American politicians act like lemmings as fiscal cliff approaches

27/12/2012

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American politicians appear to be acting like lemmings heading to their death, racing to drop over the proverbial Fiscal Cliff. So many words have been written and spoken about the situation yet a compromise seems impossible to achieve. Compromises take at least two sides to give a little, in order to get a little, and no doubt both the Republicans and the Democrats in the US will blame each other for the impasse. The politicians that is may do so, as the ordinary man, woman and child will now be powerless. Their last input was the 2012 elections.  Whilst they returned a democratic President, that is Barack Obama, they let the Republicans keep the lead in Government.

You may say that is a good thing. After all it should stop any party flexing its political muscles too much. The problem is that in a country such as the USA it can make the President politically impotent.

Next Monday the USA will reach its deadline for either a resolution or disaster. Some people will have to lose out financially whichever way it goes, the seemingly never ending debate is about who loses and by how much.

In general it seems that the Democrats want tax breaks for those less well off to remain and Republicans do not see why those who are wealthy should stump up more. Republican House Speaker John Boehner claims to be ready to meet the Democrats halfway but in truth both sides want their own agenda fulfilled.

Much has been made of the fact that the President lowered his tax revenue aims a while ago and Boehner offered to allow an increase in the taxes of Millionaires. However as the President resisted further compromise so did Bohener. If neither are careful, just like sulking children, neither will achieve anything.

The Fiscal Cliff is not a unique term relating to current issues but something Americans will have heard in the past when tough economic choices have been on the cards. Talk of taking measures to prevent more US debt increasing though is in reality a nonsense. The current economic climate the World is facing right now will mean that nothing will be easily resolved, if at all.

Whilst both sides procrastinate, and refuse to give in, the deadline is almost upon them. Many Americans will experience a dip in income and more if the issue is not resolved. Whatever happens many will lose out, probably mostly those who can ill afford to.

Today US Senate leader Harry Reid has weighed in. The BBC reported that:
Senators and President Barack Obama have returned to Washington, while the House of Representatives is in recess.

Analysts say heading over the "cliff" could tip the US into recession.

President Obama is reported to have spoken to congressional leaders by phone on Wednesday for an update on the progress of talks.

Bickering over the cliff has divided Washington in recent weeks, with President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner unable to reach a deal before Christmas.

The president wants to ensure that taxes do not rise for Americans earning under $400,000 (£250,000), and insists on raising new tax revenue in any deal.

But many Republicans oppose new taxes, and an alternative plan proposed by Mr Boehner - which would have seen taxes rise only on those earning over $1m - failed in the House late last week.

Republicans left Washington for Christmas and said responsibility for avoiding the cliff rested with the Democratic-led Senate.

But in the Senate chamber on Thursday Mr Reid said the requirement to get at least 60 of 100 votes to move to a vote on any legislation almost certainly doomed any new plan unless Republicans gave it strong backing.
Opinion
Peeved that they did not win the Presidential race, as most Republicans thought was a done deal, these politicians will not care about the ordinary folk in the USA. Why should they? The Republican presidential campaign was a multi billion dollar campaign supported by those with vast wealth. Debts will need to be paid even if they are only debts by way of promises. Back scratches. You scratch mine and I will scratch yours.

In common with most political parties who do not win the majority vote the GOPs vested interest will still be in pulling down the Democrats and ultimately President Obama.

Boehner has played many games including playing to the Press claiming that "they" are ready for Obama to lead them. Today the Huff Post has "US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid accusing the House of Representatives Thursday of being a "dictatorship" -- albeit an extremely poor one."

Whilst they all posture and fail to reach an agreement who will suffer? Not they we guess.

Read a plain and simple explanation of the Fiscal Cliff here
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Matt Romney visits Russia as Americans recover from Sandy

03/11/2012

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As a huge swathe of America struggles to get back to normality following hurricane Sandy Matt Romney, son of the US Presidential hopeful, is in Russia. On what has been called a long planned trip for him it is business as usual.

Matt, the second eldest son of Mitt, is there touting for business. Father Mitt is good at espousing that Russia is a "geopolitical foe" of the USA but when it comes to money it could be a different matter. You can argue that Matt is a grown man who can act independently of his father but such large Mormon families rarely do that. There family unit is almost a huge business all on its own.

Then there is the inappropriate timing of this Russian visit. So close to the US election there has to be more to it than the Romeny's are admitting. Add to this the help that Americans need at home right now and surely Matt would be better engaged helping the recovery effort in the US. Whether doing so would be for political gain or from the heart would not matter. It would be more productive. This Russian trip will only be productive for the Romneys bank accounts it seems.

Matt is a senior vice president at Excel Trust, a real estate investment firm based in the state of California. Greg Davis of Excel said,
“It is a harmless trip.”It was a trip that has been planned for some time,” Davis told the Times. “Any travel they’ve done on behalf of Excel is strictly on the private side. It would have nothing to do with anything governmental.” Pull the other one springs to mind.

Mitt Romney has openly criticised President Obama and his political relationship with Russia and Putin. Of course it is easy to criticise the man in office when you are on the sidelines. Any President has to have working relationships with many other leaders.

This week "The Times reports the younger Romney sought to deliver a message to Putin this week that if elected, his father wants a good relationship between the two countries."

So much for Mitt Romney's eloquent but obviously untrue words that, "Under my administration, our friends will see more loyalty, and Mr. Putin will see a little less flexibility and more backbone," Mitt Romney said at the Republican National Convention in August.

Opinion
Mitt's words are just  BS then as we thought all along

You can read more here 
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Racism and hate, Whatever happened to peace and love, man

08/04/2012

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Remember the sixties? Not as old as this blogger? Well let me reminisce with a glimpse of my memories of the sixties. Of course as a personal slant, and looking through rose coloured glasses, this account may not be how you remember things, if you were around.

As a child and then teenager of the sixties, in the UK, a feeling of hope was perhaps understandable. For some it was establishment business as usual, war and more. It did however seem a positive period in history. Sections of society wanted change and in the most part peaceful change. The response by authorities may have at times been much less than peaceful but young people like myself at the time remained hopeful. It was a time of rebellious youth for many young people.

Benefiting from the post war period following World War Two, parents tended to be a little more relaxed with their children. As so often is the case that inevitably went too far.

It was however also a time when it was possible to believe that hate due to skin colour would become a thing of the past. It still existed but was gradually dwindling. Post War there was a time of hate for German and Japanese people. The wounds of war were still raw.

Those people who had good sense though, in time realised you cannot hate a new generation for the "sins of the father". This however illustrates that racism is not always a matter of skin colour. The Nazis hated the Jews and savagely killed populations yet neither had a black skin.

In the UK and the US black skinned people suffered to differing degrees but the "times they were a changing". Race discrimination laws in the UK ensured some protection. But who would have thought in 1960 that a black skinned man, albeit more a mixed race black, would in 2012 occupy the White House? That to this blogger remains awesome.I t shows how far the US has come or it did appear to at one time.

Was it 9/11 that changed all of the early hope?  Whilst it may have contributed, the current level of hate in the world and racism is much more complicated.

The "hippies" who hoped that " peace and love man" would rule the day moved on. It has been recorded many times that as the sixties ended a very different time was to follow. The "dream" had died. Idealism is often derided but surely it has to be better than hate, war, violence and destruction?

The idols of that era moved into "fat cat" jobs, acquired wealth and joined the establishment they had once derided. Some continued to apparently live the life as they aged but it was often all a front.  They had decided that money was their "one true god" and foolishly they worshipped it.

Wealth can open doors but in truth it does not always bring happiness and satisfaction with life. However it is to each his or her own. Of course you have to be a liberal minded person to even say that statement, "to each his or her own".

What has initiated this ramble down memory lane though is the amount of hate and racism alive and flourishing today.

As the UK tries to hit hard at insensitive tweeters who post racist comments it fails to address the more serious problem. In some ways it alienates rebellious young people who may then develop a worse attitude.

This weekend there has been reports of endemic racism in the UK Metropolitan Police force which has led to an investigation. In the US there have been shootings of black individuals by a white drive by shooter. There has been the recent murder of Trayvon Martin in the US which has been belittled and bounced around as it is used by people with race issues, on all sides.

The US remains divided over President Barack Obama and it is fair to say that for some the colour of his skin andplace of birth remains the issue rather than his track record as Commander in Chief. The drive by shootings in Tulsa are the latest headlines in the US. These involve a white man and black victims.

Today April 8, 2012, this blogger has written on the progress of Thusha Kamaleswaran. As Britain’s youngest gangland gun victim this Sri Lanken girl was shot by black youths. As the emergency team fought to save her life supporters of the gang asked them why they were bothering to save a "paki".

France is still recovering from the drive by shooting of citizens including children by a non-white citizen with an axe to grind, and it appears a similar killer is on the loose again. Are the latest killings race based or merely hate fuelled crimes.

Whilst we all should try and stay clear of the "race card" it is hard to ignore.

Even non-white races at times are racist against each other. Not sure what this blogger means? Well in black South Africa some years ago the caste system between black people meant that some were looked down on by "their own" and treat accordingly.

Of course it is now the 21st Century, we are civilised, we are better educated and we should be more enlightened? Are we? Are we hell.

In Ireland each year the marching season brings trouble to the streets.The marchers celebrate a victory in battle from a long distant past. Too distant to be worth remembering surely?. Definitely too distant to cause problems now. But of course as long as people hold on to such events hate continues.

When you think about it even the religions that are often at the heart of hate and racism stem from a long distant past. Of course we should always remember that it is not the religion that is necessarily at fault but how we choose to interpret it and allow it to affect our lives.

Whilst this blog may sound silly, depressing or ideological remember life is to a large extent what you make it. Outside influences play a part but in the West it is still possible to live a fairly "free" life. Some people around the world are not so lucky. Life is so brief and these days there seem to be too many people eager to get to the hereafter, whatever that may be, and in the process ruin other people's life. Why? Is there something in the water, the food, the air, that these days causes so much hate. Or is it that so many people have sad lives?

This ramble draws few conclusions but raises many unanswerable questions. For me the sixties was not all a bed of roses but it was a time of hope, fun, growth and expectancy.. I wonder how today's teenagers are viewing the current decade? I doubt it will be one of hope. For young people though it should be.

Tags: The sixties, racism, hate, hope, President Obama, Trayvon Martin, Thusha, drive by shootings
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