Continuing horrific News out of Afghanistan

The Saga of horrific News out of Afghanistan continues.  17 Villagers in the Province of Helmand were beheaded, it is not clear whether before or after having been shot, because they were at a ,,Party'' and listening to Music.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/27/13499316-seventeen-villagers-beheaded-in-southern-afghanistan-after-music-party?lite

Two American Soldiers were killed (again) by Afghan Troops in Uniform.  President Obama reminded us, Four Years ago, of the horrific Price on ,,Blood and Treasure'' being paid in Iraq.  The War in Iraq has been concluded, not exactly as it was foreseen but the War in Afghanistan remains an Open Wound continuing to extract ,,Blood and Treasure.''

The Administration has a Withdrawal Plan from Afghanistan which may or may not be outgalloped by unfolding Events.  There are Problems with this Plan which are acknowledged by many, not the least of which being, the continuing Casualty Losses which have now taken a particularly sickening Turn with American Soldiers being shot by Afghan Soldiers.  The continuing Costs of Aid to Afghanistan, even after Troop Withdrawal, currently estimated by some to add up to $ 6 Billion annually, present, in View of Budgetary Constraints, a further Problem.

The Republican Presidential Candidate, Mr. Romney, bears, it appears, the Responsibility of presenting in explicit Detail what he intends to do about Afghanistan.  His Position, whatever that may be, will have an Effect both on ,,Blood'' and ,,Treasure.''

Pause for Thought needs to be given by both Candidates to the Fate of the Regime of President Karzai which is, according to general Concensus, not only corrupt but, more worrysome, shaky.

Going into the November Presidential Election requires a refining of the Position going forward on Afghanistan by both Candidates, so that the Conflict does not increasingly become ,,The Forgotten War'' which continues to extract ,,Blood and Treasure.''

The Making of the President 2012: $ 500 Million and counting

Recent News Articles suggest that the two Presidential Campaigns have spent $ 500 Million so far in the Effort.

Numerous other News Articles detail some of the Techniques being used in raising the Money for Presidential Campaigns, not the least, a Report published by The Associated Press today, 24 August 2012:

http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/24/13454050-romney-uses-secretive-data-mining-exec-says?lite

One is left to wonder, how the Presidential Campaign would have looked so far and how it is going to go down to the Finish Line if, say, $ 499 Million less would have been spent on it.  One might be further left to ponder just what Kind of Message this sends to the Efforts to reach a Resolution out of the Budget Impasse.

 

An Argument against the Secretary of State's One Dimensional Approach towards the Situation in Syria

News Organizations, including foreign ones, are reporting with more and more Frequency on the complicated Situation in Syria.

Below is a rather typical Example from NBC News and Reuters, which appeared on 23 August:

The Headline reads:

More foreign Fighters join rebels in Syria as regional Crisis deepens

The full Article including Photographs and Video can be seen at:

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/23/13431460-report-more-foreign-fighters-join-rebels-in-syria-as-regional-crisis-deepens?lite

What is difficult to understand, in View of this is the Secretary of State's One Dimensional Position regarding the Crisis which is essentially to expel President Assad.

To put it another Way, when resolving a Problem, it is necessary to consider what other Problem will be created as a Result of the Solution.

Recently, former Presidential National Security Adviser Dr. Zbigniew Brzeziński stated the Opinion that it is a prudent and cautious Policy Approach to have in Place what and who will follow, before toppling someone.  Recently, a Policy similar to the one in Syria, pursued in Egypt, where President Hosni Mubarak was deposed has resulted in totally unpredictable Results which are still in the Process of unfolding.

The Question, must be emphasized, is not who Mubarak or Assad are or might be but what would follow their Places and to acknowledge the simple Fact that not knowing what will follow can be not only an unpleasant Solution but may lead to totally unpredictable Developments.

It occurs to this Writer that Dr. Brzeziński 's Opinion is one which should be considered and not dismissed out of Hand and the President is giving Weight to the Opinion of others, such as Vice President Biden, Dr. Brzeziński (who unfortunately is not serving in the Administration) as well as others who may be able to formulate something other than the One Dimensional Approach being championed by the Secretary of State.

 

The Federal Reserve likely to deliver another Round of Monetary Stimulus

Reuters reported today, 23 August 2012:

Fed ready to help economy 'fairly soon,' minutes show

By Reuters

 

The Federal Reserve is likely to deliver another round of monetary stimulus "fairly soon" unless the economy improves considerably, minutes from the central bank's August meeting show.
While the meeting was held before a recent improvement in the economic data, including a stronger-than-expected July reading for U.S. employment, policymakers were pretty categorical about their dissatisfaction with the current outlook.
"Many members judged that additional monetary accommodation would likely be warranted fairly soon unless incoming information pointed to a substantial and sustainable strengthening in the pace of the economic recovery," the Fed said in minutes to its July 31-Aug. 1 meeting.

 

Fed officials saw significant risks to an already weak economy, which grew at a sluggish 1.5 percent annual rate in the second quarter. The risks include a worsening of Europe's financial strains and the looming U.S. budget cuts and tax hikes, which have become commonly known as a fiscal cliff.

"We have seen some improvement in the data recently but whether it is enough to qualify as a significant upturn is unclear, but certainly these minutes are dovish and will revive hopes for increased Fed easing," said economist David Sloan at 4Cast Ltd.
Many Fed officials supported extending the central bank's guidance for the likely timing of an eventual interest rate hike, currently set at late 2014, further into the future. But they decided to defer the decision to the Fed's Sept. 12-13 meeting, when the central bank will release a new round of economic forecasts.
Officials also actively debated and tested the possibility of developing a consensus Fed forecast.
A couple of policymakers favored lowering the rate the Fed pays banks to park their excess reserves at the central bank, currently at 0.25 percent. But several participants worried that money market funds could run into trouble if their returns are crimped further.

The Queston which arises out of this planned Action is just how the Financial Institutions are using this Stimulus Money.  Is this Money being used to make Loans, create Jobs and build Houses or flowing into enabling Financial Institutions to engage in Financial Transactions which are of little or no Benefit to the General Populace?  Previous Rounds of Monetary Stimuli do not reveal a clear Answer to this Question, if they reveal an Answer at all.

An Examination of the Flow Distribution of such Funds might be useful in establishing a Monetary Policy which can genuinely deliver the Economic Stimulus which would have a more favorable and measurable Result than the enormous Amounts of Stimuli already delivered, which have flown into Financial Institutions over the last Five Years and which, many of us, do not know what they were used for or how they benefitted the Economy, outside of propelling the Stock Market into New Highs.

Some have even made the Argument that if the same Amount of Money were to have been evenly distributed to every Man, Woman and Child in the General Populace, either directly, or in the Form of some Benefit(s) or a Combination of these, the Spending of such Money, while, most likely, would not always have been wise but would have nonetheless resulted in such a Level of Spending that it would have undoubtedly achieved at least a temporary beneficial Result; something which has not been achieved by pumping all this enormous Amount of Mega Dollars into Banks and Financial Institutions.

Facebook Stock Slide and Mark Zuckerberg

The sometimes incredible Saga of News appears to continue without Respite.  Missouri Republican Senate Nominee Todd Akin got himself in hot Water by suggesting that “Legitimate Rape” rarely led to Pregnancy.  He further insisted that Doctors backed up his Position.

(Slightly less offensive was the Revelation that Freshman U.S. Representative Kevin Yoder (R. - Kansas, 36), has not been charged in the August 18, 2011, Incident in which he and about 20 other Lawmakers and Staff Members jumped into the Sea of Galilee after having consumed unreported Quantities of Alcohol...Politico reported Sunday that he was the only one among them who wore no Clothes).

Juxtaposed with these bizarre Incidents is another News Item:  Facebook Stock appears to have hit a New Low of $ 18,75 on Monday Morning (20 August 2012).  Criticism has been mounting on Mark Zuckerberg's ,,Leadership.''

In View of the Incidents happening on Wall Street and the Financial Circles surrounding it, an appropriate Question may be to what Degree the Facebook Initial Stock Offering constituted some Sort of ,,Legitimate Rape'' also.  Enormous Publicity surrounded the Stock Offering along with Suggestions that nobody outside of the ,,Big Boys'' would be able to get the Stock at the Initial Offering Price of $ 38,00; the Implication was that it would be much more; nobody was implying that those outside of the ,,Big Boys'' Circle would be able to get the Stock at $ 38 because a few short Weeks later it could be had for $ 18 or, perhaps, going forward, even less.

Some Banks and Secondary Underwriters not to mention lesser Investors and the General Public were had for Billions.  In the Meantime, Mr. Zuckerberg and his Confederates walked away with, again, Billions.  The  Question is, does this Type of activity not constitute some Form of ,,Legitimate Rape'' in the Financial Sense; at a Time when the Country and World Economies are languishing.

Private Lawsuits for Damages are flying in the Facebook Debacle.  However, considering a more prudent Approach, of seeking to determine whether the Actions of Mr. Zuckerberg and those who engineered the Facebook Initial Stock Offering breached the Borders of Legitimacy and caused an unnecessary and inappropriate Migration of Funds in the Depths of a Financial Crisis which currently engulfs both the United States and the World Economies, might be in Order.

A Letter to the Democratic Party Regional Director

Portions of the Letter and several Names have been edited.

...

Now there are many People who are far smarter than I am and I have no Idea how Things have been worked out or are going to be worked out on this Budget Thing.  All I know, as they used to say, is what I read in the Papers.  And what I read is that there is going to be a super bloody Fight over the next Sixth Months about these Cuts, and then something about a Constitutional Amendment and on and on and on.

We, when I say we, President Obama and all of us who voted for him inherited Two Wars from President Bush and they were both funded outside of the Budget by Mr. Cheney and, I suppose, Mr. Bush must have signed off on it.  But these Expenditures are being continued and they are huge and I do not sense any Urgency about the Money being spent, or as one might put it, wasted, on this.  I doubt that The Department of Defense can afford to get three competitive Bids every time they have to airfreight Drinking Water to Afghanistan.  Yet, that Money is coming out of somewhere and somebody is getting rich, very rich out of it.  That is just an Example.  And that is a Lot of Money.

Someone just acquiesced when Mr. Bernanke spent, I am not sure how much, they say, $ 6 or 7 Hundred Billion; that sounds like a Lot of Money to me, on ‘Quantitative Easing’ and for the World of me, I never heard that Phrase when I went to College nor ever since.  I just wonder whether President Wilson is rolling in his Grave when he hears Mr. Bernanke talk like that, wondering what has become of his beloved Princeton University.

Equally, a Lot of People are concerned about the Things that Mr. Geithner is doing in Office, including the Fact that he is spending more Time, the Way one hears it, talking to Wall Street People and Bank People each Day, than talking with Government People and, just intuitively, that doesn’t sound right either.

I am sorry that President Obama appears, some say, manœvered by People like this, after all, these People are not Tea Party Republicans, they work for the President and we all pushed for an Agenda when working to elect the President and overcame nearly astronomical Odds in order to prevail.

Moreover, it is disingenuous for both Mr. and Mrs. Clinton to trumpet that they have balanced the Budget when they took all of the Entitlement Funds, that includes Medicare and Social Security and dumped them in the General Fund.  Even my Cat, had I had one, would have known how to balance the Budget that Way.

One should perhaps lament not having President Bush, not George W. Bush, that other President Bush, to come out and say a few Words today, as he did to President Reagan, when he called this Type of Behaviour that President Reagan wanted to institute and instituted ‘Voodoo Economics.’  But President Reagan succesfully managed to kick the Can forward and now we all have to deal with it.

To this, one should reflect, perhaps, that the Republican Party was the Party of Abraham Lincoln, a Man who towers as a Beacon in the Annals of History throughout the World as someone who stood for Justice and Equality and paid with his Life for it, yes, Abraham Lincoln and not Ronald Reagan, as some of our Republican Friends would have us believe today and that the Democratic Party, the oldest Political Party in America and one of the oldest Political Parties in the World is the Party of Thomas Jefferson, who found his Inspiration in the Jewish Philosopher Baruch Spinoza and his Writings about Ethics, yes, Thomas Jefferson and not Bill Clinton.

The Budget Impasse

While Congress and the White House are struggling with the Debt Ceiling, Taxes and Expenditures, with so many Accusations being thrown in every which Direction, this Writer makes a modest Suggestion for a new Approach:

Under this Approach:

- President Obama would stop by Presidential Decree (no Congressional Approval needed), all Military Expenditures outside of the United States, except those needed to protect Diplomatic Missions and Government Officials travelling Abroad

- President Obama would fire Mr. Bernancke and Mr. Geithner, without appointing any Replacements for them

- By Executive Order, President Obama would direct Attorney General Holder to investigate any Allegations of Fraud and Mismanagement in any Government Expenditure of over $ 1 Billion

- By Executive Order, All Appointed Government Officials who earn in Excess of $ 100.000,00, would be required to study the Writings of Thomas Jefferson and pass a Course Completion Exam, in order to maitain future Job Tenure.  Those wishing to be considered for Promotions, should also be required to take Courses on Kant and Spinoza.

- President Obama would request Mrs. Clinton to return to the Air Force the Jetliner made available exclusively for her Use; however, she would continue to be free to travel anywhere she wishes internationally, via Military or Commercial Flights.

- Mr. Carter, at the frail Age of 86, would be called out of Disgrace and respectfully requested to conduct a Course on Zero Base Budgeting to all Members of Congress who wish  to receive future White House Invitations.  Mr. Carter is without Doubt going to accept this Responsibility.  Which Members of Congress would choose to attend, remains to be seen.  Side Bets on such Things would be allowed.

- The White House may consider reminding both the Republican and Democratic Congressional Leadership, but especially the Republican Leadership, that the Father and Shining Beacon of the Republican Party was Abraham Lincoln and not Ronald Reagan, that Ronald Reagan, who succeeded President Carter was the First to allow the Federal Deficits to explode to this insane Level of Magnitude, in no small Part through Military Expenditures for Things which have never been used and will never be used and that it was a Republican Senator from Pekin, Illinois (not China), to whom the Saying is attributed:  '...a Billion Dollars here, a Billion Dollars there and pretty soon you are talking about real Money!...'*

- Then, President Obama would sit in The White House and await for both Mr. Boehner, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Kantor and whoever else might be on their Side, to fold their Tent.

- A Re-Election Celebration Committee made up entirely of Volunteers should also be set up, should this Strategy be implemented.

Upon the Tent being duly folded, President Obama would request Congress to implement the following Legislation:

- Eliminate Social Security and Medicare Tax Ceilings which, have been drastically lowered while People collect Millions of Dollars in Bonuses, Tax Free, while at the same Time, People earning under $ 100.000,00 have no such Benefit and, the Medicare and Social Security Funds are underfunded.  See, Spinoza, Kant and Jefferson.  This would also be a good Time to ask Mr. Clinton to explain himself, not that it would do any good, why he proposed the intermingling of these Funds with the General Budget, thus showing a Surplus, whereas had this not been done, there would have been no Surplus and possibly, irresponsible Expenditures in subesequent Years could have been avoided.

- Propose a Value Added Tax of a Percentage to be determined, on all Luxury Goods Purchases over $100.000,00. 

- Tax Unearned Income at a Different, higher Rate than Earned Income, as it was done previously and as everyone prospered under the System, did not have to deal with Mortgage Derivatives, Countrywide Bank of America, AIG, Goldman Sachs nor all of the Goldman Sachs Employees who have infiltrated the Government and who do not give a Hoot about Thomas Jefferson, Immanuel Kant or Baruch Spinoza.  As far as they are concerned, who the Hell did Baruch Spinoza think he was, anyway?



____________

* The Quote is attributed to, although disputed as to its exact Form to Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen, Republican, Illinois, 1896 - 1969.

Air France 23 New York to Paris on Saturday 14 May 2011 - First Class

The Sexual Charges stemming from the Arrest of Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was, apparently, unceremoniously removed from the First Class Section of Air France just about as the Plane was about to pull away from the Departure Gate at JFK Airport, are something that the New York Authorities and Mr. Strauss-Kahn's Lawyer(s) are going to have to deal with.

As a Matter of Public Policy, however, some of the Questions arising from this Incident which this Writer has, are the Following:

§ As Head of the IMF and in charge of supervising, coordinating and solving financial Problems of immense Complexity with Public Funds, what was Mr. Strauss-Kahn doing flying Air France in First Class?



Would an Economy Class Ticket not have sufficed?  OK, OK, so maybe he was tired (tired?) and headed for a Business Meeting the following Day; would not a Business Class Ticket have sufficed?  Also, given that Mr. Strauss-Kahn was supposed to go and be at a Meeting in Germany, why would he have detoured via France and add to his Jet Lag?

§ What was Mr. Strauss-Kahn doing staying at the Sofitel Hotel in New York in a Suite for $ 3000.00 a Night?  Would the Holiday Inn not have sufficed?  Surely the Holiday Inn has a Business Centre.  OK, OK, so maybe the Sofitel Hotel has French Speaking Staff which would make Things more convenient for Mr. Strauss-Kahn, although he knows English well enough; but the Sofitel has Regular Rooms, too, which are not shabby by any Stretch of the Imagination and the Sofitel has a Business Centre, too and it must be every bit as good and then some when compared to the one at the Holiday Inn!

§ Who is responsible for approving Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn's Expense Account?

§ Are the poor People of Greece supposed to sustain and pay for this Level of Expenses?

§ Are the poor People of Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Iceland, not to mention from a few other Countries as well, supposed to sustain and pay for this Level of Expenses?

§ Is the Government of the United States, or for that matter, the Governments of other Countries as well, some of which are going through horrendous Financial Constraints, with possibly more to come, suspposed to sustain and pay for this Level of Expenses?

§ Is there room in the Public Sector for 'Caviar Socialism' even though most people won't dispute that the Caviar on Air France in First Class is, may we be permitted to say, no doubt 'First Class?'

§ Is this Kind of Level of Expenditures which is attrributable to Mr. Strauss-Kahn an Aberration, or sypmtomatic, or better said, epidemic, of numerous public, quasi-public, publicly funded and Tax sheltered so called 'Public or International Aid and/or Charitable Organisations?'

§ As a Footnote, the one Organisation which apparently needs not be put under Scrutiny, for this Kind of Behaviour is The Salvation Army.  According to the Information this Writer has (even though not confirmed), the Salvation Army, despite its reported US$ 14 Billion in Assets, has its People travel Economy Class.

Ask and Tell

Germany’s Junior Coalition Partner (Conservative, at that), is headed by Guido Westerwelle, a Homosexual (‘Gay’ in current 'Modern' or 'Politically Correct' Parlance) who has also recently gotten ‘married.’  Mr. Westerwelle is also, by German Political Tradition, Germany's Foreign Minister.  Although a Number of salacious Rumours and Episodes have surfaced from Time to Time about Mr. Westerwelle, he has managed to fend off most of them and has survived.

Westerwelles Zukunft Die Partei hat das Sagen
Redakteur Jens Kiffmeier, Berlin

Artikel vom 29.03.2011

Nach dem Wahldesaster richten die Medien über die politische Zukunft des FDP-Vorsitzenden – und degradieren die Parteimitglieder zum belanglosen Stimmvieh. Das ist nicht gut. Denn warum sollte man sich dann noch engagieren?

Well, the Junior Coalition Partner (FDP), which is an illustrious and highly intellectual Political Party with a long Tradition has gone down the Toilet in recent German local and regional Elections and, in the most recent ones, deeper down the Toilet than previously.  Mr. Westerwelle's Leadership of the FDP has been questioned before with a fairly high level of Intensity but this Time, the Criticism is relentless and furious; after all, the very survival of the Party is at stake.  Whether Mr. Westerwelle has to go, is no longer an 'if' Question but has become a 'when' Question.  Whether the Damage which the FDP has suffered, Mr. Westerwelle or not, is fatal is another Question which only the Future can and will answer.  Worse yet, this Morass might possibly draw the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel (i. e., Prime Minister, equivalent to U. S. President: Germany like a Number of other Countries has a ‘Ceremonial’ President), a highly respected Figure internationally, down the Toilet along with it.

It is, therefore, a legitimate Question, it would appear, to ask if some People in the Democratic Party of the United States are not paving the Way for the Republicans and the Tea Party Goers, with what some may describe as the Appeasement of Homosexuals that is going on, on Issues such as 'Repeal of Don't Ask, don't Tell,' or the furious Debate on the Issue of 'Homosexual Marriages' whatever that is supposed to mean.

Regrettably, it would seem, little is being written in the Press in the United States about what is going on in Germany with Mr. Westerwelle and the FDP.  It should be noted, there is a Constitutional Doctrine on 'Chilling Effect' which advances the Theory that sometimes Speech or Advocacy becomes supressed.  People are simply too scared to write about Things like this.

Equally regrettable, it would seem, is the Lack of Debate on some Issues, such as, for Example, the Theory that the State recognises Marriage and accords certain Benefits to Married Individuals, because, in Theory at least, Married Individuals have the Potential to provide a Benefit to the State.  'Married Individuals' of the same Sex are, by Biological Imperative, incapable of overcoming that Obstacle.

More important, perhaps, could be the Fact that the Progressive and forward thinking Objectives, Goals and Aspirations of the Democratic Party of the United States are being endangered and imperiled not just with the Preoccupation with this Issue, but also by the Fear of those who would want to look at the Issue from a critical Perspective, that they would be ostracised or castigated.

Dancing Elephants - Continued - The New York Times

Jeffrey R. Immelt? Ain't this the Fellow at GE with the Dancing Elephants who was chosen by The President to head the Council of Economic Advisers?

Now, Boys, shouldn't he also be given a Hefty Raise or be paid a Huge Bonus by GE? And, given the Expertise of John Samuels, who formerly worked for The Treasury and now works for GE, it should not be too difficult, if at all, to claim either Payment as an Expense Deduction for GE. No Social Security Withholding Taxes need to be paid to The Treasury for this, either, since the additional Compensation would be over the Threshhold. What the Heck! Give'm both the Raise and the Bonus! There would be no Adverse Impact on GE's Earnings if you do this, Boys; the Money will come from the U. S. Treasury! Oh, lest we forget; no Social Security Withholding Taxes to be taken from Mr. Immelt's Compensation for his 'Services' to the Government as an 'Economic Adviser.'

The earlier Reference to 'Dancing Elephants' in this Forum appears to be corroborated by the Article which appeared on 24 March 2011, in The New York Times (Link below). The New York Times also makes Reference to GE's Slogan in the 'Dancing Elephants' Ad: 'Imagination at Work!' NO KIDDING!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2

The Fundamentals of Voodoo Economics

The Financial Crisis continues to play out in Wisconsin and other Mid-Western States. The Standoff between Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the Teacher's Union continues with no End in Sight. In Ohio, Governor John Kasich is also preparing for Battle with the Public Sector Unions. Iowa and other States appear to be ready to follow suit in not too long a Time. In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie has already implemented major Financial Changes and Reforms and now has his Hands full denying that he would consider a Presidential Bid. Governor Christie has not yet invoked the Statement made by General William Tecumseh Sherman well over a Century Ago, 'I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected,' but we shall see.

It must also be said that with non Higher Education Student Performance Levels in a Dismal State throughout the Nation (see, 'Universities' elsewhere in this Forum) Teacher Salaries and Benefits should come under Scrutiny. Many Surveys indicate that Public Sector Workers are not only paid better but also have infinitely better Job Security when compared to Private Sector Workers. This Fact corrupts the Standing of Public Sector Workers as 'Civil Servants,' i. e., performing out of Dedication rather than Financial Benefits and Gain.

However, the Argument that balancing State Budgets can be done simply by this, without imposing an additional Tax Burden on Higher Income Brackets or, indeed, as done by Governor Walker, cutting Higher Income Taxes, qualifies for what Two Decades earlier President George Herbert W. Bush described as 'Vodoo Economics.'

At the Federal Level, we see a Course not all that different. 'Tea Party-ers' and many Republicans in the House are clamoring for various Cuts, much of it directed at Federal 'Entitlement' Programs and, some, attempting to reduce waste. However, all this cutting, if combined with continued uncontrolled Expenditures in Afghanistan and Iraq is totally useless. The Federal Budget consists of 3 Major Line Items: Social Programs, Military Expenditures and Interest on the Federal Debt, which add up to about 90% of what the Federal Government spends. So, even if everything else were to be eliminated completely, which, realistically it cannot, that would only add up to 10%.

In this Context, the Republican Argument that the Federal Budget can be brought under control, with these enormous Burdens, while reducing Higher Income Personal Tax Levels is, again, nothing less than what President Bush described as 'Voodoo Economics.'

Where the Republican Counter Argument that cutting Higher Income Tax Brackets 'creates Jobs' has germinated from is, to this Writer, a Mystery. There is no Evidence to show that the Billions doled out to Banks and Financial Institutions, or the 'Quantitative Easing' Cash have created any significant Number of Jobs, actually, rather, the Contrary Argument seems to be more persuasive, that they have not. To use a Cliché, the Obscene Bonuses on Wall Street have not created any Jobs.

The Challenges to balancing the Federal Budget (and, by Implication, States need to follow a similar Course in their Affairs) are:

If the War in Afghanistan (or in Iraq, or anywhere else) is necessary, fund first, fight later. Do not do what President George W. Bush did, fight first and let somebody else worry about the Funding by kicking the Can forward.

If the Social Programs have merit, fund and do not divert Funds to other Expenditures, as it was done previously with Social Security.

To cover the Federal Debt Interest Payments, one of the largest Items in the Federal Budget, obtain Funding, not by increasing the Debt Ceiling and cutting Taxes which are Voodoo Economics at its most sublime, but by assuring a Progressive Level of Taxation which covers them and, at the same Time, pray and pray hard, that somehow Mr. Bernancke will be succesful in keeping the Interest Rates low because, if he fails doing that, the Interest Payment Portion of the Federal Budget would explode.

And the Fundamentals of Voodoo Economics would not apply, should that happen.

From 'Quantitative Easing' to Wisconsin

As the Teachers' Protests continue in Wisconsin, the Tea Partiers march into Madison. So far, Governor Scott Walker has dug in his Heels and Democratic Legislators in Wisconsin have taken 'Refuge' out of State; thus, by depriving the State Legislature of a Quorum, they have, in Effect, dug in their Heels too, Toe to Toe with the Governor. Some Observers have gone so far as to proclaim Madison the Epicentre of the Financial Crises sweeping, some say, as many as 45 out of 50 States.

The Issues, however, may be too systemic to merit a simple Explanation. On the Side of the Governor, is not only the Argument that the Wisconsin State Budget needs to be balanced but that generous Teacher (and other Public Sector) Salaries and Benefits, not only in Wisconsin but elsewhere as well, have corrupted the Meaning of the Phrase 'Public Servants' so much more so when taking into Account inadequate Public Education Test Scores (see Justice Souter's Comments elsewhere in this Forum). This, at a Time when those who earn their Living in the Private Sector are having to make do on comparatively less, or much less or nothing at all.

In this Case, however, it may be helpful to take a Look at New York City, the Financial Epicentre of the United States and the World, where the Problem may be into somewhat clearer Focus.

5000 Teachers in New York City are not only in Danger of losing their generous Salaries and Benefits but their Jobs altogether. New York City is just flat out of Money and its Revenue Outlook is bleak. The Inequity comes more sharply into Focus there, when paragonating the Situation against the obscene Bonus Earnings continuing to be paid to various Echelons on Wall Street. Some may still remember the huge Bonuses that were paid on Wall Street at a Time when several Institutions on Wall Street which paid those very same Bonuses were 'Bailed Out' by the Federal Government. All but forgotten has been the Proposal to institute a 90% Federal Income Tax on those Bonuses paid by Institutions which had received (whether paid back or not) Federal Bailout Money.

Such horrific budgetary Straits at the State and City Level in New York, Wisconsin and elsewhere, not to mention the Federal Deficit Dilemma which has yet to be dealt with, continue against a Backdrop of a Policy of 'Quantitative Easing' being pursued by the Federal Reserve Bank through its most ardent Proponent, Mr. Bernancke.

Just where precisely all this Money is flowing remains a Mystery. However, with Teachers demonstrating in the Capitol Building in Madison, the Tea Partiers marching on them, 5,000 Teachers in New York about to march to the Unemployment Office while Stock Market Averages are catapulting to New Highs, that Question seems to merit being looked into and soon.