George Rebane
It looks like getting your college education subsidized will now become a new ‘right’ across the land. Neither party is willing to let student loan interest rates increase automatically as they were supposed to. As a taxpayer, I want the government out of the student loan business (among many other businesses they are in), but as long as they want to play lenders (recall the last time they tried that in real estate) with my money, I want to be able to have a say what areas of study that I and fellow taxpayers will fund. Most certainly I don’t want to be on the hook for defaulted loans by people whose majors only qualified them to gainfully ask ‘... and would you like fries with that?’ after graduation.
On the whole, our post-high school education system is a mess, which is just a continuation of the mess our high school system is in. Both secondary and post-secondary school systems are scam operations on the national weal, each costing an arm and a leg, and delivering little brains.
But the President has now made student loans one of his campaign issues since he cannot run on his record. Speaking of which, the latest poll has 49% of Americans wanting to overturn Obamacare, and 38% wanting to keep it. The latter have no idea what’s in the legislation, and don’t really care because it just adds on to the other freebies that they already get from taxpayers.
The other big item brought up by the President is to garner the Hispanic vote by demagoguery on the illegal alien issue. As I have repeatedly argued, the tragic mislabeling of the illegal entrants as illegal immigrants has totally muddied the debate and allowed the leftwing to bamboozle the lightweights with statements like Sen Dick Durbin's (D-IL) recent wail that the Republicans (especially in Arizona) are “considering people as criminals just because of their immigration status.” Well hello Dick! We should consider them criminals because according to our laws, illegal entrants and aliens are. And that sumbich regularly raises his hand to uphold the Constitution.
All of this doesn’t seem to be playing as well with the Hispanics because as of yesterday 45% of them support Arizona’s legislation to allow it to enforce federal law on illegal aliens. 43% don’t support it. When all of our citizens are tallied, the support goes to 62%, and opposed are 27%.
Finally, on the anniversary of the Bin Laden hit we are still not allowed to see the photos that the Seal Team took of the raghead after they dispatched him. Why? Because it "may offend" some sensitive Muslims. No one stops to consider that the willing exercise of power is the ONLY thing that the Islamists understand and respect. And no one in the administration cares about the ongoing assaults and atrocious murders of Christians and Jews that continue wherever Muslims dominate. No one checked to see how sensitive I was to the pictures of Danny Pearl’s decapitation, and I suspect that no one cares to this day.
But we are told to celebrate the “gutsy decision” the President made to take down the world’s foremost terrorist leader and accomplished enemy of the United States. I am still puzzled about what part of that decision was gutsy, save the consideration of his political ass had the mission failed. Last I saw, the man was still holding the title of our Commander-in-Chief. Under the circumstances, what was he supposed to do?
However, the bottom line on this issue in this political season is President Obama's declaration that he won't politicize the Bin Laden killing, while at the same time claiming that Romney changed his mind and is now telling people that he too would have authorized the assassination raid.
Meanwhile, let's all enjoy the display of socialist solidarity that the Occupiers have promised us across the country on this annual celebration of international collectivism.
[update] The news is in about California’s April revenues – state socialists surprised (again). Turns out that corporate and personal income revenues have come in with a substantial shortfall from Moonbeam’s predictions. The ‘rich’, on whom the state depends and promises to punish even more, are disappearing in greater numbers than anticipated ($2B fewer dollars last month from them alone). Those who stay are reconfiguring their accounts to avoid confiscatory taxation. The numbers on corporations are not in yet, but they have done all they can to either vamoose or move their earnings across the state line.
This sideshow is a continuing illustration of the progressive stasist mindset – raising taxes doesn’t matter, nobody will change their behavior. RR readers have been advised of and discussing the realworld for the past five years, so no one here should be surprised. Review assignment – Joel Kotkin’s ‘The Great California Exodus’. But all said and done, don’t you wonder who are these faithful dumbasses whom the Sacramento Democrats continue to target with their BS?
[updated, one mo' time] The Occupiers across the land, no matter how misguided in their protests, appear to protesting peacefully, and for that they are to be commended. They have every right to get out there and proclaim their message. It would be heartening to see them get a clue and put some people in front of the Capitol and the White House. In the meantime, I'm showing my solidarity with the working man (with or w/o external plumbing) by doing some serious shopping this afternoon at local establishments so that they can continue providing jobs to these nebishes.
I winder how many kids could be treated to a private school education with our tax money. You know, school choice? But the people that know better than us will pump hundreds of billions into the liberal school system to "educate" good little liberals.
There is a move by the left to make it illegal to use the word illegal regarding aliens. If that isn't Orwellian?
Obama has a political ad praising himself for offing Osama. Bill Clinton does the butt kissing intro. The Navy Seals 6 are really pissed. Obama and the left are shameless honeyfish.
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 01 May 2012 at 07:09 AM
Good Golly Miss Molly, May Day is finally here. Already started off with a fizzle as our homeland security folks nabbed 4 anarchists who tried to blow up a bridge in Ohio. Most Americans (except dem libowels) are more familiar with Cinco De Mayo than May Day. Wonder why they don't celebrate Cinco De May in France instead of May Day? Puzzling. Illegal aliens is a term most libowels don't like. Gotta frame the debate. OK, how about trespassers or squatters, or uninvited guests...or With Out Papers? Nay, that last one has already been taken. Now students are demanding that they should be able to bankrupt student loan debt. Guess that is what happens when Gov't takes over student loans and opens the tap and lets the dollars flow...flow right down the sewer where disgusting varmints and other libowels reproduce. Exciting times. Think I will go down and put more money in my Mega Bank where it will be safe from dem May Day marchers.
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 07:52 AM
libowels! What a hoot!
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 01 May 2012 at 08:08 AM
May Day fun continues. Nurses walking off the jobs leaving the weak, the sick, the vulnerable alone. Most nurses I know make more than their husbands and with better benefits. Walking off the job? How elitist, how uncaring, how cruel, how self centered. In the Sanctuary City by the Bay, Ferry workers have walked off the job. Another bunch of well paid workers with Cadillac plans out there disrupting 6,000 folks trying to get to work. How dare those corporate puppets try to get to their jobs on May Day. This can only get better. I will do my part and boycott public transit today to show solidarity with the unwashed masses.
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 08:22 AM
Keep us apprised of the day's proceedings billyT.
Posted by: George Rebane | 01 May 2012 at 08:43 AM
Please don't encourage me. George, make him stop, make him stop! Ok, at the CA State Capitol, college students from community colleges and the State U and UC Systems have gathered to protest for government to give them more money for college. An interview with a articulate co-ed revealed much. She complained that the cost of tuition was rising while the quality of education was declining. She said "we are paying more for less." Duh. Welcome to CA public education. Paying more for less is nothing new.
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 09:42 AM
Todd, there are private schools, (George Bush at Exeter Academy, $45,000/year, tuition only) and then there are charters that have been deliberately set up as cash mills for their operators, using public funds. Which "private schools" are you talking about?
H.G. Wells certainly would have considered his Martians to be "illegal" aliens. Yes Greg, I do know the difference between the two authors.
Hey, an ignorant public is an easy to manipulate public, for example, most have no clue about the dangers being discussed here, or raising any hell about it. Until Obama takes a much more active role, no cash from me, the world leaders have their heads in the sand on this one, bulldozed there by GE, with help from their friends at Caterpillar, etc. They are so GOOD at moving cash around to the right (and left) places.
http://bos.sagepub.com/content/68/3/13.short
Posted by: Douglas Keachie | 01 May 2012 at 09:44 AM
My May Day contribution will be to avoid certain products at SPD. Having trouble remember what to boycott? Try this on for size: If Koch invested in solar research instead of political discord, it would make a world of difference.
"We can do without Brawny Angels wrapped softly in Quilted Northern."
A brief memnonic expressed visually to aid in making correct choices.
I will also celebrate by making a larger Victory garden, and making more happy pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/keachie/sets/72157629570641762/detail/
Posted by: Douglas Keachie | 01 May 2012 at 09:50 AM
"Paying more for less is nothing new.' comes along with the territory in monopolistic, common board membered Corporations, Big Pharma, etc. I can hardly wait for certain medications that will be available over the counter at full price and not paid for by Medicare/PPO/HMO anymore. $% every two months will jump to $125 every two months. Items available over the counter should have short termed patents, or the consumer will be screwed yet an infinite number of additional times. Rhetorical mathematics, Greg. BTW, for the audiophile uninitiated, THD = total harmonic distortion and at 5%, it is totally crappy reproduction.
Posted by: Douglas Keachie | 01 May 2012 at 09:58 AM
The private schools I had in mind are those like the Mt. St. Marys at the elementary to HS years. In private colleges I would guess there may be many that could compete economically with government run ones. I like competition. Over the year the costs for four year colleges have skyrocketed. In California, a once great system has seen the money spent to teach diverted to Professors salaries, many of them onl;y teach a day or two a week but get the big money.
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 01 May 2012 at 10:17 AM
Mr. Juvinall, lets not take a page from the libbowels and disparage the successful. What is wrong with a tenured professor pulling down 6 figures and working 1-2 days a week, if even that? I say kudos to them for having the smarts to have aides do their lectures so they can devote more time writing about the unfair gap between them and the poor...er, I meant between the rich and poor, the makers and the takers. There once was a professor of great renown that found a magic lamp in his office desk drawer. He rubbed it and sure enough the genie granted him 3 wishes. Soon he was whisked away to a tropical island with beautiful women attending to his every wish. For his 3rd wish he said he never wanted to work a day in his life again. POOF! He was instantly back at his desk.
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 11:03 AM
Don't know why those May Day types always pick on small businesses like bakeries and delis to vent their impotency. Why not go smash Donald Trump's windows or bust up the Apple store or break down the gates of millionaire Nancy Pelosi's mansion? Picking on the little business people is cowardly, especially since the small businesses are part of the 99%. Another one of life's mysteries. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/01/BAQF1OBH55.DTL
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 11:29 AM
Meanwhile, over in Oakland, the May Day group is meeting over at Starbucks, lol. You can't make this stuff up. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/01/BA671OBO28.DTL&tsp=1
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 11:33 AM
A professor who learns nothing new is soon teaching materials that are 40 years old. Research and publication are part of any real professor's life. A UC Davis Med School "professor" often teaches by having students as "fellows" actively engaging in supervised medicine. Being in front of a class is NOT the only thing that defines a teacher. Starbucks has medical plans for part time $10/hour employees. How many other local restaurants do?
Posted by: Douglas Keachie | 01 May 2012 at 11:42 AM
And the beat goes on.http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/lax-workers-to-stage-may-day-protest-picketing-.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+%28L.A.+Now%29 My, my they are trying soooo hard to be relevant .
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 11:48 AM
Dr. Rebene, I had the most delicious breakfast at the Pine Street Cafe in Grass Valley this morning. Quite delightful. Those who sit in Ivory towers on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and utter that raising taxes do not matter should look at how the states are fairing. Look at the states with no income tax. They are doing well. Of course Nevada has it problems with the bursting of the housing bubble, but all in all states with low/no corporate taxes/income taxes are kicking rear on the rest of us. Good news for CA and NY. They rank on the bottom again on the lists of highest tax/regulation states. The good news is they can't sink any lower. Meanwhile, back on the streets: http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/46387
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 03:35 PM
My spies tell me that the local effort to "wreak economic havoc" on May Day fizzled out. Of course, the putative organizers will no doubt go on to get more grants and higher paying jobs in some socialist feel good program out of Sacto or DC. Failure at lower levels in that crowd gets you opportunities to practice incompetence at higher levels of influence.
Here's how our communist friends at truthout.com are covering today's events.
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6694/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1204227&organization_KEY=6694
Posted by: George Rebane | 01 May 2012 at 03:49 PM
Goodnight OWS. Goodnight and sweet dreams as you become a fog in people's memories. At least you lasted longer than the Jeremy Lin fad. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/goodbye_occupy_U6Xgt1BI2fUN4uh2nJcnDO?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Editorials
Posted by: billy T | 01 May 2012 at 11:38 PM
There was a movie from England way back when terrorism first started whose name I cannot recall. The terror group was infiltrated by SAS and in the end they were thwarted in their hostage taking of high muckey-mucks. At the end of the movie there was a couple of rich socialist dudes conferring on the next plot they would fund with their inherited money. They of course were not even suspected by the authorities. I think the reason OWS is a flash in the pan is the money has run out.
Posted by: Todd Juvinall | 02 May 2012 at 08:15 AM