What Compassion?

What Compassion

Now we have Eric Cantor, who is obviously campaigning to remove Congressman Boerner as Speaker of the House, declaring that before federal money is spent to help the thousands affected by Hurricane Irene, we must find savings elsewhere.

He mindlessly uses the example that if a family has a crisis, they must take from other funds to deal with it. To accept this logic, you must compare a 320 million nation to a family of five.

That comparison does not work. It is simply madness.

So, the flooded millions in New Jersey and even Cantor's Virginia, must wait for federal aid, because we must look at which federal cookie jar to raid, like Medicare for example, or how about veterans' benefits? Oh I know, less bullets for the troops.

This reminds me of the good ole Hoover Days, when Hoover famously was asked about people selling apples on street corners in desperate attempts to make enough money to eat. He got all excited and proclaimed how this was capitalism at its finest, leaving out the starvation part.

Cantor's bright idea, is conservatism at its lowest; again blaming the victims for the disaster, and low balling assistance. This reminds us of Katrina, when Bush famously ignored thousands dying for days, because they were .....black!

Of course Bush was merely following Cantor's idealism, having blown trillions in Iraq and Afghanistan and mindlessly enacting a huge tax cut. Is this why aid was so late in getting to New Orleans, because the federal government had to shift money around?

Let's follow the logic. The federal government was broke in 1941, the depression was still on, the world was a war. So, before we aided Britain and Russia we should have shifted money from other areas, and failing that, not aided them at all. And, we would be speaking Japanese and German right now.

Look, if we need a debate about federal spending fine. There is nothing wrong with that. But you don't hold a debate about federal spending by using the threat of not funding disaster relief until you cut spending in other areas. Or, you don't use the leverage of natal disasters to enact spending cuts in unrelated federal projects.

This again, is bargaining through extortion. Cantor knows that nobody is going to freeze federal help for Hurricane victims, but he is USING this for political advantage.

We have never done that before in American Politics.

We used to have compassion for victims of natural disasters; now we use them for political gain. This is wrong, and despicable!

The Conservative Cause

The Conservative Cause

I just saw a "dust up" between a conservative and progressive on a T.V. political show. During the discussion, the conservative made his point that his parents had "brought him up the right way", that he appreciated it, and government had nothing to do with it.

He then continued that parental upbringing, values as he said it, were what government should sponsor (but not legislate)...values are what we need to go "back to" in America was his slogan. Conservatives always want to go back. American history has a lot in it that it should NEVER go back to.

Of course, Christian Conservatives push their values agenda on us everyday. Rick Perry of Texas is running basically on a "return to conservative values" and shrinking government. Perry famously stated that Texas should consider "seceding from the union" if the federal government continued to grow. This would be a regression of historical proportions.

He then participated in a values revival meeting, just prior to his running for President.

Let's look at this "values" argument, especially from the southern Christian conservative's point of view.

A conservative believes in family values, based on Christian values, first and foremost. They see government as intrusive into these values, except when things like abortion are concerned, then government can intrude as strenuously as necessary to outlaw them; an interesting contradiction.

Conservatives like the man in the discussion, also rely on "family values" rather than government programs to educate, and socialize children. An upper middle class upbringing basically is the remedy for all economic ills.

There is a basic mis-perception in this approach. The white middle class values of family cannot apply to all the people.

The reason is history. The "family values" approach, decrying the lack of them in poorer, more people of color populations, conveniently misses the historical antecedents for these often anti-social behaviors.

It is true that in inner cities, crime, drug use, drop outs, you name it, are huge problems. It is true that in spite of huge improvements, the African-American population in the United States still has large unemployment rates, drug use rates, and yes, crime rates. It is also true that Native American populations have the same problems.

Conservatives use these rates to say, "See what not having family values can do", or "Those people deserve what they get, look at their behavior". Lately, a "blame the poor" movement has taken hold, with Tea Party members actually blaming the poor and unemployed for "lacking initiative to work which has been killed with large government programs."

They myth is firmly established in the conservative, that large government programs in education, or social welfare, kill individual initiative and produce lazy "welfare cheats" who feed at the "public trough".

Now for the history: 1. the United States had the worst slavery system in human history, that maimed an entire group of Americans, and social, economic and political effects of that tragedy are still affecting American today. 2. The United States effected a genocide on Native Americans, stealing their lands and obliterating their culture with lasting effects. 3. the United States has consistently discriminated against immigrant groups throughout its history, often with violence, making it very difficult to assimilate into the successful economy.

These are historical facts that are still adversely affecting people of color in the United States. To assume that "everything is now fixed" because of a few generations of time is ridiculous. The damage to families and culture are not easily fixed with "time".

For example, slaves were not allowed any education. They were especially forbidden to learn how to read. This legacy is still in evidence and is a large part of the educational underachievement of African Americans today.

Conservatives would say, no way..that was over a hundred years ago. They will shout, "we can't be held accountable for what our great grandparents did".

But educators know better. Stanford University, one of the leading Departments of Education in the United States, has released several studies that show that family background and income are the greatest predictors of educational achievement.

When African Americans fled the south in the early 20th century to find work in the north, this was a huge liberating force that ultimately led to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. With the economic disaster of 2008, the changes to the northern city economy which had been deteriorating for years was manifest. African Americans, who had prospered more than ever before on assembly lines, were thrown out of work, and are currently sliding back into the poverty of Jim Crowe.

Native Americans have NEVER moved upward economically. Most still live on reservations, or have been able to "pass for white". The "Indian Casino" has helped some, but for the most part, Native Americans live in extreme poverty.

When conservatives complain about "those people" they are talking about African Americans, Native Americans and Mexicans (who are mostly Native Americans).

This is because the conservatives of today in American are the "Dixie-crates" of the south.

Rick Perry uses the same phrases as the notorious segregationists George Wallace, who's "states rights" were code for "keep the black man down". The leaders of the conservative Republicans (basically all Republicans in Congress) are from the SOUTH. This is not by accident, Jim Crowe is not dead, it is still manifest in the Republican Party of 2011.

Wallace ran for President, on the states rights anti-federal government platform, and was getting traction when he was gunned down. His is the same platform of Rick Perry, southern "states rights" that is aimed at the racial minorities who have been discriminated against throughout American history.

When the tea party rails against the size of the federal government, and push for smaller government, they are really pushing for a return to the anti-civil rights society of the past. When they rail about "taking their country back" they are calling for getting rid of the "black guy" in the white house. When "voter registration I.D.s Laws are passed, these are a return to the poll tests, that essentially disenfranchised entire generation in the south.

Family values and the revulsion against the poor, comes right from racist, violent, genocide ridden American History, that enslaved millions and massacred millions. Millions were enslaved for HUNDREDS of years, millions were killed in a few years. These are historical facts, and the social and economic reasons for these injustices still exist in many American's hearts today.

States Rights has ALWAYS meant racism and intolerance in the United States. It is a code that still carries Jim Crowe, segregation, and social and economic injustice.

These are what conservatives really mean when they talk about their "core values". These "core values" are racism, hatred, and injustice. "Their America" is the America of Jim Crowe, of bigotry, and of hatred.

Innovate or Die

Innovate or Die

While listening to an Itunes U podcast, from Stanford University, about entrepreneurs, creativity and market innovation it struck me what is really wrong with the current attack on government by the Tea Party and conservatives generally.

Conservatives love to criticize progressives for having too much government regulation that supposedly chokes innovation and risk taking. "Get government off our backs", and "taxes are job killers" ;etc., are the chants we hear.

And they are sometimes hard to counter. After all, it makes sense that creativity and risk taking would be encouraged more in a less regulated environment.

Not necessarily. Silicon Valley has grown in California, spawning Apple Computer, Google; et al., amidst what conservatives call the most "repressive" regulation environment in the United States. Conservatives love to talk up the tax rates and corporate tax environment that supposedly retards new economic development; but if that was true, then what about Apple Computer, Silicon Valley, HP; Intel; and on and on?

The facts are the opposite. Silicon Valley goes back well over thirty years, with the Palo Alto Research Center, Stanford, Cal; etc., turning out thousands of electrical and electronic engineers, who have revolutionized the way we think, research, play, and live.

The fact that much of the technological explosion in devices took place in the west side of San Francisco Bay is no accident. You never hear gripping about repressive regulations or government in Silicon Valley, where government research dollars spawned from the race to space, started the whole thing in 1960; President Kennedy's famous pledge to go to the moon by the end of the decade.

The climate for innovation is excellent too, there are several institutions of higher learning, anchored by Stanford, who have encouraged research, development and especially innovation. Government is everywhere, in every research lab and facility. A NASA Space Center lies right in the middle of Silicon Valley which anchors the entrepreneurial environment.

But several of these entrepreneurs have failed. The "Dot Com" implosion of the early 21st century is a good example of several ideas, like computer generated ordering of groceries, that flopped.

But that is the nature of entrepreneurship; the freedom to fail, without punitive consequences. Several of the silicon valley innovations were attained through years of trial and error, until the right combination of factors, including market conditions, existed to lead to success. Millions of government dollars didn't hurt either.

Government needs the latitude to fail as well. Education for example, is going through a highly criticized period right now. There are forces clamoring for change, and literally dozens of new and revolutionary ideas to reform and improve education.

Unfortunately, there are also political conditions, punitive in nature, that are choking successful innovation.

This is especially true with conservatives' efforts to constantly hamstring and limit government.

In educational innovation, this means a project life of often months; if the idea doesn't produce immediate results, or if there are cost overruns, it is immediately attacked, maligned, and destroyed.

The result is a frenzied assortment of half measures, fits and starts, that accomplish little.

Government is the problem, conservatives say. Meanwhile, the large problems of energy, environment, education and yes, health care, go unsolved, and innovational solutions are choked off before they have a chance to succeed.

Government is discredited, while the problems it can best address, just grow in complexity and urgency.

For example, there is no doubt that the world is running out of oil. The number of years this will take is open to debate, but sweet crude oil, that led to the cheap transportation of the past century, is running out.

And conservatives, led by the petroleum industry for some strange reason, are resisting and discrediting most innovation energy conservation efforts. I have never understood why the petroleum institute is so reluctant to look into conservation efforts, because when they run out of product, they are out of business. Have you ever wondered why they seem so hell bent to sell all their oil as fast as they can?

As a result we are faced with a dwindling supply of petroleum, and no plan whatsoever to adapt to it. None.

The consequences of this will be disastrous to our economy. But innovation is punished, "Just Drill Baby" is the simple solution to a problem that will take all the brain power America possesses to solve.

And, there must be profit motive in the innovations it will take to deal with declining oil. So far, we are frozen, innovations are attacked as wasteful. Solar and wind power are looked upon as liberal fads.

Americans still purchase huge cars and trucks, even while the gas prices bankrupt them.

If this approach would have been present in Silicon Valley, I would be typing this blog on a typewriter; manual no doubt.

The money and energy to innovate, explore and try things would have been cut off, with no development.

There would be no Apple, no IBM, no nothing.

This is the great threat of the regressive policies of America's Right Wing today. There exists a prejudice toward government that has frozen innovation and invention; while the problems that only government has the scope to address mount up.

We are faced with problems that the private sector cannot solve, without government team work. But conservatives, who must be pure in their ideology, take oaths to "drown government in the bathtub".

This is nonsense and dangerous. If we don't deal with the threats to our way of life that running out of gas poses, we are done as a economic power in the world.

Government must innovate, and try things. As Roosevelt famously said, he was the doctor and the American economy was the patient. He tried one remedy after another, and yes some were zany and didn't work. But many did, and form the financial and governmental bedrock upon which our modern economy is based.

We need that again to survive, another burst of innovation and ideas to deal with the serious problems of the global economy. Unfortunately, the "voices of no" have us paralyzed.

The consequences of this lack of innovation and risk taking will be severe and possibly nation ending.

The Wallace Trap

A Catastrophic Trap

So now we get to witness Rick Perry, the Texas "miracle" (2) in action. A few years ago another Texas governor exploded all over us, when George W. stepped into action. We are still getting over that one!

Then, as now, Republicans were "energized" by the new and exciting person on the national stage. The George W. phenomenon was more moderate and had more national appeal. After all, George W. might wear a cowboy hat, and wear cowboy boots, but he was a Yale Graduate with a MBA from Harvard. And, there was that story about his old man.

But Perry is, well, he is down home Texas. He has been able to be re-elected many times as Texas' governor, and he has created more jobs that Roosevelt. At least that is what the hype is saying.

He is "bigger than life". He brags, he tells stories, he is cute, he is "original" and above all he is very conservative. He has called for the end of everything from the Federal Reserve, calling Chairman Ben Bernacke a "traitor" to ending social security.

He is for ending the federal government in Texas particularly, not just hinting at, but actually calling for Texas to secede from the Union. He said it, now he is denying he said it, but he said it. That is treason by the way.

All this is "red meat" to right wing conservatives. Perry also appeals to the anger in many people, who watch as their jobs, and security are eroded.

The United States has 1 in 10 unemployed right now, many long term. President Obama is depicted as ineffectual, even though his leadership did actually end the recession that threatened to plunge everyone into a Great Depression.

We now have a 10% Depression, with the rest of us holding our breaths.

It would seem to be rich soil for a Texas wing-nut, who appeals to the anger, the frustration and has charisma.

There is a trap here; and it is probably unfair, but bringing up the past performances of the only two previous Texas Presidents is important.

Bush and Johnson, by most historical standards, have shall we say "inconsistent" performance evaluations by historians. Johnson did sign the Civil Rights Act and Medicare, and did lead us into the Great Society; but also fatally led us into the Vietnam War. G.W. did lead us into a housing boom, and the rich certainly got a lot richer, but he also led us into Iraq and Afghanistan. And there is that 2007-08 economic dip!

Is it Texas that is the trap?

I would argue yes. I know many Texans. There is a bravado, a swagger to many of them. I don't know if its size of the state, or what, (maybe the football teams), but Texas seems to breed a confidence that is infectious. There is nothing wrong with the confidence, there is a lot wrong with the arrogance.

And therein lies the catastrophic trap. It is the arrogance that "the way we do it in Texas" is somehow superior, somehow better, than the other 49 states. There is some of that in Californians. Ronald Reagan has a swagger to him, that somehow the "can do" spirit of California was superior, magical; etc. It wasn't!

If we are so angry and upset by the economy that we buy the crap that Perry is dishing out, then we are headed for a catastrophe. The facts are Perry did NOT create more jobs than anyone else, the oil industry did that. And, the facts are that many of the jobs that were created were minimum wage. Texas has a high rate of poverty, its educational system in a wreck, and there is that pesky drought that is killing agriculture. (Of course Global Warming according to Perry is a myth, Prayer is the answer).

If we want to emulate someone, we should go to Silicon Valley in California and look at Google or Apple Computer. These companies have created real wealth and jobs, not phony minimum wagers at Taco Bell like in Texas. This economic "miracle" is based on education, government and private sector cooperation, and a dedication to a "green" environment.

But the bragging and bravado go on. Perry recently said that the Chairman of Federal Reserve, that Perry wants to abolish (a one way ticket back to 1930), "would not be treated very well in Texas". Oh really, what would the Texans do, lynch him.

And that leads us into what Perry would really like to do to President Obama, which leads us to the racism that fairly drips out of Perry's mouth every time he opens it.

Texas was in the Confederacy after all, and Perry called for secession. Texas fought for slavery, Obama is an African-American; does anyone want to connect the dots.

Perry is George Wallace on steroids. If you listen to Perry you hear echoes of Wallace when he famously ran for President in 1968. Perry is a former Democrat turned Republican as was Wallace, Perry is a Governor as was Wallace; Perry is a charlatan as was Wallace.

To make such a charlatan into our President would be a catastrophic trap, and would be one more nail in our national coffin!

The Constitution

Reason, moderation, compromise, rational debate...these are all the bedrocks of our Constitution. How the Tea Parties (there are several), can twist their so-called allegiance to the basic "Constitution" into their no compromise, win even if it destroys us positions is beyond me.

One, they never have really studied the Constitution or the history behind it. Basic U.S. History in grammar school, teaches the genius behind the Constitution is compromise, always forcing opposing views to merge into policy.

The Great Compromise that the Constitution did not adequately solve was over slavery; it took a Civil War to settle that.

Is that what the Tea Parties want now, a Civil War? Really?

Look at England right now. Is that where we want to go?

If you, as a small business owner, really want disaster, look at England now, or Syria, or Afghanistan, or....all of Africa.

Look at what "my way or the highway" gets you.

If you think business is bad now, watch when the riots begin.

How to avoid this disaster?

Read and study Constitutional Law and learn that compromise is the way of things. Adopt a "Grand Bargain" that the Speaker and the President talked about; addressing revenues and modifications to social programs. Quit thinking politics is winner takes all, it just won't work that way.

The President learned that the hard way prior to 2010 when Senate Republicans blocked hundreds of bills with the filibuster. Don't you think Democrats will do the same thing if Republicans regain the majority and the White House?

EVERY sane analysis I have read suggests that compromise is the only real remedy.

This means I, as a progressive will not be happy, and you (the legions of Tea Party Conservatives) will not be happy either.

But our nation will survive and will ultimately prosper.

The alternative, if you REALLY want it, you can view every night by watching Syria, Egypt, Somalia; et al. their war torn cultures are the true tyranny.

The Truth

The Truth

Truth...truth..truth

This single word is debated, embraced, touted, advertised, and broken more than almost any other save; love.

We are entering yet again another "national debate" about deficits, public debt, that could determine the fate of our nation. The partisan lines are drawn in the sand. Americans in polls are disgusted with the partisanship, but themselves evidence it everyday with membership in the "Tea Party".

The democrats, or progressives, are similarly blamed for partisanship, for their stubborn allegiance to costly entitlement programs and a President who has "spent too much".

And what is the truth, what is really fueling the debt?

I recently saw a simple pie chart that shows the federal debt BEFORE the Great Recession, and it shows the core of the federal deficit. It is simple and it is the truth, from the impartial Congressional Budget Office.

The truth? Follow this link to read the truth.

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=692

As you can see and read: The Bush Tax Cuts and Defense in 2007 (before the recession added more debt because unemployed people don't pay taxes), spending on two wars and homeland security as part of the War on Terrorism contributes 83%!

Entitlements and discretionary programs contributes 17%.

The core of the debt, the vast core, is from the tax cuts and the wars. We basically fought two wars while giving ourselves a huge tax cut. And now, we are being told that Social Security and Medicare are to blame and need to be cut?!

So, to "balance the budget" or "attack the debt" the "responsible thing" is to cut "where there real spending is.." entitlements and discretionary spending."

So cut the 17% and leave the 83% alone and that will deal with the deficit?

These are the opposite of the truth, these are LIES. The truth is the Bush Tax Cuts, Homeland Security, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are what fuels well over 80% of the current debt of the United States.

When the Republicans refuse to discuss tax revenues to address the debt, and vote blindly for more defense spending, they are choosing to NOT really address the debt at all. Instead, for purely ideological reasons, they attack 17% of the problem as if it is the 83%.

In short they are lying. If the American People buy this almost impossible to believe "con", we will cut our senior's health care, and reduce social security for millions, and STILL HAVE AN UNMANAGEABLE DEBT!

That is the truth!

NUTS

The Wild Blue

I am reading a book called "The Wild Blue" by Stephen Ambrose. The book is about the pilots of the American Air Force during World War II. The history centers around George McGovern, who pilots a B-24 during the war, his crew and the culture of war.

I am struck constantly by the self-sacrifice and patriotism of the "Greatest Generation" that is brought out by the book.

World War II was a world calamity. It was the most destructive war in human history by many times over. Moreover, there were forces of evil (Germany's genocide, Japan's atrocities) that made resistance to tyranny necessary even for pacifists.

George McGovern was just that kind of pacifist. He was a very religious young man when the war broke out he almost filed as a conscientious objector, his father was a minister, and held strong anti-war sentiments (later demonstrated when he fought against the Vietnam War as a U.S. Senator and presidential candidate).

But he enlisted for very hazardous duty and did it. He also did not make a big thing about it. He quietly did his duty for his country.

Millions of Americans did the same thing. They also paid huge taxes, bought war bonds, and many made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our way of life.

The contrast with present American behavior is startling.

Recently we saw the Republicans in the Congress basically extort the government to get their way.

There was a real threat of not cooperating and plunging the country into debt default, with catastrophic consequences.

This was all done, in an act of ultimate political theater, to discredit the President of the United States; with no regard whatsoever for economic consequences.

The main "rallying cry" of the Tea Party is to cut taxes, and glorify the individual. If the rich are only getting richer it is "their right". What's mine is mine and what is your is yours; if you have less it is YOUR FAULT.

There is no place for "we" in the conservative "T-E-A-M". We are told to read Aynd Rand to understand what should be the "true American value". What we read is greed is good, screw your brother, government is bad, sacrifice for common good is for losers; etc.

The conservative movement attacks anything that hints of common good, or what is good for the many is good for me; etc. They call these ideas "socialist", evil, and even "fascist".

In short, if the United States would have had the values of the current conservative movement during World War II we would have lost big time! The Nazis, real fascists by the way, did NOT cooperate, did not work together, manipulate their power for private wealth, and ultimately lost. American and Allied TEAMWORK won the war, fascist greed and evil lost.

Look at the United States today. There is no draft, yet we are embroiled in two and one half wars. These wars are being fought by a volunteer military, whose members have made multiple tours of duty. Many have been wounded or killed, fighting for our security and freedom; while we voted ourselves tax cuts, lived the high life, created the "housing bubble" and drove the economy into the ditch!

And how do we show our support for our servicemen and women? By cutting taxes, cutting veteran benefits, and putting the nation into debt while we are fighting a war with little shared sacrifice, letting our "professional soldiers" do the work.

Today I saw a news report about motorcycle riders who are traveling the country with American flags on their bikes to "honor our veterans". Wow, what sacrifice!

I suppose this is a "noble" venture, but on closer look, what we see are wealthy citizens (Harley Davidson's cost a lot of money) who are basically vacationing across the country to "honor veterans". Nice excuse for a vacation!

I will bet that the majority of those riders who are "sacrificing" agree that taxes need to be cut even more and the government needs to be shrunk to nothing. They would never acknowledge that of course, citing their "honoring of the veterans" as enough. Enough indeed!

Taking a vacation across the United States, driving incredibly expensive motorcycles, staying in expensive hotels is sacrifice? Excuse me but this is bull shit!

Remember, the United States fought two wars in the last ten years, and still are engaged in combat, and our citizens were asked to sacrifice NOTHING: No taxes, no draft, no inconvenience....nothing.

Compare that with World War II and the brave pilots and airmen, soldiers, sailors; etc., who were maimed, killed and certainly inconvenienced for years by the war.

What real sacrifice for our "war effort" have YOU made lately? You haven't paid for the wars, your taxes were cut, you haven't served (no draft), you probably don't even watch the news reports anymore; too depressing.

America is waging a "sanitary war" that its citizens are not really experiencing.

I served during, but not in, the Vietnam conflict. I can guarantee you my generation experienced that war. We saw our friends, brothers, fathers and sons come home in body bags. We read lists of dead and wounded. We sweated the draft, made hard decisions to serve, resist, or run; most served.

We were certainly "inconvenienced" by the damn war!

And we complained, and we hated it. But we lived it, we sacrificed; some died, some had their lives changed forever; we lived the war.

The World War II citizens did not have an unpopular war to fight. But they did have vastly larger casualty lists. The did have a war to win.

And they did it without complaint. They did their duty, paid their taxes, bought their war bonds, missed their wives and husbands and it all for their country.

Today, the Tea Party professes a patriotism that frankly I don't recognize; self-serving, selfish, and above all disdainful of the weak, the poor, the dispossessed.

The United States fought World War II FOR the dispossessed. We could have stopped at Germany's borders, and signed an armistice, allowing Hitler to continue exterminating the Jews, but we did not. We demanded unconditional surrender. We could have simply quarantined Japan, and not demanded accounting for the atrocities that Japan had visited on China, the Philippines and Southeast Asia, we did not, we forced unconditional surrender, freed the captives and slaves. And then, we organized the United Nations, demanded an end to colonialism, and led the free world for justice and freedom. We even delineated this in the "Four Freedoms" a dream for a peaceful and just world.

This is all "big government" to the tea party and must be all eliminated. They hate the U.N., hate government aid, hate public education, hate anything that helps those who cannot help themselves.

And this week, we are getting a little preview of what their economic extortion wrought: world markets have crashed, wiping out billions of investments. This is exactly what was warned, that world markets would lose faith in the United States as an economic leader if we could not begin to address our economic problems realistically.

The "deal" that averted default did not do this; obviously from the crash of the stock market in the past days the world was not fooled.

The markets are reacting to the greed and lack of sacrifice the tea party and the Republicans have demonstrated during the "debt crisis" in steadfastly refusing to consider that revenues must be increased to pay for the two wars we are still pouring money into.

Patriotism is sadly lacking in America today. Those who profess to be "Tea Party Patriots" are blocking any attempt to pay for United States wars with more revenue, instead trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and dispossessed.

The world is not fooled, and the airmen of the Wild Blue would not have been fooled either.

The hypocrisy fairly drips off them, as they wave their flags, and shout "Support Our Troops" while buying another condo in Aspen, and revving up their hundred thousand dollars bikes!

In the words of the commander of Bastogne during the battle of the Bulge; NUTS.