Buelahnomics: Why The US Has Gone Broke

B’Man: You hear me discussbitch about ‘Big Money’ and ‘Big Military’ and all the other ‘Bigs” listed over in the category section. These ‘Bigs’ are the owners of America and what drives everything our government does and is beholden to. What was once ‘for the people’ & ‘by the people’ is now for the Ultra rich and their new corporate citizenship mentality.

However, one of the biggest ‘Bigs’ we have is ‘Big Military’ (aka the military industrial complex) and how this ‘Big’ is probably the leading cause for our country’s demise from ‘leader’ of the ‘free’ world to ‘enforcer’ of the ‘invaded’ world. As with each and every other empire throughout history, this incessant drive towards more military spending as some economic sustaining entity, will simply cause our financial destruction. Essentially, we end up spending money on stuff that never gets used and take away from our own infrastructure and manufacturing base.

As a redneck, I can’t explain it completely, but I do read alot about the subject and found this article that breaks this down as well as any I have read in some time. It is worthy of a full read, but I want to point out some key points for a rednecks education…

Why the U.S. Has Gone Broke

by Chalmers Johnson

…There are three broad aspects to the U.S. debt crisis.

First, in the current fiscal year (200 we are spending insane amounts of money on “defense” projects that bear no relation to the national security of the U.S. We are also keeping the income tax burdens on the richest segment of the population at strikingly low levels.

Second, we continue to believe that we can compensate for the accelerating erosion of our base and our loss of jobs to foreign countries through massive military expenditures — “military Keynesianism” (which I discuss in detail in my book Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic).

By that, I mean the mistaken belief that public policies focused on frequent wars, huge expenditures on weapons and munitions, and large standing armies can indefinitely sustain a wealthy capitalist economy. The opposite is actually true.

Third, in our devotion to militarism (despite our limited resources), we are failing to invest in our social infrastructure and other requirements for the long-term health of the U.S. These are what economists call opportunity costs, things not done because we spent our money on something else. Our public education system has deteriorated alarmingly. We have failed to provide health care to all our citizens and neglected our responsibilities as the world’s number one polluter. Most important, we have lost our competitiveness as a manufacturer for civilian needs, an infinitely more efficient use of scarce resources than arms manufacturing.

B’Man: Our country’s elite, who are in government or control those that are, have grown to be so focused on protecting their stuff that we have insane tax codes in place that are ruining many facets of social assistance. But, more than that, we have completely turned into the “complex” of building our economy from weapons and thus becoming implementers of war and carnage (while still calling ourselves “Christian”, I might add).

Fiscal disaster

It is virtually impossible to overstate the profligacy of what our government spends on the military. The Department of Defense’s planned expenditures for the fiscal year 2008 are larger than all other nations’ military budgets combined. The supplementary budget to pay for the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not part of the official defense budget, is itself larger than the combined military budgets of Russia and China.

Defense-related spending for fiscal 2008 will exceed $1 trillion for the first time in history. The U.S. has become the largest single seller of arms and munitions to other nations on Earth. Leaving out President Bush’s two on-going wars, defense spending has doubled since the mid-1990s. The defense budget for fiscal 2008 is the largest since the second world war. Before we try to break down and analyze this gargantuan sum, there is one important caveat. Figures on defense spending are notoriously unreliable. The numbers released by the Congressional Reference Service and the Congressional Budget Office do not agree with each other. Robert Higgs, senior fellow for political economy at the Independent Institute, says: “A well-founded rule of thumb is to take the Pentagon’s (always well publicized) basic budget total and double it.” Even a cursory reading of newspaper articles about the Department of Defense will turn up major differences in statistics about its expenses.

Some 30-40% of the defense budget is ‘black, ‘” meaning that these sections contain hidden expenditures for classified projects. There is no possible way to know what they include or whether their total amounts are accurate. There are many reasons for this budgetary sleight-of-hand -including a desire for secrecy on the part of the president, the secretary of defense, and the military-industrial complex - - but the chief one is that members of Congress, who profit enormously from defense jobs and pork-barrel projects in their districts, have a political interest in supporting the Department of Defense. In 1996, in an attempt to bring accounting standards within the executive branch closer to those of the civilian economy, Congress passed the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act. It required all federal agencies to hire outside auditors to review their books and release the results to the public. Neither the Department of Defense, nor the Department of Homeland Security, has ever complied. Congress has complained, but not penalized either department for ignoring the law. All numbers released by the Pentagon should be regarded as suspect. In discussing the fiscal 2008 defense budget, as released on 7 February 2007, I have been guided by two experienced and reliable analysts: William D Hartung of the New America Foundation’s Arms and Security Initiative and Fred Kaplan, defense correspondent for Slate.org. They agree that the Department of Defense requested $481.4bn for salaries, operations (except in Iraq and Afghanistan), and equipment.

They also agree on a figure of $141.7bn for the “supplemental” budget to fight the global war on terrorism - - that is, the two on-going wars that the general public may think are actually covered by the basic Pentagon budget. The Department of Defense also asked for an extra $93.4bn to pay for hitherto unmentioned war costs in the remainder of 2007 and, most creatively, an additional “allowance” (a new term in defense budget documents) of $50bn to be charged to fiscal year 2009. This makes a total spending request by the Department of Defense of $766.5bn. But there is much more. In an attempt to disguise the true size of the U.S. military empire, the government has long hidden major military-related expenditures in departments other than Defense. For example, $23.4bn for the Department of Energy goes towards developing and maintaining nuclear warheads; and $25.3bn in the Department of State budget is spent on foreign military assistance (primarily for Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Republic, Egypt and Pakistan).

B’Man: With the gas prices at $4.00/gallon and are GOING to rise more, we are in for a very fast fall, folks. The people in control don’t want you to know how close to devastation we are, for when America realizes it, she will shut totally down, causing even more failure within the Big Money system.

Think about how much fuel the Iraqi invasion requires while the price is continually rising (and I would bet, highly elevated prices). Keep in mind that the $4 mark is based off of $90.00/barrel of oil and we just went to around $138/barrel. When the prices catch up, we will be, at least, at $5.00/gallon and likely to be around $6.00/gallon before the summer ends. People are so slow to bitch to those who can help. We bitch at each other about it and shrug, “What are we gonna do?” Then we get into the car and drive off, forgetting that doom is impending.

But it isn’t just us rednecks that can’t drive far or even afford to drive to work any longer. The cost of fuel for food delivery will skyrocket. The cost of fuel to run equipment to gather the crops will skyrocket (making groceries skyrocket even more than we have seen).

People that need to fly will be less able to afford it, even if the airlines make it without total bankruptcy (several have already gone bust), for their costs are skyrocketing, as well. All forms of transportation will skyrocket, for they can’t bear the entire fuel burden when they are so competitive to begin with.

Plastics are made of petro-chemicals, so even packaging and everything that is made of plastic will skyrocket.

So, why has the US gone broke? Because we are run and controlled by corporate interests protected by those we elected who get most of their campaign contributions from these same entities that run the country. GE owns the media which lies to us about the truth AND is heavy into Military and nuclear. Same for others. Vested interests cause them to lie and keep silent about the lies of the administration.

They will pillage what they can… to hell with us, the real Americans.

$4/Gallon

Gas reaches average $4 a gallon in U.S.

In a front-page story, the New York Times reports, “Gasoline prices reached a national average of $4 a gallon for the first time over the weekend, adding more strain to motorists across the country.” However, according to the Times, “the pain is not being felt uniformly. Across broad swaths of the South, Southwest, and the upper Great Plains, the combination of low incomes, high gas prices, and heavy dependence on pickup trucks and vans is putting an even tighter squeeze on family budgets.”

Also on its front page, the Wall Street Journal notes that, if gas prices stay above “$4 a gallon into the fall, that could reshape businesses and lead Americans to change their spending patterns in broader ways.” In fact, “automakers, airlines, chemical companies, and others that rely on oil are [already] feeling the pain.”

USA Today adds on its front page that the “rise in gas prices follows an unexpected $10.75 jump in the price of oil Friday, to a record close of $138.54 a barrel. It had spiked up as high as $139.12.” The Financial Times and Reuters also cover the story.

B’Man: Today is the first time I have traveled with work since my back surgery a month ago (btw, I am doing quite well from that). I am driving to Huntsville, AL and some surrounding communities to make some sales calls.

The trip is approximately 300 miles at 26miles/gallon. 11.5 gallons at $4/gallon = $46

Doesn’t sound like much, but I’ll buy lunch and do this three or four times this week. If it continues to rise, it will end up costing too much to travel. So, it is imperative that someone invent a car that will get 75 miles/gallon, at least. Hydrogen, whatever. But, they are just now deciding that trucks and Hummers are too gas hoggish (speaking of being behind the population’s needs).

Wrong- As Usual

B’Man: Blue Texan at firedoglake had this nice little snippet post up showing just a few examples of how wrong the reTHUGlicans have been regarding the next election (and their perceivedpreferred choice for Democratic Presidential Nominee, Hillary Clinton):

Dick Armey:

“I don’t see any way that Hillary Clinton won’t be president.”

Tom DeLay:

“Hillary will be the next president of the United States because they have built a coalition,” he said.

Dick Morris:

“Hillary Clinton will undoubtedly lose the South Carolina primary as African-Americans line up to vote for Barack Obama. And that defeat will power her drive to the nomination.”

Karl Rove:

COLMES: At this point Karl — this is risky territory, but could you predict who the nominee will be for the Democrats based on what you know?

ROVE: I think it’s going to be Senator Clinton because I think Senator Obama’s best shots are largely behind him.

Newt Gingrich:

“I think the odds are 80 per cent that Sen. Clinton is the next president; I think she is almost certainly going to win the Democratic nomination.”

El Rushbo:

“Remember this: the Democrat machine candidate always wins; the upstart insurgents never do. It’s all you need to know. Forget all the polls.”

George W. Bush:

President Bush, breaking his rule not to talk about presidential politics, says he believes Hillary Rodham Clinton will defeat Barack Obama in Democratic presidential primary voting.

“She’s got a great national presence and this is becoming a national primary,” Mr. Bush told Sammon.

I predict that Republicans will continue to be wrong about everything.

B’Man: On any number of subjects, one could do exactly the same thing and show how wrong they are. I can’t think of a subject they have been “right” on, as a matter of fact (feel free to list those, if you have them). I know many people who are this way… can be quoted later and shown to be 100% wrong in virtually everything they are involved in.

One such person is my own mother. When it comes to most any subject, but especially religion and what God tells her, she has been 100% incorrect. She had the audacity to give me marital advice, while she was in her 7th marriage (only one had died). It doesn’t take a genius to pick these folks out and as a general rule (I explain this to all my siblings who cannot seem to grasp this very simple concept), if she says anything or gives advice, no matter how sane it may seem, do 100% opposite and you will be safe.

The same holds true for Bush, his administration or any reTHUGlican who kisses the neocon ass (not to mention the Blue Dog capitulating Dems who continue to support the failings of this administration). If they say something, make a claim or suggest something the country needs to do to be “bettered”, then we should instinctively do exactly the opposite and we will be safe.

The Bush Media

With the latest ass-covering by the MSM New Anchors after Scotty’s little Tell-All Book arrived, I think that many people may be wakening to their complicit behavior in covering for the Bush Admin during the run-up to the Iraq Crime. There will be some rednecks who won’t believe that these assholes were a part of it, but it has become apparent that the real meaning of “journalism” has been hijacked by these half-wits who would understand the purpose of journalism and reporting if they were executed by it.

I saw this today (h/t MuddleVanHeck) and thought it worthy to share…

From jperryam on YouTube: Commentary on last week’s joint appearance on the Today Show by network news anchors Katie Couric, Brian Williams and Charlie Gibson, and their pathetic attempts to shuck and jive their way around charges that they’re all basically media puppets for the Bush administration.

What Do Iraqi People Dream About?

B’Man: My daughter (3.5) awoke this morning and told us, “I had a dream and in my dream I was going to “Big School” and they taught me all sorts of things. Then my boyfriend, Justin, said that we were going to get married.”

Now, I have no idea where the boyfriend crap comes from, but there is a 4 yo boy at her preschool named Justin (I’m gonna have to have a little man to man with “little man”… LOL). Nor do I understand where she gets the big school stuff from, except probably the older kids at her preschool.

My point is that she dreams this funny, happy-go-lucky stuff. Even with some allergies, she is probably one of the happiest kids I ever knew. She, her Mom and I are blessed in many ways, when I consider what Iraqi people are thinking and living through.

Do the little Iraqi girls dream of such things? Iraqis in general? I know in my heart that most of them don’t dream such wonderful things, even though I wish they all did. Then, this afternoon, I read about some of their dreams in this article at Alternet and I believe that all rednecks should understand that their dreams are nothing to Americans, simple everyday conveniences, for we have all these things in abundance and are spoiled by it.

We have spent Billions, millions dead, millions fled to other countries to survive what we unleashed. Murder on every corner. Threats, intimidation. FEAR!

We have no real understanding of what they don’t have, because it is all stuff that we take for granted.

And many rednecks want more of this horror for them. Unbelievably cruel. Heartless, unfeeling and embarrassing to this redneck. No decent human being would ever want this to go on.

Five Years After Mission Accomplished, Iraqis “Dream of the End of the Occupation”

By Dahr Jamail and Ahmed Ali, IPS News. Posted May 28, 2008.

BAQUBA — After more than five years of U.S. occupation, the very dreams of the people of Baquba have changed. For a start, they are no longer about the future.

Today, a shower is a dream. Or that the electricity supply continues just that little bit longer.

“These needs are very trivial for people of other countries,” 43-year-old political leader Saad Tahir told IPS. “But in Iraq, people dream more of these things than of some ambition or success.”

Abdullah Mahdi, a retired 51-year-old trader, says he dreams only of electricity.

“Like millions here, I hope supply gets better to help us to sleep in this hot summer,” Mahdi told IPS. “We have been suffering from this problem since the 1991 Kuwait war, and this current occupation only made things worse.”

Others dream of freedom of movement. “I dream of traveling among the Iraqi provinces freely and safely,” a local resident said. “For more than two years now, I have not traveled to any province of my country.” Lack of security means Iraqis can rarely travel even to a neighboring area.

Children also seem to have begun to dream differently.

“I dream of a playground in which I and my friends can play freely and at any time,” 11-year-old Luay Amjad told IPS. Children are not allowed to play just anywhere for fear of unexploded bombs, haphazard firing, and a general fear of the Iraqi military. Many children in Baquba and other districts of Diyala province have been kidnapped.

“All families wish to see their children safe, and then enjoying their time,” said a young father. “We know that they currently live in a very closed world. But we put pressure on our children for their own safety. Streets are dangerous, and even gardens may sometimes be dangerous.”

Others dream of a functioning economy. According to the ministry of trade, unemployment has been vacillating between 40-70 percent over the last two years.

“I hope that the trade and economic process will improve,” said an unemployed trader. “I wish Iraq could be an industrial country with a flourishing and luxurious status of living. I want to get back to my shop and have my own customers.”

Teachers dream of an Iraq that can be a center for education again. “Iraq was one of the countries that paid great attention to education,” a university professor, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IPS. “Now, breaking the rules of schools is very common, and fake certificates are spread widely all over the country. We dream of a rigorous and successful educational process.”

Farmers simply dream of water, and the security necessary to work in their fields. “I hope I can work on my farm again, and have water to irrigate all the land,” said a local vegetable farmer.

A cleric spoke of bigger dreams. “I dream that all Iraqis will love each other again, as we used to in the past days. We miss hope, a smile, and true love. We hope that cooperation prevails again among people. We hope for killing and displacement to end forever in this once peaceful country. We hope that the sectarian discrimination disappears.”

A political analyst said he dreams of an end to the occupation. “The occupation is the source of all the problems of our people. I do dream of the end of the occupation — no more arrests, no more prison for simple and poor people, and no more suffering.”

(*Ahmed, our correspondent in Iraq’s Diyala province, works in close collaboration with Dahr Jamail, our U.S.-based specialist writer on Iraq who has reported extensively from Iraq and the Middle East).

B’Man: So, what DO you rednecks dream about?

Bush Is Learning As He Goes…

… but is making his friends rich while he is obtaining his education on such trivial matters.

I dunno about you, but it seems that these idiotic bastards should have KNOWN what they were getting into, before lying to us about the damn thing to begin with. It is my contention that they did and DO know precisely what is happening (and it is going perfectly to plan).

When will the rest of you rednecks wake up and demand that this maniacal asshole is removed from office and jailed for the rest of his miserable life?

Of course, he made this stupid comment to the Air Force Academy. (Who there will stand up and question the idiocy of such a statement without fear of loss of commission and career?) Nor would they have the balls to suggest that his further statements comparing the Iraqi/Afghan “mistake”“law-breaking” to what was done in Japan and Germany are even further proof of his inability to grasp truth or understand what is taught in high-school history (even though his lack of education doesn’t surprise me). Even a cursory history student knows he is full of shit.

He said that political and economic progress is hard without security.

Dude? No shit? Why is God’s name didn’t you just ask this old redneck, you waste of Barbara’s egg.

People, the fact is that if and when you attack another country, invade them, kill millions and send many more millions away from their homes, demolish their infrastructure and lives, they will tend to be a bit pissed about that. Maybe, the fact that the entire Bush Administration is a lying pool of snakes may cause you some issues in success, as well, since no one except the worst Koolaid Drinkers can believe a word any of them say.

I have never been more embarassed to be an American. These imbeciles have ruined the country I love. The best thing that could occur is impeachment and war crime tribunals for Bush, Cheney and all the Bush Admin.

ALL OF THEM!

Trading Kidneys for Bread (US Led Democracy in Action)

B’Man: It is horrible enough realizing what this administration has done in our name in the guise of “spreading democracy”. Also notable is that we were led to believe that the Iraqi oil would pay for our invasion and reconstruction.

But, not only has virtually every avenue of rebuilding failed or been considered sub-standard or even down-right shoddily done, it is apparent that the everyday Iraqis are resolving themselves to some of the worst possible self-mutilization that can be imagined (mainly just to get by and feed their family).

This, rednecks, is what our “democracy” has done for those “rag-heads”, as mAnn Coulter likes to call them (disgusting bitch):

Kidney for Bread in oil-rich Iraq

BAGHDAD — Iraq, which has the world’s third-biggest oil reserves, is making billions of dollars in oil exerts thanks to record-setting prices. Still, many of its citizens sell parts of their own bodies just to survive.

“I couldn’t see my children crying for food and I can not get them at even bread,” Ali Hassnawi, a 34-year-old Baghdad resident, told IslamOnline.net.

“One day a friend of mine told me he had sold his kidney and I decided to do the same,” he recalled.

“I got $1,500 dollars for it, two months later my wife got a better payment for hers. She got $3,000 because the man who bought it was nearly dying.”

Abject poverty in oil-rich Iraq has driven many like Hassnawi and his wife to a growing organs black market, where kidney is the most sought-after.

Prices vary between $500 to $5,000 dollars depending on and urgent the kidney is needed.

According to the Health Ministry, renal disease is common in the country and more than 7,000 Iraqis currently need urgent kidney transplants.

“The lives of many Iraqis are threatened because haemodialysis machine are old and many aren’t working properly,” stressed Taha Abdel-Rahman, a ministry media officer.

“We have a long list of patients requesting kidneys and in many times when they can get the organ, they are already dead.”

Iraq, which is a member of OPEC and has the world’s third-biggest oil reserves, earned $38 billion in oil export revenue last year.

For 2008, the country has already raked in $20 billion from oil shipments just through April, according to the US Energy Department.

Catastrophic

Sellers can easily be spotted by relatives of patient at the main gates of hospitals or nearby coffee shops.

Usually a person who works inside the hospital brokers the deal and gets a 10 percent commission.

More than 90 percent of donors since 2003 are from the suburbs of Baghdad and other main cities of Iraq.

Donors are referred to a special committee at Karama hospital that determines their suitability.

But doctors say though they are against organ-buying they cannot prevent it as the donors always register at hospitals as family relatives.

“We have reached a catastrophic situation in Iraq where poor Iraqis sell their organs to survive,” says a renal surgeon at Karama Hospital, requesting anonymity for security reasons.

“In one side we are happy to know that we are saving lives, however, it is hard to know that it is for money and not for love of fellow humans,” he added.

“I was once forced to refuse to operate on a kid after I found out that the donor, a 12-years-old child, was being forced by his father who had sold his son’s kidney for $4,000 dollars.”

Local police have reported discovering many dead bodies lacking kidney or corneas.

Investigations have shown that a mafia is working with help from some doctors who take out such organs from recently killed civilians.

“The situation is delicate and we are running a thorough investigation to catch those criminals and set free doctors who are being forced to do illegal work,” said Lt. Col. Abdul Jabbar, head of the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

“Such organs are taken out from Iraq for neighboring countries where they are sold for huge sums of money.”

A World Health Organization (WHO) official in Iraq pressed for punishing those marketing organs.

But he admitted that a country like Iraq, which suffers a so serious security situation, can not possibly control such an issue.

“People might say that it is illegal but we are just trying to save our lives,” says Abu Ahmed, 56, who recently had a kidney transplanted from a seller in Baghdad.

“It is easy to say that it is forbidden while their health is good and they are not at the risk of losing their lives any minute for not having a proper renal system,” he fumed.

“I have bought a kidney for $4,000 dollars from someone who was offering outside the hospital. I was in a critical health condition and my family did all it can to find the appropriate donor. I don’t regret what I did and would do it again if necessary,” insists Abu Ahmed.

“They wanted to sell and I wanted to save my life. It was a good bargain and both of us left hospital with something to survive, a new kidney for me and money to feed his children.”

Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar microdecompression (microdiscectomy) spine surgery interactive video

As I mentioned before I had three separate areas that needed work. I found this website that has excellent graphics that show the relationship of the spine and nerves and how some of these procedures are done. The part hardest to deal with is that I seldom had back pain. My problem was always my right leg/foot.

I have what they call Spinal Stenosis (which is  a narrowing of the nerve passageway, essentially choking off the nerve.) This was happening in three different, but adjacent areas. They also removed a good bit of scar tissue from the previous surgeries.

Spinal Stenosis Explained: Video

This animated video explains the anatomy and symptoms of spinal stenosis. Stenosis of the spine is literally a narrowing or choking of the nerves as they exit the spine by enlarged facet joints in the vertebra. The pinched nerves cause back pain and leg pain during various activities.

Pain associated with spinal stenosis can be alleviated by both surgical and non-surgical treatments, depending on the severity of the stenosis.

But, after they cut on you, you tend to have pain that wasn’t there beforehand. I can already tell that the pain in my leg and foot is gone, but I still have numbness in my toes and foot (the numbness in my leg is gone).

There is no guarantee that I will ever get 100% back, but it is also expected to take longer with the area that has been affected for 7 years.

Lumbar microdecompression (microdiscectomy) spine surgery interactive video

This interactive video gives a clear picture of how a microdecompression or microdiscectomy spine surgery can help relieve leg pain (sciatica) and/or back pain caused by a herniated disc. In this type of spine surgery, the spine surgeon removes the portion of the herniated disc that is pinching the nerve and causing pain.

They started with the above and ended up doing a full laminectomy on three disks (6 inch incision).

BuelahMan’s Taliban: If The Ol’ Lady Goes to The Flea Market… I’ll Kill Her

B’Man: So, THIS is what we are fighting for in Afghanistan. Spreading Democracy everywhere we send bombs and soldiers so Afghan women can have security and equality:

Afghan Woman Beaten, Raped, Forced to Watch Son Killed — Then Jailed by Afghan Government

For a young woman named Rukhma, it may be a bit unclear what the United States is fighting for in Afghanistan, or certainly achieving at such a great cost in lives and treasure. Our Afghan ally continues to impose strict Islamic laws against woman in shocking abuses. In this case, Rukhma was taken across the border from Pakistan, raped and abused and then forced to watch as her 3-year-old son was beaten to death. The result: prosecutor put her in jail for adultery and “escaping her house” in Pakistan.

The man responsible for these outrages was given 20 years (it appears that the constant executions that we read about under Sharia is reserved for other crimes like homosexuality rather than raping a woman and beating her child to death).

The true outrage, however, is the jailing of Rukhma. She received four years for adultery and “escaping her house” in Pakistan. For a woman to simply leave her house without permission of the family is a crime. The Afghan government, supported by billions of U.S. dollars, insists that justice was done. The chief prosecutor of eastern Nangarhar province, Abdul Qayum, reportedly became very upset to be even questioned about the case and said that she got of “lightly.” Now, here is an insight into our Afghan allies. He went on to note that “If my wife goes to the bazaar without my permission, I will kill her. This is our culture.” This is their chief prosecutor.

Qayum helpfully noted “This is Afghanistan, not America.” Good point. The next question is why Americans are dying so that moronic creeps like Qayum can abuse women and maintain a culture in the Stone Age. We have soldiers dying to preserve a system that rejects the most fundamental and inalienable rights of humanity. We have sought to reduce violence by allowing Taliban members and their supporters to resume their prior abuses. There would be greater support for our Afghan campaign if we were insisting that the government establish the minimal human rights protected under international law. Instead, we are judging “victory” solely based on our own assessment of whether Al Qaeda has been kept in check. Who needs Al Qaeda when you have thousands of Qayums to maintain their twisted view of paradise.

For the full story, click here.

B’Man: h/t Jonathon Turley

Is there any wondering going on in the redneck’s mind of “why” we are over there and all the money we spend, lives that are lost and wasted time and effort in helping our own country and its Taliban government under Bush’s leadership? Is THIS what we think of our own wives? That the Afghan men are ready or even desirous for democracy?

After all this time, this is what is accomplished.

And you rednecks think things are going just “swimmingly” (to quote mAnn Coulter).

Wake up.

WTF Thursday: America Is The Pawn Shop Mecca

B’Man: The pawn shop craze is back. Selling whatever one can, or finding crap steel and recyclable metals to load up the ‘89 Nissan to take to the Recycling shop for a few bucks just to get a little gas money (the story I heard from my little brother yesterday). Unfortunately, he has already sold all his shit at the pawn shop (can’t get a job, no income other than the odd job here and there… raking leaves, wiring an old house, mowing a yard when he can find someone with the money). Our country is falling apart while rednecks just go along with these fools who are pillaging our lives. Saying nothing. Letting them screw us all due to the redneck ignorance.

Sorry, but I speak truth and you know it.

From Alternet:

Americans Selling Possessions to Stay Afloat

Posted by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville at 2:06 PM on April 30, 2008.

In the wake of the housing crash and rising food and energy prices, Americans are pawning their clothes, furniture and more.

want you to think of President Mondo Fucko’s total shock at hearing gas would hit $4/gallon and how blissfully isolated his precious ass is from actual Americans as you read this item:

Struggling with mounting debt and rising prices, faced with the toughest economic times since the early 1990s, Americans are selling prized possessions online and at flea markets at alarming rates.

To meet higher gas, food and prescription drug bills, they are selling off grandmother’s dishes and their own belongings. Some of the household purging has been extremely painful — families forced to part with heirlooms.

…At Craigslist, which has become a kind of online flea market for the world, the number of for-sale listings has soared 70 percent since last July. In March, the number of listings more than doubled to almost 15 million from the year-ago period. Craigslist CEO Jeff Buckmaster acknowledged the increasing popularity of selling all sort of items on the Web, but said the rate of growth is “moving above the usual trend line.” He said he was amazed at the desperate tone in some ads.

 Like a Georgia teenager whose mother lost her job and whose ad pleaded, “Please buy anything you can to help out.” Or like Alabama mobile home resident Ellona Bateman-Lee, whose husband was disabled in 2006 by an electric shock on the job as a dump truck driver: “Among her most painful sales: her grandmother’s teakettle. She sold it for $6 on eBay.”

Now, according to conservative philosophy, private charity is supposed to step in and help these struggling Americans in their time of need. That’s the whole plan: Let people keep their tax money, starve the government, subcontract welfare to via faith-based initiatives to private charity, who will be phat with donations from the Americans who have been allowed to keep more of their income care of tax breaks.

But guess what?

The trend may be hurting secondhand stores too. Donations to the Salvation Army were down 20 percent in the January-to-March period. George Hood, the charity’s national community relations and development secretary, said that was probably partly because people were selling their belongings instead.

 There’s your trickle-down economics at work, right there.

Big Meds and Big Insurance Spend $17 MILLION a Day to Influence Congress

B’Man: When the corrupt Congresspeople get their biggest contributions from Big Health (to a tune of $17,000,000/Day), you should not expect any changes to our healthcare fiasco we are dealing with.

$17 Million a Day to Influence Congress

Health interests dole out the dough to get their way

By Trudy Lieberman
Wed 16 Apr 2008 01:22 PM

On Bill Moyers Journal Friday night, David Beckmann, who heads the hunger advocacy group Bread for the World, recalled his visit with Senate Majority leader Harry Reid. Reid told Beckmann, “Look, I’ve been here thirty-five years. I think the two best organized interests in the United States are the insurance companies and the commodity groups,” meaning the people who produce corn, soybeans, etc. Reid said the obvious—that these special interests have very powerful friends on both sides of the aisle and it would be difficult to make changes in the commodity system that Beckmann was hoping for. Reid might well have added that it is also going to be really hard to change the American way of health care, a fact of life that the press is yet to truly illuminate.

A glance at what health insurers spent in the past year to get their way with lawmakers—mostly on one key issue—shows why. That issue may not be as sexy as the latest candidate gaffe, but it’s far more important. It is the question of continuing overpayments to insurance companies for their role in private Medicare Advantage plans.

A quick refresher: Medicare recipients can get their benefits from either traditional Medicare or from private Medicare Advantage plans, which in turn are paid by the government to provide the benefits. Last year the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac), a neutral outfit that advises Congress, said that Medicare was paying sellers of these plans on average 12 percent more than it cost to provide the same benefits under traditional Medicare; it paid sellers of a special type of plan called private-fee-for-service plans 19 percent more. So a middleman—the insurance company—is getting a large cut. And for what, really? This year MedPac says the overpayments are 13 percent and 17 percent. And what is worse: the commission says these overpayments contribute to Medicare’s worsening long-term financial problem.

The insurance companies, of course, think the system is just fine, and they spent heavily to keep the status quo. Health Plan Week, an insurance industry trade pub, took a hard look, revealing that overall health insurance payments to lobbyists soared last year and are likely to grow again in the next couple of years as health reform becomes the biggest issue. A large percentage of that money, the magazine found, was focused on the Medicare Advantage issue, which was front and center last year. Analyzing disclosure forms from the Senate’s public records office, Health Plan Week found that fifteen health plans paid lobbyists more than $22 million in 2007, up from $18 million in 2006, a hefty chunk of change by any measure. WellCare Health Plans, a big seller of Medicare Advantage products that has gotten in trouble with regulators for its questionable sales practices, quadrupled its spending to $320,000 and paid half of that amount to the Washington law firm to plead its case on Medicare issues. Health Net and Tufts Health Plan more than doubled their spending, while insurance biggies like CIGNA and UnitedHealth Group substantially increased their lobbying budgets. Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans spent nearly $10 million.

The Health Plan Week story is instructive. It shows what money can buy. Given the millions that insurers spent, it’s hardly surprising that attempts last year to get rid of the overpayments failed. Meanwhile, predictions of even greater spending this year and next should prompt journalists to closely watch the Medicare Advantage story.

A press release just issued by the Center for Responsive Politics further reinforces the money and health care story. Its message: Special interests spent $17 million for every day Congress was in session, and the drug industry spent most of all, paying lobbyists 25 percent more than they did last year. Did Harry Reid forget to mention them? Drug companies spent some $227 million on lobbying activities. The insurance industry was right behind with $138 million, and not far down was the hospital and nursing home industry, which spent some $91 million. When the Center pulled apart spending by organization, Pharma, the American Medical Association, and the American Hospital Association ranked three, four, and five on its list of top spenders. It’s too bad that the Center’s latest numbers haven’t gotten more press. For they, too show, the rocky path ahead for health reform.

It’s easy for reporters and editors to dismiss yet another press release about gobs of money thrown at politicians and lobbyists. We’ve seen that before, they say; what else is new? And it’s easy to cop out and blame readers for stumbling over the big numbers anyway. But the big numbers tell a big story. It’s crucial to remind the public of the intersection of money, lobbyists, Congress, and the presidential candidates. “It’s a constitutional right to petition your government, but the average citizen is not doing this petitioning,” says Massie Ritsch, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics. “The average person’s lobbyist is the elected official sent to Washington.” But, he adds, “Those officials are listening to the outsiders who are doing the petitioning.” The Constitution may guarantee lobbying, but it doesn’t say Congress has to listen to big money. The press needs to shine a light on just who is listening to whom.

B’Man: Oh, but then the media would have to stop its complicity in ravaging of Americans. Good luck with that.

There is but one clear answer and that is to cut the head off the middle man that serves no real purpose and is ONLY set up to make profits off the backs of Americans… the Insurance Companies. $.31 of every dollar spent on health related expenses is for the insurance companies’ operating expenditures (which are far higher than Medicare/Medicaid’s costs), profits and huge bonuses.

We need, no REQUIRE, a single payer, NOT-FOR-PROFIT healthcare system… just like most of the 36 better healthcare systems above us.

America #37!

 

As The Military Industrial Complex Profits Soar… REAL Jobs Are Lost

Layoffs hit hard across Southeast Tennessee, North Georgia

By: Cliff Hightower

…Companies across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia like Huber Engineered Woods; Whirlpool in Cleveland, Tenn.; and Mount Vernon Mills in Trion, Ga., have laid off hundreds of workers in the last three months, federal records show.

Even federal statistics might not tell the whole story because industries or businesses that employ 50 people or fewer are not mandated to report layoffs, officials said.

“You can go into some of the small businesses in Dalton and see that their jobs are reduced,” said Kathy Williams, employer marketing representative for the Georgia Department of Labor in Dalton, Ga. “People are trying to do with the minimal.”

Most of those layoffs have occurred in industries that deal with the housing market, records show. Slumping home construction has lessened demand for wallboard, carpet, appliances and other products, experts said.

Other losses came in the textile industry, where jobs have been moving overseas for years to take advantage of lower labor costs.

UNEMPLOYMENT RISING

Unemployment rates have risen over the last year and in some counties have almost doubled from the previous year, records show.

The unemployment rate for Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties rose from 3.5 percent in March 2007 to 6.5 percent in March 2008, said Patrick Todd, labor market analyst for the Tennessee Department of Labor’s Chattanooga Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Chattanooga MSA comprises those Georgia counties plus Hamilton, Marion and Sequatchie counties in Southeast Tennessee.

Unemployment in Whitfield County, Ga., went from 4.3 percent in March 2007 to 6.3 percent this March, federal records show.

March jobless rates jumped in McMinn County, Tenn., to 7.9 percent, up from 5.1 percent the previous year. In Meigs County, Tenn., the rate rose from 6.5 percent to 8.1 percent in the same period.

In Sequatchie County, Tenn., March jobless rates rose from 6.6 percent to 7.8 percent.

“What we’re seeing is a lot of counties are higher than a year ago,” said Larry Green, labor market analyst for the Tennessee Department of Labor. “Everybody is having trouble in manufacturing across the board.”

In McMinn County, Collins & Aikman, a company that sewed automobile upholstery, laid off almost 500 workers last year, records show. Whirlpool laid off 355 employees in Cleveland, Tenn., last month, and Mohawk Industries in Dalton told 66 workers in February they were no longer employed, records show.

Layoffs in smaller counties can be a shock to the entire community, Mr. Green said.

“There’s a lot of counties solely dependent on one or two manufacturers, and if they close, they are in trouble,” he said.

Jack Hammontree, director of the McMinn Economic Development Authority, said county officials are hoping for another employer to take over the former Collins & Aikman plant.

But in tough economic times, that might be hard to achieve, he said.

“It’s always difficult to recruit,” he said. “But it’s more difficult. The companies are thinking less about expanding.”

SEEKING RETRAINING

Some people who lose their jobs go back to school and learn different skills.

Scott Spears, of Trion was among 250 workers laid off from Mount Vernon Mills in Chattooga County, Ga., in January.

Mr. Spears enrolled at Northwestern Technical College in Rock Spring, Ga.

He can draw unemployment while he’s enrolled, and he gets money for school books, gas and food through the federal Workforce Investment Act.

He said he hopes the economy will be better by the time he’s through with his two-year degree in industrial control systems.

“That’s what I’m hoping,” he said.

Susan Doesburg, WIA assistant coordinator at Northwestern, said the most popular programs are nursing, electrical and heating and air conditioning. She said enrollment has increased because of layoffs. School officials said WIA enrollment averages 15 students a quarter, but 60 students enrolled this quarter.

Mrs. Doesburg said those students are using resources at a fast clip, and she’s worried how much help Northwestern can give to victims of future layoffs.

“Due to this increase, WIA funds are now limited,” she said.

Joyce Carrier, dean of the school of technology at Dalton State College, said she expects enrollment to jump in the fall, and perhaps the spring, because of layoffs. Many former employees come hoping the economy will get better once they graduate, she said.

“I think all of us would like to believe that,” Mrs. Carrier said.

B’Man: Look at the bright side. You can always sell shit on EBAY.

Guess Which Company Is The World’s MOST Profitable?

Wal-Mart?

Good guess, but no. From Amanda at ThinkProgress:

Exxon Mobil ranked as #1 most profitable company for fifth year straight.

Oil giant Exxon Mobil takes second place on the new Fortune 500 list, with first place going to Wal-Mart. Exxon Mobil, however, was the most profitable company for the fifth year in a row, “raking in a record-breaking $40 billion in 2007 earnings.”

I made a decision last year to avoid Exxon, unless running on fumes and there is not another source for petro. Last chance, as it were. We don’t have many choices, so they have a stranglehold on this country.

Sort of like rebelling against telephone companies due to their complicity with Bush on eaves dropping and spying on Americans. There aren’t many to choose from that DIDN’T work with Bush. And those that refused end up in jail on trumped up charges (imagine that).

I swear, I would buy some alternative energy car just so I would not have to buy gas anymore and give these crooks even more profit.

BTW: if you rednecks still think that it is just a coincidence that Bush and Cheney are Oil Men and that the price of gas has more than tripled since “Mission Accomplished” then you are surely a fool.

Measuring Elitism

Maybe Obama is an “elitist”. I don’t know. But, I have no doubt that McInsane is an Elitist and this sad little commentary proves it to me. WhatI want to know is how many reTHUGlican Bushie Fools will look at this and shrug it off while telling America how elitist Obama is.

Notice how McInsane uses his war experience as some crown to show the underlings.

The more he says bullshit like this, the more he “should” alienate himself from regular rednecks. But, somehow, I think that many will just push it away… he’s just old, whatever.

Take it from me… this insane asshole is the worst thing that could ever happen to America at this point in time (that is, until Bush calls for Marshall Law and we are stuck with him next year).