco City and County rejected Proposition K [358] – the initiative to decriminalize prostitution – by a vote of 42-58. The proposal was ill-advised, so it was good that the voters rejected it; and yet, I remain absolutely convinced we must legalize and regulate prostitution to eliminate the criminal sub-culture associated with the prohibition.
-- South Dakota’s Measure 11, to criminalize the medical procedure of abortion except in a case of rape or to save a ‘healthy woman’s life, was rejected by resident voters – 45-55. Many believed that Measure 11was constructed as a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade [410 U.S. 113 (1973)] [319]. Not this time.
-- Colorado’s state constitutional Amendment 48 intended to define the term ‘person’ under the law, to include any human being from the moment of fertilization, thus granting full rights to a single cell ovum – an incredibly bad idea. The amendment failed by a substantial margin – 27-73.
-- Arkansas’ Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban passed 57-43, and prohibits the adoption or foster-parenting of children by any unmarried (implicitly non-monogamous, non-heterosexual) couples; and, they say there is no discrimination.
-- Then, we come to issue of equal rights for non-heterosexual citizens. Three states had constitutional amendments, defining marriage under the law as between one woman and one man. Florida’s Amendment 2 passed with disturbing ease – 62-37. Arizona’s Proposition 102 passed 56-44, after earlier rejections. And, California’s Proposition 8 passed 52-48, in the wake of their historic supreme court ruling. My commentary on these despicable referenda stands below, so it can be ignored by those so inclined.

A member of one of many Internet groups to which I subscribe referred to California’s Proposition 8 as ‘Prop H8,’ using the text-ing shorthand for HATE; and, that colloquial reference quite adequately represents all three state constitutional amendments quite well. So, if you will permit me, I shall use Prop H8 as a collective reference for all three of these election DOMA actions as well as all the other state constitutional amendments like ours in Kansas [2005]. The California version held center stage for a host of reasons, among which are: 1.) California is the most populous and third largest state, and 2.) the California Supreme Court’s recent ruling, In re Marriage Cases [Six consolidated appeals] [CA SC S147999 (2008)] [336]. Regrettably, the state should have made reading the Marriage Cases ruling a prerequisite for voting on a state constitutional amendment to deny equal rights to a substantial portion of state’s population. Let us all remember that American citizens with dark skin pigmentation did not achieve equality for 100 years after emancipation, and had to endure Jim Crow laws, the insult of Plessy v. Ferguson [163 U.S. 537 (1896)], and the resistance to integration demanded by Brown v. Board of Education [347 U.S. 483 (1954)]. Part of the problem, as articulated in the California Supreme Court case and by other high ranking judges, is framing the debate in terms that do not recognize equal justice under the law. I suspect Prop H8 may be headed to U.S. Supreme Court, based on Equal Protection arguments versus the legitimate interests of the State, and perhaps a challenge to the simple majority criterion for constitutional amendments in California. Adding to the confusion in the public debate on marriage and the broader question of non-heterosexual rights is the intermingling of the religious term ‘marriage’ with the State reference to civil union contracts as ‘marriage.’ Variants of the word ‘marry’ are used as verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives and reflective qualifiers. ‘Domestic partner’ and ‘civil union’ are qualified nouns; they are not verbs. Try using the latter terms in various, common sentences to describe your marriage; not so easy, is it? The subtle forms of discrimination embodied in the Jim Crow laws of yesteryear reflect quite accurately on today’s civil rights question. As the California Supreme Court quite eloquently illuminated, just the difference in word choice and language are inherently discriminatory – “separate but equal is inherently unequal.” No matter what benefits and rights are granted, there will always be that discrimination and segregation using different descriptors. Another disturbing facet of the Prop H8 event was the prevalence of religion in the political debate, from reported massive funding by the Mormon church to the allegation that the California court’s Marriage Cases ruling could result in churches and clergy being ‘forced by the state’ to perform same-gender marriages against their religious beliefs. Here we have yet one more negative example on a very long list of examples of why religion and politics must NOT mix. Using religion in this debate is wrong in the worst possible way. The 1st Amendment Establishment Clause works both ways – to keep the State out of religious affairs and its implicit, intent of vice versa. If religion, clergy and churches wish to become political entities, let them stand as political entities without hiding behind the Establishment Clause. Sadly, we have allowed this debate to be about granting rights rather than denying rights. ALL citizens have basic fundamental rights. Prop H8 has denied inherent fundamental rights to ALL non-heterosexual, non-monogamous, non-‘married’ partners, i.e., those who do not conform to the dicta of the ‘moral projectionists.’ What proper interest does the State have in dictating how individuals should choose with whom they wish to live their lives, and how they should live their private lives? This debate is NOT about ‘granting’ rights; it is about equal protection of our most fundamental rights for ALL citizens, not just the chosen. The saddest, most regrettable element of the Prop H8 vote hangs on the foolish notion that a vote on a constitutional amendment is an opinion poll, rather than a profound law that denies equal rights to some fellow citizens. We should be ashamed of what Prop H8 and all the other DOMA actions have done. How dreadfully easy it is to turn our back on the Liberty and freedom our forefathers fought so hard and sacrificed so much to secure for us.

In the aftermath of this election, the 1965 Byrds anthem “Turn, Turn, Turn,” came to me repeatedly and seems most appropriate.

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven


A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep


To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven


A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together


To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven


A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing


To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time for every purpose, under heaven


A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear its not too late
Pete Seeger wrote the song, inspired by the classic, biblical verse . . .
A time to rend,
and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
and a time to speak
;
(Ecclesiastes 3:7)

While the election news dominated this week, the economic situation did not abate.
-- The Bank of Japan – Nippon Ginko, the nation’s central bank – lowered the overnight lending rate between banks by 0.2 % to 0.3 %.
-- The automotive industry continues its mortal hemorrhage of billions of dollars. General Motors reported a 45% drop in October sales from one year ago. Ford reported a 30% drop. Toyota had a 23% drop. Many experts claim this is the worst sales performance since World War II.
-- The Federal Reserve’s regular survey of banks indicates continued tightening of lending standards, which is understandable but counter to economic recovery. Hopefully, this adjustment will not go too far the other way.
-- The Treasury Department continues to refine its target list for disbursement of emergency recovery funds, to include a wider range of financial services companies like General Electric's GE Capital unit and CIT Group.
-- The European Central Bank reduced its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point to 3.75%, while the Bank of England cut it’s key interest rate 1.5 points to 3%.
-- In an odd twist, reflective of these troubled times, University of Chicago’s business school will receive US$300M for its endowment fund from Investor David Booth – the benefactor presumably desirous of avoiding the extraordinary scrutiny drawn to obscene profits.
-- The People’s Republic of China jumped on the bandwagon, setting in motion a stimulus plan through 2010, valued at 4 trillion yuan (US$586B).

Comments and contributions from Update no.359:
“As much as I also would like to know the election results by Tuesday night, I have my doubts. We already have lawsuits, appeals and what not going here in Ohio. My best hope is that the worst embarrassment goes elsewhere. My best guess is that Pennsylvania will be this year’s trouble spot. I do not wish it upon anyone, though.”
My reply:
You may well be correct, and I truly hope you are wrong. I think the only way this might get contested with recounts and court cases will be if the count turns out to be much closer than the Press-polls indicate. If the election is contested, it is most likely going to be Pennsylvania as you note, or Florida, or Ohio (as you fear). The polls have been dreadfully wrong before, and it is possible this time as well. However, my gut check says this will not be close, and the legal shenanigans will be moot. We shall soon know.
. . . a follow-up comment:
“My hopes I share with you. My fears are based on what you have seen. Please send prayers/energy/good wishes out into the universe for this one. That's probably the most constructive thing any of us ordinary folks can do.”
. . . and my follow-up reply:
Election Day voting has begun, and I will be casting my precious vote in just over one hour from now.
May God bless this Grand Republic.

A contribution from across the great waters:
“Not aware of Theodore Stevens I looked up the arraignment on the web, out of interest. My word how do you get out of that?
“People in public life are required to adopt a burden of trust which must never be abused, if they fail in that trust then the consequences must surely fall upon them as I assume they will I this case.
“I'm amazed at the number of pre-voters you have with some people queuing for 4hrs 20mins. (BBC late news 2nd Nov)
“We vote on the day at Polling Stations or by post. In our village it's just a matter of appearing, marking the paper and leaving. Elapsed time 3 mins. However, postal voting is causing some concern as there has been a marked increase in the amount of fraud. Normally from people whose ethnic backgrounds condone this form of behaviour.
“This brings me back nicely to Stevens, apart from paedophilia, this form of crime must rank amongst the highest echelons of skulduggery, and the guilty must pay the price. How else are we to operate a free and fair society? I'm tempted to say here that ‘scum is scum’ and deserves to be treated as such but that might be libellous.
“May you have the government you deserve and wish for, whatever colour. The world awaits your deliberations.
“By the way, why is it called ‘The World Series’?”
My response:
Ol’ Ted is in deep kimchi. Knowing how things go in the colonies, I suspect he may well get re-elected . . . he is an expert of slathering on the largesse from the public treasury; he’s an expert at buying votes the old fashioned way. We shall see. I think he shall indeed pay the price, and probably a heavy price.
Voting is always such an adventure. The polls are beginning to close. Some predict Barack is going to walk away with this one, and we’ll know the results by 20:00 EST. Since I am writing this at 20:20 EST, I think the pundits may be wrong.
Good Q on the World Series. Back when they started calling it that, baseball was only played in the colonies. Now, baseball is played world-wide, not quite the scale of the World Cup, but hey, we can dream.

Another contribution:
“Thanks for that shout out to my Phillies. I've been backing the Fightin' Phils since I was 7. I'm still stoked over their victory. Great show of team work. Other teams may have spent more money on their rosters (i.e. the Evil Empire, AKA the NY Yankees, whom I despise) and other teams may have had more talented players. But the Phils believed in themselves and their teammates, didn't panic when things didn't go their way, and won it all. Also, props to the TB Rays. They have a great young team that will compete in the AL East for years, and show you don't need gobs and gobs of money to make it to the World Series, a lesson the Yankees will probably never learn. Fine by me. I hope they don't make the post-season for the next 50 years.
“Great comment in there by Jefferson. You're right, Cap. Neither party understands that philosophy. The GOP claims to be for smaller gov't, but how much has spending gone up under their watch? It's for that reason, and many, many others, that I am a registered independent.”
My reply:
Yeah, neither party understands the concept of small government. What they call small government is actually small for the other guys and big for them. Not my idea whatsoever. To the political parties, it is all about spending the public treasury on lathering up those who support their re-election – a pretty cynical thing to say, but I do believe it is accurate, nonetheless.

A different contribution:
“Re Clarence Thomas, and the Right to Privacy: What a morbid and corrupting stretch it is to read into the Right to Privacy a right to Murder and Infant Child (a fetus) by abortion. In my mind that is a totally 'SICK MINDED' immoral and criminal act (Roe vs Wade). Further, this Federalist 'CRAP' that suggests States have any right at all to pass judgment on or enact laws that violate any common sense HUMAN RIGHT is simply absurd. That was the essence that this nation fought for with our bloodiest of bloody Civil Wars. An extension of this absurd mentality is to assume that States and local Municipalities have any 'Right' to withhold equalized funding to particular public schools or curriculums. I believe it is a 'Right' for every student on a Nationwide basis to have an equal right to a quality education. I believe that if local (Property) Taxes are to be the basis for supporting these Basic Human Rights then the right to impose that (Property or Other) Tax, Constitutionally, rests with the Federal Government, not a State or Local Government. Regarding tomorrows elections, I personally thing that it is clear that Barack Obama is totally hypnotized to follow a Radical blend of Stalin's Communism and Muslim practices reflecting his early schooling as a Muslim and then influence by his mid-youth mentor, the radical communist Frank Davis (not sure of that name) then the tutorship of Ayers and his ACORN operations and then most recently his mentor, Jeremy Wright; Obama has demonstrated that he has no respect for truthfulness or logical thought, depending instead on his aptitude for rhetorical blather. Similarly, John McCain keeps falling back to his thoughtless renditions of Federalism, though I certainly find some comfort in his opposition to Roe vs Wade. Neither Obama nor McCain have a sensible or workable solution to our National Crisis for Health Care nor Social Security Reform. McCains' rhetoric of being a student of Ronald Reagan is pure hog wash: I am a native Californian and was a resident there during the Reagan years and watched as he destroyed the Californian economy with his absurd Proposition 13, leaving the State in a State of Bankruptcy; and then for eight year as President he did the same thing to the total U.S. economy: Starting as a mouth piece for General Electric his entire adult life was devoted to producing the very worst aspects of our U.S. Free Enterprise System (There is simply no worse form of government than an Unregulated Free Enterprise System; It simply cuts loose the very worst of Human Nature) by achieving total destruction of the 'Tea Pot Dome' scandals of the Great Depression Era: The result now is again the repeat of all the sins of government that led up to That Great Depression of the 1920's and 30's. His sins were then compounded by another 12-years of ignorant and greedy governance under Bush I and II. In 1985 I attended an Insurance Agents seminar in Chicago, Illinois where one of the speakers addressed how we and our children could have any hope of dealing with the then spiraling national debt: That speaker suggested the only solution he could envision was rampant inflation - devaluation of the $Dollar, to pay of that debt with valueless dollars – the peoples lives that would be financially destroyed would be the very one who through their ignorant inaction had allowed the problem to come into being.
“Is this the ‘Cheer’ you have been looking for??”
“PSS: I have documented my 'opinions' on my websites, beginning with www.HermanOsborne.com, in my pages: 'My Personal Philosophy', 'Herman's Autobiography (partial)', 'Herman's Introductory Remarks' and 'Our Choice - Opportunity vs. Challenge. Responsible Constructive response invited.”
My response:
First and foremost, thank you so much for taking the time to express your opinion; this interaction is the very essence of a viable democracy. I trust you will continue to speak your mind even on controversial topics.
Privacy – A citizen’s fundamental right to privacy is far broader and far more important to each and every citizen than the focused issue of abortion. To give up even just a sliver of our most fundamental rights for the convenience of prevailing in the clash of opposing perspectives diminishes us all for many years and perhaps forever. The abortion question must be resolved without sacrificing the sanctity of every individual citizen. I have written for many years about this issue, trying to find a solution. I have also offered a proposal that respects the rights of every citizen and helps us render abortion a relic of medical history like leeching or bleeding. [173, 189] We can solve the issue with respect for each camp, without bludgeoning the opposition with ideology, fear, threats and legislative/judicial manipulation. You are entitled to your opinion, just as I am; and, I respect your rights to express your opinions. In fact, I am thankful that you do express yourself, most folks don’t.
Quite the contrary, states and all governments have the authority, granted by We, the People, to pass laws. Where my focus rests and my greatest concentration remains is the boundary between the State and the individual – my front door and your front door, so to speak. Unfortunately, we have been distracted and lost our way. I speak out to help us think, and hopefully, to help us find our way back to the freedom and Liberty the Founders envisioned for all of us more than two centuries ago. We must find the strength to resist passing laws than intrude upon the private domain of any citizen. Government should focus on the public domain, and where questions arise regarding a citizen’s private conduct, then we must find the compromise necessary to resolve those questions without violating the precious Liberty the Founders sacrificed so much to secure for each of us and for future generations.
I do not share your view of Barack Obama. He has demonstrated exemplary calm, leadership, organization, drive and commitment through the most grueling election in history. He has earned his place in history regardless of the election’s outcome. He is NOT a communism, a Muslim, a socialist or the bogey-man. He is a good man, who has inspired a generation. He justly deserves that credit. And, if he is properly elected, as the Press polls suggest, he deserves our utmost support, focus and contribution.
You are, of course, spot on regarding the paucity of leadership from either candidate or anyone in government regarding critical issues facing this Grand Republic – health care, social security, national debt, immigration, the banking crisis, et cetera, ad infinitum. In a couple of months, one of them will inherit those burdens. We shall if he can stand up to the mark.

Another comment:
“Really amazing watching the reaction to the election of the first black man to the Presidency. Moving, for sure. In addition to defending this great country, the US military can also take credit for leading the way on racial integration.”
My reply:
Indeed. I freely admit to a few tears listening to both Obama and McCain. May God bless our new President; he will need all the support he can get. As I said earlier, I truly hope Colin Powell was correct in his assessment, as I hope Barack demonstrates the courage and strength to rise above parochial party politics. His CoS selection is not an encouraging sign, but I will continue to give Barack the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, indeed, the military did an extraordinary job facing down racial prejudice and segregation in the 1970’s. I hope that one day, they can mount a similar campaign for sexual orientation integration as well. We can only hope.

An extended commentary from a long-term contributor on the aftermath of the election:
“I am a pretty good writer, but writing about anything having to do with Politics is mostly beyond my abilities. Or inclinations, or desires. Having said that to warn you-----here are some thoughts of mine. Not well thought out.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“The race has been finally run and decided. Obama will be our next President----no matter what any of us might think about that, nor why we think it. So forget all that!! He WILL be our next President. And it has at least the Potential to be a positive thing.
“So what now?
“We are supposedly a nation of the people, for the people, and most importantly BY the people. (all people). So it is we the people who must now put our best efforts behind a man we may not agree with, are skeptical of, suspicious of, and may lack confidence in. Race might come into some of our heads-----I certainly hope not! Race has no place at this table we now sit around.
“That does not in ANY way mean that we should follow him blindly. We do not need a Pied Piper (as OB[ama] has been described in some venues) to lead us down some primrose path toward an erosion of our place in the world. (And that my friends, could happen).
“We have now held for all the decades since Hiroshima & Nagosaki, the premier place (the big dog on the block) on this Planet. Whether Democrat or Republican was the President. WE had the big fist----the A-bomb. We had Other powerful and influential weapons both military and diplomatic. We still do have all that, but how will this new President lead us. I hope he is a listener.
“Nothing much, so far, in what I have seen, and that is a lot, has told me he is strong. I've seen him blow with the wind on such a thing as wearing or not wearing a lapel pin with an American flag. He explained why he didn't. The people did not like that. Did he hold his ground? No way. He blew with the wind and began wearing it. Our very Liberal Media did not see that as newsworthy. Why? For Obama is why. There are other times he did the same kind of thing.
“What French Queen from back in the 16-1700's said ‘give them cake’ or ‘give them bread.’ Indicating that the subjects could easily be persuaded to give up their struggles by such as bread or cake?
“Now We could lose that position of world prominence and thus those who vehemently oppose us might be able to then overcome us because we did not hold together as Americans (not black, African, Cuban, Irish, Hispanic, Japanese, Mexican, Canadian type Americans. Just Americans!!!)
“OB[ama] may Want certain things to happen during his tenure, and some are, from a Strictly philosophical standpoint maybe good, (an exception is his redistribution of wealth ideas to put everyone on a level playing field), but he cannot take this country itself down through his own more radical very liberal ideologies. The price for all his grand ideas is in the end very hard on all of us-------hard on just the people he said he was going to take care of.
“Unless we let him. We need to keep our voices loud and strong where we disagree with him. And we need to have very plausible and realistic reasons for WHY we say to him----do not go there!!
“BUT---when we can see, as painful for ourselves individually as it might be, that this or that idea/plan will ultimately benefit all of us------we need to listen carefully. Not buy it outright just because we are already hurting and HE is supposed to lead us, but listen, and then make known OUR thoughts. Buy if the price is right, but do NOT buy if the price is too high.
“Us Americans have for some 230+- years, with the help of literally millions of refugees from other parts of a world which was abusive to them, came here and figured out the best ways. Never perfectly did they do that, because times and situations change in a world which indeed seems to be shrinking so that what affects one now affects all. So our future may not be perfect either. But I believe the future for ourselves and for all those around the world who aspire to what we have always aspired to, is possible. And I believe that opposing and killing when necessary, all those who would take us down, is defensible.
“Obama is, in MY opinion, very wrong on some big issues facing this country. Hopefully he will realize his own inadequacies, and so choose true experts in all the fields of endeavor, knowledge, and responsibility he now will be facing to sit next to him and advise him. With NO "Yes Men" present. No matter Party affiliations----hopefully he will persuade the very best experts to help him. Obama needs the very best people this country has to offer in all sorts of disciplines, and he needs to listen to them!
“I kinda doubt that he will do that. Hopefully I'm wrong. But maybe he will get lucky in his choices, with people who, though they Do follow him in general, are willing to stand up and say NO (and here's why I say no), when OB[ama] begins to get off track. And he will need them because he does not have the expertise/knowledge needed to do what is going to be his new job, as, for all intents and purposes, the leader of the free world.
“That's a MONSTER step for THIS man, given his background.
“But I say give him a chance. Try in any way possible to help him, for THAT will be the only way we have to influence his decisions.”
My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)

03 November 2008

Update no.359

Update from the Heartland
No.359
27.10.08 – 2.11.08
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
After an historic, suspended and postponed fifth game of the World Series, congratulations must go to the Philadelphia Phillies for their decisive victory and world championship. Well done, lads!

The longest political campaign in history has finally come to an end. Tomorrow is the day! I trust everyone has already voted or will vote tomorrow. I intend to cast my vote when the polls open at 06:00 CST, here in Kansas.

The follow-up news items:
-- A federal jury convicted the longest-serving Republican senator, Theodore Fulton ‘Ted’ Stevens of Alaska, on seven counts [295-6, 346]. He immediately indicated his intention to appeal his conviction and returned to Alaska to continue his re-election campaign. Many of his colleagues, including both leading contenders, urged Stevens to withdraw and resign. As with most hardened criminals, crusty ol’ Ted proclaimed his innocence – ah yes, don’t they all.

Senator Barack Obama reportedly paid US$3.5M to air his 30-minute, political info-mercial Wednesday night on seven television channels – an unusual action, more to demonstrate the size of his campaign fund. His rhetorical skill is exemplary – his meter, inflection, intonation, construction. The video message was comparably well crafted, and each of us will judge the veracity of his rhetoric. A couple of statements struck me, not so much for any new message, but rather the delivery. Barack said, “I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face.” He also used what could be his signature line, “We can choose hope over fear – unity over division.” As this Update goes in the can, as they say, we shall finally know who will be our next POTUS tomorrow night – at least I hope so. We do not need another 2000 fiasco.

The Press latched onto a leaked, classified, White House assessment of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan that suggested Allied intentions to negotiate with lower level Taliban operatives, ostensibly to repeat one of the key initiatives in the Battle for Iraq. General David Petraeus apparently approved the initiative. Of course, the spin in the Press has Allied forces on their knees, begging for a truce. We shall see.

The Wall Street Journal offered an intriguing excerpt of a speech by U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas at the Manhattan Institute on 16th of October.
“How to Read the Constitution”
by Clarence Thomas
Wall Street Journal
Published: October 20, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122445985683948619.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
Being that I often disagree with Clarence’s interpretation, I thought, oyez, I might gain some insight into the legal mind of one of the conservative Supremes. Clarence began with an admonishment, “I have been astounded just how many of our fellow citizens feel strongly about their constitutional rights but have no idea what they are, or for that matter, what the Constitution says.” OK! I will have to give him that. However, I have tried over many years to read a wide variety of decisions handed down by the Supremes, and I have read more than a few of Thomas’ opinions. So, while I am not a constitutional scholar, just yet, I am modestly informed . . . certainly enough to form a cogent opinion regarding this issue of constitutional interpretation, ‘originalism,’ ‘fundamentalism,’ judicial activism,’ and such. Interestingly, Clarence referred to the Declaration as a foundational document for giving us insight into the intent of the Framers regarding the Constitution. Clarence stated, “Let me put it this way; there are really only two ways to interpret the Constitution -- try to discern as best we can what the framers intended or make it up. No matter how ingenious, imaginative or artfully put, unless interpretive methodologies are tied to the original intent of the framers, they have no more basis in the Constitution than the latest football scores. To be sure, even the most conscientious effort to adhere to the original intent of the framers of our Constitution is flawed, as all methodologies and human institutions are; but at least originalism has the advantage of being legitimate and, I might add, impartial.” Oddly, he implicitly suggests that it is “his” way or the other way. What a damnable sanctimonious thing to say. The Framers / Founders did everything they could to find balance with an adequate, not dominant, central government. A number of Clarence’s opinions reinforced vastly expansive powers of the Federal government, while he conveniently seems to ignore key elements of the Declaration, the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and most importantly, of history itself. I truly believe the Framers / Founders would be gobsmacked at the expanse, intrusiveness, aggression and dominance of the Federal government, after all that they sacrificed and sought to avoid – we have frittered away our Liberty and freedom. Clarence’s little speech, especially in light of his many written opinions, reinforces my belief and opinion that he is quite far off the reservation when it comes to proper, legal interpretation of the Constitution. He has strayed quite far from the original intent of the Constitution. He raised the abortion issue as a classic example, and indeed it is. Thomas sees Roe v. Wade [410 U.S. 113 (1973)] [319] as the embodiment of ‘judicial activism’ and ‘judicial fiat,’ and the ultimate violation of the ‘originalist’s proper interpretation. The Constitution says nothing whatsoever about privacy or abortion rights; therefore, the Court has no authority to rule on such topics. If you see the Constitution as ONLY a definition of Federal powers and authority, then it is easy to see that interpretation. Yet, what he conveniently ignores or selectively chooses to overlook is the reflection of the Constitution, i.e., what is not enumerated in the document belongs to We, the People – the 9th and 10th Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Privacy and freedom from intrusion by government was, is and forever should be one of the most fundamental rights ‘retained’ by the People. Roe, along with other cases, was an attempt to reconcile the mounting power and reach of the government against the most fundamental of our rights. Privacy is not written in the Constitution because it did not need to be; it was ‘retained’ by the People, and the government has no authority whatsoever to infringe upon that most basic of freedom. Roe may not be perfect judicial interpretation, but it is a bona fide and legitimate attempt at reconciliation between the power of the State and the rights of every individual citizen. Clarence Thomas is wrong!

Voter fraud has an ugly, sordid, perpetual history in this Grand Republic, and this silly season is another edition of the same old song with both sides accusing the other guys of illegal activities. While the fraudulent activities of ACORN [Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now] and others may not translate into illegal votes, bogus registration applications can overload a challenged registrar system to the point of increasing the error rate and reducing the cross-checking capacity of county governments. Of course, all sides throw accusations around like mud to distract, confuse, deflect and play to the parochial biases of their believers. The Supremes have been engaged more and more since Bush v. Gore [531 U.S. 98 (2000); no. 00-949] with the latest case, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board [552 U.S. ___ (2008); no. 07-21] [334]; and, we never like the Judiciary involved in the election process – a mark of the times, I suppose. I have voted in 10 national elections in 4 states, including from three (3) foreign countries, and nearly twice that number state elections. I have used just about every voting system in popular use over the last 40 years – marked paper ballots, lever mechanical machines, butterfly ballots (of Florida 2000 infamy), electronic touch-screen systems and absentee ballots. I have yet to feel the slightest perception of irregularity or suspicion of error. While I am not a statistically significant sampling, my experience is relevant; this is not to say that fraudulent activity does not exist in Chicago, or Miami, or New York City, or elsewhere in the hinterland. I offer one simple solution – a national clearinghouse of voter registration with the appropriate safeguards against collateral use by Federal or state governments. A simple thing, each citizen can only be registered in one place – precinct, city, county, state. Any attempt to register a non-citizen, a non-entity (e.g., Mickey Mouse), or someone already registered anywhere else, would flag the application for reconciliation. Voting is the domain of the states and must be preserved. However, states share criminal information, vehicle registration, et cetera. Surely, we can find a way to protect the states’ dominion over voting, without compromising a citizen’s fundamental right to privacy. This persist soap opera at each election is highly corrosive to a viable democracy.

If you would like an interesting cogitative exercise, I offer this example:
“The Once-Great Democratic Party”
by Mark Alexander
Patriot Post; vol. 08, no. 43
Published: 24 October 2008
http://archive.patriotpost.us/pub/08-43_Digest/
Alexander opened his essay, “Thomas Jefferson wrote, ‘The government is best which governs least,’ and that sentiment was thematic in all of his writing about the role of government. So what happened to the Party of Jefferson, the once-great Democratic Party, the champion of limited government?” My first reaction: that is kinda like the pot calling the kettle black. Certainly, the Democratic Party abandoned the small government of Jefferson and the other Founders a long time ago. Yet, the implicit meaning of Alexander’s statement is that the Republican Party is different. Richard Nixon expanded the Federal government substantially and eroded the freedom of individual citizens. George W. Bush has done the same. So, the notion that the Democrats are somehow bogey-men to be condemned and ostracized is ludicrous in the light of reality. One of these days we will wake up to see what has really happened.

We can add another interesting proposition to California’s Proposition 8 [better known in the Internet vernacular as Prop H8] and San Francisco’s Proposition K, on this election’s ballot. Colorado’s Amendment 48 seeks to change the state constitution to grant a fertilized egg the status of a human being, complete with equal rights. The consequences of such an action are incalculable. We know why the proponents have done so, but I hope the residents of Colorado are smart enough and farsighted enough to reject such a foolish constitutional amendment. Isn’t it quite odd that some of fellow citizens seek to grant incredible, unprecedented rights to a single cell, and yet deny equal rights to grown, adult, productive citizens who hurt no one?

News from the economic front this week:
-- The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee lowered the target federal funds rate by 0.5 percentage point to 1%, its lowest since between June 2003 and June 2004.
-- The Treasury Department announced plans to expand the number of banks receiving Federal funds under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 [355] from the original nine (9) banks [357]. Here are the additional recipients:
City National Corporation
Comerica
First Niagara Financial Group
Huntington Bancshares
Northern Trust Corporation
State Street Corporation
UCBH Holdings
First Horizon National
PNC
Regions
Valley National Bancorp
Washington Federal
Fifth Third Bancorp
The list will undoubtedly grow and other industries like insurance [358] and automotive will belly up to the Federal trough.
-- Signs are beginning to present that Wall Street heavies may be seeing the handwriting on the wall regarding their excessive compensation and bonuses in an environment where they are begging for public funds to rescue them from their stupidity.

Comments and contributions from Update no.358:
“I echo your point concerning whether Saddam had WMDs. You said "I don't really care." I've said the same thing many times over the years. In fact, I cringed when Powell went to the UN and made that the cause. At the time I thought it was a terrible mistake regarding the court of public opinion and I was right. Taking him out was the right thing to do. And, to pull out now under the straw man argument of cost is foolish. If a 25% cut in the military is coming with this election outcome (as proposed by Barney Frank), we are in trouble. The average citizen does not consider that the cost of training is similar to the cost of war in these modern times. We train as we fight, without the greater loss of life, which is the highest cost. So, if we pull out before the job is done, the cost of training takes over the other costs. While some expenses may fall, others will rise. With a cut in the military we invite our enemies to strike.
“The test coming for our capitalist system of checks and balances is worrisome. We are likely in a week or so to find ourselves with a an elected governing national body with a President and supermajority from the same party. That perhaps is the biggest threat to the Supreme Court than any other issue right now. I like it when a President has to bargain with the opposition and the opposing forces have to bargain with each other as well to get something done. To have a President with the supermajority will of congress at his side is as close to a dictatorship or monarchy we can face in our system of government, because bargaining with the loyal opposition is no longer needed.
“We should beware of what comes.”
My reply:
Well, as you say, according to the Press, we shall soon realize the ‘new direction,’ as they declare the winner. We shall see.
I’m with you. Anytime one ideological groups, regardless of which one, gains control of all the instruments of State, we inevitable get out of balance . . . swing too far left in this impending instance, just as we swung too far right in 2000/4, and that was without a Senate supermajority. Like you, I like negotiation, compromise, debate and constructive political conflict. It does appear we are not going to find balance for at least 2 years and more likely much longer. We can chalk this up to another W failure. Now, that I mention it, I’m ready for a change, so much so, I almost do not care what.
We shall remain vigilant, critical and vocal, no matter who wins the election.
. . . a follow-up:
“The republicans blew their chance to do right with government over the past 8 years. The cost of their lack of courage and common sense is what is coming next week. Yes, we will remain "vigilant, critical and vocal" until common sense takes over someday, if ever.”
. . . and my follow-up reply:
Keep the faith, my Brother. This too shall pass.

A contribution from across the great waters:
“We try to keep up with your election which seems to have been in progress since time immemorial. You get good coverage over here...too much some say! My private and uninformed view is the republicans can still do it. But I would be very concerned about the lack luster performance of the candidate.
“However none of my business!
“We approach the season of remembrance here in U/K. A time when we not only remember the sacrifice of our boys and girls but as a reminder of our duty to those who return. Something that our politicians only pay lip service to.
“We are busy selling Poppies.”
My response:
I would like to buy a Poppy, and ask you to cast it upon the Thames with our (my) profound gratitude for the sacrifices of our immortal brothers-in-arms, who stood valiantly at the ramparts to defend our freedom. We shall never forget what they have done for us. I can transfer funds, send a check (in US$, unfortunately), or any other medium available for such things; please let me know what I need to do. Thank you, my Brother.
Yes, I think McCain might still pull the rabbit out of the hat. We shall soon know the result. Performance is all our business. You cannot vote here, but I recognize your appropriate concern. McCain would have done much better being John McCain, rather than a pandering politician constrained by his uber-Right handlers. Damn these political parties.
. . . a follow-up comment:
“I'll speak to our poppy office in London by e-mail tonight but won't get an answer until Monday. I believe it more proper if we do it that way.
“Can I thank you and all the good people of America for your support in war and peace.
“Just going to read your 'election update' with a dram in hand.
“Will try to get photo of your poppy going into the Thames.”
. . . and my follow-up comment:
Monday should work just fine. Knowing the bank, I would expect transfer that day. Regardless, I will get ‘er done before Remembrance Day, so I can join our brothers.
You probably needed a little more than a dram of the amber elixir to read the Election Update, but that is next.
An image of my poppy dedication would be greatly appreciated if it is not too much trouble, and if you have no objection, I would be honored to include an image or two in the following Update.

Another contribution:
I know you believe that those who signed those ARM, etc. contracts deserve an amount of blame, and you are probably correct. But here is another perspective on that…
“Every day we place our confidence in others who know more about a discipline than we do. Our physician, accountant, hospital, plumber. We have an expectation that they have taken our interests into consideration. We should be able to expect that from a mortgage lender.
“By the way, the standard answer given a borrower if he/she questioned the terms of the loan was, ‘Don't worry about it. You can just refinance before that higher rate kicks in.’”
My response:
Spot on! Well said. And, touché.
I shall endeavor to dampen my condemnation of our fellow citizens who believed they could set something for nothing. Yes, just as we trust doctors and lawyers to serve our interests, we should expect no less from our bankers and mortgage lenders. But, that does not absolve our culpability. As Alan Greenspan admitted before Congress, the free marketers believed the profit motive would regulate the market. In general, it does. However, what such generalizations do NOT recognize is the cut & run scam artists, who make their millions and withdraw, just as all scammers do. An unregulated market is no different than anarchy, every man for himself, or the Wild Wild West where there was no law, only the fastest, most ruthless killers.
The key will be finding some balance between the uber-Left’s desire for socialism or communism, and adequate regulation for protection of the innocent. The guys who perpetrated this mess have their hundreds of millions. It is us common folks who will pay the price. I am not too keen on the notion of paying for another’s greed.
. . . along with a follow-up comment:
“While the government decided to divvy up $125 billion among nine institutions (the top four — Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Wells Fargo & Co. — each received $25 billion) we have been informed that our [bank’s] annual FDIC insurance premium will go from $40k per year to $100k. Funny how these things work. Guess we need a lobbyist.”
. . . with my response:
This is obscene. And, ultimately, those costs will be passed onto customers. Aren’t those guys in Washington clever?

A different contribution:
“Our present financial situation has many roots. most I guess going back to Jimmy Carter and later revived by Bill Clinton.”
“Many people saw it coming and either did nothing or their voices were not heard well enough. There are plenty of folks out there who absolutely knew we were headed fast down a slippery slope. They know who they are. Some are in our own Congress. I bet not ONE serves a day in jail, but ought to. There is plenty of footage of them during their committee meetings saying all is ok, that it's the Repub who are trying to scare us, etc. But mainstream media rarely if ever picks up on and shows that on nightly news. Guess why?”
“Anyone who espouses cessation of term limits is extremely suspect in MY book.”
My response:
Spot on, I’d say. Some folks are culpable, some folks are selectively ignorant, and some folks choose pretend stupidity, greed and selfishness will heal themselves.
Spot on regarding term limits, as well.

My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)