Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Fire Paulson and Bernanke
Secretary of the Treasury Paulson and Fed Chairman Bernanke have come to Capitol Hill and sounded the alarm for an immediate crisis where 700 billion dollars are needed immediately to rescue the economy. Are you telling me that they had no idea that this was coming and we have to make an hasty decision to appropriate funds with no oversight? They should both be fired or resign because it is their job to monitor the position of financial markets. Why did not they come to the Hill with information sooner to alert the Congress of this looming possibility, so a reasonable, well thought out plan to solve the problem? Their failure shows their incompetence and complicity. As a citizen of the United States and a registered voter, I demand their resignations.
The Republican platform caused this financial mess
9/24/2008
If you would like to have some indication of how we got into this mess, here is an excerpt form the 2004 republican platform:
Homeownership
Homeownership is central to the American dream, and Republicans want to make
it a reality for everyone. That starts with access to capital for entrepreneurs and access to
credit for consumers. Both have improved immensely in the past four years, resulting in
record levels of homeownership. For the first time, more than half of all minorities own
their home.
We support the President’s goal of increasing the number of minority
homeowners by at least 5.5 million families by the end of the decade. Since President
Bush announced his initiative in 2002, an additional 1.6 million minorities have become
homeowners. The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunities Program helps low-income
families purchase a home. The most significant barrier to homeownership is the down
payment. We support efforts to reduce that barrier, like the American Dream
Downpayment Act and Zero Downpayment Mortgages. The President and Congress have
taken action to provide counseling and education to help first-time homebuyers navigate
the process of buying a home.
If you would like to have some indication of how we got into this mess, here is an excerpt form the 2004 republican platform:
Homeownership
Homeownership is central to the American dream, and Republicans want to make
it a reality for everyone. That starts with access to capital for entrepreneurs and access to
credit for consumers. Both have improved immensely in the past four years, resulting in
record levels of homeownership. For the first time, more than half of all minorities own
their home.
We support the President’s goal of increasing the number of minority
homeowners by at least 5.5 million families by the end of the decade. Since President
Bush announced his initiative in 2002, an additional 1.6 million minorities have become
homeowners. The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunities Program helps low-income
families purchase a home. The most significant barrier to homeownership is the down
payment. We support efforts to reduce that barrier, like the American Dream
Downpayment Act and Zero Downpayment Mortgages. The President and Congress have
taken action to provide counseling and education to help first-time homebuyers navigate
the process of buying a home.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
How to Pay for the Financial Meltdown
The current strategy for paying for the subprime mortgage mess is to pass it on to the taxpayers. The people in the financial industry who made billions off of this scam should be the ones paying the bill. It's bad enough that Bush gave these wealthy individuals a tax cut, but to let them get away with the money they made while selling this dirty paper is inexcusable. They made bad decisions by giving these loans. They made bad decisions by bundling these bad loans and selling them. And they walk away with billions while the taxpayer foots the bill? Lehman paid 5.7 billion in bonuses in 2007. Another 5.2 billion in 2008. The government should go after these and the bonuses paid to management of Bear Stearns, AIG, and all the other financial institutions that got fat on this reckless scam. They cruise on their yachts while the poor taxpayer who is trying to get by foots the bill?
Friday, September 19, 2008
Transcript of introduction of Ralph Nader in Chicago
The following is a transcript of remarks made by Richard Kaziny in introducing Ralph Nader at the Vittum Theatre on Sept. 6, 2008
Thank you Matt.
Our next speaker needs no introduction. His tireless efforts on behalf of humanity are well known. But, before he comes out, I would like to say a few words about a topic that is little discussed.
When the United States attacked Iraq, it was the first time in American history that the strategy of pre-emptive war has been used.
The Nuremburg trials of the Nazi war criminals concluded that pre-emptive war was the supreme international criminal act.
The supreme international criminal act.
And, you and I paid for it.
How many dead?
No one knows.
How many wounded?
No one knows.
The UN estimates that there are 5 million refugees who have fled their homes in Iraq.
The talking points say "Everyone agrees we are better off with Sadaam gone".
Really.
How about the hundreds of thousands of innocent dead. Are they better off?
The corporate media has hidden the results of this invasion from our eyes. Instead we hear about extramarital indiscretions, lapel pins, and pregnant teenagers.
Let's imagine the world of a child in Baghdad.
That night 5 and one half years ago when the U. S. attacked Iraq, all we saw were pretty lights of explosions from a distance. A fireworks show.
But, in the lives of the Iraqis, it must have been a night of sheer terror.
The fright of a child huddled with her family in the dark. The explosions. The sirens. The screaming. The fear.
Then, if your family was too poor to run, the knocks on the door and the rousting. The looting. The car bombs. The sirens. Having family members arrested and tortured. Having no electricty. No water. Lakes of raw sewage in the streets. Rampant unemployment. Military checkpoints. Concrete barriers. Endless funeral processions. Hunger. Orphans. Over crowded, under staffed, ill-equipped hospitals. Headless bodies in the streets.
Could you imagine what this constant terror would do to the emotions of a child?
Most Iraqis believe it is okay to kill Americans.
Can you blame them?
Instead of solving terrorism, we are creating it.
The hate and trauma we have caused will create a new crop of terrorists.
There must be a way out of this nightmare.
And I think we might need an unreasonable man to lead us.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ralph Nader.
Thank you Matt.
Our next speaker needs no introduction. His tireless efforts on behalf of humanity are well known. But, before he comes out, I would like to say a few words about a topic that is little discussed.
When the United States attacked Iraq, it was the first time in American history that the strategy of pre-emptive war has been used.
The Nuremburg trials of the Nazi war criminals concluded that pre-emptive war was the supreme international criminal act.
The supreme international criminal act.
And, you and I paid for it.
How many dead?
No one knows.
How many wounded?
No one knows.
The UN estimates that there are 5 million refugees who have fled their homes in Iraq.
The talking points say "Everyone agrees we are better off with Sadaam gone".
Really.
How about the hundreds of thousands of innocent dead. Are they better off?
The corporate media has hidden the results of this invasion from our eyes. Instead we hear about extramarital indiscretions, lapel pins, and pregnant teenagers.
Let's imagine the world of a child in Baghdad.
That night 5 and one half years ago when the U. S. attacked Iraq, all we saw were pretty lights of explosions from a distance. A fireworks show.
But, in the lives of the Iraqis, it must have been a night of sheer terror.
The fright of a child huddled with her family in the dark. The explosions. The sirens. The screaming. The fear.
Then, if your family was too poor to run, the knocks on the door and the rousting. The looting. The car bombs. The sirens. Having family members arrested and tortured. Having no electricty. No water. Lakes of raw sewage in the streets. Rampant unemployment. Military checkpoints. Concrete barriers. Endless funeral processions. Hunger. Orphans. Over crowded, under staffed, ill-equipped hospitals. Headless bodies in the streets.
Could you imagine what this constant terror would do to the emotions of a child?
Most Iraqis believe it is okay to kill Americans.
Can you blame them?
Instead of solving terrorism, we are creating it.
The hate and trauma we have caused will create a new crop of terrorists.
There must be a way out of this nightmare.
And I think we might need an unreasonable man to lead us.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ralph Nader.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Letter to Newsweek
9/17/2008
Dear Sirs,
I understand that your magazine tries to put all views on the table. I find it very disturbing that you would give Karl Rove a voice and a paycheck. After all the lies and manipulation that he engineered at the White House, after snubbing Congressional subpoenas, I view Mr. Rove as more of a criminal than a valued voice. The millions of lives that were impacted by the lies told to cause the attack of Iraq, the millions of lives impacted by political cronyism (heckuva job Brownie), using the justice department for political purposes, voting manipulation, whisper campaigns, etc. make him a radical criminal - not a journalist.
Why not give Manson, Himmler, or Mugabe a job too.
After enjoying your magazine for many years, I will cancel my subscription if Karl Rove appears ever again.
Sincerely,
Richard Kaziny
Dear Sirs,
I understand that your magazine tries to put all views on the table. I find it very disturbing that you would give Karl Rove a voice and a paycheck. After all the lies and manipulation that he engineered at the White House, after snubbing Congressional subpoenas, I view Mr. Rove as more of a criminal than a valued voice. The millions of lives that were impacted by the lies told to cause the attack of Iraq, the millions of lives impacted by political cronyism (heckuva job Brownie), using the justice department for political purposes, voting manipulation, whisper campaigns, etc. make him a radical criminal - not a journalist.
Why not give Manson, Himmler, or Mugabe a job too.
After enjoying your magazine for many years, I will cancel my subscription if Karl Rove appears ever again.
Sincerely,
Richard Kaziny
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Abstinence Does Not Work
Although it is a fine idea, it has been shown time and time again that just teaching abstinence does not reduce the number of teen pregnancies or the incidence of STDs. Sex education and contraception have shown to be much more effective than abstinence. Now we have a vice presidential candidate who is opposed to sex ed. and contraception. What is the result of her stance? A pregnant, unmarried teenage daughter. The anti-choice people are so happy that she chose to have the child. Don't we have enough children who get a second rate upbringing because they have a mother who is still a child herself? Now this teen is making the second mistake by marrying the father. Marriages that occur between teenagers who have a shotgun wedding are not very likely to last or be good for the children. If this girl had had proper sex education and used contraception, she could have waited until she was in a proper emotional, occupational, and marital position to provide a proper home for the child. Teen pregnancy is an epidemic that leaves many children with an unstable, emotionally destructive environment. Gov. Palin should be ashamed of herself for not educating and protecting her child.
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