Broken record

Although vinyl remastered LPs are making a comeback, the title still suggests someone repeating themselves, again and again. Just like the caricatures of trying to have a conversation with someone who speaks a different language, the solution might not be to
speak louder. It just may be to be a pain the ass and speak repetitively. 

Admittedly, I am not what one would call a Republican. I never was. I grew up in an era where bipartisanship was neither a dirty word or a weakness. I remember an innocuous television show on in the 60's.  I watched a political show, called The Ev and Charlie Show. It was a prehistoric version of Crossfire. It featured a Republican Senator, Everett Dirksen of Illinois and a Democratic Congressman, Charles Halleck from Indiana. They would politely debate the issues of the day and the conclusion the viewer would reach, other than these were two pompous crotchety old white men, they could disagree without being disagreeable. And until POTUS 44, this sort of political divide just didn't exist. People worked things out even if they didn't agree.

I looked into the compostion of Congress during the Reagan and H.W. Bush Administrations. Contentious conservatives certainly existed. Intractable progressives did as well. But the government did not shut down, taxes were cut (Tax Reform Act of 1981) against the wishes of the Left, Taxes were raised four or five times, depending on how you interpret each one. The debt ceiling never became an issue, because whether it was Reagan or Bush, neither would allow that to happen-- to potentially default on the full faith and credit and of the United States Government. The American Disabilities act was passed and some sort of homage was paid to the environment in terms of excessive carbon footprints, passed as legislation known as the Clean Air Act, passed during the Bush Administration

Allow me to express my partisan views here. After all, why write something if it isn't how I see it. It matters if you don't agree, but can we disagree without being disagreeable?

I think the 2014 midterm elections are among the most crucial ever. I stated in paragraph two that I was not a Republican. I'm not.  Like most people, the state of political and social interaction is absolutely horseshit today and because the swamp known as Washington exists in a vacuum of its very own, both parties are so immersed in the politics of reelection (accruing power and money and influence), neither can be held blameless. 

Because the hierarchy is fixed to deny an independent party or parties to have a chance to compete in formation of policy, this steaming pile of horseshit grows and flourishes of its own volition, aided of course by its denizens of defense, the legislative branch and the revolving door of show business and lobbying connected to the swamp. The current woe has been exacerbated by a (my opinion) vile legislative system who incarcerate vast elements of the under society and strike down laws that once were hailed as the jewels of a less tarnished age.

I am urging people to come to their senses and throw out the current political system; Republicans AND Democrats. As soon as they are gone, perhaps we can start to build a system that addresses a forgotten, de-emphasized and ignored segment of the population-- those living at or below the poverty line. Perhaps, in this moment of clarity we won't need a Fox News or an MSNBC.

Inequality is growing. It's not shrinking. It is growing among age groups, ethnicities, people of color, returning veterans and their families and is starting to invade the perceived comfort of the middle class. One party says (all too often, I'm afraid) that it's a question of laziness and lack of ambition to lift one's self up from this yoke. The other side, not certain how to fairly spend the billions of dollars they earmark toward reducing or eliminating it, but cannot because of waste and fraud, throws money at the problem as if that will make all the difference. A certain segment of society, untouched by this mess lives in gated communities and can afford security details to protect them from the pitchforks which are starting to appear in the streets. The pitchforks only know what they're angry about and in reality don't have a clue as to how to fix it. Policy initiatives are the white noise that cannot be communicated to people because we've simply stopped listening The income tax system is a progressive one which seeks to lessen the burdens on people of social and economic inequality but that's a lie as well. One side says let markets account for all things monetary and when that happens more people gain wealth and it "trickles down" to those less fortunate. 

I already wrote way more than I wanted. And I left out a whole bunch of gory details. 
I am sorry to harangue- I'm re-reading this and that's what it looks like. But at the same time, it's really important and many reasonable people yearn for an end to this fetid system of privilege that catapults idiots into office and thereby creates the laws that keep making things worse-- or obstructs policy initiative that just might start to make things better. 

So I apologize. But I'm posting it anyway because I think it's true. We can sort out the details later. When I was posting more, my average page visit was about 50 per day. When I had to slack off, that shrank to under 30. Let's see what happens. 

I think the main thing I wanted to say, was that I heard of a recent initiative by Norman Ornstein and Andrew Young that suggested putting picture ID's on Social Security Cards. Ya think maybe that would allow more people to vote, instead of laws that are making it harder? Between these laws of exclusion and a recent Supreme Court ruling rendering Article 5 of the Voting Rights Act null and void, there rises a clarion call to voters. Figure out what you need to do to get registered and make sure you vote your interests this year. It is crucial.

And to those who hung in there and read this, without screaming at their screens or falling asleep, Thank You.

And the Beat Goes On

That is today's humstle. I don't spend a whole lot of time thinking of either Sonny Or Cher but the song still has some relevance.

So, Shaun McCutcheon can give as much money as he wishes directly to political candidates. And he can give as much as he wants to any and all candidates whom he feels shares his beliefs and agenda  SCOTUS, by a vote of 5-4 ruled that limits on contributions were unconstitutional and "burdened" his First Amendment rights to free speech.

Paul Ryan's annual "Road to Prosperity" show is on Capitol Hill for the 4th year running. Early analysis shows it to be more draconian than previous budget proposals. I'll stay out of the deep weeds but some of the highlights are allegedly lower taxes for the wealthy, cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Job Retraining programs. What it does not address is and end or reduction in subsidies for Energy Producers, Cuts in the Military budget as a balance to other reductions, any addressing of the carried interest rates that private investors, equity managers or hedge fund operators pay in relation to the rest of us.

This will set up the annual "dog whistle war" between the 1% and the 99%. It doesn't take a genius to see that if Shaun McCuthcheon and all the other Shauns out there want to give disproportionate amounts of money to politicians who will continue to vote for the Ryan budget, which is a continuation of "trickle down" economics initiatives that have haunted this country for more than 30 years, social and economic security (not even equality) are just a joke. And a dream that will not be realized any time soon- or so it would appear.

So, as the ACA has seemingly exceeded enrollment projections, these new challenges will replace the anger over "sick"care in this country. Deeply conservatives state and local legislatures will hack away at pensions, women's rights and perhaps the worst of all, the right to vote in this country. Along with this,  deniers (liars) will block any research to wean us off fossil fuels and put us on a pathway to developing cleaner energy sources. So POTUS and VPOTUSdid a victory lap in the Rose Garden yesterday; as the President asked a reasonable question, "WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OPPOSED TO PEOPLE HAVING HEALTH CARE? 

And, so, The Beat Goes On.

 

One less bell to answer

Ah, do you remember that song?

Actually, the Affordable Care Act became one less bell or one less dog whistle to respond to yesterday, as the open enrollment period ended. Yup, that's it. No more bogus graphics on FOX, no more soothing comments by Max Baucus ( and just about every other living politician) about it being a "trainwreck" or a "job killer" no more reminders that it's all just a communist or European plot to erode your basic freedoms or worse, a capitulation to the private healthcare industry. There have been 54 attempts to defund or repeal it that have failed. Whether you believe the numbers or not, and let's say you don't. so we'll pick a number well below estimates of eventual sign ups and with that, assume that nobody under 35 years of age has signed up AND no one has paid their first premium.

Let's ask a few questions that have nothing to do with optics, politics or anything that sets your or anyone elses hair on fire; if that's possible.

1. Did you have insurance before?
2. Was it a good policy that covered doctor visits or at least, kept you out of poverty and doom if you had a catastrophic event? Or was it a really terrible policy that you hoped you would not need in the event of a catastrophic event?
3. Are you so in love with your doctor that if you lost him/her, your life would be forever compromised?
4. Were you able to grasp that having insurance was vital to you and your loved ones and you were able to give up something in order to have this insurance?
5. Do you believe in and/or practice good health habits which would slow down the onset of chronic diseases known to increase your dependency on the medical profession?
6. Do you breathe easier knowing that you cannot be denied coverage based upon pre-existing conditions?
7. Do you take another easy breath knowing that your children can be on your policy and be covered until age 26?
8. Can you take just one more knowing that you will not lose coverage because your lifetime benefits expire or are arbitrarily taken away?
9. Do you appreciate and support Medicare and Medicaid as either primary or supplemental healthcare solutions?
10. Have any of these questions made you pause to either regret having sought and bought health insurance?
11. In your opinion is the United States medical system a health care system or a sick care system?

OK, I'm done. Today, for the first time- and it's been a long time coming, a reputable poll has shown that a tiny majority sees the ACA as favorable- 49-48. In all likelihood, with the prospect of less light being shone on this law (because, after all, it's a law and now it has to be demonstrated to be judged as either good or bad.

So let's hope the light dims and the law, despite its pros and cons can serve to let nearly 7 million people breathe easier, knowing that if God forbid, they get sick, they don't go broke. That should be a no brainer, but it isn't because of the way the entire discussion has been framed for the last 5 years.

By the way, did you know that the House of Representatives is voting this week to limit research and discussion of possible climate change?
When do you think the Chicago Cubs will score a run?
Are you in favor of quickly coming to the aid of Ukraine with a reported one billion dollar aid package-- while cutting benefits to people at or below the poverty line, including veterans who have served their country and are in similarly tough straits?
Whose team would you play for, Usher, Shakira, Blake or Adam?
Do you have Twitter follower envy because people that talk about their boy and girl parts have 50 times as many as you?

I'm not trying to bust balls here. Sometimes the questions are endless and somebody has to at least ask them.

So, yes, today's  humstle is One Less Bell To Answer.  Thank goodness. Let's just live- how bout it?

Our Daily Dread

I'll be short today. Friday's post, detailing Sheldon Adelson creating his own primary still is leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

I came upon an article written by Terrence Heath today entitled The Billionaire's Primary for ourfuture.org.. I thought he had plagiarized my own  post but actually, he is a better writer than I and distilled the chilling and salient points of why voting in 2014 is so crucial.

I don't know why people pay particular attention to Presidential elections and sit out mid term elections, but it has been very costly.

So, in the wake of the beginning of the 2014 baseball season and all the other stuff that normal people care about, I'll just close for today with my usual wish list:

Boycott products that Charles and David Koch's companies produce and don't gamble at Shel Adelson's casinos. Make sure you're registered to vote and make sure at least one person in your immediate or remote life GETS registered. See you tomorrow.

A Pause for TheCAUSE and other things

NOW, the Shockers have to be willing to "lose" angry. It would have been a great story for them to go undefeated and win the NCAA's but there's the mystique of the "big name" programs and Kentucky found a way. So, we're down to the Sweet 16 and looming in the near future are the 2014 baseball season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If you like sports, it's not a bad time of the year by any stretch.

So, today's humstle is Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays' As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls. I can be as cheezy as anybody. It is a pretty amazing record, though.

As for music, a great event occurred Saturday night. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank holds an annual musical fundraiser known as DJAM. My dear friends, TheCAUSE headlines at this event each year. TheCAUSE are: my pals, Eric "Pappy" Weingrad, "Professor David Tauberg, Mike South and Mike "TourPro" Tony. Accompanying them are two kick ass singers, Andrea Pearl and Jill Paone Simmons**. For the second time in the past three years, the band teamed up with Steve Kimock, who just finished a lengthy tour with Bob Weir's Ratdog. They treated  a big crowd at Pittsburgh's REX Theatre to a great night and I am told, enough money was raised to feed a capacity crowd at Pittsburgh's PNC park; a remarkable achievement. I'm sure many excerpts of the show will be on You Tube shortly. Please feel free to donate to the GPCFB as you will like what you see and hear. The band is an honest and hardworking group of people who are emblematic of the Pittsburgh music scene. I'm proud to call them my friends. I think if I lived there, my dance card would be pretty full.

**P.S. Jill will sing the National Anthem on April 2nd prior to the second game of the 2014 baseball season at PNC, between the Pirates and the Cubs.

The PM of Malaysia announced that according to best evidence, that flight 370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean. Condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones. An event of this nature kept Chris Christie out of the headlines for two weeks and he can run, but especially, in his case, he can't hide. I also take note of this news, as it seems to debunk former Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Oren's contention that the plane was hijacked to Iran and was being weaponized for a possible attack on Israel. Israeli Intelligence Services have forgotten more than the rest of the world will ever know. This theory however, seemed a little over its skis. But happy will be Bill O'Reilly who just couldn't take CNN's wall to wall coverage of the event another minute.

Same sex couples can marry in Michigan---until they can't. Who got to who on that one?
The Dodgers are 2-0 and the Diamondbacks are 0-2 in "they count" ball games. The rest of baseball starts next week.

I am a new fan of HBO's VICE. It is tackling stories that most media are not and that is a very good thing. It's worth watching.
Voter supression is still alive and well. The Koch brothers are unhappy about the way they're being portrayed in the media, but their money is still pouring into battleground state's ad buys and will continue. The only difference I have as far as the Republican and Democratic parties is that for Republicans, I need more puke bags. This country needs a political upheaval in the worst way, but as long as dark money rules, it is unlikely to happen.

So, glad to be back in print after a little break. Please remember to tell Charles and David Koch no thank you when you go to potentially purchase anything they make. Catch TheCAUSE when you get a chance and if she's alive, call your mother. She worries, you know.

The Pilgrim, Chapter 33.

Nobody is satisfied with themselves. Somewhere, we got fed the bullshit that we didn't measure up to whatever it was we thought we were supposed to measure up to. So, on occasion, either to get laid or worse, get the promotion or worst of all, to get to be President, we lied about who we were and once we did, that toothpaste could never get put back in the tube.

My friend died a couple of years ago, quite suddenly, and all the arrangements were a blur. In the blur and the white noise, I never really sat down to think about our friendship. Better late than never. I attended his funeral. Funerals are weird ass, boy and I avoid them when and wherever possible. I had gone to high school with this guy and we remained close for a period of time until we didn't. then I got a phone call and heard he dropped dead in his house. I guess if you're gonna go, it's best if you're at home. All of sudden, you're sitting on the sofa watching Mark Haines on CNBC and then you're not. Of course Mark wouldn't be on the tube cause that's also what happened to him one morning a couple of years ago. 

My friend was a skater. Today a skater is a character in an Avril Lavigne song. In my time a skater was a bullshitter who always had enough BS in the tank to get where he needed to go. He glided through life, because most of his life was a lie. It got him things and accolades he needed at the time and he was generally regarded as a really funny, bright guy. That's because very few people really knew him. Well, I did and I was able to cleave him into two parts, the unbelievable proctor of prevarication and the result of his toil, which was to  use that low resolution fact, turn it into fiction and skate out the other side; a bright, funny, engaging guy-- whose stories everybody wanted to hear at parties. He knew so many people, shared time with them, flew like Icarus to the sun with them, but went into a dive before the sun burned his wings.

He got into college by the skin of his teeth, not a very good college, hell I don't think at the time it was even accredited. He caroused, skated, gambled, fucked anything with a pulse and flunked out. He came back to the neighborhood a pretty beaten down person, but no matter, he enlisted in the service and became a meat wagon driver. Actually, uh no that wasn't the case. He was a medic and after he got his discharge, he was going to go to med school and be a doctor. While he was at basic training, he traveled the area and saw lots of bands. I'm not sure how he fit it into his schedule, but when he wasn't healing the world, (or driving their soon to be dead bodies somewhere)  he was an employee of Lynard Skynard and he was even the guitar technician who tuned Rickey Medlocke's guitar before he went on stage. Even got to jam with the band onstage at some shows. Back home, we were all impressed with that. And working in an overseas military hospital! As Jed Clampett used to say, "Wheee Doggies!!!"

Well, his career took him overseas to continue his career as a doctor. He returned home a little sooner than we expected him and later in his life, found out that he had been given a general discharge instead of an undesirable discharge on account of he caught one of the guys who threatened to expose his drug dealing and prostitution ring within the hospital in bed with the commanding officer's underage daughter. Saved by the bell. Keep skating please.

Pretty good story huh? Well let's cut to his funeral, when all his friends who he broke bread with, raised money for charity with, and whose wives were his 4th wife's clients in the antique furniture business got up, one by one and eulogized him. Masters Degree from University of Michigan, guitar tech for Rickey Medlocke esteemed Vietnam veteran, man of letters, a friend in need that was a friend indeed, honorably discharged and a tireless fund raiser for charity. I sat in the audience and did my level best to keep from pissing my pants, although I was wearing my Dark Black Bill Blass suit and nobody would have seen it if I had. I politely hugged wife #4 and duly noted the passing with all his new friends. What was I going to do otherwise? What would exposing the truth have done? Who would have gained from the truth? The truth doesn't set any of us free, even though we've heard that it does.

I've told a few in my life too. We all have. And so have you. It's all right. A couple little white ones don't hurt anybody. We're all human. But we're not all running for President or Congress or hoping to get appointed to the Supreme Court and so, there, I think I'm going to kind of draw the line. I wonder if Adolph or Saddam or Putin didn't get enough hugs as a child. I do know there's a whole shitload of imposters out there.

It's St. Paddy's day and today is a day to drink a lot of beer with our friends and say a prayer that we're all still here to celebrate. I'm not sure where the great tradition came from, but on a day like today, it's always a good day to spin a few yarns. Probably some true and some----------well maybe not.

Am I recounting a true story or did I just tell a tale? Did Tony Soprano get whacked as the camera faded to black?

As always thanks for reading. Readers are Bleeders. And of cabbages and kings, they become Walmart greeters.

Actually, I have two humstles today. First is Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Free # 10. "I'm a Poet, and I know it. Hope I don't Blow It." And try on Kris Kristofferson's The Pilgrim Chapter 33. "He's A Walking Contradiction- Partly Truth and Partly Fiction."

"Children Of Abraham"

Arlo Guthrie has sung some pretty important songs in his life. Children of Abraham, written by Larry and Claire Lynch is one of them. Just about every person who enjoys music can go to a website where they can find lyrics to songs that enter the "humstle" zone.

I was reading a Newsmax feed, this morning about The Rev. Franklin Graham, who is praising Vladimir Putin's stand against homosexuality. As I always do, I continue by reading the threads of comments. Because it's Newsmax ( a Rupert Murdoch company) the opinion is pretty one sided. It almost 100% laid the blame for homosexuality on the President, you know the guy between two ferns', yeah the guy who looks terrible in Mom Jeans.

It made me think of the exercise in futility of lamenting people who don't seem to be able to think for themselves, the ones who are foursquare lined up against their own self interests... probably not in the case of homosexuality, but in an abject fear that the life they planned for so carefully is being systematically taken away from them. And it all seems to be a thug from Chicago's fault.

Just a shorty today. Please check out the lyrics of the song. They are simple but powerful. It ain't hip hop or dub step. Just simple words that maybe wouldn't hurt to enter your brain space for a short while. I better catch you while I can, because for the next two weeks it's time for college hoops and the run up to opening day baseball-- which in the midst of Crimea, Putin, a plane we can't seem to locate and a President who is in a free fall of popularity because he didn't pick easy shit to work on-- I am looking forward to this year, more than in other years. Maybe baseball is my antidote for a world that I understand less and less. Because baseball is part of MY carefully planned life.

We all need to breathe---------------------ahhhhh. That's better.

Remember the words of the day. Don't buy stuff the Koch Brothers make that you don't need.