August 31st, 2011 → 4:59 am
“The foot, That leaves the print of blood where’er it walks.” – King John
Colonel Qaddafi was an awful leader – treacheous, sadistic, his steps trailed by blood and murder. It appears that his reign is really just about finally over. Praise God. I wish the people of Libya sterngth in putting their country back together.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
August 29th, 2011 → 6:17 am
Rick Perry doesn’t believe in climate change, nor in the separation of church and state, and he has expressed a wish for Texas to secede from the Union. This is the Republican’s political savior?
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians & Stupid/Evil People
August 14th, 2011 → 7:05 am
“They laugh that win.” – Othello
Congratulations to Michele Bachmann for winning the Iowa Straw Poll, I guess.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
August 6th, 2011 → 7:09 am
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” – Hamlet
I’m afraid the time has come for me to disagree with Shakespeare. The notion that a person, or even a government, should never borrow or lend is financially ludicrous. Smoothing consumption patterns over time (through borrowing and lending) is much more optimal than living paycheck to paycheck, with unpredictable booms and busts always chasing your heels. The same is true for governmets; they should spend more in recessions to prop up living standards, and less in good times to cool the economy and save up for future recessionary spending. The balanced budget amendment Republicans in Congress are proposing is just bad economics, plain and simple.
(Note that if you read the rest of Shakespeare’s quote, it begins to have more validity. The full quote is: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.” This human component of personal relationships and productive inventives holds more truth than the simplified borrowing/lending quote you usually hear bandied about.)
Filed under: Blog & Economics/Money & Politics/Politicians
July 29th, 2011 → 7:03 am
“O, that a man might know, The end of this day’s business ere it come!” – Julius Caesar
For the first time, I find myself feeling sorry for Speaker Boehner. He apparently really doesn’t have the Tea Party members in line on this debt ceiling legislation. I heard he tried to bribe them with pizza, and has done everything from threatening to cajoling to begging. I imagine he hasn’t slept much in the past few days and, like the rest of us, just wishes he knew how this whole business would turn out already!
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
July 23rd, 2011 → 7:08 am
“Why, this is very midsummer madness.” – Twelfth Night
I couldn’t decide this morning whether I wanted to write about the Midwest’s record-breaking heat wave, or the incomprehensible budget talks in Washington. And then, I came across this quote that applied equally well to both! I can’t believe this unyielding 100+ degree heat, and as well, I can’t believe the infantile behavior of our politicians in Washington. Sigh. I pray both trends break soon…
Filed under: Blog & Other & Politics/Politicians
July 19th, 2011 → 7:28 am
Elizabeth Warren was passed over to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. That is a shame. Warren would have fought, and hard, to protect U.S. consumers from abusive financial practices. Here’s hoping former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray has the fight in him as well.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
July 16th, 2011 → 6:54 am
“A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward.” – Hamlet
I hear that President Obama is taking Mitch McConnell’s back-up plan for raising the debt ceiling seriously. Bummer. The plan is only one part wisdom (the avoiding default part), and three parts coward by the Republicans.
Filed under: Blog & Economics/Money & Politics/Politicians
July 12th, 2011 → 7:16 am
“Talkers are no good doers.” – Richard III
Last night I watched a great documentary by Al Pacino on playing Shakespeare’s Richard III. It was great fun watching him dissect some of the famous lines and scenes, as well as try to get teenagers in Central Park to go and see a Shakespeare play. I was watching it, thinking, what quote could I use for today’s blog post? And then, lo and behold, this one came up, which also perfectly described the posturing budget talks currently taking place in Washington, D.C. If all the craziness on Capitol Hill is driving you insane, rent Pacino’s movie, it’ll at least take your mind off things for a little while…
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art & Politics/Politicians
June 30th, 2011 → 6:44 am
“In a false quarrel there is no true valor.” – Much Ado About Nothing
The Republicans and Democrats in Congress are posturing over raising the debt ceiling, when they both know it has to be done. It’s a false quarrel and I’m sick of all their political posturing. Get over it, compromise, and raise the debt ceiling already!!
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians