Good Health News for Empire Staters

The assembly in our fair (it's all those things) state has voted to one-up Obamacare.

The New York Assembly wants to cut out the middle man.

A bill that passed 89-47 would essentially eliminate insurance companies and cover all New Yorkers' healthcare needs through a so-called single payer system.

Our Senate, unfortunately, is not so fair. 

An identical bill hasn't advanced in the state Senate, so the measure is not likely become law any time soon.

And just to stick another shiv in the idea that there is no difference between Dems and Reps.

The vote fell roughly along party lines.

Oooh, look, 81 sponsors. All Democrats. 

Where I Live and How (or Blame It On Henry)

Like many others of my generation, my development was warped by the lunatic ramblings of Henry Thoreau. Simplify, he said. And I listened. It's been over a year since I quit my job and entered an early "retirement." Since the sound of that word can be grating for so many reasons, I'm going with  the oh-so-more mellifluous " jubilación." Every word is sweeter when spoken with Romance speaker would.

Thoreau had it easy. All he had to do was find a bit of land to squat on and build a cabin. I bought a house 8 months ago. If Henry had had to get a mortgage, he'd have couchsurfing at Emerson's place. Lucky I saved. They take a dim view of that squatting thing nowadays. I did build a cabin shed for my garden tools and mower. His was likely larger, but I have a house and he was probably a better carpenter.

One of my goals for my jubilación is to develop new skills. Admittedly, I did have a contractor do the renovation on the bathroom. My criterion for making the effort to acquire a new ability is whether I'll use it on a regular basis. I don't plan on doing a lot of plumbing, so why learn it? Seeing a need for curtains in my new house led me to purchase a sewing machine, though. I have finished window treatments (as we pros say) for my bedroom and living room so far. It may have been more economical to have bought them, but I want slipcovers once my sewing proficiency improves. Furniture from the Salvation Army is comfortable enough, but not always attractive.

This year I learn to garden, as well. Got a late start in 2013. At the end of the summer, I did get several frames built for raised beds and a few cold frames. Have amassed a huge pile of leaves for compost. What I've noticed is that during the Summer there's a lot of grass trimmings, but no leaves to combine for good decomposition. In the Autumn, there are leaves and no grass. This year it's all coming together and I put Thoreau's beans to shame.

Like most people affected by the winter, I'm hunkering down and waiting for Persephone to come and bring Spring (and farmer's markets) back to us mortals. Enjoy the rhythm of the Winter while it's still around and try to avoid quiet desperation. Be well.

Yes!!!! Agenda 21 Is A Go In Northern NY!!!!!

Please excuse the excessive use of exclamation points but I couldn't be happier that our Commie Nihilist coalition of supervisors has pushed through Agenda 21 here in our neck of the woods.

Tea party-backed anti-Agenda 21 legislation that would have barred Washington County from participating in state-level land-use and planning initiatives died Monday in a joint county committee meeting.

It won't be long now before we are all boarding the boxcars on our way to urban ghettoes paradise.

Believers of the Agenda 21 conspiracy theory see a world where rural Americans are stripped of their lands and loaded on trains destined for urban living centers in the name of environmental protection.

Once again we have beaten back the best efforts of the Birchers to reveal the true nature of the menace the American society faces like fluoride in our drinking water. Only their society and we nihilists know that that is what actually caused the US to become a bunch of latte-sipping, arugula-eating Obama voters. Happy fuckin' Earth Day, Birchers! (had one left over from the post title).

The county tea party and regional John Birch Society have been pushing the local legislation based on growing fears among the political right-wing that state programs, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Greener, Cleaner Jobs Initiative, is somehow part of a one-world socialist government takeover orchestrated by the United Nations with the help of the news media and environmental scientists.

And happy Earth Day, Dana Haff and the nuts in Hartford who elected him.

Hartford Supervisor Dana Haff’s proposed legislation that would have essentially stood as a blanket rejection of Cuomo’s green jobs proposal and other statewide environmental land-use initiatives, including any grant money for bike paths and green business development that may stem from the state programs, saw no support from county supervisors.

Hell no, we won't take money from Albany for bike paths and green business development.

The legislation couldn’t even reach the floor because there was no “second” by members of the county committee, a required step in general parliamentary process for a resolution’s consideration.

OK, maybe just a little money.

Not That I'm a Greedhead

But it's always nice to have a little extra cash when living in a capitalist society where the government is unwilling to provide for your every need. Unfortunately, Obama hasn't turned out to be the socialist we were promised other than handing out a few phones. That reminds me I never got one of those either. Anyway, in order to better cope and have more dough to donate to liberal causes which will undermine capitalism and bring on the free-loader life where I no longer have to work I've found this article with tips from the "ultra-wealthy."

I've long tried to emulate Warren Buffett because he is a Democrat and has handled his wealth without becoming a total jackass like Donald Trump, the Coors family, the Walton family (not the one on TV) and the Koch's. How many rich people stay in Omaha, Nebraska and drink Coke instead of Dom Perignon?  I did get some laughs out of the Hunt brothers when they went bust after trying to corner the silver market, though. I think they might be dead now and dead rich people are OK.

Onto the wisdom from the mouths of the rich:

1. An equity position is necessary to get wealthy.

Ninety percent of the super-successful say this is true, versus fewer than half of the masses. More importantly, 80 percent of "business brilliant" people say they already have an equity stake in their work.

Definitely important to have some "skin in the game" as they say.

2. I'm always looking to gain an advantage in my business dealings.

About 90 percent of "business brilliant" individuals say they are always trying to grab an edge, compared with just about 40 percent of the middle-class.


There's one to work on, I'm definitely too laid-back on this front.

3. Doing things well is more important than doing new things.

Getting wealthy usually means you've taken an ordinary idea and executed it exceptionally well.

I thought this one was very interesting. I had always assumed that some sort of innovation was needed. Good to know it's not because I'm not particularly creative.

4. I hire people who are smarter than I am.

No problem there.

5. It's essential I really understand my business associates' motivations.

Another one to work on.

6. I can easily walk away from a deal if it's not right.

This seems kind of obvious, but maybe sometimes hard to actually do. Psychologically I think we may get invested in the notion of a plan succeeding. Hopefully, the real estate I'm buying is a deal that is "right."

7. Setbacks and failures have taught me what I'm good at.

Those who are "business brilliant" have, on average, more failures than members of the middle-class. But they use those failures to help them succeed on the next attempt. Just 17 percent of the middle-class say they learn from their failures in this way, which is really a shame. Everything worth trying contains an element of risk, after all. If you fall on your face, you might as well learn from the experience to help you succeed on your next try.

I can certainly say this is true of my investing. During the 1990's I "invested" in tech stocks where I had no idea what the fuck the company did. I was buying high and selling low. Then began my love affair with Buffett and I began to invest in companies that actually produced something and it was something I understood. This was the 2000's. Then toward the end of that decade came the stock market crash and I was holding a portfolio that was about 100% in stocks. Another lesson learned. I did manage to wait for the equity market to come back some before shifting a large portion into bond holdings. Don't panic is another lesson that could be on that list. For good measure I got rid of all my individual stocks. My holdings are now in ETF's and indexes. An investment in Bank of America showed me the folly of individual stocks.

So, until we get a truly Marxist president and turn this country into a virtual paradise it's worth following the rules of life as it exists.

Defeat the Elites

I refuse to ask middle class families to give up their deductions for owning a home or raising their kids just to pay for another millionaire’s tax cut. I refuse to ask students to pay more for college; or kick children out of Head Start programs, or eliminate health insurance for millions of Americans who are poor, elderly, or disabled – all so those with the most can pay less.

And I will never turn Medicare into a voucher. No American should ever have to spend their golden years at the mercy of insurance companies. They should retire with the care and dignity they have earned. Yes, we will reform and strengthen Medicare for the long haul, but we’ll do it by reducing the cost of health care – not by asking seniors to pay thousands of dollars more.

Four more years!

GOP Convention News

That's if there is a GOP convention.

Tropical storm Isaac, which is gathering strength in the Caribbean, could strike Florida, hurricane forecasters say, triggering concern it might force a postponement or cancellation of the Republican National Convention in Tampa next week.

We'll see if God really is on their side. Worst case scenario for them is if Romney and Ryan get washed out to sea and they have to run Ron Paul because he isn't there because they didn't allow him to speak.

Comes this news that the Obama campaign is going to "disrupt" the convention which I see as a huge mistake. I really think the last thing you want to do is distract from the climate change denying, birth enforcing, granny killing, Kenyan Muslimming, birth certificating, God fearing all around craziness of the Republican convention.

Bucking protocol, President Obama and the Democrats are planning a full-scale assault on Republicans next week during their convention.
Presidential candidates have traditionally kept a low profile during their opponent's nominating celebration, but Democrats are throwing those rules out the window in an attempt to spoil Mitt Romney’s coronation as the GOP nominee.

It's so unfair. But Obama is from Chicago.

And just to prove that right-wingers don't "get" irony comes word that the theme of their convention is "we built this." This is in a stadium that was built with 62% of the funding coming from the public.

However, the stadium where the GOP will be announcing “We Built This!” was financed primarily by the government. The Tampa Bay Times Forum arena, which houses the Tampa Bay Lightning, was built in 1996 as the “Ice Palace” with 62% government funds. The total budget for the project was $139 million, of which public money accounted for $86 million and team money accounted for $53 million.

Hopefully no one in the nasty mainstream media will  point that out. Chances are. Not.

So, I Was Feeling All Sad and Blue

I had gone over to faux professor Donald's place and he was all happy about the Ryan pick. No links cause he hates the traffic especially from Nazi progressives. And I went and read Roy's Voice column about how it's the Second Coming of Saint Ronnie now that Willard and Paul have hooked up. BTW, go visit Roy, he loves the company. The Reagan loving is laid on very thick, though.

So I was feeling very down until I went and visited my second favorite wingnut. Bob Lonsberry is kind of a local boy made, well not much. He's on the radio out Rochester way and writes a web column. When I saw the title of his column,  RYAN WAS THE WRONG CHOICE, my spirits were immediately elevated.

He has decided to throw the race and he has decided not to be subtle about it. Here’s the bottom line: Paul Ryan doesn’t bring a vote to the ticket.

Now Bob's a fellow Mormon so he probably has the inside scoop from himself. And I'd been thinking for awhile that Romney was taking a dive. To have it confirmed is some really good news, though.

 In a race where the fight is for the flakes in the middle, Paul Ryan absolutely does not move the needle.

We see here that Bob himself is not much the politician or he doesn't think "the flakes in the middle" are going to read his web musings. And not that I would want Paul Ryan in charge of anything, but from the point of view of the opposition this makes sense.

Having Paul Ryan’s knowledge and intellect guide the restructuring of the federal budget in a Romney administration is a good idea. To do that, you make him Treasury secretary, or director of the budget, or create some czar position. Almost never has a vice president been selected on the basis of some specialized skill which he would use in the administration. That’s what cabinet secretaries are for.

Fortunately Bob and I agree that Ryan is not going to get to do that either.

And, incredibly, by his choice, Mitt Romney has ended the congressional career of the only guy with the brains and the guts to say what needs to be said about the budget.

Say it loud, proud and often you zombie eyed granny starver!

And Mitt Romney has played directly into it. The Democrats have invested a year in making Paul Ryan’s last name a cuss word in American politics, and Mitt Romney has made sure that that Democrat investment doesn’t go to waste. We have agreed to argue their issue, and that is almost never a smart move.

Thanks Bob.

UPDATE: My hopes are confirmed after coming back from viewing the stock markets' nearly half a percent nosedive on the first open since the Ryan pick. I know how the Right likes to put so much weight on every little movement up or down. Obviously this is a slam dunk.

Give Me Big Gulp or Give Me Death

I suppose they're not mutually exclusive in the long run where we're all dead anyway. Might come a little faster with enough Big Gulps. That may not be the actual size in the link.

Anyway thanks to a junk voicemail I have been informed of the "Million Big Gulp March" taking place today in NYC to protest the latest effort by Mayor Bloomberg to impose the nanny state on freedom loving NYer's.

About 1,000 protesters chanting “Drink Free Or Die” are expected to take part in the “Million Big Gulp March” in City Hall Park at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

By my math that's a thousand Big Gulps apiece. Good luck guys. That's a high price you're paying for the cause of liberty. Maybe get a few Nathan's hot dogs while you're out and about.

Eat the Rich

Apparently the socialists took over on New Year’s Day. Things are looking good for William Ayers primary challenge against President Obama.

Most Americans think the United States should raise taxes for the rich to balance the budget, according to a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll released on Monday.

In addition to asking those who, like Paris Hilton, have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps to become wealthy these turncoats are suggesting surrender to our enemies.

The next most popular way -- chosen by 20 percent -- was to cut defense spending.

At least the right and the left can probably find common ground on this opinion.

Asked which part of the world they would fix first, the largest proportion of respondents -- 36 percent -- chose Washington, compared with 23 percent who picked the Middle East and 14 percent who chose Haiti.

 

Ayers/Chomsky 2012

Al Franken Gets Kinetic

 

This Too is Because of Obama’s Socialist Policies

The rich are becoming richer. And I wouldn’t have a problem with that if I was rich. Maybe that attitude is the heart of Obamism.

Consumer spending accounts for roughly two-thirds of U.S. gross domestic product, or the value of all goods and services produced in the nation. And spending by the rich now accounts for the largest share of consumer outlays in at least 20 years.

According to new research from Moody's Analytics, the top 5% of Americans by income account for 37% of all consumer outlays. Outlays include consumer spending, interest payments on installment debt and transfer payments.

Unfortunately for the US economy, even if I was rich I would likely still be the cheap bastard that I am now. Yes, Warren Buffett is my idol. I have his poster in my bedroom.

By contrast, the bottom 80% by income account for 39.5% of all consumer outlays.

It is no surprise, of course, that the rich spend so much, since they earn a disproportionate share of income. According to economists Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty, the top 10% of earners captured about half of all income as of 2007.

The GOP, of course, says let the poor and middle class eat cake. Someone else said that too. Let’s see, what happened to her?

The data may be a further sign that the U.S. is becoming a Plutonomy–an economy dependent on the spending and investing of the wealthy. And Plutonomies are far less stable than economies built on more evenly distributed income and mass consumption. "I don't think it's healthy for the economy to be so dependent on the top 2% of the income distribution," Mr. Zandi said. He added that, "In the near term it highlights the fragility of the recovery."

Anyway, I’m sure wingnut geniuses are tying the enrichening of the rich to Obama’s socialist policies. Probably something to do with Bill Ayers and ACORN.

Meet the New Hegemon

China showed more evidence today that they are the new hegemon on the block. Instead of spending a vast proportion of their wealth on military gizmos that likely have no use and are defective for their intended purpose, they have quietly amassed huge amounts of European and American debt.

Stocks had another turnaround Thursday and rocketed higher after China reassured investors it doesn't plan to sell the European debt it holds.

China's show of confidence in Europe let the market resume a rally that stalled late Wednesday following a report that the Chinese government was considering cutting its European debt holdings. If that were true, such a move would have signaled that China didn't think Europe would be able to contain its debt crisis. The agency that manages China's $2.5 trillion in foreign reserves denied the report.

Let’s hope they are as benevolent when it comes to our debt.

Happy Days Are Here Again…

Well we can hope anyway. And it’s hard to write that as I sit looking at the rain come down. Recessions make us pessimistic and always doubtful that the end will come. And of course are particularly hard on those who are out of work. But, they do end.

The American economy appears to be in a cyclical recovery that is gaining strength. Firms have begun to hire and consumer spending seems to be accelerating.

That is what usually happens after particularly sharp recessions, so it is surprising that many commentators, whether economists or politicians, seem to doubt that such a thing could possibly be happening.

If I had the time to waste I’d go over to AmPow and see how the polymath from Long Beach College is applying his great knowledge of economics to this to determine that it is bad news for Obama.

it is normal for recessions to make people pessimistic. “Go back and read what people were saying in 1982 or 1975,” said Robert Barbera, the chief economist of ITG. “Nobody was saying, ‘Deep recession, big recovery.’ It is quite normal to expect an abnormally weak recovery. It is also normal for that expectation to be wrong.”

I’m perfectly happy to hear the wingers keep saying we’re on the road to ruin. They can keep saying it right through the next few elections and look even more foolish.

In 1982, Democrats scoffed at a surging stock market and thought a severe recession would last for a very long time. They were confident that the economy would doom Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign in 1984. All they had to do was make clear they offered a stark alternative to the failing policies of the incumbent

Change a few words (Reagan to Obama, Democrats to Republicans, 1984 to 2012) and you have an accurate description of the current political climate. Could the Republicans be as wrong now as the Democrats were then?

That’s the secret, get the recession out of the way early in your presidency. Dubya fucked up. He had one early and one at the end.