What must be done for the good of our country-

This is a rant along the lines of the original intent of this blog.  Where I have all the answers and am perplexed by the idiots who run our country who either cannot see it so clearly or are letting political factors dictate their behavior.

First,  there are two lagging indicators in the going on two-year weak economic recovery.  But anyone who looks beyond themselves can clearly see that we are on headed in a direction than is preferable to the one we were on when Bush left office.  There are several examples of that all over the web with charts that demonstrate jobs growth and the like. 

Housing and job growth continue to drag our economy.  Both are the result of the policies of the Bush Administration and the efforts of the Obama Administration and Dems in congress to bring relief to the situation have been thwarted by the other side.

As recently as yesterday,  Senate Republicans stalled a jobs growth idea that was wholly born of their ideology.  The plan was to extend the payroll tax breaks for new hires.  This is a holiday on payment to FICA by employers and employees- a direct reduction in cost for hiring new employees.   The plan would not be my first choice,  but it was something.  The drawback of course would be that it would cut flow of revenue to social security and give the R's more ammunition for killing that program.   But the potential for immediate improvement if job growth, it could be argued, would be worth it. 

The current situation is putting more and more money into the hands of the wealthy with no benefit to the larger economy.  The Republicans seem to be perfectly happy with this situation and are promoting the lie (and they know its a lie) that given the resource (cash through tax breaks)  the corporations and the rich will provide the jobs that make the economy grow.

Wealth,  among the richest of Americans continues to grow,  Wages among the working class have been stagnant for 30 years, and productivity (how much work the employer gets out of the employee/dollar) continues to rise.  In 30 years the regular work week is creeping up to over 45 hours and the middle and lower classes are taking less vacations than they did before.

Anyone familiar with the truth can only conclude, that the Republicans in fact care more about controlling government than they do about improving job growth.  While running for office in 2010, they asked:  "Where are the Jobs?"   Who knew they were job assassins trying to kill the ones they would find.

The housing bubble burst in 2005 and 2006.  I know it is popular to blame this on Obama but he was still a newly elected senator from Illinois.  The housing market continues in decline because of this bubble burst as home values are being based on a current market standard.  Home values for purchases and for refinancing are being based on foreclosure prices.  This makes it impossible for current home owners to take advantage of interest rates that are at 3 year historic lows.  In turn,  home owners are unable to do work on their homes, update their furniture or do other improvements they would otherwise do and thereby create jobs.

Yet,  any attempts to improve this situation are either killed outright or favorable terms are given to lenders- who created the problem in the first place so that the struggling homeowner who has done everything right has no recourse.    The same people who lied about the economy for over a year while we were in recession (starting in 2007) are trying now to tell us that the results of the recession are the fault of the current administration.   The right will always be better at playing that game.

Last night, Obama gave his plan for the draw-down of troops in Afghanistan.  In Afghanistan he has done exactly what he said he would do prior to the election.   It is a plan I would not have chosen but I saw wisdom beyond the ill-stated and ill-fated plan of Bush.   My preference now would be for a faster draw down and end time.

I cannot help but wonder if part of the consideration here is to keep the troops occupied there to avoid an influx of more people into a weak job market.   Maybe I am too cynical.


I think we need a dose of realism.   I prescribe a serious jobs bill that focuses on a five year plan for infrastructure, green technology and independence from oil, foreign and domestic.  I prescribe an immediate end to the Bush era tax cuts on the wealthy (over $250,000).  I prescribe a more aggressive plan to withdraw from Afghanistan to bring our troops home and to end the flow of cash from our part of the world to theirs.


The president needs to lead in the area job and economic growth with an eye toward debt reduction.  At least some of his message should focus on the 'peace dividend' that can be achieved by using that money at home that we would otherwise be spent abroad when we bring our military home.  Any conversation about using our military to help police other nations as they build up their own internal strength (Afghanistan/Iraq) should include some sort of payment for that service.   It does not make sense for others to benefit from our commitment and sacrifice.


Obama has a pretty good track record for doing exactly what he said he would do.  He never was the liberal the right and the media made him out to be.  So, he gets blamed by the left for not doing enough and he gets blamed by the right for being a socialist - as if they have given any thought to what the word actually means.

My concern with Obama has been the same as it was during the health care debate.  He seems more concerned about what people think of him and how he is doing his job than he is about actually doing his job.  The Audacity of Hope has turned in to lack of commitment to purpose.   I am not sure anyone else could have stood up to the constant attacks that the right would have directed at anyone in his position but the salesman and communicator we saw during the campaign has been in hiding for the better part of two years.