More Stuff to ponder

Who’s really killing the American Dream

   An answer to Darrin Easley’s letter on Wednesday.

   I admire you for wanting to keep the American dream, but you’d better do your homework as to who is taking it away from you, because they are.

   Your definition of delusion is correct, but most of your other facts are not. Did you balance your checkbook lately? The federal government hasn’t. This action is taking us straight into socialism (total dependence on government), not “so-called socialism.”

   Trickle-down economics, which was proven to work 30 years ago, along with tax cuts, create revenue – do your homework.  Oh boy, here he goes again.  I've read Mr. Butterfield's rants before and this statement doesn't surprise me.  Let's take a look at Reaganomics [Trickle Down].  First, if you remember correctly, the president before Ronnie was Nixon who was a complete idiot when it came to economics.  Then, along came Ronnie, who said let's give out a whole bunch of tax breaks and that will stimulate the economy.  Well, at the time, we were in a cold war and needed relief from out tax burden, then the wall came down and people started spending.  Not because of tax bennies, they began spending because they were happy there was no more cold war.  Trickle down economics does not work and here's why.  If you give tax breaks to the rich, they do not spend, they invest.  Every time we give stimulus monies to the poor, they spend it and it does stimulate the economy.  Unfortunately, it was too little.  If we were to give every American below the level of $100,000 per year in pay, say $14,000 stimulus, they economy would have rebounded.  We, instead, bailed out wall street who was given a great big George Bush 'no-restrictions' bennie.  When that happened, guess what happened, the crooks stole money from the poor ol' poor folk who took out mortgages that they couldn't pay for.  Trickle down?  Never...doesn't work, won't work.  Tax breaks has never created spending in the Americas we live in.

   The conservatives in Congress are trying to get spending under control; the liberal Senate and White House are not. Learn what baseline budgeting is — it will scare you what the president is trying to do to us.  Get spending in control.  They should have thought of that when George Dubya, Ronnie Reagan, George One were in office.  That's when the problems existed.  Along came Bill Clinton who left the country with a SURPLUS!  How did he do that?  He increased trade between the U.S. and foreign countries.  He increased taxes on the well-to-do.  He gave out money to people starting 'small businesses'.  He, in fact, believed in the Trickle UP economic theory [give the money to the poor and they will spend it and the economy will be stimulated].  Give the money to a poor man and he will immediately spend it for necessities like cars, washing machines, stoves, etc., all things manufactured in the U.S.A. 

   There is no scientific basis as to how old the Earth is. Carbon dating? No such luck – not proven.  Oh holey Jesus!  Not proven?  My God, what rock did Mr. Butterfield crawl out from under.  Carbon dating has been proven accurate to from 1 to 10 years.  What the hell are you talking about Butterfield.  Do you have a high school education?  Didn't you read about Geology in school?  Geologists can accurately determine the age of rock to within 100 years.  When you talk about geologic time, that's damned accurate.  This is why you cannot take this guy seriously...ever.  Darren, you were absolutely correct and you should not take one word back.  [see below...]

   The separation of church and state was well-defined by the Constitution. It’s unbelieving liberals that have blurred that line and pushed it way past where it should be.  Now, you make sense Mr. Butterfield.  Separation of church and state.  What a great idea.  Too bad you Tea Party folks don't believe in it.  We 'Liberals' firmly believe in the separation and we do not blur anything.  It is you, my friend, who blur it.  Darren didn't say liberals 'blurred' the line.  He said you folks were delusional, and he is right!

   The pictures of the polar cap that Al Gore showed you were a hoax. There is no camera that can take those pictures. Sounds like you need to do some homework on global warming, it’s a hoax, too – sorry, no proof, just hype for money — fear.  Let's take this statement on item at a time: 1. No camera can take those pics?  How about the Hubble telescope, or don't you believe in it either?  2. No global warming?  One does not have to be a climatologist to know this is true.  All you have to do is look outside.  Read the newspaper.  Check out all the floods in areas that never suffered from floods before.  Ice and snow in areas who have always had warm winters.  3.  Hype for money?  Who's gonna make a lot of money from global warming?  Green Companies?  If so, they need to make some money cause we're running out of oil...Oh, I'm sorry, you probably don't believe in that either.  Mr. Butterfield, the Earth is round!  Oh, I forgot, there's no camera that can take that kind of picture.

   Conservatives want to give money to the corporations because they are the ones that create jobs, not government! You have been listening to the mainstream media too much.  Corporations do not 'create' jobs.  Corporations move to foreign countries where they can do business cheaply and I don't blame 'em.  Corporations are set up to make money and if they don't, the first thing they do is 'lay-off' people and cause employment problems.  Most of the employment monies today come from small businesses that are not corporations, but are partnerships or single operator businesses.  Some of them incorporate simply because they get tax incentives if they do.  These businesses do not go overseas.  They stay at home and produce in America.  The government today is the largest employer in America;  That is the State Government, City Government and County Governments.  Government doesn't create jobs?  Who do you think mans Health and Welfare, Fish and Game, The US Forest Service and BLM to name just a few.  Butterfield, you are an idiot.

   Do your own research on some of these subjects and find the truth about the American dream and where it is going.  Sounds like you need to do a little research, numbskull.

   n Wayne Butterfield, Nampa

Conservatives use fear to achieve goals

   Isn’t it time we stopped letting politicians use our delusions to further their own careers at the expense of the “American Dream”?

   If we want a better Idaho, for that matter a better America, we must start thinking critically. Our thoughts and actions must be based on evidence, necessity and the good of humanity, not fear.  Finally, the voice of sanity in a bucket of idiocy.

   Conservative politicians backed by the Christian Right and corporate interest are the primary culprits. They have invested in fear to achieve their goals. They use our religious beliefs and sense of patriotism as tools of manipulation. They make promises to blur separation of church and state, stem the tide of so-called socialism and shrink government. These are distractions used to mask their real goal, which is to protect corporate profits and tax breaks for the wealthy.  Mr. Easley is very correct.  This not a new tactic.  They've been doing this, it seems like, forever.  And we Americans seem to buy it.  It is true what the philosopher said: the bigger the lie and the more it is told, the more apt people will believe it. [If you doubt check out Hitler and Stalin.]

   Let’s break free from the delusions that are shackling our intellect.

   De-lu-sion: A fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact.

   Do you believe the Earth is only 6,000 years old while disregarding obvious scientific evidence to the contrary? Do you believe global warming is non-existent while disregarding time-lapse polar satellite photos proving the contrary? Do you believe trickle-down economics have benefited the average American even though there is two decades of proof that it doesn’t?

   If your answer to any one of these questions is yes, you may be delusional.

   Reality is the key to the shackles on your intellect. Put your trust in what you see and what can be proven. Only then can we rebuild the “American Dream.”  Here, Here!

   Darrin Easley, Middleton
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Obama digs deeper Social Security hole

   Wow, this just gets better and better. Now it seems that President Obama wants to reduce Social Security tax and use general funds to make up the required Social Security payments.

   Isn’t that using a shell game to make payments into a Ponzi scheme?

   What’s his next plan? Take whatever is left in the Social Security fund and put it all on red at some casino?

   n Dave Banker, Caldwell


Holey Crap here's another idiot who listens to Rick Perry, the Texas Tinhorn.  Ponzi scheme?  Again, this guy doesn't understand what he's talking about.  Once more I am going to educate...

A Ponzi scheme is a scam investment designed to separate investors from their money. It is named after Charles Ponzi, who constructed one such scheme at the beginning of the 20th century, though the concept was well known prior to Ponzi.

The scheme is designed to convince the public to place their money into a fradulent investment. Once the scam artist feels that enough money has been collected, he disappears - taking all the money with him.

Five Key Elements of a Ponzi Scheme

1. The Benefit: A promise that the investment will achieve an above normal rate of return. The rate of return is often specified. The promised rate of return has to be high enough to be worthwhile to the investor but not so high as to be unbelievable. Doesn't happen with Social Security.  In fact, it is recommended that the individual take out a 401k or Annuity to bolster the Benefits of Social Security.
2. The Setup: A relatively plausible explanation of how the investment can achieve these above normal rates of return. One often-used explanation is that the investor is skilled and/or has some inside information. Another possible explanation is that the investor has access to an investment opportunity not otherwise available to the general public. Nobody has inside info that the investment in Social Security will give out above normal rates of return.  And no Social Security employee would tell a client that he is privileged to 'inside' information.
3. Initial Credibility: The person running the scheme needs to be believable enough to convince the initial investors to leave their money with him.  Let's see, that would have been Roosevelt...he's DEAD!  And he didn't make a dime from Social Security!
4. Initial Investors Paid Off: For at least a few periods the investors need to make at least the promised rate of return - if not better. Social Security beneficiarys don't see a dime until they retire.  There is no Payout unless one is disabled.
5. Communicated Successes: Other investors need to hear about the payoffs, such that their numbers grow exponentially. At the very least more money needs to be coming in than is being paid back to investors. Nobody receiving or about to receive or promised to receive money from Social Security believes they are going to get more money from Social Security than they put into the system.

I hope this is the last I have to say on this subject.  SOCIAL SECURITY IS NOT, I REPEAT IS NOT A PONZI SCHEME.  Please stop calling it that.

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Liberals would raise Social Security tax for rich

Proposal would affect those who make more than $250,000 a year

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

   WASHINGTON — Nervous that Social Security seems under siege from all sides, congressional liberals on Wednesday proposed raising the payroll tax that funds the program, but only for people earning more than $250,000 a year.

   The legislation is designed to keep the pension program solvent for the next 75 years, which is the standard used by government actuaries, by putting an additional $6.5 trillion into the Social Security trust fund over that period. The plan also is intended to head off other efforts to overhaul the program or trim benefits, or to use its funds to help pay for debt reduction.

   “No more discussion about raising the retirement age, no more discussion about cutting benefits, no more discussion about privatization,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., one of the sponsors.

   With Republicans making opposition to tax increases their mantra, the measure seems to have little chance of enactment.

   Nonetheless, it gives liberals a chance to underscore their support for the widely popular program at a time when President Barack Obama has proposed cutting the payroll tax to help create jobs, and GOP presidential contender and Texas Governor Rick Perry, the Texas governor, has called its finances a “Ponzi scheme.”

   The bill’s sponsors noted that during his 2008 presidential campaign, Obama proposed raising the payroll tax on people earning over $250,000. He’s discussed the idea as president but has yet to offer legislation followingthrough on it.

   Currently, workers and their employers each owe a payroll tax of 6.2 percent of a worker’s wages up to $106,800 a year. That tax would also be imposed on wages above $250,000 under the liberals’ plan. Other sponsors include Sens. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
So, the guy makes a quarter-million dollars per year.  Should he pay higher employment tax than the guy who makes less?  Interesting concept.  Why not?  If this country has been good enough to you that you can make a quarter mil, maybe you should pay a bit more.  Hmmmm.
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Claudia Rendon Fired After Taking Medical Leave To Give Kidney To Son 

Giving an employee medical leave for a kidney transplant would seem to be a no brainer for most employers.

But Claudia Rendon, a 41-year-old mother from Philadelphia, found herself out of work after returning from donating a kidney to her son,according to ABC News. On top of that, the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, where Rendon worked and her son took classes, apparently tried to simultaneously collect $2,000 in fees related to her son's sick leave.

A lack of employer sensitivity isn't specific to Rendon's case. This month it was reported that a mother was told by her boss to take down photos of her deceased daughter and act as if she "did not exist."

And earlier this year, Carl Sorabella, a Massachusetts man, was fired after asking to take medical leave to deal with his wife's cancer.

Indeed, the country remains far from having specific rules dictating how businesses should handle the health emergencies of an employee's family. Only in July did Connecticut become the first state to require the employees themselves be provided with paid sick leave, according to the Washington Post.

Though her employer promised Rendon that she'd still have a job when she returned from medical leave that lasted less than a month and a half, she was also asked to sign a letter acknowledging her job was not secure, according to ABC. Her son's life in peril, she decided to sign.

This is an example of corporate caring.

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Here's a departure....

While the University's violations case is over, the NCAA's investigation into Bronco football is not. 

Boise State has now suspended an offensive team manager, Floris Mendonca, originally from the Netherlands.  Mendonca does have ties to the trio of suspended players, but Boise State would not elaborate on whether or not the suspensions are connection.

According to a 2008 article from our friends at the Idaho Statesman, Mendonca attended a Broncos' football camp with suspended safety Cedric Febis in 2005.  He then returned home to coach football in the Netherlands returning in 2008, bringing 10 players to a Broncos' football camp. 

The school continues to keep out Febis, WR Geraldo Boldwijn, and DT Ricky Tjong-a-Tjoe while the NCAA investigates their eligibility.  All three came from the Netherlands to play their final year of high school football in the Boise school district before enrolling at Boise State. 

With the football team now under a three year probation period, if another violation were to occur, they would be considered repeat offenders.  That means the NCAA could hand down even stiffer penalties.  BSU President Bob Kustra is confident the two cases will not overlap. 

"Their issues do not carry over," said BSU President Bob Kustra.  "It does not relate to the 5 year window in the future.  Those are really two separate issues.  I don't think think we'll be dealing with it from that vantage point. "

Ya gotta feel sorry for these kids...

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