Post Election Prediction

I am thinking that a very good prediction about our politics and foreign policy would involve the actions of Israel regarding Iran after the election in November of 2012.  The prediction is; Israeli shit is going to hit Iranian fan big time.  Israel does not seem to be the mood to allow anything that might be nuclear power to develop in Iran and the time for them to act is getting shorter.  Let's hope I am wrong.

Scott Garrett

I post this comment about congressman Scott Garrett of the 5th CD in New Jersey because I personally think his voting record is a disgrace.  The congressman is a republican and has held his seat for 12 or so years having taken over the district on the retirement of Marge Roukema, also a republican and someone I had voted for.  The info comes from an e-mail from New Jersey Citizens Action on 8/3/12.  It reports that Garrett voted to extend the Bush II era tax cut for those making "more than a million a year" giving them an average tax break of $ 150,000.  At the same time he voted to reduce federal child tax credit and the earned income tax credit both of which benefit the less wealthy.  The plan will cost $ 1 trillion over a ten year period and $ 68 billion next year.

Disenfranchisement

The question being asked this election season concerns the efforts by some groups-mostly republican-to require a photo ID in order to vote in a presidential election.  Pennsylvania passed one of the first of these laws.  A specific aspect of this issue is how it will impact on the Amish and Mennonite communities in that state.
My first source for research was "thinkprogress.com" which describes itself as a "liberal blog" and was awarded the "best liberal blog" award by a group called Weblog in the 2006 awards by that org.  They stated that 700,000 Pennsylvanians lack photo IDs.  Regarding the Amish and Mennonite groups...who "object to having their picture taken for religious reasons", would they be denied the right to vote?  This site reported that "they can use a non photo ID to vote but only after completing an interrogation about their faith" (this according to the AP).  A form to complete must be notorized and signed by their church bishop.  Many of this group do not vote but those who do tend to vote republican.
My second source for research was "Lancasteronline.com" who reported that "Plain sect" Amish "would be forced to clear more regulatory hurdles than the average voter".  "They'ed be required to show a non-photo ID at polling places...must provide Department of Transportation with a statement of their beliefs signed by their church bishop".  "It's actually harder to get that ID than a driver's license".  The Plain sect group is a "tight-knit and separate from the larger culture".  The church hierarchy includes a deacon, minister and bishop.

Government/Business

Health Care.  Let me see if I understand the argument on health care.  The federal government can't require the buying of insurance, it is said.  But the federal government required me and million others to join the army in the 1960's, costing 58,000 American citizens to die and hundreds of thousands of others to live the rest of their lives with disabilities-some very severe.  The state governments, namely North Carolina, required the forced sterilization of "troubled" children in the 1970's and then take no opportunity to amend the action.
It would seem the government on either level can do just about what it-or those in power-want it to do.  The argument that the government can't do something sure didn't hamper it in the two cases above.

Business activity.  Some say they want unregulated business activity so that companies can do just about what they want.  They will act responsibly, we are told.  Tell that to the residents of Garfield, NJ who are living with toxic and carcinogenic liquids that were "dumped" or "leaked" into the ground and water ways in their neighborhood by a company that electroplate.  The Record on 6/19/12 and for some days thereafter has been running such a story.  "The companies (are) to pay $ 20 million for work in the Passaic" reads the headline.  However, that will start a clean up of 13 % of the 120,000 cubic yards of "polluted mud" in the river.  And it seems that the EPA is happy with this solution.  The people living in the residential area effected are told not to use their basements, but the elementary school in the area is "safe".  They can't sell their homes and they are afraid to let their children play inside or outside the house.  

Pilfer Update

It is announced that PILFER has signed up a number of new members.  From Northeast Maryland we have "16pint".  From Northwest Pennsylvania we have "M-errs".  From Northeast New Jersey we have an honorary membership going to "Mustang" due to the fact that he is the originator of the term "B & G".  This term stands for "barf and grab" and is applied to the act of acquiring a political sign that happens to be found along a roadway.  PILFER is happy to make this announcement and note that the three above named will be members in full standing and at least two of them were "finders" even before the organization was founded.  If you need more info on this organization please post an e-mail on spin.griffin@gmail.com.  Happy pilfering to you all.

Bush Era Tax Cuts

Bill Clinton said, and it was reported on CNN today, that he would support and extension of the Bush Era tax cuts for an additional year.  Republicans have already picked up on this statement to use against Barack Obama in the coming election.  Lets be clear...this means the tax cuts for the very wealthy would also be extended even while wealthy folk like Warren Buffett say the rich do not need the tax cut at a time when his secretary and driver are paying the same percentage-or near the same-of their income in federal income taxes.  One has to wonder if there is any difference in the two major parties on an issue of enormous importance to the American public.  Huey Long once said about the two major parties that they were "High Popalorum" and "Low Popahirum", meaning that one would strip the bark off a tree from the "top down" while the other would strip the bark off from "root up".  If this is a major issue-and to me it is-how does one vote in 2012?

June 2012 Notes

Regarding the Obama admin mandate on birth control availability for workers has some in the Catholic Church suing the gov't and requirement.  The Dept of Health and Human Services "policy that requires employers or their insurance companies to provide contraceptive coverage to employees" is what's at issue.  In 2004 in California that state Sup Ct upheld the mandate.  But not all in the Catholic Church agree with the lawsuit.  "Just 13 of the nearly 200 US dioceses signed onto the suit". (TR 5/31/12 page A 17)

Op ed article by the editor at large of the American Prospect makes the following comment.  " The facebook affair provides one more bit of confirmation-not that any should be needed-that our economic system, when left to its own devices and when regulated by rules that powerful interests have shaped, tilts grotesquely toward the rich and their institutions".  (TR 5/31/12 Harold Meyerson)