Author: luken7

Cash Struggle Continues for Clinton, Filings Show – New York Times even though Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton raised $21 million in March, her campaign continues to struggle with a cash squeeze as her unpaid bills mount and she spends more money than she is taking in, according to new campaign finance filings. Blog The Caucus The latest political news from around the nation. Join the discussion. Candidate Topic Pages More Politics News Mrs. Clinton, of New York, currently has $10.3 million in outstanding primary debts but only $9.5 million available to cover them, leaving an $800,000 shortfall at the end of March. In February, the Clinton campaign had unpaid bills of $8.7 million and $11.7 million in cash. By comparison, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, who raised $42 million in March, had $43 million in cash for the coming primaries and a campaign debt of less than $660,000 at the end of March. Mr. Obama is spending 75 cents for every dollar he is taking in; Mrs. Clinton is spending $1.10.

So based on how the candidates manage their campaign cash flow, clearly Senator Clinton shows that she will not be able to manage the nations budget. If she can't handle her campaign finances, how will she spend those tax dollars coming into the treasury? 

Beer?? Beer?? McCain’s political run is powered by Nascar drunks and beer?? Are we talking beer? Really…beer?

Wife’s beer fortune gives McCain access to millions – CNN.com McCain served as honorary starter of the NASCAR race that weekend in Charlotte, N.C. Earnhardt drove the Budweiser car, painted military camouflage, rather than its trademark red, to honor the troops. Budweiser, then NASCAR’s official beer, is brewed by Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., whose products have made Cindy McCain and her family a fortune. The brewer sold toy replicas of its race car to aid the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and publicized its support for the group, on whose board John McCain served and whose chairman later endorsed him. The speedway appearance helped McCain court NASCAR voters, and his campaign circulated video of the event over the Internet.

What exactly gives Cheney, Limbaugh or Bush the right to claim patriotism, or most of the Chicken-Hawk right wingers that are destroying the Republican Party. When all three dodged their duties or never served at all. But here’s a man who did, but is questioned about patriotism because of his angry words, based on his experiences and love for his country. I’ve seen and experienced some of the same issues and served my country, and I’ve spoken angry words about my country. Not because I hate my country but because I consider myself a patriot, and love this country.

Factor military duty into criticism — chicagotribune.com In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines. In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.) The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy’s premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief’s medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated. While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections. Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country? After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America’s biggest cities. This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, who has been in the news for comments he made over the last three decades. Since these comments became public we have heard criticisms, condemnations, denouncements and rejections of his comments and him. We’ve seen on television, in a seemingly endless loop, sound bites of a select few of Rev. Wright’s many sermons.

Here’s an idea for Fed. If you really want to rebound the economy, allow individuals with a good credit rating to also get short and long term loans straight from the discount window at 2.5%. I would take that money and invest and support the economy, and you won’t have to bail me out right before bankruptcy. Say something like up to 50% of my adjusted gross income.

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide The Federal Reserves cash loans to securities firms rose 16 percent to $38.1 billion over the past week, as Wall Street dealers took greater advantage of the new tool designed to ease strains in financial markets. Separately, direct lending to commercial banks through the traditional discount window rose about 12-fold, or by $6.46 billion, in the week ending yesterday, to a daily average of $7.01 billion. Other credit extensions including loans to facilitate JPMorgan Chase & Co.s purchase of Bear Stearns Cos. showed a zero balance as of yesterday, according to the Feds weekly balance sheet. The report listed loans to Wall Street firms under a plan announced March 16 to alleviate a cash shortage. The central banks Primary Dealer Credit Facility allows Wall Street banks to borrow money overnight at a 2.5 percent interest rate, the same charged to commercial banks. Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said in congressional testimony this week that the program and others have helped alleviate some of the strains in financial markets.

You think the Atlanta and Miami international terminals are busy now. Just wait if this takes effect. Spring Break, Madi-Gras, Hallowween, or damn-it just any reason to party, Jamaica will be the destination. If anyone knows, I’m looking for a good Jamaican Resort Mutual Fund to invest in. It should make about %25 a year.

Jamaica considers legalising cannabis : thewest.com.au Jamaica is considering the legalisation of marijuana, a drug revered by members of the islands large Rastafarian population who say smoking it is part of their religion. A seven-member government commission has been researching possible changes to the Caribbean nations anti-drug laws, which some police complain are clogging courts and jails with marijuana-related cases, a government official said. "We have discussed it, and we are preparing a report to present to the prime minister," said Deputy Prime Minister Kenneth Baugh.

So now that Northrop and EADS won the air tanker deal from the US Air Force, Boeing is none too happy and is looking to Congress to fix their loss in the fair competition. They found a "supporter" in Nancy Pelosi (must be coming up for re-election and needs funds) to help their cause. I’m sure they’ll bring up everything from national security to the economy to whatever. Nevermind that EADS will build a plant here in the states for the partial building of it, or that France is our ally, or that this is a global economy.

The last time this bid went out, Boeing was awarded the contract and what did they do? Did their best to rip off the taxpayer. That’s why it went back up for bid, but remember that USA stands for United States of Amnesia. If Boeing were to have won the deal (again), would it be built here in the US? Or would a significant  amount of  the parts come from overseas anyway. It would seem to me that EADS is more of an American patriot as they did not try to rip off the American people. Boeing got what it deserved.

Pelosi: US Congress To Examine EADS Air Tanker Deal -AFP Congress is to examine the U.S. militarys decision to award a $35 billion aircraft contract to a Northrop Grumman Corp. NOC and European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. EADSY group, dealing a blow to its wholly American rival Boeing Co. BA, officials said Monday. "The Air Forces decision to award the contract for a much-needed modernization of the nations aerial tanker fleet to Northrop Grumman and Airbus raises serious questions that Congress must examine thoroughly," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. "Given the ramifications of this decision for the United States, the Air Force must explain to Congress how it meets the long-term needs of our military and the American people," said Pelosi, D-Calif.

House OKs $18B in taxes on Big Oil – USATODAY.com WASHINGTON AP — The House approved $18 billion in new taxes on the largest oil companies Wednesday as Democrats cited record oil prices and rising gasoline costs in a time of economic troubles. The money collected over 10 years would provide tax breaks for wind, solar and other alternative energy sources and for energy conservation. The legislation, approved 236-182, would cost the five largest oil companies an average of $1.8 billion a year over that period, according an analysis by the House Ways and Means Committee. Those companies earned $123 billion last year.

Very, Very bad idea, and for several reasons. Now granted, oil companies are making killing profits now, so the house wants to impose a windfall tax and use that money for tax breaks for alternative energies. I have a problem with that on principle. When oil companies were scraping by in the early 80’s did they get tax rebates? Is my 401k and various IRA’s going to take a hit because I own these companies in my portfolio? An assult on the individual investor who’s just getting by? And why should a company have to subsidize their competition. That would be like Microsoft having to cut a check to RedHat every year to help Redhat compete against them.

If congress truly wants to get our country to move to alternative energies, the Robin Hood method will simply not work, because these alternative companies know that they don’t have to raise their own capital, take risk and invest, just use other peoples profits, even if it’s a tax credit. What congress needs to do is to give companies, all companies, the option to pay a high percentage of taxes on their available case, what they earned, or invest that money in capital, growth and investments.

For the oil industry, pay the higher tax or invest that cash into new energy technologies, which would actually end up partnering with these smaller alternative companies to jointly create energy alternatives. That’s a win/win for all in my opinion.

But simply taxing success will just lead to companies, and individuals to put more effort into sheltering what they have and reinforcing their walls.

Have you noticed a pattern here? Whether it’s a congressman, priest or other leader in the community, those that are on the pulpit screaming out against gays are usually the ones in the closet and end up getting caught with children? Why is that?

A scout leader who once sued the City of Berkeley for challenging a national Boy Scout ban on members who are gay or atheist has been arrested on felony charges that for at least five years he sexually abused young males in the troops he led.

Sgt. Mary Kusmiss of the Berkeley police said the scout leader, Eugene A. Evans, 64, a retired high school teacher and for 35 years leader of the Berkeley Sea Scouts, was arrested at his home in nearby Kensington on Tuesday after investigators identified four youths, ages 13 to 17, who said they had been sexually abused by him.

Older white women join Kenyas sex tourists | U.S. | Reuters MOMBASA, Kenya Reuters – Bethan, 56, lives in southern England on the same street as best friend Allie, 64. They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is "just full of big young boys who like us older girls."

Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex. Allie and Bethan — who both declined to give their full names — said they planned to spend a whole month touring Kenyas palm-fringed beaches. They would do well to avoid the countrys tourism officials. "Its not evil," said Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board, when asked about the practice of older rich women traveling for sex with young Kenyan men.