THE SWORD (BIOGRAPHICAL)

The sword was actually a commemorative French bayonet from the 19th century, imprinted 1877.  It was housed in a metal sheath.  It was left in the house at 730 Curfew St. in St. Paul by the previous occupants, and my parents found it when they moved in.  If any attempt had been made to return the bayonet, I really don’t know.  Perhaps their address was unknown.  At any rate, I was fascinated by it starting at an age long forgotten but certainly when I was but a few years old.  So this started a game.  My mother would hide the bayonet, and I would hunt around until I found it, again and again.  Of course, I had a lot of time on my hands in those early years.  Sometimes it would take weeks or months, but eventually I found it.  My mother was terrified that I would hurt myself, but I never did.  My brother, who was nearly five years older than me, once went to a costume party dressed as a pirate, and he was allowed to wear the “sword.”  Somewhere there is a picture of this.

DEPORTATION KING

While President Obama works to try to get immigration reform, he has become the deportation king.  Deportations were down about 10% in FY 2013 to 368,644,* perhaps because the President announced in June that he would defer deportations of children who were brought to this country illegally by their parents.  Home Land security says the number of these children exceeds 400,000.   It is reported that 82% of the deportations are of illegal immigrants who have been convicted of a crime. Nearly 2 million people have been deported during the first 5 years of the Obama presidency, some for the second or even third time.  There has been a steady increase in deportations since at least 1999 when there were 175,000 deportations.*

The Senate has passed an immigration reform bill that speaker Boehner refuses to bring to a vote in the House of Representatives even though the bill (S 744) passed the Senate with 68 votes** and has said there is no way he will go to a conference committee on the Senate bill.  Among the sticking points is a path to citizenship taking 13 yrs, securing our southern border, paying back taxes, and learning English.

I feel that the path to citizenship is so draconian that few will take the opportunity to do it.  I have at least favored "Build the Danged Fence"*** as a public works program though completing the double fence may not decrease illegal immigration much.  As I say in my piece: "If I was dictator, this wouldn't be my first choice as a public works program as it may not be much better than hiring one shift to dig holes and the next shift to fill them in.  But the fence is acceptable to the opponents of the Gang Of Eight proposal that passed the Senate whereas digging holes or, better yet,  improving highways or the smart grid isn't."


* http://webmailb.juno.com/webmail/new/5?userinfo=8b254f2f4f26b1dc56d8fe41da329a7b&count=1387637225&randid=1988503624
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/12/19/obama-administration-deportations-of-undocumented-immigrants-drops-in-2013/
http://www.statisticbrain.com/number-of-u-s-deportations/

** http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/special-reports/guide-s744-understanding-2013-senate-immigration-bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/27/senate-immigration-reform-bill_n_3511664.html

***http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/07/complete-danged-fence.html

WAGES

One hears Republicans like John Boehner talk about jobs being the most important thing.  I am unaware, however, of any real effort by Republican's to produce more jobs except for the fraudulent argument that the wealthy are the job creators so allowing them to have more money will create more jobs.*  In fact, the powers that be in the Republican party will do everything they can to eliminate jobs through automation and off shoring.  In addition they feel that workers are overpaid and the way to increase jobs is to lower or eliminate the minimum wage, thus increasing poverty level employment if indeed there is any increase in employment at all.**

Because the upper 1% of incomes have done exceedingly well in recent years, the jobs picture should be flourishing if increasing the wealth of the wealthy argument were true, but, though there has been a steady increase in employment, everyone seems to agree it is not rapid enough.

You would think that workers are a natural constituency of the Democrats; however, there is a group of white male workers who feel that the Democrats have done too much for minorities, women, and homosexuals and are thus taking away their jobs. This group is an important constituency of the Republicans who pay them some lip service now and then, particularly in election years (e.g. The Real Americans), but do nothing for them of a substantial nature.  I suspect that a significant percentage of the white males workers are also members of the despised 47% (now 43%) of households who pay no Federal income tax.

I'm not sure what Democrats could do to woo these workers back to the Democratic Party except maybe to keep plumping for public infrastructure projects.  I have supported the completion of the double fence along our southern border and hiring more guards as a jobs program,*** even if it is ineffective in preventing illegal entry into the U.S.  As it is, the Republican party has to do nothing to keep them so the Republicans do nothing for them.

* http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2010/05/effectiveness-of-taxes.html
** http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-race-to-bottom.html
*** http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/07/complete-danged-fence.html

SELECTIVE POLLING

Have you noticed that political parties only pay attention to polls that agree with their views?  For example, Republicans accept the polls that show that 52% of the people don't like Obamacare (even though in this number are those who don't like it because it doesn't go far enough), but reject polls that show that about 83% of the people,* including a majority of the members of the NRA, are for background checks on gun purchases.  Recent polling also shows 66% of those polled favor an increase in the minimum wage to an average of $10.25/hr.*  It remains to be seen what the House of Representatives will do about that.  President Obama has proposed $10.10/hr.

Note too that Republicans say that it would be better to adopt a piece of medical reform at a time.**  I actually agree with this approach, but, when a piece at a time is proposed on gun control, they reject it.  The polling numbers on mental health with regard to guns has similar acceptance numbers to background checks, i.e. 79% of the responders voted in favor of increasing government spending on mental  health programs for young people as of late April 2013.*

* http://www.gallup.com/poll/1645/guns.aspx#2
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/12/most-back-minimum-wage-hike-policies-to-address-the-wealth-gap/
** The first thing I would do is tort reform which Democrats refuse to do.  I'm told that this would save "only" 3% of the Medicare expenses, though I suspect that defensive medicine costs much more.

INCENTIVIZING GROUPS

Robert Reich has pointed out a paradox that to incentivize the poor Republicans feel you have to give them less money whereas to incentivize the wealthy you have to give them more money.  I keep hearing that there are on average three applicants for every job.  It is for this reason that I support completing the double fence on our southern border with Mexico.  The proposal would add 19,000 Civil Service jobs, which while not great in pay would be better than unemployment.  Also the fence would provide temporary jobs in the construction industry.  So I support the proposal as a jobs program that Republicans seem willing to accept.  Though this is only a step above hiring people to dig holes during the day and another group to fill them at night, it would provide some jobs.  Though I personally think that it would be better to spend the money on improving our infrastructure (roads, bridges and the like),  it is better than nothing.

SANCTIONS AND DIVESTMENT THAT WORKED

Yesterday Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela died at 95.  He was a remarkable person in that prior to his jailing for 27 years he espoused violence, but came out able to suppress his anger and espouse non-violence.*

“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.”  Thus when apartheid was renounced, Mandela worked hard to avoid a bloodbath and political things that some other African nations undertook to their detriment.  Instead he worked hard for a South Africa for all its people in his one term as president where he founded the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to deal with past injustices made by all sides.

Though it took more than sanctions and calls for divestment of U.S. company stock from university and state balance sheets (most notably California),  the sanctions and divestment did put pressure on South Africa to change its ways.*  And the U.S. congress overrode a veto by President  Reagan to pass the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986.

Nelson Mandela shared a Nobel Peace prize with the leader he superseded Frederik Willem de Klerk in 1993 "for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa".***

*  http://www.amazon.com/Mandelas-Way-Lessons-Life-Courage/dp/0307460681
**http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_world_/2013/12/06/opponents_of_sanctions_on_south_africa_were_wrong_but_that_doesn_t_mean.html?wpisrc=burger_bar
*** http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/

THE NAME WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Pressures seem to be mounting for the Washington Redskins professional football team to delete the word Redskins because the word redskin has a pejorative meaning.  I had thought that a big part of the problem is that they are a lousy football team and that if they were a strong contender for the titles, there would be less objection to the word.  In this I may be wrong because in looking at Wikipedia, some of the biggest demonstrations have been when they played in the Super Bowl.*

Quite a few schools use ethnic names, "Scots" being particularly common.**

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Redskins_name_controversy
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_sports_team_and_mascot_names

HEALTH PARADOX

It is kind of  funny that so much money and research is focussed on increasing the life expectancy and decent health in old age and then complain that old people cost too much.

CHANGE IN SENATE FILIBUSTER RULES

Nearly half of all filibusters have come during President Obama's 4 years and 10 months of office.   In the history of the U.S., 168 nominees have been filibustered - with 82 occurring during the Obama administration. In the history of the U.S., 23 district court nominees have been filibustered - with 20 being Obama nominees.*  So yesterday, Democrats changed the rules on filibusters to allow a simple majority for executive and judicial appointments (except for Supreme Court appointments).*  I'm surprised this was not done before now.

You may recall that Republicans threatened the nuclear option back in 2005 of the George W. Bush administration.  Democrats finally caved, however, and agreed not to filibuster judicial candidates except in extreme cases.**

Mother Jones has published some interesting graphs on filibusters by president, one of which is presented here(each bar is two years).  See the article for discussion and the other two figures.***

Though Republicans are objecting strongly to the action in public, I suspect they are cheering in private because now they can claim they didn't break the filibuster when they take over the Senate.  Of course they think they will do this in 2014, but they have been wrong about this before.  They expected to take over the Senate in 2012, but the Democrats actually gained two seats.  I wouldn't be surprised if Republicans actually expand the list of items now subject to filibusters.

Note added November 24, 2013: You also might want to look at an article on achievements of the new rule: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=112427639902898514#editor/target=post;postID=2881200110682681265;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=link

*http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/11/21/rich-lowry-is-mad-that-democrats-took-his-filib/197010; http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senates-filibuster-rule-change-will-help-obama-achieve-key-second-term-priorities/2013/11/21/ccf43c4c-52dd-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html; http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/11/21/do-obama-nominees-face-stiffer-senate-opposition/
** http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/11/21/gop-gambles-big-on-harry-reids-nuclear-option-why-not-just-explode-the-filibuster-for-good/
*** http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/11/charts-explain-why-democrats-went-nuclear-filibuster

JOHN F. KENNEDY

I recall where I was on November 22, 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated. Though I was a Republican at the time, I found him to be very charismatic and inspiring, but I recall thinking that he was in a way lucky because his Presidency was not working.  He was not getting his legislation through, and he had poor relations with congress even though he had been one of them.

Though he got the Apollo Program of missions to the moon started, he was getting cold feet on the cost and was thinking of inviting the Soviets to participate.  In one year, spending on the Apollo Program consumed 5% of our GDP.  It was Lyndon Johnson who took up the flame and completed the pledge to send a man to the moon and bring him back safely to Earth (plus 21 pounds of lunar rocks and soils).  I felt so strongly about this that I wrote a poem "Upon The Second Anniversary Of Apollo 11." (http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2010/01/upon-second-anniversary-of-apollo-11.html)  I had been opposed to the program, but I had an epiphany after Apollo 8 and, as they say, there is no sinner like a converted sinner which applied to me.  I bought all the trinkets.

He started the escalation of the war in Vietnam and there is no sign that that he wouldn't continue as much as fans of Kennedy would have you believe. Just weeks before his death,  "To CBS he said: "In the final analysis, it is [ the South Vietnamese ] who have to win or lose this struggle." Then he added: "But I don't agree with those who say we should withdraw. That would be a great mistake. . . ." To NBC he said he believed "the domino theory," whereby the fall of Saigon to Communism would lead to the collapse of America's position throughout Asia."*

Kennedy's actions on Civil Rights were at best conflicted.  As a Senator he voted against Eisenhower's 1957  Civil Rights Act.  In 1961: " Kennedy himself condemned the Riders for their lack of patriotism at a time of international tension over the Berlin Wall, Cuba and the Bay of Pigs fiasco.**  There was some indication that Kennedy was evolving on Civil Rights  Perhaps a combination of Kennedy's death and President Johnson's political abilities succeeded in getting the Civil Right Act of 1964 through congress with Republican help and the 1965 Voting rights act as well.  It may have been the Republican's finest hour..

The results on Cuban missile crisis may be Kennedy's greatest accomplishment, but it wasn't because that the other guy just blinked because we quietly agreed to remove our missiles from Turkey in exchange.  So we gave something to get something.  I don't quarrel with that, but the Kennedy fans just ignore it and would have you would believe we gave nothing.  In addition, the Soviets began their nuclear missile submarine fleet, some of which patrolled off the U.S. coast (and they still do***).  As the public didn't know about this, it turned out that what you don't know doesn't hurt you, but were nuclear missiles on submarines really less a worry than land-based missiles on Cuba?  At the time, I felt that Cuba was in our sphere of influence just as Hungary was in the Soviet's.  Eisenhower had encouraged the Hungarians to revolt, but, when they did, he just said, in effect, too bad boys.  It was tough on the Hungarians but perhaps saved a nuclear war.  But we came closer to nuclear war over  the Cuban Missile Crisis than I thought at the time.

Though I did not experience the charisma of Ronald Reagan, many did.  His administration started with two attacks on U,.S. Embassies  [in Lebanon (63 killed) and in Kuwait (5) killed],**** each with more loss of life than in Benghazi, Libya, that so much is being made of.  I also believe, that cutting and running after the Marine Barracks incident where more than 200 died, emboldened terrorists.  Though Reagan talked of cutting government, he actually left the Federal government larger than he found it, after small cuts in employees by Carter and Ford.  And of course he never came close to balancing the budget.  After a very large tax cut for the wealthy, he reinstalled half the value of the tax cuts when he realized what he had done to the Federal budget.  Those who deify President Reagan have been blinded by his charisma and words or have forgiven much or, more likely, just do not know his record.

But something went out of me with the assassination of President Kennedy that never came back.

Note added on November24, 2013:  A further more complete analysis of the Kennedy poor record as President is given in; http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/11/22/americans-think-john-f-kennedy-was-one-of-our-greatest-presidents-he-wasnt/?wpisrc=nl_wnkpm

* http://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/06/opinion/foreign-affairs-kennedy-and-vietnam.html
**  http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/john_kennedy_and_civil_rights.htm
*** http://freedomoutpost.com/2012/11/second-russian-sub-detected-near-us-coast-in-3-months/;
**** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_embassy_bombing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Kuwait_bombings; also see general report in http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/libya-consulate-embassy-attacks-obama-romney

IN GOD WE TRUST AND UNDER GOD

On November 17th, I received again an e-mail this time dealing with an NBC poll and ending with: "Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having 'In God We Trust' on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance."  The poll mentioned in the current e-mail apparently harks back to 2006.*

Amazing!  I've been seeing this sort of e-mail for years.  It doesn't bother me at all having "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge, but it was only added to paper money beginning in 1956 and replaced E pluribus unum.  It has been on our coins longer, since the end of the Civil War  I do not get a warm fuzzy feeling, however, knowing God is on our money and in the pledge, and it wouldn't bother me to have God taken out.  So far as I know, there is no strong movement to remove it, but apparently there are people who love to worry about it.  I've sure got bigger worries than that.  The question should be, "Does God trust us?"

Incidentally, the pledge has had "under God" in it only since 1942 so it is pretty new also.  I don't recall saying the pledge for years, maybe decades, but any rate, it also doesn't bother me.

Muslims use a little different phrase.  In the Quran it is "Trust In Your Lord" which predates "In God We Trust" by several centuries so modern Muslims actually love the phrase "In God We Trust" which I suspect probably would bother those who fear God will be taken off our money if they only knew that Muslims like it.

President Teddy Roosevelt thought to put the word "God" on money was sacrilegious. For Christians, Roosevelt had a point and having God on our money is questionable at best.  Remember Jesus and the money changers and the phrases from Matthew (6:24 and 6:21 ) and Luke (16:13 and 12:34): "You cannot serve both God and Money." and "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." The Supreme Court has ruled a couple of times that to use the phrase on money does not constitute establishment of any religion so it is all right and it is a closed issue.

* http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/godpoll.asp

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS THE CONSERVATIVE LAW!

In a vain attempt to get votes from conservative politicians, the Democrats adopted a conservative medical plan that was a  private-public plan to be run by the states.  For example:
The reliance on Republican policy proposals did nothing to generate Republican support. Instead of showing the falseness of partisan divisions, Obamacare has proven how deeply entrenched they truly are.

Far from introducing innovation and efficiency into the system, the decision to build a complex, 50-state public-private hybrid has introduced towering complexity into the project, and seems, potentially, to be beyond the government's capacity to do well.*

Since the Republicans refuse to support what is, in effect, their health care bill, their fall back plan is the status quo.  After all isn't that what conservative means - to preserve the status quo or even regress to what they view was a better time?  Isn't this exactly what the recent bill passed by the House of Representatives does - allows anyone to subscribe to any health plan that may have existed? 

The chief difference between the plans is that Upton’s would allow insurers to sell the [discontinued] plans to anyone, even new customers.**

Surely a progressive plan would have been single payer.  Though conservative politicians hate single payer with a passion hard for me to fathom, there are many single-payer health systems around of considerable size such as Medicare and Federal Employees Health  Plan, to name just two.  Both allow you to go to any physician that will accept patients on these plans.  Medicare B, C and D and the FEHP are all voluntary, i.e. you do not have to subscribe to the plans (though Medicare A is mandatory).  You will read things like if you accept Medicare A, you cannot have a private plan*** which is rubbish.  I've had Medicare A, B and a private backup plan for 18 years and counting.   I have also gone to any physician I wished and hospital I chosen for me.

Before I was medicare eligible, my private plan was my primary plan which I had for decades.  Since the private plan has become my secondary plan, there are some differences in that as a secondary plan they will only cover things that Medicare does.  The secondary plan just pays the difference between what Medicare covers and the accepted cost by Medicare.  They also cover the Medicare deductible and any co-pay.

Medicare is a great convenience in that I don't have to write checks to providers all over the place.  I am surprised at some things not covered, however, like shots for shingles.  And there are limits on how often you can have certain tests or the number of days/year for which you can have treatment (i.e speech therapy).  But overall, I am very satisfied.  SINGLE PAYER  WORKS!  And even conservative columnists like Michael Gerson says the Single Payer is the best way to control medical prices, though he still doesn't like them.

* http://webmailb.juno.com/webmail/new/5?userinfo=8b254f2f4f26b1dc56d8fe41da329a7b&count=1384580506&randid=1536139483
** http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/democrats-obamacare-vote-99915_Page2.html
*** http://www.forhealthfreedom.org/Publications/MedicareMedicaid/MandatoryEnrollment.html

OUR BACKUP HEALTH PLAN INCREASE

We are on Medicare so we have a backup plan to cover costs that Medicare doesn't completely cover.  We are with a non-profit and have had to choose the standard family plan though there are only two of us as the only other choice was for singles.  We got a letter yesterday saying that our cost was going up a moderate 6%, which is less than many years.

In view of the news media emphasizing those who have had troubles with Obamacare, I thought that those of us with real life stories that aren't disasters need to say something.

Starting last Tuesday, I have tired using the healthcare.gov site just to see how it works.  I got into the site right away and had no trouble registering and getting into our states plan.  I stopped there because we really are happy with the plan we have.  Then for the next 4 days, I tried to get into the site again and wasn't able to do so.  So I checked forgot password (which may be true), and they said that an e-mail was sent to my e-mail address; however, when I looked at my e-mails, nothing was there.  So I called the Call Center and got through right away.  The lady said they were having problems with that and was quite willing to enroll me over the phone.  I didn't need this so I signed out.  I went back to healthcare.gov and checked "forgot my username."  Again I got a message that said I was sent an e-mail and sure enough they did, so my username and e-mail addresses are all right.  This time I checked Chat.  In about 3 min. I got a message to ask my question so I wrote that the password wasn't working.  After awhile, I got the message back that said that they were having trouble with this.  They would send me a paper copy to enroll if I wished.  Then today, 8 days after my initial application, I tried healthcare.com again with the same problem.  It would accept my new password request and would send me an e-mail to get a new one, but again I got no e-mail.  I wonder how many people are having this problem of trying to get back into the site?

So the the telephone application seems to work fine and the chat is acceptable, but there is still a serious problem with the www.healthcare.gov site in a fundamental way.  My suggestion is that if you are having repeated problems, try the telephone route.

BARBARA BUONO - SACRIFICIAL LAMB?

I've heard "high level" Democrats say that if the Democratic Party really wanted to unseat New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Barbara Buono would certainly not to be the person picked.  I have to wonder why because her bio sounds very impressive.

She has a long record of positions in the New Jersey legislature rising to being the Majority Leader of the State Senate of  New Jersey from 2010-2011.  Her political career started in 1992 with election to the Muenchen, NJ, Borough Council where she served in 1993 and 1994.  In 1994, she won a seat on the New Jersey Assembly (against an incumbent) where she served for seven years.  Then she served in the New Jersy State Senate being elected in 2001.  She received a JD from Rutgers University in Camden in 1979.  She has a number of firsts being the first woman to be chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the first woman to serve as Majority Leader.  She was removed from this position after an argument with the President of the State Senate which may be why the Democratic Party lost faith in her.  But since Christie's relationship with the President over Hurricane Sandy was so pleasant, it may have been felt that he deserved another term as governor.  Of course, it may be that Christie's aggressive pursual of Federal support after Hurricane Sandy made him bullet proof even though, on balance, his record has been quite conservative.

For more on Buono's impressive record see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Buono.

DID VOTES FOR LIBERTARIAN SINK REPUBLICAN FOR GOVERNOR IN VIRGINIA?

If you think that the Libertarian candidate for Governor in Virginia, Robert Sarvis, was responsible for the loss of Tea Party candidate Ken Cuccinelli to Democrat Terry McAullife in Virginia perhaps you should think again.  Sarvis got 145,470 votes for governor which if added to Cuccinelli's total would have meant a clear victory for Cuccinelli.  But not so fast.

In the contest for Lieutenant Governor, Democrat Ralph Northram won more handily than did McAullife and got 189,000 more votes than did McAullife.  If you added all the Sarvis votes to McAullife, McAullife would still be 65,000 votes short of his Lieutenant Governor colleague.  About 35,000 more people voted for Governor than did for Lieutenant Governor.

Why would Libertarians vote for a Democrat?  Well, for one thing, Democrats are Social Libertarians.  A real Libertarian does not want the government in our bedrooms, which Cuccinelli was (is) eager to do, any more than Democrats.  Normally Libertarians side with the Republican Party because of economic issues, but when personal issues become the issue, perhaps they will go for a Democrat.

The popular view in the media is that Cuccinelli's stand against Obamacare almost gained him a victory,  Perhaps, but please note that he still did not win, even though Democrats do not like McAullife and felt he was a weak candidate all along, so it is likely that a lot of Democrats just didn't turn out for the election and some who did, just did not vote for McAullife.

Time will tell just how good or bad a governor McAullife will be.  I do not know enough about him to judge.

JONATHAN KARL HARASSES JAY CARNEY

ABC News man Johathan Karl kept on and on asking White House press secretary Jay Carney about some one having to wait 25 min. on the phone to apply for Obamacare (Afforable Care Act or ACA).  Carney patiently explained the process again and again but Karl kept on and on.  You can see and hear the whole thing on (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/11/jay-carney-declares-jon-i-get-it-to-abcs-karl-on-health-law-bypass/), but here is the key part of the conversation:

"KARL: I wanted to go back to exactly what the president said. He said you can bypass the website and apply by phone or in-person, and that it can be done in 25 minutes. But these memos say that at the end of the day, we are all stuck in the same queue, because they all have to go through the same portal. "

"CARNEY: Jon, I get it, but the person who calls isn’t the one who continues to wait after the application is filled, right?" 

Carney said this in a mocking style as he had explained it many times already and had shown the patience of Job.  Much to my surprise, many in the media sympathized with Karl and criticized Carney for treating Karl as sort of a child.  Frankly Karl deserved it and more.  I think that Carney should have cut him off long before the telling comment.  Incredibly even after this, Karl kept on refusing to understand.   He seemed bound and determined to land some sort of criticism of the president on this 25 min. topic.  Certainly to me and I think everyone there is a huge difference between me having to wait 25 min. on the phone and someone else having to do it for me.  So for me it is all much ado about nothing.  It seems as if the so-called liberal press is bending far over backward to find criticism with the president.

CHRISTIE VS CUCCINELLI: COMPARISON

The news media seems to have a hard time understanding why pro-life Chris Christie will win big in today's governors race in New Jersey whereas pro-life Ken Cuccinelli is expected to lose in Virginia.  Disclaimer, I do not live in New Jersey and have not lived in Virginia for more than 8 yrs.

It seems pretty clear to me that many Democrats  will forgive Christie for being pro-life because they know he is harmless on this issue as the strong Democratic state congress would never pass a pro-life bill.  So far as I know, Christie has not pushed for any pro-life legislation.  And then there is the BIG issue in the state over Hurricane Sandy that did so much damage.  Christie's aggressive pursual of Federal aid was appreciated by both Democrats and Republicans who forgave him for personally dealing with the hated President Obama.  This outreach to the president may be part of the reason that Democrats are not trying to unseat Christie.  Then there is sort of an attractiveness for Christie's "in-your-face" speaking style, though in many cases it is quite rude.

On the other hand Cuccinelli is dangerous in Virginia with his stance on pro-life because strong legislation has been passed in Virginia to control women's bodies.  Cuccinelli has pushed pro-life issues, such as the trans-vaginal probe* that has angered so many women, even before he was Attorney General of Virginia and in the legislature.  He has rendered a legal opinion that supports any abortion clinic* that does more then 5 abortions a month should be classified as a hospital rather than outpatient clinics.  He has been deep in the war on women.  Besides he has had no opportunity to do something big for Virginia such as recovery after a natural disaster.

Also the news media dearly seems to want these gubernatorial elections to have national significance.  Perhaps, they should, but I doubt it.  Only New York had similar damage to New Jersey from Hurricane Sandy, but the governor there is not running for reelection this year and many out of state Republicans will not forgive Christie for sucking up to President Obama.  There are a few other states that have been aggressive in the war on women.  Perhaps Oklahoma might be in play in view of a law ruled unconstitutional outlawing three drugs used to induce abortion, but memories will have to be long for anger to last until election time.

* "Abortion is one of the safest surgical procedures for women in the United States. Fewer than 0.5% of women obtaining abortions experience a complication, and the risk of death associated with abortion is about one-tenth that associated with childbirth. (http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/sfaa/virginia.html)  AND
..........................................
A woman must undergo an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion; the provider must offer her the option to view the image. If the woman lives within 100 miles of the abortion provider she must obtain the ultrasound at least 24 hours before the abortion."  (http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/sfaa/virginia.html)

WHAT NATIONALITY ARE WE ANYWAY? (Biographical)

In World War I, people of German decent apparently were not treated very well in Minnesota.  Most people think of Minnesota as being occupied by Swedes and Norwegians, but southern Minnesota is largely Germanic.  Up until World War II, there were towns like New America where only German was spoken.  My mother came from a small town in southern Minnesota called Owatonna which had many people of German heritage, and, in fact, her mother was brought to this country at the age of one and a half.  As things began to heat up again with Nazi Germany in the 1930s, my mother apparently grew concerned.  She took me aside when I was maybe five years old or so and said that if anyone asked what nationality I was, I should just say I’m American.  That’s all they need to know.  As time went on, she repeated this to me.  Well, I wasn’t a very bright kid, and I really didn’t know what our heritage was.  When you are surrounded with people with names like Schoen, Hartelt, Wagner, and Mierke, that’s just the way it is.  It never occurred to me that our antecedents were German, and who knows what nationality Doe is, anyway?

So sure enough, at some point in the early grades, the dreaded question arose.  The teacher went around the class asking each student what nationality they were.  Of course, there were Swedes and Norwegians but also a sprinkling of others like Jugoslavian.  I was very fond of those who said they were Scotch-Irish.  When the teacher came to me, I dutifully said that I was American.  Of course, the teacher responded, “But what are you really?” or “Where did your ancestors come from?”   So I would go home and ask my mother what nationality we were really, to which she would respond, “You just tell them you are American, that’s all they need to know.”

This cycle went on several times, and I got more and more embarrassed.  Finally I couldn’t take the heat any longer and when my turn came I said, “Scotch-Irish ”  I was not aware of it, but, since my first name was Bruce, no one was going to call me a liar.  And that’s how I became Scotch-Irish.

UNCLE OTTO AND AUNT MATTIE (Biographical)

How to begin?  Mattie, my mother’s blood aunt, lived in a town about 50 miles from us, and we would get together on various occasions like Thanksgiving or Easter at our place or theirs. Her husband, Uncle Otto Hartelt, was actually my mother’s uncle by marriage so they were really my great aunt and great uncle, but I called them just Aunt Mattie and Uncle Otto.

Aunt Mattie, who spoke with a slight German accent,* was, well, OK, but, if truth be known, she had sort of a mean streak.  One thing that impressed me about Aunt Mattie was her preparations years and years before she died, actually decades.  Every nick knack, painting, piece of China, everything, had a little tag stuck to the bottom saying who was to get what when she died.  I used to visit her maybe a couple times a year until her death after Uncle Otto died.  She lived into her 90s, but was immobilized in a wheel chair for the last several.  One of her sisters was a painter, and I took a fancy to one of her paintings, but Aunt Mattie had already promised it so I was out of luck.  The painting was so dark you could barely make out what it was of, and it suggested to me that she might be depressed or something.  But I used to see her at Christmas time when I was very small and she seemed happy enough from my memories.  This great aunt used to play Santa at our house on Christmas Eve.  I really believed in Santa then, but once I asked Santa why he was wearing women's shoes.

Aunt Mattie got in trouble with one of her sisters (I'll call her sister A) when she wrote one of her sisters (I'll call her sister B) criticizing sister A.  Then she put the critical letter in the wrong envelope and mailed it to  sister A.  OUCH!  DON’T DO THIS!  Decades later, the criticized sister A died and my mother took Aunt Mattie with her to the funeral, but Uncle Victor, the husband of the deceased sister A, met them at the door and wouldn’t let Aunt Mattie enter, even after all those years.  People of German extraction weren’t very forgiving.

Uncle Otto was always a jolly person, not like Santa Klaus because he was clean shaven and bald, but like Santa in temperament.  He owned a small filling station, and he had the key to my heart by bringing me cigar boxes of candy bars.  Not the little things like you get at Halloween, but whole bars.  I’m talking the latter part of the 1930s and early part of the 1940s here.  It is fair to say he was my favorite uncle because of his jolliness and generosity, and I had quite a few great uncles and one regular blood uncle (my mother's brother).  Whenever we got together at our house, it was obligatory that I play the piano.**  So I would stumble my way through a piece or two and Uncle Otto would always say something encouraging and complimentary.  He always had a joke about Roosevelt or his wife Eleanor.

They were like the following.  Roosevelt was on a plane with some of his cabinet members when he said, “I think I’ll throw a hundred dollar bill out the window and make somebody happy.”

One of the trusted department heads said, “Why don’t you throw 10 ten-dollar bills out the window and make 10 people happy?”

Whereupon a grizzled Republican in the seat in front of the president turned around and said, “Why don’t you throw yourself out the window and make everybody happy.!”

Or one about Eleanor, who was, well, not a pretty woman.  Eleanor was not feeling good so she went to the doctor, and he asked her what was the matter.  She said, “Well I don’t know.  I just don’t feel good.  To tell the truth I feel so bad that I don’t know whether I am coming or going.”

So the doctor said, “Go behind that partition over there and take off all your clothes,” which she did.  He then asked to get down on her hands and knees and crawl to the far corner of the room, which she did.  Then he asked her to crawl back.  When she got back to the doctor, he said, “Neither do I.”

My parents were Republicans, but I asked my mother why Uncle Otto was so mean to the Roosevelts, and she said she didn’t know, but the funny thing was that she really thought Uncle Otto was actually a (gasp) Democrat!

* For more on my German relatives see: http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-nationality-are-we-anyway-biography.html
** For more on my piano playing career see: http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-career-as-pianist.html

REPUBLICANS REALLY UPSET!

Now the Republicans are REALLY upset with President Obama because he wouldn't destroy Obamacare.  I guess that before they just didn't like him so they refused to move on anything the president was for, like immigration reform.  The House even refused to act on a Republican bill out of the Senate that cut the budget for 12 weeks below the Sequester level.  Democratic Senators approved it because they wanted a clean continuation bill.  Now that the Republicans are REALLY upset with the president they are refusing to do anything the president is for like immigration reform.  Ahhh, what's changed?

PRESIDENTIAL MANAGERIAL STYLES

It is pretty clear that politicians don't like Obama's managerial style.  I'm amazed they don't seem to know what it is.  His management style is what I imagine that of Warren Buffet's is.  Buffet buys good companies and keeps the management in place and let's them continue to run their companies.  So if Obama is the CEO of a conglomerate (sounds reasonable), he lets his CEOs run the ball.  In this case it is Senator Harry Reid, leader of the Senate, and Representative Nancy Pelosi, now minority leader of the House.  He let them run the ball on what is called Obamacare (actually the PPACA), it was the same with Dodd-Frank, and also with the recent government shutdown and near disaster of the debt limit.  I haven't followed other victories as closely so I don't know how much they were involved in getting of other successes such as of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Though the PPACA is much more conservative than I like, it is a beginning

The problem with this managerial style with politicians is that they all have egos that won't quit.  They all think they are God's gift to humanity.  They all want to talk to the Big Boss and are frustrated when they have to settle for talking to their CEOs.  This is true of Democrats of the President's party as well as the opposition Republicans.  And it is also true of the media.  Somehow the media can't get enough access though it seems to me they have a lot.  At least after the fact, they like the former President  Bill Clinton style better (My memory is that when he was president, the Republicans did everything in their power to screw him.).  The glad handing, good ol' boy, type of politician. The thoughtful, introspective type of politician is not as much fun.

The Republicans rolled him so often because he is by nature a compromiser, but finally he caught on and said, "No more!"  He didn't realize for a long time that the current crew that controls the House, in particular, views compromise as a sign of weakness.

THE SHUTDOWN AND DEBT LIMIT (RECAP)

On the TV political analysis show, Morning Joe, the other morning, Joe Scarborough and another conservative bemoaned Democrat Senate leader Harry Reid holding up 14 bills the House of Representative passed opening this and that part of the government from the House instituted shut down.  I suppose it is only natural when you are in the wrong that you try to justify your actions and blame it on the "other guy."

Pardon me, but there was a bill before the House, that Speaker John Boehner refused to let be voted upon that would have prevented the shut down for 12 weeks (sic!).*  Furthermore, the bill was in effect a Republican bill drafted and passed in the Senate that carried a budget actually not only below the original Paul Ryan level but even below the Sequester limit and significantly below what the Senate Democrats wanted (see figure).  The Democrats in the Senate helped pass this bill in a futile attempt to get a clean continuation resolution  bill. It turned out that budgetary success wasn't  enough for the House Republicans so they added bigger things to it than the bill itself (like destroying the ACA or Obamacare).  Though the Republican dominated House passed various bills opening up various agencies and attacking the ACA, they were held up in the Senate that was first asking for a clean continuing resolution bill such as the one they had passed.

However, the continuing resolution bill was not the only problem  After years of complaining that the Senate never came forth with a budget, this fiscal year they finally did.  The House also had a budget, but, again, Republican House Speaker Boehner refused to let their bill go to a conference committee to find an agreement between the two bills.  The Senate requested a conference committee 18 times.**  Included here is the record in excruciating detail.***

So spin as they might, the Republicans cannot squirm out of the responsibility for the October budget and debt limit fiascos.

It is interesting that in the final compromise bill, the government has been reopened for 12 weeks (as in the original continuing resolution), there is to be a conference Senate-House committee on the budget (that had been requested by the Senate for half a year), and income verification of earnings from ACA (Obamacare) recipients of subsidies (which is in the original ACA bill).  That's the bright side, but we get to go through this again in the middle of January.  Republican Sen. Mich Mcconnell, minority leader of the Senate, says there will be no shutdown in January (http://www.drudge.com/news/173116/mcconnell-promises-no-more-shutdowns).

* http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/budget/news/2013/09/30/76026/the-senate-continuing-resolution-is-already-a-compromise/
** http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/10/10/a-complete-timeline-of-republican-obstructionism-on-budget-negotiations-they-are-now-demanding-part-2/
***
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/a-complete-timeline-of-re_b_4074372.html
http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/10/10/a-complete-timeline-of-republican-obstructionism-on-budget-negotiations-they-are-now-demanding-part-2/

A RACE TO THE BOTTOM

What is happening in globalization and automation is that the richer societies are decreasing the wages of workers just as the poorer societies are increasing theirs.  Consider the pleas occasionally heard that the U.S. should do away with the minimum wage and this would produce more jobs.  Perhaps, but it would just add to and exacerbate the financial problems of the working poor in this country.  There is the attitude by some, nearly all if not all Republicans, who feel that the workers in this country are overpaid.  Thus the median income in the U.S. has not increased for 25 years whereas the incomes of the top 1% have soared.*  At some point maybe in the not too distant future, the wages of the American laborer will decline until it approaches those of the Chinese laborer.

One of the problems with the American laborer is that the white male laborer tends to vote Republican.  Why would they vote for a party that disdains them?  Surely they are not mislead every four years with flattering sayings such as they are the "Real Americans?"**  I think that the problem with the white male laborer is that they really do not have a party.  They feel the Democratic Party unfairly favors minorities, women and, now, homosexuals at their expense; yet it is the Democratic Party that is their only real hope.

A problem is the decline of unions in the U.S.  No individual laborer is strong enough to deal with companies.  In fact it is often the highest paid laborer or tech who is let go in a downturn, even if they are the best and most knowledgeable worker.  So the decline of unions, which are gatherings of laborers, has lead to a decline in the share of income by the middle class.***

* http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/inequality-is-a-choice/?nl=opinion&emc=edit_ty_20131014
** There is the saying (originated in Australia, I guess) that no politician ever lost an election by underestimating the intelligence of the electorate.
*** http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/union-membership-middle-class-income_n_3948543.html

ROCKHOUND by Violet Nesdoly (2012) (Poem)

Soapstone and sandstone
porphyry, slag…
I fill all my pockets
and carry a bag.

Scoria, gabbro
schist, mica and flint
in rust, white or yellow
smooth, banded or glint.

Argillite, anthracite
quartz and feldspar—
hurry them home
to my rock collect jar.

Tiger’s eyes, unakites
agates and shales
dream of their middle-earth
riverbed tales.

Travertine, basalt
obsidian, chalk.
Listen. Be still.
You might hear the rocks talk.

Serpentine, marble
jade, pumice and tuff…
I can’t stop collecting
I’ve never enough!

This poem first appeared on the blog of poet Tabatha Yeatts (July 2012).

CASEY AT THE BAT by Lawrence Thayer, 1888

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:

The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,

A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest

Clung to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast;

They thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that— 

We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,

And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;

So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,

For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,

And Blake, the much despisèd, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;

It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;

It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,

For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;

There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit Casey's face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,

No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;

Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt;

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

Defiance flashed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,

And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped— 

"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one!" the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;

"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;

And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;

He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;

But Casey still ignored it and the umpire said, "Strike two!"

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!"

But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate,

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate;

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,

But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER (Biographical)

My maternal grandmother came to live with us in her late 60s, as I recall.  She had fallen earlier in her life and broke her leg which wasn’t set properly.  The result was that she had a leg with edema, very swollen, and could walk only VERRY SLOOWLY.  On many Sundays after church, we used to go to a cafeteria called the Quality Tea Rooms in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I grew up.  I loved to go to the cafeteria because of their chicken pie that was famous.  Somehow it became my duty, trial is a better word, to accompany my grandmother through the line and help her.  For a small boy it was real agony as we inched along.

Now don’t get me wrong.  Though she was a trial for my mother, my maternal grandmother was total love to my older brother and me.  She never did any discipline and was a refuge from the cruel outside world.  I would go to her room at night, and she would peel a Delicious apple or an orange, and we would listen on her radio to Amos and Andy or Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, or other such programs.  Once a month, she would slip me a quarter.  I never wondered where she got the money.  Years later I learned that my mother first slipped her the money.  I could tell her my problems, and she would always find some explanation that eased the pain of it all.  For example, once I told her I thought I was crazy.  She replied that as long as I thought that, I must not be because crazy people don’t know that they are crazy.  I was well into my 30s when I read a book my niece gave me called I Never Promised You A Rose Garden and found out that was not so.

Well, sometimes we would get together in the mornings and drink coffee.  Mine was heavily laced with milk.  I told her once that I couldn’t drink coffee with her anymore.  She asked why.  I said because my parents were afraid it would stunt my growth.  She said, “It never affected me.”  I was maybe 15 years old before I realized she was only something like four foot eleven.

WHY ARE DEMOCRATS SO KIND TO JOHN BOEHNER?

I don't understand why Democrats are so kind to John Boehner.  I haven't heard any Democratic Senator or Representative bad mouth him; yet every time I hear him speak he lets out one or more whoppers.  The Continuing Resolution supposedly being considered is the number wanted by Republicans.  The Republicans not only won that battle but the number is lower than the Sequester value.

Boehner says "This is not some damn game."  But I'm sorry Mr Boehner, it is some damn game you are playing. (http://www.cnbc.com/id/101065750) and a dangerous one at that.  All that posturing by Republican Representatives in front of the WW-II Memorial when they voted to lower funding for the VA.  If it isn't a political game, what is it?   You and some other Republicans may feel this was the place to get rid of the Afforadable Care Act, but many other Republicans and conservatives warned against it.  A threat is no good if the other side isn't worried.

But I understand that some strategy is needed and to wait for the Debt limit and then allow an up or down vote will be the time to fall on your sword.  You don't want to do it too early.  Maybe in the end you will actually have missed the sword and survive.  I also have heard some Democrats trying to think of ways to bail you out.  What weird politics we are in when it is the opposing party trying to find a way to bail you out.

JOHN BOEHNER - THE FATE OF THE COUNTRY IN HIS HANDS

The issue supposedly is the Continuing Resolution.  There is no argument over the Continuing Resolution (CR).  The Democrats have agreed with the Republican figure.  So there is no argument.   The Republicans won that battle, and the agreed upon figure is actually below the Sequester level.  The argument has nothing to do with the CR and is actually over a law that survived a test in the Supreme Court, if narrowly, the so called Obamacare or Affordable Care Act law (ACA).  So the Speaker of The House, has refused to let the CR be voted upon unless the ACA is destroyed.  Oh yes, they have proposed delaying ithe ACA for a year, but then will demand another year, etc. In the meantime, the ACA is open for business and early returns seems very encouraging.

Most if not all Republicans would like to see this ACA law repealed; however, the president is not likely to let this law be destroyed, especially since everyone seems to agree that the House would approve the CR if allowed to vote on it.  So to prevent the CR from being passed and allow the Federal government to remain open, the Speaker Of The House, John Boehner, has refused to let the CR be voted upon.  Thus now, 40% of the government is shut down, except for essential positions.  I fully expect the government to remain closed for the next two weeks until we face the debt limit.  We are undergoing other cute maneuvers like trying to open the government piecemeal but, in the end, never funding the ACA.  Paying our soldiers on time has been the one exception that has been passed on a bipartisan basis, an exception with which I agree.

So will the Speaker refuse to let the Debt Limit be raised and destroy the Full Faith And Credit Of The U.S. Government because we will not pay bills that are already incurred?  Oh, perhaps if we let this go for a few days, it will not matter, but we don't know what our creditors will do.  And if you do this the first time, doing it a second time is easier, etc.  So Mr. Boehner holds the fate of America in his hands.  Will he keep the government closed and, in addition, destroy the full faith and credit of America?  It seems to be his choice.  Will he be the man who destroyed America or the hero that saved it?  Right now we do not know.  Is holding the Speakership worth destroying a great country?

[Warren] Buffett did provide a glimmer of hope if the Oct. 17 debt limit deadline is breached. "If it goes one second beyond the debt limit, that will not do us in. If it goes a year beyond that would be unbelievable." http://www.cnbc.com/id/101083360

[Hank Paulsen] said he hates the whole concept of the debit limit—calling it a "flaw" in the system. "Congress has already approved the spending. And then say 'you have to then come back and agree to allow us to meet our obligations,' that's ridiculous."  http://www.cnbc.com/id/101083367

CONSTRUCTIVE PROPOSALS IN THE PPACA HEALTH LAW

Here we are in another manufactured crisis.  Unfortunately, it has developed into a situation where neither side can budge, it appears.  The Republicans could have done some good if instead of trying to destroy Obamacare (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA or just ACA), they tired to fix parts of it.

I would have suggested they propose elimination of the Employer Mandate that liberal economists like Paul Krugman thinks shouldn't have been in the bill in the first place.  Among other things, it only applies to companies with more than 50 full-time employees and even then only those that work more than 30 hrs a week.  Most restaurants need a lot of employees during rush hours, say two hours at lunch and two hours at supper which is 28 hrs a week.  I suspect the Republicans could have gotten this elimination.  A lot of companies will provide health care even if the Employer Mandate is repealed because it is in their interests to do so.  It provides for a more stable workforce, and they can eliminate the expenses by laying off employees.  Also they will probably have to pay employees more if they discontinue health coverage as there is less reason to stay in a low paying job.

I think Republicans could have gotten elimination of the Employer Mandate because Obama has already pushed implementation off for a year (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/05/white-house-releases-proposed-new-rules-for-obamacare-employer-mandate-after/).  this delay is estimated to cost the government $12 billion (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324809004578638282900414410.html).  The administration wants to ease the reporting requirements and the IRS has recently released reporting rules (http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/healthcare/320565-irs-issues-reporting-regs-for-obamacares-employer-mandate). Something employers are not taking into account will be that the employer mandate will be a level playing field which is something companies have always said they want.  If one chain will have to raise prices, other chains will have to also.  Only mom and pop places will not have to pay it.  There are big restaurant chains that provide health plans now, Cracker Barrel is one (and they also provide for paid vacations).  I believe Olive Garden doesn't and they have trouble filling positions that leave a whole dining room vacant while maybe 30 customers wait to be seated.  I, for one, will not go there because of this though I like their menu.

They feel more concerned about the Medical Device Tax (2.3% on hip replacement pieces, heart stents, etc., but not eyeglasses or hearing aids).  the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this tax will raise only $29 billion over a decade (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/28/how-obamacares-medical-device-tax-became-a-top-repeal-target/).  The tax will apply to medical device imports but not exports which should discourage some importation of devices but encourage exports.  Some 260 co-sponsors in congress have signed on to a bill eliminating the tax, and the industry has spent $150 million lobbying against the tax.  But with all the screwing around, Harry Reid now has said that eliminating the tax will not be considered in the Senate.

So I think the Republicans have missed doing some good on the PPACA, but , who knows, maybe in the end one or both of these proposals might be implemented.

EMPLOYEE REDUCTIONS AND THE ACA: CLEVELAND CLINIC

I am confused by reports of hospitals letting go employees.  The latest is the Cleveland Clinic.  Here is what I have found out:

David Graham of The Atlantic Magazine (September 20, 2013) Obamacare Isn't Really Taking Away Jobs: Cleveland Clinic Edition

When I reached [Eileen] Sheil* on Thursday, she seemed a bit confused by the emphasis on Obamacare in reports. "We've been working on reducing costs for years," she said.

"We felt health-care reform was absolutely necessary," Sheil said. "This is the new normal. This is where hospitals have to focus to be viable in the long run. This is not doomsday for the clinic. We're still growing — we're still hiring. The hardest thing is when it affects people."**

U.S. News Citing Obamacare, Cleveland Clinic to Cut $300M, Warns of Layoff ***

An early retirement package will be offered to about 3,000 employees by late October, Sheil told the Beacon Journal. Any possible layoffs will be considered after January, she added.

"We can do as much as we can to not affect the work force, but that's a difficult thing to do," Sheil said. "We've scrutinized the non-employee costs first, but it's just not going to be possible to meet this with those cuts alone."

I seem to recall that hospitals agreed to lowering fees because they expected more business so I don't know what is going on now.

* The Cleveland Clinic's Executive Director of Corporate Communications.
** http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/09/obamacare-isnt-really-taking-away-jobs-cleveland-clinic-edition/279834/
*** http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/09/18/citing-obamacare-cleveland-clinic-to-cut-300m-warns-of-layoffs

ON AGE 82 (Poem)

I do not text
And do not tweet.
I’m 82 years old
Feeling kind of beat.


Things supposed to run, don’t
Things supposed to stop running, won’t.
I’m 82 years old
And can't remember when to vote.

I don’t know the month or day.
A touch of Alzheimer’s is what they say.
I’m 82 years old,
And I'll eat some of that, if I may.

But every morning when I awake
I wonder what kind of day I’ll make?
I’m 82 years old
And feel life’s a large “piece of cake.”

Every day I have lots of fun,
Like finishing this poem I’ve begun.
I’m 82 years old
And thinking of the day just won.

September 20, 2013
Bruce R. Doe

WHAT INDUSTRIES GET HOTTER?

Back when the calendar turned 1990, there was a rash of activity on what will the new millennium bring. I felt I couldn't even project the 1990s much less the next century; however, I was invited to participate in one on geology.

I thought back to 1890. Suppose I lived then, what would I have guessed? After all X-rays and the atomic nucleus were yet to be discovered. Radioactivity had only been discovered 5 yrs before. What I decided was that I should think of problems I would like to see solved and chances are in the next 110 years, something will turn up to solve them. For example, what the age of the Earth is was still a hot topic in 1890. Radioactivity solved this question, albeit well into the 20th century,  and it is a problem no more. Well here goes with three suggestions of hot industries for the future:

Railway Tank Cars. It looks like the Keystone XL pipeline will not be built although it is the cleanest and least expensive way to bring oil down from Canada and South Dakota. Through twisted logic environmentalists oppose the pipeline and lobbying by Saudi Arabia (our 2nd largest importer after Canada) seem to have killed it. So it will apparently have to be brought down by railway. What is the railroad most likely to benefit from this - BNSF. Unfortunately this company is wholly owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

So what about railway tank cars. The order backlog is immense. Various producing and refining companies are buying their own tank cars. A favorite of mine is Valero Energy (VLO) though we currently do not own any stock in it.  It is also one of the only refiners to be able to handle sour oil. They have ordered 2,000 tankers as has Phillips 66. Greenbrier Companies (GBX) has orders for 1,250 tankers. They also have orders for over a billion dollars of railway cars (tankers plus others). They are a small cap company selling near their 52-week high of $25.33 but earlier this year, you could have bought the stock for $17/sh. They are currently experiencing a loss of earnings. They pay no dividend so by my own rule at age 82, I cannot buy them.

Well, Googling the topic turned up five companies (http://wire.kapitall.com/investment-idea/tank-car-manufactur...) Of course do your own due dillegence before investing in any of these.

Next up is Robotics. Yes, robotics are making the news, and you can find all sorts of places to buy materials to make your own robots. But, ladies and gentlemen, the robot revolution is only starting. You ain't seen nothing yet. So lets look at 10 companies (http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2013/in...). And if you Google this, you will come up with -- Google and their automated car which is not even in production yet. I believe this field will become so big that it can even move a stock like Google (again no dividends). And don't forget robotic surgery and military uses that have already begun but I expect to grow substantially.  As before, do your own due diligence.

And I wouldn't discount Solyndra. What, you say? Solyndra went bankrupt year's ago and was a big waste of government investment. Maybe so, but they are still in business as 360 Degree Solar Holdings (SOLY:US). The advantage of this technique is that it doesn't use solar glass. They were put out of business by China slashing the price of solar glass that served one nice purpose. Photovolaics are dropping in price and my guess is that electricity production by this means is only in its infancy. Even if you don't like Solyndra, here are companies involved (mostly foreign): http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-22/solyndra-wins-court-approval-of-bankruptcy-exit-plan.html Here are three suggestions of solar energy companies: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-20/trina-joins-sunpower-and-jinko-in-solar-turnararound.html (Note: Solyndra is # 13 among thin film producers.) I expect that some year, solar panel will be the common form of roofing.  Before investing in any of these companies, do your own diligence, of course.

Well, I'm exhausted, kiddies, and I can't get involved in any of these at age 82, but maybe some of you whippersnappers can take a chance, so enjoy!

IT WAS THE MOVIE TRAILER AFTER ALL

Well here we are on September 12.  What did Al Qaeda do yesterday to celebrate the 9/11/2001 attack on the U.S.?  The only thing I heard was there was a bomb set off on the streets of Benghazi.  Where were the hoards of inflamed Muslims attacking U.S. embassies and consulates, skyscrapers and famous bridges in our home land, sporting events, or attacking some weak foreign government?  I didn't hear of anything - nothing, nothing.

So now we know.  The attack on Benghazi on September 12, 2012* was promoted by the inflammatory video "Innocence of Muslims" after all.  After all last year "... eight other diplomatic missions in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe were subject to protests and violent attacks in response to an inflammatory video..." This year there have been no inflammatory actions against Muslims so, surprise, no attacks.  Oh, I'm sure that there are those that wanted to attack the consulate in Benghazi as they had done once before and blew a hole in the wall.  But it took the video to inflame enough people in Libya to mount the big attack that the organizers hoped for.  This year they couldn't do it again, not in Libya, not anywhere.  Even last year, they couldn't get it up to attack our embassy in Tripoli** and could only mass an attack on a small outpost.  If that is the worst Al Qaeda can do, they are pretty weak.

What happened in Benghazi last year was really a minor event except that now in this country everything is on the political table and the damage in Benghazi was magnified for political purposes, but as attacks by Muslims radicals have been, Benghazi was a minor event, only unusual because an ambassador was killed.  At that more than 30 people survived the attack.  It is kind of humorous that there are still those politicians stuck in a time warp and can only talk about Benghazi even when the subject is Syria. Hey, fellas, the public has moved on.

A Quick Summary Of  Attacks On Diplomatic Missions***  Since the embassy burning in Tripoli in 1979, in 1983 our embassies in Beirut, Lebanon, (63 killed) and Kuwait City, Kuwait, (6 killed) were bombed when Reagan was president along with the Marine Barracks bombing (241 American deaths) plus attacks on U.S. Embassies in Jakarta (1986) and Rome (1987) by the "Red Army" and a failed attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv (1990).  In 1998, U.S. Embassy's in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed in which hundreds died when Clinton was president.  George W. Bush had seven attacks on U,.S. facilities including the 2002 attack on the U.S. Center in Kolkata, India, (5 killed) and the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan (12 dead), 2004 the embassy bombing in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2 killed), Jeddah Consulate bombing (6 killed), 2006 embassy attack in Damascus,Syria (1 killed), 2007 attack on the embassy in Athens, Greece, (no deaths), 2008 attacks on the consulate in Ankara, Turkey, (3 deaths), and on the U.S. embassy in Yemen (16 dead).  Under President Obama, our consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked (4 killed) along with 8 other facilities and our embassy in Ankara, Turkey, was bombed in 2013 (1 killed).

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Benghazi_attack

** Our embassy in Tripoli was burned in 1979 when Carter was president, for example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_U.S._Embassy_Burning_in_Libya

*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attacks_on_diplomatic_missions