Archive for ‘Economy’

January 18, 2013

Petition to Kick Texas Out of the Union — Please Sign!

by Ben Hoffman

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:
kick Texas out of the Union. They are an embarrassment and should not be part of our great nation.
Texas continuously embarrasses the rest of our country by electing people who shouldn’t be allowed to run a lemonade stand, much less participate in our Congress or be elected president. They have caused far too much damage to our country and we can no longer stomach them to be elected to high levels in our government. For those reasons, and the fact that they talk funny, they should be kicked out of our Union and no longer be part of the United States of America, which many of them believe to be the “United Steaks of America.”
Click HERE to access the petition.

August 8, 2012

Mitt Romney Started Bain Capital With Money From Families Tied To Death Squads

by Ben Hoffman

When Romney struggled to raise funds [to start Bain Capital] from other traditional sources, he and his partners started thinking outside the box. Bain executive Harry Strachan suggested that Romney meet with a group of Central American oligarchs who were looking for new investment vehicles as turmoil engulfed their region.

By 1984, the media had thoroughly exposed connections between the death squads and the Salvadoran oligarchy, including the families that invested with Romney. The sitting U.S. ambassador to El Salvador charged that several families, including at least one that invested with Bain, were living in Miami and directly funding death squads. Even by 1981, El Salvador’s elite, largely relocated to Miami, were so angered by the public perception that they were financing death squads that they reached out to the media to make their case. The two men put forward to represent the oligarchs were both from families that would invest in Bain three years later. The most cursory review of their backgrounds would have turned up the ties.

Read more…

August 4, 2012

Quotes by Nazis

by Ben Hoffman

“Why of course the people don’t want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don’t want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
~ Hermann Goering

“Education is dangerous – Every educated person is a future enemy”
~ Hermann Goering

“Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.”
~ Adolf Hitler

“It also gives us a very special, secret pleasure to see how unaware the people around us are of what is really happening to them.” ~ Adolf Hitler

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.”
~ Adolf Hitler

“What luck for the rulers that men do not think.”
~ Adolf Hitler

“Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.”
~ Adolf Hitler

“The greatness of every mighty organization embodying an idea in this world lies in the religious fanaticism and intolerance with which, fanatically convinced of its own right, it intolerantly imposes its will against all others.”
~ Adolf Hitler

“The size of the lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed, for the vast masses of the nation are in the depths of their hearts more easily deceived than they are consciously and intentionally bad. The primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies but would be ashamed to tell a big one.”
~ Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

“The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the State.”
~ Josph Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister

“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly – it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
~ Josph Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister

“It is the absolute right of the State to supervise the formation of public opinion.”
~ Josph Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister

“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”
~ Josph Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
~ Josph Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister

May 26, 2012

Obama spending binge never happened. Government outlays rising at slowest pace since 1950s.

by Ben Hoffman

What people forget (or never knew) is that the first year of every presidential term starts with a budget approved by the previous administration and Congress. The president only begins to shape the budget in his second year. It takes time to develop a budget and steer it through Congress — especially in these days of congressional gridlock.

The 2009 fiscal year, which Republicans count as part of Obama’s legacy, began four months before Obama moved into the White House. The major spending decisions in the 2009 fiscal year were made by George W. Bush and the previous Congress.

Like a relief pitcher who comes into the game with the bases loaded, Obama came in with a budget in place that called for spending to increase by hundreds of billions of dollars in response to the worst economic and financial calamity in generations.

Before Obama had even lifted a finger, the CBO was already projecting that the federal deficit would rise to $1.2 trillion in fiscal 2009. The government actually spent less money in 2009 than it was projected to, but the deficit expanded to $1.4 trillion because revenue from taxes fell much further than expected, due to the weak economy and the emergency tax cuts that were part of the stimulus bill.

The projected deficit for the 2010-13 period has grown from an expected $1.7 trillion in January 2009 to $4.4 trillion today. Lower-than-forecast revenue accounts for 73% of the $2.7 trillion increase in the expected deficit. That’s assuming that the Bush and Obama tax cuts are repealed completely.

When Obama took the oath of office, the $789 billion bank bailout had already been approved. Federal spending on unemployment benefits, food stamps and Medicare was already surging to meet the dire unemployment crisis that was well underway. See the CBO’s January 2009 budget outlook.

Obama is not responsible for that increase, though he is responsible (along with the Congress) for about $140 billion in extra spending in the 2009 fiscal year from the stimulus bill, from the expansion of the children’s health-care program and from other appropriations bills passed in the spring of 2009.

If we attribute that $140 billion in stimulus to Obama and not to Bush, we find that spending under Obama grew by about $200 billion over four years, amounting to a 1.4% annualized increase.

After adjusting for inflation, spending under Obama is falling at a 1.4% annual pace — the first decline in real spending since the early 1970s, when Richard Nixon was retreating from the quagmire in Vietnam.

In per capita terms, real spending will drop by nearly 5% from $11,450 per person in 2009 to $10,900 in 2013 (measured in 2009 dollars).

Read more…

May 22, 2012

SpaceX Falcon 9 Dragon Successful Launch 5/22/2012 HD

by Ben Hoffman

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station early Tuesday morning, carrying the Dragon capsule payload that, if all goes according to plan, will dock with the International Space Station later this week.

This is the first time a private company has attempted to berth a spacecraft with the International Space Station.

This was SpaceX’s second attempt to launch the Falcon 9 rocket. A launch planned for early Saturday morning was aborted after abnormally high pressure was detected in one of the engine’s combustion chambers, causing the computers to automatically shut down the rocket’s nine engines less than one second before liftoff.

Over the next several days, the Dragon spacecraft, which separated from the rocket’s second stage fewer than ten minutes after launch, will orbit Earth and undergo maneuverability and system tests to make sure it’s fit to dock with the space station.

Then, with NASA’s approval, the Dragon capsule, which is carrying about 1,000 pounds of food, clothing and water, will attempt to dock with the ISS on Friday.

Read more…

May 19, 2012

Right-wing Pennsylvania State Supreme Court Justice Charged With Corruption

by Ben Hoffman


PITTSBURGH — State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin was charged Friday with illegally using her taxpayer-funded staff in her campaigns for a seat on the state’s highest court in a scheme that ensnared her sister, a senator awaiting sentencing on similar charges.

Orie Melvin said outside court that she will vigorously defend herself against the nine criminal charges, which a grand jury report called a “tale of corruption” that she “actively condoned and even promoted.”

“I am a woman of faith,” Orie Melvin said. “My faith will see me through this. And I will not resign because of these politically motivated charges.”

The high court relieved her of judicial and administrative duties Friday, but she remains a Supreme Court justice, on the payroll with a $195,000 salary and full benefits. The court also ordered Orie Melvin’s Pittsburgh office sealed to secure records, files and equipment that are property of the court.

The charges come two months after her sister Republican state Sen. Jane Orie was convicted of 14 counts of theft of services, conflict of interest and forgery charges. Orie is scheduled to be sentenced in June, and her attorney has said in court filings that she will resign before then.

Read more…

She’s a woman of faith and believes that God will help her break the law if it’s in the name of Jesus. As the saying goes: “Please Lord, save me from your followers.”

May 19, 2012

Man arrested for threatening to blow up Democratic Party of Wisconsin offices

by Ben Hoffman

Federal authorities charged a Madison man Friday with making a telephone threat in February to blow up the offices of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, among more than 100 calls, many threatening, that he allegedly placed to the office this year.

William O. Diederich, 61, repeatedly threatened to shoot Democrats and those supporting the recall of Gov. Scott Walker in phone calls he made to the Democratic Party’s office at 110 King St. in January, February and March, according to an affidavit by FBI agent Joseph Lavelle, filed in U.S. District Court in Madison.

On Feb. 24, the affidavit states, Diederich left a voice mail message stating that when the building explodes, the bombings of Sterling Hall on the UW-Madison campus and the federal building in Oklahoma City will “seem like a firecracker compared to what’s gonna happen to you people.”

During another call, on March 4, Diederich allegedly sang a song advocating that “Bama,” presumably President Barack Obama, be shot to death. He also threatened in other calls to shoot any candidates who ran against Walker, and that he would be taking “head shots” at Democrats on the streets around the Capitol. He said during another call that he has a concealed carry permit and that “people better be wearing bulletproof vests.”

Source

May 11, 2012

Right-wingers are Sick F*cks – Seller Offers Trayvon Martin Gun Range Targets (a pro-lifer, no doubt)

by Ben Hoffman

A Florida entrepreneur said he had sold out of gun range targets depicting a faceless, hood-clad figure holding an iced tea and a bag of Skittles meant to look like Trayvon Martin.

“The response is overwhelming,” the seller told Orlando’s WKMG news team over e-mail. “I sold out in two days.” The station did not identify the seller, and said it found the ad on a popular firearms auctioning website.

A cached version of the GunBroker.com webpage belonging to a seller named “hillerarmco” from Virginia Beach, Va., shows the paper targets being sold in packs of 10 for $8.

The description of the product reads:

Everyone knows the story of Zimmerman and Martin. Obviously we support Zimmerman and believe he is innocent and that he shot a thug. Each target is printed on thick, high quality poster paper with a matte finish! The dimensions are 12″x18″ ( The same as Darkotic Zombie Targets) This is a Ten Pack of Targets.

Source

May 9, 2012

GOP Newsletter Calls for Armed Revolution if Obama Re-Elected

by Ben Hoffman

In the “Whitehouse Watchdog” column, editor Ponch McPhee says that America cannot survive four more years under Obama, a “political socialist ideologue” who is “unlike anything world history has ever witnessed or recognized.” McPhee argues that Americans will have no option “but armed revolution should we fail with the power of the vote in November:”

Source

Good, that will give us an excuse to rid our country of some of these degenerates.

May 9, 2012

Tea Party Activist Threatens To Kill Claire McCaskill

by Ben Hoffman

An activist at a Tea Party Express rally near St. Louis implored the faithful in attendance to “kill the Claire Bear, ladies and gentlemen.” In a hyperbolic rant against incumbent Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, GOP activist Scott Boston exhorted the audience, “She walks around like she’s some sort of Rainbow Brite Care Bear or something but really she’s an evil monster.”

Police in the first-term senator’s home town of Kirkwood, Mo., were asked by federal officers charged with her protection to increase the local security detail. Not only is uncivil rhetoric dangerously taking society in the wrong direction, it is, incidentally, costing taxpayers money and resources. Last month, another branch of federal police, the particularly beleaguered Secret Service, investigated similarly incendiary comments against President Obama from 1970s rocker Ted Nugent.

Source

May 9, 2012

Clint Eastwood on Gay Marriage

by Ben Hoffman

Well, I guess conservatives can add Clint Eastwood to the list of people they hate. I’m glad I’m not a conservative. It must be hell living with all that fear and hatred.
May 5, 2012

Romney and the Republicans in a Nutshell

by Ben Hoffman

Romney and his “friends in Congress think the same bad ideas will lead to a different result or they’re just hoping you won’t remember what happened the last time you tried it their way,” President Obama told an audience in Columbus, Ohio today.

Read more…

Republican “solutions” are to give large corporations more power, allow them to pollute the environment, more tax cuts for the rich, fire government sector workers, ban abortion, oppress gays, cut spending on our infrastructure and education, and spend even more on defense. Those things do nothing to make our country better. They’re destroying our country.

May 5, 2012

How Republicans Have Stalled The Recovery

by Ben Hoffman

While Republicans are calling for tens or even hundreds of thousands more public sector workers to be axed, it’s clear that the public sector has already severely contracted even as the private sector recovers. Check out this chart (red is public sector employment, blue is private sector employment):

May 4, 2012

U.S. Leads Industrialized Nations In Health Care Costs, Falls Behind In Quality: Study

by Ben Hoffman

Health care in America costs more than in other industrialized nation and we aren’t even getting the world’s best care for our dollars, according to a new study.

The United States spent $7,960 per capita on health care in 2009, the most of 13 industrialized nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, reports the Commonwealth Fund, a research institution. That’s almost three times the amount spent in Japan, which has the lowest expenses of the countries reviewed.

Americans pay the highest prices for physician visits, hospital treatments and prescription drugs and get expensive diagnostic tests like MRIs at a higher-than-average rate. More Americans are obese, too, though the nation’s population is younger than all the other countries but New Zealand and is the least likely to smoke cigarettes than people anywhere but Sweden, according to the report.

Escalating prices for health care and high use of potentially wasteful, inefficient and unnecessary medical services are the main reasons for the rapidly escalating cost of health insurance, the growing ranks of the uninsured and the fiscal burdens of Medicare and Medicaid. Big price tags also lead Americans, even those with health insurance, to go without care they need.

Read more…

May 3, 2012

How Conservatives Decide Which Policies To Support

by Ben Hoffman