Goodbye to the Flying Brick.. You served us well

“Going on a jet plane don’t know when I’ll be back again”

Not sure if that’s how that little ditty goes but if you are a fan of the NASA Shuttle program I’m sure many of you are singing it with hopes that President “O” was on that fictional plane.

That might be because those misguided hopefuls are misinformed about who killed the NASA manned space program.

Contrary to many beliefs, blogs, conspiracy theorists and Charles Krauthammer, it was not President “O” who killed the NASA Shuttle program, it was mismanagement by NASA and Congress. The only thing President “O” did was cut the dream of President “W’s” Constellation program to return to the Moon by 2020. There’s a huge difference there.

It only 5 years ago that then Administrator Michael Griffins had warned Congress that stretching the NASA Shuttle program was highly dangerous as the orbiters were wearing down. Remember people, by this time we were told the International Space Station was to be 6xs the size it currently is with malls and mini golf courses or at least something resembling the movie 2001:Space Odyssey and a more efficient Shuttle was to have been flying above taking us to the stars.

Congress had frozen all NASA budgets for the past 5 years, decreased by as much as $276 million annually. 2012’s budget got a slight increase to $18.5 billion, but the majority of that was for running the Shuttle program further than anticipated.

It costs $450 million for each Shuttle launch, so everyone break out your calculators and do the math from the budget and why there’s an average 4 launches yearly.

The Shuttle replacement is not due till 2014, if we’re lucky, we might see it by 2018. The idea of flying on Russian rockets is rather ironic considering that we not only beat the Russians in the Space, but just about everything sold in America is now of a foreign manufacturer.
Think about where the2012 Cadillac CTS built, more than likely, you wouldn’t think Singapore. How about that 2012 Buick Regal? That’s right, built in China. So as you complain about how American astronauts are getting into space, think about how you get to work, was it “Made in America?”

The Russians have been offering space flights to civilians for years, at a high cost. It was the American pipe dream to commercialize space and orbit. To fly people around the world, skipping across the atmosphere or docking on a Space station for a Disney vacation.
So now, because of our own Orbital Ignorance, we stalled those dreams and now will chip in $55 million a seat to ride along a Russian Soyuz rocket into space.

We can’t blame a President or any president for the demise of the NASA Shuttle program. We can blame government as a whole for its breakdown. As a matter of fact, we can blame ourselves as well.
When our space program began, everyone wanted to see Buck Rogers or Duck Dodgers. We fell in love with the newest American heroes of Glenn, Carpenter, Grisham, etc. They were our new warriors to battle in a new frontier against a common enemy. No wanted to live under a “Communist Moon.”

As years rolled by, and mission after mission took us further into space and eventually the Moon, the American audience lost interest in the destination of venture. The Moon again? Seriously, can we go somewhere else this time, like Mars?

Movies like Star Wars help regain interest in Space exploration. Little kids dreamed of Jawas and Death Stars, but fantasy could only take young minds so far. Just as our interests waned away from the powerful rockets that shock the Floridian earth, the true space machine arrived, the Shuttle.

Thoughts of landing strips on the Moon, cool lunar hovercrafts and vapor farms began to the thrill American mind again.

The Shuttle is a big beautiful complex machine. Robotic arms, satellites rolling out of the cargo bays, jetpacks to maneuver around space and so on kept kids interested in Space. But that was it, the notion of passenger Shuttles faded within three years.

As sad in saying it, it takes a tragedy for people to gain interest in many topics. Challenger’s demise brought Americans back to Earth. And we waited for a return.

When that return happened, the Media and fans camped out for weeks in advance to see American glory thunder to the heavens. And once again, our interest faded after a few more flights.

Seriously, how many experiments of the effects of weightlessness on Frog sperm can we endure?

Sure people will blame President “O” for more job loss when it is not needed, but isn’t that the case for all those against government waste and being of fiscal mind?

At its height during the time of Apollo NASA employed some 36,000 people from Florida, Texas and across the Western states. Now, NASA has around 18,000 people and has roughly 60 contracts. Of those numbers about 65% are dedicated to the Shuttle program and now that number will dwindle down further after April 29.

As we talk about government needing restructured, NASA is most definitely one of the sections to start. Some of our countries greatest minds are holes up in some coffee stained cubicle when they could be moved over to the Department of Energy to design the much needed reconstruction of the North East power grid. Remember the power grid that shut down half the North East about 6 or 7 years ago due to a summer heat blast that had people running air conditioners at 60 degrees.

The power grid that President “W” said needed to immediate repair and never touched and the same power grid President “O” said that projects in his Recovery Act should be worked on, and then lost in the shuffle.
How about moving some of those engineers and scientists over to National Transportation division and have them create a better asphalt mixture for Pennsylvania roads so potholes become obsolete.

How many critics are going to complain Friday, when they see President “O” and family standing nearby with Rep Gabrielle Gifford’s’ at Cape Canaveral watching her husband Capt Kelly fly the final Space shuttle mission into heavens? How many will complain about the job loss to that industry and the towns that depend on NASA’s wages?

Probably zero, because the Media will be busy drooling over the Royal Wedding and its participants.

What happened to America and its love for what was once considered the greatest achievement to mankind? Never mind, as Clint Eastwood said in the movie Space Cowboys “It’s just a flying brick anyway.”

What a tabloid news world we live in

What a tabloid news world we live in

About 6 weeks ago, our Media outlets declared that the 2012 Presidential campaign as “Game On.” Each outlet designating some poor slouch to follow these would be contenders around the country, from Iowa to New Hampshire. Sad thing is, there’s really nothing to report other than how boring the candidates are.

Then the promo whore himself, Donald Trump has decided he wants the Media attention. Seriously, is there anyone that loves themselves more than Trump?

Trump’s appeal is still mind numbing to me on 2012. He is everything many are against in a candidate; arrogant, demeaning, egotistical, etc. His own personal facts are skewed by himself when he speaks.

So now Trump takes the credit for President “O” finally releasing his “long form” birth certificate, but what else does Trump have to offer the American public except a bad hair day not seen since Martin van Buren?

Seriously, the ”birther“ notion was something for conspiracy theorist to cling to and now they need a new “whoobie” to grasp too. What will be next “Well it took that long to find a good forger.”

In this day and age, it’s easy for anyone running for President to have a parent that is from outside the United States. As long as one parent is from here and the child is born here, that person can be President.

I give the retreads, err I mean 2012 hopefuls credit for moving away from the “birther” notion, including Rep Michelle Bachman, whom once was of a “birther” stance.

President “O” is correct when saying “we have far more important issues then to worry about a birth certificate.” I blame President “O” for playing the game with it for so long. Irritating lunatics like Orly Taitz and other conspiracy theorists.

What led to the release was simple Tabloid exposure.

With the Media adoring Trump to god-like spectacle, it was easy for the Tabloid mentality to take over. Everyone wants a piece, they want the "What will he say next?" moment caught on their cameras. It's a pathetic sight for our Media, but then again they still follow Charlie Sheen.

Trump offers nothing but ratings to the Media outlets. There's no substance in what he says. Everyone will find this out within a week or two when he has nothing new to opin about.

Why would he want to go after the Chinese, when he recieves so much from them in cheap product.

In September 2010, during an interview on CNBC, he stated "I ordered windows, thousands of windows the other day; they’re made in China." Why? Because he said he couldn't find an American window producer.

And what about Trump's clothes? He's not manufacturing them in the United States. Nope, Communist China manufactures the "Donald J. Trump Signature Collection" of suits and ties.

Trump's corporations have filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice, once in 2000 and then again in 2005. All the while, Trump still collected a yearly $2 million paycheck.

So in the 8 years George W Bush was President, Donald Trump's corporation went under for re-organization. And the majority of his corporation is Casino operations.

Oh wait, there's another listing on Feb 17, 2009 of another billion dollar bankruptcy from dear Donald.

The man is no more then a modern day snake oil salesmen and Americans are buying every drop of it.

It's time for what is left of a real Media outlet to investigate Donald Trump. Let's go deep into his foreign business practices. Let's go deep into his schooling. Let's go deep underneath that nasty hairpiece.

Hey the Tabloid Media of FOX, CNN, MSNBC and such are thriving on him, why not go further. What are you afraid of?

OH, sorry just got the memo. Our Media states they'll do they job as soon as they are done drooling over the wedding of Prince William and Kate!

God we love royalty, we even make our own out of has-been bankrupt reality stars. Tabloid Media, gotta love it

Status quo with a new face, what a waste

Status quo with a new face, what a waste

Hmm, I guess the Tea Party members took their phones off the hook the past tax weekend, for so many never answered their “Booty Call” to show up in a city park or in Washington DC for their annual plight to stop big government spending.

Or maybe, many realized that they are being used, for their rallies have not changed the Congressional environment of status quo politics we’ve endured for centuries.

Where were their faithful leaders that gave them marching orders in 2009 & 2010? Speaking from their overpriced soapboxes and pleading that you spend your hard earned money to travel to Washington DC.

Nothing sounds like a good protest rally like riding in a cramped bus next to some sweaty fat guy for a few hours, then walking a few miles to stand around in the sun or rain and listen to speaker after squawking speaker bemoan our government leaders. Only to have to ride back with that same sweaty fat guy who just ate five tacos before boarding the bus. Meanwhile those faithful leaders just cashed in on your money and well, you helped the tourism profit in Washington DC as well.

Where were the leaders of the Tea Party? You know those that sat in front of open microphones or empty cameras and pleaded for all to rally for their country.

Let’s see, the "Oracle" Glenn Beck was in Albany, New York working on his new after FOX News life with a comedy routine. Also, Beck was counting his $3.75 million sale of his Connecticut mansion that he just sold for $250k under market value. But hey, you Tea Party members don’t fret, I think Beck can afford that hit, after all, you guys helped him build his $30 million empire of conspiracy theory and political evangelical prominent voice.

The other majority of band leaders, outside of the Koch Brothers and Dick Army, were gathered around the country at small rallies.

Wait did I say small, how about microscopic rallies compared to the last two years. Seriously, places like Pittsburgh, Columbia, Cleveland, and so on, all counted an average 1,500 tea party revelers in 2009 & 2010, only to see those numbers dwindle down to average around 200 in 2011.

I have to give half term Governor Sarah Palin credit for getting close to 6,000 Tea Party supporters in attendance up in Madison, Wisconsin. Although some of the 6,000 counted were anti-Tea Party protestors, but hey, it all counts, right?

Shocked I am, yes shocked. No, not really because I expected as much.

So how’s that “Change the Status Quo” mantra going for you guys since the November elections? Not too well I bet. The scary thing about it, I think you guys finally figured out you were played.

Those that you helped get elected back in November are not living up to expectations. Whether it was a Republican or Tea Party member or someone using the Tea Party name in vain, they were all Republican, for it was the Grand Old Party's big business money that helped push them along.

Look at Maine’s new Governor, he gave his daughter a government position with a high salary and perks with no political or government experiences. Come on spell it out N-E-P-O-T-I-S-M. Good job.

And everyone’s current favorite Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, gave a job to a high dollar donator’s son in the EPA. No college degree, actually not even a G.E.D., but he received perks and $87k salary.

Congressional Republicans said that their #1 priority was the economy and well, so far they have failed. They let Paul Ryan take the point on the Budget Committee and they don’t even back his ideas.

And face it Tea Party members, you now have more in common with the Democrats then the Republicans.

Both Democrats and Tea Party members want extensive Military spending cuts, actually those in the Tea Party want twice as much as the Democrats but the Republicans want zero cuts.

And if you believe in the recent polls, Tea Party members do not want changes to their Medicare, neither do the Democrats. Republicans want a drastic change, to which the wealthier recipients will pay the same if not more but expect to get less for the money, and the poorer recipients will get more. A redistribution of Health one could say.

I know many of you that weekend attended the Ayn Rand's movie “Atlas Shrugged part 1.” $1.7 million over the weekend as it showed in over 300 theatres, that’s about 212,000+ in attendance over the weekend. Just about equal to the numbers that went to the steps of the Capital Building in 2009 (depending on who you believe counted heads that day.)

So what happened? Don’t give the motto “We’re reloading for 2012” because that’s as bogus a statement as Glenn Beck calling Mike Huckabee a “Progressive.”

I think many of you really figured it out. You were the Political “Booty Call” for the big business behind the Tea Party.

How many of you realize that your "hard earned" donations to Dick Army's FreedomWorks and the Koch Brothers' Americans for Prosperity is helping pay for the lobbyists of big oil, big pharma, and other industries that do not pay a dime in taxes!

These companies that are lobbying for more tax breaks and credits, yet are not creating jobs here in the United States.

Maybe it's time for the Tea Party to rebrand itself and go after the big corporate interests that have always been behind you.

Or just play dumb for the time being and wait for that rally "Booty Call" for April 15, 2012.

Afterall, you are just another tentacle of the Republican Party, you're just to blinded by love of the Media and political attention to see.

I am not a “Gang of Six” well ........

I am not a “Gang of Six” well maybe a “Gang of Six Packs” however Ithink I can figured out how to strike $5 trillion from our federal budget within 10 minutes.

President Obama convened a 15 member National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, led by Erskine Bowles & Alan Simpson. They came up with ways to strike $4 trillion off the deficit. Their plan even covered Social Security. GOP Representative Paul Ryan was on that committee and voted against their conclusion, as a matter of fact many did not vote for the Bowles-Simpson plan.

A few months later, Budget Committee Chairman, Rep. Paul Ryan created his own Fiscal Budget Plan and his idea tells us he can strike $6 trillion off the deficit. Ryan’s plan depends more on repeal of President Obama’s Health Care plan and another tax cut for the richest of the rich, down to 25%. There is much scrutiny in his plan and it took Democrats to help push Ryan's plan through the House, because his own party had no faith in it.

So now we're back to square one and President Obama has decided to awaken VP Joe “Nappy Time” Biden to lead a new 15 member council. Only 6 members of Congress signed up; 4 Democrats and 2 Republicans (including House GOP Leader Eric Cantor).

Now since the 2008 election, GOP have said "we need to go back to pre 2008 spending" which is nice, however even that spending was out of control prior to 2008. And all the promises made in the GOP’s “Pledge to America” have before 2010 election, has fallen flat. Where are the jobs they promised to create? What about that $100 Billion spending cut promise?

That turned into a paltry $38 billion to complete this fiscal year.

Many on the GOP have a love affair with pre-2008 spending, but both wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were off the books until 2008, so how much were we really spending prior to 2008? No one really knows because the Congressional books aren't correct. I think we need to get a "bookie" in there, at least they know how to work the books.

But I have heard other GOP members call for a return to 1998 spending and I say let's do it. So let’s turn everything back to 1998 for the next 5 years.

Let's return to the Clinton administration tax levels of 39% for all. Why since we're paying 36% now? Simple, the Bush tax cuts have not done what they were supposed to do; create jobs, help small business form, and put extra cash in the pockets of consumers. If we get rid of the Bush tax cuts, that's close to $1 trillion back in the Treasury every year.

Or even raise taxes on those making less than $2 million yearly from 36% to 37% and raise the rest from 36% to 38%. That can still bring in $500 billion.

We can use Ryan's plan on Medicare changes however the voucher has got to be more than $15k. Ryan's voucher system only rises at 2.1% yearly, however health costs rise at 3% yearly, so the voucher must be raised to at least $25k, because for some of our senior citizens, that $15k will be gone in 4 months. Should we start rationing their health care?

OK, so we did taxes and Medicare now let’s start on Social Security.

We are living longer nowadays, better foods, more vitamins and so on, so the age has got to go up to at least 72. Most seniors are still working till their 80's anyway and they are still paying into the SSI and Medicare tax. And let's get rid of the Nixon era law that once you become eligible for SSI, you get it automatically. No offense to those immigrants that just got their citizenship, but if 80 yr old Grandpa Joe just became a citizen and has not held a job, his family has got to step up. Sounds mean but this is a real burden on the Social Security.

So raise the age limit and raise the tax by a 0.25% and things start rolling. I do not believe in privatizing Social Security for the fact that it will grow the Federal Government even more and Social Security becomes a Government 4o1k system in the stock market and your Social Security could end up with nothing from playing market. Like most 4o1k's you get a once a year chance to move it, so you might as well take it to the casino for all that’s worth.

Military spending needs cut, but in a positive manner. We have to rebuild our military after over a decade of war in Afghanistan and seen years in Iraq. Not to mention the health of our soldiers.

Get out of both and it hurts me to say that. I am still a believer that we never finished the job in getting Osama bin Laden. While other Americans feel we did enough, I still want him in shackles for his part in Sept 11.

We can save another $1 trillion by leaving, shifting money to the health of our soldiers and rebuilding of our military. We’ll still come out ahead on budget. However, we need to rethink our military strategy future equipment needs. Get rid of the silly ideas and notions of floating tanks or vertical lift-off air freighters. Improve what works; drones, faster more mobile personnel carriers and tanks, lighter more efficient body armor for our troops and etc.

Also, if there’s any department to be shuttered, it’s the Department of Homeland Security. This was a knee jerk reaction to Sept 11 and a campaign payback from President Bush to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge. It is an unnecessary department that rearranged agencies into one. How about getting people to do their job and not creating more useless departments, if anything creation of new Supervisory positions could have had a larger savings.

Now corporate tax loopholes can have a huge savings for us.

Start a higher tariff of American companies that move their major operations overseas and then ship it back for twice the amount of its cost. Everyone should know by now that the new Buicks that are getting high praise here have been built in China and successful sellers for 3 years now. So China is our new proving grounds for American motor companies?

Also, the news about General Electric huge rebate is nothing new, it was higher in 1998. As a matter of fact, in 1998, 250 of our nation’s largest profitable corporations paid only 20.1% in taxes, when they were supposed to pay 35%.

41 of those companies actually paid ZERO and they reported a combined 25.8 billion in profits and received tax break refunds of 3.2 billion- PepsiCo, JP Morgan, Chevron, Texaco, Enron, General Motors and Northrop Grumman to name a few. Oh and General Electric then received a 6.9 billion tax break.

So I’ve tackled the quick fixes that could clear up $4 trillion in the 15 minutes it took you to read this and yet our inefficient Congress must set up committee after committee and waste more taxpayer money to accomplish nothing in over three years.

But the most important point being, I am not out to satisfy constituents nor the big money lobbyists that line the pockets of 98% of Congress. Spending cuts hurt, but it depends on where and how the cuts are implemented that makes them work correctly.

One has to wonder why I'm not a drooling drunk reaching for the next brew to numb my last brain cell. Please click a link and help pay my beer tab. Big Poppa Politics = Lights out

The Idiocracy of Trump and the Water Skiing Squirrel

American pop culture doesn’t live in the 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol once described, not now, not with the advent of Reality Television, Youtube.com, and Social Networking.

The days of celebrity glitz and glamour has turned into wanna-be has-been third rate celebrity being vulgar, obnoxious or intoxicated from one drug or another, spewing whatever comes to their mouth just to make the opening minutes of TMZ.com.

Everyone wants their piece of pop culture remembrance. Parents record their child’s antics or singing capability only to download it to Youtube.com in prayer of people viewing in hundreds in a minute to make little cash or become a viral hit.

Now, when it comes to reality television, more and more people are vying to become America’s Next Top something or let them get berated but some chef that is just trying to push his 2nd rate restaurant or half ass cookbook.

Hell, CEO’s are jumping in to promote their company in hopes that people will rush to buy their service due to some heartwarming two minute moment they saw in a commercial.

But out of all these wanna-be media reality whoring personas, no one beats Donald Trump.

Donald Trump probably could write a best-selling book on “How to become a promotional whore like me” and probably make some serious coin on it. People will buy it, because that’s our society today.

As soon as President “W” became president, books were coming out at an insane rate to denounce him and people on the Left-side of thought bought them up.

Fast forward to 2008 when President “O” finished “So help me God” in his oath of office, books couldn’t come out fast enough for the Right thinkers to buy and they are still coming and they are still buying.

You got a conspiracy theory and want to make some coin; simply get a book deal and link it to a sitting President and you’re golden. Come on, you know someone’s got the theory that it was Newt Gingrinch having an extra marital affair with Bill Clinton in the Speaker's Office on Capitol Hill during the 1995 government shutdown.

However, when it comes to Trump, people know he is full of crap, but Americans keep giving him the time of day and encourage his behavior. The only difference between Charlie Sheen and Donald Trump is one has a bad head of hair.

I’ve listened to enough Trump Presidential dream interviews on the radio over the last 2 weeks and in each interview he gives the same story. “I love my country,’’ you know I know a lot of people,’’ I’m in real estate,’ ‘China is laughing at us,’ ‘where’s the birth certificate,’ ’ I’m rich,’ ‘I sold a $31 Million apartment’” yadda yadda ya. He has no substance, yet people draw to him because they just want to hear what his brashy tone will spew next.

His stance is weak; he only talks about the “Birther” issue and taking oil from Iraq. The Iraqi people did not ask us for help, our government went after Saddam Hussein on a notion that he harbored terrorists and was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. So taking that Iraqi oil is not correct, but it’s a myth that keeps growing.

Trump’s idea to run in 2012 is a simple publicity stunt for his dying show “The Apprentice.” He did the same maneuver three seasons ago when NBC came extremely close to cancelling the show. Trump went on a three week promotional trip, fought with Rosie O’Donnell and ratings went up.

Once again, ratings were sagging, so Trump and his friend (WWE Owner) Vince McMahon cooked up a scheme using Trump’s famous crap ass hair job as the pun. And ratings went up for “The Apprentice.”

Here we are again, Trump’s bogus presidential whore tour to promote his sagging close to being axed show.

Trump is slick, there’s no doubt about it. He has no moral, he’ll do whatever it takes to sell his product or himself to make a dollar and see his face on television. Is there anyone who loves to hear his own voice besides Trump? OK, outside of Rush Limbaugh and Bill Maher, Trump is close.

So Trump has made two gaffes in three weeks on his presidential promotional whore tour. The first one being his staged media event to show everyone how quickly one can download their birth certificate to call out President “O.” Too bad the one he produced was no more than a proof of live birth certificate. The very same kind President “O” and you or I can download today. It took Trump’s staff to show the real one 24 hours later.

The second gaffe was just a few days ago. Trump told everyone to tune into the season finale of “The Apprentice” where he will let everyone know his intentions to run or not run for President. Problem being, he can’t do that or NBC will have to give equal airtime to all contenders. That was the main reason why FOX released Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich from their contracts.

If Trump isn’t blowing smoke out of his ass and does run, he will have issue after issue with control. Trump likes to control the media around him, control what they know and what they say.

Trump has gone after people in the past for reporting what he does not want people to hear about him. He is not afraid to attack those that search for the truth or even tell the truth about him.

Trump has no plan and what plan he does have will bury us even further then we are today. Sorry Trump, you cannot liquidate the United States of America nor put a luxury golf course on the White House lawn.

If Trump did become president, you’d be able to go to the Lincoln Memorial and see a giant blinking dollar sign on it. “Just pull Abe’s finger and see how much you might win for $100 spin.”

Turning our country into a Lottery system is not the answer for fiscal responsibility. Just ask Pennsylvanians that voted to legalize Table games to help the state budget.

Our love of a pop culture society has let the talentless become the star, the nut-jobs lead the media, and let the never-was think they can control the issue. Reality television has dumb-down America that we find the water skiing squirrel more issue driven then the agenda driven Media of today.

Everyone should watch the movie Idiocracy. Imagine if you are selected to be part of a hibernation experiment, only to awaken 500 years later to find out that society has been incredibly “dumbed-down” to the point that you are the most intelligent person on Earth.

Well that synopsis was from the 2006 movie Idiocracy and although it was a lame comedy, it could actually be full of truths when you consider American politics and television over the past decade if not longer.

I’ll take the water skiing squirrel over Trump and the current jack wads in Congress. At least the squirrel has substance.

We need Houdini to correct our budget....

On April 5, Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan released his plan for the 2012 Federal Budget to which he plans, through spending and departmental budget cuts, to save over $6.2 trillion over the next ten years.

I have liked Paul Ryan for over five years now and hated the fact the Republican Party always pushed him to back of the group on anything in financial talk, especially when he produced his “Road Map to Recovery.” Now the Republicans are giving Paul Ryan his chance to walk his financial talk.

It always amazes me how one party can be against an issue, and when it’s their turn to care for it, all of a sudden they embrace it. In this case, everyone in focusing in on Ryan's plan to "save" Medicare.

In 1965, the American Medical Association and the Republican Party ran an unsuccessful campaign against a new program called Medicare. They created a 10 minute infomercial to talk about the ills that Medicare will bring to America with a slick spokesperson in an up and coming politician named Ronald Reagan.

“Ronald Reagan Speaks against Socialized Medicine” gained little steam, but the term “Socialized medicine” resurfaces whenever a politician attempts to make changes to any form of healthcare.

Republicans helped overload the Medicare system in 2003 with their Medicare Advantage Plan D and add $1 trillion to its federal cost. And five years later, many of those Republicans that voted for Plan B came forth to say “Well we wanted it right then with no questions asked, but never knew how to pay for it.”

Ryan’s Plan to help Medicare is mainly tweaking the current system and cutting over $380 billion. Those that are currently using Medicare will be stay as is, it’s for those about to enter the system in the future that the changes will affect. Services will be cut every year, a little at a time. But the request to have those “Wealthy seniors” take cuts in services, to let the less fortunate seniors receive more in services, well is that not a form of socializing medicine? Democrats are dumb to stoop down to call this “Killing Gramma” as the Republicans did during the health care debates, it’s so third grade.

Everyone pays their fair share, but no one receives the same care. Kind of different wording compared to the wealthy paying an extra percent or two in taxes to help.
People cried “socialism” over that nugget but not on Ryan’s Plan. Wonder why? Oh(!) because the agitating opinionators of the Right agree with the plan. They just leave out the little tidbits like “wealthy seniors” caring for the “poor seniors” by taking less and still paying the same.

I have complained for years about the abundant fraud happening within the Medicare system. During the Health care summit two years ago, Oklahoma Senator Dr Tom Colburn, even stated that once you clear up the fraud, a whirlwind of millions can be saved. Heck you only have to look at Florida's Governor Rick Scott and learn about Hospital and Doctor fraud in Medicare.

Rick Scott was the CEO of hospital giant Columbia/HCA. In 1997, Columbia/HCA was implicated in the biggest Medicare fraud case in US history. Columbia/HCA was found guilty and paid fines up to $1.7 billion.

Funny how those that were against Medicare are some of the biggest abusers of it. And it should be known that Gov Rick Scott is currently trying to pass a law that would rid any anti-fraud databases that track dristributions of addictive prescription drug in the state of Florida. I'm sure Miami resident Rush Limbaugh is happy for this law.

Paul Ryan's 2012 budget plan may call for many cuts and spending freezes, but depends highly on two ideas:

The Repeal of Obama care
Lower taxes for the wealthy to 25%

Seriously, the wealthy gets another tax break! Donnie Deutsch was so enraged by this that his skin turned white through his fake tan. Deutsch is a wealthy guy and he believes if you raised the tax for the wealthy 3%, it could bring in millions of money to help. And I agree, because 3% tax is not going to change their spending habits nor the savings habits of these people. It’s just defining what we consider wealthy.

Deutsch says anything over $1 million and I can agree especially with the fact that there are more millionaires in the United States at the end of 2010, then in 2006-2009. How? So many people bought into the low cost of the stock market during the Recession is how.

The notion that the wealthy create jobs that Pat Buchanan keeps repeating is a myth. If that was so, then when the Bush Tax Cuts roared in 2003, we wouldn’t be sitting at 8.8% unemployment right now, it would be closer to 4%. But as I have said time and time again, those cuts for the wealthy were sent elsewhere, mainly their pockets.

Buchanan & Deutsch did however come to an agreement, if you tax the wealthy 3%, then you should also raise the tariffs on Chinese goods and make sure Corporate America starts paying their due as well.

The second part of Ryan’s Plan is the repeal of “Obama care,” the not-so-universal health plan. “Obama care” is coming to the United States in spurts, a little here and a little there till 2015, but Ryan’s prayer for repeal, that be betting on the repeal to happen all at once, not as each spurt comes close to life.

The more interesting note to Ryan’s Plan is the $6.2 trillion note. If the repeal of “Obama care” and the tax cut for the wealthy are axed, his budget cost comes to a sliver over $4 trillion over the same amount of time. Backtrack to December 2010 Ryan also held a seat on President Obama’s Finance Committee and when it ended, Ryan voted against the final product. That Committee’s budget came close to $4 trillion, but as Ryan stated “it didn’t do enough in spending cuts.” In other words, it’s all sleight of hand of what you feel is necessary spending cuts.

As for Defense cuts, I think we can chalk up the dream of a floating tank that’s been draining the bank for the past 20 years as one way to get finances on track. Even Stalin realized the idea of a flying tank wouldn’t leave ground as the Germans advanced. (Yes, the Russians actually attempted such an idea.)

However, people need to realize that it’s not just the democrats calling for Defense cuts, Actually the Tea Party members of Congress are pushing for double what the Democrats are. However, once again those agitating opinionators will never mention that nugget and still push the myth on which political party wants less for our Defense.

One major difference between Pres Obama’s committee plan and Rep. Ryan’s plan is that Obama’s committee actually had an idea for Social Security, where Rep. Ryan punted. Obama's plan on Social Security was to raise the age limit to start. Ryan's plan is blank

The age limit on Social Security must be raised, there’s no argument in that fact, but if Ryan’s plan asks for the “wealthy seniors” to take less on Medicare (to which they pay into) then why not on Social Security as well? The winds are silent from the Right on that thought.

It’s all in tinkering of numbers with adjustments, cuts and deletions, it just all depends on what one feels is necessary for the government to pay for and what services they should keep.

We need a leader like Harry Houdini to help us escape the partinship of Washington D.C.