More of the same with a twist

The other day while I was doing some mindless chores, my mind drifted to the issues that got us in the financial and social mess we’re in. Why is it that I can’t go to any store and buy something that was made in this country and what impact is that having on our unemployment numbers and standard of living? Why is everything being made in China? If domestic spending is 70% of our economy, then I’m sure the impact is significant. I keep getting the feeling that the middle class, of which I’m a member, is being dismantled piece by piece, job by job. The process has been going on for a long time, so slowly in fact that, the busy “working class” never noticed. What kind of society are we turning into? From where I stand, it appears to be a society of “haves and have-nots! At a time that politicians of all stripes are yelling jobs, jobs, jobs, none of them dare speak about what happened to the jobs we once had and, what really caused them to go away. The other silent killer of the middle class has to be the cost of energy. (And there’s a relationship) When crude is at $100+/bl and gas is selling in the $3/$4 range, heating your house costs $3,000 to $5,000 a year, then add to that the $100+/m electric bill and the average person doesn’t have much left to spend on anything, even if you’re lucky enough to have a good job. You can say what you want about any of the politicians be they Republican or Democrat, but I don’t believe they will resolve our economic issues as long as the large corporations own them and Washington. Our economic problems took several years to evolve to where they are today and I have to believe that it will take just as long to be corrected or morphed into something different/new.(A generation that won’t know the difference?) Who would have believed that Richard M Nixon was initiating the demise of the middle class when he was cozying-up to the Chinese back when? (Maybe we should have nuked them instead) We also have to keep in mind that, as the middle class struggles to survive, the 1% are doing very well. just take a look at corporate profits and corporate CEO’s salaries and their partner organizations that are directly supporting the corporate bureaucracy. These folks are making money hand over fist and you can bet your last dollar (pun) that they want to maintain the status quo, including corporate control of Washington through their lobbyist. At the moment the only hope I see are the demonstrators voicing their frustrations by occupying various parks around the country. (We should all be there) You can bet that winter won’t arrive soon enough for the 1% Wall Street Types who hope the bad weather will freeze the demonstrators out. It could be that the long hot summers of the 60’s will take second place to what may happen during the summer of 2012. In Berlin, those who are hanging their hats on the biomass plant and the long shot possibility of an aircraft manufacturer co-locating are setting themselves up for disappointment. Too many believe that the biomass plant will turn Berlin around, but that’s not an opinion based in fact, it’s a wish. We’re still “hung-over” from those prosperous days of old, but as one former councilman once said, “40 lousy jobs” won’t even come close to creating the economic activity the pulp and paper mills produced. I believe Berlin has roughly two years to put a plan together for the creation of a new economic base. Why two years? The next two years will see hundreds of construction workers in town and that will lift the economy significantly, but once they leave we’ll be back to square one and, we will again struggle to survive. ……By the way, when I gaze in my crystal ball, I get a vision (Maybe it’s a mirage) of Paul Grenier being our next State Senator. I would bet my last dollar (no pun) that Paul is obsessing at the thought that John Gallus has to be getting ready to pull the plug on whatever the Senator has been doing in Concord.  I bet that in two years, John Gallus will give his “honor” the nod and, Paul will have a clear path to Concord using his perceived accomplishments/propaganda in Berlin to launch his campaign.  Just remember, you first heard it here, on byte&chew!

Comments

[Ron Paul 2012]

The Case for Austerity, by Judge Andrew Napolitano.

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1319077093001/

[James on the Left]

As long as those that can't think for themselves keep voting for Republicans we will stay in this quagmire.
Ron Paul....everybody should have a gun right? Scary stuff!
How about Romney throwing out a ten thousand dollar bet last night? Yes he's one of us alright! My football bets today total $5!!!
And Newt found 'god'! Hope he's not bumming finding out that god is a lesbian.

[Rocky]

None of them are worth a working person's vote

[Antonio Andolini]

Well, James, the first line in your comment sums up the problem with those of your political persuasion. We, who "can't think for" (our)selves", need your big government to protect us from ourselves.

[James on the Left]

Truth hurts doesn't it Antonio?

[Antonio Andolini]

James, your truth is much like your facts: all in your head. Surrendering rights and privileges, in order to avoid the accompanying responsibilities, is traveling towards totalitarianism.

[James on the Left]

Total BS Antonio!

[Antonio Andolini]

James, the rights that we are born with and the privileges we afford ourselves through our governance are not, to me at least, BS. Without them, why would we exist? They require accepting responsibility; responsibility for ourselves, our fellow human beings and to the generations to come.

[Antonio Andolini]

Well, Rocky, you've come up with quite a bit here. Why was it that manufacturing left the Northeast, particularly, as well as the Great Lakes and the Rust Belt for the South, and then left the South for overseas? We can debate the various causes, but, boil it down and it's the bottom line. You can only run a business at a loss for a limited period of time.
You are right that the cost of energy has an enormous impact. We have come a long way to adjust the demand by learning to use less energy and to use energy more efficiently. That only takes us so far. We also need to increase the supply in order to reduce the cost. We need to develop the energy resources within our borders to decrease dependence on foreign sources.
To be continued :)

[Rocky]

I agree with Antonio. At the center of the many issues we're struggling with is the lack of responsibility and its first cousin accountability. It's irresponsible not to vote and it's irresponsible not to make our elected officials accountable once we vote for them. We don't have to go very far, just look at the last city election, 28% went to vote! Irresponsibility on a grand scale! How many people attend Council Meetings beside Bobby and those getting paid to be there? Most of the time="0" Who makes Senator Gallus accountable for the positions and votes in Concord? I'll tell you who, hardly anybody! Who does he answer to? Special Interests, PSNH, Pike Industries and other companies. When was the last time any of us went down to Concord and expressed our wishes? We have a mess in Washington and it's our collective fault!!

[Antonio Andolini]

Thanks, Rocky. It's so frustrating when citizens do not participate by at least voting. I chuckle when you mention about those at City Council meetings being those who are paid to be there. Considering the hours that some Councilors put in, they work for less than minimum wage. Same with State Representative and Senators. They do it to serve their community. Along with little compensation, comes flak from residents who so often didn't bother to vote.

[James on the Left]

http://www.politicususa.com/en/koch-brothers-wealth

[warren,]

Didn't that Fat Slob ( Mr. "40 Lousy Jos" ) Land a Job at the Federal Reserve...?, He was Very "Talented"...yeah right! I remember Him being at Cross Purposes with the School Board in a Public session while Monopoly Man Bertrand gazed into Space saying nothing.

[Antonio Andolini]

Aaah yes, those nasty Koch brothers. So, who else is the 1%?
http://www.financialsamurai.com/2011/04/12/how-much-money-do-the-top-income-earners-make-percent/

[warren,]

This Segue's Perfectly with Dr. Savage's Diagnosis of Liberalism....

http://www.narth.com/docs/whitehead.html

[warren,]

More...

http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/58/1/85

It would seem therfore that the Decision in 1973 to Declassify this Deviant Behavior as a Mental Disorder was Misguided to say the Least, and Criminal to assume the Worst.

[James on the Left]

Oh look girlfriend is back and quoting Doctor of stupidity Michael Savage! How was bible class today homey?

[warren,]

It would therfore Be Totally Irresponsible to Condone such Self Destructive Behavior, let alone Engage in Same. Especially when the Results of this Perversion have such Far reaching consequences for the Population as a whole; ie AIDS & HIV... Nay, I Say EVEN Criminal! Yes, what goes on behind closed Doors ( also at Goldman Sachs & The Fed. ) DOES affect us all. We have Traffic Lights to help stop Traffic Accidents.... We also have Standards of Behavior to Stop Social Accidents...

[Rocky]

This conversation is so absurd that I guess I won't delete it, let the comments speak for themselves.

[warren,]

Mine Do, WITH Scientific Backing! Thanks Rocky.

[Antonio Andolini]

Rocky, the "haves" versus "have-nots" class warfare is a dangerous tactic. Sadly the Presidential election will be full of it. In his Valedictory Address, George Washington warned about the dissolution of unity and resultant loss of liberty.
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/farewell/text.html
At a basic level it is divide and conquer. It provides the opportunity for radicals and anarchists to flourish. Sadly, but not at all surprisingly, the Occupy protests have been used in this way.
I'm afraid you may be right to remind folks of the long hot summers of the 60’s. Actually, it was spring (and after) of 1970 that I will never forget. Most know of the horrible event of Monday, May 4, 1970 at Kent State. Many don't remember (or have not been taught) about the Friday May 1, "spontaneous" anti-war downtown parade in downtown Kent that became a mob breaking windows at banks and utility companies; followed on Saturday, May 2 by the burning of the ROTC building, one of 30 such incidents on campuses across the nation. That incident was what brought the Ohio National Guard onto campus. Tensions rose on Sunday, May 3 and on Monday, shortly after 12 noon, 67 shots rang out in 13 seconds killing four students and seriously wounding nine others, one of them permanently paralyzed.
On September 24, 1970, Boston Police Patrolman Walter Schroeder was shot and killed while responding to a silent alarm at State Street Bank & Trust at 9:20 am. The bank was being robbed by a gang of anti-Vietnam War activists, including Katherine Power and Susan Saxe. As he exited his cruiser and walked towards the bank, William "Lefty" Gilday, who was across the street, opened fire on him with a rifle, striking him in the back several times. The gang had stolen the weapons used in the robbery, along with 400 rounds of ammunition, from a National Guard armory in Newburyport, Massachusetts three days before. They also had set fire to the armory.
I doubt the President or the DNC want to foment a revolution, nor do many of those swept up in the Occupy movement expect to be violent. The mob mentality ignites swiftly, though, and does not extinguish quickly.

[James on the Left]

Scientific backing...now that's funny!
Now back on topic: The mayor does have a big enough ego to run for Senator and the people of this town think he is their savior! At least a very small minority do and the problem with that is...they vote! 28% was enough to make him mayor, it wouldn't take much more to make him Senator!

[warren,]

You are being too generous in Your Conclusions there AA. This is EXACTLY what is wanted. I'm sure that there is a Martial Law Paper Drawn Up and Ready to Go somewhere on hand. Look How Fast Homeland Security happened. Why waste Time with Elections, OR this Squableing and Bickering in Congress? BTW, Those Rats at Kent sure learned not to be so fast with the Shouts of "Baby Killer!" and Spittle, right? Neil Young is so Over rated. Crosby Stills and Nash were better off without Him...

[warren,]

You can Not Deny the Studies with any Credibility, James. But then again, You have Shown and Proven Your Illness beyond Doubt on the Last Blog Post. G.A.Y.???

[James on the Left]

Mr. Warren you have to stop hitting on me it takes you off topic. I'm sure these "studies" that you quote are just as reliable as the stories in your bible. Sorry Rocky.