A guiding light extinguished
A few thoughts while trying to enjoy what’s left of a long weekend.
Thought one. These weekends seem a lot longer in theory than in practice.
Sad thought. American television is changing its face. First, Paula Abdul is leaving “American Idol.” I’ll never watch without her on the show. And “Guiding Light,” a soap opera that began on radio 72 years ago, is going the way of all flash. At least we’ve still got “All My Children,” I think.
Honestly. I’ve never watched either of those, although my mom may have had on “Guiding Light” when I was younger, which may count. She just watched for the commercials, like the Superbowl.
I don’t watch daytime television if I can avoid it. Today, I remembered why. President Obama spoke before a labor group in his preachier mode. Definitely a good speaker. But what he said was poop and patently poopy. No, Mr President, you won’t create jobs and manufacturing to help the dwindling Middle Class. Best way to help us is lowering payroll taxes, preferably to zero. (That’s $0.00, in case you never heard of it.) A new czar (or adviser) cannot increase factory work. Government is not how manufacturing originates. Furthermore, in the 21st century, more manufacturing does not constitute more jobs. We have something called “automation.” Factories are not like the government, where you keep hiring more and more screw-ups to exacerbate everything.
Healthy point. I’m sick of hearing how you will force some creeping health care “reform” on us, Mr President. You make it sound like Republicans are the hold-up. You’ve got the Democrats to pass it, only many of them don’t want to risk getting voted out over a guaranteed disaster, even by government standards.
Obama waxed on, not to be confused with Waxman, about more financial regulation being necessary. How about getting your government to enforce the existing regulations — regulating the regulators? Passing laws that are ignored is a feel-good exercise, accomplishing nothing. You passed credit card “reform,” resulting in credit limit decreases, fee and interest increases for those who pay their bills. Probably doesn’t matter to those who do not. Financial regulation was as effective as oversight by politicians of colleagues with conflicts of interest.
Happily, Americans are not as stupid as politicians would like them to be. If Obama cares about health care, not just his legacy, he should go back to the drawing board until he can develop specific, helpful legislation. Government tax policies created the insurance disparity, so they can end them, at least in some fantasy world where politicians are not stupid assholes. [Giving them a break for Labor Day, I resisted writing "stupid m*therfucking assholes," but couldn't help thinking it.]
Now, where did I put my glasses?
