tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82862912024-03-07T02:55:30.090-05:00The Senescent ManThe new blogger address for the Senescent Man is (rightfully): http://senescentman.blogspot.com; and the new wordpress address is http://senescentman.wordpress.com. Try both of them on for size. Let us know what you think.The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comBlogger928125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-10340397582633388462017-04-24T14:45:00.000-04:002017-04-24T14:46:20.826-04:00FW: Public Announcement from MAGSEAL<div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Magnetic Seal Corp. (MAGSEAL) of Warren, RI is pleased to announce that <b>Joseph (Joe) Feula </b>has joined the company as <b>Global Aerospace Business Development Manager (NE Regional Sales)</b>. Joe joined the MAGSEAL Leadership Team on March 27, 2017 and reports directly to the President, Robert A. Garde, Jr. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always"> </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Prior to joining MAGSEAL, Joe held various product and sales positions at EATON Aerospace Group in Rhode Island including Global Sales Manager for Dynamic Seals, and more recently, their America’s Aftermarket Product Sales Manager – managing sales of dynamic seals, static seals and ducting systems.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Joe started his professional career as a Mechanical Engineering intern within Eaton’s Engineering Coop Program. Following his graduation from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering (2009), Joe worked at General Dynamics and Precision Cast Products Structural Division. Joe has a Masters degree in Business Administration in International Business from Bryant University (2015). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Magnetic Seal Corp. is a manufacturer of precision magnetic and spring loaded mechanical carbon seals. Established in 1954 and privately held, MAGSEAL maximizes system reliability on critical systems in the aerospace, automotive, marine, nuclear and industrial markets. For more company information access their website at </span><a href="http://www.MagSeal.com"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">www.MagSeal.com</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> or reach us at </span><a href="mailto:Sales@MagSeal.com"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Sales@MagSeal.com</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> as well as through social media. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvWeZ6l5Ko_e6Oud_1Xvs4DLwRe2omjicpk8Rfhvb0eTk3tw0EM9EvWlv1suIzdV8nQ0Eb73a7osMPs6GUlRAsbeU5JqCzB6PUrLAAXYE0rTV4DEXw9eEK3dZIt0ZrRfUkwNR_w/s1600/image004-780828.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvWeZ6l5Ko_e6Oud_1Xvs4DLwRe2omjicpk8Rfhvb0eTk3tw0EM9EvWlv1suIzdV8nQ0Eb73a7osMPs6GUlRAsbeU5JqCzB6PUrLAAXYE0rTV4DEXw9eEK3dZIt0ZrRfUkwNR_w/s320/image004-780828.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6412642074603512562" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFXyto9BRQJaIyKgZdnfCfECXmOZY66056UoQoFpm7pWDDPXsxbR9DNes3kLexQTsVfHiZILFmHcxopO6RNd3MiqaFLLT7My0FlLQLVj1EjE7yMZ0GMISByWUPOl-u9RazB7o1g/s1600/image006-781510.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFXyto9BRQJaIyKgZdnfCfECXmOZY66056UoQoFpm7pWDDPXsxbR9DNes3kLexQTsVfHiZILFmHcxopO6RNd3MiqaFLLT7My0FlLQLVj1EjE7yMZ0GMISByWUPOl-u9RazB7o1g/s320/image006-781510.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6412642073269425970" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><o:wrapblock><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" 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style='position:absolute;margin-left:-7.9pt;margin-top:-80.4pt;width:603.6pt;height:90.2pt;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'> <v:imagedata src="cid:image007.png@01D2BD03.3FDA7A40" o:title="" /> <w:wrap type="topAndBottom"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><span style="mso-ignore:vglayout;position:relative;z-index:251659264;left:-11px;top:0px;width:805px;height:120px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjco0a3yitSniNVB0JNvNYkB01YVgT7JyUhafLi0ewMGyi8o_U6hBW0_Yp0PGR0MiHaTxmWp3eSWggmYBKogk8jMh2yQXs3ESHdinqoDFX6rCRGJmkzVZG0R03SvksnqY5DH4hw/s1600/image001-782106.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGjco0a3yitSniNVB0JNvNYkB01YVgT7JyUhafLi0ewMGyi8o_U6hBW0_Yp0PGR0MiHaTxmWp3eSWggmYBKogk8jMh2yQXs3ESHdinqoDFX6rCRGJmkzVZG0R03SvksnqY5DH4hw/s320/image001-782106.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6412642078302802130" /></a></span><![endif]><!--[if gte vml 1]></o:wrapblock><![endif]--><br style="mso-ignore:vglayout" clear="ALL"> <span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D">Chuck Nevola | Director, Marketing & Customer Relations | MAGSEAL | </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">(</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> 401-247-2800 Ext 117 | </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">Q</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> 401-965-0503 | </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">-</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:purple"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> </span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:cnevola@magseal.com"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">cnevola@magseal.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhP3nKzh5Oh_1ThbXFKVnfv8iKVqSREjfDlSHFh5FJFWscJMNJRSmLbUaAPUKsvBd1VVsCjkxnXtrsJnLN8J3q4qacCjrYla49073EbW3dHrR_6zEcGC7TVUZ3XjpPTJc5ZTx2w/s1600/image009-782587.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhP3nKzh5Oh_1ThbXFKVnfv8iKVqSREjfDlSHFh5FJFWscJMNJRSmLbUaAPUKsvBd1VVsCjkxnXtrsJnLN8J3q4qacCjrYla49073EbW3dHrR_6zEcGC7TVUZ3XjpPTJc5ZTx2w/s320/image009-782587.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6412642077771194834" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">365 Market Street, Warren, RI 02885<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#C00000">Attention: </span></b><span style="color:#1F497D">This communication may contain information that is confidential, privileged and/or restricted from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original, all attachments, and all copies of this communication.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#C00000">EXPORT CONTROL NOTICE:</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D"> This e-mail may contain technical data whose export, transfer, and/or disclosure may be controlled by the US International Traffic and Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR part 120-130 or the Export Administration Regulations Commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-15757992169811459682017-03-21T08:49:00.000-04:002017-03-21T08:50:01.177-04:00FW: MAGSEAL has a New Website<div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">MAGSEAL is continually evolving and enhancing its capabilities. So today I’m writing to invite you to check out our new website at <a href="http://www.magseal.com">www.magseal.com</a>. The website is yet the latest milestone along our path of continual improvement. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">There you will find a host of resources for applying magnetic seals in aerospace, automotive, high precision, marine, nuclear, bearing protection and other markets to maximize the reliability of your critical systems. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">The site will make it much easier for you to connect with us. You will find a variety of resources there such as links to our sales department and an easy-to-use “New Application Data Sheet” that will route directly to us for any set of new requirements you might have.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">You will also find our video on the MAGSEAL difference: <a href="https://youtu.be/JRqw0l-ukJY">https://youtu.be/JRqw0l-ukJY</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Please feel free to visit the site and tell us what you think.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">And thank you,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D">Chuck Nevola | Director, Marketing & Customer Relations | MAGSEAL | </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">(</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> 401-247-2800 Ext 117 | </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">Q</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> 401-965-0503 | </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">-</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:purple"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> </span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:cnevola@magseal.com"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">cnevola@magseal.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#17365D"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsuThKS8YoOEps6R3yIw_K37Q6sU_36UA74b6mtJENczEkdboJSHo2mr3NMyMIkA_bd0z1iV4QKy4DnUzczb9i2KrCFvIxT5XbsXUBoadkIa_OONEqmFURWQVBR-6mBVnzevOtw/s1600/image005-701179.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsuThKS8YoOEps6R3yIw_K37Q6sU_36UA74b6mtJENczEkdboJSHo2mr3NMyMIkA_bd0z1iV4QKy4DnUzczb9i2KrCFvIxT5XbsXUBoadkIa_OONEqmFURWQVBR-6mBVnzevOtw/s320/image005-701179.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6399933354865944418" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">365 Market Street, Warren, RI 02885<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Visit us at our new and totally redesigned website at </span></b><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.magseal.com"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">www.magseal.com</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUVS5O_v4BhPfQgdxC2KfcjDKvgRRIjgvkIGxQg7MKLWTq-pruPFgt7wBJDRzJqXem5tnwd8tQKtvP3vIIlhlEMjWQzgG3arZ3v5DJ_At5uV0W-dftdY-C8_A1CdqhdlsldSMqw/s1600/image006-703520.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUVS5O_v4BhPfQgdxC2KfcjDKvgRRIjgvkIGxQg7MKLWTq-pruPFgt7wBJDRzJqXem5tnwd8tQKtvP3vIIlhlEMjWQzgG3arZ3v5DJ_At5uV0W-dftdY-C8_A1CdqhdlsldSMqw/s320/image006-703520.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6399933363100930274" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#C00000">Attention: </span></b><span style="color:#1F497D">This communication may contain information that is confidential, privileged and/or restricted from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original, all attachments, and all copies of this communication.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#C00000"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#C00000">EXPORT CONTROL NOTICE:</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D"> This e-mail may contain technical data whose export, transfer, and/or disclosure may be controlled by the US International Traffic and Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR part 120-130 or the Export Administration Regulations Commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-5239197716173032042012-01-05T14:10:00.005-05:002012-01-05T17:26:54.404-05:00Early Prediction: Obama wins Re-election<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79bEXl-Q7CtJMP2m7vkwQrYucO-nxjj_X8o4rfxY_8_9oh802E3NxAFRWHDDBhFUnHi2EDgz8m8IeTz7mqp8O9s1epbk__sMaR__VdtFFsRPASeQbfwT3Ssb-FaaJc95Eyok4KA/s1600/Obama.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79bEXl-Q7CtJMP2m7vkwQrYucO-nxjj_X8o4rfxY_8_9oh802E3NxAFRWHDDBhFUnHi2EDgz8m8IeTz7mqp8O9s1epbk__sMaR__VdtFFsRPASeQbfwT3Ssb-FaaJc95Eyok4KA/s320/Obama.png" width="320" /></a> Yes, I hate to say it, but that's my prediction right now. If conditions in the county remain on election day as they are right now, Obama will win.<br />
<br />
I base that on what I'm seeing and hearing on the political landscape right now, and how I interpret the overriding political nature of the Baby Boomers. I wrote about that before on this blog, calling them the <a href="http://senescence.blogspot.com/search/label/Candy%20Store%20Generation">Candy Store Generation</a> (first one is <a href="http://senescence.blogspot.com/2009/04/candy-store-generation-part-1-election.html">here</a>). In my mind they—or I guess I should say "we"—have screwed up much or most of what is good about the United States. It has gotten so bad that I look for a future generation, which I call the "<a href="http://senescence.blogspot.com/2009/04/candy-store-generation-part-4-panic-of.html">Had Enough Generation</a>", who will reject what the CSG did and right the ship of state.<br />
<br />
I believe the 2010 mid-term elections was the first appearance of the Had Enoughs. I wasn't sure if they would show their head so soon, thinking it might not be Gen X or even Gen Y, but might be somewhere out in the future. But show up the Had Enoughs did, in large enough numbers to make partial changes in Congress and scare the daylights out of the political establishment on both sides of the aisle.<br />
<br />
But, based simply on raw numbers, the Candy Store Generation still rules this country and determines who is elected. Where were they in 2010? It was just an off-year election. They were asleep, or stoned, or busy with whatever a privileged and spoiled people do. So the first appearance of the Had Enoughs had a minor victory. But in 2012, the Candy Store Generation will be out in force. Their gravy train is threatened by those who don't want to pay the freight. There are enough voters in the CSG that I believe they will carry the day for Obama. Regardless of what polls and approval ratings suggest now, the CSG is not going to vote for those who will grab them by their hair and yank their sorry faces out of the government feeding trough. The Had Enoughs will see a little bit of a smack down in 2012.<br />
<br />
When will the Had Enoughs be large enough to overcome the Candy Store Generation? I’m not ready to make that prediction yet. But I don’t think it will be in 2014 or 2016. It will only be when the CSG shrinks to a small enough part of the voting public, and their leadership in elected positions gives way to a younger generation. In fact, I'm still not sure that Gen X will be the Had Enoughs. The Had Enoughs will come from every generation voting. Some will come from what Brokaw calls the Greatest Generation. A few Boomers will be among the Had Enoughs. Gen X will be well represented in the Had Enoughs, but possibly it will be Gen Y before the Had Enoughs are dominant enough to really turn things around.<br />
<br />
Having said all this, I hope I’m wrong. I hope the Had Enoughs can make gains in 2012, rather than be set back. I'll have to revisit this after the elections, and see how close I came. Meanwhile, my neck is well stretched out.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-18289629993343992302011-08-03T23:19:00.000-04:002011-08-03T23:19:13.052-04:00Washington, Listen to YourselvesPresident Obama said it in his address to the nation, the one that was followed by Speaker Boehner’s response. I have heard Obama’s claim repeated by other Democratic politicians. I haven’t researched the truth of it myself, but for now I’m going to believe it. It goes something like this.<br />
<ul><li>During the Reagan administration, Congress raised the debt ceiling 18 times.</li>
<li>During the Clinton administration, Congress raised the debt ceiling 8 times.</li>
<li>During the GW Bush administration, Congress raised the debt ceiling 9 times.</li>
<li>Why then is Congress balking at raising the debt ceiling this time?</li>
</ul>I may be off a little in the number of times, but not too far off. Why the GHW Bush administration wasn’t included I don’t know, or maybe it was and my memory is faulty.<br />
<br />
<div> </div>Hello, Mr. President and Congress, listen to what you are saying! In the 26 years covered by the administrations listed above the debt ceiling was raised 36 times. Doesn’t that give you cause for concern? Doesn’t that tell you that the entire system is broken? How can a debtor go out and get his credit limit raised 36 times in 26 years?<br />
<br />
<div> </div>I had a family member do pretty much the same thing. He borrowed heavily to finance his small business. Through a combination of difficult business conditions, government regulation, and health issues, he lost his business to bankruptcy. He convinced others to finance a return of his business. That business faced the same conditions, and five years later was on the verge of bankruptcy. He convinced his son to buy his property as a way of rescuing the business. The business failed again. To float the business he took out a credit card in his son's name and maxed it out. He did that again, and again, for a total of five times. He borrowed payments from individuals. Finally with all his resources and sources gone, the bank seized the property from the son, who had to declare bankruptcy. Thus the son is off the hook, the father will shortly be homeless, and the bank’s owners have had to pick up at least some of the tab.<br />
<br />
<div> </div>I realize using a personal situation is not quite the same thing as a government. The person can’t print money. On the other hand, the person can go out and get a second job. The person can easily cut spending and quit destructive behavior with immediate decisions. Large governments can’t do that. Large governments, representing a large citizenry, have to operate on the herd mentality. Until the herd quits its destructive behavior or goes over the cliff en mass, not much can be done.<br />
<br />
<div> </div>I believe, however, that the frequent requests to and acquiescence in raising the debt ceiling is evidence that we are headed for destruction. Obama’s words, as repeated by his various lackeys, prove it. Congress, you are out of your minds. Thank God for those few among your moronic membership who dared to call you on your madness. May their tribe increase.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-55894068709580013062011-08-01T12:11:00.001-04:002011-08-01T12:14:33.902-04:00The Borrowing Limit Deal: HE, or BAU by the Candy Store Generation?I’ve been following this debt ceiling debate closer than I should. I watch the coverage on Fox News Channel till I get tired of that, then turn to MSNBC (mainly for laughs), till that makes my blood pressure go up, then to CNN, till I can’t stand any more. Then I turn to cable channel 46 or 30, and hope I catch a replay of an episode of <em>Criminal Minds</em>, and see what the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit) is up to.<br />
<br />
But there's another wording for BAU: business as usual. I can't help but think that’s exactly what this debt ceiling increase deal is: business as usual. Increase our ability to borrow to fund cowboy poetry festivals across the nation for the next two years of so, make a few designated cuts, and delay all the difficult decisions until later.<br />
<br />
Anyone care to predict what will happen when this new super-duper congressional committee comes up with its recommended cuts just before Thanksgiving? Congress won’t approve them by Christmas. These "automatic triggers" will go into effect, but when the many members of Congress realize exactly what that means, we will have a major battle over that. Maybe some spending cuts will come to the table for debate, but so will tax increases. "The wealthy don't pay their fare share" will come up as it always does, and proponents of that will not tell the American people that taxes fall heaviest on the poor and middle class, regardless of who writes the check to the government. Indeed, they don't recognize or accept that themselves.<br />
<br />
This will become the main issue of the election of 2012 at the presidential and congressional levels. I suppose that’s a good thing. Once again social issues will take a back seat to economic issues. Those of "Tea Party" leanings will either be strengthened or, if the Democrats and the press can succeed at branding them radical obstructionists, lose ground. I can't see clearly enough to have a clue of what will happen to Tea Party strength in that election.<br />
<br />
This all makes me wonder if what we are seeing now the first battle between the Had Enough Generation and The Candy Store Generation. The CSG are the Baby Boomers, those who had everything given to them on a platter by a once great generation who didn't want their children to go through the hardships they did. The HEG is someone who comes after the CSG and cleans up their mess. Possibly this is the first struggle between those two for supremacy. If so, the HEG has shown up quicker than I expected it to.<br />
<br />
But we've still got a lot of the CSG in the Congress. Just how stupid are these people? I hate to keep coming back to the Nevada Cowboy Poetry Festival, but Harry "The Gray" Reid brought it up, saying how awful it would be to de-fund them. Now Reid is not technically a member of the CSG. Born in 1939, seven years before the official start of the Boomers, he theoretically belongs to what Brokaw called "The Greatest Generation". But clearly there is a transitional group, born late in one generation but who didn't participate with the older ones in their struggles. That's Reid. That's Pelosi. They are older Boomers at heart, leaders of one wing of the CSG.<br />
<br />
They think it is perfectly acceptable to borrow $35,000 from the People's Republic of China to fund a poetry festival, and expect their children to pay the interest on that money for perhaps twenty years and then have their grandchildren pay the bill itself sometime after that. As I said before, this is beyond ridiculous; it's moronic.<br />
<br />
But I don't see anything yet that is going really make a dent in this out of control spending. The committee that's part of the deal probably won't work. The battle will continue. And the election of 2012 will let us know if the Had Enoughs have arrived or not. My guess is they are beginning to show, but that the Candy Store Generation will still have sufficient power to continue to make a mess of everything up until 2014. That’s when we might see the HEG make enough of a move to really change things.<br />
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Until then, it's BAU with the CSG. Let's hope they don’t run us over a cliff in these last three years. We're very close right now.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-85559528526430104012011-07-26T09:10:00.001-04:002011-07-26T09:11:01.427-04:00Hands Off My MoneyBarack, Harry, and Nancy:<br />
<br />
The USA government has enough money coming in to service its debt and cover everything that is really essential. Everything we are borrowing money for is, in my not so humble opinion, non-essential.<br />
<br />
So if you don't get authorization to borrow more, prioritize. This is called "money management", something you never seem to have learned.<br />
<ul><li>Service the debt, and shut down the Department of Education</li>
<li>Pay all military bills, and make a skeleton of the EPA</li>
<li>Pay legitimate Homeland Security expenses, and close all National Parks</li>
<li>Inspect foodstuffs, but scuttle the National Endowment for the Arts</li>
<li>Make Social Security and Medicare payments, but darn near eliminate the Department of Labor</li>
<li>Don't pay yourselves.</li>
</ul>Barack, you say you want more revenue--lots more revenue--as compensation for spending cuts. But you say the revenue will come from the richest Americans, those who earn more than $200 or $250 thousand (whatever that number is today), claiming that won't hurt the poor or the middle class.<br />
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I've got news for you, Barack, Harry, and Nancy: Taxes don't really work that way. Raise taxes on the rich, and they'll just charge more for their goods and services. They are the ones who have the power to do so. Market forces put some limit on this, but not enough to prevent some rise in prices. So it's the poor and middle class who give the rich the money they use to pay their taxes. Do you really think the rich are just going to sit idly and not recover from the poor what you take from them?<br />
<br />
Tax the rich and you tax indirectly tax me in the middle class. Why don't you get that?<br />
<br />
But tell you what. Harry Reid wants this cowboy poetry festival in Nevada, and thinks I should contribute to the cost of the cowboy poets getting together. I'll listen to your arguments about the need for more revenue if Harry pays for this festival out of his own pocket for the next five years, and refunds to the American people (via the US Treasury) the last five years. He's worth over $2 million (mostly accumulated since he's been a senator), and that's only $350,000. He can afford it, if he really thinks it's so important.<br />
<br />
Why should a poor person in Rhode Island, or a middle class guy in Arkansas pay for cowboy poets to get together in Nevada? If you all think it's so important they have a forum, you should be willing to pay for it yourselves. Or, think of it this way: Would you borrow money to pay for cowboy poets to get together in Nevada? Doesn't that sound absolutely ridiculous?<br />
<br />
Until Harry does that, I conclude you really don't have a clue about money management, and thus don't qualify to get a larger amount of public money to mismanage. You asked everyone to contact their national legislators and make their feelings known. I will do that today. What I will say is: YOU DON'T DESERVE ANY MORE MONEY TO MISMANAGE. NO TAX INCREASES ON ANYONE. Increase taxes on the rich and the poor and middle class end up paying them.<br />
<br />
Nitwits.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-91403999852925827682011-07-11T14:32:00.002-04:002011-09-21T13:10:27.832-04:00What WAS Shovel-ReadyDid President Obama not have any civil engineers on his staff? Or anywhere in his administration? It would appear not. All those "shovel-ready jobs" he talked about were public works projects. Well, that happens to be in my bailiwick. I've made a career or doing the civil engineering part of public works projects. And not only me, but a lot of civil engineers have done even more public works than I have, since part of my career has also involved commercial projects.<br />
<br />
Back in early 2009 when the president was saying that ARRA funds would go to shovel-ready jobs and put people right to work, I wanted to scream "You don't know what you're talking about." The fact is, there are very few public works projects just sitting around waiting to be funded. Since most of the time funding is required to do the engineering for these projects, the engineering isn't going to be done until at least <em>some</em> of the funding is in place.<br />
<br />
Northwest Arkansas recently had a "shovel-ready" job go to construction. It's the Bella Vista By-pass, an interstate highway that will fill a gap in intestate quality roads linking Missouri and Arkansas. This is a road that was not part of the original interstate highway program, but was added some years ago based on population expansion in northwest Arkansas. It will connect Fort Smith AR and Joplin MO, both of which have interstates extending some distance north and south respectively. As either state had some money to spend, they would extend their road another ten or twenty miles, and the gap narrowed.<br />
<br />
By 2005 the gap was down to about 25 miles. The two states did some joint planning, decided on a route that would meet, and began their respective work of seeking money and acquiring rights-of-way. Missouri got ahead of Arkansas, has their money in the bank, and has been waiting on Arkansas to get their act together. Somehow, the act never got together. Arkansas sought Federal funds and never received them. They cut back the scale of the project, proposing to initially build only a high-quality controlled access two lane road. Still, since Arkansas, for some reason, thought the good people of the United States of America, rich and poor, eastern and western, north and south, should build their road for them, the project languished.<br />
<br />
Until ARRA. Sometime in 2010 ARRA funds filled the money gap to fill the road gap, and the project became a go. The Arkansas highway department got after a client of our engineering company to get an 18-inch water line moved, and after another utility to get a 10-inch water line moved, and after phone, gas, electrical, and cable TV companies to get their utilities moved. At some point engineering documents were completed, the road project bid in March 2011, and a road contractor mobilized in May.<br />
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Last Friday, July 8, 2011, approximately 29 months after ARRA was passed, the ribbon cutting was held for this construction project. But I need to be fair. Funds were being expended as early as August 2010, a mere 19 months after ARRA was passed, and maybe a little sooner. But the lion's share of those expenditures on this project are only now about to hit the work force.<br />
<br />
A civil engineer could have told Barack in a heartbeat that no shovel ready jobs existed in the architecture-engineering-construction industry. Construction drawings had to be drawn and construction specifications written. Land had to be acquired or condemned. Bids had to be received and low bidders qualified. Mobilization time had to be spent.<br />
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A civil engineer could have told you, Mr. President. But then your lie would have become known. Everyone would have known that it wasn't the construction projects and construction jobs that were "shovel-ready", but something else entirely, which we usually talk about in euphemisms with shoveling-like gestures. Yes, something was shovel-ready from your administration, but it wasn't the jobs. <br />
<br />
Get ready, America. We've got at least 18 more months of having to watch where we step.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-17592602775688685752011-05-05T13:25:00.000-04:002011-05-05T13:25:06.532-04:00A Shameless Self-PromotionHopefully my good friend, the Senescent Man, will not mind my making a shameless commerical plug for myself. If I'm out of line, Chuch, feel free to delete this. Given that the blog has been dormant for four months, I'm not sure who will see it anyway.<br />
<br />
I have completed a book, and it is for sale at the Kindle store. It is:<br />
<br />
<em>Documenting America: Lessons from the United States' Historical Documents</em><br />
<br />
Here's the<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YWG5PY"> link</a>, and here's the description:<br />
<blockquote><strong><span style="color: blue;">The United States is rich in documents, many which remain in obscurity, but which contain valuable information about the formation of this nation, while at the same time contain lessons for where we are right now. In this book, a number of these documents are quoted in large blocks, the importance of the document explained, and relevancy for America shown. The documents selected cover the 18th and 19th centuries. The colonial era, the run up to Independence, the formative years, and the rise to the beginning of being a great world power are all herein.</span></strong></blockquote><span style="color: black;">I'll say here what I didn't say in the on-line description: I wrote the book from a conservative political perspective. What I get into a document, and try to draw a lesson for the 21st century, I calls 'em like I sees 'em. But, if the document seems to espouse a non-conservative theme, I try to bring it back to a conservative understanding.</span><br />
<br />
Well, there's the promotion. The book is a bargain at $1.25, all 40,000 words (about 160 pages of a standard print book. I hope some readers of TSM will buy it and post reviews on the Kindle store. Oh, and I understand that just about any electronic device can display the book, though you might need to download the free Kindle app.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-20692041288041437722010-12-23T15:09:00.001-05:002010-12-23T15:09:49.142-05:00Goodnight Les Miserables<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Here I am at home listening to much of the same Christmas music I enjoy each season, some wonderfully orchestral, some more vocal and even pop. For instance, I really enjoy Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra singing the old carols. They unabashedly sing about “Christ the King,” “born to give us second birth,…” from a time when it was considered normal operating procedure to sing Christmas carols with all glory of their original lyrics.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">The other night on his regular evening program, Bill O’Reilly opined as to whether or not it was offensive to some when “flash mobs” gather in shopping malls across the country to sing Handel’s Alleluia Chorus from his exquisite Oratorio “Messiah” because the words might be offensive to some, presumably “some” are people who shop and celebrate small “c” Christmas and prefer to evacuate all meaning of its origin and significance, who have made it just another secular day off from work. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">My first reaction to Bill’s question was consternation because it caused me to wonder why this question should even be asked in the first place? But even if he didn’t, and I know what he was likely driving at – that people who are offended as such were “pinheads” in his vernacular – the question in these times nonetheless is begged every day.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">There is a working dynamic here. It is not just the usual offense that the gospel represents to the unchurched. I fear we are entering a new age where everything and anything that directly or indirectly makes reference of the true and original nature and meaning of Christmas will be, little by little, extricated from the public square as arcane, dogmatic, irrelevant and biased against those who prefer never to hear a word on the True Light and Hope of the world, which all of this music in effect points to.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">When we fully enter that post-postmodern age where everything is completely devoid of all meaning and all reference to this wonderful message of hope, how shall we then live? What then of our world? Our society? Dear Virginia, yes there may be a Santa Claus, but as for hope? Well, I’m sorry Virginia, there is no hope for you beyond this world. There was no Savior who came to remove the dross from this fallen earth to pave a path to a new world, and hence there is only today, so live for today, “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die” and it all ends, and sooner rather than later. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">What would be next to remove from public view? Any classical literature the makes veiled references to redemption? Goodnight <em>Les Miserables</em>. Farewell to Milton, Adios “It’s a Wonderful Life.” </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">What then of our coming new and hopeless age? When we are on our respective deathbeds, and become more supple to that last chance at hope, there will be no redemptive literature to reflect upon, no lyrics to ponder, no music to listen to that gives consideration to a coming New and durable life without flaw, in the full light of the Dayspring, the Beautiful Rose of Sharon, whose Kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ. Alleluia.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-4085405550575926902010-12-23T15:00:00.001-05:002010-12-23T15:00:55.116-05:00Goodnight Les Miserables<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Here I am at home listening to much of the same Christmas music I enjoy each season, some wonderfully orchestral, some more vocal and even pop. For instance, I really enjoy Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra singing the old carols. They unabashedly sing about “Christ the King,” “born to give us second birth,…” from a time when it was considered normal operating procedure to sing Christmas carols with all glory of their original lyrics.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">The other night on his regular evening program, Bill O’Reilly opined as to whether or not it was offensive to some when “flash mobs” gather in shopping malls across the country to sing Handel’s Alleluia Chorus from his exquisite Oratorio “Messiah” because the words might be offensive to some, presumably “some” are people who shop and celebrate small “c” Christmas and prefer to evacuate all meaning of its origin and significance, who have made it just another secular day off from work. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">My first reaction to Bill’s question was consternation because it caused me to wonder why this question should even be asked in the first place? But even if he didn’t, and I know what he was likely driving at – that people who are offended as such were “pinheads” in his vernacular – the question in these times nonetheless is begged every day.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">There is a working dynamic here. It is not just the usual offense that the gospel represents to the unchurched. I fear we are entering a new age where everything and anything that directly or indirectly makes reference of the true and original nature and meaning of Christmas will be, little by little, extricated from the public square as arcane, dogmatic, irrelevant and biased against those who prefer never to hear a word on the True Light and Hope of the world, which all of this music in effect points to.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">When we fully enter that post-postmodern age where everything is completely devoid of all meaning and all reference to this wonderful message of hope, how shall we then live? What then of our world? Our society? Dear Virginia, yes there may be a Santa Claus, but as for hope? Well, I’m sorry Virginia, there is no hope for you beyond this world. There was no Savior who came to remove the dross from this fallen earth to pave a path to a new world, and hence these is only today, so live for today, “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die” and it all ends, and sooner than later. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">What would be next to remove from public view? Any classical literature the makes veiled references to redemption. Goodnight <em>Les Miserables</em>. Farewell to Milton, Adios “It’s a Wonderful Life.” </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">What then of our coming new and hopeless age? When we are on our respective deathbeds, and become more supple to that last chance at hope, there will be no redemptive literature to reflect upon, no lyrics to ponder, no music to listen to that gives consideration to a coming New and durable life without flaw, in the full light of the Dayspring, the Beautiful Rose of Sharon, whose Kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ. Alleluia.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-75640111451696358252010-11-06T18:47:00.001-04:002010-11-06T18:47:34.449-04:00As Rhode Island Goes, So the Nation Does Not Go<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Or should I say it the other way around? As the nation went, at least, RI did not give an iota. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">We end up with the most liberal option of Governor choices. We keep our General Assembly – mostly liberal Democrats – intact. RI – Dist 1, which was formerly Patrick' Kennedy’s seat goes to liberal Democrat David Cicilline instead of worthy Republican John Loughlin. RI – Dist 2, as I expected remained with James Langevin over Mark Zacaria, though Zacaria made the cogent arguments being offered around the country of the run away US House in every debate, but he ended up doing it to no avail – because he was making his points in RI to Rhode Islanders. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">My first reaction was “it' truly is time to leave the state.” Former Cranston Mayor Steven Laffey presciently predicted a Lincoln Chafee victory due several factors: the split votes for “Moderate, Democrat and Republican candidates, and that the unions would get their machine out in full force to make certain their liberal Democratic votes made it to the polls. And they won the day completely in RI. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">The rest of the nation moved very deliberately in the right direction, while RI remains stuck where it has been, and with some of the highest taxes and highest unemployment in the nation. Even Michigan moved seats to Republicans to get out of their mess, but no, not RI.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">But there were signs of a silver lining out there:</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">(1) There is a remnant of Tea Party oriented activists still intact, and ready to prepare for 2012 – which is good. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">(2) The fact that Congress has moved very deliberately to the right while the President is not yielding or triangulating to the middle will mean that the RI delegation will be somewhat thwarted from their liberal agenda, and may not be all that popular in 2 years. Remember Reagan took the state in 1984, and a solid Republican presidential candidate could yield something similar.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">(3) There were some good lessons learned in running in the 4 way Governor race, and the dropping of the Republican nominated Lt. Governor. I thought to myself the other day, soon after his “shove it” comment, what if Frank Caprio said he was going to drop out of the race, and ask his supporters to vote for Republican John Robitaille? Imagine not only what that would have looked like in the national media spotlight, but what that would have done to the outcome. Chafee would be toast instead of Governor Elect. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">(4) The excellent idea that was“CleanSlateRI. Though it seemed to end up having little impact on the outcome, the concept is a good one that should be developed further and more robustly supported long before 2012.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">While other states are looking forward to a roll back of tax burden, and a movement to prioritize spending so that taxes go down instead of increase, RI has a new governor who diabolically conjures new ways to spend taxpayers money – what few remaining taxpayers are still left in the state – and new ways to tax them.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">RI Conservatives: we either have to leave (which will leave even fewer to carry the burgeoning tax load) or we need to build off what momentum we really achieved and strategize starting from now to make a major correction in 2012 – and also plan to get Chafee out in 2014 – too bad it couldn’t be sooner, though there is always the recall.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Activists unite! You have nothing to lose but higher taxes. and poor leadership.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-57766460414757316042010-11-05T15:11:00.002-04:002010-11-05T15:17:09.340-04:00Election Predictions ReviewOn Monday I posted these predictions for the election:<br /><br />US House: Republicans gain 72 seats<br />US Senate: Republicans gain 9 seats<br />Governors: Republicans gain a net of 7 governors<br /><br />While nine house seats and one governor's race are still considered undecided, here's how it looks as if it will turn out:<br /><br />US House: Republicans gain 63 to 66 seats net, 66 to 69 without considering Democratic pick-ups.<br />US Senate: Republicans gain 6<br />Governors: Republicans gain a net of 7<br /><br />So, I was close in the House, over-predicted in the Senate, and was spot on for the governorships.<br /><br />I now await the Senescent Man to enter the room and state how he did. It looks as if we did about the same in the House, he was closer in the Senate, and I was closer on the governorships.<br /><br />You may now return to your regular programming.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-4839281123759587952010-11-01T19:59:00.001-04:002010-11-01T19:59:21.818-04:00Senescent Predictions<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">My fellow Blogger, David Todd has made his predictions, and below are mine. Last election cycle, David’s predictions were better than mine. I’m looking to get even. Below are my predictions for the Congressional and Gubernatorial elections tomorrow. Here we go:</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">The GOP will </font><a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/251627/election-predictions-house-jim-geraghty#"><font size="3" face="Georgia">win</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> 78 House districts currently held by Democrats, and the Democrats will win 6 House seats currently held by Republicans, including a few surprises, or a net gain of 72. My analysis is largely based upon Jim Geraghty’s analysis, which in turn was based largely on the very accurate Scott Rasmussen. I veer from Geraghty’s analysis by predicting Keating to lose to Jeff Perry in Massachusetts, as well as Barney Frank to Sean Beilat. I agree with NRO in predicting, gladly, that John Loughlin will win Patrick Kennedy’s RI District 1 seat away from David Cicilline.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Republicans will end up with a net of 8 seats: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada (yahoo!), North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, all of which will go to the GOP. Unfortunately, Boxer will win in California, and the Democrats will eek out wins in Washington state and West Virginia; this will leave the Senate split 51–49 in the Democrats’ favor. That’s okay because there will be enough fear that Democrats won’t be apt to move any further than the middle, especially after they see their beloved Speaker go down in flames in Nevada.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Republicans will net 9 more governor’s mansions, and I veer a little afield from NRO here and predict that though Meg will lose California, the Republican will beat Deval Patrick in Massachusetts.</font></p></td></tr> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="215"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="112"><font size="3" face="Georgia"> </font></td> <td valign="top" width="101"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><strong>Net GOP Gains</strong></font></p></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="112"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia">US House</font></p></td> <td valign="top" width="101"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia">72</font></p></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="112"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia">US Senate</font></p></td> <td valign="top" width="101"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia">8</font></p></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="112"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Governors</font></p></td> <td valign="top" width="101"> <p align="center"><font size="3" face="Georgia">9</font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I also make these few predictions on the RI races:</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Governor: Chafee (I ) – too bad. A result of Caprio (moderate D) and Robitaille (R ) splitting the rest of the vote.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Lt. Governor: Roberts (D ) – also bad. Leaves her visible for an eventual US Senate or gubernatorial run.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">RI Dist 1 – Loughlin (R ) – As earlier mentioned and this win will make the day worth it.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">RI Dist 2 – Langevin (D ) – Too bad. Only in RI would someone so pro-Obama make it through this storm</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-33076888400001124572010-11-01T11:03:00.004-04:002010-11-01T11:10:12.284-04:00Election PredictionsI've been following this election more closely than I do most mid-term elections. Lots at stake this time. Actually, it seems each election is more critical than the last one. Perhaps that is simply the perspective age brings.<br /><br />Anyway, I'll keep this post short. Here's my predictions, the view from fly-over country.<br /><br />US House of Representatives: <strong>Republicans gain 72 seats</strong><br /><br />US Senate: <strong>Republicans gain 9 seats</strong>, and Joe Lieberman has a very difficult decision to make, who he will caucus with.<br /><br />Governorships: Republicans gain a net of <strong>7 governors</strong><br /><br />I've done fairly well in the past with predictions. Putting it on the line this time.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-8642854014906965142010-10-28T21:59:00.004-04:002010-10-29T18:39:31.404-04:00Bob Beckel's Desperate Search for a Silver LiningBob Beckel was on the Sean Hannity TV show earlier this week, either Monday or Tuesday. Now, let me say first off that I don't like Sean Hannity. I think he is a hack journalist and a lousy thinker who, by God's good graces, stumbled upon the right answers. But the wife likes to watch him, so sometimes I do too. Hannity of course gave Beckel a hard time about what appears to be huge Republican gains in the Senate and House next week. Beckel conceded that the House looks gone to the Democrats. He said he expects the Republicans to win the House, picking up upper forties or low fifties seats. Quite an admission on his part.<br /><br />Now the killer admission comes in. He wouldn't say whether the Democrats will keep the Senate or not, but he said the GOP has a much tougher road there than in the House. He talked about "wave elections" in the last century, and how the party riding the wave always took control of both the House and the Senate. Since it looks like the GOP won't take the Senate, he said their "wave victory" would not be as great as previous wave victories.<br /><br />I see that as a desperate attempt to see a silver lining in the Democratic wreckage. "Your party only picked up 8 senate seats, not 10, and you don't have control. Some wave you rode." Some silver lining, Bob. With the loss of 7 to 8 seats (and you may lose more), you will lose effective control of the Senate to the Republicans and a moderate coalition. In fact, if the Republicans win eight seats--which looks probable--they will have 49 senators and the Democrats will have only 49 as well. Who will the two independents (Lieberman and Sanders) caucus with? Probably with the Democrats. More interesting, what if the GOP picks up nine senators--not impossible. That will make it 50:48:2 R:D:I. If that happens, might either Lieberman (possible) or Sanders (highly unlikely) caucus with the Republicans, so that they can be in the majority? An interesting speculation.<br /><br />How shiny is that silver lining now, Bob?David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-3525854998870889402010-10-26T20:53:00.001-04:002010-10-26T20:53:35.662-04:00The Anti-Chafee<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Political conservatives who live in RI (all 6 of us) have a very tough decision to make next week. In the governor’s race, should we vote for John Robitaille, a conservative Republican, or dare we take a huge leap and vote for Frank Caprio, a Democrat, who will be campaigning this weekend with none other than former President Clinton?</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Why would conservative Republicans give the time of day to, let alone vote for someone like Caprio? For conservatives, the good side of Frank is that he is a fiscal conservative, a lover of small business, and an opposer of overly burdensome taxes. On social issues he’s part way on the dark side; he said that if the General Assembly approved of gay marriage in RI - which they’re apt to do with so many of the leaders gay - he would sign the bill. I think he should wait to see what voters want on that issue, but there it is.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">On the Republican side, Robitaille has the right stance on issues, and he’s been gaining some momentum, but the problem RI conservatives face is, who do you vote for to assure that Lincoln Chafee loses? With a recent Rasmussen poll showing Chafee in the mid-thirties while Caprio and Robitaille in the mid to upper twenties, the state sits on a precipice.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Chafee will tax us enough for the few remaining productive citizens who work and pay taxes will get to pay even more taxes unless they’re smart enough to move to less taxing neighboring states like Taxachusetts or Connecticut, a mere 40 miles away at the most. Even Taxachusetts will be a tax haven for RIer’s were Chafee to win.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">RI passed the tipping point long ago where the gimme’s beat out the tax-me’s a long time ago, and will continue their stranglehold on the state to ask for more and more from the poor tax-me’s unless drastic action is taken.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">In South Carolina, the Republican governor mandated that if the legislature wants to spend more on a high priority like schools or roads, they have to subordinate something else in the budget and maintain the volume of what the burdened taxpayers already contribute to the state. In 11.5% jobless RI, Chafee thinks we can increase what the taxpayers contribute so we can spend more and more.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">As Bill Murray said about the groundhog in the movie “Groundhog Day,” “He must be stopped!”</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">If we don’t stop Chafee, the few of us who pay the taxes for all the gimme’s in the state will have to leave or become bankrupt, and that will in turn most definitely bankrupt the state.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">So it’s time for us decide. If we pool our votes in one direction or the other, we can be assured of a Chafee loss, but who to choose?</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">As for me, I’m going to take the initiative and say I think Caprio’s got the best shot. Anyone who tells a president of his own party to “stuff it,” is courageous enough for me to know he will be courageous about the smaller things – like opposing taxes and helping to rebuild business and jobs this state.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I ask you five remaining RI conservative Republicans to join me.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-8277865222436582882010-10-06T18:06:00.002-04:002010-10-06T18:08:38.256-04:00What do the polls tell us about conservative chances?On this blog during the 2008 presidential primary season, I mentioned that I thought polls tend to be inaccurate during a rapidly changing situation. Specifically, the polls over-estimated the move to Obama in New Hampshire, coming on the heals of his success in Iowa. In fact, the polls over-predicted his vote, and Hillary won New Hampshire. Of course, the move of the Democratic electorate was clearly towards Obama, and later polls got it correct. That move took place over several months.<br /><br />I've been watching Real Clear Politics fairly closely since mid-July, daily since about September 15. On July 21 RCP had the House of Representatives predicted results as 202 Democrat, 201 Republican, and 32 tossups. On September 15 they had it 205 Republicans, 193 Democrats, 37 tossups. The Democrats were losing ground, Republicans gaining ground. This afternoon, RCP had a number of House races change from polls published this morning. The result: 210 Republicans, 188 Democrats, 37 tossups. Thus the Republicans would have to win only 8 of those tossups to gain control of the House.<br /><br />As a conservative, I could get giddy from these numbers, assuming all those Republicans were likely to be conservative and all those Democrats more likely to be liberals. But I must temper my excitement with the thought that the polls could be skewing the extent of a moving trend. Clearly the trend is Republican in this election, but how much? If RCP projections are correct, and the tossups split down the middle, the House would end up 228 Republicans, 207 Democrats. But maybe the polls are over-predicting the movement, as they did in 2008. How are we to know?<br /><br />It seems to me that the difference here is the time factor. Those incorrect 2008 polls were trying to determine a shift of sentiment measured in days. These 2010 polls are measuring a months-long trend. It’s a strong trend, but taking place somewhat slowly. This seems to me to validate the polls more so than the 2008 primary polls. Plus, the polls are for a number of separate races, not a single race. Thus the rapid-trend-over-predicting model doesn't seem to apply.<br /><br />This makes me feel that the polls are valid and RCP is accurately stating the change in the House: a GOP majority with seats to spare. If in the House, then maybe in the Senate. If in the Senate, then maybe in governor races and State legislatures. Of course, that’s what I want. I hope I’m not just drinking the cool aid.David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-40682954499364471532010-08-29T19:01:00.001-04:002010-08-29T19:01:55.696-04:00Beck’s America<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I must say I was impressed with the turn out at Glenn Beck’s Restore America rally at the mall in DC yesterday, but I’ll also admit, I’m a bit uncomfortable. The event has all the earmarks of the early days of the Moral Majority – a well meaning conglomeration of Catholics, Evangelicals and others seeking a moral high ground for America in a political context. Beck’s “get back to God” falls into this category in my humble opinion, but it also begs an important question or two: “Which God?” “Whose God?”</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Some time ago I was confronted with the very well thought out and well written Manhattan Statement. Frankly, for me, it has all the right ideas. But those who sign the statement claim to agree with one another on some basic tenets of faith, and the unfortunate thing about the Manhattan Statement is that some of the signers really do not agree about the nature of God, though they claim to, so in good conscience I could not sign it , and though one of my most favorite Christian authors,, Chuck Colson, endorses the Statement, another of my most favorite Christian writers, R. C. Sproul, could not and did not, and for the reasons I have also come to.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">So if I can’t sign something as excellently thought out, comprehensive, well written and in the right direction on all matters social and political as the Manhattan Statement, I find myself all the more at odds with the very broad, very generic “get back to God” theme touted in DC yesterday. In fact, it gives me kind of a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach because I see so many who, with good intentions, are getting swallowed up in something so shallow. And when it dissipates, they will be disillusioned.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Beck is a Mormon, and as a Christian I say Christ was the God-Man sent by the Father, foreshadowed in the Old Testament as the “Son of Man” as mentioned in the Book of Daniel; Immanuel and the suffering servant in the Book of Isaiah. Mormons do not agree with Christ’s claim to diety, that as Christ claimed, “Before Abraham, I Am,” and that Christ was / is the God-man, the Second Adam, who paid humanities debt with His own flesh and blood and justified His flock. We are millions of miles apart on tenants of faith, though we may have agreement about culture, social issues, government intrusion, taxes, but let’s be honest, we do not agree on who is God.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">So I’m a bit uncomfortable about Beck and those flying under his flag right now, including Sarah Palin. Oh it’s nice to hear public figures make professions of faith in public, it encourages their fans to do likewise, but give me Billy Graham for that kind of thing. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I know this is a departure from the many of my compatriot conservatives with whom I find myself in general agreement on the tactical issues, but let’s just agree to disagree about this fundamental, strategic concept for conservatism in America. My God is a lot bigger than what Beck and co. are making Him out to be. He is not a vague moral choice. He is God. And don’t mess with Him. Don’t use Him like this please. He just might not like it, and might let you know in some of the ways He showed it in His word. Be careful with this.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">When you have your rallies, I might smile wryly as I hear the ideas with which I may have some agreement, and perhaps chuckle embarrassingly a bit when I hear something hollow said about a generic god, and you might find the likes of me going along for the ride for now. But let’s be clear, as the President would say in a his typical patronizing manner, I am not one of you. I march to a different Drummer, and if and when the going gets us into the slough of despond, I will not be standing with you on getting back to God. Your God is too small. </font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-49721079479309615392010-05-18T19:45:00.001-04:002010-05-18T19:45:05.986-04:00My Letter to Congressman Jim Langevin – D – RI<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Today, my Congressman, Rep. James Langevin, responded to me by email regarding my many entreaties to for him to oppose the ObamaCare Bill some months ago. Below is my response to him.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Dear Jim:</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Thank you for getting back to me on this subject after a number of months. I am appreciative regardless of the fact that a lot has gone under the bridge since you voted for this terrible bill. But you wrote to me on an auspicious day. Excellent articles in today's Projo and Wall Street Journals underscore how anachronistic your email is today.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">RIers woke up this morning to headline in the Projo of </font><a href="http://www.projo.com/news/content/RATE_HIKES_REQUESTED_05-18-10_UNIHGVG_v17.1353acad.html" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Blue Cross raising its rates about 13% for 2011. 13%.</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> Don't tell me it would have been worse without Obamacare because since I wrote you about my opposition several months ago, articles have abounded on how this bill will cost us much more than what we pay for our current health care plans, not to mention the extra tax burden it will now place upon us as it was conveniently and only recently revealed by the CBO, long after the lemmings approved it.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Also in today's paper, not the Projo but the Wall Street Journal, is an editorial entitled "</font><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703315404575250264210294510.html?mod=djemEditorialPage_h"><font size="3" face="Georgia">No, You Can't Keep Your Health Plan."</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> The horror of that thought! All brought on by this awful piece of legislation which you voted for.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">If you recall Jim, I sent you lemons at great expense to me to get your undivided attention as to why this bill is bad for me, bad for my family, bad for the state and bad for the nation, but you not only did not heed one iota of my advice, you out and out voted for this pig of a bill without reservation.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">One last observation.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I'll confess I voted for you over more liberal Republican counterparts in the past, particularly those who were opposed to the rights of the unborn, but your position on this issue has pushed me back a bit. Today happens also to be election day in a number of states. Long time Democrat stalwarts are about to get thrown out of office. Results are not in yet, but I predict a rout. Now I will grant you that RIers' are a lot more tolerant of liberal Congressmen and women, but I have a feeling, November 2010 will be very different.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">See you in November, Jim.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Regards,</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-90928132227386010952010-03-23T21:31:00.004-04:002010-03-24T23:00:30.379-04:00Interpreting the Massachusetts Senate VoteWhat, you ask? Why write about this now? That was in January; the big thing in the last week, even the last two days, is health care mis-reform. True. I can only claim that this is on my mind, and has been ever since it happened. I took some notes, expanded them into a theory, and waited for a quiet evening to come up. It's here, finally. I should do some more on my taxes tonight, but I made such good progress last night that I feel like doing other, more pleasurable things tonight. Taxes I have always with me; the Scott Brown phenomenon is still here, and again to take center stage as we see how he performs regarding the next phase of health care.<br /><br />Why did Massachusetts turn from its Democratic party candidate and elect a Republican? The standard interpretations of this are:<br /><ul><li>a Republican resurgence. I don't think so--not in way-out whacko Mass.</li><li>a conservative resurgence. Again, in Massachusetts? Maybe a little, or rather what the electorate voted on this time was more in line with stock conservative policies, thereby appearing to be a conservative resurgence.</li><li>anti-government health care. No, Massachusetts already have that; its electorate wouldn't mind a Federal takeover of a less-than-perfect State-run system.</li><li>anti-Obama. I doubt it, not while his popularity far out runs the popularity of the health care reform bill itself.</li><li>anti-Democratic. No, not in Massachusetts.</li></ul><p>So what else could it be? A few things come to mind, all of which probably contribute to what my conclusion is.</p><ul><li>anti-Federalist (i.e. anti-statist). This seems more likely. Even in Massachusetts, the state that stood alone, or nearly so, in support of George McGovern and Walter Mondale, the state that never saw a Federal law it didn't like. Yet, the rhetoric of the campaign and what coverage I saw in fly-over country suggests people getting tired of the Feds always butting in, grabbing more power, usurping more of our God-given liberties.</li><li>anti-deficit. This is likely, I think. People saw the accumulation of deficits beginning in the later Bush admin years and accelerating under Obama and his Congress. I think in part the Mass voters saw this accumulation and decided they had had enough.</li><li>anti-Washington DC. This is a strong component, I believe. Once a person gets elected to an office centered in Washington, it's hard to get them out. Those occasionally voted out just stay there and become lobbyists, waiting till their own party returns to administrative power when they can get a fat Cabinet post, all while not paying the taxes they voted on the American populace (can anyone say Tom Dashcle?). By the way, I believe the Democrats are mis-interpreting this as an anti-incumbent vote. Perhaps it's difficult to separate anti-DC from anti-incumbent, but I see a shade of difference.</li></ul><p>All of these add up to one thing: People have <strong>HAD ENOUGH</strong>. I wrote once before, I think on this blog, about the HAD ENOUGH Generation needing to rise up and fix all the mess that the late-WW2 generation and the Baby Boomers were leaving behind. I didn't know when the HAD ENOUGH Generation would show itself. Would it be our children, Gen X? Or their children, Gen Y? I personally thought it would be the latter, believing that our children would be too much like us to perceive that the government had failed. But they seem to be rising up, if I'm interpreting the Mass senate vote correctly.</p><p>It remains to be seen if this first breath of the HAD ENOUGH Generation will be followed through in the next couple of rounds. I would have liked to have seen what would have happened if there had been an election to replace Murtha. If that one went Republican, I think it would have been a good indication. We now have to wait till November, and then till 2012, excepting any intermediate elections that would come along.</p><p>Keep going, HAD ENOUGHers. You have my best wishes as well as my support.</p>David A. Toddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16825539283421597579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-58588627994756738902010-02-26T20:12:00.001-05:002010-02-26T20:12:43.337-05:00Breath in – Breath out<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Is it me, or is there something in the drinking water? There seems to be a movement afoot in social settings – industry, churches, government, designed around the concept that we are a bunch of stultifying dunderheads. We need to be taught how to do things we’ve been doing reasonably well for years. There is a “How to” guide now for just about everything from counting socks to boiling an egg. Need to run a little group? There’s a guide for that, and yes, oh, by the way, you must take the online course for that. Need to manage a small team? There’s a guide for that. Need to (fill in the blank). Yup, we’ve got a self teaching tool for that too.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Where did all this come from? I think we older (more senescent) folk can determine the answer when we go out to our driveways, get into our automobiles, start them up and head on into traffic. No one – I mean NO ONE follows any rules, not even the laws of physics. By the way, if you would like to live to see your grandkids, drive like everyone around you are aliens from Mars who have no idea what a stop sign is, let alone a turning signal.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">It wasn’t long before managers and leaders from mega-churches to post offices figured out that they had better retrain us and retrain us fast – and they want to do it the same way the Republicans want to address healthcare reform: starting from “a clean piece of paper.” Care not a wit, and make no assumptions that you might be teaching an auditorium of neurosurgeons about how to put ointment on a mosquito bite. Just follow the teaching guide.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">My theory is that this really all began because someone noticed the caliber of what is coming out of our education systems. Easy solution: RETRAIN EVERYONE!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I have another theory: that this will meet up with a swift demise. Something similar, perhaps, to when Jack Welch hit GE and determined that the business was running a tad inefficiently with all this type of nonsense going on, the layers it made in the structure, and the general “statist” approach on the factory floor. Not to mention that relatively normal people (i.e., normal smart people) didn’t need to be given a guide on how to breath. Suddenly, a Ronald Reagan or William F. Buckley character will come on the scene like a hero in the white hat who arrives just before the train runs over the victim and stands athwart history yelling stop!</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">In the mean time, as for me, I’ll duck my head, learn about how to count my socks and make a boiled egg, then move on to the next insipid, sophomoric guide to a better life.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-34484718530959687132010-01-17T07:16:00.001-05:002010-01-17T07:16:55.906-05:00Projo Sucker Punches Scott Brown<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">This morning’s </font><a href="http://www.projo.com/opinion/contributors/content/CT_abe17_01-17-10_H6H45DJ_v15.3f8f783.html" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Projo carries a rabid commentary from The Boston Globe’s Yvonne Abraham</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> against Scott Brown, making the despicable charge that Brown is somehow against raped women. The Democrats are pretty desperate to do this, and the Projo’s complicity should be condemned roundly by level headed, middle class Rhode Islanders.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">With printed media on the rocks, I think the Editorial board at the Projo has gone mad. They must have hired a bunch of recent grads and fired all the experienced regulars to save money. It’s bad enough that they raised prices by 50% in the last year – they now must subject us with hyper-liberalism and no balance to it.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">In the mean time, a more interesting irony is that President Obama comes today to support the mindless Coakley, who </font><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2010/jan/16/does-obama-remember-when-coakley-snubbed-him-2008/" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">in 2008 was rebuffed Obama</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia">, sticking tenaciously to the already defeated Hillary Clinton.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Scott Brown needs to win on Tuesday just to return sanity to a few of New England’s institutions, not to mention the nation’s health care reforms.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Go Brown!</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-60343095533224961652009-12-26T16:59:00.001-05:002009-12-26T16:59:37.662-05:00The Real Hypocrites<p><font size="3" face="Georgia">There is a “news” piece from the Associated Press written by a reporter, Charles Babington, on </font><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/25/AR2009122501045.html" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">the “double standard”</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> of the GOP in the healthcare debate. The essence of Babington’s so-called “news” piece is that Republicans hypocritically voted FOR a Medicare expansion that includes pharmaceutical drugs back in 2003 when they had control of the US Senate. The claim is that the addition of drugs to the already existing federally funded health care entitlement added half a trillion in costs all by itself, and is actually “worse than” the current expansion in government run healthcare because the half trillion dollars was “deficit financed” which is purportedly unlike the current deficit financed bill because back in 2003 we had no way to finance the drug benefit expansion, and you see this new government entitlement is paid for (out of Medicare?!?!?)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Anyway, what royals me here is that first of all, this is NOT a news item. It is pure, unadulterated, left of center biased opinion.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Secondly, there is an answer to this kind of sideswipe.</font></p> <p><a href="http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjU5OTJmODE4MGM5YmNiZDEyZDU5ZWU3NThhYjdmNGY=" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Mark Steyn says</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> that, unlike the add on of drug benefits to an already existing entitlement, as bad as that may have been perhaps, what the Democrats have done is essentially turned over control of over one-sixth of the US economy to the government, and has placed government in between the patient and the doctor:</font></p> <blockquote> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia"><em>The monstrous mountain of toxic pustules sprouting from greasy boils metastasizing from malign carbuncles that passed the Senate on Christmas Eve is not the last word in “health” “care,” but the first. It ensures that this is all we’ll be talking about, now and forever. </em></font></p> <p><a href="http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjU5OTJmODE4MGM5YmNiZDEyZDU5ZWU3NThhYjdmNGY=#"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><em>Government</em></font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"><em> can’t just annex “one-sixth of the U.S. economy” (i.e., the equivalent of annexing the entire British or French economy, or annexing the entire Indian economy twice over) and then just say: “Okay, what’s next? On to cap-and-trade . . . ” Nations that governmentalize health care soon find themselves talking about little else…</em></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia"><em>…My Republican friends often seem to miss the point in this debate: The so-called “public option” is not Page 3,079, Section (f), Clause VII. The entire bill is a public option — because that’s where it leads, remorselessly. The so-called “death panel” is not Page 2,721, Paragraph 19, Sub-section (d), but again the entire bill — because it inserts the power of the state between you and your doctor, and in effect assumes jurisdiction over your body. As the savvier Dems have always known, once you’ve crossed the Rubicon, you can endlessly re-reform your health reform until the end of time, and all the stuff you didn’t get this go-round will fall into place, and very quickly.</em></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia"><em>As I’ve been saying for over a year now, “health care” is the fast-track to a permanent left-of-center political culture. The unlovely Democrats on public display in the week before Christmas may seem like just a bunch of jelly-spined opportunists, grubby wardheelers and rapacious kleptocrats, but the smarter ones are showing great strategic clarity. Alas for the rest of us, Euro-style government on a Harry Reid/Chris Dodd/Ben Nelson scale will lead to ruin.</em></font></p></blockquote> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-85898751177789953802009-11-22T11:07:00.001-05:002009-11-22T11:07:06.587-05:00The Church Shares in Blame for Catholics who Publically Support Abortion<p><font size="3" face="Georgia"><strong>The public argument between Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Bishop Tobin in RI begs the question,…</strong></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Why do so many Catholic politicians favor “abortion rights” when the Catholic church itself is clearly in support of the life of the unborn? Many who call themselves Catholic have supported abortion for decades and very publically. Organizations like </font><a href="http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/about/default.asp" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Catholics for Choice</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> for example, have been around since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. So why the dichotomy, and how has this odd contradiction survived for so long?</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">In the early 1970’s, when the court ruled for abortion, Catholic pols often hid behind arguments like “As for me, I am personally opposed to abortion, but I do not favor government coercion of others to follow what I think is a matter of personal faith or conscience.” Or “I do not wish to ‘force my religion’ upon anyone else.”</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Other arguments would be aimed at having the freedom to choose (even though a bad choice which brings harm to another human being), or the rights of the mother to control her own body (at the expense of another).</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">In reality, Catholics who favor abortion are really political liberals who have “libertarian” views about their personal freedoms to the point of it being at the expense of others. Such ideas overstep the bounds of personal liberty and the age old maxim that my right to swing my clench fisted arm in the direction of your nose ends a nanosecond from its surface.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">One could apply the vain reasoning of these liberal Catholics to a lot of other bad behaviors, which, when attempted, can be plainly seen as patently absurd arguments. For example, can anyone imagine a leader from the era of the Third Reich saying something like “As for me, I am personally opposed to death camps, but I consider their existence as a moral issue which is a matter of personal faith upon which I refuse to coerce others to follow.” Or an anti-bellum Slave owner: “I am personally an abolitionist in my heart of hearts, but cannot in good conscience force my fellow plantation owners to give up their free help.” Or “I should have the personal freedom of choice to decide what I do on my plantation – whether I have slave labor or not.” These arguments are laughable of course, yet we accept them on the subject of abortion all the time and go on our merry way. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">One reason they have survived is that the leaders of the Roman Catholic church have generally acquiesced in them and continue to this day to allow its members who are pro-abortion to remain members or “receive communion.” In 1973, the Catholic church, had it really had the courage of its conviction, would have begun the wholesale expulsion of politicians and non-politicians alike with such beliefs. They would have tossed them out the front doors of their cathedrals, and with great fanfare. The views really cannot coexist.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">So why has the Catholic church has been so tolerant? Why has it for the most part turned a blind eye to the masses who continue to support abortion yet continue to fill their pews? It is in my opinion the church’s support on other so-called “social justice issues.” The church opposes capital punishment, and it favors a more tolerant position on illegal immigration and the social justice and welfare of the indigent. Many of these views are charitable at their core, and right for a church to foster, but are often on the very same agenda as the politically liberal social agenda with the only thing missing from that laundry list of social issues being a “woman’s right to choose…”</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">So what happens? Those in the Church with the energy and momentum in supporting the churches social agenda are themselves caught up in the whole liberal social agenda. For that reason, the church should have long ago clearly and decisively incised the pro-abortionists from their roles.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">I have an idea. Do it now. Use the Patrick Kennedy public debate as a moment in time where the Church comes forward with a public pronouncement, confesses its error for being so acquiescent in the past, and now sends a clear warning to other politicians and lay people to discontinue their support for government sanctioned abortion or be handed their walking papers.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8286291.post-17804574760035086232009-11-08T08:02:00.001-05:002009-11-08T08:02:57.347-05:00A Tally on the Vote for Obama Care Last Night – The Fight Isn’t Over<p><a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Here</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> is the complete tally on the final vote last night in favor of establishing socialized medicine in this country. </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">RI’s Langevin and Kennedy, of course, both voted with the slim majority.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">Below are some other interesting cuts of the voting data.</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">The first is from </font><a href="http://redelephantgop.blogspot.com/2009/09/gop-2010-pick-up-listus-house-democrats.html" target="_blank"><font size="3" face="Georgia">Red Elephant</font></a><font size="3" face="Georgia"> who tracked the Democrats that have the most to lose (and we hope so) for supporting Obamacare. The number next to their names is the percent of the vote McCain received in their Congressional District in 2008. The list is also color coded to denote <span style="color: cyan">Freshman</span>, <span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">1+ Term</span> and <span style="color: blue">3+ Term</span> incumbents and includes McCain’s performance in 2008 in that congressional district. <br><br><span style="background-color: white; color: blue">MS-04 Taylor </span>67 <br><span style="color: blue">TX-17 Edwards</span> 67 <br><span style="color: blue">OK-02 Boren</span> 66 <br><span style="color: blue">TN-04 Davis</span> 64 <br><span style="color: cyan">AL-02 Bright</span> 63 <br><span style="color: cyan">ID-01 Minnick</span> 62 <br><span style="color: cyan">MS-01 Childers</span> 62 <br><span style="color: blue">TN-06 Gordon</span> 62 <br><span style="color: cyan">AL-05 Griffith</span> 61 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">LA-03 Melancon</span> 61 <br><span style="color: blue">MO-04 Skelton</span> 61 <br><span style="background-color: white; color: blue">AR-01 Berry</span> 59 <br><span style="color: blue">VA-09 Boucher</span> 59 <br><span style="color: blue">AR-04 Ross</span> 58 <br><span style="color: cyan">MD-01 Kratovil</span> 58 <br><span style="color: blue">UT-02 Matheson</span> 57 <br><span style="color: blue">WV-01 Mollohan</span> 57 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">GA-08 Marshall</span> 56 <br><span style="color: blue">TN-08 Tanner</span> 56 <br><span style="color: blue">WV-03 Rahall</span> 56 <br><span style="color: blue">KY-06 Chandler </span>55 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">PA-04 Altmire</span> 55 <br><span style="color: blue">AR-02 Snyder</span> 54 <br><span style="color: cyan">AZ-01 Kirkpatrick</span> 54 <br><span style="color: blue">FL-02 Boyd</span> 54 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">PA-10 Carney</span> 54 <br><span style="color: blue">ND-AL Pomeroy</span> 53 <br><span style="color: blue">SC-05 Spratt</span> 53 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">AZ-05 Mitchell</span> 52 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">AZ-08 Giffords</span> 52 <br><span style="color: blue">NC-07 McIntyre </span>52 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">NC-11 Shuler</span> 52 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">OH-18 Space</span> 52 <br><span style="color: cyan">FL-24 Kosmas</span> 51 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">IN-08 Ellsworth</span> 51 <br><span style="color: cyan">NY-13 McMahon</span> 51 <br><span style="color: cyan">NY-29 Massa</span> 51 <br><span style="color: blue">PA-17 Holden</span> 51 <br><span style="color: cyan">VA-05 Perriello</span> 51 <br><span style="color: blue">CO-03 Salazar</span> 50 <br><span style="color: cyan">CO-04 Markey</span> 50 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">IN-09 Hill</span> 50 <br><span style="color: blue">MN-07 Peterson</span> 50 <br><span style="color: cyan">NM-02 Teague</span> 50 <br><span style="color: rgb(61,133,198)">OH-06 Wilson</span> 50 <br><span style="color: cyan">OH-16 Boccieri</span> 50 <br><span style="color: blue">PA-12 Murtha</span> 50 </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">And this is from the <a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com" target="_blank">Weekly Standard:</a> The thirty-nine Democrats voted against it:</font></p> <blockquote> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">1. Rep. John Adler (NJ)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">2. Rep. Jason Altmire (PA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">3. Rep. Brian Baird (WA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">4. Rep. John Barrow (GA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">5. Rep. John Boccieri (OH)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">6. Rep. Dan Boren (OK)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">7. Rep. Rick Boucher (VA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">8. Rep. Allen Boyd (FL)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">9. Rep. Bobby Bright (AL)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">10. Rep. Ben Chandler (KT)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">11. Rep. Travis Childers (MS)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">12. Rep. Artur Davis (AL)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">13. Rep. Lincoln Davis (TN)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">14. Rep. Chet Edwards (TX)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">15. Rep. Bart Gordon (TN)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">16. Rep. Parker Griffith (AL)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">17. Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">18. Rep. Tim Holden (PA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">19. Rep. Larry Kissell (NC)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">20. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (FL)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">21. Rep. Frank Kratovil (MD)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">22. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">23. Rep. Jim Marshall (GA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">24. Rep. Betsy Markey (CO)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">25. Rep. Eric Massa (NY)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">26. Rep. Jim Matheson(UT)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">27. Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">28. Rep. Michael McMahon (NY)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">29. Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">30. Rep. Walt Minnick (ID)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">31. Rep. Scott Murphy (NY)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">32. Rep. Glenn Nye (VA)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">33. Rep. Collin Peterson (MN)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">34. Rep. Mike Ross (AR)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">35. Rep. Heath Shuler (NC)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">36. Rep. Ike Skelton (MO)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">37. Rep. John Tanner (TN)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">38. Rep. Gene Taylor (MS)</font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">39. Rep. Harry Teague (NM)</font></p></blockquote> <p><font size="3" face="Georgia">So, for Obamacare to become the law of the land, first the Senate needs to pass a bill, and Harry Reid can't afford to lose a single Democrat if the Republicans stick together. And then the House and Senate would need to reconcile the two bills in conference committee and each vote on the conference report before it goes to Obama's desk. This fight isn't over.</font></p> The Senescent Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656005487645894023noreply@blogger.com