Twofer Tuesday
by Oly Mike
I think Steve, Deacon and I are all thinking about the budget this week. Must be in the air. I will turn off comments in this post (if I can figure out how) and let the discussion continue in the earlier threads.
A couple of items that jumped out at me from the news scan this morning.
First, Black Voices notices that in an austere budget that promises to further gut the tattered safety net, Barack managed to propose a record $3 billion to our good friends, Israel, coverage on that from End the Occupation. The NYT has basic coverage of the budget proposal.
Second - the austerity police and Citizens United invigorated capitalists are definitely excited about the 2010 elections and are moving forward with plans to rein in the deficit any way they can. And I do mean any way. In Wisconsin, the Governor is hard at work. John Nichols at The Nation has noticed. The US Chamber of Commerce has taken the offensive and hired private investigators to dig up dirt on opponents and their family members. Alternet has that story.
And a bonus item: The Federal Deficit is apparently posing a problem. Nobody who is anybody is talking about two aspects of the deficit problem
- David Swanson at Opednews asks How Many Budget Analysts Does it Take to Notice the Military? Methinks that is a rhetorical question.
- AP carried a story this past week that points out that tax levels are at the lowest point since 1950. D Senator Kent
Conrad says the current tax code is hemorrhaging revenue. That works out fine for some folks, not so well for others as our income inequality levels continue to climb.
Time to walk like an Egyptian? Don't miss the real meaning of the uprisings in the middle east. It's about the class struggle.
I am all dressed up for work, better hit the road and leave the rant behind.
Go get'm.