The bailout & Congress’s failure… September 30, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics, Venting.add a comment
The bailout plan was flushed and the markets took a deep dive into the toilet, and all the lawmakers could do was point fingers at each other.
What they should have done is resign their positions as they certainly have failed to do their jobs. Spending more time blaming the opposite side of the aisle for their own individual failure to do what is necessary to keep this country from plunging into an economic morass.
At this point I do not blame the greed and corruption of Wall Street as much as I blame the stupidity and power-mongering malfecence of Congress. They have a responsiblity to do the hard thing to protect this nation from further financial damage, instead they decide to bitch-slap each other, point fingers, and leave the American public in the rubble they leave behind.
November 4th is coming up and if I had my way, every Congressperson and every Senator who is up for reelection should be shown the door - regardless of who gets voted in the position in their absence. The time of partisan politics, mud-slinging, finger pointing, and failure to do the job they were elected to do is over. They need to step up to the plate, swallow hard and do what needs to be done to protect this nation and this economy.
Funny thing is; if this county takes a financial dump, the citizens are the ones who will suffer, loosing jobs, savings, investments, etc. All the while the congressional members will still be getting paid and leeching off of the american people.
They have only their best interests in mind and they all suck.
The debates… September 29, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics.add a comment
The Presidential debate was a yawner…
By my count, Obama and McCain came away dead even. Obama slipped his way around the truth often and Mccain let him do it. Neither gave us much of anything to latch onto - good or bad, and neither came away giving us (me) the impression that “this is the guy I want in office” or even “this is the guy I cannot abide being in office”
For the most part the debate centered around the economy and foreign affairs and Obama spoke eloquently about the economy although he gave us nothing of substance, and McCain spoke passionately about foreign affairs even though he didn’t blast Obama during the many opportunities he was given to do so…
Up next is the VP debates. It is my hope that the McCain campaign gets off of Palin and lets her be herself. While I hold no illusions that she is as well versed in many topics as biden, I do know that if she goes in there without the cloud of the traditional GOP worry of someone making a mistake, she will impress and energize many by simply being… Sarah Palin.
Biden has nothing to say that we haven’t heard over the past 15 years. He is who he is and he votes how he votes so there is no secret to him, his record, or what he would do as VP; he would tow the party line, regardless of what the Nation needs, or wants, and he will not waver from that party line no matter what.
I’m hoping against hope that Palin is let loose in the debate and shows the country who she is, what she is capable of and let the people see the real her and the real Biden… then maybe we can see enough to know who should be in the VP slot.
The bailout… September 23, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Politics, Stupidity, Venting.add a comment
Times are tough, no doubt. The financial markets are indeed in trouble and something has to be done.
The issues surrounding this problem are complex; the government (using the taxpayers money) is not equipped, nor should they be, to handle a bail out of the companies adversely affected by thier own greed and short sightedness, but they have to do something.
The markets are self-correcting, we know that, however the far reaching effects of that self-correction will be horrendously damaging to the economy. Not only will major companies fail, but the ripple effect throughout the economy would be devastating to many citizens - lost jobs as mortgage companies fail, lost housing buy’s and building would cost more jobs, the hit to the retail industry that many of us are already feeling would be exponentially amplified. Companies like Lowes and Home Depot would be very hard hit; layoffs, store closures, et al would damage the employment rate even further, and the subsequent loss of income for the average American would spread like a cancer.
So it is clear; something must be done, we cannot simply allow the economy to ‘adjust’ itself unaided.
However, what is also clear is that the operators of these companies which have placed the economy in such dire straights should not benefit from a bailout. CEO’s, COO’s, CFO’s (you name the acronym) should not personal benefit from one cent of taxpayer’s money. Save the companies, absolutely, but hold those responsible for the failures of these companies to a tight leash, and limited, extremely limited, benefit.
We are talking salaries and bonuses. If I run a company and through my efforts of mismanagement, that company teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, I should not expect, nor should I recieve, anything…
I hope and pray that congress takes this idea into consideration when hashing out the details of whatever ill-concieved bail out plan they come up with. No bonuses for the leaders of these failed companies. No high level salaries for these company officers. Limit them to a reasonable salary if they are staying in place, and put a caveat in the plan to keep those salaries limited until the companies in question pay back every single cent the government puts in their coffers.
Then the idea of regulation comes in…. I loathe the idea of the government regulating the ‘free’ market, but something has to happen, or these greed mongers and inept managers will do the same thing again; acting stupidly out of greed and destroying the lives of our citenzry.
Obama has lost my support… September 16, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics, Venting.2 comments
For the majority of this campaign year I have subtly supported Obama’s bid for the White House. As a registered republican this was not business as usual for me, but I normally put my support behind the candidate that I feel will be best for the country, regardless of party affiliation, and I felt Obama’s ‘newness’ and ability to bring about fundamental change in politics would have been healthy for the the nation.
I weighed the pros and cons of the republican candidates and the democrat candidates and through the primaries I quietly held hope and support for Obama.
The tide has turned now however. Obama’s lock on the idea of change and bucking the system all but evaporated with the two party picks for running mates; Obama chose a well ingrained DC insider as his running mate, effectively destroying all hopes of shaking up politics as usual in DC, and McCain (whom I don’t like a whole bunch) chose Palin, and true ‘outsider’ and someone fresh and unconnected with the status quo.
Simply with their choices of running mates the two Presidential candidates had changed my mind.
Now we are here, after the conventions and the campaign between the parties is in full swing, and I have to tell you that the Obama camp has further destroyed any hope of my believing they are in this race for the good of the country. Obama and Biden, and the whole dem camp has begun the mud slinging, name calling, lying, issue avoiding, scumbag behavior of the democrats of before.
The Clinton (Gore) camp tried to steal the election from the republicans by taking the will of the people to the Supreme Court, they lost and they have done nothing but whine, lie, and obfuscate ever since. When Hillary lost the nomination I was so thrilled I was ready to throw my full support behind Obama. Now in the daily reports of the crap he and Biden keep dishing out I cannot in any sense of a good conscience, consider supporting him for President.
The McCain camp was pretty good at pointing out the non-existent experience of Obama, and his camp retaliated with venom. Rather than address the issues, they conducted personal assaults on McCain/Palin. Rather than explain how they would make things better in spite of, or even because of, a lack of experience, they chose to attack a lady’s family and issue forth filth, lies, and acerbic sarcasm about what has been said and is being said.
When it all boils down to the nuts and bolts I am now faced with supporting a candidate that I didn’t much care for (McCain) and his running mate whom I believe is the breath of fresh air the White House needs, and voicing my strong dislike of a man and his running mate who have proven through their actions and rhetoric that the only thing that is important to them is gaining the White House at any cost and screwing the nation in exchange for that position.
Obama should not be elected president.
NBC’s Tim Russert dies of heart attack at 58 June 14, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics.add a comment
WASHINGTON - Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after suffering a heart attack at the bureau. He was 58.
Statement from Jeff Zucker, president and CEO of NBC Universal:
“We are heartbroken at the sudden passing of Tim Russert. We have lost a beloved member of our NBC Universal family and the news world has lost one of its finest. The enormity of this loss cannot be overstated. More than a journalist, Tim was a remarkable family man. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Maureen, their son, Luke, and Tim’s entire extended family.”
Mr. Russert’s objectivity in political journalism will surely be missed.
My condolences and prayers to the Russert family…
More politics… June 5, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics.2 comments
Obama seems a shoe in for the DNC nomination. Shrillary is apparently going to pull out on Saturday (it is about time, isn’t it?).
Now the question becomes; Who will Barrack choose as his VP running mate? Much talk out there about the ‘perfect ticket’ of Obama/Clinton, and personally I am divided on the subject.
For one, I think a Clinton on the ticket would spell doom for the Obama hopes for the presidency (and part of me hopes that is becomes the case). On the other hand, the risk of getting another Clinton in the Executive branch of the government is sooooo frightening I hope Obama makes a different choice.
He will have to understand that if he picks her, he will end up having to publicly castrate her as she will inevitably abuse her position and try to insert herself into the foreground rather than do what a good VP should do and keep her mouth shut and do as she is told and balance the executive office.
If I were a democrat, and if I were to be asked my opinion, I would tell Obama to choose Edwards as his running mate. That is a ticket I would be tempted to vote for; youth, inspiration, compassion, a little fire, and just enough inexperience to make them carefully consider all things before making stupid decisions.
Now for the RNC: Who will McCain choose? As a Republican I loathe the idea of voting McCain into office, but I would feel better about it if he ran with someone I did like. My choices:
Huckabee first,
Rudy second,
Thompson third.
Pick anyone else and I may have to jump the aisle…
Clinton loaned campaign millions May 7, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics.add a comment
WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has lent her presidential campaign $6.4 million over the past month, a campaign aide says.
The money more than doubles Clinton’s personal investment in her bid for the Democratic nomination. She gave her campaign $5 million earlier this year.
I have to wonder at the motivations of one who spends millions of dollars of their own money in an effort to win a nomination of political office. For most people who have financial means, the spending of money is usually an investments intended to bring more riches - or something worth more than what was spent.
I will say that this is simply an example of what we see too much of in this country, people trying to buy their way into the halls of politics - what is the return on their investment? I’m not so enamored of the human condition to think that their motives are altruistic. I can think of no one who would give that much money in order to get a job because it is the ‘right thing to do’.
Oh how I long for the idea of Plato’s ‘philosopher king’. The one that seeks no power, that seeks no position of authority, but humbly accepts the appointment of that position because it is the will of the people who feel it is the best thing for the state of the nation.
Gas prices, oil company profits, et al. May 5, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Politics, Venting.3 comments
May 5 (Bloomberg) — Crude oil rose more than $2 a barrel on concern that production disruptions in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest producer, will limit supplies.
Militant attacks on an oil-transfer facility in the country forced Royal Dutch Shell Plc to reduce output, the Associated Press reported May 3, citing the company. The Nigerian Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, claimed responsibility for the weekend assault.
The attacks “could take more oil off the market,” said James Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch & Associates, in Galena, Illinois. “There is not much margin for error as far as losing barrels.”
Crude oil for June delivery rose $2.07, or 1.8 percent, to $118.39 a barrel at 9:35 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price has risen 91 percent in the past year.
Feb. 1, WashingtonPost.com - Buoyed by soaring crude oil prices, Exxon Mobil announced yesterday that it set new records for U.S. quarterly and annual corporate profits in 2007, and Chevron, the nation’s second-largest oil company, also reported big gains in earnings.
Exxon broke the record it previously had set for profits by a U.S. corporation, earning $40.6 billion last year. It earned $11.7 billion in the fourth quarter, or $2.13 a share, up 14 percent from the fourth quarter of 2006. Revenue for the quarter rose 30 percent, to $116.64 billion. Exxon’s profit for the year came to $4.6 million an hour.
Chevron said its profit rose 29 percent, to $4.9 billion, or $2.32 a share. Chevron’s quarterly revenue grew 29 percent, to $61.41 billion. Profits of the five biggest international oil companies have tripled since 2002.
Seems to me that there is a disparity here. Certainly we are a capitalist society, supply and demand, etc. However, it boggles my mind that a product that is so vital to the entirety of our economy can be left on a capitalist island unlike any other.
The government regulates drugs (prescription drugs) to some extent, it absolutely subsidies crop production - all in an effort to maintain costs to the consumer so we don’t derail the economy completely. Gasoline though appears to be a ‘hands-off’ issue. Although the price of a gallon of gas effects absolutely everything else in this country. Our farming costs more because of it, subsequently either the price of agricultural products goes up, and either the government has to increase subsidies to offset those costs or the costs are passed on to the consumers. Not only does the cost of grain go up, but the cost of getting that product to markets goes up as well. The cost of going to the store goes up, so a family can afford to spend less money on groceries. The cost of going to work, shipping and receiving goods goes up, so the business owner either passes the costs on to the consumers, or absorbs them - either way the business makes less money, pays less taxes, employs less people, pays lower wages, or moves out of the country completely.
Consider this scenario: An owner of a small boutique employing 5 people, must spend more to receive the goods he sells, thus he either passes that cost to his customers, who then begin shopping elsewhere, or not at all, he makes less money and has to either lay off some employees, cut their hours drastically, or close the business. He makes no money, which is his wage, so he cannot spend money on things for his family (like food, housing, utilities). So now we have this: One business owner making and spending less money, one or more people (the employees) either out of work or making less money, who in turn spend less money (and receive unemployment payments. However, since the business sells less, they buy fewer goods to sell which in turn creates the same cycle with the business producing the goods, and the business shipping the goods.
What we have is a continuing cycle, it does not end at the boutique, the producer, the shipper because their employees pass on the same deleterious cycle to the businesses they frequent. It doesn’t end until either the whole economy bottoms out and we all face the times of the Great Depression, or until that keystone is fixed and the money supply is balanced.
What does not work? Here are a few things that won’t fix the problem:
Economic stimulus packages - giving the citizens $300 - $1200 to spend one time will not fix the problem. It may cause a short term boost, but it is not a true correction.
Suspending fuel taxes for a season and making the oil companies pay for it. I’m sorry, but Clinton’s idea is absolutely asinine. The issue is not the tax on fuel, it is the overall cost of fuel.
Here’s the thing: If I supply a product and the cost of my raw materials goes up, I can either absorb those costs and keep my prices the same in order to continue selling my product, or I can pass those increases, or a portion of those increases on to my customer.
In most cases, I would absorb those costs as much as possible for as long as possible until the difference between my cost of goods sold and my gross profit narrowed to a point where I was forced to raise my prices. In some cases I would gently raise my prices over a period of time to maintain an acceptable margin of profit. Being a smart business owner I would never pass on the full increases to my customers as soon as the increased costs came to me - I would lose my customers and my business if I did that.
But wait! Here’s the thing; if I was truly a smart business owner I would supply a product that no one else could supply and that everyone in the world needed and then I could do whatever I wanted to the prices and make as much money as I possibly could with no regard to the welfare of my fellow man. I don’t know the economic term for this evil practice, but I’m certain I would not see such people in heaven anytime soon.
What to do? I have to say that it goes against my normal way of thinking, but if I were the government, I would mandate some sort of price control on the cost of fuel. Certainly Exxon and Chevron would not post record profits if that happened, but heck, I’m just a little guy trying to feed my family and pay my rent. I couldn’t tell you the difference between 18.7 billion dollars and say… 13 billion dollars. I can’t see where that would end up destroying the economy if a multi trillion dollar oil company made 20-25 percent less profit but the rest of the country could save 20-25 percent in what they have to spend to survive.
What do you think?
Obama, Wright, et al… May 4, 2008
Posted by JP in Politics, Venting.2 comments
I’m mystified. I am befuddled and confused.
For the first time in history our county has a minority in the race for the highest political office in the world, and there are those closest to him who seem hell-bent on destroying his chances to see that dream come to fruition.
I’ve sat back and watched this debacle unfold for a few weeks now, resisting the urge to write something about it mainly because I am not black, nor am I a Democrat. But there are a few things I really want to say.
In other discussion forums I’ve expressed a growing desire to lean toward the election of Obama over the other candidates in the race. While I have to say I am not truly enamored of Obama’s extreme liberal positions I also must say I am not a fan of the curmudgeon McCain, republican or not (I would have voted Huckabee in a heartbeat…). However, Obama offers this nation something that no other candidate does, or can offer: Inspiration and hope for a better future.
Hillary is simply the same old politician dressed up as a woman. She has nothing to offer us but her own desire for power. McCain is simply the right side of that same coin - same old politics.
Here is where the problem comes in; Rev Wright, a self-proclaimed man of God, appears to be anything but a man of God, and to watch him give speeches wherein he espouses such anti-biblical attitudes is sick-making. One individual posted this comment on a blog:
I watched Rev. wright at the Press Club and I didn’t see a man of God. I saw a man over taken by jealousy, envy and greed. He wanted to destroy any chance for America to have the first true African American President. He wanted his place in history. America and it’s people be damned. Jerimiah Wright is NOT a man of God, he is not even a man, he is a sad, pathetic human being that now has to live with his words.
I have to say that I am in total agreement.
Another commenter posted:
I am not an Obama supporter but feel bad for him that his “friend and spiritual supporter” is working at such cross purposes to his efforts to win the the Democratic endorsement and the general election in the fall, Reminds one of the old saying “with friends like this….”
Allow me to state that I know this country is not perfect. The government has done things that a reasonable person would consider immoral, or unethical. Our society does have problems with racism, but we are so much better than what we were, and it is my belief that we are continuing to become a better society. That is what Obama’s candidacy represents to me; the continual improvement of our society - a change for the better.
It is apparent that Wright and others wish to stay in the past. To view our society in the light of what we once were and not what we are now, or what we are becoming. In their view from under the burdens of the past they are missing a golden opportunity to do what they should be doing as ‘men of God’ - helping to usher in the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Am I saying that Obama is the path for that? Certainly not, only Christ Jesus fulfills that role, but Obama is a much better avenue than the other options at this point.
Unfortunately it seems that Wright is afraid that Obama’s success would indeed spell doom for that grave of bitterness, bigotry, and hatred in which he chooses to lie. Add to that the veiled threats from Rev Al Sharpton that a failure of Obama to gain the nomination would result in riots and violence and we have two prominent self-proclaimed spiritual leaders that should take some advice from the bible:
Psa 46:10 Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!
Christians and politics… April 16, 2008
Posted by JP in Faith, Politics, Uncategorized.add a comment
Of late I have been involved in many discussions concerning politics and the tumultuous Presidential race. Many, if not all of these discussions have had a decidedly partisan bent - which, I’ll admit, is to be expected although I feel it is entirely out of place in the Christian arena.
First, let me give you a message from John Piper:
How can Christians have a positive influence on American politics?
Within churches, Christian organizations, and across the media, God can raise up spokesmen who–from a prophetic, radical, and biblical standpoint–can lay hold of that which is only seen in part by Republicans, Democrats, and Independants. They can then gather those biblical components together into a whole and, leaving party distinctives aside, exalt that.
I’m not thinking there should be another party, just truth. It seems that the Christian church should not–as a church–join partisan politics. Rather, we should be speaking prophetically to issues that relate to what Christ’s will is. Then we should just let the chips fall as they may. If it sounds Republican or Democratic or Independent, so be it.
Gather the issues together and meditate on them. Weigh them in the balances of the Bible. And then speak prophetically about them. That would probably do more for exalting Christ than it would for exalting any of the candidates, which is what we want to do anyway.
Ultimately we want to communicate–even while engaging in politics–that politics are not the main issue on this earth. Knowing the Creator is the main issue, as well as being reconciled with him and glorifying him in all that we believe and say and do. That’s what the church needs to constantly be calling people to.
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
Let’s start with his opening paragraph and discuss the truth of the point he makes: All political parties can claim hold to part of the truth biblically and prophetically. No one can truthfully say that any political party has a corner on the theological/spiritual point of view.
I know that for the past two decades that claim, in essence, has been made by the Republican party. The idea of the ‘Moral Majority’, the ‘conservative Christian’ and the ‘evangelicals’ ensconcing themselves in right wing politics is very troubling to me. What I see for the most part is a group of self-righteous hypocrites attempting to run a party, and a country, based on their idea of what they think the bible says about certain issues.
I recall coming out of a Hardware store one day about 4 years ago and being approached by a young man who was soliciting voter registrations. He asked me if I would like to register as a Republican. I made some lame inquiry just because I wasn’t really interested and loathe to be completely rude to people in public and he responded by telling me:
“If you are against abortion, against gay marriage and gun control, you can be a Republican…”
I cannot tell you how instantly offended I was. Since I was then, and still am a registered Republican, I was strongly motivated to jump into a real discussion with this young idiot regarding the nature of Republican politics, political philosophies in general, and the stupidity of his seemingly clueless nature regarding true political philosophy and the stains put upon them by those aforementioned self-righteous hypocrites. Fortunately, my loving wife who knows my passion for biblical/theological honesty, and political integrity, pulled me away and forced me into the car.
Let me mention some things about the opposing side; the party of the Democrats. While the right side of the aisle has been infused with morally suspect pharisees, the left side of the aisle is no less dirtied with morally deficient, ‘if it feels good, do it’, nanny-government morons.
One thing the left has over the right, is a degree of compassion and love for their fellow man, which is seemingly absent in the right side. The problem is that while they preach compassion, love, and tolerance, they shroud it in a climate of control, obfuscation, and dictatorship. “You are free to be what you want to be and how you want to be, as long as the government has approved of it.”
Hypocrisy on both sides, and both sides taking some good with them and sullying it with the bad.
Back to Piper; in the remainder of the quote he speaks basically of issue oriented involvement in politics. As Christians we should be focused on the issues, not the party, not the political philosophy, and certainly not in the endorsement of any particular candidate.
I know, you are thinking that one cannot divorce oneself from the candidate or the party and focus mainly on the issues, particularly when the election is upcoming. I agree to some extent. We must individually and prayerfully, consider which candidate best embodies the theological world view of Christianity, and we must, with the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit, come to terms that with any choice we make, there will be some good with the bad. We must make hard choices to do what we think will be best for the country, and for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God, through our individual vote for one candidate or the other.
Ultimately we must all realize already (and if you don’t realize this, then you have to seriously consider waking up and smelling the coffee) that no matter who gains office, no matter what they promised, what they stand for, what they say they will or won’t do…. they are in the game of politics and by its nature it demands compromise by everyone involved. Even the strongest of men/women who gain office will fold on something they feel strongly about in order to push an agenda on which they feel even stronger.
When it all comes down to it, the Christian should stop and view his or her political decisions and figure out if those decisions are based on an issue, a few issues, or an ideal. To vote based on an issue (e.g. abortion) is to vote from the position of stupidity. To vote based on the urging of someone standing behind a pulpit is to vote from the position of carelessness.
I cannot tell you what issues or ideals are more important, for you, or for the country, but I can tell you that issues of abortion rights, gay marriage, tax relief, or the Iraq war are not the issues that should make our decisions for us for each side of the issues contain spiritual and biblical truth, but neither side contains the whole truth.
After the election, regardless of who is elected, there should be no Christian who does not go to his or her knees and praise God for His sovereign decisions and ask His blessing upon that elected leader, and that He will grant him or her the grace of His guidance in the decisions and actions of that leader.
1Ti 2:1-4 FIRST OF all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, (2) For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. (3) For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior, (4) Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth.
