Senate Speeches Today by Sen. Cornyn (R-TX) and Sanders (D-VT)

The Senate has rules and traditions aplenty and one was contravened today in a way which was valuable. Senator Cornyn of Texas spoke about Republican interest in working on the economy with legislation. There wasn't anything very specific in his speech, just a hint they were interested. Next up was Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Usually I don't enjoy his speeches as his voice is deep and he does a lot of hand-waving and he often gets red-faced while appearing angry. But, his speech today was wonderful. He spoke more of the Democratic Party's views of the economy and legislation needed to improve things. Early in the speech he did some hand-saving, but that faded and he kept his hair in place so as to not look like a wild man. He mentioned Sen. Cornyn and the Republicans without being too offensive.

The main things were that he told a story about "trickle-down" economics with a chart showing how much of the country's new GDP went to 1% of our more wealthy citizens and how much went to the lowest 90%. It was incredibly shocking to see the portion going to the 90% shrinking steadily from the 1950s (slowly), but then taking a nosedive about 1982 when Ronald Reagan was in office and Republican economics were front-and-center in the nation's political discussions. Then the portion of our new GDP going to the 1% rose and rose until today it is 100%. Now the wealth and income gap is immense.

I would suggest going to C-SPAN.org to see his speech, but it's not there yet (give 'em a day or two to put it on their webpage). It's worth anyone's time.

Energy Legislation

The Keystone XL pipeline isn't popular among Democrats in Congress. It just isn't going to help America very much. Why spend so much time on it?

On the other hand, we have an abundance of natural gas and there is legislation about Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) coming out of Alaska. That's much more appealing. It's produced in America, shipped to America or perhaps exported to Europe and we get continuing employment and profits for Americans.

Of course, Republicans have proposed the bill, so there's a chance they want to do the project in protected placed. That's not good. But, aside from that it's probably a winner.

Since there are innovators trying to build electric cars, solar panels, wind turbines and the like it's natural somebody would be working to use this natural gas we're producing. I just happened upon a great article today which highlights one of those.

Electrified Truck Power Train Can Cut Fuel Use By Half

America is an innovative & creative place. We can solve our energy problems and produce useful products for the world while employing more people at good-paying jobs.

It's Early, But Speeches Are Being Written -- Presidential Poltics 2015-16

You can see a campaign as being like a story or like a legal argument or a speech, but in the effort to win-over voters there is going to be the competition and how the potential voters hear and interpret what is being said. This makes the campaign into a war-like struggle. Yes, there are many voters who are already committed or leaning to one side or the other, but there are other purposes than to win votes. It's important to state clearly to Americans and the world what you would do as president. It's important to explain your positions in some detail -- those will be studied and perhaps picked apart by the economists, retired general and other 'experts'. It's important to make your case for the voters, but also to show it in contrast to the likely alternative(s). And when the opponent(s) start yelling "You lie!", or worse, it's important to have self-control and to behave as a president would. America needs to know it can depend upon its leaders and a campaign is one of the best ways we've devised to learn which we trust and want to lead.

As a competitive event it helps if you have lots of help, lots of resources and can put them to their best use. This makes the campaign more like a war effort where goals are set and focused on until met, where individuals are deployed like weaponry to tackle this or that problem and where pragmatism has to weigh more than it would in our daily conversations about a party's ideas and policies and track record. Who can run a giant campaign better is also a determinant of who can run the U.S. government well enough (at least that's the assumption). Very often in international affairs or in efforts to pass legislation a president is called upon to "win support" for an effort. Campaigning is the quintessential example of that and as such is a pretty good indicator of success.

What can make a person more successful at this? Some intelligence, a lot of humor, a crazy perseverance and a great feeling of the importance of public service. Without these the public won't even be interested in supporting a candidate. And then there is EXPERIENCE. It's not always necessary for a candidate who has experienced campaign people around them, but it certainly helps. Even more, it's the specific kind of experience which is relevant. The closer one's experience is to the mountain yet to be climbed the more likely they have the skills needed. A lot of Representatives never run for the Presidency and most never run for a Senate seat. Simply running for a state-wide position is different than running within a district (often carefully composed by the party's Gerry-mandering process). Running for a state-wide position like senator or governor is much more similar to running for president (which is a set of state-wide races, sometimes all in play at once).

Some politicians seem to be made of gold: they never lose. Some fight fight fight and struggle for a long time before winning (Ronald Reagan, for example, only won the presidency on his 3rd try). Once they win nobody cares about the past. The public cares about the future!

I, like most people, have had sporting teams I favor. But, there have been many times when I simply wanted to see excellence and I root for that, regardless of which team or individual exhibits it. Not having favorites is less depressing, but it's a bit less fulfilling too. In politics I think the American public often feels they know who the loser will be every time -- them. Politicians who can bring hope for a better day to the American public will at least get their attention. Leaders who can in fact create or build a better day will be re-elected and regaled as Great Presidents. I have too often felt America was lacking in those, so I always hope for that above all else and that's what I will fight for!

Obama's State of the Union Speech and the Republican Responses

President Obama spoke in two parts: one was his view of our country and the Democratic Party's ideas for moving forward; the other was about common ground and how the American people believe in things we don't often see expressed by government (especially when it comes to the legislative process).

Some years ago the president was roundly criticized for saying what he thought should be done, things he thought could get done, and now he's saying things he thinks should be done from the Democratic perspective. Next comes the process where the Democrats and Republicans try to find common areas of agreement or at least areas where they can get something done.

The response from Senator Ernst (a freshman senator from Iowa) and from some other Republicans who were interviewed immediately after the speech was depressing. They had little good to say about the president's overall views of America or of any of his policy ideas. They seem to think America is still in crisis -- despite the facts -- and that it is Congressional Republicans who will set America's agenda. They should review history and how the president's role in legislating was set by Pres. Washington long ago. They should reconsider the practical aspect of getting legislation turned into law without a president's views being taken into account. The president is still in office and his (and the Democratic Party's) views will not be ignored. And, if they think they can just play politics for two years in hopes of getting the presidency before trying to govern, then they should be prepared to hear the Democrats remind the public repeatedly that the Republicans in Congress aren't doing their job.

Sen. Capito of West Virginia even said the president didn't say anything about working together. Wake up senator. He spoke about it more than most presidents. He's talked about it for years.

And, for the Republicans who continually say America hasn't stabilized after the economic crisis, look at the economic numbers or reread the president's speech where he talks about our successes. We've created more new jobs since the recession than all the advanced economies of the world combined.

There are many bi-partisan or non-partisan issues the president talked about which should move forward. If the Republicans can't see those they should be aware the president can remind the public over and over (in campaign mode if you like) for years, so the public will be well aware of what isn't getting done that should be if the Republicans were actually governing.

It's time to govern. Turn the page and start.

Hypocrisy or Stupidity, You Decide

Here in America:

"From 2007 to 2010, the median net worth of American families decreased by 40%, from $135,700 to $82,300. Rapidly plunging house prices and a stock market crash were the immediate contributors to this shellacking."  -- Quentin Fottrell (in an article for Marketwatch.com)

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/prepare-for-the-largest-wealth-transfer-in-history-2015-01-13

But, ...

Jamie Dimon Whines Banks are Under Assault

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In France:

Je suis Charlie Hebdo!  (The slogan of those who support free speech in France after the terrorists killed editor & staff at the free speech magazine Charlie Hebdo.

But, ...

Massive Free Speech March - France Arrests Comedian over Facebook Comments

A Few Reasons the Left Worries for America

Money in politics:

Your Job Is To Make Money -- (former) West Virginia Coal Mine Operator Blankenship Indicted

Too Much Money In Politics - Corporations Paying ZERO Taxes


Corporate involvement in ALEC leading to bad laws:

Florida Court may Relieve Gun Owners of Burden-of-Proof

Texas Joins Florida in Jumping Off the Cliff wrt Guns


Leading to this outcome:

Americans More Likely to Die from Shooting than from a Car Accident

Albuquerque Cop Mistakenly Guns-Down Undercover Narcotics-Officer

Cops Arrested after TON of Cocaine Vanishes


If we could rely on science & technology to solve our problems it would be easier. There are new developments every day.

2014s Most Important Discoveries

Top 11 Physics Discoveries of 2014

New Teflon-Like Technology for Ocean-Going Vehicles

New Anti-Biotic - 1st in 30 Years  A YouTube.com link.

Everyone Needs a Strong Economy

During the recession of 2001 (during the presidency of the Republican George W. Bush) and thereafter the federal government employed more and more people. Did the Republican politicians argue this was hurting the economy by crowding out public investments and employment? Did they say the people needed to keep more of their hard-earned money instead of wasting it on government workers? No. But, when President Obama was facing a much worse recession they insisted on shrinking the federal government -- the sequester!

Today I heard Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) talking about how the economy was doing much better because government spending was much smaller. I hear Republicans say such things and I'm amazed. Do their voters really believe that a bigger government when Bush was president is good and when Obama is president it's bad? Don't the voters deserve more honesty than that?

All economists say the sequester (spending cuts) has dragged down the GDP output of the country, by perhaps 2.5 - 3.0 percentage points. Instead of our current 2.5% annual GDP growth we might have had 5.0 - 5.5 % growth without the sequester. But, Sessions says the opposite, that reducing government spending has made it easier for the private sector to grow. It's no wonder the Republicans drive the economy into the ground when they're in charge. They see the world upside down.

My question is this: if we're borrowing 30 - 40% of all money the federal government spends, does reducing that spending somehow free that borrowed money to be used by American corporations? American corporations already have trillions of dollars in the bank and can invest it any time they want. Some are using their savings to buy back their outstanding shares of stock. Why on Earth would they borrow money? No, it's money and government employees just sitting idle and reducing GDP.

Similarly...

Republican politicians have argued against the Affordable Care Act (the ACA or Obamacare) because they say it's destroying the economy. But, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scored the legislation when it was first being considered as saving the government money. It pushes for more and more people to have healthcare insurance and to be able to receive healthcare more easily. How would more people seeing the doctor lower the GDP?

Contrary to that, the Republicans support wars as a driver of the economy. Yes, Mitt Romney, in 2012, said that increased military spending was their economic plan. Can you imagine starting a war just to increase spending (on war materiel and personnel)? How immoral can you be?

Democrats set the economy on an upward path and the Republicans have done everything they could to stop that, saying the Democratic changes would destroy the economy. It's been growing at a fairly steady 2.5% annually. The recession Republicans gave us drove hundred-year-old companies into bankruptcy and the unemployment rate over 10%. Today the unemployment rate is back down to near-normal levels and we're still growing and employing more people every month.

The facts are obvious: Democrats can grow the economy and get people working and the Republicans are terribly confused about economics.

Finally...

It may be incredible, but of all the politicians in Congress today, all the Democrats were elected with about 20 million more votes than all the Republicans. Yet, the Republicans control Congress. They have the majority in both the House and the Senate. This indicates something terribly strange and wrong. The Republicans have said we must return control to the voters, yet the 20 million more Democratic voters won't have their say.

The Republicans need to listen more to Democratic voters and their representatives in Congress on the economy and stop serving the very narrow interests of a few rich billionaires.

The Year of UnQE

The economy has been getting better and I suspect that will continue. There are obviously going to be surprises along the way, as there always are, but there is no reason to believe current trends will not continue for a while.

The most obvious thing which we expect and plan for, but which will be a bit unpredictable is how the unwinding of the QE program will affect the economy. It is for that reason I suspect we will see it begin when the economic numbers show an upturn of inflation or further decrease in unemployment or a combination of other good results. The question in everyone's minds after that will be how the Fed would want to continue that. Will it be a steady amount every month, the way they put it into place? Will it be less every month to avoid depressing the economy? Will the amount vary from month to month or quarter to quarter?

As this is really the first time they will have done this (to my knowledge) I suspect they will go slowly, either rolling back a smaller amount each time or spacing out the rollbacks -- for example, one every quarter or every other month. This would give them time to look at the effects and to make any necessary adjustments. A small tick up or down in the amount to relate this process to the ups and downs of the economy could be necessary.

Whatever method they choose it should be cautious. The sequester is likely to still be in effect and unless the economy suddenly goes into overdrive we won't be seeing a lot of inflation for a while. And, using the unQE to neutralize inflationary pressures could be very useful to keep everything in balance for a long time.

In short, I believe their method should be slow, with time after acting to observe the effects, and with adjustments to relate to economic performance.

Science Continues to Advance

I am regularly amazed by the stories of new scientific or technological achievements. This article provides links to some of those articles.


HIV evolves and becomes less deadly!

Biologists Discover Why Cells Split

How and Why Lung Cancer Spreads

Birth Control Implant Facts

A New Scanner that Decodes DNA in 90 Minutes - and Cops have it

New Topaz Solar Power Plant - 550 Megawatts AC

Germany to Focus on Renewable Energy Sources

Tesla Announces Roadster Upgrade - 400 miles per charge!

Algae to Clean Old Mines