New/Old Blogger

Welcome back to B.B. 

I'm an old guy. If you've followed B.B., you know his life. From culinary school, to parenthood, to not hittin his numbers, to divorce. 

Merry X-n Chrstms.

But, B.B. is a mensch. 

We, and there are several of us who have asked each other "how is he doing?" have finally found out. Stink is stink. Down is down. But  God didn't make us to believe that's where we belong. He also didn't guarantee that we'd be rich.

Let me editorialize.

The only thing that God guaranteed us was, if we believe, we will be saved. Recognizing what it means to be saved is different for each of us. Even for those of us who aren't Christians. Being something other than Christian doesn't mean that one wouldn't have an understanding of God. 

B.B. has been a mensch among Oregon bloggers. Welcome back, bud.

Learning the Game

Republicans, nationwide, made a stunning recovery in the last election. Even here, in Oregon, we've been able to make a modest recovery, as house districts allowed for a tie in the lower house.

There are some things occurring in the national legislature that makes me give pause on the idea that values, other than the values of the Left, have been able to reassert themselves in order to balance the notion that we must tilt unerringly towards socialism.

Let's call it strong side offense.

Bodies of politicians call themselves either Republican or Democrat. But some players find themselves merely filling space. I call these guys idiots.

If you play, the key to playing is to make the defense react to motion. Republicans have motion. Democrats are playing defense. What to do?

On every pass, you have to send at least one player into the key. Whether you're playing low or high, sending a player through the key requires at least on player to pick the man up. If you don't pick him up? Two points.

It is time Republicans quit playing zone. It's time to play man. We have the numbers. We simply have to be committed to win.

If we're going to cut government spending, everything has to be on the table--yes, even defense spending (although I view defense as one of the best investments this country can make.)

Education? What would the priorities of the Secretary of Education be, if the budget was cut forty percent?

Interior? What would the priorities of the Secretary of the Interior be, if the budget was cut forty percent?

If the Department of Education was turned into rubble tomorrow morning, would one fewer child fail to meet the minimum standards of Math, English or Science? (Trick question.)

We spend billions on stuff that someone has a constituency for. None of it is necessary. But "smart" politicians have built their careers upon funding of stuff nobody ever questions. Republicans have one chance to change the culture. Not by endeavouring to compromise.

We must drive into the paint.

Great News!: Wyden Calls For More Debt!

To find this in my morning in-box is just the kind of Monday morning treat that is hard to resist.

Our Senator can't figure out why we don't want to run deeper into debt. Four years ago, he had an ally in a Republican. Today, he can't find a Republican willing to put his name on such a bill. But, he has several fellow Democrats willing to support his run to increase our debt. Things change. A Republican can see the need for change. Democrats? Not so much.

I give you Senator Ron Wyden.

News Release . . .

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Hoelzer
December 14, 2010 202-224-3789

Wyden Calls Congress on Failure to Renew Build America Bonds

BABs have created jobs and saved state and local governments millions – yet they are set to expire this year.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) filed an amendment today to renew what has been called “one of the most successful programs of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.” Since becoming law more than $150 billion worth of Build America Bonds have been issued to finance public infrastructure in all 50 states. The taxable federal bonds have allowed state and local governments to save millions while putting Americans to work building and repairing bridges, roads and schools. Earlier this year, Oregon’s Treasurer said that Build America Bonds have saved the state over $58 million.

“Politics shouldn’t get in the way of renewing a program that works and Build America Bonds is a program that works,” said Wyden. “Before BAB’s were ever associated with the stimulus bill, they were a bipartisan idea to make municipal bonding more efficient. Since becoming law they have made it possible for state and local governments to get big-ticket infrastructure projects, which have proven to be job-creating machines, off the ground quickly. They have saved taxpayers millions of dollars in the process while putting Americans back to work. Regardless of how it became law, renewing such a program should be a no-brainer.”

Wyden’s amendment will extend Build America Bonds for one year and lower the subsidy slightly from 35 percent to 32 percent of the interest.

While Build America Bonds became law as part of (ARRA), the concept was originally proposed in 2006 by Wyden and former Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo) and then again in 2007 with several bipartisan cosponsors. Uniquely designed, BABs offer the issuer of the bond a percent of the interest federal subsidy in a market usually dominated by tax-exempt bonds. Build America Bonds are attractive to issuers because they provide the initial startup capital needed to get projects off the ground and lower the net borrowing costs for the project. Unlike municipal tax-exempt bonds, Build America Bonds are designed to appeal to a broad set of investors including pension funds that do not traditionally hold tax-exempt bonds.

The amendment currently has 7 cosponsors including Senators Mark Begich (D- Alaska), Benjamin Cardin (D- Md.), Debbie Stabenow (D- Mich.), Bob Menendez (D- NJ), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D- Del.) and Maria Cantwell (D- Wash.).

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The O-Ring Subsidy

Thanks to T.D. for a recent comment. Just so's you knows, I've picked up several good accounts this past six months. Unlike some people who feel that the only "real" added value that makes sense is manufacturing, my company, which is a purely "service" company, does help those value-adders who make or sell finished products. I would refer you to the "bible," which is Drucker's Management: Tasks and Responsibilities."

Having a certain uncertainty, hiring new employees is next to impossible. One doesn't want to grow too big, nor offer pay or benefits too large. Back in the 1970's, I remember a conversation I overheard between my mom and one of her co-workers, talking about the then current tax rates. It simply didn't make sense for someone making over 200-thousand dollars a year to try to earn more. As much as I would urge you to understand the marginal propensity to consume, I would urge you to understand the marginal propensity to produce.

One of the worst bosses I had actually would cut your commission if you earned over a certain amount. As the commission employee, the reality of this boss made me understand that if I had a down-turn in productivity, he would reward me with a higher commission rate and a bonus.

Taxes are the whip in the hand of our Congress. Unfortunately, few of our members of Congress have actually worked or had a job. They were, and are, the "popular" guys with the commonly held beliefs that are held by the cool kids. Things like diversity, tolerance, and social justice. I only take umbrage with the acquisition of one of those terms: tolerance.

Tolerance is an acceptance that your views may not either be right, may not be universal, or are perhaps, simply wrong. Tolerance is not a commitment to either ridicule or to a belittling of those beliefs that you don't accept. Tolerance requires one to step back and ask the question being asked in the argument that is proposed by those who may disagree with you. Is it right? Or, are you correct, is it wrong? Moving forward on the question being raised requires a certain degree of confidence. That is, when I come to a Stop Sign, do I question its octagonal shape, or the word "STOP"? Is it intolerant of me to expect that others, especially other drivers and pedestrians, understand the meaning of a Stop Sign with the clear certainty that I find in Stop Signs? Or, am I being merely intolerant?

That allows me to ask a simple question; what level of subsidy should we have for the o-ring industry?

Mebbe you know what an o-ring is. Mebbe you don't. That doesn't matter.

If you are curious, you might be able to find out that most of the technologies we use, everyday, exist because of the o-ring. And this is an important lesson for you to learn; the things we need, everyday, don't need subsidies. They are so important that we would pay the price to have them without need for a subsidy.

Can you come up with a list of things that you need? I mean, really need?

Whether its food, or clothes, heat, fuel or water, I gotta tell you, when it comes down to fan time, whatever it takes is what you're going to be willing to pay. Or, to take. (Fan time is an euphemism.)

Trying to create a political world that ignores the reality of the "fan time" moment is worrisome. We are on a path to create a certain European feel to our economy, with "free" health care, a "free" Green economy, an environment without pollution or cost, an economy that doesn't require one to exert any effort greater than being "creative," and a guarantee that any and all beliefs have the same validity as any other held belief. "You can't tell me I'm wrong!"

Well, of course I can. It is your choice to decide whether or not you are tolerant.

Tolerance is an acceptance that your views may not either be right, may not be universal, or are perhaps, simply wrong. Tolerance is not a commitment to either ridicule or to a belittling of those beliefs that you don't accept. Tolerance requires one to step back and ask the question being asked in the argument that is proposed by those who may disagree with you. Is it right? Or, are you correct, is it wrong?

Too many, among these Senator Grassley, improperly believe that tolerance is a sign of acceptance. To continue the ethanol subsidy is to incorporate into public law the kind of stupidity that makes all "O-Ring Subsidies" okay. It is the kind of thinking that has created, and is willing to create, the forces that allow for certain types of economic bubbles. That, under an Obama Presidency, would allow for further intrusion into the private sphere, public policy.

I just can't think of many examples where this process has ended up, in the long term, giving advantage to you and I.