Occupiers discussing Education

The New York Times, Education Life Insert  Jan 22,2012

“The New Student Activism”

Http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/education/edlife/the-new-student-activism.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

The Sunday paper had an insert focused on Student life and being the New York Times the main article about the Occupy people.. So here we go:

·         Carlos Pazmino 21, sophomore, political science, City College of New York

o   At John Jay college where Carlos was a visiting student are a part of the walkout of the entire school

o   Why I do it:  I really believe education is a human right

·         Maggie Gram, 28, Ph.D. candidate, English, Harvard

o   Activism Resume:  I became communication director for the New York Civil Liberties Union

o   Hoping to Accomplish:  In a broader way, the Occupy movement is reminding some subset of the undergraduate population that ere are possibilities for the future other than becoming part of the world of finance or the world of business

·         Kelby Cumpston, 22, Senior, Sociology/economics, Illinois State University, Normal University

o   Activism Resume: I’ve been volunteering for Feed the Need

o   Occupying:  Resident of Occupy Blo-No (Bloomington-Normal)

o   But It’s 20 degrees:  Camping is actually a lot easier because you just roll out of bed and walk to class.

·         Christopher Cooke, 24, Senior, Political Science/Psychology, Idaho State University

o   Occupying: Daytime resident of Occupy Pocatello, fall semester; When you’re cold and looking for Wi-Fi hotspot, makes everything you have been conditioned to ask for seem so pathetic

o   Activism resume:  this semester i moved to Boise to intern with representative Brian Cronin

o   What my Mother thinks:  My Mom dread it. She wants me to be in school, to graduate as fast as possible. I fell behind a few assignments; I’m lucky enough to be on an insurance plan through my mom, but that’s not always going to be there

·         Guido Girgentim, 19, Sophomore, urban and environmental policy, Occidental College

o   Occupying:  Weekend resident of Occupy Los Angeles

o   Hoping to Accomplish:  a constitutional amendment banning corporate funding in politics

o   How it’s going at school:  My class participation and the amount of reading I’ve been doing has decreased considerably and a few of my grades have gone down. That’s a larger conversation about ways to do well in college that don’t involve participation and don’t involve reading.

Common Sense Review

Carlos thinks education is a human right

Maggie works for the civil liberties of New York

Kelby who thinks hygiene is optional

Christopher who mom just wants him to go to school

Guido who want a way to do well in college without participation or reading

The words out of their mouths, paints the picture of the younger generation.

Commission use Discretion fund for trash… What about the road?

The Grand Rapids Press    Jan 25, 2012

“Trash Conversion Startup funds OK’d”

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/01/grand_rapids_to_spend_transfor.html

A plan to switch city trash collection from bags to carts will be funded with money earmarked for reinventing municipal operations.

Grand Rapids City Commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-2 to use $2.4 million of a so-called “Transformation fund” to pay startup cost of the new trash and yard waste collection process, set to start in July. The fund will be repaid within 5 year at 3% interest, city official said.

City Staff identified an alternative that would have borrowed the money from Kent County at 2% interest by the interval loan was deemed “the wisest way to borrow” and one that would yield “a relatively hearty return back to the general fund” Greg Sundstrom said.

The Transformation fund was established last year to help fund public-service innovation aimed at making Grand Rapids Financially sustainable. The Money comes from a temporary income-tax hike that votes approved in 2010.

More than half of the $2.4 million approved for the trash program would be spent buying 20,000 plastic trash carts, 7,000 yard waste carts and 1,000 back yard composting bins. About $1.1 million would be spent on truck equipment upgrades, including on-board computers and invoicing soft way for the” pay as you throw” program

Common Sense Review

Last year the City Commission was given $7 million in discretionary spending, and here it is… Oh wait in an article 3 days prior, the City was explaining how there is no money for street repair… That’s right a new trash system is more important than safety road..

Isn’t a city commission a representative of the citizens of that city… How many people in Grand Rapids find a new trash system is more important than safe roads?…

Grand Rapids new motto… “Mismanagement for the 21st Century”

The Grand Rapids Press   Jan 22, 2012

“Road money runs out in GR”

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/01/road_money_runs_out_in_grand_r.html

City leaders say Grand Will soon run out of money for critical infrastructure projects, including repairs  to pothole-ridden or crumbling streets.  “It’s depressing and scary” City Planning Director Suzanne Schulz said, “We see it as a significant issue.”

The problem is worsening after years of dwindling state aid caused leaders to funnel money to areas such as public safety. 

More  than half of the city’s streets were rated last year as being in poor condition, Assistant City Engineer Rick DeVries said. Only 6% were rated good n d 38% fair. In 2014, money will no longer be allocated from the city’s general operating fund.

In 2002, the 21^st Century Infrastructure Task Force recommended putting $12.5 million a year for 15 years into street upgrades and maintenance.

Suzanne Schulz pointed out, state revenue sharing has taken deep hits for the decade. “We can’t let the governor’s message influence what we need to have done in the city of Grand Rapids, because we can’t wait for those solutions to come, said Schulz.

Common Sense Review

Oh, I feel it coming…. “We need more tax dollars or the city is going to collapse!”  Wait didn’t we go through this last year when the City of Grand Rapids Mich pleaded with it’s citizens to raise the income tax to the ceiling so we could maintain the City Police and Fire. 

Interesting enough the 21^st Century Infrastructure recommended putting $12.5 million a year for 15 years into streets… So either the Commission ignored the recommendation or use the money for other projects…Which could it be?

Oh wait, this past fall, the City commission was given $7 million dollars for discretionary spending….Hey I have an idea, fix the roads

Occupy Ignorance….

The Wall Street Journal  Jan 21-22, 2012

“Protests Target Political Cash”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577172781459278216.html

Police in San Francisco arrested several of hundreds of protesters surrounding some of the hightest-profile building in the city’s financial center in the largest of dozens of Occupy Wall Street Protests across the country.  The protests, pegged to the second anniversary on Saturday of the 2010 Supreme Court decisions to bar limits on corporate political spending.

Occupy protesters around the country are making increasingly specific demands and banding together with more established activist groups.

The San Francisco event coincided with several smaller protests at courthouses across the country planned by a group called Move to Amend.  The group hopes to amend the Constitution to repeal the high court’s controversial Citizens United decision.

Occupy groups in New York and Los Angeles along with smaller cities such as Cleveland and St. Louis, protested at local courthouses. As hundred Rallied earlier between the Court building and the Capitol  Dave Cobb of the Move to Amend coalition said “Our demand is a constitutional amendment to abolish corporate personhood and to abolish the idea that money equals political speech.”

Common Sense Review

It took me a while to research so I could get an accurate portrait. The more I read the more I am confused about their position.  The Occupy people are protesting the 2^nd anniversary of the verdict of “Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission”.  

Citizens United is a non-profit conservative group who released a documentary called “Hillary the Movie”.  The argument was that the movie was an anit Hillary campaign ad during an election year.  So the Federal Election Commission was questioning if this political group can do this kind of ads.  The Supreme Court said “The 1^st Amendment prohibits Congress from fining and jailing citizens engaged in political speech.”

I found it interesting that this protest was supported by Move to Amend, which wants to pass an amendment to the Constitution that would make this situation unconstitutional. 

Move to Amend is supported by:

·         Alliance for Progressive Values

·         Berkeley Fellowship of Universalist Unitarians’ Social Justice Committee

·         Code Pink

·         Progressive Democrats of America, Ohio Chapter

Surprisingly, when I was doing research I found that Michigan’s own Sen. Debbie Stabenow supports reversing the ruling. Stabenow doesn’t like people’s right to political 

Former Congressman now Lobbyist… Where is the Occupy Group!

The New York Times   Jan 22, 2012

“Lobbyist Helps a Project He Financed in Congress”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/us/ex-representative-may-lobby-for-project-he-helped-finance.html?ref=lobbyingandlobbyists&gwh=DC2B8B049412B428C595065753C5D3D6

Soon after retired last year as one of the leading liberals in Congress former Rep William D. Delahunt of Massachusetts stated his own lobbying firm with an office on the 16^th floor of a Boston skyscraper.  His first client was a small coastal town that has agreed to pay him $15,00  a month for help in developing a wind energy project.

While in Congress, he personally earmarked $1.7 million for the same energy project. Today his firm, the Delahunt Group, stands to collect $90,000 from the town of Hull in Massachusetts Bay which 80% of it coming from the pot of money he created through a pair of Energy Dept. grants his final term in office. 

Beyond the town of Hull, Mr. Delahunt’s client include at least three others who received millions of dollars in federal aid with his direct assistance while he was in Congress .

Mr. Delahunt declined the request for an interview, however sent a statement. “I want to be clear – I have no federal lobbying relationship with any past or current client. I have not lobbied anyone in Washington since leaving Congress. Further, while in Congress, I had no conversation with anybody regarding any future consulting contract.”

Federal law prohibits former congressmen from lobbying some ex-colleagues for one year after leaving office.

Phillip E. Lemnios, Hull town manager said the town now hopes to get $60 million or more in federal , states and private funds for four offshore wind turbines.

Another client, the Mashpee WQampagnoag tribe paid the Delahunt Group at least $40,000 to lobby for approval of a casino. Delahunt has secured Congressional earmarks for the tribe totaling $400,000 in 2008 and 2009 for a substance abuse program and other projects. 

Last year, the city of Quincy, Mass. Brought on MR. Delahunt to help deal with the federal officials on a downtown redevelopment program. In 2008, Delahunt secured nearly $2.4 million in earmarks for the city on a separate tidal restoration project.  

Common Sense Review

It is encouraging to see Representatives who write the laws follow the laws.  I like how he wants to be clear as he glosses over the facts.  

Municipality projects are not planned and created over night… I have a hard time believing that Delahunt , hadn’t heard or discussed the project with Hull city official prior to inserting the earmark.   Delahunt states he has not lobbied anyone in Washington since leaving Congress, but your telling me you haven’t had a conversation with any reps.  The difference in lobbying and a conversation is the intent… Which is hard to prove…

This is the best example of zero earmarks…

Good News… Muslim Brotherhood advancing in Egyptian govt…

The New York Times  Jan 22, 2012

Islamist Win 70% of Seats in the Egyptian Parliament

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/world/middleeast/muslim-brotherhood-wins-47-of-egypt-assembly-seats.html

Egyptian authorities confirmed Saturday that a political coalition dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, the 84 year old group that virtually invented Political Islam, had won about 47% of the seats in the first Parliament elected since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. An alliance of ultraconservatives Islamists won the next largest share of seats, about 25%.

The military council leading Egypt since Mr. Mubarak lost power last February has said it will keep Parliament in a subordinate role with little real power until the ratification of a constitution and the election of the president, both scheduled for completion by the end of June.

Council has assigned Parliament the authority to choose the 100 member of a constitutional assembly.

The two groups have described very different visions and appear to be rivals rather than collaborators. The Brotherhood has said it intends to respect personal liberties and will focus on economic  and social issues, gradually nudging the culture toward its conservative values.  Ultraconservatives put a higher priority on legislation on Islamic moral issues, like the consumption of alcohol, women’s dress and the contents of popular culture.

Common Sense Review

Great! The Muslim Brotherhood now has the majority vote in the parliament and we pay the Egyptian military $1.3 billion a year…. So we pay people who hate us…

Hamas President want to leave… Too much chaos… What?!?!?

The New York Times    Jan 22.201

“Hamas Says that Its Political Leader Does Not Plan to Seek Re-election”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/world/middleeast/hamas-says-its-leader-khaled-meshal-will-step-down.html?_r=1

The Palestinian militant Hamas announced Saturday that its political leader, Khaled Meshal, would not seek re-election, opening the door to the possible leadership contest and adding to the uncertainty enveloping Hamas at the a time of regional turmoil.

The announcement has set off abundant speculation about the future of a group already in flux.   Fawzi Barhoum, a Hama spokesman in Gaza, said that Mr. Meshal’s wishes were not binding on the council which elects the politburo members regardless of their personal position.

The group’s leaders in Damascus have found themselves in an increasingly uncomfortable position since the outbreak of the Syrian uprising.

An analyst close to Hamas, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that Mr. Meshal, who has Jordanian residency, might want to quit so that he could return to Jordan because the situation in Damascus had become unbearable.

Common Sense Review

Why is it I don’t see this terrorist group using democratic processes… I like the fact that no one can leave without the approval of the council.

However what kind of terrorist group leader is leaving due to unrest… They create unrest

SOPA co-sponsored by more House Republican than Democrats…. If is looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck… I think it is duck hunting season..

Ginger Commentary  Jan 20, 2012

While reviewing the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act), I thought who created this blatant insult to the American people.  Glancing at the House supporters, I saw Rep. Conyers D-MI (specifically from Detroit), I thought sounds about right.  The rest of the names I didn’t recognize.  Let’s see who these freedom loving people are.

 Creator is Lamar Smith, Republican Texas… What?!?! Republican …. Texas…

Oh crap! It is like finding out that your church that your pastor is embezzling funds.  The legal understanding of embezzlement is the breach of trust.. I used the word embezzlement due to can we go forth and trust any bill created or supported by the faux republican.

After a quick search it turns out that this “slap in the face of Americans” bill was co-sponsored by

9 Republicans and 4 Democrats…  People I think it is time to clean house once again.

Michigan Gov. Snyder State of the State speech

January 18, 2012 

Michigan Gov. Snyder State of the State speech

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/politics/Gov-Snyders-2012-State-of-the-State

Getting comfy in my recliner waiting for Michigan’s Gov. Snyder’s State of the State speech, I kind of knew what he was going to say from the day’s earlier news that Michigan’s unemployment rate lowered to 9.3%, which is better than the national average.

Yet as he began introducing and thanking those who were active participants in the transformation of the state over the past , Gov. Snyder positive tone of voice tell the people of Michigan how our state government is aggressively taking steps to bring Michigan to its greatness. 

He began to title this part of our transformation to the “Era of Innovation”.   The Governor prideful tone encourages the citizen hood to utilize the Mi Dashboard to see the progress of the state government, but now down to brass tacks.

·         Mi unemployment down from 11.1% to 9.3% in one year.

·         Adding 80,000 private sector job

·         Addressing $1.5 billion budget deficit

·         Made $255 million in the rainy day fund, when the previous amount could pay for 30 minutes of state govt.

·         Made tax system “simple, fair, and efficient”, I read this bill and I wouldn’t use the word “fair”…

·         Passing the Anti-Bullying Law

·         Rescinding nearly 400 “obsolete, confusing and burdensome” regulations

However, there were pieces that I wasn’t so happy about

·         Obesity increase by 1 %... I am concerned we are raising children with health issues because we don’t make them go outside..

·         17% of our students are college ready… I am a college student since 2006. I had to relearn algebra, but I had to take writing classes… So what are these kids missing…

·         The Underinvestment of $1.4 billion to roads… This just screams raising taxes… Where the money that is supposed to be directed….

·         4 of our cities are on the top 10 list of the most violent cities in the nation… big problem…

Finally, I think Gov Snyder address a true problem in our society and the is the negativity, divisive attitude toward one another.  This kind of behavior solves no problems. 

With the freedom of expression, opens the door for disagreement of idea yet aggressive contention seems futile. 

Freedom of Expression… Really?!?!

112^th Congress  H.R. 3261

To Promote Prosperity, Creativity, Entrepreneurship and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. Property and for other Purposes….

Short title “Stop Online Piracy Act”

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3261ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr3261ih.pdf

This bill created in October 2011, support by Detroit’s own Rep. John Conyers,  is to protect the US citizen from foreign piracy and fraud.

Under Sec. 2 Savings and Severability Clause,

(a)    Savings Clauses-

(1) “First Amendment – Nothing in this Act shall be construed to impose a prior restraint on free speech or the press protected un the 1^st Amendment of the Constitution.

(b) Severability –

            If any provision of this Act, or the application of the provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the other provisions or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby

Pg 54 Title II – Additional Enhancement s to Combat Intellectual Property Theft.

“by the reproduction or distribution including by electronic means of 1 or more copyright works

Common Sense Review

Ironically, I am writing about a law that can shut me down. 

Interesting enough, they state the 1^st Amendment right in beginning and two entries down it states that if any part of this bill is considered unconstitutional it doesn’t define the rest of the bill.  However, if this bill passes, the Supreme Court would be the venue to decide whether any part is unconstitutional.  But they are a bit busy with the Obamacare and Immigration issue in this session, if they choose to review at all. 

Buried on page 54, this bill talks about, exactly what I and many other bloggers do by reading and communicating from news article print or visual.  So how do we protect ourselves from the tyranny of censorship?  We will see…

Iraqi govt tell US security contractor to get out, while an attack on an Iraqi police dept kill many

The New York Times   01/15/12

“Flexing Muscle, Baghdad Detains US Contractors”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/16/world/middleeast/asserting-its-sovereignty-iraq-detains-american-contractors.html?scp=1&sq=Flexing%20Muscle&st=cse

Iraq authorities have detained a few hundred foreign contractors in recent weeks, industry officials say, including many Americans who work for the US Embassy, in one of the first major signs of the Iraqi govt’s asserting its sovereignty after the American troop withdrawal last month.

The crackdown comes amid other moves by the Iraqi govt  to take over functions that had been performed by the US military and to claim areas of the country it had controlled.

Just after the last American troops left in December, the Iraqis stopped issuing and renewing many weapon licenses and other authorizations.  The Iraqi authorities have also imposed new limitation on visa.

The Washington Post  01/15/12

“Insurgents Storm Police station in Western Iraq city of Ramadi: at least 21 dead”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/insurgents-storm-polic

e-station-in-western-iraq-21-dead/2012/01/15/gIQAkqRn0P_story.html

Insurgent stormed the western Iraqi  city of Ramadi on Sunday and tried to blast their way into a police compound, setting off a fierce gun battle with local security forces. Eight police officers, six civilians and seven insurgents are killed in the attack.

Hakmet Jassim, deputy governor of the province, “No one does such attacks except al-Qaeda”

Hammed Al-Hies, Chairman of the Salvation Council of Anbar, stated “All these attacks happened because of the political problems in the country and the corruption that spread inside the body of the security agencies and the judicial system”.

Common Sense Review

The country of Iraqi cannot secure its own police force from being attacked by insurgency but you want us, the US, not to be able to protect our own.  What a slap in the face!   We put out soldier’s lives on the line to help the Iraqi country to overcome the dictator system that kept them in fear of rape and death and you repay us by say we cannot protect our representatives with contacted security forces.

My feelings are you are on your own…Good Luck!

Hard working single dad home taken by Occupy Wall Street

New York Post  01/15/12

“ ‘They took my place!’ Single dad trying to take back home occupied by OWS”

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/ows_home_invasion_z9ApqDP6Q0boFviq8CjvAL

Occupy Wall Street protesters announced that they moved a homeless family into a “foreclosed” Brooklyn home- even though they knew the house belonged to a struggling single father desperately trying to renegotiate mortgage.   Occupiers “reclaimed” the row houses Dec 6. And ceremoniously puyt out the welcome mat for a homeless family. 

The home at 702 Vermont St in East New York is not owned by Bank of American yet still owned by Wise Ahadzi, employed single dad, left the home in 2009 when foreclosure proceeding began .  Bank of America who has been in and out of foreclosure proceedings against Ahadzi since 20098, confirmed that Ahadzi is still the rightful owner.

OWS last week said it has spent $9,500 breaking into the house and setting it up for the homeless Carrasquillo family. The father, Alfredo Carrasquillo is an organizer for VOCAL – NY.  Renovators hired by OWS, state “We’re almost done with the basement”.

Police notified Ahadzi in early December that he vigilante vagrants moved into his East New York digs, he said he immediately ran over to see for himself.  Where the occupiers begged him “Oh, don’t call the police”.

Before a press conference in Dec, OWS leaders, Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barron and OWS supporters met with Ahadzi to discuss the future of his property. Ahadzi hope they would help him regain the home.

Inside the home, walls have been knocked down and Ahadzi’s belonging have been moved into the basement.

Common Sense Review

Fight for the people against the Banks! Yeah, right!  I am so irritated by this article. This employed single dad who is working with the Bank of American to keep his home, has his home taken by OWS and puts a family who doesn’t work but is a self noted “Criminal Justice Organizer” under the guise that they are homeless.

What New York City doesn’t have a Dept of Human Services?  There are two children in the family, so there is no way they can get help with a home.  The funny thing is this isn’t a racial issue.  The Ahadzi family are black so where is the social justice.   

US tells China to support Iranian oil embargo… yeah, right!!

The Washington Post   01/09/12

“Beijing rejects sanctions on Iranian oil”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/beijing-rejects-sanctions-on-iranian-oil/2012/01/09/gIQA8xPUlP_story.html

US Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geither, visiting Beijing this week, is expected to press China’s leaders to reduce the country’s oil imports from Iran.

Cui Tiankai, the vice foreign minister noted that some have argued that any normal business dealings with Iran provided financial support for its nuclear program, by he said “This argument does not hold water.”

Energy hungry China imported 11% of its oil from Iran last year, with Chinese purchases reaching a high of about 617,000 barrels a day in November.

Common Sense Review

First, is it me, but why is Tim Geither talking to the Chinese about sanction against Iran?  Geithner goes to China to plead for more money to borrow.  Sanctions are usually a conversation by the Secretary of State.  So are we trying to borrow more money?

Second, we own China a ton of money, why does the US govt think it has persuasive power over China.

Keep your enemies close by releasing them from prison…

The Washington Post 01/09/12

“Don’t let These Taliban leaders loose”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dont-let-these-taliban-leaders-loose/2012/01/09/gIQAeLIWlP_story.html

President Obama is reportedly considering releasing several senior Taliban leader from Guantanamo Bay as an enticement to get the Taliban to the peace table.  With the opening of the Taliban political office in Qatar, Obama officials see the move a step to peace talks.

Among several individuals the White House is considering releasing include the four Taliban leaders :

·          Mullah Mohammned Fazi, deputy defense minister:

o   Implicated in the murder of thousands of Shiites in northern Afghanistan

o   “operational associations with significant al-Qaida and other extremist personnel

o   Involved in Taliban narcotics trafficking

·         Abdul Haq Wasiq, deputy minister of intelligence:

o   Arranged for al-Qaida personnel to train Taliban intelligence staff in intelligence methods.

o   Assigned al-Qaida members to the Taliban Ministry of Intelligence

·         Mullah Norullah Noori, governor-general of Afghanistan’s northern zone:

o   Was directly subordinate to Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Omar

o   Associated with members of al-Qaida

o   Assessed “to be a hardliner in his support of the Taliban philosophy”

·         Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa, Herat governor and acting interior minister

o   “directly associated to Usama Bin Laden (aka Osama bin Laden) and Taliban Supreme Commander Mullah Muhammad Omar. He was “trusted and respected by both”

o   “ represented the Taliban during meetings with Iranian officials seeking to support hostilities against the US and Coalition forces

o   “one of the premier opium drug lords in Western Afghanistan.

Common Sense Review

I don’t get the premise that just because the Taliban opens an political office that they are now peace loving people.  However to get them to the peace talks, the US has to agree to release some of the deadliest people in the world who have in the past knowingly and willingly had a hand in harming the US. 

This is a farce!  Any simpleton can see that this is a charade.   

Ooo! Oooo! Pick me I know how to solve the Housing Market problem

The Wall Street  Journal  01/07-08/12

Three Fed Officials Urge Action to Boost Housing

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203513604577144903094506214.html?KEYWORDS=Three+Fed+Officials

Top Federal Reserve officials ramped up their call for more forceful govt action to fix the broken housing market, expressing frustration that it is blunting their extraordinary efforts to boost  the economy. The three speeches marked the movement to campaign by Chairman Ben Bernanke and other Fed officials to push the White House, Congress and regulators to address the problem of the housing market.

William Dudley, president of the New York Fed said, “With additional housing policy interventions, we could achieve a better set of economic outcomes.”.

Addressing such housing problems could compliment more Fed bond buying if officials deem it necessary.  Eric Rosengren, the president of the Boston Fed called for additional bond buying, he said those actions “would be even more effective if accompanied” by other steps “designed to speed the recovery in housing”.

Top Fed officials argued that housing woes are undermining the effects of their policies, such as holding short-term interest rates near zero and using securities purchases to push down long-term rates.

Fed officials underscored their policy disagreements with the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The govt took over the mortgage companies three years ago and the rescue has cost $151 billion and counting.

Mr. Dudley called on Fannie and Freddie to reduce loan balances for homeowners with so-called underwater mortgages, in which they owe more than their properties are worth.

Common Sense Review

So the Fed Reserve is having a pissing contest with the Fed Housing Finance Agency at the peril of the people.  I am tired of govt agencies always know how to solve the problems the govt created.

Public Pension is better than Private… Wait, that needs to change

The Wall Street Journal  01/04/12

Opinion: Why Public Pensions Are So Rich

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204464404577118440980974530.html?KEYWORDS=Why+Public+Pensions+are+so+Rich

According to government union leaders, their employee retirement benefits are “not lavish by any means”.  Service Employees International Union asserts that “After decades of full-time work for the state, the sad truth is that far too many retired state, employees receive yearly amounts that force them to live in poverty.”

Most private-sector workers hold “defined contribution” 401(k) type savings account that guarantee no specific pension. 

A case in point is the Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS), which insists that, because Illinois teachers don’t participate in Social Security.  The 2010 annual report of the TRS actually shows that the average teacher who retires today after 30 to 34 years of service had final earnings of $86,466 and collects a pension of $60,756 a year, plus annual cost-of-living adjustments.  That’s a lifetime value of almost $1.6 million.

Compared to private sector worker’s retirement plan consist of a combination of Social Security and 401(k).  In the same scenario as above, a private sector worker would have get paid $17,750 from Social Security per year and remaining $43,000 would have to come from elsewhere.

There is no good reason why public employees should receive retirement benefits so much more generous than those of other Americans.

Common Sense Review

Gov’t chooses winners and losers when they offer wage and benefits that are not equal to the private sector.

How the wage/benefit of public sector paid by private sector is are better than the wage/benefit that pay for the public in the first place.

Taliban put out the “Welcome” mat as a sign of Peace… Right?!?!

The New York Times  01/04/12

Taliban to Open Qatar Office and Possibly a Door to Talks

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/world/asia/taliban-to-open-qatar-office-in-step-toward-peace-talks.html?scp=2&sq=taliban%20office&st=cse

Giving a first major public sign that they may be ready for formal talks with the American-led coalition in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced Tuesday that they had struck a deal to open a political office in Qatar that could allow for direct negotiations over the endgame in the Afghan war

.

The step was a reversal of the Taliban’s longstanding public denials that they were involved in  or consider talks.  These talks stalled in September with eh assassination of the head of the Afghanistan’s High Peace Council

Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban said that along with the preliminary deal to set up the office in Qatar, the group was asking that Taliban detainees held at the American prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to be released.  “We are at the moment besides our powerful presence inside the country, ready to establish a political office outside the country to come to an understanding with other nations”.

American officials have said in recent months that the opening of a Taliban mission would be the single biggest step forward for peace efforts. The opening of an office in Qatar is meant to give Afghan and Western peace negotiators an “address” where they can openly contact legitimate Taliban intermediaries.

Tuesday three suicide bombings in the southern city of Kandahar, where the Taliban rose to prominence in the 1990, which killed thirteen people including a child and four police officers was a reminder to the Afghan people of the violence that has plagued their country.

Common Sense Review

Opening an office doesn’t equal peaceful intent.  This is ridiculous and that point is proven with that triple bombing.  The Afghan and American official cannot be fooled by this false act of peace.

Our Enemies are using our laws against us... be prepared!

The Wall Street Journal  12/30/11

Iran to FIle in US Court to Unfreeze Funds

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204632204577129103296611964.html?KEYWORDS=Iran+to+file

Iran's central bank is preparing to file a motion in a New York Federal court early next year to release nearly  $2 billion of its fronzen funds at Cititgroup Inc, according to attorneys for the Iranian bank.  

A group of more thatn 1,000 victims of international terrorism seeks the fund as partial payment for a $2.7 billion legal judgement made against Tehran for its role in the 1983 bombing of a Marine Corps barracks in Beirut that killed 241 serviceman.  A federal judge's decision to freeze the funds from the central bank in 2008 is the largest seizure of Iranian funs outside of Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

US Pres. Obama is scheduled to sign new legislation in the coming days that will formally ban any business dealings with Bank Markazi.   Lawyers representing Bank Markazi are arguing in the US Court that freezing the funds is illegal under US Law.   Bank of Markazi's counsel plans to file a motion in early February to release the funds on these grounds.  

Lawyers for the Terrorism victims believe the new US legislation blacklistign Bank Markazi will Strengthen their case.  

Common Sense Review

Gee!  Our enemy is using our laws against us, so they can get their $2 billion back for killing Marines.  

So when are we going to declare Iran is at war with US.... all batttles are not on the battlefield.