Shrinking Economy

Headlines read “US Economy shrinks 6.3%”.
As the US economy continues to shrink, Congress debates trillion dollar budgets, and the Treasury Department sweetens it offers to carmaker Chrysler's debt holders. My question, when did gambling in the stock market become a risk-free investment? Because that’s how Washington has treated recent losers on Wall Street. Bailout after bailout and the working class sees no benefits. Billions and trillions spent and the economy continues to fall. Our elected officials debate where to spend borrowed trillions, yet none want to save billions spent daily on war mongering.

What is the benefit of having these car companies stay solvent? Yeah, I've heard the argument about related industries and millions of jobs; but so what. These companies have not and will not be competitive; they will fail in the near future. The bailouts only ensure that corporate elites maintain their lavish lifestyles at the expense of the middle class. How long will we be silent spectators watching Washington take not only ours, also our children's money and give it to risk-taking, greedy capitalists?

The US economy has been sliding for decades; we don't need monthly headlines to remind us. The only headlines I want to see are, "President Says No to Future Corporate Bailouts", and "New Industries Create Millions of Jobs".

Sen. Specter, Winds of change?

To most, Sen. Specter's defection to the Democratic Party is one more sign of how the Republican Party has lost direction. I actually find it worrisome foreshadowing of Obama’s next four years.
Republican pundits say this is a political move by the senator to avoid a probably loss during the 2010 primaries. Sen. Specter says, "I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans," implying that the Republican Party has gone too far right. Fair enough, any American with an active cerebral cortex would agree. What we should really ask, is how does this reflect on the Democratic Party? In all likelihood, Sen. Specter's political views have not changed much throughout his career; therefore the truth is that the Democrats continue to shuffle right while feigning left.
The Democrats are now like the Republicans Specter fondly remembers from his past. And one seat away from the magic 60, legislation will fly out of Congress like fresh Crispy Crème donuts. Let us pray it’s not what Sen. Specter would want.
Obamaniacs and progressive Dems need wake up. President “Change” continues to delay exiting Iraq, continues bombing innocent Afghanis, avoids exposing war criminals within the CIA, and the list goes on. When it comes to issues that matter, the next four years are starting to look like the past eight.

Swine Flu

Swine Flu! The cries of fear are so frequent to sound like an echo. You want to know why influenza has been a scourge to human populations for centuries; it mutates. This is what it does. And this is what it will do in the future.

So why the hysteria? The quick and easy, the corporate media needs headlines for its 24 hour news cycle. And as usual, we are left without answers to important questions. Influenza is a constantly mutating virus, so there is no pure vaccine. The flu shot only helps to minimize the symptoms if you are unlucky enough to contract it. It is spread the same way the cold virus is. Prevention is the best cure, so maintain regular hygiene practices.

"But 100+ people have died", you say. The mean annual US deaths attributed to influenza through the 1990's were 36,000! This illness is one that attacks the immunologically weak, i.e. the geriatric population. It kills tens of thousands every year.

Instead of flashing brand names of antiviral medications so stock prices for pharmaceutical companies climb, we need to have honest debate about our living circumstances. Its rapid spread is likely result from our overcrowded living, yet our cities are filled with high-rise, germ-incubating human barns?

Why has the disease spread so fast over North America? Perhaps it didn't originate in Mexico, but was already in the U.S. and Canada for weeks? For months?

What we need to do is wash our hands regularly, stop shaking hands as a culture, start "dapping" one another as a greeting, eat healthy, and "Don't believe the Hype!" Take this time to reflect and ask the tough questions.