Linkfest - Jokers

Cain's 9-9-9 Plan is Much Love for the Rich
If you just hear the plan without thinking about it, the 9-9-9 plan sounds good. The 9 numbers sounds so good with 9% corporate tax, 9% income tax, and 9% sales tax. It’s already a fact that for whatever reason, people believe prices that end in 9 are a better deal than those that don't so there is that reason he picked the number. However, once you look deeper it’s not so hot. For one, most businesses will not have to pay that 9% due to various tax shelters and the like that exist. Cain does nothing to address that. As for the income tax, that means that not only will 9% of every dollar you earn be taken away, it also means that another 9% will be taken away for every dollar you spend. On top of the state, county and city taxes you already pay. This also means that deductions go out the door so benefits of being married or having kids cease to matter. But still, seems like a good idea, and it could be as far as simplicity of paying taxes. However, as the chart shows, it really is just a boom for the rich. The bottom 80% will pay more in taxes under the plan. The next 19% will pay a decent amount less, the top 1% a 10x less than that with the top .1% experiencing around a 100x less boom to the bottom line. It hard to picture in text, but the picture makes it painfully clear. Once again, the GOP proves their only priority is the top 1%.

15 Facts About Wealth Inequality in America
For years now the GOP are selling a pretty simple story - for the country to succeed all of us must sacrifice to keep the top 1% rich happy. Happy rich people means one day they might create jobs and give us raises instead of doing the layoffs that have become the norm. For some reason, this argument has worked on 50% of American's even though this flies in the face of the human condition and all of history. For those with brains, hit the link for 15 facts, supported by data (not party specific data) that supports the notion that while everything is getting better for the top 1%, the other 99% continue to get screwed. Sad facts include the reality that top 1% has 33.8% of our nation’s wealth, own 50.9% of our stocks & bonds, and have had their wealth grow year after year while other bottom 80% has dropped year after year. In addition, average earning have hovered around $18.50 an hour for 50 years while in same period the rich's portion of USA's income has grown while everyone else's has shrunk. This is why the Occupy Wall Street exists.

Muammar Gaddafi is Dead
After 42 years of a crazy and ruthless dictatorship, the ex-leader of Libya is finally dead. He has been hiding for weeks now as his government was overthrown in favor of Democracy but he was continuing the fight in pockets throughout the country. That fight essentially came to an end when he was found in his hometown of Sirte. It will be interesting to see how Libya develops from here. I suspect it will continue to be a problem for western countries for quite a while. Regardless, the people of Libya should be applauded. They chose their own destiny and sacrificed their lives to achieve it. That is something any lover of democracy should stand behind, regardless of where it occurs.

Mark Hamill Retires the Joker
After 19 years of performing the voice of The Joker, Mark Hamill has officially retired the role with the release of Batman: Arkham City video game. He had previously the decision earlier this year but in a tweet verified the decision. For me he is the definitive version of the character, providing just the right amount of crazy menace in his voice.

Iraq War Ending Before ChristmasPresident Obama confirmed today that American troops are leaving Iraq by the end of the year. The decision was actually part of a 2008 agreement signed by President Bush but the press conference today reiterated the intention to uphold that promise. Like many, I was concerned that we would delay ending the war as it has proven very lucrative to military based companies that pay a lot of money to Congress to keep the money flowing. I am sure the GOP will lambast the decision as being premature as they tend to get the most money from those corporations.

The Avengers Trailer #1

Links of the Week

GOP Only for Rich Tax Cuts
The GOP's current platform comes down to "we are not democrats". When asked for a specific plan on how to turn the economy around, the best they can come up with is "tax cuts", specifically make the Bush Tax Cuts permanent. The only problem with this plan is it clearly has worked in the previous 10 years and added around $2.5 trillion to the deficit. Considering the party's sudden love for deficit reduction, further tax cuts present a problem since there are no means to pay for them. Basically a tax cut = increased deficit. So you think when they actually put forth a tax cut plan they would device a means to pay for it right? Nope, as the lovely chart on the right illustrates, their plan isn't really any different than the Democrat, at least until you hit the $500k threshold. The Democratic plan pays for itself and may reduce the deficit because the rich don't benefit anymore than any other tax group. The Republican plan basically goes "you rich? Here have more money!". It’s that trickle down axiom of there that has never worked. After all, what happens to a tax cut that doesn't get spent? It doesn't trickle down. What happened to the previous 10 years of tax cuts? As the economy shows, they clearly didn't trickle down. Instead of listening to the Limbaughs of the world that have 99% opinion and 1% fact, look at the facts. Ignore my words, just look at the chart and noticed the huge difference and ask yourself "does this make any since?" and "Isn't this the opposite of fiscal responsibility the GOP claims to believe in?".

4000 Dead and Do Not Reply

4000 Dead - The Iraq War, just days after its fifth anniversary, has claimed its 4000th victim. This doesn't include the thousands of casualties the war has also claimed or the untold number of Iraq civilians. From beginning to end this war has been nothing but disaster, nothing to do with 9/11 and entirely everything to do with Bush's naive attempt at a legacy and Cheney's desire to grow Halliburton. Doesn't help that he thinks the biggest burden was carried by Bush rather then the dead and damaged. I guess it’s the fault of the "all volunteer force" that came to action after 9/11 thinking they would be fighting an actual war on terror rather then a campaign of ego on the part of the White House.

DoNotReply.com - Just a note that if you reply to an email from donotreply@donotreply.com, Chet Faliszek gets it. He is the owner of the donotreply.com domain and he apparently doesn't have a problem blogging about the odder emails he gets which includes personal information, company policies and internal memos. Suffice it to say, if you know your company uses that address or any @donotreply.com addresses, it’s in their best interest to try something else.

Iraq War Money Cost Visual Aid

Crooks and Liars posted a nice visual aid (which the site got from here) to help explain the financial cost of the Iraqi war in terms that are easier to comprehend. Its numbers are staggering. As it stands the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) estimates the war will end up costing $2.7 Trillion. Yes, with a T, not a B.

To see what this like, below is a stack of $9 million dollars compared to a car and a human.

On the same scale, this is $191 Billion dollars ("just" $5 billion short of the $186 Billion is going to spend this year on the war). The tiny dark spot in the bottom middle, that is the car, just to help with the scale.

Now this is $316 billion. Again notice how tiny the car and man is.

Multiple that "building" of money by 7x and you have a true idea of the scope of the money being spent on a country that wasn't a threat to the US and proven to not be involved in 9/11, something that Bush and Cheney reluctantly admitted to. All this money and 3000+ American dead and 50000k casualties so that Haliburton and Bushies could benefit financially from the war. Also so Bush could show up his father for a perceived "failure" of leaving Saddamn in power.

I can't help but wonder how just one's years expense of this war could benefit Americans directly via various programs or just simple give back via tax cuts. Makes me glad I don't have children who will have to deal with this mess, assuming that China just doesn't buy us out since all that money is being borrowed from them.

5/23 Olbermann Special Comment

Olbermann rips Bush, Republican's and Dems for the recent Iraqi bill that will provide funding to continue the war that the American people have made clear they no longer want any part of. The tab is now at estimated to be $456 BILLION by end of the summer. What wonderful things could that money have done for the United States if not the world?

Virginia Tech vs Iraq

Call it crass, call it early, but considering the overall outrage from the killing of 32 (I don't count the killer himself) at Virginia Tech, why isn't there the same outrage when the same occurs in Iraq? Today, 183 non-American citizens where killed in Baghdad via 4 bombs the equivalent of 5.5x the number at VT.

As Keith Olbermann put it "It seems fair to ask the question: If the violent deaths in Virginia send a nation into shock and expressions of concern and anxiety, why isn't a continuous flow of American blood in Iraq generating a similar reaction?"

Where is the outrage? Where is the demand for answers. 3,300+ American dead, thousands upon thousands of injured Americans, but its OK. Is the distinguishing characteristics simply American soil? Civilians vs soldiers? The distinction is lost on me.

Bill O'Reilly Lose to Cut Mics

Why o why does anyone bother to come on Bill O'Reilly's show? He only wants one thing from his guests - to ape his opinion. Anything else gets a mic cut, both on his tv show and radio show.

A recent example is with Colonel Ann Wright, a 29 year veteran of the US Army.

WRIGHT: "I want to make sure the United States treats people properly.."

O'REILLY: "Sure you do. Sure you do."

WRIGHT: "I surely do. That's what I spent 29 years of my life trying to do."

O'REILLY: "Sorry. No you didn't. You know what happened to you…somewhere along the line you started to dislike your own country…."

WRIGHT: "I served 29 years. How many did you serve? Where did you teach the Geneva Conventions?"

O'REILLY: "Cut her mic."

I don't know how anyone can be suprised by this. O'Reilly exists to push the Bush administration agenda, no matter what it is. Thats fine, but its the slimeyness that he goes about it. The self rightousness and the complete fabrication of "facts". When presented with an opposing viewpoint or facts that don't support his worldview, he shuts people off. Its his show, he can do that, which returns to the basic quesiton...why bother appearing on his show? Republicans are smart, they only pop up on programs friendly to them. Democrats need to learn to do the same thing, especially if it involves O'Reilly and Fox Noise.

I miss the days where programs where an exchange of opposing ideas rather then a barrage of attacks. The recent Jon Stewart interview of John Bolton is an excellent example of how it should go.

The two questions that should be asked and asked and asked of all pro-war hawks is "What does Iraq have to do with the war on terrorism?" and "How do we know when a victory has been achieved?" I have yet to see an answer to either question beyond the nonsense "to bring freedom". Really, how do you know you have won a war when you can't even define what the criteria are for victory?

Bush Contradictions Continue

Earlier in the week, in attempt to prevent further investigation into the possible political firing of 8 US DAs Bush declared that that Congress should focus on finding the truth and forcing his people to swear an oath to speak the truth is not the way to do that. The contradiction is to get the truth...don't force people to speak the truth.

Now, the House has passed a bill that gives $124 Billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. Included in the bill is expansion of veterans' healthcare funding, force benchmarks to be met, force removal of troops from Iraq by August 2008 and refocus military efforts on terrorism. Bush declared the law "delays the delivery of vital resources for our troop" while also saying he will veto the bill...therefore delaying the delivery of vital resources to the troops.

I wonder if he even understands the words that come out of his mouth. The funny things is Bush held a press conference on this law, to declare he will veto it, even though the chances of the law passing through the Senate is unlikely. I guess he is hoping that if he does "Presidential" stuff like flub through a few press conferences and make contradictory statements, it will help his approval rating.

4th Year Anniversary of Iraqi War

Today Bush "celebrated" the 4th anniversary of the war that was only supposed to last 6 months at most, be paid for Iraqi oil, and have us greeted as liberators. He now asks for patience as a withdrawal would be devastating for the US. Considering quite literally NONE of his predictions have come true, at this point he sounds more like he is seeing his historical legacy going up in smoke and is doing everything he can to hang on to it. Sigh, lets just hope this is the last anniversary of this unnecessary, goal less, poorly planned, executed and violent war.

Support The Troops...Unless Its Too Much Trouble

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations
- Abraham Lincoln; March 4th, 1865 Second Inaugural Address

Support The Troops. Its the catch phrase of the moment. Used as an excuse for war. Its used as a defense. Its used for offense. Its used to increase a financial cost the country can scarcely afford. Its used to funnel more money to the corporate entities that waste it. Yet that phrase doesn't seem to apply when its the troops, our soldiers, that need the support.

The Bush Administration and his republican cronies whip out this phrase on a constant basis when it comes to the Iraq War. The try to use it to fan the flames of patriotism and quash any dissent. Yet time and time again, when supporting the troops will cost money that will not go into the coffers of the Haliburtons and other Bush corporate cronies, suddenly the cost is simply too high. If it goes to a corporation, the money is always there. No expense is spared. If the money is going to the soldiers, the injured or the families of the dead, lets pause and reconsider. Apparently the money can be spent better elsewhere.

The Bush administration on camera cries out that we must support the war so that we can support the troops. Yet privately, he screws over the veterans, those no longer able to help with his legacy agenda. In the line of fire, he likes you. After you have made your sacrifice and your family is left to pick up the pieces, he simply has no use for you. This is evidenced by his repeated health care budget cuts and other cuts to reduce the support the veterans and their families receive. This attitude is no more evidenced by the recently exposed conditions for out-patient care at Walter Reed Hospital.

The Washington Post recently reported on the abysmal conditions at Building 18 used to house out-patients of the hospital. The care is top notch while coming from the field of battle but during recovery, the soldiers are basically treated as refuge. A burden, a cost that isn't worth paying. As if a stitch, some surgery and maybe a prosthetic limb (or two) with a few weeks of bed rest and the soldier should be ready to return back to civilian life as good as new.

Of course we know that's not the case. Recovery is a long, arduous, and expensive process. A process that Bush claims he supports whenever he goes for the photo-op in the Ward 57, the amputee unit. Instead though there is disintegrating buildings, complicated paperwork, confused staffers, un-trained supervisors, in-capable databases and pretty much any error you can name, the soldiers have to deal with on a constant and regular basis.

They sacrificed elsewhere just to start a new fight here at home. A battle against the bureaucratic machine. A battle they cannot hope to win without help from a leadership that simply doesn't care. They got what they wanted out of the troops, the rest is just a burden they are not interested in carrying. For a fraction of the funds handed to the Haliburtons for Iraq this new frontline at home could be over before it began.

The reality of Walter Reed is simply inexcusable. The politicians claim they support the troops yet their inaction's and voting records often show the opposite. The voters slap on yellow ribbons on their SUVs yet continue to vote for the person whose actions do not support their words. You claim to support the troops? Prove it. Write and tell your congressmen to get his shit together and make sure the troops get the support and care they deserve. Remind them that families sent their family over their to "protect our freedoms" and whether they come home injured or in a body bag, they and their families will be taken care of.

As President Lincoln said "to care for him who shall have borne the battle". The troops have already borne one battle, they shouldn't have to fight another and nor should their families.

(image source)