IRS Treated The Left Unfairly

Posted: 15th May 2013 by James in My 2 Cents
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Let me clarify my opinion about the IRS – Tea Party “scandal”, again.  If you say “It’s unfair, they also need to treat the left with the same scrutiny”.  Then we agree.  But if you say “It’s unfair, they’re out to get us.”.  That’s were we differ.  One stance is where we fight to keep politics less corrupted by money.  The other is an  irrational paranoia with an ignorance about tax policy.   Political organizations don’t get charitable tax except status.  I’m not sorry Right Wingers, you STILL as USUAL have to pay your taxes.  I”m sure you’ll keep trying.

In this post Citizens United world, the IRS treated The Right correctly and possibly gave The Left some slack.  That’s the scandal

What the IRS did wrong is single out a group.  What the Tea-Party did right was hijack words for their own political rhetoric.  Then they were able to make the IRS look even worse combing for words like “patriot”, “Tea-Party”, bla, bla, bla.

 

 

 

The GOP’s Impatience, And The IRS’s Self-Preservation

Posted: 11th May 2013 by James in My 2 Cents
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If the GOP was just patient enough, they would have a real scandal.  None of this Benghazi silliness.  This IRS thing is a bigger deal.  Unfortunately for the GOP the IRS scandal also doesn’t reach to Obama.  Now after months of Benghazi rhetoric, it’s going to be hard to shift gears.  But maybe this is what they needed,  just to get out of the political quagmire they have created for themselves, called “Benghazi”

The GOP will play witch hunt as always.  Just sure it will lead to Obama.  No matter where it goes.  They have the answer they want,  “Obama told the them to do it.”.  But just like Benghazi, there are no questions that lead to that answer.  And the GOP would be stuck in another quagmire.  They would even find tremendous support in their new witch hunt.  Nobody likes the IRS, a  and their actions were obviously unfair.  But the GOP blew so much of clout on “Benghazi!”.  Another witch hunt will just show their cards even more.

As for the IRS.  Could it of just been an act of self-preservation?  The group who’s responsible for the management of the counties taxes, not wanting to help the group who fights to not pay taxes.  The IRS in their own way saying “Hey we want to fund the U.S.A., you want to de-fund the U.S.A.. No we wont help you.”

 

Why I Care More About Guns Then Gay Marriage

Posted: 31st March 2013 by James in My 2 Cents
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Gay marriage is having it’s well deserved day in court. I think as a culture, and a society, and a Union, we need to grow and evolve into a more liberal and progressive stance on gay marriage.  It’s more important we do that then change our gun laws or regulate the gun industries, as far as our collective thinking in our nation goes.

That being said.  Gay people have waited and fought politically for a long time. I just wished their issue didn’t distract from the time crises of the gun issue.  We need to change our gun laws and regulations before more people are unjustly killed. It’s time sensitive, not just for future victims, but politically.

I would like to see someone marry the person they love.  But if they could hold out, and instead put their political efforts towards stopping the next kid from getting shot.  I’d appreciate it.

 

 

 

Sandy Held A Mirror Up To The GOP

Posted: 3rd January 2013 by James in My 2 Cents
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Not to be insensitive to my home region of the world.  But it is laughable to watch & listen to northeast GOP Reps complain about their party not passing the Sandy bill.  They are going on and on about the role of the Federal Gov. when they want support.  Sorry North East GOP, but  what you’re saying the roll of the Federal Government is as what Dems have said  for many reasons.  Not just a disaster in your district, but poverty, public safety, infrastructure.

What’s the difference  if a terrorist or a hurricane taking out a bridge,  or schools in a neighborhood,  and those things just falling apart due to lack of infrastructure spending .  Now the  North East GOP thinks that these regions need rebuilding support, and financial “stimulus” that comes along with building and maintaining infrastructure.  As I’ve always said “there are no Republicans in natural disasters”.

The sad part is the amount of Mid West and Southern GOP reps who have had their share of natural disasters.  Have gotten their share of relief but doesn’t support it for their North East fellow GOPers.  It’s no secret the South and Mid West think the cosmopolitan North East look down on them, and that the South an Midwest are somewhat enjoying watching the East Coast suffer from the anti-federal ideology of the GOP.  “Hey east coast, pull yourself up from the boot straps.”

It takes one of their own in Gov. Christie to call them on their bullshit.  They can only hear it from one of their own, and the Gov. is the type to say it.  Does anyone in the GOP think that Christie is a “moocher” ? Yes! there are a few people out there who think Christie just wants “pork”.

In the end, the backlash of Christie and a few sane thinking North East GOP congressman have forced the Speaker to bring the bill back.  They always had Dem support from all over the county, because they understand the value  and necessity of the federal Gov.  Yesterday the GOP had a mirror put in front of them and they realized how ugly they were.  The Mid West and Southern GOP saw how hypocritical they’ve been in looking for relief while opposing it for others, and they realized THAT’S what makes THEM  the “moochers” they fear everyone else is.

 

 

Violance in “Hollywood”

Posted: 17th December 2012 by James in My 2 Cents
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Hearing a lot of the GOP wanting to blame “Hollywood”.  While I’m not unsympathetic to that.  Who are they going to blame in Hollywood? Stallone, Jon Tierney, Eastwood, Schwarzenegger?  Sorry GOP,  you’re going to have to take a closer look at yourself.  The Left has complained about these kinds of Republicans in Hollywood for years.  What is the GOP going to do go after Cowboy movies?  Who do you think really love their movies?  It’s not the lefty liberal art house theater types they can’t stand.  Besides who else will promote your NRA values to middle America.

I enjoy some movies that are pretty violent too.  I think most people do.  But the GOP isn’t barking up the tree they mean too.  They will shortly realize it’s their own tree.

In short, as most things, don’t let your kid watch that stuff.  As a parent and a one time kid myself.  I understand you can’t keep your kid from everything.  Most of the time they’ll watch it at a friend’s house and not tell their parents.  As parents we do what we can till the kids are 18.  We set the example not just in what we say is okay for them to watch, but by what we let them see us watching.

Yes, this also goes for video games too.

Let’s be real.  The problem has less to do with the “entertainment industry” and more to do with mental health, and gun access.  When we look at the numbers of death per indecent it also has to do with capability of the guns being used.  If we’re not forcing our politicians to legislate to these issues.  We’re just yapping until the next indecent happens.   We can listen to the politicians  talk all day long from both sides of the aisle, but the ones who mean what they’re saying are the ones who are taking action in their jobs, and putting forth legislation to deal with all aspects of mental health and gun control issues to one degree or another.  They both need to be handled  simultaneously.

 

How Paul Ryan Can Lose The VP But Still Get Reelected To The House

Posted: 26th November 2012 by James in My 2 Cents
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I keep coming back to the thought, how did Paul Ryan as a VP pick lose his hometown and his home county, but still get reelected to the House?  The answer is the same as the answer to,  how Democrats in can win 400,000 votes but not see grater gains in the house?  It’s Gerrymandering.

Both parties take advantage of Gerrymandering.  But if it wasn’t for Gerrymandering, the percentage of Dems in The House would be more equal to the percentage in the Senate.  The popular vote in the state is what chooses the Senate so Gerrymandering doesn’t affect those races the same as it does the House races.  That’s why Paul Ryan can be elected to in his district but not Home town or County.  Those districts have been politically rigged in his party’s favor

 

Did “We” Really Spend Too Much On This Election?

Posted: 10th November 2012 by James in My 2 Cents
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Everyone is disgusted by how much “we spent” on this Election.   A lot of people think that money could have been spent better on other things.   I have to point out that all the millions of dollars that were donated to the Campaigns  and PAC’s, were “donated”.

We didn’t spend anything on the campaigns.  In some ways the election separated millionaires from their money and into the political campaign industry.  It went to staffers.  It went to businesses that make campaign shirts, pens, signs.  It went to the media for commercial productions, and air time from a local t.v. station.  It was a tiny stimulus for the campaign industry.  It was a stimulus that came from people who would have just hoarded that money.  It’s not like Some billionaire was trying to decided, “Hmmmm, Should I donate this money to Romney, or buy that new t.v.”.  It was money that only went into circulation because of the election.

I’m bothered as much as anyone when we see how much this election cost.  But I have to remember, it didn’t cost me anything.  It cost the candidates.  I have a big problem with the money it cost to stay relevant in an election.  How “big money” or also “dark money’s” whole purpose is to drown out any one who can’t financially compete.  While money equals speech, a single millionaire is able to speak louder than a community of working class families.

Every one looks at this past election, and sees how much Romney was able to raise.  The outcome of the election leaves us thinking that all the money that was raised didn’t matter because Romney lost, and congress didn’t change much.  Is it possible  that with less money, Romney might have done worse? That he needed more money?  Is it possible that all he money that went to House and Senate races preserved the most amount of seats it could, ,for both parties?’  I believe these will be the argument that will be said by party fund-raisers to separate millionaires and billionaires  from their money, next election.

I don’t get mad at the amount of money that’s being spent in elections or by campaigns.  I get mad at the amount allowed to be contributed  by single Donor.   I get frustrated with “Dark Money”.

 

Common Ground, Or Uncompromising Integrity?

Posted: 9th November 2012 by James in My 2 Cents
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All those people who say they want to see both parties work together, aren’t allowed to complain that both parties are “the same”.   If the parties are getting along it’s because they found common ground.  It might also show their ideological similarities, and a positive similarity in their behaviors, that has to exists for them to accomplish something together.  But then the common “Side Line” “political hating” “low information voter” will still say with fierce bitterness, “There’s no difference between the parties.  They’re both the same.”   So pick what you want, common ground, or uncompromising integrity?

 

I Want To Be On The Record, “The Republican Party Is Not Over”

Posted: 8th November 2012 by James in My 2 Cents
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I want to be on the record to saying,  I do not believe the Republican party is over or even weak.  They just had a giant gut shot and dose of reality.  There are more then plenty of GOOD Republicans who are not keeping silent,  post-election.

The GOP is suffering blow back from it’s “far”right”  “socially authoritarian”  Tea Party.  It’s suffering blow back from an election where they lied to them selves about polling, which hindered then from understanding the present electorate and campaigning to them.  Blow back, from denying the ever-increasing diverse  demographics, and instead becoming the small tent party.   Campaigning to the few instead of the many.  Making their election game enhancing the enthusiasm of their base by excluding others.  It was a game of subtraction instead of addition.

Whether they will admit it or not in public.  There are plenty in the party that know the numbers were not their favor on Election night, they know they lost.   Those Republicans wont take it any more and they will speak out over the next two years against the extremest  Tea Party, and authoritarian “Christian Right”, and the GOP will be stronger for it.  They have too, because the current game plan isn’t working.  There are enough GOOD SMART republicans who aren’t going to lie to themselves about polling or the direction of the electorate,  or the cultural shift to a more socially liberal society, and away from the “finger waving” authoritarian Conservative values of  “No you can’t do that” .  Whether it’s a woman’s choice for her body, or an old man with cancer’s choice to smoke weed.  The GOP is ready to find its inner libertarian roots.

I’d like to think the GOP will be become stronger.  Because when “The Right”  is strong, it forces “The Left” to be at it’s best too.   Then nation is served better by both parties.

 

Post Election Results, and Pre Election Picks

Posted: 7th November 2012 by James in My 2 Cents
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Alright, with most of the ballots counted, let’s look how I did.  Keep in mind I rounded up and down on %points depending on the political history of the sates.

Prediction                                                        Election Final

Obama 303        Romney 235                    Obama 303,   Romney 206, FL not in yet

 

Oregon – Obama +6                                        O – 53.4 ,  R – 43.9,  76% in

Nevada – Obama +3                                        O – 52.3,   R – 45.7,  98%in

Colorado – Obama +1                                     O – 51.2,    R – 46.5,  80%in

Iowa – Obama +3                                             O – 52.8,    R – 46.5,  99.7%in

Wisconsin – Obama +4                                  O – 52.7,    R – 46.2,   99.8%in

Indiana – Romney +11                                  O – 54.3,     R – 43.8,   99.8%in

Ohio – Obama +3                                             O – 50.1,      R – 48.2,   99.7%in

Michigan – Obama +4                                    O – 53.7,      R – 45.5,   95.2%in

Pennsylvanian – Obama  +5                        O – 51.9,       R – 46.8,   99.2%in

New Hampshire – Obama +2                       O – 5.2,         R – 46.4,   97.7%in

Virgina – Obama +2                                         O – 50.8,      R -  47.8,  97.7%in

North Carolina – Romney +3                       O – 48.4,      R – 50.6,   100%in

Florida – Romney +1                                       O – 49.9,      R – 49.3,  100%in not called

 

Mass. Senate Race

Warren +4                                                            W – 53.7,     B – 46.3,   98.7%in

 

I’m loving the results last night.  When I compare my numbers I’m pleased.  I’d love to on and on about how good of a political analyst I am.  But all I did is look at 3 sites, Five Thirty Eight, Real Clear Politics, and The Huffington post.  I averaged out the numbers to the best of my math skills.  And gave the bump to the state’s favorite party.

I did my numbers on Sunday night.  Too early for Nate Silver, because the next day he gave FL to Obama.  And as of right now it’s a very real possibility.

For all the complaining and bitching the right has said and done about Nate Silver.  All they did was shine a spot light on his poll.  And last night with a spot light on him the election gave him more validity.

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