Hope & Change Or Much Ado About Nothing

As you might expect the reaction to the President’s statement in support of same sex marriage is split along ideological lines.

The liberal main street media is all a flutter.  Hope and change has returned to the political stage.

More interesting has been the reaction from conservative politicians and pundits.  Their response has ranged   from cynicism to denial to an appreciation for the president’s acknowledgement of state’s rights.   

The President said two things on Tuesday.  He said that he personally supports same sex marriage.  He also said that the matter should be left to the states to decide.  Many conservatives say that the president’s statement is much ado about nothing because everyone knew the President supported same sex marriage…even if he didn’t have the political courage to say so publically.  Some believe that his “evolution” was little more than a political calculation.  Others point out that by assigning the resolution to the states the President is echoing the same conservative message that Ronald Reagan, William F. Buckley, Lester Maddox, George Wallace and other federalists have preached throughout history.

So in the end…what does it all mean?

This President's remarks should not be taken lightly.  Over the past two decades the LGBT community has fought for two basic causes: the right to enter into a monogamous, committed family relationship and have that union recognized under the law; and the right to serve in the military and put their life on the line in defense of their country.  It seems to us that these are two clear examples of conservative values.  The President has spoken out in support of the former and he has been instrumental in the achievement of the latter.

Social issues in this country evolve slowly…very, very slowly.  In 1967 it was still illegal in 14 states for men and women of different races to marry.  Today children of interracial marriages walk the streets without warranting a glance.  One even lives in the White House.  While many baby boomers maintain that marriage should be limited to a union between a man and a woman their grandchildren view same sex parents with indifference. 

This country is moving toward the day when same sex couples will be allowed to legally marry.  And the support of a sitting President is symbolically a historic and monumental step in that direction.  If the President believes that same sex marriage is a civil right under our constitution, then he will have to do more politically to effect that change.  But those who would marginalize the significance of the President’s recent statement are being disingenuous and ignoring the inevitable direction in which country is moving.                        

Obama Finally Comes Out Of The Closet On Same Sex Marriage

President Obama finally came out in support of same sex marriage. 

The President, who has been “evolving” on the issue for quite some time, must have made the political calculation that it was time to come out of the closet.  Our guess is that North Carolina’s passage of a law banning same sex marriage signaled to the Obama campaign that there was no longer a political advantage to remaining silent.

There is no question that the President of the United States announcing his support for same sex marriage is a historic and monumental event for our country.  Perhaps President Obama's understanding of  the magnitude of his announcement played a part in his lengthy evolution.  We'll never know.    

From our prospective this is an issue that transcends politics.  It transcends the presidency and the power that office wields. This is a question of equality.  It is a question of whether or not we really believe that we as citizens of this country are ALL equal under the law. 

While we applaud the President for finally taking this stand, we would have preferred to hear him speak from the heart...without first assessing the political landscape. 

  

Krugman's Simple Solution

Nobel Prize winning economist and bestselling author, Paul Krugman has the answer to our economic woes.  In his new book: “END THIS DEPRESSION, NOW” by W.W. Norton & Company, Krugman lays out his simplistic approach to pulling the country out of its economic slump; an approach so simple that it will no doubt be scoffed at by the Washington elite.

Instead of ruminating about all the past foibles that got us in this mess Krugman focuses on a solution to get us out.

First of all, Krugman believes that we must come to the realization that we are in a depression.  Not a 1930’s “Great Depression;” but a depression none the less. As John Maynard Keynes described in the 1930’s; “a chronic condition of subnormal activity for a considerable period without any marked tendency towards recovery or complete collapse.”  He notes that we rebounded from that 1930’s depression as a result of massive government spending on WWII.  And while we are not facing WWII today the principles of recovery remain the same.  The government needs to pour money into the economy during a depression…not spend less.

Krugman believes that in a time of depression the government’s focus should be on job creation not deficit reduction.  He points out that while the economy has generated positive job growth for 28 straight months the growth is barely enough to keep up with the increase in population.  He believes that the government needs to do more to push job growth to levels that will gin up the economy.  Krugman argues that the austerity measures that are taking place today at the local and state levels are only adding to the problem.  The cutting of state and local government jobs is killing any chance of recovery.  His solution focuses on creating jobs at the state and local levels.

Krugman recommends that the federal government borrow $300 billion and provide it to state and local governments to rehire the teachers, police officers and firefighters that were cut during the austerity movement.  Use the remaining funds to fix the pot holes and other infrastructure maladies that we all know need attention.  He argues that the federal government can borrow this money for next to nothing and the increase in tax revenues and the infusion of capital into the economy will more than justify the increase to the debt and deficit.  He believes that this simple step alone will take the country a long way toward economic recovery.

Krugman understands that deficit hawks will jump on any increase in borrowing and he understands the need to tackle the country’s long term debt and deficit problems.  But he argues that now is not the time.  Krugman states that once the economy is running at a level where the Federal Reserve wants to increase interest rates; only then should we begin to implement spending cuts and deficit reduction.

Krugman states that our history has provided us with the path to economic recovery.  The only question is whether we have the political will to follow that path.

Krugman offers a reasonable solution that is far less draconian than slashing jobs and cutting services for the poor and the middle class.  Will Krugman’s plan work?  We have no idea.  But it certainly makes more sense than anything else we have heard coming out of Washington.

Paul Krugman’s “END THIS DEPRESSION, NOW”…a must read for every politician.          

  

Willard's Lyin' Again!

Mitt Romney is lying again.

In a recent interview with a Cleveland news outlet he said:  “I pushed for the idea of a managed bankruptcy.  And finally when that was done, and help was given, the companies got back on their feet.  So I’ll take a lot of the credit for the fact that this industry’s come back.”

Of course he would.  Willard will take credit for anything if he feels it will help him win this election.    When Romney wants to make a point he never lets facts get in the way.

Romney would like us to forget that in his famous 2008 New York Times op-ed titled: “Let Detroit go Bankrupt” Romney said: “If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the automotive industry good-bye…In a managed bankruptcy, the federal government would propel newly competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a bailout check.”

Romney would like us to forget that the automakers needed a bridge loan to get to the point where a managed bankruptcy was even a possibility.  Without that bridge loan the automakers would go under and millions of jobs would be lost.  Credit at that time was tight and no one was willing to lend the money for the loans…including Romney’s own Bain Capital.  Presidents Bush and Obama understood the importance of the auto industry to the economy and had faith in the American auto worker.  Mitt Romney did not.  “I thought it was a mistake;” he said.  Now Mitt would have us believe that that it was all his idea. 

There are no tales too tall for Willard Mitt Romney to tell in order to get what he wants...the White House.  And if he is willing to lie to prospective voters to win an election then what else will he lie to them about if elected. 

The man has no core beliefs.  He is simply empty vessel who will do or say anything to win this election.       

Time For Obama To Speak Up On Gay Marriage

Vice President Joe Biden supports gay marriage.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan supports gay marriage.

President Obama is “evolving” on the issue. (Wink, wink)

The President continues to refuse to give his full throated support to gay marriage.  In those states where gay marriage is legal he says that married gay couples should have the same rights as straight couples.  But he has thus far refused to publically support the right of gay couples to enter into marriage in the first place.  He is “evolving”!  Perhaps he is channeling Darwin.

So, Mr. President, why the delay?  If everyone knows that you really do support gay marriage (wink, wink)…what’s the holdup?

The answer is North Carolina and Virginia.  These are two states that the Obama campaign feels are crucial to winning a second term.  And these are two states whose voters won’t take kindly to a President that supports gay marriage. 

In 2008, when Obama fever was running high, the President managed to win traditionally Republican Virginia.  He won North Carolina by a mere 14,000 votes.  There is no guarantee that the can pull off either victory again.  North Carolina voters are about to weigh in on a ballot initiative that would ban gay marriage in the state.  Mitt Romney has already come out against gay marriage.  So why rock the boat? …Wink, wink…

The problem with the President’s strategy is that by avoiding what appears to be the obvious he is calling his character into question.  He looks like he is flip-flopping on the issue for political gain.  That’s because he is.  And the base doesn’t like it one bit.

It’s time for the President to stop channeling Darwin and Mitt Romney and speak frankly to the issue. 

Tell the truth…and let the voters decide.

        

Santorum's Bush League Endorsement Of Romney...Costly

Rick Santorum endorsed presumptive nominee Mitt Romney for president and at the same time destroyed any chance of holding a position of power and influence within the party.

Santorum’s endorsement did not come in a rousing speech or an enthusiastic one on one with a major news outlet.  It came in the thirteenth paragraph…of an email…released at 11PM. 

Santorum had already irked the Romney campaign by avoiding pressure from the press to endorse the former governor once his own campaign had ended.  Santorum said any endorsement would come only after a face-to-face meeting with Romney.  Romney grudgingly agreed to the meeting.  Afterward Santorum proudly announced that Romney had promised, to his satisfaction, to include true conservatives in the Romney administration…intimating that Romney himself was not a true conservative.

Santorum obviously has an over inflated opinion of his position within the party.  He is bitter about the way he was carpet bombed by the Romney death star during the primaries.  He withheld his endorsement to extract a modicum of revenge.  But his bush league handling of this endorsement has ended any potential influence he might have had within the party.  The Romney campaign certainly does not trust him.  So Santorum supporters should not expect to see him as a coveted featured speaker at the convention…or anywhere else for that matter.   

A Glimpse Into The World Of President Romney

Yesterday, Republicans gave us a glimpse into what a Romney presidency coupled with a Republican controlled Congress will look like. 

The Republican controlled House Budget Committee approved $300 billion in cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, health care, Social Services Block grants, child tax credits for working immigrants and other social services like meals on wheels.  Federal workers would have to contribute an additional 5% of their salaries toward their pensions, while individuals receiving coverage subsidies under the new health care law would lose some or all of their benefits. 

You will note that we have not mentioned any cuts in defense spending.  That is because the primary purpose of this proposal is to offer an alternative to the $55 billion in automatic spending cuts that are set to occur in January of 2013 because the “super committee” could not reach a deal on the deficit.  Republicans are scrambling to avoid any cuts to defense even at the expense of social services to the middle class , the poor and the needy. 

The bill is set to be voted on in the House on Thursday.  It has no chance of passing in the Democrat controlled Senate.  But this symbolic measure gives us a look into what a Romney presidency will bring.  The Republican nominee has promised to impose substantial cuts to domestic programs while increasing the Pentagon’s budget. 

The November elections will be all about ideology.  This Budget Commitee proposal is just more evidence of the stark contrast that exists between the two parties.