Daily Dose is a collection of URLs gleaned from "the day's surfing."
October 11, 2011
1.) Video tape of Ronald Reagan sounding "just like" Barack Obama - http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/10/03/333912/reagan-tax-loopholes-crazy/
2.) Warren Buffet's secretary pays a higher income tax than he does - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu5B-2LoC4s In this Tom Brokaw interview, Warren Buffett offers a charitable donation of a million dollars to any Fortune 400 "Rich Person" who can prove that, on average, they pay a higher tax rate than their secretary. As of this writing, no rich person has accepted Buffett's challenge.
3.) A political “koan” from Sesame Street and Fox News. http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/fox-panel-attacks-sesame-street-wanting-ed This Fox News "Round Table" recalls Louis Armstrong: “There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell them.” Are these people born heartless? Or does bible-banging make them heartless? All is well with Smiley Tits and The Well-Coiffed.
4.) "This Time It's Really Different" - Japan all over again..." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/opinion/this-time-it-really-is-different.html?_r=2
Excerpt: "How can we break this cycle? Like most mainstream economists, Alpert, Hockett and Roubini roll their eyes at the calls for immediate government deficit reduction, which led to the creation of the supercommittee. Reducing government spending in the short term will only make things worse. Instead, they believe that this is perhaps the best time in recent history for the government to take on a sustained infrastructure program, lasting from five to seven years, to create jobs and demand. “Labor costs will never be lower,” says Hockett. “Equipment costs will never be lower. The cost of capital will never be lower. Why wait?” Their plan calls for $1.2 trillion in spending — not all by the government, but all overseen by government — that would add 5.2 million jobs each year of the program. Alpert says that current ideas, like tax cuts, meant to stimulate the economy indirectly, just won’t work for a problem as big the one we are facing. Indeed, so far, they haven’t."
5.) Nouriel Roubini's "Global Economics" website (strongly recommended by Paul Krugman) - http://www.roubini.com/
6.) "Ashes to Ammo: How to Re-Load Your Dead Loved One" http://www.npr.org/2011/10/09/141195224/ashes-to-ammo-how-to-reload-your-dead-loved-one
“Ashes to Ammo” fleshes out my vision of the essential barbarism in the American character. Either "American Exceptionalism" coincides with this barbarism, or actively cheers it on. As a "viable" political force, The Republican Party requires partisan support by an unprecedented number of uncivilized people. Many of these people are neo-necrophiliacs who applaud death as if it were Coliseum blood sport - http://thehill.com/video/campaign/183941-dnc-video-attacks-gop-for-not-criticizing-booing-of-gay-soldier)
7.) "Fact checking" - October 11th's Republican Candidate Debate. For two hours, it was startling how little truth was spoken. And the smattering that seemed true was mostly "smoke and mirrors." (See, for example, Rick Perry's "Texas debt" claim.) The Republican Party has taken leave of its senses, blathering "any damn thing," pretending "opinion is fact." In the unlikely event American "conservatives" read this New York Times article - they will categorize the "naysaying" as stuff-and-nonsense concocted by East Coast liberal elites. Science? Rationality? Intellectual rigor? Pshaw! We got God on our side. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/fact-checking-the-republican-debate-on-the-economy/?src=twrhp Notably, there was one moment of lucidity when Romney averred: "We could have had a complete meltdown" were it not for Wall Street's bailout. Admittedly, Mitt's "math" is as rudimentary as single digit addition. But, to hear it from the mouth of a Republican in good standing with The Party of The Self-Pithed took my breath away - http://news.yahoo.com/romney-defends-part-wall-st-bailout-debate-005458349.html
4.) "This Time It's Really Different" - Japan all over again..." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/opinion/this-time-it-really-is-different.html?_r=2
Excerpt: "How can we break this cycle? Like most mainstream economists, Alpert, Hockett and Roubini roll their eyes at the calls for immediate government deficit reduction, which led to the creation of the supercommittee. Reducing government spending in the short term will only make things worse. Instead, they believe that this is perhaps the best time in recent history for the government to take on a sustained infrastructure program, lasting from five to seven years, to create jobs and demand. “Labor costs will never be lower,” says Hockett. “Equipment costs will never be lower. The cost of capital will never be lower. Why wait?” Their plan calls for $1.2 trillion in spending — not all by the government, but all overseen by government — that would add 5.2 million jobs each year of the program. Alpert says that current ideas, like tax cuts, meant to stimulate the economy indirectly, just won’t work for a problem as big the one we are facing. Indeed, so far, they haven’t."
5.) Nouriel Roubini's "Global Economics" website (strongly recommended by Paul Krugman) - http://www.roubini.com/
6.) "Ashes to Ammo: How to Re-Load Your Dead Loved One" http://www.npr.org/2011/10/09/141195224/ashes-to-ammo-how-to-reload-your-dead-loved-one
“Ashes to Ammo” fleshes out my vision of the essential barbarism in the American character. Either "American Exceptionalism" coincides with this barbarism, or actively cheers it on. As a "viable" political force, The Republican Party requires partisan support by an unprecedented number of uncivilized people. Many of these people are neo-necrophiliacs who applaud death as if it were Coliseum blood sport - http://thehill.com/video/campaign/183941-dnc-video-attacks-gop-for-not-criticizing-booing-of-gay-soldier)
7.) "Fact checking" - October 11th's Republican Candidate Debate. For two hours, it was startling how little truth was spoken. And the smattering that seemed true was mostly "smoke and mirrors." (See, for example, Rick Perry's "Texas debt" claim.) The Republican Party has taken leave of its senses, blathering "any damn thing," pretending "opinion is fact." In the unlikely event American "conservatives" read this New York Times article - they will categorize the "naysaying" as stuff-and-nonsense concocted by East Coast liberal elites. Science? Rationality? Intellectual rigor? Pshaw! We got God on our side. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/fact-checking-the-republican-debate-on-the-economy/?src=twrhp Notably, there was one moment of lucidity when Romney averred: "We could have had a complete meltdown" were it not for Wall Street's bailout. Admittedly, Mitt's "math" is as rudimentary as single digit addition. But, to hear it from the mouth of a Republican in good standing with The Party of The Self-Pithed took my breath away - http://news.yahoo.com/romney-defends-part-wall-st-bailout-debate-005458349.html
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Webpages and Quotations that Reveal the National Conundrum:
1.) David Stockman on America's wealth inequality - http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7009217n
2.) Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, "Of the 1%, by the 1%, and for the 1%" -http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105
2.) Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, "Of the 1%, by the 1%, and for the 1%" -http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105
3.) "Our Banana Republic" by Nicholas Kristof - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/opinion/07kristof.html
4.) "A Hedge Fund Republic" by Nicholas Kristof - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/opinion/18kristof.html
5.) "How to End The Great Recession" by Robert Reich -http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/opinion/03reich.html
7.) Marine Major Commandant General Smedley Butler on “War is a Racket” - http://www.fas.org/man/smedley.htm (In his lifetime, General Butler was the most decorated U.S. Marine – ever. After retirement, Butler -- a lifelong Republican – ran for a Pennsylvania senate seat.)
8.) Warren Buffett, offering a charitable donation of a million dollars to any of the Fortune 400’s “Richest People” who can prove that, on average, they pay a higher tax rate than their secretary - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu5B-2LoC4s
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Benjamin Franklin to Robert Morris
25 December, 1783
"The Remissness of our People in Paying Taxes is highly blameable; the Unwillingness to pay them is still more so. I see, in some Resolutions of Town Meetings, a Remonstrance against giving Congress a Power to take, as they call it, the People's Money out of their Pockets, tho' only to pay the Interest and Principal of Debts duly contracted. They seem to mistake the Point. Money, justly due from the People, is their Creditors' Money, and no longer the Money of the People, who, if they withold it, should be compell'd to pay by some Law.
All Property, indeed, except the Savage's temporary Cabin, his Bow, his Matchcoat, and other little Acquisitions, absolutely necessary for his Subsistence, seems to me to be the Creature of public Convention.
Hence the Public has the Right of Regulating Descents, and all other Conveyances of Property, and even of limiting the Quantity and the Uses of it. All the Property that is necessary to a Man, for the Conservation of the Individual and the Propagation of the Species, is his natural Right, which none can justly deprive him of: But all Property superfluous to such purposes is the Property of the Publick, who, by their Laws, have created it, and who may therefore by other Laws dispose of it, whenever the Welfare of the Publick shall demand such Disposition. He that does not like civil Society on these Terms, let him retire and live among Savages. He can have no right to the benefits of Society, who will not pay his Club towards the Support of it."
Hence the Public has the Right of Regulating Descents, and all other Conveyances of Property, and even of limiting the Quantity and the Uses of it. All the Property that is necessary to a Man, for the Conservation of the Individual and the Propagation of the Species, is his natural Right, which none can justly deprive him of: But all Property superfluous to such purposes is the Property of the Publick, who, by their Laws, have created it, and who may therefore by other Laws dispose of it, whenever the Welfare of the Publick shall demand such Disposition. He that does not like civil Society on these Terms, let him retire and live among Savages. He can have no right to the benefits of Society, who will not pay his Club towards the Support of it."
Reagan Budget Director, David Stockman, who oversaw the largest tax cut in the history: “In 1985, the top five percent of the households – the wealthiest five percent – had net worth of $8 trillion – which is a lot. Today, after serial bubble after serial bubble, the top five per cent have net worth of $40 trillion. The top five percent have gained more wealth than the whole human race had created prior to 1980.” Elsewhere in this same CBS “60 Minutes” interview, Mr. Stockman describes America's obsession with tax cuts as "religion, something embedded in the catechism," "rank demagoguery, we should call it what it is," and "We've demonized taxes. We've created... the idea that they're a metaphysical evil." And finally, this encompassing observation: "The Republican Party, as much as it pains me to say this, should be ashamed of themselves." - http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7009217n&tag=contentMain;contentAux /// http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/obama-gop-agree-to-tax-breaks-but-%22we-need-major-tax-increases%22-david-stockman-says-535688.html?tickers=^DJI,^GSPC,GLD,DIA,TBT,TLT,UUP /// http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/david-stockman-lack-of-middle-class-jobs-low-growth-alleged-recovery-yftt_535691.html /// http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7009246n&tag=contentBody;housing (There is a self-resolving glitch near the beginning of this final clip.)
Teddy Roosevelt: “Too much cannot be said against the men of wealth who sacrifice everything to getting wealth. There is not in the world a more ignoble character than the mere money-getting American, insensible to every duty, regardless of every principle, bent only on amassing a fortune, and putting his fortune only to the basest uses —whether these uses be to speculate in stocks and wreck railroads himself, or to allow his son to lead a life of foolish and expensive idleness and gross debauchery, or to purchase some scoundrel of high social position, foreign or native, for his daughter. Such a man is only the more dangerous if he occasionally does some deed like founding a college or endowing a church, which makes those good people who are also foolish forget his real iniquity. These men are equally careless of the working men, whom they oppress, and of the State, whose existence they imperil. There are not very many of them, but there is a very great number of men who approach more or less closely to the type, and, just in so far as they do so approach, they are curses to the country." Theodore Roosevelt - February, 1895 - http://books.google.com/books?id=2wIoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=%E2%80%9CToo+much+cannot+be+said+against+the+men+of+wealth+who+sacrifice+everything+to+getting+wealth.+%22&source=bl&ots=tlzVCZMAuz&sig=DZ9KUKiPiBTUlThoSVs6KzQTvF4&hl=en&ei=OxibTcHrCIGdgQev_o2eBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CToo%20much%20cannot%20be%20said%20against%20the%20men%20of%20wealth%20who%20sacrifice%20everything%20to%20getting%20wealth.%20%22&f=false
Abraham Lincoln: "In my present position I could scarcely be justified were I to omit raising a warning voice against this approach of returning despotism. It is not needed nor fitting here that a general argument should be made in favor of popular institutions, but there is one point, with its connections, not so hackneyed as most others, to which I ask a brief attention. It is the effort to place capital on an equal footing with, if not above, labor in the structure of government. It is assumed that labor is available only in connection with capital; that nobody labors unless somebody else, owning capital, somehow by the use of it induces him to labor. This assumed, it is next considered whether it is best that capital shall hire laborers, and thus induce them to work by their own consent, or buy them and drive them to it without their consent. Having proceeded so far, it is naturally concluded that all laborers are either hired laborers or what we call slaves. And further, it is assumed that whoever is once a hired laborer is fixed in that condition for life. Now there is no such relation between capital and labor as assumed, nor is there any such thing as a free man being fixed for life in the condition of a hired laborer. Both these assumptions are false, and all inferences from them are groundless. Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration." Read more: State of the Union Address: Abraham Lincoln (December 3, 1861) — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/t/hist/state-of-the-union/73.html#ixzz17XlRsbev
Pat Buchanan – Two-time presidential candidate and the living American who has spent most time inside The White House as senior advisor: “The Republican philosophy might be summarized thus: To hell with principle; what matters is power, and that we have it, and that they do not.” “Where the Right Went Wrong” -
Major General Smedley Butler, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant.
In his lifetime, Butler was the most decorated Marine ever. In retirement, Butler - a life-long Republican - ran for a Pennsylvania Senate seat.
"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses. I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag. I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket. There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism. It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service. I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912 (where have I heard that name before?). I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.
The entire text of "War is a Racket" is freely available at http://www.ratical.com/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.htmlIn his lifetime, Butler was the most decorated Marine ever. In retirement, Butler - a life-long Republican - ran for a Pennsylvania Senate seat.
"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses. I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag. I wouldn't go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket. There isn't a trick in the racketeering bag that the military gang is blind to. It has its "finger men" to point out enemies, its "muscle men" to destroy enemies, its "brain men" to plan war preparations, and a "Big Boss" Super-Nationalistic-Capitalism. It may seem odd for me, a military man to adopt such a comparison. Truthfulness compels me to. I spent thirty- three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle- man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service. I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912 (where have I heard that name before?). I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.
During those years, I had, as the boys in the back room would say, a swell racket. Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents. Excerpt from a speech delivered in 1933.
Smedley Butler's Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler
"All this was inspired by the principle -- which is quite true within itself -- that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying." Adolf Hitler , Mein Kampf, vol. I, ch. X http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lie
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