Happy March 1st Universe. I have two weeks to go before I will know one way or the other if I am going to be laid off again. March 15th is the drop dead date for mailing out notices in my school district and, if I can make it to the 16th, I can't legally be laid off. That doesn't mean it can't happen but that it can't happen legally.
I'm hopeful that the stimulus package passing in Washington will help defray some of the deeper cuts being proposed locally. But my district supposedly needs to cut some $17 million from its budget, around 10%, after cutting 10% last year.
How in the hell are we supposed to educate our children when education funding is cut year after year?
Ironically, I'm also supposed to have a review soon which will probably see me get a raise, just in time to get laid off.
Send me your good vibes around the 15th, no whammies, 'kay?
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economy. Show all posts
3.01.2009
1.27.2009
The Daily Show Bailout Plan
I know that The Daily Show isn't supposed to be serious and I'm not supposed to take things I hear on the show seriously. But.....in interviewing Gwen Ifill, Jon Stewart laid out what I actually really and truly think is a better bailout plan.
Instead of giving the banks $800 billion why not give that money to the American people to be used to pay off mortgages and credit debt?
I'm sure someone with a firmer grasp of economics could poke big man-sized holes in this idea but, on the face of it, it sounds pretty damned good to me. It would kickstart the economy like nobody's business, the banks would get a huge influx of money, Americans would pay off their debts, the economy would slam from idle to fourth gear almost overnight.
Can someone explain why this wouldn't work?
And if it would work then can someone pitch the idea to Obama? Unlike the last guy, Obama seems to actually give a damn about ideas that other people come up with.
Instead of giving the banks $800 billion why not give that money to the American people to be used to pay off mortgages and credit debt?
I'm sure someone with a firmer grasp of economics could poke big man-sized holes in this idea but, on the face of it, it sounds pretty damned good to me. It would kickstart the economy like nobody's business, the banks would get a huge influx of money, Americans would pay off their debts, the economy would slam from idle to fourth gear almost overnight.
Can someone explain why this wouldn't work?
And if it would work then can someone pitch the idea to Obama? Unlike the last guy, Obama seems to actually give a damn about ideas that other people come up with.
9.25.2008
Trying to Delay the Foreign Policy Mega Final
In a bold move intended to delay the inevitable defrocking of Sarah Palin, the McCain campaign has asked to delay the election campaign because of the economic crisis. This comes fast on the heels of McCain declaring the economy is sound. I guess he must have gotten to the chapter in Greenspan's book where he discusses major financial institutional failure and the repercussions something like that might have.
There is a chance that McCain is genuinely worried about this crisis, no, not on a personal level, he's still rich as sin. But there's also a chance I might fart a living canary, not much of one but there's a chance.
A delay would give Sarah Palin another couple of days to cram for her foreign policy parrot act. What? You didn't think she was actually learning anything, did you? She's basically prepping for an acting role and working hard to memorize her lines as best she can.
The numbers are sliding off of McCain and he's grasping at straws to try and regain some of that juice that announcing Sarah Palin gave his limp and sagging campaign. The only thing is that she's provided almost nothing of substance and came with a closet stuffed full of skeletons and idiotic actions and statements.
The more America learns about Sarah Palin, the less electable she and Grumpa appear. And that's just fine by me.
McCain wants to cancel debates because he doesn't want to be exposed for having no discernable differences between his policies and those of George W. Bush, the same policies that have led this nation into the economic abyss. Of course, he wants to cancel or delay the debates, nobody likes being exposed for being nothing but the same as we've already had, especially given the public and ugly damage those policies have wrought.
There is a chance that McCain is genuinely worried about this crisis, no, not on a personal level, he's still rich as sin. But there's also a chance I might fart a living canary, not much of one but there's a chance.
A delay would give Sarah Palin another couple of days to cram for her foreign policy parrot act. What? You didn't think she was actually learning anything, did you? She's basically prepping for an acting role and working hard to memorize her lines as best she can.
The numbers are sliding off of McCain and he's grasping at straws to try and regain some of that juice that announcing Sarah Palin gave his limp and sagging campaign. The only thing is that she's provided almost nothing of substance and came with a closet stuffed full of skeletons and idiotic actions and statements.
The more America learns about Sarah Palin, the less electable she and Grumpa appear. And that's just fine by me.
McCain wants to cancel debates because he doesn't want to be exposed for having no discernable differences between his policies and those of George W. Bush, the same policies that have led this nation into the economic abyss. Of course, he wants to cancel or delay the debates, nobody likes being exposed for being nothing but the same as we've already had, especially given the public and ugly damage those policies have wrought.
4.01.2008
A Perfect Storm for Profit
I heard a short news blurb about Congress Grilling Oil Execs on High Prices and "asking tough questions" about gas prices and profits and tax breaks.
The thing is, expecting oil companies to voluntarily give up profits and tax breaks is utterly insane. They will milk that teat for absolutely as long as possible and won't be removed without much kicking and screaming despite the fact that the baby in this example is 50 years old and a multi-billionaire.
The first order of business for a non-oil-addicted-buffoon president should be to remove the tax breaks immediately. These companies are making record profit after record profit in successive quarters, there is simply no argument for continuing to support them. They make more money than the majority of countries on our planet.
Second, gas prices should also fluctuate to the lower side as well instead of the never-ending climb up towards $4 and more a gallon.
Third, I want a politician to stand up and point the finger (you choose which one) at the oil execs and call them on their position, force them to admit they are raping America and Americans in the name of stockholder profits. While families are being forced to make the choice between gas for the car and dinner for the kids.
There is just no reasonable and valid argument for a company making record profits each quarter to be getting handouts or breaks from the government. None. Because unfettered greed is not a valid argument. It is, to quote some gaming pals, an epic fail.
The combination of an oil-baby-fool for a president (who's family has been in bed with the Saudi's for decades), the war in Iraq cutting world oil supplies, tax breaks and ever-rising gas costs is a recipe for revolution in the streets and oil executives heads jammed on pikes. That they have the audacity to try and say their profits are reasonable is disgusting and, quite simply, wrong.
The thing is, expecting oil companies to voluntarily give up profits and tax breaks is utterly insane. They will milk that teat for absolutely as long as possible and won't be removed without much kicking and screaming despite the fact that the baby in this example is 50 years old and a multi-billionaire.
The first order of business for a non-oil-addicted-buffoon president should be to remove the tax breaks immediately. These companies are making record profit after record profit in successive quarters, there is simply no argument for continuing to support them. They make more money than the majority of countries on our planet.
Second, gas prices should also fluctuate to the lower side as well instead of the never-ending climb up towards $4 and more a gallon.
Third, I want a politician to stand up and point the finger (you choose which one) at the oil execs and call them on their position, force them to admit they are raping America and Americans in the name of stockholder profits. While families are being forced to make the choice between gas for the car and dinner for the kids.
There is just no reasonable and valid argument for a company making record profits each quarter to be getting handouts or breaks from the government. None. Because unfettered greed is not a valid argument. It is, to quote some gaming pals, an epic fail.
The combination of an oil-baby-fool for a president (who's family has been in bed with the Saudi's for decades), the war in Iraq cutting world oil supplies, tax breaks and ever-rising gas costs is a recipe for revolution in the streets and oil executives heads jammed on pikes. That they have the audacity to try and say their profits are reasonable is disgusting and, quite simply, wrong.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)