Steve's barking at the paradox

The citizens of the United States want democracy around the word. Yet if a dually elected government is not what we want we have in the past overthrown them.
Most of my fellow citizens want to end poverty in the word, but when jobs are given to people in other parts of the world raising their standard of living, we are the first to scream unfair.
Those who clammier for freedom of speech for themselves are generally the first try to stomp it out for others. I see (conservative) commentators complain that their tax dollars are paying for things like cable and expensive phones for the poor, not realizing if it wasn't for the government handouts to some of the poor and others over extending themselves they would be poor themselves.
We complain about tax inequities as long as it's not us.
We clammier for a democratic form of government were all can be head.Yet we demand that our president cures all our ills as if he was an extreme ruler.
We complain about consummerism that if we didn't have many of us would have no work. If we had no work we would have no money. If we had no money we couldn't eat. ( We might even need the bling).

Just think if we didn't have a commercialized Christmas a third of our economy would come to halt.
* I'm probably on the low end of that. The real low end.
               
     

Steve's barkink at the US doesn't have a deficit promblem

The United States doesn't have a deficit problem it has a moron problem.
The United States isn't hi taxed country.
The United States has land with mineral on it which it can auction off.
The United States has it own printing press.
The United States owes much of its dept to it's own treasury.
The United States currency isn't tied to gold.
The United States has probably more college educated who are clueless as to what makes the economy run then any place on earth.
We have more economist who claim that government doesn't create jobs then anyplace on earth, despite the tons of evidence to the contrary.
We have more people then anyplace on earth that claim that taxes are a job killer while the truth is that as long as a good profit is to be made then jobs will be created.
Maybe I'm on the moron part of the equation, I used to believe that if you were a liberal or left wing you had a step up on the truth of how the 21st economy works. ( My moronic idea was that you were either right or wrong and if you were a right wing economist you were wrong). What I didn't realize that you could be a so called left winger and still be a moron such as the president's economic advisers.    

Steve's barking at Tomato

Question of the day is the American tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
Or as the great Reagan used to say lets call catchup a vegetable. Or was that his speech writers such as Peggy Noonan?
Anyway is tomato source really a vegetable and therefore eating pizza eating a veggie as the Republicans are claiming?.
I hope so , I love pizza and hate to eat greens, therefore if I eat pizza every day  I'm getting my daily desired veggies servings.

Steve's barking with out me

I live in an area that a good guesstimate is at least 60% present and retired government workers are living here.
If it wasn't for us government workers the local tire shop shop wouldn't exist,
There wouldn't be a need for three supermarkets.The local chain and and privately owned restaurants wouldn't do enough business. The big department stores in my area,  not needed. The local cable company would not do enough business to be worth while. The local hardware store,not needed.
So lets do away with government workers and end there pensions so that the private sector can take a real dive.
It's a Wonderful Life.

Steve's barking at 9 out of 10 0ccupy Wall Street

Why do those talking on the boob tube about Occupy Wall Street tell all those who will listen that they should get a job. When the news people who interview those who are in the crowd at Occupy Wall Street 9 at of 10 claim that they have a job or are going to school.
When those very same people talk about how dirty the Occupy Wall Streeters are 9 of 10 men seemed to be clean shaven and 9 of 10 seemed to be well dressed.
I hear from these heathens on the air way how they want to take down the government, yet 9 out of ten that are given a voice don't say anything except how unfair that 99% pay a greater percent of their income then the 1%. The other complaint is how come those who caused the economic collapse get bailed out those who need the help get coal in their stockings.

Steve's barking at frack me

I've been hearing about this procedure called fracking for getting natural gas out of rock using benzine and other bad stuff it it gets into the water supply. You know it's going to get in to water supply.
So why don't the fracking companies just buy a laser from Buck Rodgers and the 21st century company breaking up the gassy rock with out leaving a nasty after effect.
Of cause this country can us methane that doesn't need no fracking at all.

I heard a nasty rumor that several fracking company executives were being charged with murder for death that occurred because of contaminated water, of cause it was just my imagination. 


* There is no company named Buck Rodgers and the 21st century.
** As far as I know there are no exectives being put on trial for poisoning the water upply due to fracking.
*** there is no word called fracking in my websters.

Steve's barking at obstructionist

I keeping hearing in my head about how when the president had a large majority in congress he didn't do anything to help the labor market.
The first thing I should do is check into a psychiatric hospital.
Now let's assume that I'm not crazy, it's easier to be an obstructionist then it is to be a doer. While the president of the United States can put forth new programs and new ideas, it's my understanding that it only takes a one third minority to kill it. If that being the case it's a wonder the president got anything done. 

Steve's barking at occupy congress

I was reading letters to the editor in a major newspaper the other day and several of the writers suggested that the problem with this country is the government down in Washington.  They suggested that those who are occupying Wall Street should go down to the nations capitol.
 I couldn't agree more, they should go into the office of those obstructionist congress people and occupy their offices. They are one of the major reason's that we have a troubled economy.

Too bad the majority of congress can't be impeached, because the majority in congress are not helping the Post Office stay in business as the constitution clearly states (article 1 section 8 paragraph 7 To establish post offices and post roads). In the not so distant past the United States government actually subsidized the post office not the other way around. Huh? I do believe that the Newt Gingrich congress is making the post office prepay it's health insurance for the future along with prepaying for federal pension.
Do you think that's an imprison-able offence?  Maybe the former speaker of the house should be sent to prison for not doing his constitutional duties.  

Steve's barking at who is a capitalist?

Who is the capitalist?
Is it the owner of the local McDonalds?
Is it he owner of the fruit cart down the street?
Is it the guy who has his 401K in his company stock?
Is it the person who has his IRA in a mutual fund?
Is it the investor who believes that he can run the company better then it's president?
Am I a capitalist by the fact that my pension fund is invested in  stocks?
Are we all capitalist or just some of us?
Beats me.

* capitalist ** A person who has capital especially invested in business (Merriam-Webster dictionary)

Steve's barking at keystone

I'm getting red in the face about Keystone.
NO.. NO... NO... not about the beer commercials though they're pretty obnoxious.
I'm pissed off about Keystone The magical pipeline that would take oil from Canadian shale and send it down to our refineries down South. I do believe in the private sector but when it some how decides to put a pipeline over a the drinking water of Nebraska one has to wonder.
We desperately need this pipeline, but putting it over the life saving water of one whole state, come on.

Canada threatens to sell it's oil to Asia if we don't OK the pipeline soon. This would put them in direct competition with oil from Alaska. Will there be a price war?

What happened to American shale? Shouldn't their be a pipe line from Colorado or is that North Dakota?   

Steve's barking at the eye of the Newt

Surfing the boob tube yesterday and I heard something that if it's true is truly amazing.
Newt Gingrich stated the other day having government give direct loans to students is a form of socialism. Well if memories serves me correctly when I got out of high school in the early sixties the government was the place one went for student loans. If it's a form of socialism now then it must have been a form of socialism then. Now if memory serves me correct  the sixties was the zenith of American economic power. So carrying that a bit further a little socialism is good for the country.

I'm still trying to figure out why the government should subsidize banks with loan guarantees, and not subsidies students. It's a no loss situation for the banks, and a loser for the government.
Don't know much about history, why did the government stop giving out loans to students and started subsidising bank loans.

Newt, has a PhD in history, and even was asst professor teaching. He has written several books with an historical theme, but every times he open his mouth it seems that the historical truth comes up short.

Steve's barking at magazine subscriptions

I just let  the  one magazine that subscribe to laps.
When I first subscribed to this magazine two months later they sent me a renewal notice, and like a bad consumer I renewed. Two months after that they sent me another renewal notice and again like a bad consumer I renewed again. This seemed funny to me so I promised myself that I would not renew again. Sure enough two months later they sent me another renewal notice. This time I just ignored it.
Two months later they sent me renewal notice telling me what a great pity it would be if my subscription was to laps. They kept sending me this same notice every two weeks for a year even offering me a better deal with each and every notice. Now I don't know how long my original subscription and renewal should have lasted, I only know that I don't get consumer reports any more, and I probably never will. 

Steve's barking at the Glass, Segal act

I just don't get it why are so many economist talking about the Glass, Segal act?
Oh it's not the Glass Segal act, it's called the glass steagal act.
You mean to tell me it a congressional act that  regulated the banking industry until it was watered down  (some say eliminated) in 1999.
Oh, I though it was an improve act by George Segal and Ron Glass. Opps.
.

Steve's barking at abo

The president has one major problem in his run for re-election that nothing he can do will help him with these people. These are the anybody but Obama group. Their the one's who bought guns as soon as he won the election in 2008. They are the ones who are positive that the president's a communist, no mater what he does. Unfortunately the way I see more and more people are going over to their ranks, no matter what the evidence shows.
 Another albatross around the president's is minority leader Nancy Pelosi. Now I don't really follow what congress woman Pelosi says but she was on the Daily Show the other night and was asked how can a three page memo (the Volcker Rule) turn into 300 page law? Doesn't that suggest lobbyist had a hand in writing the law?
Ans: No We have to legislative language.
It's so insider.
Me: We have to have legislative language? So insider?
 OK why doesn't congress just write a bill saying we will revert back to the same laws regarding banking as in 1939.
 Congressperson  Pelosi just doesn't get it, If the affordable care act was only 300 pages not 5000 pages it would be excepted by a large majority of the citizens.
 We the people have no problem with the constitution, but we have problem with simple bills that are hundreds or even thousands of pages long.
I guess that congress doesn't believe in KISS ( no not the rock group).

The United States banking system thrived with strong regulations, much stronger then what is proposed by anybody today. We did away with those regulations and then had to bale out the banks. Hmm.

Steve's barking at what is main stream media

When ever I happen to channel surf to this channel that calls itself Fox news I hear the hear the complaint about the main stream media. I have no idea what the crying is about. Fox News is about as main stream as you can get.How can they complain about the main steam media when Fox News is the rate ting leader of all cable news networks. Not just the rate ting leader but I do believe that it gets more viewers then all the other cable news channels  combined.
Again I can't understand what the right wing of this country is complaining about when it complains about the main stream media, after all the most popular talk radio is right wing radio.
I guess these escapes from Ringling Brothers like to think of themselves as underdogs. I guess it make better a program if your going against the man and you can't get a break.          

Steve's barking at who should the veterans trust, ows or the Tea Party?

I was surfing again on my television trying hard to find something interesting to watch, when I happen to see and hear some one on steroids Fox business ask some one who should those in the military trust, The Occupy Wall street crowd or the Tea Party?
The answer is easy Occupy Wall Street. No one in the Occupy Wall Street movement wants to make cuts in military pensions. No one in the Occupy Wall Street movement wants to health benefits to veterans. Most of the politicians who claim to have Tea Party support want to do just that.

Steve's barking at special electric cars

I just don't get it. Why are we investing in plug in cars when we can just as easily put money into electrical cars that can be charged by photosynthesis. You just put these solar panels on the roof of the car which charges up the batter, letting the car drive at  night with out . Now if it's cloudy all day the owner of the car can put the car in the garage turning on the lights to charge the battery. Now this would work like the panels that run  a solar power calculator only charging the battery instead of running the calculator. The owner would then save money on not buying gas or for that matter paying the electric company.  

steve's barking at bad wall street is badder?

The present Wall Street is badder then the Wall Street of 1900?
What the heck does that mean?
In the 1900's the banks didn't need no stinkin regulations after all they regulated themselves.
They did away with bucket shops, while the present day Wall Street complains that the government wants to regulate buck shops. Those are the places that sell naked derivatives, what ever the hel* those things are. They understood that risk and sometimes corruption that goes with it bad for business. The present day Wall Street-er seem to like to shrug their shoulders and like Alfred E Newman say what me worry.
The most famous of the Wall Street evil men JP as in Morgan wrote a check to save the banking system after the collapse I believe in the panic of '98 or was it '93, anyway can you see that happening in the Wall Street of today?  ( It may be the reason JP died died with millions only in double figures).
Now the Federal Reserve was started so that one person or even several individuals wouldn't have the burden nor the power to fix and or regulate the banking industry.   


* It was the panic of "07 were JP interceded with the help of the federal treasury.
It is believed that JP supported the deal to have the federal Reserve.
It was reported that old JP had a net worth of 65 Million. I've also read that it was 80 million.
Rockefeller's comment on the time of his death was and to think he wasn't even a rich man
Was JP a nice guy?, Probably not. Evil? possibly. Worse then what we have today? I don't think so.

The reason I was writing this particular blog was to show that the present day bankers can't compare to the 1900's. That the leadership was more responsible, unfortunately I didn't really prove my case. 

Steve's barking at class warfare in the US

I see in the papers that their are a number republicans who are claiming that the president is starting class warfare. These are the same people who are anti -union and don't belivein paying hard working people a living wage.
These the same people who complain about pension for the public sector are too high but if they are elected to public office there is no way they would give up or reduce theirs.
Getting back to class warfare, when some one wants to do away with collective bargaining they are taking away the right of free speech for a group of working individuals. Is the United States becoming a country that only the rich or the dumb can be heard.
The Occupy Wall Street crowd hasn't stated obvious false hoods as the so called Tea Party has.
Nobody that I know or have read about  wants to redistribute the wealth, they just what a fairer tax system.
They want those who control the money to open the club to more people. 
They don't want to hear a law and order mayor who hired one of the biggest crooks in the United States as his police commisoner to state that the president is opening up class warfare. He wouldn't know about class warfare if it bit him on his ass. 

Steve's barking at me being a 1 percent-er

I'm a 1 percent-er. No I don't make 1 million dollars a year. The fact of the matter I make $41,000 a year pension. Now it's true that more then 1% of the United States gets a pension, it just feels like it.  I'm also among another dieing bred, a retired government worker. Not being retired from being a government worker because there are plenty of us, but being a government worker is a dieing bred.
The fact of the matter government workers are on the endanger species list.

Steve's barking at Mad magazine and the republican party

The Republican party changes social security for the worse and blames the Obama administration for it.
The Republican party calls President Obama a socialist.
Were did  the Republican party get it's ideas from? Why mad magazine of cause.
I remember the cartoons but in a slightly different way.
The first cartoon was a group of Russians changing the star on a US missile to the Russian hammer and sickle.
The second was a cartoon a mother ask her son why he didn't make friends with a certain boy, Oh he's gay the boy said. But he's so bright the mother said. The she asked why he didn't make friends with this other boy. The son replied that he was gay. But he's the captain of the football team the mother replied. She then asked about another boy, and why he didn't make friends with that boy. He's gay the boy replied. How is that possible, he has so many girl friends. Why do you call him gay? The boy replied any body I'm not friends with is gay. I decide who is gay.

I know, I know that the last joke is pollitically incorrect, I believe these cartoon was in the sixties.
The jokes might be slightly different, after all my memories is not what it used to be.      

steve's barking at what I didn't know about Fanny and Freddy

I Didn't Know that Freddy Mac was really Countrywide.
I didn't know that that Citi  and Wells Fargo Banks were really Fanny Mae.
I didn't know that the ease of getting a mortgage didn't help the economy with employment.
I didn't know that half those pontificating on the boob tube about what caused the collapse of the economy have the economic IQ of a toad.

Steve's barking the free market finaly got it right

Bank of America dropped the idea of charging $5 a month for the right to use their debit card.
Citi and JP Morgan Chase decided not to charge $3 a month for the use of it's debit card.
There are enough banks that were going to charge those extra fees that those humongous banks whould not be as humongouse if they decided to keep their fees.