It’s been awhile since I’ve written you because — well, let me be honest — you’re really not interested.  In one of my wilder moments, I wondered:  What if I stole some stationery from Peter Peterson’s office, or faked his stationery.  Perhaps that would get Dick’s attention though no doubt they speak on the ‘phone often enough and do not bother with letters.

At any rate – you have been been at it again – the entitlement blitz.  Recently on Fox, you said:

…because Social Security is going to run out of money in 20 years.  I want to fix it now before we reach that cliff.  Medicare may run out of money in ten years.  Let’s fix it now.  And that means addressing the skyrocketing costs of healthcare.  That’s what Obamacare is focused on.  If we don’t focus on healthcare and dealing with entitlements the baby boom generation is going to blow our future.  

Oh my –

This is a lie, Dick and you know it.  Though very clever indeed you somehow putting Obamacare in the white hat and the entitlement progams in the dastardly black hats.  But we’re on to you buddy and your cohorts in DC – you guys need to get real jobs.  

I’ve been following the Google Art winners — Google asked school children around US to submit art showing “Google” logo.  There were many imaginative, worthy entries.  Summery, full of fun animals – fun kid stuff – but also some savvy artwork from the older students.  Really – look it up.  Great stuff – makes you proud.

And the winner is (wait for it) … a military theme:  a young daughter running to her soldier dad coming home.  One of the least imaginative works I’ve seen.  But let’s not forget it’s military, thus Americana I guess.  The first prize was a generous college scholarship.  I’m touched.  btw, it was the only military theme I saw, though maybe I missed one or two.

But Xanthe, what kind of beeach takes issue with a little girl running to her dad just home from war.  Considering the other art I’ve seen and the other themes available – well, me for one.

If you go to Google home page you’ll see the winning artwork and can follow through to see some of the rest of the work submitted.  Really awesome stuff from our students.  

Of course, good luck to the young person who won but really – supposedly this was voted in by google users which makes me even sadder than if Google chose the winner.  

thank God, Diane Sawyer was on the tube with this breaking news:  the Italian Judge reading the verdict in Amanda Knox’ trial.  She was the young woman being held for murder in Italy for 3 years – a terrible thing.  I’m glad she’s freed.  however,

has ABC shown much of what’s going on in Wall Street rallies.  ???  I don’t watch much MSM, so I don’t know but I don’t think so.

As I said to the News Department which I just called:  Diane Sawyer who was trembling with excitement when we bombed Iraq now tops her career with this piece of spectacular news.

Are you covering the kids being beat up by NYC cops?  ’cause Russian TV is and the world has seen it.

Anyone got a valium?

Eyes generally glaze over when I start talking about the politics of the Debt Ceiling but sometimes I can’t help myself.

Like this morning, in my Curves workout, I mentioned to a woman next to me: I am so sick and tired of the Debt Ceiling theatrics.  

Debt Ceiling?

and I explain quickly what I understand is going on – or don’t understand as it is murky.  Though I believe the fix is in and all of this is just kabuki to cut SS, Medicaid and Medicare.  

And as usual, her eyes glazed over.  I don’t watch much tv.  I don’t have time.  Now my daughter has to go to school every day for her ADD and dyslexia.  I can’t get involved in this government stuff.

Oh – I’m sorry.  What happened?

And she goes on to explain that her daughter needs help because of ADD and dyslexia.  So she drives her to Rush Hospital every day for treatment.  

Luckily I am a stay at home mom.

Well, our kids have the Illinois State Plan.  It’s up in November but we’ll see what happens.  I’m sure it’ll be extended.

Drum Roll:  yeah, you make sure you continue to stay uninvolved with “government stuff.”  And you know what else – I’m getting tired of fighting other peoples’ battles.  

She’ll probably vote for Obama –

We are, as they say, doomed.

Peas are full of vitamins and they are good for you – even the frozen ones.  Plus a bag of frozen peas can be used for that black eye you may have received at the hands of some crazed individual in the grocery mart who  fought you for the last two-for-one gourmet coffees – once ordinary – selling at $10.50.  Gosh, two for one.  But as I reached my hand over to the coffee, a wild eyed woman pushed it aside and grabbed the last two. I let it go because I am a small woman, in my seventies, and she was a obese woman in her thirties – I could outrun her but really why waste the energy.

But back to peas – I’m a rice eater, and not only brown rice.  No, in my rice madness I even eat jasmine and white.  We are continually told by the likes of Dr. Oz that white stuff is really bad for you.  However, I put green peas in any rice dish while cooking – it’s a good duo.  

I also like green peas in potato salads and some pasta dishes.  It not only gives cold salads a good flavor but it actually has a nice look – the green denoting nature and largesse and all.

I am a vegetarian, so eating peas doesn’t bother me but I occasionally would like asparagus (now selling at $6.25 a pound) or avocados (now selling for $2.95 each).  Avacados are really good for you – they have the good fat.  

Anyone have any pea recipes you want to share.  Of course now that it has some cache – Green Giant will prolly raise prices … again.

Austerity – bring it (as he will).      

Colleen Rowley, Sherron Watkins and Cynthia Cooper?  They were named Persons of the Year by Time and on their cover in I think 2002 – that was when whistleblowers (Enron) were honored by the press.  

An interesting argument going on in left blogosphere now tweaked that memory.  Yves Smith – of Naked Capitalism, wrote a call-out article on her blog on how Peter Peterson has usurped FDR’s name by “bribing” the people at Roosevelt Institute to take part in one of Peterson’s open hunts on SS/Medicare.  Ms. Smith is an economist, so has all of the requisite bells and whistles.  Of course, it met with pushback from some of the other supposedly liberal think tanks she mentions in her original article.  This am Yves hits back with a terrific essay at FDL – I am on my way out but hope some of you will read Yves original essay and this follow up.

And the reason I thought of these three women is because Yves mentions Elizabeth Warren and gives her great credit for sticking it out in the face of the consistent belittlement and marginalization by the admin (one might even say boredom by all those adults in the WH).  You know the only ones in the room – the rest of us being unruly children.

This one may have legs.    

slouching imperiously around a table – telling me that Medicare is unrealistic in its present form.  You know what else is unrealistic – being lectured by a man and woman whose weekly clothing allowance and haircare allowance cost more in two weeks than what I pay in a year at the thrift store for my own clothing. (I’ve taken to cutting my own hair in between 2 month visits to a hairdresser.)  One would think Mika would consider her own father – but wait – he had a government job, so he’s probably covered in his healthcare and Joe, of course, was a congressperson so he’s not sweating healthcare.  As well, Joe makes a decent salary slouching at the table issuing wisdom to the stupid consumers (once called citizens) out here who depend on Medicare both for themselves and their parents.  

And the tut tutting about the Paul Ryan Plan – Don’t we get that it’s just an opening gambit!  Poor Paul.  Btw, great blog out there “Paul Ryan is Pretty” – check it out.  Do I have the stones to go downstairs and watch Paul.  I’d better I guess if I’m writing this essay.

Not yet – but a love fest, two of them as a matter of fact.  One for Kissinger and another ten minutes of love extended to Netanyahu.  My favorite:  Mike saying that since N lived in America he understands America.  “This country is about fairness.” This after the Medicare conversation.  Mike who used to have a working class kind of aura now is fully a member of the Village.  And we see footage of the Congress standing up and giving N a big love applause moment.  Do they think O won’t walk back on what he said re Israel —

they get it.

Let’s see if Paul (I paid my way thru college with SS payment) Ryan is on yet —  Yes – but I couldn’t watch all of it.  His take: Dems are demagogues on this issue.  And he repeats at least three times – it won’t affect people over 55.  It will keep the program strong.  Yeah, I’m willing to throw my son under the bus – why not?  Of course, it will affect all of us all the time.  Also: This isn’t a voucher program.  It will give us choices to find the best value.  It’s giving us options and will keep it solvent for people like Paul.  Will Paul rely on Medicare?  That’s good news – you mean the congresspersons will rely on Medicare now?  I have to research this.  He also mentioned that the Tea Party candidate was a problem for the Republican.  And who encouraged the Tea Partiers the last year or so?  It’s called coming home to roost.  

I live across the way from a hospital so everyday I see several old people getting off the bus or out of cars (with or without their children or younger friends or relatives) and with their walkers and arthritic hands and feet take l5 minutes to walk about ten yards to the doors of the hospital.  None of them – none – have a clipboard thereby making it easier to check out if this hospital has the best plan for them.  And it’s not like they don’t have the time as it takes them so damn long to walk.  So – what’s to say about them except they are ungrateful and “entitled.”  

Even when it looked like the Democratic woman would win that NY Republican district last night, Stenny Hoyer said it’s all on table (now when the Republicans are on the mat – hey it’s a rough game).  Plus O is not trustworthy on SS and Medicare.  He plans to have a Board overseeing Medicare – who will be on the Board I wonder?

I took my mom to all doctors’ visits, hospitals and for the last few days, nursing homes.  How could she have accomplished this on her own, or with some stranger?  Who would have been her advocate?  Well, it looks like the answer for some who may not have a daughter with functioning grey cells – Paul Ryan.  

Cardinal George offered a post as president of a nearby high school to Father Michael Pfleger who has been at St. Sabina for 30 years. St. Sabina is a black church on the south side of Chicago.  (For those of you who don’t know – Pfleger is a visible – very visible – outspoken critic of those in power – including the Church and the Daley and Bush administration.  He may still be in O’s camp but I can assure he is in the camp of the poor and voiceless.)

Father Pfleger refused. The Cardinal asked him to leave the Church. You know he is shrill!  He has been a thorn in the side of the Church for a long time.  He is an antiwar activist and a noisy one.  He can be a SOB.  But he was at most of the antiwar and affordable housing rallies in Chicago. Shouldn’t a priest be with his people – even the Liberal ones.

He is an inspiring speaker.  I didn’t like what he said about Hillary.  But look, he is a man who speaks out.  He spoke out for the Iraqi people. He spoke out for his black parishioners.  He spoke out for Obama (unfortunately) but at the time many people were fooled or desperate for a change.

What shocked me were the comments I read after the AP article.  And here is where I am a naive little girl (albeit an older one).  People who commented don’t like him.    They said in effect “Good bye – here’s your hat; what’s your hurry.”  Many terrible remarks about Liberals also slipped in.  You know when you spend time on the liberal/progressive blogs, you forget about the hatred out there heaped on people like us.  He was called Communist, anti-American, a cafeteria Catholic (that’s me btw).  

We were roundly mocked and yelled at during the first marches of the Iraq War.  But the marches became so large that the police were forced to be careful – and had to wear name tags for one.  They tried to get away with that.  You wouldn’t know about the rallies because the non-shrill press and tv personalities did not give any airtime to us. The riff-raff.  Father Pfleger always stood with the riff-raff.  I wish him well.

You have to hand it to him!  He was a political genius to stay in that position for as long as he did.

I wish him well!  Shrillness – it doesn’t count for the Tea Party – only for Liberals/Progressives.  I hate the MSM.  And I say with every shrill shred of my soul.

UPDATE:  According to a headline in Chicago Sun-Times, the congregation of St. Sabine took to the streets for a march.  Glad to see it.    

I had a telephone conversation with my broker re income tax.  I had to stop looking for certain cost bases when I went back thru the years and saw how much money I’ve lost when I began to get chest pains.

Okay – not of any real interest – but it helps me to say it!

Now this guy is an independent who thinks of SS as a Ponzi scheme.  Depending on my mood – I’ll spar but sometimes it’s not worth it.  He is not from a wealthy family but they are comfortable and have a family trust.  He’s not worried about his parents’ income.

Aye, but here’s the rub.  He’s worried about Medicare and about the voucher system.  “Who do you think will have to take care of my parents?” he asks plaintively.  Okay, he’s an independent – a nice young man but not in any sense of the word a liberal/progressive.  So he wouldn’t care if SS hit the dust but he can foresee thousands of dollars out of his parents trust (which would eventually be his! or not!) and maybe come to a point where he would have to cough up some money.  And “some” is not the operative word here.



This is why I think the Paul Ryan grandstanding is a scam.  Multiply my broker who is in his 30s by thousands.  That’s money that would be coming to them – but whoa, now it’s going to the insurance industry.  (let’s put aside parental love – loss of money is a scary thing in a capitalist system, muchless a rigged one like here.)

I’ve said this before Obama and Ryan may come up with privatization – of course, this is after he is elected.  Or give a further shake to the Catfood Commission made up of billionaires, neoliberals and crazy old men.  But some younger people are noting Ryan’s plan and while they do not scour the blogs as we do (hence my chest pains) – some of them are pretty saavy. And they don’t want their parents’ money p***ed away to insurance companies.

It’s not an value-based thing – it’s a pragmatic thing.  Like the president!  

I await the unfolding of this theme – pass the aspirin!

I saw a comment on Talk Left this morning about how “we handed the Democratic Party over to Obama.” I never considered it in that light. It made me weep.  Well that and the chest pains!

This morning after my workout I passed a newstand and noted this headline in the Sun-Times:



RAHM WARNS UNIONS (Teachers to work longer Hours)

Day Laborers to show up in greater numbers

Surprised boobala!  Really.  He was a DLCer when he was an alderman in Chicago and Washington DC only strengthened that line of thought.  Note also that the stats show more working class, AAs, Latinos are moving out to suburbs and the wealthier are moving into the City of Chicago.  I was chased out of my little bungalow in Chicago, so that a $2 million house could be built.  I can attest to how the working class, lower middle and now middle were chased out of the City.  Rahm was alderman of one of the north side areas during this time period.

Rahm Emanuel warns teaching, labor unions about changes

Mayor-elect RE is layin down the law to two unions whose cooperation he needs to turn Chicago around:  teachers he wants to work a longer school day and laborers he wants to simply show up at work in greater numbers.  During the campaign, he declared his support for curtailing teachers’ right to strike.  He also made it clear that, if teachers won’t agree to work longer hours for extra pay, he’ll ask the Illinois General Assembly to mandate it.

My guess is (and I was a long time resident of Chicago) the “extra pay” will fall by the wayside and charter schools will benefit from this someway.  

Also, the use of the word “laborers” troubles me.  Nothing wrong with laborer – we’re all laborers in a sense but it cuts down to size certain unions – say carpenters, plumbers – who are rightly proud of what it is they do.  It lumps all into the Laborer camp.  And we all know how laborers are respected in 2011 USA.  Implicit in the wording is that the laborers are getting paid even though they don’t show up for work.

It’s unlikely Chicago’s elites will send their children to public school in any event.  They’ll go to private schools where kindergarten for instance costs something like $14,000 a year.  Class War, anyone!    

LET THE PRIVATIZATION BEGIN.  Because of course it will save the taxpayers lots of money! N.O.T.

Danni Moore requested the city council of Hesperia, California to pass an ordinance allowing two rats that sit on her shoulders to help control seizures become service animals.  The city council approved such an ordinance on March 15. Ms. Moore can now bring her rats into public buildings and businesses. Ms Moore’s rats are a breed of domestically trained rats, not the dirty hippie rats found in sewers and allegedly in the homes of liberal activists.  

However, the federal government tightened its definition of what a service animal is according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The new classification only sanctions dogs and miniature horses.  It more clearly defined a law from 1990.   Thru the years many other animals were given status.  This new regulation will have an impact on the entire country, save for the town of Hesperia when city council voted 4-1 allowing any species of animal with a doctor’s certificate.

The dissenting voter, a former mayor Bill Holland opposed the measure.  He enlisted the help of The Tea Party to campaign against it. And they have done so – hence the new and stricter rules. The Tea Party that opposes government in Americans lives?  – Why yes, that Tea Party!  

I understand tiny teeny rifles will soon be issued to said rats in the hopes that the National Rifle Association will not weigh in.   These domestic rats are generally regarded as intelligent.  Surely the Tea Party understands that these rats have a right to such arms, in Hesperia at least.  Though pharm labs that continue to torture rats and whatever animals they can get their hands on seem to be nervous about the tiny teeny rifles.  Tiny teeny bullets can certainly cause damage.  But as we all know tiny teeny bullets do not kill people; domesticated rats do.