Why We Can't Get Serious About US Economy

Okay, "Pop Quiz" (Answers are at the bottom of the page)

1) What is the size of the US economy in terms of GDP?

2) What is the total US national debt?

3) What is the 2010 US Federal budget?

4) What is the US Federal deficit projection for 2010?

In a recent Seattle Times Op-Ed page Alex Albin makes the case that we don't teach American school kids basic economics along with math and history. I would add that American students are not taught basic political science, either. In a nation where the government is supposed to be built on the principle of government of, by and for the people it is strange that America doesn't do a better job of assuring that "the people" know how their government works and how to tell, in real terms, how effectively their government is representing them.

How well we educate the youth of America will determine how well the youth of America will fare in the realities of 21st century global competition. The fate of the nation always rests with the next generation of Americans. Such is the nature of governance of, for and by the people. I believe that the greatest security that our nation can achieve is for every American child to master the fields of math, science, history and philosophy. An educated population is the greatest defense against tyranny.

If we are going to have a serious discussion about the economic decisions facing America, we need to know what we are talking about. For instance:

What is the difference between the "federal debt" and the "federal budget deficit"?

What does GDP stand for and what is it?

What percent of the total US budget goes to "Foreign Aid"?

How much money does the federal government provide to fund National Public Radio (NPR)?

Just so you know, the total amount of all foreign aid from the US is just over 1% of the total federal budget, and NPR gets no direct federal funding. I have never had anyone answer either of those questions correctly.

Typical guesses on the amount of foreign aid range from 10%-25% of the budget. Eliminating all foreign aid would do absolutely nothing for the US economy and would devastate several countries that depend on US aid. Not exactly a good P.R. move on America's part if you ask me.

So it's going to have to be the "big 4", Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Defense. These 4 items account for over 80% of the US federal budget. We aren't going to truly address our national economic mess until we accept that these four "untouchables" of the federal budget are going to have to be part of the discussion. There can be no illusion that the American economy is in deep trouble. We cannot ignore the reality of our situation any longer.

However, it must also be clear that taxes are going to go up for some of the wealthiest Americans. The top 2%, those whose incomes exceed $150,000 per year, are going to have to give up their 4.6% tax break under "The Bush Tax Cuts". Too damn bad if you can't make ends meet if your taxes go up from 35% to 39.6%. All that means to me, who lives on way less than a tenth of that amount, is that you are living above your means and that is not a good reason to bankrupt America.

It is my belief that we, as Americans, need to recognize and understand that we are part of something greater than ourselves. I find it distressing that far too many Americans are happy to take the rights and privileges of American citizenship while ignoring the responsibilities that accompany those rights. We have an obligation to those that paved the way for us, and we have an obligation to future generations, to guard those rights and privileges. Liberty is priceless, but it is not painless.

1) $14.6 Trillion (2010 est.)

2) $13.6 Trillion

3) $6.4 Trillion

4) $1.4 Trillion

If you got the number to the left of the decimal correct, give yourself one point. The points are meaningless, but at least you won't be pointless. If you got even one right (without cheating) you are doing better than most.

Democracy In The Streets of Egypt?

"If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press." And for me, it's also "Face the Nation" (CBS), "This Week" (ABC), "GPS" (CNN), and "State of the Union" (CNN).

This week on CNN's "State of the Union", former ambassador and Director of National Intelligence, John Negroponte made a statement that I think clarifies the Bush administration and the Republican attitude fairly well. In commenting on the situation in Egypt, he said this:

"I think it's the role of governance to try and introduce a measure of moderation into these kinds of situations. The street is not the government. The street is not democracy. Let's not forget that."

It does make sense, if you think about it, that a Republican does not know where democracy comes from. The only place that democracy can come from, the only place that democracy truly resides is on "the street". It is the voice of the people rising from the street to demand liberty, to demand a say in how their country is lead, to demand their rights as humans.

No Mr. Negroponte, democracy is the street. That is where it started in America and where it will take root around the world. American can't force the issue, no government can. Democracy will come from the will of the people, when they are ready. The best thing America can do is to make sure that when people are ready, they have an excellent example to follow to make it work. If we are going to promote democracy around the world we ought to perfect our own union first.

The President's Reply to "The Drug Question"

A number of people in the medial marijuana community are upset at the response of President Obama to the question regarding the legalization of "all drugs" during the recent You Tube interview. I don't think it was the answer that was the problem. I think the question was flawed. The question should have been specifically about the use of medical cannabis and the rescheduling of marijuana by the DEA.

The legalization of "all drugs" is a long, long way from the sensible steps that can be taken to vastly improve America's drug policy. One such sensible step in this direction would be for President Obama to direct the DEA to reschedule marijuana.

The removal of this "Sword of Damocles" that looms over the entire medical cannabis community across all 15 states and the District of Columbia where the people have, in almost every case, voted by overwhelming majorities to allow the use of - and safe access to - medicinal cannabis.

The will of the people should not be usurped by the government! Oh, wait,isn't that the neo-conservative, T.E.A. Party - and new GOP leadership - mantra? So all those so-called "tenther's" out there should be in full-throated support of the individual states rights to govern themselves without federal over-reach.

The issue for the President isn't whether all drugs ought to be legal, that ain't happening anytime soon - and personally I don't think it should ever happen. Legalization of Heroin is as stupid an idea as putting marijuana on the same level as Heroin in the war on drugs. There is just no comparison in the physical damage that Heroin does to the human body, in the social & economic damage that Heroin does to communities, or in the effect that Heroin has on crime in American society. The issue needs to be laser focused on the laws surrounding marijuana and the medical use of cannabis.

I am heartened that President Obama is at least willing to accept that a discussion of America's drug policy is worthy and, indeed, necessary. Once we get the DEA and federal government out of the picture with respect to the control of cannabis, two things will happen:

1) States can regulate and tax the cannabis industry. Once this is a reality the cannabis industry will become a "cash-cow" in terms of state and local jurisdiction revenue. As soon as the 35 states that do not have medical cannabis laws see the revenue potential in the cannabis industry they will have medical cannabis laws faster than you can say "Jack Herer".

2) Marijuana smuggling pretty much goes away. Seriously, when was the last time you heard of an illegal Scotch Whiskey smuggling cartel being busted? Nineteen thirty-something, I think. Take just that one product out of the war on drugs and that would allow for a more effective policy on the drugs that really are damaging to the nation. Like Heroin...and alcohol.

That marijuana will become legal is not really in doubt. It is only a matter of when and how it becomes legal that is in question. By the time my 21 year old son is my age (I'm 52) this will be done. His 20ish kid will wonder that marijuana was illegal, just as people wonder that alcohol was actually outlawed at one time in America. It is my belief that we, who have the opportunity to help craft cannabis legislation, wither as citizen activist or as an elected representative of the people, that works for all members of the medical cannabis community, have an obligation to do everything we can to pave the way for future patients.

It isn't going to be easy and it won't happen immediately. But it will be worth the effort, of that I am sure. Someone once said, "Decisions get made by those that show-up". Let's be the ones that show-up.

Peace and long life!

This Blog Title Has Changed? W.T.F???

I have decided to change the title of my blog. I wasn't really happy with the whole "W.T.F." thing, it just didn't catch my ear (or my eye) very well but it was the best thing I could think of at the time. The new title comes from an interview that aired on "The Rachel Maddow Show", Nov. 11, 2010, with Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show".

During the course of that interview Rachel asked Mr. Stewart how he sees the role of his show in the media as compared and contrasted with 'serious newscasting'. Stewart claimed a closer kinship to Jerry Seinfeld than to CNN or MSNBC and the kind of reporting that Rachel and others do. Stewart likened his role to as being, "in the stands yelling things, criticizing", putting journalists and reporters (like Rachel) "in the game". I think that Mr. Stewart underestimates his influence.

I believe it more accurate, to continue the sports metaphor, to say that the politicians and news makers are "in the game". The serious, 'hard-news', journalists, reporters and commentators (including social satirists such as Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, among others) are the folks in broadcast booth calling the game.

The play-by-play announcer calls the mechanics of the game, the 'nuts-&-bolts' of what is happening on the field. This is the role that Brian Williams, Katie Curic, or Diane Sawyer might be equated with. The 'color commentator' is the person that gives meaning and perspective to the action on the field. They help the viewer to put together the intangibles and make the connections that might otherwise be missed by the casual fan. The two halves of the 'broadcast team' work together to bring the fan as close to the action as possible, to bring the game to life for their listeners whether they are at home watching on the T.V. machine or are in the stands at the game. I always had my little radio with me at Mariners games to listen to the late, great Dave Niehaus and the Seattle Mariners broadcast team calling the games. Quite often the Mariners were terrible and there were more people on the filed than in the stands, but Dave and 'the color guy' made it seem worth sticking around for - or at least listening to.

The news can be complicated and confusing when simply presented as a serious of facts and events. Often people are left wondering how the events covered on the evening news actually impact their lives. What does it mean to me and my life right now? This is where Jon Stewart, along with other satirists and humorists, is able to bring together the connections that are often just out of reach until someone puts it in terms that have relevance to our personal lives.

Most people that watch sports as casual fans really do need the announcers and analysts to follow the games. There are some, like me, that can watch a baseball, football or basketball game without a soundtrack and not miss a thing. There are some that only catch the scores and highlights on the news and never go to actual games. There are some people that never watch or pay attention to sports at all. This is true with respect to the news, too.

I am a self-confessed news-junkie and political nerd. I can safely say that I am not the average American in this respect. Most Americans, it seems to me, are like the folks that catch the highlights on the late news after the games have been played. Unfortunately the numbers of people that don't pay any attention at all is growing. This is a seriously dangerous situation, as it has been said, all that is required for evil to succeed in this world is for good men to do nothing.

As I see it, it is guys like me (and readers like you) that are in the stands. We go to the games, so to speak. We follow our favorite teams, we know the standings, we know how our favorite players are doing and how the playoff picture is shaping up. We are the people that read our newspapers, watch "Meet the Press", etc. We are not, as I have previously mentioned, average as it pertains to our awareness of the world around us.

I hope to make this something that will appeal to all levels of interest. It is my ultimate goal for this blog to start, and to maintain, a conversation about the issues that face our country and our world. I have started to add links to some of the blogs that I read and some of the issues that are important to me. Please feel free to comment as you read, but do remember to be respectful to individuals.

The point of this blog is to give myself an outlet for my opinions and observations, to allow me to present my 'view from the stands', so here we go and thanks for reading.