Budget debate

Sometimes I think it might be best to take politics and mix it with the WWF...We might have stories like
BOEHNER vs. WEINER go head to head...hand to hand...and accomplish nothing.
Reid and weap for this is what is going on. The voice of the extremists in both parties has drowned out reason. The far right in the GOP ask for tax cust for the rich and the Democrats give them what they want...
Every year $100 billion in taxes is lost to offshore companies, some of these working for the Pentagon. The sum of the revenue collected by the Treasury today is just 14.8% of the GDP, the lowest in 50 years.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, writes in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that "if the Republicans have their way, the entire burden of deficit reduction will be places on the elderly, the sick, children and working families."
Which is just about where it belongs, they seem to think.
But not all of them. What is happening here is a failure of the press; which is so bad that they have been caught giving cell phones to the parents of a murdered child so as to bug their conversations. A week ago they only bugged the cell phones of murder victims, but with each passing week we hear more of the vile antics of the Murdoch Empire - from his rivals, about whom I am sure we could hear much the same.
But we do not hear about intelligent politicians such as Ron Paul who are NOT advocating tax breaks for the rich; they are not on baord with much of the media - and for this alone we ought to single them out. Why are we hearing about Bachmann's headaches and Weiner's weiner?
Because the media empires are full of, get this, RICH PEOPLE....who like to promote the politicians that help them. Here in NY the NY Times Building got indecent tax breaks...a story broken by their rival, the Daily News...why? Because they knew how to cuddle up to politicians. And these politicians in turn get publicity. And some live in fear of the press - but not Ron Paul. This is a kind of litmus test of a politician - what relationship does he or she have with the press?
Notice how little we hear about Dr Paul...yet he is one of the few who understands finance and does not support these tax breaks.
Murdoch does not seem to like him; nor does Sulzberger; or Zimmerman, or Moon, or, or, or, or....
So there.
A vote for Ron Paul is a vote against Murdoch et al. That is a powerful vote.

Citizen Murdoch and his team of politicians

It seems politicians these days are having to distance themselves from a crime suspect - Keith Murdoch, better known by his middle name of Rupert. Yesterday in Parliament, he had to answer questions after having to sell the News of the World - the kind of paper that takes a story from a illegal immigrant about how bad other illegal immigrants are but omits to notice that their source is in fact the world's largest heroin dealer...it is no loss, but to heroin dealers who have stories to sell.
Conveniently for Murdoch, the main whistleblower, who was contradicting the Murdoch line that the hacking was more or less of a one-off, ended up dead. He just 'happened' to die, and there is nothing suspicious about his death or the timing of it...so say the police who just 'happened' to check on him for some odd reason. And so, before the toxicology reports are even started on Sean Hoare, the police have cleared Citizen Murdoch. Which is really very nice, because Murdoch's staff were bribing the police right and left, and quite a few have had to step down. Maybe there are none left to investigate any more mysterious deaths in the realm?
Which is really nice also for the politicians who courted him, from Tony Blair to David Cameron. The whistleblowers die and the police quit and Murdoch can go on forcing his politicians on the public. Yesterday he seemed to be endorsing Michele Bachmann in some tired piece by a J T Young in the New York Post. Makes me wonder what criminal acts Bachmann is into to be on his good side. Hacking into 9/11 victims's phones? Paying off the police? Evidence tampering? Who knows.
It may just be a good policy to avoid any and all politicians whom Murdoch has espoused. Wipe the slate clean and get in people who do not make friends with the devil.
That is one reason to support Ron Paul. Murdoch, Sulzberger, Zuckerman and Sun Myung Moon - (Fox/NY Post; NY Times; NYDaily News; Washington Times) - do not get in bed with him - and we need independent candidates more than candidates need the press. Get out and write to your local papers and support Ron Paul, let them know you do not want Murdoch and others putting their minions in power. Just look at the meltdown that has happened in the UK - a country the US fought to get away from...now is time to fight to get away from Murdoch - and his politicians.

Michele Bachmann on drugs

In todays papers there are stories about Michele Bachmann and her drug habit, or at least her need to take three kinds to deal with her migraines, which she thinks but is not sure may come from her high heels. At least twice while on the hunt for votes she has had to stop and go for medical treatment. Imagine if there were a terrorist attack? I mean, she'd have to stop and take those drugs...or stop wearing high heels.
On the heels of this news, JT Young writes about how great she is. Rupert Murdoch gives him space in the Post to tell us how the left is terrified of her because women are going to vote for her...
He quotes statistics to show that women are 50+% of the vote, and are growing more conservative each year. This does not mean they would vote for some person who has done little in Congress and gets headaches from her shoes...and any lefty women out there would not go vote for her just because of who she is. Young does not seem to have that much experience other than a job in from 2001- 2004 when he was in the Office of Management and Budget; from 1987-2000 he was a Congressional staffer. That is all the paper said about him and all I could find on the internet - it does lead one to wonder what he did between 2004 and the present.
He asserts she is ahead of Romney in Iowa and rising in New Hampshire. If so, heaven help America. It needs a leader who is not in need of constant medical attention. Dr Paul is the man. And next time Bachmann feels that migraine coming on, she knows where to seek help.

Ron Paul's first TV ad runs in Nevada

Ron Paul Slams Debt Ceiling in ‘Conviction’ Ad that Airs in Nevada Today

The State Column | Staff | Monday, July 18, 2011

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, released his campaign’s first TV ad of the 2012 presidential race last Friday. Today, Paul’s “Conviction” TV ad will air in the State of Nevada.
Nevada is a key state for the Paul campaign, because Nevada will be the second state in the nation to hold a presidential caucus. Jesse Benton, Paul’s campaign manager, said that “Nevada is a key constituency with important and growing influence on the National political environment, and Dr. Paul plans to win the state in 2012.”
The TV ad, which was shown in New Hampshire and Iowa last week, pushes Paul as the leader of those who are opposed to the debt ceiling increase.
According to Benton, the “Conviction” TV ad demonstrates that the Texas Congressman “is the only national leader with the experience, record and credibility to stand up to the debt limit scheme, cut the spending now and save our dollar.” Benton added that Paul’s “extraordinary record of consistency in Congress, having never voted in favor of a debt limit increase, makes him the most qualified leader of such a fight.”
The TV ad, which looks like a summer movie preview, slams a potential compromise on how to offset the cost of the debt ceiling. “They did it to Reagan: a debt ceiling compromise. Democrats promising spending cuts, but delivering only tax hikes,” the narrator states. “Will our party’s leaders repeat the mistakes of the past?” the narrator asks. At the end of the TV ad, the narrator suggests that “one candidate has always been true: Ron Paul.”

Last week, Paul slammed Mitch McConnell’s debt ceiling plan in an email to his supporters. Paul called McConnell’s debt ceiling plan a proposal with “no real spending cuts.” McConnell’s debt ceiling plan would give Obama the authority to raise the debt ceiling, while stopping short of forcing Obama to enact spending cuts. In his email, Paul argued that McConnell’s plan, if it passes, will have “handed yet more power over to the Executive Branch.”

On Tuesday of last week, Paul announced that he won’t seek the re-election of his House seat in 2012. Instead, Paul plans to focus all of his energy on the 2012 presidential race.

Read more: http://www.thestatecolumn.com/capitol/ron-paul-slams-debt-ceiling-in-conviction-ad-that-airs-in-nevada-today/#ixzz1ST0q9gms

Federal Election Results for the candidates

The NYT yesterday published the FE results for the leading candidates, with Huntsman and McCotter (McWHo?) nor required to file this quarter.
So far, Obama has $46.3 million raised, with $11.1 spent in 2nd quarter.
Then it's Romney: $18.4/$5.7; Paul: $4.5/$1.6; Pawlenty: $4.3/$2.5: Bachmann: $3.4/$0.3
Cain: $2.6/$2.1: Gingrich: $2.1/$1.8: Santorum: $0.6/$0.4: Johnson: $0.2/$0.2

It shows a candidate pacing wisely, not having to spend all his ammunition to get name recognition.
Big business seems to like Romney and Obama more, both of whom have received in general much larger donations on average, thus their large war chests do not reflect more supporters.

This shows something about the amount of support, of course, but also about the way a candidate spends -
Paul's 2nd quarter spending is about 32.5% - compared to others of 100% or nearly that.

Here are some of Dr Ron Paul's comments on record about hemp, marijuana and drug laws...he is way ahead of Obama or any of the other Democrats on these. That is why VOTE HEMP and NORML are behind him, even if he is GOP...the other GOP candidates do not have a chance at getting these and other Green/Progressive votes. One of the many reasons why he is the only electable GOP candidate.

What candidate is behind both hemp and legal marijuana? Certainly not Obama...and certainly not most of the GOP line up - but Dr Ron Paul, who is a GOP Congressman, is the best man for the job...hard to believe, but then again, he did run as a libertarian (1988).

So I thought I'd post his record on such issues as hemp, marijuana and the drug wars along with his ratings from NORML and VOTEHEMP...

 

Dr Ron Paul believes in the legalization of industrial hemp. Paul supported HR 3037 to amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana. This bill would have given the states the power to regulate farming of hemp. The measure would be a first since the national prohibition of industrial hemp farming in the United States. He favors the legalization of marijuana.
Source: SourceWatch.org Jan 22, 2007

Drug War fosters violence at home & breeds resentment abroad For the first 140 years of our history, we had essentially no federal war on drugs, and far fewer problems with drug addiction and related crimes as a consequence. In the past 30 years, even with the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on the drug war, little good has come of it. We have vacillated from efforts to stop the drugs at the source to severely punishing the users, yet nothing has improved.
The drug war encourages violence. Government violence against nonviolent users is notorious and has led to the unnecessary prison overpopulation. Innocent taxpayers are forced to pay for all this so-called justice. Our drug eradication project (using spraying) around the world, from Colombia to Afghanistan, breeds resentment because normal crops and good land can be severely damaged. Local populations perceive that the efforts and the profiteering remain somehow beneficial to our own agenda in these various countries.
Source: House speech, in Foreign Policy of Freedom, p.159-160 Oct 25, 2001


Voted NO on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests. Drug Demand Reduction Act: Vote on an amendment to require that anyone hired by the Federal Government is subject to random, unannounced drug testing.
Reference: Amendment by Taylor, D-MS; bill by Portman, R-OH.; Bill HR 4550 ; vote number 1998-443 on Sep 16, 1998

War on Drugs has abused Bill of Rights .Paul adopted the Republican Liberty Caucus Position Statement:
As adopted by the General Membership of the Republican Liberty Caucus at its Biannual Meeting held December 8, 2000.
WHEREAS libertarian Republicans believe in limited government, individual freedom and personal responsibility;
WHEREAS we believe that government has no money nor power not derived from the consent of the people;
WHEREAS we believe that people have the right to keep the fruits of their labor; and
WHEREAS we believe in upholding the US Constitution as the supreme law of the land;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Republican Liberty Caucus endorses the following [among its] principles:
While recognizing the harm that drug abuse causes society, we also recognize that government drug policy has been ineffective and has led to frightening abuses of the Bill of Rights which could affect the personal freedom of any American. We, therefore, support alternatives to the War on Drugs.
Per the tenth amendment to the US Constitution, matters such as drugs should be handled at the state or personal level.
All laws which give license to violate the Bill of Rights should be repealed.
Source: Republican Liberty Caucus Position Statement 00-RLC13 on Dec 8, 2000

Legalize medical marijuana. Paul co-sponsored the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana
Title: To provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various States. Summary: Transfers marijuana from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to schedule II of such Act. Declares that, in a State in which marijuana may be prescribed or recommended by a physician for medical use under applicable State law, no provision of the Controlled Substances Act shall prohibit or otherwise restrict:
the prescription or recommendation of marijuana by a physician for medical use;
an individual from obtaining and using marijuana from a physician's prescription or recommendation of marijuana for medical use; or
a pharmacy from obtaining and holding marijuana for the prescription or recommendation of marijuana by a physician for medical use under applicable State law.
Prohibits any provision of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act from prohibiting or restricting a State entity from producing or distributing marijuana for the purpose of its distribution for prescription or recommendation by a physician in a State in which marijuana may be prescribed by a physician for medical use.
Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR2592 on Jul 23, 2001

Rated A by VOTE-HEMP, indicating a pro-hemp voting record.Paul scores A by VOTE-HEMP on pro-hemp legalization policies
VOTE HEMP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and free market for Industrial Hemp. Industrial Hemp is non-psychoactive low THC varieties of the cannabis sativa plant. Currently, it is illegal for U.S. farmers to grow Industrial Hemp because it is improperly classified as a "drug" under the Controlled Substances Act. Since changes in law require shifts in thinking and this requires education in the facts, our primary goal is the education of legislators and regulators, farmers and businesses, students and other concerned citizens.
Source: VOTE-HEMP website 02n-HEMP on Dec 31, 2003

Rated +30 by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance.Paul scores +30 by the NORML on drug reform
OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2006 NORML scores as follows:
-30 to -10: "hard-on-drugs" stance (approx. 228 members)
-9 to +9: mixed record on drug reform (approx. 37 members)
+10 to +30: pro-drug-reform stance (approx. 109 members)About NORML (from their website, www.norml.org):
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.
NORML is a nonprofit, public-interest lobby that for more than 30 years has provided a voice for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. We represent the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly and believe the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana should no longer be a crime.
NORML supports the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession & responsible use of marijuana by adults, including the cultivation for personal use, and the casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This model is called "decriminalization."
NORML additionally supports the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could purchase it from a safe, legal and regulated source. This model is referred to as "legalization."
NORML believes that marijuana smoking is not for kids and should only be used responsibly by adults. As with alcohol consumption, it must never be an excuse for misconduct or other bad behavior. Driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited.
NORML strongly supports the right of patients to use marijuana as a medicine when their physician recommends it to relieve pain and suffering.
Lastly, NORML supports the right of farmers to commercially cultivate hemp for industrial purposes, such as food and fiber production.
Source: NORML website 06n-NORML on Dec 31, 2006

Pawlenty vs. Bachmann

Pawlenty is starting to trail in the polls, but he has managed to get back in the media spotlight - by blasting Bachmann. He claims she did absolutely nothing in Congress. Both are from Minnesota, not a state known for sending people to the Oval Office.
Bachmann is now neck and neck with front-runner Romney in the polls.
But the election itself is light years away in political years...lots to transpire till then.
Here in New York there is an unusual election, to replace Anthony, as in Weiner...The Dems want David Weprin to replace him after he had to quit in disgrace - and this being NY, my bet in on Weprin...GOP Congressmen here are hen's teeth.
But the former mayor, Ed Koch, wants a GOP man - as a way to rebuke Obama for his stance on Israel. So Bob Turner may stand a chance, but I still would not put money on it.
However, it says something about the 2012 elections; Jews may well not vote for Obama for a number of reasons, they may well back the GOP, but only if the GOP candidate is convincing. Last time they did not vote for McCain - who seemed to have amnesia - and Palin, who does not go over well with an educated crowd.
Ron Paul is a strong choice - especially among those who remember his lone pro-Israel stand in 1981, if my own memory serves correct - when the GOP denounced Israel and he said it was a sovereign nation that had the right to defend itself. He also points out that the US gives the Arabs four times as much money than it gives Israel, and he is right. I would not be surprised if Ed Koch would support him. Pawlenty, or Bachmann, I cannot see them getting much enthusiasm among the Jewish voters.  Or the Latin, African-American voters either, they may well be restricted to the core GOP voter base which is not enough to ensure a regime change here.