That last thread was getting leggy. Let’s start a new one. The post election news continues to flow in. The President is in Asia, and there is a hint that a letter is being drafted to Nancy Pelosi urging her to not run for House Minority Leader.
There is a hint that PWC has lost 2 major companies. Does anyone know anything?
This birthday cake is killing my diet. I just imagine it full of freedom and liberty instead of sugar. đ
Over at UCV , my fellow co-blogger who is former member of the Men’s dept (former Marines will get that joke.) and I put up a couple of vids for the Birthday.
http://unitedconservatives.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-birthday-ya-jarheads.html
and from Concrete BoB:
http://unitedconservatives.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-235-devil-dogs.html
Marin, is it your birthday?
Debt Commission draft report is out. I’m sure some people will accuse me of being one of the authors. I haven’t seen anything that I wouldn’t be willing to accept if it were allowed to get an up or down vote as a package.
Here’s some of the highlights: $200 billion in discretionary spending cuts (half DoD, half civilian), 3 year pay freeze for Federal employees, raising Social Security retirement age to 69 and eliminating mortgage interest deductions on mortgage over $500k, 15 cent hike in gas tax, lower corporate income tax rate but many corporate deductions eliminated.
It’s still not enough but it’s a very good serious effort that I hope doesn’t get demagogued because of some of the controversial elements. I think it’s got a good mix of shared pain and the burden doesn’t fall too hard on any one group.
Sadly though, I’d be shocked if it ever got an up or down vote.
And I should add, President Obama should get credit for this. He picked the commission and they did a good job. My only minor beef is that they took too long to get the report out. Six to nine months ago would have been better.
Also the social security retirement age is incremental, is it not?
Yes. Social Security retirement age would be indexed to life expectancy. It rises to 69 by 2075. The only major change to Social Security in the plan is that COLAs will be tied to the rate of inflation instead of payroll growth rate. So future COLAs will be smaller. They’ll still cover inflation, but they won’t be more generous than inflation as they are currently.
Obviously, none of this is stuff people should be cheering about. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it is a necessary one and far better than waiting and letting the problem continue to grow.
according to TV the age will be 68 in 2050. Did I hear right? There is also a hardship clause for 62 so it will change 50 times before it all shakes down.
Yes. It gradually increases to 68 by 2050 and 69 by 2075. (It must be a formula something on the order of an extra two weeks increase per year.) Either way, the people retiring in 40 years are only 28 today so they have plenty of time to adjust to an extra year.
This is more or less how they raised the retirement age in the 80s to 67 from 65. It was a little faster ramp up, but it was about one month a year for 24 years. Very gradual so people don’t have major disruptions in their retirement plans.
Ref 20 & 26, It does sound silly, but I think TP is refering to the White House
Save Awards at http://www.whitehouse.gov/save-award.
Moon you’re going to need some of this in the morning: http://www.amazon.com/Guard-Alaska-Bear-Repellent-Spray/dp/B002NWY3LK
CSCO reported and phew wee was it a stinker.
@Cato,
I was hoping the markets were going to be closed tomorrow. arrggghhhh.
Beware of bears.
Michelle âMagalangaâ Malkin just called the Presidentâs visit to Indonesia âa jihadi promoting jaunt.â What an absolute twit (and thatâs being polite).
Great story in todayâs Washington Post that captures the essence of Veteransâ Day. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/10/AR2010111008002.html?hpid=artslot I had surgery at Walter Reed twice in recent years and went to physical therapy there for a number of months, and I saw a lot of young men and women like Cpl. Todd Nicely and dedicated significant others like Crystal Nicely. I went to orthotics once to get an insert made for my boots because of plantar fasciitis and while sitting in the waiting area I noticed I was the only one with both feet and I felt like a wimp when I realized foot pain is nothing compared to no foot. I was on an elevator once with a cute young woman about my daughterâs age dressed in her Army PT gear. When I looked down I noticed a mechanical leg going into one of her sneakers. The thing that stuck with me was that in all the time I spent at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval I never once saw anyone with a bad attitude and the only regret I ever heard expressed was the realization that some were injured too bad to ever rejoin their buddies. If you ever need a dose of optimism and humility get yourself a cup of coffee and go sit in the lobby of one of the military hospitals (or better yet, volunteer) for an hour. Itâs a good attitude adjustment.
Speaking of attitude, another Washington Post article says a Pentagon survey of 400K troops and 150k military spouses found that more than 70 percent were not concerned about repealing donât ask, donât tell and the study concludes the risk posed by repealing it is minimal. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/10/AR2010111007381.html?hpid=topnews Conservatives kept saying the administration should wait and let the military do their study before acting on DADT. Now that the Pentagon study is done, I doubt it produced the results the homophobes wanted.
Of course, none of the Commission’s recommendations will do the slightest bit of good until the Congress admits it’s spending problem. Until Congress admits that it has exceeded its powers under the Constitution, the same problems will occur again and again.
From Maggie’s Farm, back in Nov. 2008: http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/10013-Sign-on-the-door.html
A sign on the door of wounded SEAL Lt. Jason Redman at Walter Reed Hospital:
“Attention to all who enter here. If you are coming into this room with sorrow or to feel sorry for my wounds, go elsewhere. The wounds I received I got in a job I love, doing it for people I love, supporting the freedom of a country I deeply love. I am incredibly tough and will make a full recovery. What is full? That is the absolute utmost physically my body has the ability to recover. Then I will push that about 20 percent further through sheer mental tenacity. This room you are about to enter is a room of fun, optimism, and intense rapid regrowth. If you are not prepared for that, go elsewhere.”
Governor McDonnell will be on the Republican Channel at 8:45 Today.
The Navajo Code Talkers will be ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange at 9:30.
Cargo — I agree that Congress is a dysfunctional mess, but I don’t understand how they’ve exceeded their powers under the Constitution. Could you be more specific?
I’ll have to get back to you on that one. It deserves a longer post.
@Moon-howler
I’ve not heard of the Republican Channel? Is that new cable channel? đ
Looking forward to watching our Governor. Here’s the question of the day from the Governor’s website. I voted a big NO! I know many disagree with me regarding the privatization of our ABC stores. I heard something about a national firm being hired to check into another plan, with the wholesale portion staying under state control. Anyone heard anymore about this plan?
Here’s the link for the question of the day.
http://www.bobmcdonnell.com/
obama awol on vets day!
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/bam_awol_on_vets_day_IxEoyioHbtjAsNjGmbZoIP#ixzz14yjr9zaE
@e
Oh for God’s sake, look at the news. Do you want him to fly back for a wreath laying? Is there anything you won’t criticize the man over?
Wish I had been around to see that. I always manage to miss out on the UFO sightings. One of these days I’d actually like to see a UFO.
It must be a lot of stress indeed, not surprising that a few end up in the hospital as a result. I’m glad Fimian didn’t ask for the recount even though he was entitled to it – that sure was a close contest.
He’s not AWOL, he’s at the G-20 meeting, unlike Dubya in 2007 who was at his ranch in Texas on Veterans’ Day and sent draft-dodger Dick Cheney to stand-in at Arlington. Dubya missed a few Memorial Days and a few Veterans’ Days, so if that’s the best you can do your pitiful.
Happy belated birthday to them too! And Happy Vet’s Day to all veteran’s out there. Here at Ft. Huachuca the soldiers get a long 4 day holiday weekend, and there’s a parade at the base today – which I might get to see. I’m working today even though the soldiers have off – in fact this is my last day at the base and then I fly home from Tucson Saturday morning. This was a good trip, but after 4 weeks will be good to head back home. Plus I’m off on vacation through Thanksgiving as I have a lot of vacation time need to use up between now and end of the year.
I read about that. Those poor folks are having to eat spam delivered by the armed forces. For awhile no working toilets either! I guess as there’s something like 3000 passengers that would have been a lot of helicopter flights.
The gentlemen in the yellow jackets are the Code Talkers.
ok, i’ll have to try harder
@Gainesville Resident
Why don’t we ever see you and a UFO in the same area together, hmmmm……?
i heard he gave a good speech at the dnc back in 04
Frankly, I dislike Obama enough that I don’t miss him. I would RATHER have Biden do it.
He did a wreath laying with our troops in Korea to honor Vets on Veterans Day.
@Moe, that seems appropriate.
Cargo, is it his personality or his policies?
Policies and Agenda.
Lisa Murkowski’s getting 98% of the write-in votes with 20% counted so far. Â Ironic that teabagger Joe Miller is in federal court trying to block the state government from carrying out the intent of its citizens. Â I thought keeping the activist federal courts out of the state’s business and empowering the citizenry was basic teabag doctrine. Â Guess for Joe the doctrine only applies when it benefits him.
She did a good job of teaching people to spell her name right. Maybe she had a BYOP program going. Bring your own Pencil. (with her name on it)
Joe Miller’s principles seem to be rooted in convenience.
Cargo, I can live with 60% of the policies. That beats some things I have had to endure in the past.
I have decided that liberals, moderates and conservative are just wired differently. You could relieve all media influence and the differences would probably still be as distinct.
Just wanted to share a happy ending story for a child brought to the US as a baby, but essentially lived here her entire life:
My friend’s cousin Izzy was bought here as a baby and handed off to an aunt in CA, and her mom disappeared never to be seen since. Izzy’s dad is a US citizen but she’s only met him twice, and her aunt here on LPR status was designated as her custodian for all of Izzy’s 18 years. The aunt has been a US citizen for some years but was unable to formally adopt Izzy because she was born in Mexico, and mom could not be located, etc.
Long story short: In June Izzy graduated from a high school in CA with a GPA of 3.8. However, due to her status she was not eligible for employment in the US as her SS card clearly states “Not for employment”, she was not eligible to get a drivers license, and despite her GPA, she was ineligible to apply to college in the US. So, some months before she graduated, Izzy’s family pooled their resources and met with an immigration lawyer and began the process of having Izzy voluntarily return to her country of birth while an application to return to the US on a student visa was secured.
The lawyer gathered Izzy’s school transcripts, she submitted to a background check, her guardian submitted to a background check as well. Teachers and the principal of Izzy’s school wrote letters of recommendation too. The day after Izzy graduated, when she could no longer be defined as a dependent of her guardian, Izzy and her lawyer showed up at the local immigration office and she surrendered herself for voluntary return to Mexico (which btw she had to pay for). Izzy’s family arranged for her to live in a village far, far away from the border with her great aunt. So Izzy, who never left CA since five months of age went to some remote village in Mexico where she’s been keeping a low profile since her spoken spanish is heavy with an American accent.
Good news! Four and a half months after she agreed to a voluntary return, the US approved Izzy’s student visa request. Via her lawyer, Izzy has applied to numerous colleges in CA, and if/when she is accepted and enrolled she can return here. The only stipulation is that during breaks Izzy must remain living in the dorm and/or take classes or she has to return to Mexico. She is not allowed to stay with her aunt during breaks, as she either must be enrolled in classes or living in Mexico. However, when she returns on the student visa, Izzy is hoping to begin the application process for citizenship.
How ridicuolous that Izzy has to go through this dance of the fools. Good for her for caring enough to do the dance.
@Morris Davis
Miller should have conceded that night. Too many thousands of votes behind to think he could make that up.
Slow — This doesn’t happen often, but I think we’re on the same page. I may even be willing to go a little further than you. I don’t fault Miller for not throwing in the towel on election night. I think he deserves to wait until all the votes are counted. I do fault him for trying to discount votes where the voter intent is clear but the spelling is a little off and for turning to the federal courts to try and block the state since that’s hypocritical.
Former President Bush says Republican Senator Mitch McConnell urged him to pull troops from Iraq prior to the 2006 mid-terms to bolster GOP chances while at the same time McConnell was bashing Dems for saying we should pull troops from Iraq. http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/blog-1529-mcconnell-stays-mum-on-bush-claim.html What a d-bag … and he’s the Repub leader in the senate.
Now Moe, I thought McConnell’s objective was to unseat President Obama. He seems to be doing too much multi-tasking.
And 100!!!!
Apparently I DON’T have anything better to do……
@Morris Davis
I, too, heard the Vicious Vixen, Michell Malkin, on this subject. She’s unbearably OBNOXIOUS.
Why Greenspan was dumb to talk of weakening the dollar
Alan Greenspan’s remarks made the chances of a global trade deal at
the G20 even more remote
Nils Pratley guardian.co.uk, Thursday 11 November 2010 20.38 GMT
The Chinese delegation at the G20 will love that: Alan Greenspan,
former chairman of the Federal Reserve, says the US is pursuing a
policy of weakening its currency. The chance of substantive agreement
in Seoul on the rebalancing of global trade just fell further.
Tim Geithner, US treasury secretary, was peeved. “We will never seek
to weaken our currency as a tool to gain competitive advantage or to
grow the economy,” he said.
Geithner is right to be angry. Many think the Fed’s policy of
quantitative easing, which received a $600bn (ÂŁ372bn) top-up last
week, will have the effect of weakening the dollar. But that is not
an aim. The aim is to stimulate demand, lower the cost of borrowing
and create jobs.
Those investors who feel the Fed is doomed to fail in its mission may
wish to sell dollars. Supporters of QE may think there will be long-
term benefits to the US economy that will strengthen the dollar
eventually. Either way, the value of the dollar is set by the market
in round-the-clock trading.
The same is not true of the Chinese yuan, which is pegged within a
tight range against the dollar. Greenspan ought to have made that
distinction clearer in his article in the Financial Times. His
failure to do so muddies the waters at the G20, where the struggle to
produce a formula for rebalancing global trade already seems doomed
to fail.
Greenspan’s contentious remark was a tiny part of his article. A
greater part was devoted to China’s suppression of its currency and
its failure to accept global obligations. But the line about the US
is the one that will reverberate. It was a dumb thing to say.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/nov/11/alan-greenspan-weak-dollar-viewpoint
Starry, what the Fed is doing is like using chemo as a weight loss plan.
And he’s right. We calling out China for doing what were about to do – we’ve lost the moral high ground.
We’ve been calling out China for years about the Yuan. Geitner is lying, oh, wait, SPINNING, about the goal of QE2. They think that the way to “stimulate demand, lower the cost of borrowing and create jobs.” is to weaken the dollar. It is also being done because we can’t get any body ELSE to buy our bonds. China and other countries are telling us to stop spending. Even drunken sailors stop spending when they throw that last dollar at the stripper…..
Greenspan was completely correct. He’s not the only one pointing out that the emperor, not only is naked, but can’t borrow a blanket.
Very interesting comment from Delegate Bob Marshall at VIRGINIA TOMORROW
re “Mandatory Delegate and Candidate Fees”.
wandering minds make people unhappy!
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20101112/tls-health-us-brain-internet-aeafa1b.html
From the AP: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20101112/D9JEJ36G0.html
“A stronger yuan would shrink the U.S. trade deficit with China, which is on track this year to match its 2008 record of $268 billion, and encourage Chinese companies to sell more to their own consumers rather than rely so much on the U.S. and others to buy low-priced Chinese goods.
But the U.S. position has been undermined by its own central bank’s decision to print $600 billion to boost a sluggish economy, which is weakening the dollar.”
Analysts were not convinced.
“Leaders are putting the best face on matters by suggesting that it is the process that matters rather than results,” said Stephen Lewis, chief economist for London-based Monument Securities.
“The only concrete agreement seems to be that they should go on measuring the size of the problem rather than doing something about it.”