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First Fruits (or nearly so)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Some garlic from our garden. Not quite the first of the harvest. They looked good in color, but I thought they looked even better in black and white. (Click on the picture for a larger view).

Speaking of pictures of the black and white variety, I recently had a birthday, and my son gave me an old Minolta Hi-Matic Rangefinder camera. I told him a few months ago how much I regretted selling the one I had in the 60s, which was, all things considered, the best film camera I ever had. He found it on the internet, of course. I don’t think the one he gave me was the exact same camera, but it’s nearly identical. So, I’m going to go retro a bit and use film every now and then-probably black and white.


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The best health care in the world, not counting the rest of the world

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

It never ceases to amaze me how often some (usually) Republican politician repeats some variant of the claim that the U.S. has the best health care system in the world. It seems to me that at least two things should follow from that claim:

1. People all over the world should be clamoring to have their own countries move to a health care system like ours.

2. Health care policy should be a far bigger issue in other countries with democratically elected governments than it is in this country. After all, if it’s a huge issue here, it should be even bigger in those countries in which, according to the Republicans, they have it even worse.

Neither of these statements appear to be true.

Human beings being what they are, I’m sure citizens of every advanced country bitch and moan about the inconveniences that they experience with their health care systems, but I certainly haven’t heard about any substantial number of people holding our system up as a preferable alternative. On the other hand, plenty of people here seem to feel that the systems in other countries are superior. (See, e.g., the inestimable Paul Krugman)

Nor have I heard that Health Care policy is a critical issue in any advanced country but ours. Every other country appears to have arrived at a solution that more or less satisfies the bulk of its citizens without bankrupting the business sector. Tinkering around the edges, maybe. Demands for wholesale change; not so much.

Everyone used to like our jeans, everyone still likes our music, but no one likes our health care system. That should tell all but the most parochial something.

On a slightly different point, it looks like the Obama campaign slogan is being slightly altered. It is now: “No, we can’t”, as Rahm Emmanuel waves the white flag of surrender (before the fight even begins) on the public option. If the Democrats back down on that then our system will remain the envy of the world-in the fevered imagination of Republicans. For the rest of us it will remain the road to economic ruin.

UPDATE: Will wonders never cease? Rahm may want to surrender, but Harry Reid, of all people, is telling Baucus to stop chasing those Republican votes.


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Baucus set to sell out women?

Monday, July 6, 2009

If this report is true, Max Baucus (D) will, in the vain hope of attracting Republican support for health care legislation, agree to mandate exclusion of abortion services. The idea that you will ever get a bipartisan bill is a chimera. Even if Baucus manages to buy one or two Republican votes, it will not be a bi-partisan bill. It will be a bill shaped to satisfy those one or two Republicans, and even then it will be ceaselessly attacked by the remaining 38. The folks who are actively pushing for this limitation will not be brought on board if it is adopted. This a fool me twice act on the part of the Democrats. How much did the water down the stimulus bill at the behest of Republicans who voted against it anyway.

As one commenter at the linked article notes, the Republicans have apparently made no move to deny Viagra to themselves or other males. Our moral judgments seem always to extend only to women. It would only take 3 or 4 Democratic Senators to put their feet down and stop this; maybe the women among them will do it, but don’t hold your breath.


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Sarah

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Via Andrew Sullivan


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Scott Bates column in today’s Courant

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Our own Scott Bates (State Committee person from our district) has a column in the Courant this morning about his experiences in Iraq, where he is, according to the Courant, “working with officials to strengthen democratic institutions”. I’m not sure exactly what that means, though I know Scott has been spending a lot of time there and working really hard. Sounds like Scott is not terribly optimistic:

Last week marked the Iraqi government’s takeover of security in its cities from the American military. The thinking is for U.S. forces to assume a lower profile and put the Iraqi government out front and center. In this region, the more visible the American military presence, the more we are identified as occupiers, which strengthens the hands of the extremists. And so we are at the point where the Iraqi government will need to sink or swim on its own. There is not much more we can do. And perhaps the idea of trying to control events in this part of the world is an illusion after all.

Here at home we are working hard to pretend that Iraq and Afghanistan don’t exist, but that’s a losing strategy. We will be dealing with both, in one way or another, for years to come. Scott puts the blame where it belongs, on the folks who got us into this mess with no clear plan on how to get us out, or even what to do assuming they intended to stay put (which they did).


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The lady doth protest too much, methinks

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Via Colin McEnroe by Politico:


Ratcheting up her offensive against the news media, Gov. Sarah Palin’s attorney threatened Saturday to sue mainstream news organizations if they publish “defamatory” stories relating to whether Palin is under federal investigation.

Not great legal strategy in my opinion. The folks receiving these letters can now report on the letter, and, by way of providing context, on the rumours. Palin just gave them a sure fire defense to any libel action, which she probably would have lost anyway.


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Miscellaneous observations

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Some random observations Actually, two random observations.

First, I know it’s the 4th of July weekend, and there’s plenty else to do. But make a note to read this article in today’s Times, detailing yet another way in which bankers have put their banks, and our economy, at risk for short term gain.

Banks get huge inflows of deposits from brokers like Merrill Lynch, to whom they promise higher rates of return than they offer to us mere mortals. In order to pay those high rates they make risky loans. The bankers make piles of money for a while, then the house of cards collapses, and because the deposits are FDIC insured, we end up with the leavings. The present economy has more than exposed the problem, to which the government has responded with proposed half measures, which the banks fiercely oppose for reasons that make no sense. The final chapter has not yet been written, but I venture to suggest that the bankers will win, and live on to ruin the economy once again in the not so distant future.

Second, speaking of economic scams, I’d just like to point out that Joe Nocera of the Times agrees with my take on the Madoff victims who are bleating because they aren’t getting the benefits of his fraudulent promises.


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Friday Night Music-4th of July Special

Friday, July 3, 2009

I got a number of good ideas for this feature last night at Drinking Liberally, but I’m deferring them for now. This being 4th of July weekend, it seemed only right to try to rustle up some unobjectionable patriotic music. A harder task than you might think, but I’ve found a few and I’ve decided to make a bit of a concert. This Land is Your Land is out of the question, because I’ve already posted in at least twice. Nor could I put up the most overtly “patriotic” song to ever top the charts, the gag inducing Ballad of the Green Berets, which is indeed there on youtube, sung by the long and justifiably forgotten Barry Sadler.

So, I’ve settled on these. First, you can play a game of spot the celebrity while listening to Willie Nelson sing America the Beautiful. I have no idea what they were raising money for, but it couldn’t have been anything too terrible, given the politics of some of the folks on that stage.

Jimi Hendrix, with the greatest ever version of the Star Spangled Banner.

Next up, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul singing I am a Patriot. Advance to about 2 minutes in if you want to skip the sermon.

Finally, what’s the Fourth of July without Born in the USA.


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Straining at gnats

Friday, July 3, 2009

I’ve noted before that California is dysfunctional as a result of the referendum system, which has, courtesy of the right wing, rendered the state ungovernable. The people of the state have voted themselves tax decreases, spending increases, and governmental paralysis, bringing themselves to their present sorry state.

To top it all off, they have a governor of the Jodi Rell school, grandstanding while the state falls apart around him. California is paying its bills with warrants, andwhat is Schwarzenegger demanding as his price to sign a budget:

Among the changes Mr. Schwarzenegger insists be included in a budget agreement are the fingerprinting of recipients of certain state services for the poor and infirm, tighter checks on the job status of those who receive welfare benefits and changes to the state pension program.

He’s got a $27 billion dollar budget deficit, and he’s worrying about things that, agree with him or not, are of negligible importance.

Again, it’s curious that the Times article makes only glancing reference to the fact that California’s problems are largely self inflicted, even taking into account the bad economic times. The current crisis merely accelerated an inevitable outcome.


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Access for sale here too

Thursday, July 2, 2009

If the Washington Post can do it, so can we!

For $20.00, The Groton Democratic Town Committee is offering lobbyists and association executives off the record, non-confrontational access to “those powerful few” — Chris Dodd.. maybe Joe Courtney, important members of the Town Council, Board of Ed, and RTM, powerful Town Committee members (some that head up committees), and an influential local blogger (well, local anyway).

Remember, “an evening with the right people can alter the debate”. Well, in this case it’s an afternoon with the right people, but the same principal applies. Imagine the return you can get on that paltry investment by being in the same room as Chris Dodd, eating cheese and crackers within spitting distance of several members of the RTM, all the time currying favor with the local blogosphere.

Of course, it’s up to you to find a debate that you want to alter. And good luck finding anyone who’ll talk to you who can alter it for you, or (in some cases) even understand it. But at these prices, we’re a steal (is that a bad choice of words?). We’re charging less than .08% of the Post’s lowest price. For that kind of bargain, you can’t afford not to go. Remember, we’ve been out of power for a little less than thirty years. That can’t go on forever, and we’ll remember our friends when the time comes.

So lobbyists and execs, mark your calendars. On July 25th at 4:00 PM, $20.00 gets you into the Mystic Marriott to see Chris Dodd, and meet the movers and shakers of Groton. Anyone who buys $5.00 or more worth of raffle tickets gets favorable mention in this blog, which is read by literally tens of people.

Oops, partial retraction: Unfortunately I have been informed that, in at attempt to “tone up” this event, a raffle will not be held at this particular fundraiser. Interested parties may make application to me directly. I’ll likely be at the front door, selling tickets.

UPDATE: Partial retraction of the partial retraction: There will be a cash raffle. We will be toned up, but not that far up.


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