Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps, for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be. – William Hazlitt
20 Jan 2009 No Comments
in Politics Tags: Inauguration, Obama, Politics, President
No, you will not solve all of our problems. But you make us want to try and say that you’ll support us and… well, that’s more than we’ve been able to say in a long time.
Welcome Mr. President, we’ve been waiting. Enjoy your day today, because tomorrow this country will forget it’s good will and turn back to its bitter, divisive ways. Be the better person this country needs.
05 Nov 2008 No Comments
in Politics, Web Tags: election, Obama, Politics
I also find it telling that I found out watching a comedy television show while monitoring the election on the major networks’ websites.
27 Oct 2008 No Comments
in Politics Tags: Ann Arbor, dutch, election, endorsement, plaatsvervangende schaamte, Politics
I would to introduce you to one of my favorite Dutch phrases: plaatsvervangende schaamte. Here’s how to pronounce it (no, that’s not me).
So, what does plaatsvervangende schaamte mean (if you haven’t clicked that link above)? It means “place exchanging shame”, or, the shame I feel because you aren’t ashamed of what you’re doing. You know, like when you’re friend is singing terribly but thinks they sound like a pop star?
Or, say, when you’re the biggest newspaper in the most liberal town in the state, and you can’t even find your dignity to choose a candidate to endorse for one of the more important Presenidential races in history. Yet that’s what I feel today for the editorial board at the Ann Arbor News.
Granted, this is the paper that twice endorsed George W. Bush. But, today less than 2 weeks before the election, the AA News endorsed… no one. In 816 words they managed spit out every Republican talking point, most of the Democratic points, a smear or two, and still say absolutely nothing.
As one commenter put it, this is the “coward’s way out”, which indeed it is. We haven’t subscribed to the News in many years and I see there’s no reason to give them another look. What a waste of an opportunity and potential.
Plaatsvervangende schaamte.
19 Sep 2008 2 Comments
in Science Tags: insightful, Politics, psychology, self-examination, TED
18 minutes you must watch. Whatever your political leanings, this examination of how the mind works is both fascinating and insightful, especially given the political climate we all find ourselves in.
Remember, every politician plays against the types of predilections Jonathan Haidt talks about here. It’s not a partisan issue to know how you’re being played.
And check out other TED talks; it’s really cool to see what other people are thinking about. TED is also available as a free video podcast on iTunes; highly recommended.
16 Sep 2008 No Comments
in Politics, Signs of the Horsemen Tags: election, McCain, Obama, Politics
Too lazy to research candidates for the Presidency on your own? Then let a Flash cartoon from ABC News help you out. In 20 or so questions, a cartoon that lets you choose between quotes from the candidates will animate the way to your deicision for who to vote for as we decide the leader of the free world.
Or, yah know, you could read up on them. Just a thought.
10 Sep 2008 No Comments
in Politics Tags: election, McCain, Obama, Politics, taxes
Taxes. We all pay ‘em and we all hate ‘em. Both candidate have set forth their tax plans should they be elected. The Tax Policy Center, a non-partisan think tank, crunched both campaigns’ numbers. Business Week (hardly a lefty publication), has the details.
Len Burman, a former Treasury tax official who is now a senior fellow at the Urban Institute [ed. part of the Tax Policy Center], says if Obama’s proposals—which include plans to rescind the Bush tax cuts on couples making more than $250,000, close corporate tax loopholes, and tax private equity earnings known as “carried interest” as ordinary income—were adopted in 2009, for example, married couples with earnings in the lowest quintile of the population would see their aftertax income rise 5.8%. Those in the next quintile would see an increase of 4%. Those breaks would be paid for by those with high incomes: the top 1% of taxpayers would see aftertax income fall 8.4%.
Under McCain’s proposals, by contrast—including an extension of the Bush tax cuts for all taxpayers, a corporate tax cut, and a larger reduction in estate taxes than Obama would support—far more of the benefits would go to the top. If his plans went into effect in 2009, married couples in the bottom fifth of the population would see aftertax income go up just 0.2%, while those in the next quintile would see a 0.7% hike. But those in the top quintile would see a bump up in aftertax income of 2.7%.
And the middle class? Yeah, we all get a 0.7% increase with McCain and a 4% increase under Obama.
And how about that deficit the Bush administration is leaving us?
[Under Obama] those moves would bring an estimated additional $734 billion to the Treasury over 10 years.
…
… McCain’s combined proposals would slash tax revenues by an estimated $253 billion over the 10-year period.
Brilliant. An income increase for the richest of the rich and no meaures to increase revenue to the Treasury. Of course, as the article points out, this is all based on their plans being implemented as promised, which rarely happens. So what’s the value in this kind of analysis?
“It gives us some sense of their view,” says Burman.
Exactly. And that view is pretty telling.
08 Sep 2008 No Comments
in Politics Tags: election, Politics
Good read for those who couldn’t care less about race and gender.
Part 1: Examining key differences between Obama and McCain — Newsday.com.
04 Sep 2008 No Comments
in Politics Tags: elections, Politics, Republicans, talking heads
This piece speeks for itself.
04 Sep 2008 No Comments
in Politics Tags: Detroit, Kwame, Politics
It’s over.
The deal calls for Kilpatrick to plead guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice by committing perjury, agreeing to serve four months in jail, pay up to $1 million in restitution, and serve five years’ probation. He also agreed not to run for office during that five-year span.
The mayor will turn over his state pension to the City of Detroit, which paid $8.4 million to settle two whistle-blower lawsuits three former cops filed against the city.
…
In a rushed monotone, Kilpatrick told the court: “I lied under oath in the case of Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope versus the city of Detroit … I did so with the intent to mislead the court and jury, to impede and obstruct the disposition of justice.”
I’m watching him consent to the plea deal as I type this. Now, it’s up to City Council to get their act together.
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