What We Read - A Week in Review: October 8-15th, 2012

Highlights from our week of internet reading. A new entry theme we'll try to do twice a month, of the things that influence us, in one way or another, and in many cases inspire further research and reading into the matter. Let's call it resources for learning.

Note: Tonight is the 2nd Presidential Debate, at 7pm EST (6pm CST). It's the town meeting format, which should be interesting because it's the people asking the questions.
We'll be "live-Tweeting" it, like we did the 1st Presidential Debate, and the VP Debate.
It's what some of us call a fun time...yes, it's a bit geeky. We're okay with that.

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Bain Capital: Pitting American Workers Against Workers in China Earning Just 99 Cents an Hour

Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights - October 10, 2012
http://www.globallabourrights.org/reports?id=0653

Paul Ryan: Obama Won't Take Away Your Guns
Time Murphy - Mother Jones - October 9, 2012

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/10/paul-ryan-obama-wont-take-away-your-guns

Viewpoint: In defence of narcissism
Mark Vernon - BBC News Magazine - October 9, 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19876494

Rick Berg, North Dakota GOP Senate Candidate: No Abortion Access For Rape Victims
Amanda Terkel - Huffington Post - October 12, 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/12/rick-berg-women-abortion_n_1962135.html

Charlie Fuqua, Arkansas Legislative Candidate, Endorses Death Penalty For Rebellious Children In Book
John Celock - Huffington Post - October 8, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/charlie-fuqua-arkansas-candidate-death-penalty-rebellious-children_n_1948490.html

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA): Evolution, Big Bang ‘Lies Straight From The Pit Of Hell’

Benjay Sarlin - Talking Points Memo - October 5, 2012
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/rep-paul-broun-r-ga-evolution-big-bang-lies-straight-from-the-pit-of-hell.php

UN warns of looming worldwide food crisis in 2013

John Vidal - The Guardian  - October 13, 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/oct/14/un-global-food-crisis-warning?mobile-redirect=false

UPDATE 1-US Senate Republicans block bank reform bill again
Reuters: US Edition - April 27, 2010

http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/04/27/financial-regulation-vote-cloture-idUSN2712394320100427

Mormons - The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints

Cultwatch

http://www.cultwatch.com/mormon.html

Feds charge 91 people in $430 million Medicare fraud scheme

Joan McCarter - Daily Kos - October 6, 2012

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/06/1140561/-Feds-charge-91-people-in-430-million-Medicare-fraud-scheme

Candidates' Views On Poverty Get Little Attention
by Pam Fessler - NPR News - October 15, 2012http://www.npr.org/2012/10/15/162953753/candidates-views-on-poverty-get-little-attention

Our comments (via Facebook): 

"Obama's stimulus spending has helped, but Republicans argue that government aid helps keep people in poverty."
You know what REALLY helps people stay in poverty? Sending [manufacturing] jobs to China and keeping low-paying service jobs [in America], low-paying. 
If the country doesn't have manufacturing, services jobs are the primary jobs available for the people. Not everybody can be, or has the money, for example, to be a lawyer, a doctor, or go to trade school. (With student tuition debt so high in this country, and potential cuts to higher - education tuition assistance under Romney, that's not likely to change.)
People with University educations are working in low-paying service jobs.
This is a sick cycle.

Top Reasons the Walton Family and Walmart are NOT “Job Creators”
The WalMart 1% - 2012
http://walmart1percent.org/top-reasons-the-walton-family-and-walmart-are-not-job-creators/

Paul Ryan Stimulus Funds Requests Show VP Nominee Asked For More Than Previously Reported

Stan Stein and Jason Cherkis - The Huffington Post - October 15, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/12/paul-ryan-stimulus-funds_n_1962163.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

Is it possible to be too clean? Researchers say yes

Linda Carroll - NBC News - October 8, 2012

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/08/14301214-is-it-possible-to-be-too-clean-researchers-say-yes?lite

Obama says Romney talks tough on China but puts his money there
PolitiFact - Sepember 13, 2012
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/sep/20/barack-obama/obama-says-romney-talks-tough-china-puts-his-money/

CORRUPTION: Bain-Controlled Company Owns 2012 Voting Machines - October 8, 2012 (not reading, we know, but still has good information!)

Big Bird On The Brink of Extinction...and Other Debate Foibles

What a debate, hey?

In an attempt to lower the deficite Mitt came up with "firing Big Bird". You know that already though, it's all over the web, all over TV. It's the biggest meme to hit the internet since 'Eastwood's Empty Chair'

People are saying, wait "This is what you're taking from the debate?!"

Well, not exactly.

First, his big idea to cut PBS, and other programs likes it, seems a little...off. And how it would help the economy is a little illusive in the grand scheme of the federal budget.

PBS is .012%...yes, there is a decimal point AND a zero before the 1 and the 2...

He wants to CUT the .012% budget funding for PBS, but RAISE military/war spending this is already 20% of the budget...1

It's really a joke that writes itself.

There's a lot of reports from all over about how "he won" the debate, but then in turn they talk about how he did it with lies. He was a slicked up and 'smooth criminal' on-stage, what with the disingenuous smarmy look on his face half the time, forcing himself to appear the "caring" candidate, while re-branding the 47% as "less fortunate" and saying he's going to fire Big Bird. How sweet, right?

Anyway, our take on what details he actually provided, and our take on the night.

He wants to lower your taxes, but remove itemized deductions; deductions which LOWER your taxable income rate (if you file using itemized deductions), deductions like:

Child deductions
Home owners deductions
Classroom expenses for teachers and educators
Qualified performing artists and other professions
Traditional IRA deduction
Student loan interest deduction
Tuition and fees deduction
Health savings account deduction
Moving expenses
Self-employment tax deduction
Self-employment health insurance
SEP-IRA, SIMPLE IRA and 401(k) deductions for the self-employed
Early withdrawal penalty
Alimony paid
Domestic production activities deduction

Removing deductions potentially increases your taxable rate. He also wants to but a cap on deductions to the tune of $17000, which we understand, for household with children, you can hit the ceiling of that cap pretty fast.

Of course he won't tell anyone which of these deductions he's planning to cut, or which "loopholes" he will close...guess you'll just have to wait.

We also wish Obama would have brought up that in March, when he implored the GOP-dominated Congress to eliminate the $4 Billion in Big Oil subsidies (handouts), they said 'no' to the suggestions while simultaneously requesting to end tax credits for wind power development.2 Which actually caused a wind turbine manufacturing company in North Dakota to lay-off 345 this past week, and opt for moving those jobs to Brazil.3 We would have liked Obama to ask Romney how "his people" think that that means funding renewable energy, like he says he plans to do.

It's essential to fund renewable energy sources while raping the earth for it's non-renewable resources, because one day their won't be anything left to take. It also creates jobs, which is essential to fixing the economy.

The other thing we have an issue with is Romney's healthcare claim that those with pre-existing conditions WON'T be denied medical insurance under his plan, when the truth is that those who already have, or have had insurance in the last 3 months, are the ones who are protected, not those currently uninsured, as stated by Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's own advisor 4 ;and instead funding for them will have to come from the individual states.

Uninsured people with pre-existing conditions, like us...and over 50 million other Americans.5

Anyway. We're not sure if we'll be able to watch the other two Presidential debates in "real time", we're 18 days from closing on our new property and have inspections to arrange, moving to do, and we just found out last night that while they have finally gotten the well pump replaced, and the water running...the plumbing in the house isn't working. Just another thing we have to figure out and fix before the snow hits and stays.

In any case, hopefully you've done your election research, looked into claims by both sides, and continue to stay informed and un-biased as you can muster.

There's much fact checking to have a crack at.

Visit:
FactCheck.org - http://www.factcheck.org/ to read about who said what, and how much truth were in the words. Don't worry, "righties", it's actually a fair and balanced fact checking website.

Articles of Interest:

Mitt Romney wants to cap tax deductions. Here are five ways to do it, Dylan Matthews, Washington Post, October 3, 2012  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/10/03/mitt-romney-wants-to-cap-tax-deductions-here-are-five-ways-to-do-it/

At Last Night’s Debate: Romney Told 27 Myths In 38 Minutes, Igor Volsky, Think Progress, Oct 4, 2012 http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/10/04/958801/at-last-nights-debate-romney-told-27-myths-in-38-minutes/

Sources and Citation:
1) Does Washington have a spending problem or an income problem? We offer some key facts, Fiscal FactCheck, FactCheck.org, July 15, 2011 http://www.factcheck.org/2011/07/fiscal-factcheck/

2) 46 Republicans Claim Wind Credits Are Too ‘Costly’ After Voting To Retain Billions In Big Oil Subsidies, Rebecca Leber, September 26, 2012 http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/09/26/909151/46-republicans-claim-wind-credits-are-too-costly-after-voting-to-retain-billions-in-big-oil-subsidies/

3) LM Wind Power Eliminates 345 Workers In New Round Of Layoffs, NAW Staff, North American WindPower, September 27, 2012 http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10464

4) Top Romney Adviser: States Will Have To Cover People With Pre-Existing Conditions Under President Romney, Brian Beutler, October 3, 2012 http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/top-romney-adviser-states-will-have-to-cover-people-with-pre-existing-conditions-under-president-rom.php

5) Healthcare Reform: Help For Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions, Families USA, May 2010 http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/publications/reports/health-reform/pre-ex-conditions-findings.html

Drinking In The Presidential Debate

That's right, a drinking game based on the first Presidential debate of 2012.

It's tonight, by the way.

You should know that, if you are American.

The debate starts tonight, October 3rd, 2012, at 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on your local channels. (Click for Time zone map for the time-zone-challenged) Tonight's debate focuses on DOMESTIC policy, that means things that will effect you and your fellow Americans on the home front. Social and economic issues: Equal rights (women's reproductive rights and fair pay, gay marriage rights, healthcare, ect.), economy (jobs, stock market, small business, big business, etc.) and education. From watching the weeks leading up to this debate, it's going to be sloppy, entertaining and, hopefully, informative. The Republican debate trainers has been touting it's "bag of zingers" for days...that Romney has been practicing some for months (maybe that's why he has no idea how to define his economic plan in specific numbers, to busy memorizing "zingers") - clueless as to how childish and petty that seems. The debate isn't about personal jabs and zingers, it's about the information people need to make an informed decision at the poles. There will likely be a couple heated moments. American people love theatrical drama, how else can you explain the "reality television" craze.

(Note: The Foreign Policy debate is October 22, 2012)

Yes. We're trying to make politic seem fun, because it's important. Some might disagree the importance of the government, but at this point in America, if we didn't have a government like we do we would surely be attacked by increasing amounts of "enemies" on our homeland.
If you don't think we have something that other countries want, you're kidding yourself.
And no, that thing they want it NOT freedom. There is actually a lot of freedom in a lot of countries, and a growing amount at that; it's narrow-minded, false-nationalistic, and xenophobic people who don't educate themselves that don't understand that. Who don't understand the atrocities and violence that are carried out each day in our own country, the ever increasing limit on personal freedom; who focus on the sensationalization of limited and targeted coverage of other countries by the television news organizations to juxtapose their own country. That thing that other countries want is land. Not the people, not the freedom.

BACK TO THE DRINKING GAME!

You should watch the debate, because word is the Mitt Romney is finally going to tell you what his plan it to help America, not simply that they have a "framework" that you should blindly trust. It's all well and good to claim you are going to help, but a growing number of people want to hear exactly how. Tonight has to be the night he tells us. It's a month until the election. (November 6, 2012)

Speaking of framework, that's one of the key, or buzz, words.

The list, in no particular order:
Economy
Jobs
Framework
Middle Class
Numbers

The "rules":
So, you take a drink when you hear these words. Simple as.
(For a get-you-drunk-faster-game, scroll down).

ALSO: No harassment if you are playing along on-line (we will be on-line with our usual snark). That's it. Don't be a fucking dick to people on Twitter (or Facebook, or G+, or whatever social media entity you use), try to be an adult, encourage discourse...and pay attention. Try to refrain from name-calling. Swearing is obviously okay, because we're all adults here, in theory.

REMEMBER: Tomorrow (Thursday), when you wake up... research things you've heard..and keep researching, keep reading, be informed, it's a few hours out of your life in the grand scheme of things. Ask questions, demand answers. Be informed.

RECOMMENDED FACT ✓CHECKING RESOURCES
Fact Check.org
Media Matters Action Network
Media Matters for America
Open Secrets - Center for Responsive Politics
PolitiFact

OR, alternatively you could play by this guideline, it's far more involved and you won't make it off the floor at the end of the night:

Thanks goes to @IAmTheCrew for sharing this today on Facebook!

Have fun, be safe, watch the debates.

Let's Talk About Policy Framework, Baby

Just a short blip for today, as we're going to work on a little packing for our upcoming move...no worries, soon we won't be writing about politics as much, we'll be back to writing about...whatever it is we usually write about.

Paul Ryan Falls Apart When Asked How Romney Will Pay for Tax Cuts for the Rich (<-links to video, and transcript, etc.), but it's all about the framework, why can't that be enough?

Somehow Ryan can't grasp that a "framework" doesn't tell the people enough, a frame is empty. Not telling the public details, and waiting until they can work with Congress...is exactly like keeping it behind closed doors and "hatching it in the backroom". Which is what he is trying to say they don't want to do.

"That’s exactly what I’m suggesting, having it in public before the election so voters can have that information before they make up their minds." ~ George Stephanopoulos to Paul Ryan on ABC's 'This Week', September 09, 2012

A framework is really easy to change, or manipulate, given they have no real plan to share, they can change and manipulate the framework; and then once you put the outside on the framework, you can fill it with anything you want.

"Look, I/we never outlined the facts, we gave you a framework, you trusted that we would turn the framework into something, even though we never said exactly what that would be, so you can't hold us responsible for taking the framework of this house, and turning it into a boat."

Duh.

Meanwhile, people, do your research. Don't accept people who create loopholes so that if their feet end up stuck to the fire nobody can call them a "failure", like they are so apt to do to the current administration. (Also, remember, it's more than one man that runs this, or any, country.) If you don't stand for something...you know the rest of the story - that also goes for those who don't actually stand for their own plan, by making them of empty framework "promises", so you'll fall for anything.

And watch the 2012 Presidential debate on Wednesday night.