Saturday, October 13, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Matthew Solodow for Congress !! Texas 12th Congressional District
My friend Matthew Solodow is running as a Libertarian for Congress in U.S. District 12. His opponents are Democrat Dave Robinson and Republican Kay Granger.
It looks like Kay Granger, (if you go here), loves herself some Patriot Act. She has also supported more than 50 million dollars in earmarks for the Trinity River Vision project, a porkfest headed by her son, J.D. Granger. Here's the Washington Post article on "Public Projects, Private Interests".....
Granger also supports the Federal Marriage Amendment, a bizarre piece of legislation that claims to protect marriage by restricting gay and lesbian participation, but doesn't go so far as outlawing divorce.
Matt's Democrat opponent, Dave Robinson, has a reputation as a decent guy. But he supports the Buffett rule, which Republicans claim would support our deficit spending for 11 hours but that Democrats claim would say would support our deficit spending for up to 18 hours.
He also supports ObamaCare, opposes the privatization of Social Security, dislikes teacher testing, and claims that there's Republican obstruction in Congress. (I don't know if Dave is aware of how many Democrat senators voted for Obama's last two budgets....)
Now, back to business.
Here are Matt's positions on the big issues:
Here's a map of Texas U.S. District 12. If you live in Western Tarrant, Parker, or Wise County, and like what you've read here, I hope you'll consider voting for Matthew Solodow !!
It looks like Kay Granger, (if you go here), loves herself some Patriot Act. She has also supported more than 50 million dollars in earmarks for the Trinity River Vision project, a porkfest headed by her son, J.D. Granger. Here's the Washington Post article on "Public Projects, Private Interests".....
Over the past decade, Granger has helped obtain $51.9 million in earmarks toward a project to make over downtown Fort Worth and reroute the Trinity River. Until 2010, Granger co-owned a condominium building with her son about a half-mile south of the project. Her son is director of the group in charge of the project.Hit the link for more info on "Lake Granger". Fascinating stuff in there about Personalized Pork.
Granger also supports the Federal Marriage Amendment, a bizarre piece of legislation that claims to protect marriage by restricting gay and lesbian participation, but doesn't go so far as outlawing divorce.
Matt's Democrat opponent, Dave Robinson, has a reputation as a decent guy. But he supports the Buffett rule, which Republicans claim would support our deficit spending for 11 hours but that Democrats claim would say would support our deficit spending for up to 18 hours.
He also supports ObamaCare, opposes the privatization of Social Security, dislikes teacher testing, and claims that there's Republican obstruction in Congress. (I don't know if Dave is aware of how many Democrat senators voted for Obama's last two budgets....)
Now, back to business.
Here are Matt's positions on the big issues:
No more bailouts
Republicans and Democrats keep interfering in our economy, making taxpayers pay when big businesses make bad decisions. That just encourages them to act irresponsibly. The government should stop picking winners and losers. No more bailouts.
End foreign wars
Republicans used to say they opposed nation-building, yet they have led nation-building efforts in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats promised to end the wars abroad, but they have only prolonged them. We need to end our policies of foreign interventionism now, stop the drone attacks, and bring our troops home.
End the war on drugs
The war on drugs has been expensive and destructive. The government has thrown people in prison who never hurt anyone, and has also created huge violent black markets. Drug abuse can be a serious health issue, but it should not be a crime. It's time to end the war on drugs.
Shut down federal departments
We need to shut down federal departments such as Education, Commerce and Homeland Security. Republicans have often promised to reduce these departments, but have not followed through on these promises. Over the last twelve years, Republicans have frequently voted for massive increases in these departments. Let's shut them down instead.
No more farm subsidies
Politicians from agricultural states use farm subsidies to buy votes. Farmers don't need subsidies, and most of the benefits go to huge agribusinesses. Let's reduce the burden on taxpayers by ending farm subsidies.
End the TSA
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wastes our money groping us at airports. The TSA is just wasteful security theater that violates our rights. Let's end it.
Get government out of job creation
Government jobs programs destroy more jobs than they create. By redirecting money away from the productive and efficient private sector, they harm our economy and cause a net loss of jobs. Let's end these programs.
Cut entitlements
We've promised people far too much. They are not going to get what they've been led to expect. Let's be honest and stop making false promises. We need to cut entitlement spending now.
Stop mortgaging our future
Government debt has placed an unfair burden on our children and grandchildren. Republicans and Democrats often complain about the debt, but they're the ones who keep causing it. We need to cut federal spending by more than 40% right away, to stop increasing this burden.
Cut taxes ("Fair" Tax instead)
If you've read this far, you've seen many ways to cut federal spending. Once all those items expressed above are cut, we'll be able to make huge cuts in federal taxes. A "fair" tax will simplify our tax code, thus eliminating the current loopholes benefiting the politically-connected and empower people to choose how they will be taxed based on their purchases, not their income. We might even be able to get rid of the IRS.
Republicans and Democrats keep interfering in our economy, making taxpayers pay when big businesses make bad decisions. That just encourages them to act irresponsibly. The government should stop picking winners and losers. No more bailouts.
End foreign wars
Republicans used to say they opposed nation-building, yet they have led nation-building efforts in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats promised to end the wars abroad, but they have only prolonged them. We need to end our policies of foreign interventionism now, stop the drone attacks, and bring our troops home.
End the war on drugs
The war on drugs has been expensive and destructive. The government has thrown people in prison who never hurt anyone, and has also created huge violent black markets. Drug abuse can be a serious health issue, but it should not be a crime. It's time to end the war on drugs.
Shut down federal departments
We need to shut down federal departments such as Education, Commerce and Homeland Security. Republicans have often promised to reduce these departments, but have not followed through on these promises. Over the last twelve years, Republicans have frequently voted for massive increases in these departments. Let's shut them down instead.
No more farm subsidies
Politicians from agricultural states use farm subsidies to buy votes. Farmers don't need subsidies, and most of the benefits go to huge agribusinesses. Let's reduce the burden on taxpayers by ending farm subsidies.
End the TSA
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wastes our money groping us at airports. The TSA is just wasteful security theater that violates our rights. Let's end it.
Get government out of job creation
Government jobs programs destroy more jobs than they create. By redirecting money away from the productive and efficient private sector, they harm our economy and cause a net loss of jobs. Let's end these programs.
Cut entitlements
We've promised people far too much. They are not going to get what they've been led to expect. Let's be honest and stop making false promises. We need to cut entitlement spending now.
Stop mortgaging our future
Government debt has placed an unfair burden on our children and grandchildren. Republicans and Democrats often complain about the debt, but they're the ones who keep causing it. We need to cut federal spending by more than 40% right away, to stop increasing this burden.
Cut taxes ("Fair" Tax instead)
If you've read this far, you've seen many ways to cut federal spending. Once all those items expressed above are cut, we'll be able to make huge cuts in federal taxes. A "fair" tax will simplify our tax code, thus eliminating the current loopholes benefiting the politically-connected and empower people to choose how they will be taxed based on their purchases, not their income. We might even be able to get rid of the IRS.
Here's a map of Texas U.S. District 12. If you live in Western Tarrant, Parker, or Wise County, and like what you've read here, I hope you'll consider voting for Matthew Solodow !!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Electoral College Maps - 1972 through 2008
Presented as a public service....
Here are the Electoral College Presidential Election maps going back to 1972, all from the American Presidency Project. Fascinating stuff. (I might be the first person to put this many of the Red/Blue maps on one page.) This should make it easier to scroll up and down and watch the voting patterns change. For instance, if someone can knock Minnesota out of their blue habit, he'll be the first to do so since 1972.
Hitting the link above each map will take you to a detailed analysis of each election, a tally of the Electoral College votes allocated to each state at the time, plus a state-by-state vote total and other trivia.
For instance, if you dig into the first link, you'll learn that in 1972, the Libertarian Party's candidate, John Hospers, received one electoral vote from a "faithless" elector in Virginia. (If you sat through a Republican primary campaign and wound up having to vote for Richard "Wage And Price Controls" Nixon.....well, you would do what you had to do. May his tribe increase.)
Here's 1972. Richard Nixon got 520 Electoral votes with George McGovern only taking 17 (Massachusetts).
Here's 1976. Spiro Agnew, Richard Nixon's Vice-President, had just resigned. Gerald Ford was appointed to fill in as V.P. Then Nixon resigned. Ford then slid up to the Oval Office. The Republicans went ahead and gave Ford the nomination, since it appeared to be his turn. Then Jimmy Carter won the 1976 election with 297 votes to Ford's 240.
Here's 1980. Jimmy Carter couldn't accomplish much for the economy (but thank God almighty he deregulated the trucking, airling, and beer industries) and he couldn't get the hostages out of Iran. Ronald Reagan defeated Carter 489 to 49, with Carter carrying only his home state of Georgia, plus West Virginia, Maryland, Hawaii, VP Walter Mondale's Minnesota, Hawaii, and D.C.
Here's 1984. Ronald Reagan handily defeated Walter Mondale, 525 to 13. Mondale captured nothing but his ever-loyal Minnesota, plus D.C.
Here's 1988. Riding on the popularity of Reagan, George H.W. Bush beat Michael Dukakis 426 to 111.
Here's 1992. Bill Clinton came from out of nowhere to beat George Bush the Elder by a total of 370 to 168. Ross Perot may have helped take some votes from Bush. Remember this, Republicans....If you say "no new taxes", you better mean it. There's a lot of blue spread over this map.
Here's 1996. Clinton had been doing well. The Republicans trotted out Bob Dole because it was his turn. Clinton won handily, 379 to 159. (Montana, Georgia, Arizona and Colorado did some flip-flopping this time as compared to 1994.)
Here's 2000. George W. Bush barely squeaked by Al Gore, Clinton's V.P., by a score of 271 to 267. Broward County, Florida. Hanging "chads". The Everglades rose from the weight of all the lawyers in Florida. Incredibly close. Democrats can safely blame this one on Bill Clinton's zipper issues.
Here's 2004. George W. Bush beat John Kerry, 286 to 252. Looks like New Mexico and Iowa changed sides after the previous contest.
Here's 2008. The Democrats had a new guy named Barack Obama. The Republicans nominated John McCain because it was his turn. Obama won, 365 to 173. Hit the link to learn why Nebraska has a blue zit coming out of its nose.
To be continued, sometime in November. Pretty cool, huh??
Here are the Electoral College Presidential Election maps going back to 1972, all from the American Presidency Project. Fascinating stuff. (I might be the first person to put this many of the Red/Blue maps on one page.) This should make it easier to scroll up and down and watch the voting patterns change. For instance, if someone can knock Minnesota out of their blue habit, he'll be the first to do so since 1972.
Hitting the link above each map will take you to a detailed analysis of each election, a tally of the Electoral College votes allocated to each state at the time, plus a state-by-state vote total and other trivia.
For instance, if you dig into the first link, you'll learn that in 1972, the Libertarian Party's candidate, John Hospers, received one electoral vote from a "faithless" elector in Virginia. (If you sat through a Republican primary campaign and wound up having to vote for Richard "Wage And Price Controls" Nixon.....well, you would do what you had to do. May his tribe increase.)
Here's 1972. Richard Nixon got 520 Electoral votes with George McGovern only taking 17 (Massachusetts).
Here's 1976. Spiro Agnew, Richard Nixon's Vice-President, had just resigned. Gerald Ford was appointed to fill in as V.P. Then Nixon resigned. Ford then slid up to the Oval Office. The Republicans went ahead and gave Ford the nomination, since it appeared to be his turn. Then Jimmy Carter won the 1976 election with 297 votes to Ford's 240.
Here's 1980. Jimmy Carter couldn't accomplish much for the economy (but thank God almighty he deregulated the trucking, airling, and beer industries) and he couldn't get the hostages out of Iran. Ronald Reagan defeated Carter 489 to 49, with Carter carrying only his home state of Georgia, plus West Virginia, Maryland, Hawaii, VP Walter Mondale's Minnesota, Hawaii, and D.C.
Here's 1984. Ronald Reagan handily defeated Walter Mondale, 525 to 13. Mondale captured nothing but his ever-loyal Minnesota, plus D.C.
Here's 1988. Riding on the popularity of Reagan, George H.W. Bush beat Michael Dukakis 426 to 111.
Here's 1992. Bill Clinton came from out of nowhere to beat George Bush the Elder by a total of 370 to 168. Ross Perot may have helped take some votes from Bush. Remember this, Republicans....If you say "no new taxes", you better mean it. There's a lot of blue spread over this map.
Here's 1996. Clinton had been doing well. The Republicans trotted out Bob Dole because it was his turn. Clinton won handily, 379 to 159. (Montana, Georgia, Arizona and Colorado did some flip-flopping this time as compared to 1994.)
Here's 2000. George W. Bush barely squeaked by Al Gore, Clinton's V.P., by a score of 271 to 267. Broward County, Florida. Hanging "chads". The Everglades rose from the weight of all the lawyers in Florida. Incredibly close. Democrats can safely blame this one on Bill Clinton's zipper issues.
Here's 2004. George W. Bush beat John Kerry, 286 to 252. Looks like New Mexico and Iowa changed sides after the previous contest.
Here's 2008. The Democrats had a new guy named Barack Obama. The Republicans nominated John McCain because it was his turn. Obama won, 365 to 173. Hit the link to learn why Nebraska has a blue zit coming out of its nose.
To be continued, sometime in November. Pretty cool, huh??
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Ouch.
Yeah, Romney's budget is goofy. He's not going to cut any branches of government. He could be a civil liberties disaster. But these cartoons are funny.
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