Obama, wrong energy message.

In Presidents Obama's address to the nation yesterday, Feb 25, 2012, he focused entirely on energy strategy and only after pitching developing more energy sources did he (barely) mention improving efficiency. He then harped on removing tax breaks to oil companies.  Nowhere in his address did he mention just plain reducing use. While he says there is "no silver bullet" to bring down oil prices, history has shown over and over that there is in fact a powerful silver bullet. Cut use and demand will go down, cut demand and prices will go down. This does NOT mean harming the economy or our quality of living, it means turning off unnecessary lights, not making unnecessary trips, not buying plastic bottles of water, etc.  It simply means thinking before acting in ways that use energy and deciding whether the action is immediately necessary, could be delayed and or is not really necessary at all. With gas at $4.00 a gallon, the uproar and political speechifying is deafening. Each one could lower our own effective fuel cost to $3.60 by driving 10% fewer miles. Funny part is that if everyone drove 10% less, prices would fall - then, would everyone go back to driving more?

Even worse - The Republicans who claim there is no global warming, who think it is as American as apple pie and our "god given right" to drive Hummers and use all the energy we can pull out of the earth. Drilling as fast and furiously in the Arctic Wilderness and the Gulf of Mexico is no solution.

Feel free to comment "don't like" if the following bothers you. Gas should be $10 or more a gallon, that is what it has been in most of the world for years. If gas were in that range, maybe we would be forced to actually fix some problems rather than just delaying the fix.

nuf said

Short and sweet, Santorum is a bad man. If I need to explain, you ain't gonna get it, if you get it, I don't need to explain.

nuf said

I am not Henny Penny (At least I don't think I am.)

Look at the fiscal crisis Greece is in. Look at the tax and spending structure of its system. Does it look familiar? The solution in Greece, or the proposed solution in Greece, as mandated by the IMF and Central Bank is massive cuts in public spending combined with massive tax increases. No cutting and tax increase = not loans to avert a default. Guess what happens if Greece defaults?

The only difference between the US and Greece is that there is no IMF or Central Bank large enough to help the US out of a crisis.

In 2011 two different bi-partisan commissions found that the only solution to the US deficit was BOTH tax increases and spending cuts. Again, these bi-partisan commissions recommend cuts in public spending combined with tax increases. The only difference now between the US and Greece's is that in Greece, the spending cuts/tax increases are huge. Huge to the point of public turmoil. Fix the problem now with moderate solutions or wait until it reaches a crisis and then need to take crisis measures.

Could the US default on its loans, yes-no-sort of. Actual default, probably not, ability to pay easily, probably not. This leaves "sort of." Paying the debt by printing more money means inflation. Paying the debt by borrowing ever greater amounts would require higher interest rates and obviously more interest, again, inflation.

How about having enough on hand through reasonable tax increases and spending cuts to pay the interest due and pay down the debt. That seems to be the only solution recommended by reasonable economists and policy makers. Enough of the trickle down economics and the "we can't tax those capitalists who create jobs" nonsense. Enough of the "I'm for spending cuts....except in my district"nonsense.


Nuf said.

Okay Obama, your turn.


Yes, go to the National Prayer Breakfast and speak as "citizen" Obama, just don't pray and preach as "President" Obama. This country is supposed to lead the world in the separation of church and state, the minute you use your position as President to tie the country to religious positions you harm this separation.


With regards to your speech:


1)  Please stop the "ChirstianJewishMuslim we are all the same" crap. Decisions on foreign aid, atrocities in Africa and human trafficking should not be based on religion, they should be based on right and wrong. Simple empirical human actions of doing the right thing. You really should not need a religion to tell you that human trafficking is wrong and that working to stop atrocities in Africa is the right thing to do. If you did not have "the biblical call" would you act differently?


2) You describe "God's command to "love thy neighbor as thyself"" as being "found in every major religion.... from Hinduism to Islam to Judaism to the writings of Plato." Similar sentiment can be found in communist doctrine, atheism and probably voodoo and devil worship. But again, this has nothing to do with your position as president nor should it have anything to do with the decisions you make as President.


3)  It is not our obligation to help other because some zealot 2000 years ago said (and YOU paraphrase) “for unto whom much is given, much shall be required" any more than it is our obligation to help those who need help because in 1875 Karl Marx said "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." Funny how Marx, the most anti-religious of communists, sounds just like a biblical prophet. It is our obligation to help those who need help because they need help and it is the right and human thing to do.


4) The Billy Graham that you fawn over in your speech is the same Billy Graham who blamed AIDS on gods judgement (well, before he retracted that statement,) the same Graham who is opposed to gay marriage, assisted suicide and anything else that might actually sound like good old christian compassion and non-judgmental feelings. Who died and made Graham the arbiter of every one's moral compass? Oh wait, he would tell you jesus did and he (Graham) get his info directly from the big guy himself. How can you speak so highly of a man who, using his religious beliefs, harmed so very many. I strongly defend Grahams right to his religious beliefs, but I sure as hell don't have to respect him for them.


I won't live long enough to see a President or even Presidential candidate admit to being an Agnostic, let alone an Atheist. I don't think I will even live long enough to see the day when a President will leave his personal religious biases at the door, but that does not mean I cannot also speak up about how I feel.


nuf said is probably inaccurate,  too much said 

Damn when the liberal press is wrong.  Trump endorses Romney. Billionaire (if that is actually true) endorses Hundred-millionaire. Glad we cleared that up.

More on  (or should I say moron) Komen issue.

Wednesday, I wrote to each of Komen's key sponsors and as many of Komen's local affiliates as I could find. Each and every affiliate replied that it either had a "waiver" or was in opposition to the parent organization's position and was working to change the policy.

Today I received a reply from Jessica M. Graham, APR | VP, Communications & Community Relations Belk, jessica_graham@Belk.com . Ms Graham's is the first and only reply I have received that does not even bother to address the issue. Below is Belk's position (or lack thereof) and my reply to Graham. Please email her and let her know how you feel, please pass her email along and have your friends and family let Belk know how they feel.

Nuf said.


On Feb 3, 2012, at 8:35 AM, Jessica Graham wrote:

Thank you for your note and your commitment to women's health. Belk is deeply committed to supporting programs and efforts that benefit breast cancer research, awareness, early detection and treatment. Breast cancer research and awareness are key focus areas of our corporate community relations program, and we have supported a number of non-profit organizations recognized for their leadership and effectiveness in supporting this vital cause, including the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, among others. In addition, our stores and associates are engaged in ongoing grassroots efforts to raise awareness throughout our 16-state market area. We will honor our existing commitments, including a pledge to Susan G. Komen. Belk will continue to fight breast cancer and to keep the health and wellbeing of our customers, associates and neighbors at the forefront of our efforts.

Jessica M. Graham, APR | Vice President, Communications & Community Relations jessica_graham@Belk.com
T: 704.426.8333 | F: 704.357.0585 | C: 704.668.5342 | Jessica_Graham@belk.com
Belk, Inc. | 2801 W. Tyvola Road Charlotte, NC 28217 | belk.com


My reply:

Dear Ms Graham,

Yours is the first and only response I have received that ignores the issue. Funny how Komen's politicization of this matter has received incredible and sustained notice in the world and Belk seem either to be ignorant of this or supporting their radical stance. Either is unacceptable. I will post your email and my response on my facebook page. Hopefully if many who TRULY believe in freedom and the "wellbeing" (sic) of women contact you, perhaps Belk will realize that politicization of heath care is unacceptable and that their support of this politicization is likewise unacceptable.




David
David Pollack Vintage Posters
david@dpvintageposters.com
www.dpvintageposters.com
(860)210-9822

Trump to endorse Newt. Wow, nuf said was never so applicable.

Nuf said