The Republican Mess: Part 2 The Mortgage Crisis

In case you missed Part 1, it was The War.

Who recalls the Glass-Steagall Act? Don't worry, it was repealed. Democrats Senator Carter Glass of Virginia and Congressman Henry Steagall of Alabama introduced their bill to Congress in 1933, shortly after and because of the Great Depression. Glass, former Treasury Secretary, understood that the nation could not endure another Stock Market crash such as that which occurred 4 years earlier. He and Steagall introduced legislation which prohibited most banks in America from also dealing in security exchanges. Further, it guaranteed [FDIC] the deposits from bank foreclosures. Commercial banks were distinguished from investment banks.

Essentially, the act, also known as the Banking Act of 1933, kept banks from speculating with the depositors money; it was a 'safe' place to place one's savings and get a small return on that investment. These banks were the backbone of the American middle and lower classes for decades.

Unfortunately, this act was overturned in 1999 when Congress approved the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. President Clinton gladly signed the legislation. Republican senators Phil Gramm of Texas and Jim Leach of Iowa together with Republican Congressman Thomas Bliley co-sponsored the bill with essentially removed the barrier between commercial and investment banking. As a result, insurance, investing and banking were amalgamated.

Republican congressmen in the 90's undid what Democratic congressmen in the '30 had done. Safeguards were removed. Flexibility trumped trust. Security was sacrificed for speculation. And the current mortgage crisis is the result.

Interesting how the Republican Party guess wrong so many times, isn't it?

Why 2,200 Marines Will Go to Afghanistan this Spring

Because our 'allies' won't sent their troops. There's the hard truth of the matter. However, we Americans need to continue to be the policemen of the world, in Afghanistan and Iraq. Apparently it is our destiny, the grand plan assigned to us.


No doubt, GOP likely nominee John McCain will tell the American people that we will have to continue to 'make sacrifices' to keep the 'terrorists on the run.' And many Americans will bobble their heads in agreement thinking that 'it's better to fight them over there..."



Oh, the shallowness of it all.

What Is The American System of Government?

The Founding Fathers established a written Constitution as the Governmentof the United States. Their Constitution was unique for their time. They provided a Government of three branches: legislative, executive, andjudicial. While it seems that these are co-equal branches of national Government, the legislative is looked upon by the Framers as "the first amongequals." It was listed first and given the broadest power.

The Executivebranch is primarily the enforcer of congressional and judicial law and is charged with protecting the Constitution. The judicial branch branch of Government is charged with legal proceedings and justice and determines what is constitutional or unconstitutional.

However, while each branch is considered"separate but equal" there is much overlapping. For example, for a bill to become law it must be passed by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President. The executive can veto it, but Congress can override the veto. All a President can do is accept it or veto it; the President cannot change it and then sign it. There is no "line item veto" for the executive listed in the Constitution as a power of the executive.

After the bill is passed and signed, the Supreme Court can determine if the law is right or wrong. So, there is a lot of overlapping, but the real power is in the legislative branch, as intended and written by the Framers. The Framers had just fought a long, costly and bloody war against absolutism. They knew the danger of one man rule and wanted none of it for the Government they created.

As time marched on, the executive took on more and more power of its own. However, from 2001-2006 the power of the Presidency sharply increased. With Republicans controlling both Houses of Congress, there was no effort to check the President. The Republicans held no over-sight hearings; there was no attempt to reign in the vastly increasing power of the executive. Many will recall President Nixon being referred to as the "imperial president". But, there is an important difference between Nixon and Bush. Nixon was an "imperial president only in theory as he was checked and balanced at every turn because he had a Democratic Congress with traditional Republican legislators like Goldwater and Dirksen who knew what liberty and freedom entailed. Lets not forget Gerald Ford or Sen.Baker of TN either. They knew. They knew the American Governmental System is based on law.

This was affirmed by the Supreme Court when they ruled that "no President is above the law." In 17 days, Nixon was gone. Bush and the "Republicans" of today maintain that the world crisis and its threat to the US requires them to "put aside ordinary legal rights." Bush flatly states that Congress cannot investigate the executive. He denies with impunity Congressional subpoenas. Bush is permitted to act as if he is above the law.

The preemptive attack on Iraq, thereby negating American foreign policy since 1789, is Bush declaring his power is unlimited. This is where he needed to have been checked, but Congress Democrats and Republicans refused the fight.

Does anyone care about executive dominance? This ought to be the battle of Nov. 2008.Why isn't the growth of absolutist power under Bush and the "Republicans" not the burning political topic? No Democratic or Republican presidential candidte has attacked executive branch supremacy? Is there a cry for executive restraint? This is the most important issue before the country. Bush does what Nixon onlythreatened to do......

Beautiful Photography for an Ugly February Day

39 more here

Exhausted U.S. force in Iraq

The top U.S. uniformed military officer on Wednesday described a tired U.S. military force, worn thin by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and unlikely to come home in large numbers anytime soon. Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the military was exhausted by the repeated deployments to Iraq.

No kidding. I guess 'mission accomplished' on 5/01/03 was just a joke? Just political spin by Karl Rove? Funny stuff, wasn't it. Real funny.

Kids Playing Insurgent in Iraq

Lots of people here are surprised and angered to see a video of children acting out insurgent kidnapping scenes in Iraq. Not me. These kids have been watching war games 24/7 for most of their lives. A ten-year-old kid in Baghdad watching war unfold in his neighborhood all of his life would surely mimic that even in his play, much like I mimicked the 'cowboys and Indians' I watched on black and white TV in the 50's.

Who is shocked? Who finds it unconscionable? War is real to these children. Did anybody think that the Bush War was some TV drama? No, this is what you get when you initiate a preemptive war on a country and occupy it for 5 years. Think of the permanent mental scars these children will carry with them throughout their lives.

"We're bring'n freedom." Bull crap!

Super Patriotism: Voting or Dropping Bombs?

Author Michael Parenti's 2004 book, Super Patriotism, brings up that old argument of just what patriotism means. In the run-up to the Bush War on Iraq, lots of people were flying flags from their cars and houses and they plastered bumper stickers on their car bumpers to show their support for 'the war.' Americans seem to love wars.

They also seem to know just what patriotism is. When I was standing on the street corners protesting the up-coming war, lots of people rolled down their windows and told me about it. Some did it silently with a hand gesture; some did a double.

Not too many flags flying from cars these days in northwest Ohio and those bumper stickers have fallen off mostly. Not too many yellow ribbons on trees either. Apparently we have fallen out of that kind of patriotism for now.

In his book, Parenti lists these subjects that I find interesting:

What Does It Mean to Love Our Country?
“America—Love It or Leave It”
The Importance of Being Number One
Military Patriotism: For Flag and Missile
“USA! USA!” Sports for Superpatriots
The Divine Politicos
Messianic Nation
Follow the Leader
Patriotic Fear
The Menace Within
Are the Plutocrats Patriotic?
Support Our Troops (Cut Their Benefits)
Rulers of the Planet
“Why Do They Hate Us?”
Real Patriotism

I'm mostly interested in his last topic, 'Real Patriotism.' I think we saw that on 'Super Tuesday' all across America. Millions of citizens took time to vote; that is the essence of genuine patriotism. It didn't matter for whom they cast their vote, it was the act itself that ought to be lauded. Record numbers turned out in state after state. I think I know the reason for that 'surge' from the people. I suspect it is because of what didn't happen in 2004. And what happened in March 2003 when we were roaring Patriotism from the rooftops.

Americans getting involved in selecting their leaders is one of the best examples of Patriotism that there is. We ought to have bumper stickers available to slap on that say, "I did my patriotic duty: I VOTED!"

Obama is Winning Red States

What does it mean that Obama won these red states yesterday: Missouri, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Alaska and North Dakota? Why did Clinton not? Are the Democrats in these red states a different breed, have a different background, different issues? Iowa was a shocker a few weeks ago as well. What do the voters in these states see in Obama that they like?

As both Obama and Clinton agree on virtually every issue, there must be some reason why they chose the novice over the old-timer. Missouri, itself, is an interesting state, and I'm not sure if it was just Sen. McCaskill's endorsement. That state is a harbinger of the sense of the citizens and, as I recall, holds the record of getting it right most often. It was a squeaker, for sure, but Obama won.

Anybody from Missouri want to chime in?

I think of McCain's victories in the blue states, the Northeast, and wonder what that means- the flip side of the Obama wins in the red states. Odd stuff to ponder.

Northwest Ohio Rainbarrels for the Garden Event

My relatives who live in the Black Forest of Germany store all of their rainwater in barrels to use for their extensive vegetable garden in their back yard. It is both free and pure water. Now folks in Northwest Ohio can take advantage of the rain that now runs down to the sewers and into the lake for their gardens.

The American Rivers and the City of Toledo’s Storm Water Program are currently running a “sale” for rain barrels. Call 877-977-3135 to order, or order on line at http://www.nerainbarrel.com/. Order online, then pick up locally. Delivery date is Saturday March 29th from 9 a.m. to noon at the Erie Street Market.

Comparing McCain, Clinton and Obama on the Issues

The 2008 Presidential Candidates on the Issues

• Support Roe v Wade-----McCain N Clinton Y Obama Y
• Support the Death Penalty-----McCain Y Clinton Y Obama Y
• No Child Left Behind----- McCain Y Clinton Y Obama undecided
• Embrionic Stem Cell Research-----McCain Y Clinton Y Obama Y
• Drilling in ANWAR----- McCain N Clinton N Obama N
• Support Kyoto Treaty -----McCain N Clinton Y Obama Y
• Assault Weapons Ban -----McCain N Clinton Y Obama Y
• Gun Background Check -----McCain Y Clinton Y Obama Y
• Patriot Act -----McCain Y Clinton Y Obama Y
• Guantanamo-----McCain N Clinton N Obama N
• Torture -----McCain N Clinton N Obama N
• Wiretapping -----McCain N Clinton N Obama N
• Border Fence -----McCain Y Clinton Y Obama Y
• Military Action Iran -----McCain Y Clinton Y Obama mixed
• Iraq War -----McCain Y Clinton Y to N Obama N
• Troop Surge -----McCain Y Clinton N Obama N
• Iraq Withdrawl -----McCain N Clinton phased Obama phased
• Minimum Wage increase -----McCain N Clinton Y Obama Y
• Same Sex Marriage -----McCain N Clinton N Obama N
• Civil Unions -----McCain states' right Clinton Y Obama Y
• Constitutional Ban Same Sex -----McCain N Clinton N Obama N
• Universal Health Care -----McCain N Clinton Y Obama Y

Correlation among candidates:

McCain and Clinton agree on 13 issues

McCain and Obama agree on 11 issues

Clinton and Obama agree on 19 issues

McCain, Clinton, and Obama agree on 11 issues

[source]