Government Spending

Haaretz headline shows Republicans don't really give a damn about the US taxpayer's money. As of the morning of 4/21/2012. It may change. "U.S. Republicans seek to provide Israel with $680 million for Iron Dome anti-missile system" [U.S. Republicans seek to provide Israel with $680 million for Iron Dome anti-missile system - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News]

Truth in the Media

On the Dole

There are government programs that right-wingers like, the ones that allow them to make money. Here's how free-market economist Greg Mankiw makes excessive profits from government.

Did Greg Mankiw really just brandish his $170 textbook as evidence of the benefits of unfettered competition? | Economic Policy Institute

Healthcare Costs

Here’s some waste we can cut | The Incidental Economist:

Damn, .... a crooked pharmaceutical company.

Qualified Workers

Shortage of tool and die workers could crimp manufacturing growth – USATODAY.com:

I think all of these "we can't find qualified workers" stories should include the tag-line "at the wage we want to pay". If these manufacturers really want tool and die makers, they need to raise the wage and they'll get their workers. Business leaders scream about letting the market work but then whine that they can't find labor. The market is working here, you're not paying enough to draw in workers. Raise the wage and you'll get your "qualified workers".

LInks

Egypt bars key candidates from elections - Middle East - Al Jazeera English:  This doesn't seem like a good way to run a democracy. The revolution may not be over.

Tax reform. These two should be read back-to-back. [NYT: DAVID LEONHARDT: Coming Soon - Taxmageddon] and [The Baseline Scenario: James Kwak: The Conventional Wisdom of Tax Reform]

Though many say we're taxed to death, the US is not really a high-tax country. [Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | Thinking About Tax Policy, Part 2: Taxes Today Are Low]

Corporate Crime

More corporate crime but again, just a fine and a small one at that. Someone should go to jail.

Goldman Fined $22 Million Over Trading Huddles - NYTimes.com:

'via Blog this'

Endorsed by God

Every candidate endorsed by God now out of the race.

[NY Mag.com: Every Candidate Endorsed by God Has Now Lost to Mitt Romney -- Daily Intel:]

Corporations are People?

If corporations are people, treat them as people. Along with the fine, someone or some group should go to jail.

Arkansas judge fines J&J $1.2 billion:

Easter Morning Links

Greenwald on the US support of terrorism. [Greenwald: Report: U.S. trained terror group]

The US's favorite world tour guide, Rick Steves, comes out against the occupation. [Mondoweiss: Rick Steves: I've been duped]

Three things you won't hear about on the Sunday News shows.

[Supporting Terrorism 1]

"Mitchell Reiss, a foreign policy adviser to Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, on Friday once again spoke out on behalf of an Iranian opposition group the U.S. considers a terrorist organization."

[Supporting Terrorism 2]

"Eight former U.S. officials will appear at a Washington, D.C. event on Friday in support of an Iranian opposition group labeled a terrorist organization by the United States, all in the midst of a federal investigation into speaking fees paid for appearances at previous conferences."

and [Home grown Terrorism]

"The picture of Grady that was painted this week by federal officials in Green Bay, Wis., was one of a bumbling ideologue driven by religious zeal, not a master criminal with an elaborate plan."

tnb here ---- "ideologue driven by religious zeal" --- possibly the biggest threat to the world today.

More on the US support of Terrorists

From the Seymour M. Hersh at the New Yorker here: [OUR MEN IN IRAN? Posted by Seymour M. Hersh]

Read more at [The New Yorker]

It was here that the Joint Special Operations Command conducted training, beginning in 2005, for members of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq, a dissident Iranian opposition group known in the West as the M.E.K.

The "IT WAS HERE" in the quote above,is the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site northwest of Las Vegas and the the MEK is an Iranian terrorist organization fighting against Iran's government.

The MEK were placed on the US Terrorist list when they were supported by Iraq and Saddam Hussein in their battle against Iran but now that we've thrown out Saddam and can use the MEK in our fight against Iran, we want to redefine them, remove the terrorist label. In fact, there is a group of US elites on the MEK payroll, lobbying the US government to remove the "terrorist" definition. The MEK is the same group, with the same goals and methods but with a different master.

More on the MEK here [Glenn Greenwald: Israel, MEK and state sponsor of terror groups]

In my opinion, this is the problem with a "War on Terrorism". The "Terrorist" can be redefined whenever those in power feel its convenient. The result is state of perpetual war, much like Orwell's 1984, only rather than the shifting alliances of Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia, we have a shifting definition of one enemy, "Terrorism".

tnb

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

The US Revolutionary War leaders would have been defined as terrorists by the British government.

Sponging off Taxpayers

A good article here.

The Truth about Taxes: Just About Everyone Pays Them  »  Papers  »  The Hamilton Project:

The truth is over 80% of those aged 25 to 60 pay federal income tax or payroll taxes. The biggest group of non-Tax-payers are old people, over 60, which seems odd because where I live there are large numbers of old, retired people who spend their day watching Fox news and bitching about "those people" who don't pay their fair share.

tnb

'via Blog this'

Foreign Aid

Israel asks U.S. for another $700 million in aid for missile defense.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4212656,00.html

From the comments of this post Do you think they'll get it? Is 2012 an election year?

How many Americans without health insurance would $700 million cover?
How many Americans could be employed at a decent wage for $700 million?
How many decaying American schools would $700 million fix?
How many hungry American kids could be fed for $700 million?
How many pot-hole-filled American roads could be repaired for $700 million?
How many police could put on murder-filled city streets in the USA for $700 million?
How many people could save their homes from forclosure for $700 million?
How many Americans will die if we give away this $700 million?

good questions.....


tnb

Yet another...

...US Politician visits Israel.

[Daniels leaves on private trip to Israel | WHAS11.com Louisville]

[The Republic: Daniels Visits Israel]

Daniel's state also has some book keeping issues.

[Bloomberg Business Week - Indiana Book Keeping]

tnb

Homegrown Terrorism

Planned Parenthood Bombing Suspect Says He Did It 'Because They're Killing Babies' | TPM Livewire:

I haven't seen anything on US television about this.

Why the Fuck...

... do all US politicians have to make a trip to Israel.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in Israel on first official overseas trip - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News: