Russia ought to know: America is the new "land of the RED"
While most of the American media ignores the dramatic shift toward Marxism in America under President Obama's administration, there is one news source that has the guts to report what has been going on since Jan. 20, 2009 straight up: Russia's PRAVDA!
No cheer leading here, just the unvarnished truth: America is the new "land of the Red": American capitalism gone with a whimper.
It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.
I think most people are feeling overwhelmed by the speed in which we are descending into the mires of tyranny and government intrusion. The idea that government should dictate what salaries will be, what kind of car to drive, what kind of energy to use, what kind of health care and health insurance you can have, etc. flies in the face of every freedom loving American.
Wow! 2 good decisions in one day: Elmbrook graduation & Siepmann home stays
This does not happen too often in my world: 2 decisions that I am happy with, both delivered on the same day!
The first is significant: Judge allows Elmbrook graduation ceremony in church. I am thankful that the judge ruled rightly in allowing the school district to conduct it's graduation in the church auditorium. I applaud U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert for applying the law instead of making it.. His decision pleasantly surprised me; Clevert is not a conservative but a Bill Clinton appointee.
Mayor to draft two budgets
The much anticipated budget has been kicked off by the headlines"Mayor to draft two budgets". The Finance Committee made that request, although reasonable, places the rightful responsibility in the hands of the city elected leader, Mayor Speaker.
Paper or Plastic? Neither? But what do you do with garbage?
More photos posted on Brookfield7
Yesterday, the Washington D.C. city council approved a 5-cent fee (tax) on all plastic and paper bags provided grocery and convenience stores. (It still needs final approval.) This was supposedly done to save the environment. I think it was just done to improve the D.C. tax coffers! (Retailers were allowed to keep 20% of the take too.) Other communities have made efforts to ban plastic bags; Seattle tried to impose a 20-cent fee last summer. (That measure is going to referendum.) How long until Governor Doyle goes for this one?
SJV Festival this weekend 6/5 - 6/7
Don't miss the traditional start of Brookfield's summer with the kick off of the SJV Festival, this weekend Friday June 5th to Sunday June 7th. Here are some of the highlights that you will not want to miss:
Making room for Heirloom Tomatoes
This will be my 3rd year planting heirloom tomatoes. If you have not tried any, make room for 1 or 2 this year. Their flavor is spectacular and their color and shape fun. I don't think you will be disappointed.
I tried several new ones last year and will be repeating some again this year. Repeats include: Mr. Stripey, Aunt Ruby's German Green, and Green Zebra. New varieties include: Box Car Willie (red), Caspian Pink, Black Krim, Old German (orange) and Orange Oxheart. I purchase all from Steins Gardens--they have a great selection.
Corn Futures Investing
While we ate our breakfast, we saw a little creature;
(With excessive corn today),
Golf Ball Collection
With a golf course near our home, but fence and woods between:
Quite commonly, some balls are lost,
War Contracting is a Mess
This was the headline story on page 3A of the June 8th journal/sentinel, Associated Press, which went on to say that this is one Christmas gift US taxpayers don't need.
War profiteering is not new. Pres. Lincoln sent a General to New Orleans to defend the port and the General went into business for himself in illegal and immoral ventures.
$63 billion budget heads to State Assembly...Did you call your Rep? UPDATE
UPDATE: Good news! The Assembly Democrats removed the Joint and Sevedral Liability Law reform from the state budget yesterday. I would wager that decision had something to do with negative constituent phone calls and emails? Don't relax just yet, as Boots and Sabers cautioned, "It’s not over yet, though. It could still be stuck back in by the Senate and end up in the final version. Keep vigilant!" (Thanks, Vicki McKenna.)
After hearing about Gov. Doyle's out of control budget for weeks now, it is finally out of the finance committee and heading to the State Assembly tomorrow, Wed., June 10th. It totals a whopping $ 63 billion--$3 billion of that is NEW taxes. (The State Senate will probably take up the budget early next week.) If you have not contacted your representative, please do. (Brookfield's Reps are listed at bottom of post.)
Brewers, Favre and Bucks
These are some of my observations about our local sports world.
BREWERS. Fans hoped for a team that was right in the pennant race, and they are. Recent performances aside, the pitching has been better than expected but the hitting has been weak, with the exception of Braun and Fielder. For the Brewers to finish in their division in 1st place the three H's will have to perform like real major league batters. Hart, Hardy and Hall all are mired in deep slumps at the plate and none of the three deserves to even be in the starting lineup. The time is now, forget the excuses and home runs and hit the ball.
Competition with government health care will keep em honest? Really?
Last week, President Obama sent a letter touting his government health care plan to 2 Senate Democrats stating, "This [his public health care option] will give (people) a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest."
Really?
Has government interference given Wisconsin residents more choices and made insurance carriers more competitive? In my opinion, no. Wisconsin mandates that certain benefits be included in all insurance policies sold in the state. Things like treatment for alcoholism and autism are mandated for all policies, I believe. But why should a tea-totaling person be required to purchase treatment for alcoholism? Why should a childless adult or parent of grown children be required to purchase insurance to cover Autism? Why can't we purchase health insurance policies from other states without these mandates?
I am not saying that those services shouldn't be offered as a choice. Just that if you want them, they should be an extra.
We don't purchase car insurance that way. If a driver has had an accident or violation, their rates usually go up. We have the choice to purchase collision insurance or not. Why can't we get more choices available for health insurance too?
Just thinking about other private businesses that compete with the government, is it the competition with the government that drives prices down or competition with each other?
Did DHL offer cheaper shipping prices than the post office because they were competing with the USPS or because they were competing with UPS and FedEx?
What about schools. As a rule, which is more expensive, public schools or private schools? Which one provides a better product? Does competition with public schools drive the cost down or "keep them honest" for the private? Does competition restrain the price for the public schools? Do you ever hear of a school board discussing that they need to keep costs down to remain competitive with say a school like, Heritage Christian School. (Their tuition is under $4,000 a year last time I checked.)
No, I believe private schools--parochial in particular--provide a cheaper, better alternative to government schools. Just ask the 1,000's of students cut from the School Choice program in our state, who enjoyed a superior education at a lower cost to taxpayers.
What happens when the national health care plan obtains subsidies and underwriting by the government that aren't available to the private sector? How is that type of competition fair and honest? Once the private sector insurers are out of business, do you really think the product offered will be superior to the private sector product? (If you are in doubt, just think of a private retirement annuity/investment plan vs. Social Security, where you pay a lot in but get little out.)
The President would like government-run health care to hit the Congress by August. What is the rush? Thankfully, Republican House Leader John Boehner is adamantly opposed.
President Obama was correct that competition keeps the cost down--it does in the private sector. However, that principle doesn't really work when the government provides the only choice.
Must reads: Heritage Foundation: Obama Rhetoric vs Health Care Reality
Wall Street Journal: How to Stop Socialized Health Care, Five arguments Republicans must make
Investor's Business Daily: Doctors Fight Back
New York Times: A.M.A Opposes Government-Sponsored Health Plan
Links:
Bad at Returns
I take whatever comes my way: I'm not good at returns.
In restaurants, I've crunched away,
Graduations and the Constitution
And so - our community awaits a decision.
We await the knowledge of whether or not the views of an anonymous few and the litigious intervention of a social activist group from our Nation’s Capitol, will overturn the clearly expressed desire of the overwhelming majority of our community.
Cause and Effect in Detroit
A few months ago I wrote a column about what Napoleon would have told Congress and executives of the auto industry about the state of GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Today I consider what a famous American might have said regarding this matter.
Mark Twain once acidly remarked that, “the only difference between a man and a dog is that a man WILL bight the hand that feeds him”.
Socrates and Churchill on the "S" Word
The first instruction that Socrates always gave to a new student was, "if you would speak with me - you must define your terms". He knew that meaningful dialog on any subject requires objectively defined terms, so that the people engaged would understand the references and logic of their associates.
Today we hear many people caught up in the debate of whether or not we are sliding into socialism. If we consider the admonition of Socrates, I don't understand that debate.
