Tea Party Influence

The Tea Party is pressuring the Republicans even more than they are the Democrats, because they sit in the Republican caucus and can withhold their votes in the House. More importantly, they control a substantial voting bloc that can go Third Party, if ignored. In a 50/50 nation, every vote counts, and the Republicans cannot afford a Third Party, and neither can the Democrats afford a Third Part challenge from the Left. (And, even worse, the Democrats can face a Primary challenge from the left…)

(This combination moves the Democrats to the left, and the Republicans to the right.)

The Tea Party KNOWS that the Republicans have been (a great) part of the problem, and their impact on Republican earmarks has already been felt. They are moving the Republicans toward a greater sense of austerity — but it is hard because spending other people’s money is a benefit afforded to, and practiced by incumbents of all stripes.

About a decade ago, I was moderator of a presentation at Casa de Campanas featuring a local retired Admiral who was participating in the Grace Commission. One of the panel members was the now recently retired Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter, who used his opening remarks to brag, heavily, about how much (primarily military) funding he had brought to San Diego.

Everyone (panel and audience) sat stunned, because cutting “bacon” (as a part of government waste) was such a large part of the condemnation of government excess by the Grace Commission. Hunter had been in Congress for so long that even as a “conservative” Republican, he had completely accepted the spending philosophy.

(It’s similar to this late Deficit Commission…has anyone heard anything about its results being executed? )

The Tea Party members currently in Congress will most likely succumb to the intoxicating fumes of the Potomac River, and like most politicians, revert to using taxpayer’s money to buy votes back home.

But it is a start.

Olbermann’s Departure

Olbermann’s resignation (in the midst of a four year, $30 million contract) resigned his PMSNBC position as prime-time spokesman for the poor and dispossessed.

He was averaging about a million watchers a might, beating CNN, but about a third of the FOXNetwork.

Liberals are awaiting “facts” before commenting, I am reliably informed, a trait noticeably lacking in the Arizona shooting.

Strange!

To some people. Government is their religion.

They extol the benefits; love the sacraments; defend it against apostates; shout the name of the head of the Church ( some even faint in his presence)…Even have bumper stickers with HIS name and symbol… and accept the requirement that they tithe with fervor, and ask to pay more…

Some accept religion as their government, and are  condemned.

Others accept government as their religion, and are praised.

Thank Stuxnet!

The news reports that some consider the newly initiated talks with Iran to be going better than usual.

I think we have Stuxnet to thank.

It was previously assumed that perhaps even by today, Israel would have launched an attack. But Stuxnet has intervened, and delayed the time of bomb completion to perhaps 2015 – and that gives the late-adopted economic sanctions, which are reportedly having some effect, longer to work.

So it is a work in progress, and it is a question of how much pain economic Iran is willing to endure. The Stuxnet Worm continues to do its damage, and there may well be delayed operations that can be triggered when more damage is needed.

Further, Iran knows that whomever developed the Worm still has the same team in place, and it is likely they are working on Verision 2.0 – or 6.0!

The existing damage has not just set Iran back, it has cost them a ton of money to fix the damage and try to prepare for future damage.

Iran has reason to negotiate. But, they are dead-enders, so who knows how much pain they are willing to endure, or perhaps their people will tire of the mess and revolt…

Bankruptcy Court

To demonstrate the practical side of the anarchy/socialist continuum, you can see that EVEN President Obama recognizes (or political necessity causes him to recognize) that some over-regulation is harmful – and I mention in particular “1099.” Probably 90% of Democrats will vote to overturn the “1099” requirement.

But there is an even greater threat of liberalism gone wild – if anarchy would give us sweatshops, then liberalism has given us public worker salaries/benefits/pensions.

Over the next few years, cities, counties, and states will face an economic disaster. No one can deny the problem, and the solution is one that separates liberals and conservatives. Some liberals may believe that government workers are just getting their just due, but others recognize that there is an economic dislocation and want taxes raised to cover the problem. Some may even support new hires with fewer pay/benefits/pensions.

There are certainly some conservatives who see the same problem, and probably some who at least support the new hire solution – but generally, conservatives want even the existing contracts re-negotiated, and if that takes bankruptcy, so be it.

It is a major, major economic problem. Already, cities are threatening police and fire people with layoffs unless they re-negotiate their salaries and benefits. This has proven a powerful methodology – Chula Vista police caved just today.

But nothing can budge the pension problem. In Washington, discussions are underway to permit states – considered sovereign (as per previous discussions) – to declare bankruptcy.