Category Archives: Politics

Politics

We to the Rescue

Reading Krugman today, he raises some concerns about Us, the people, bailing out the banking system without getting an ownership stake in the banking system.

My response to this prospect is: so? If taxpayers are footing the bill
for rescuing the banks, why shouldn’t they get ownership, at least
until private buyers can be found? But the Obama administration appears
to be tying itself in knots to avoid this outcome.

There are two good approaches I have heard about in regard to the bailout.

One is to create a parallel banking system to the current one that will handle the ‘credit crunch’ everyone is worried about. Let the existing banking system fail and then sell the new banking system to investors to recoup the people’s investment (and maybe make a profit.)

The second addresses the mortgage morass. The People can look at and underwrite all outstanding mortgages (I would only do this for primary residences and not for investment properties.) Basically, we look the current mortgagee’s ability to pay on their mortgage. If they have a $750K mortgage and can only make payments on a $500K mortgage, we would step in and take over the $250K difference. In exchange, when the owner sells the house we would our $250K plus interest and 1/3 of the profit (if any). (I am assuming that the current owner may hold on to the property until the market rebounds and the house is once again worth more the $750K) This allows the mortgagee to keep a house at a price they can afford, maintains the mortgages underlying the mortgage bond market, hopefully stops the mounting pile of foreclosures, and steadies the financial foundations that are crumbling away.

Economics, Politics

Planning ahead

Why don’t we set aside 5% per year of initial infrastructure project costs to use for maintenance. If you can’t fund the long-term maintenance then don’t do the project. I suspect a lot of municipal water systems could have used that philosophy a a long time ago.

Should we even consider flying anymore, given the state of the Air Traffic Controllers?

General, Liberating Thoughts, Politics

And then the super computer starts smoking…

I remember taking an oath when I enlisted in the Navy Reserve many years ago.

Federal law requires everyone who enlists or re-enlists in the Armed Forces of the United States to take the enlistment oath. The oath of enlistment into the United States Armed Forces is administered by any commissioned officer to any person enlisting or re-enlisting for a term of service into any branch of the military. The officer asks the person, or persons, to raise their right hand and repeat the oath after him. The oath is traditionally performed in front of the United States Flag and other flags, such as the state flag, military branch flag, and unit guidon may be present.

In the Armed Forces EXCEPT the National Guard (Army or Air)

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

In the National Guard (Army or Air)

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the State of (STATE NAME) against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the Governor of (STATE NAME) and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to law and regulations. So help me God.

Guide Note: There has been some controversy about whether the phrase “So help me God” is mandatory. I have seen officers allow enlistees to omit these words, if they choose, according to their religious preference and beliefs. However, federal law does not appear to make any part of the oath optional. See 10 United States Code, Section 502.

(From:)

Now, what happens if the first part, defending the Constitution, is under attack from the second part, the president and the appointed officers? The third part, the UCMJ, clarifies it all with reference to obeying Lawful Orders. Of course, how is a simple enlisted service member supposed to know the difference? They are just following orders from the educated officers. Pity they don’t make acing the civics course a prerequisite for enlistment.

(Compare with the President’s oath of office)

Politics

Preserve, Protect and Defend

1 Comment

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Preserve, protect and defend… The Constitution… But then Lying Under Oath isn’t a high crime or misdemeanor, so that let’s out impeachment. Oh, but wait, didn’t Congress say, about ten years ago, that lying under oath was an impeachable offense. Fancy that. We still have a month left.

Oh drat, it says “to the best of my ability”

Politics

Does this mean I have to pay attention now?

Disturbing news from boingboing:

An Australian court has ruled that a posting on someone’s Facebook page can serve as legal notice.

You know, I don’t think Facebook has reached the status of local paper yet. And in my brief experience with it (I joined last month) I don’t think it ever will.

I find it disturbing that the courts would start looking at the Internet, and an Internet based service, as a non-ephemeral institution. The Internet has only been a commercial entity for, what, 15 years? It has so many gaping security holes in it that I have a hard time conceiving why a judge would consider any non-encrypted Internet transaction to have legal standing.  And it would have to be encrypted in a particularly onerous method (physically meet to pass keys).  Given that the major hack found recently had the ability to strip all secured transactions of their security and that it has been in the Internet DNS code from the beginning gives one pause about trusting anything on the ‘net in our lifetimes. And 10% of the servers out there haven’t implemented the patch.

What else is hiding in the basement code, waiting to be exploited?

It’s sort of like thinking all those AAA rated bonds based on mortgages are actually worth something.

Politics

What do I want in a new Administration

· Habeus Corpus

· National HMO

o All citizens automatically subscribed.

· Sunset Laws – All Federal laws expire after 20-25 years.

· A more representative Democracy – 1 representative per X citizens: X = 100,000 – 150,000 – 200,000 – TBD

· One basic Income Tax deductible – poverty level for your category/location.

o No Itemization

· Linear progressive income tax – up to 40% for income in excess of presidential salary – details TBD.

o Maybe another 10% for every multiple of the President’s Salary?

· A National Service Education Bill, similar to the GI Bill I used through college in the ‘70s

o 3-4 Years of Military, Community, National, Service Qualifies

· Pay for medical school in exchange for 10+ years of service in National HMO or other Public Health Service

· National Guard not activated and deployed outside of US Territory without declaration of war or declaration of National Emergency – by Congress.

· Reserve Forces not called up to active duty without declaration of war or declaration of National Emergency – by Congress.

· Reserve Forces and National Guard not deployed into combat zones without declaration of war – by Congress.

· Recognition that the President is NOT a king, that the president does NOT represent the People, that the president executes the instructions of Congress.

· Anyone with more than 15 years legislative experience in Congress can not hold a committee or sub-committee chairmanship or a speakership.

· No monetary foreign aid to non-democracies, kleptocracies and countries in civil war.

· No military aid anywhere.

· Only registered voters are allowed to donate to political campaigns.

· Revision of Capital Gains Taxes

o No tax paid on selling one stock/fund/security to reinvest in another stock/fund/security

o Tax only when stock/fund/security is sold and is not reinvested

· Revision of Estate Tax

o No tax on physical property, e.g. land, art, heirlooms, private businesses, etc.

o Tax on money/stocks/funds/securities overseen by SEC or its international equivalents.

o Tax on physical properties only when sold. e.g. you inherit a Renoir and don’t sell it in your lifetime- you are never taxed for it – and you can pass it on to the next generation. If they sell it they are going to pay a lot of taxes on it. ($0 cost basis)

o Tax inheritance (as noted above) at something like 60-70% for any estate worth more than 10 times the president’s annual salary. Less than that can be treated differently

· Corporations are not persons – legally

· Corporations must subject to regulatory oversight

o Regulatory oversight requirements reviewed every 5-10 years

§ Regulations shouldn’t be a straight jacket

§ More protection against gaming the system

o If an individual wants to run a business and doesn’t want to incorporate, they are not subject to the regulations that govern corporations, nor the protections.

· If a Federal Agency has certified that a product is safe for public use, then the Federal government is liable for any suits brought against the product

o Strong Inspector General office to ensure against collusion

o Strong certification process – who cares if it takes 20 years to evaluate.

o Vendor may release with preliminary approval but without protection

· Any compensation dispensed in excess of the President’s annual salary is considered corporate profit

· FEMA should set up Emergency Distribution centers at the various large military reservations around the country and pre-stock emergency supplies. Consumables can be rotated through with various international relief efforts. Trailers may be aired out before they are needed.

· President’s Annual Salary equal to ten times the median household income.