The American people have fallen down on the job.  We complain about what we have and do not have and blame the politicians for everything and then…we re-elect them.  96% re-election rate.  Why?  Because we don’t do our homework.  We are “too busy” watching American Idol and doing other forms of entertainment, sitting on our butts instead of holding our leaders accountable for their decisions.  Most people can’t name their Representative or their 2 Senators, let alone how their congressmen voted on the last bill.

The reasons for this are probably innumerable, but I will point out two of them.  Technological advances throughout history are often a result of the desire to make things easier.  We want things to be easier because we tend toward laziness.  I would rather sleep in than go to work.  I would rather come home and play video games than go for a run and study some important topic.  But great men and women have shaken off the bonds of sloth and aspired to something greater than comfort and rest.  They are the ones who won WWI and WWII, founded the United States, and landed on a man on the moon (12 of them actually).  They are also the ones who had the character to do what was right instead of what would get them ahead.  In my opinion, a leader without character is no leader at all.  In case you haven’t noticed, we have very few leaders in this country.

The second problem is one of mathematical definition.  Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, is a measure of ones intelligence based on standardized tests.  The mean score is 100 with >160 being considered genius, and below 70 being cognitively impaired.  The scores of a population create a normal distribution, or bell curve, which shows that the majority of people fall within a certain range.  By definition, the mean is 100.  Psychologists and social workers will claim that the “average” is a range and the majority of people fall into that range. Regardless, the statistical mean is 100, and half the population falls below it, by definition.  Point being, half the population is below average intelligence.  You think your life is tough, imagine what it is like for stupid people!  Ok, that was insensitive, but the truth hurts.

The intelligence thing leads me to believe that many people are less able to fully understand the issues at hand and make a reasonable conclusion.  Studies have shown that people with a higher IQ tend to absorb more of the material being presented, although the relationship is only about 25%.  Still, it gives the geniuses and advantage right from the start.  Now if you do have a higher IQ and you distract yourself with garbage from the television every day, don’t exercise, don’t eat right, don’t sleep enough, etc. you have little capacity to learn what the hell is going on in the world.  All you have is your 25% to get you by.

My plea to smart people: The stupid people need you.  Get off your asses and learn something about the people who control how you live, how much in taxes you pay, and what type of future your children will have.

My plea to stupid people:  You are not stupid.  You have no excuse for not knowing things.  You may have to work harder than others to get by and understand things, but you are more than capable of it.  So do it.

For students coming out of Michigan universities with start up companies, cover an increasing percentage of their student loan payments for every year they keep the company headquartered in Michigan.

Expand the current Cool Cities initiative. Detroit will take decades to turn around, when that process ever even starts. The state needs other grand locales it can point to. Which ties into the next one…

Belle Isle. Mackinac Island. Two of the most distinct features Michigan offers, yet when was the last time any of us were on either of them? Both offer significantly more community and tourist potential than they currently draw. Part of the problem – from my perspective – is there isn’t an interest in nature among the city dwellers. The Michigan state forest system is 3.9 million acres, the largest in the United States. But looking at the cities, you wouldn’t think three trees ever stand beside each other in the whole land. The feeling in Denver is different. It’s a major, major city engulfed by trees. The people would stand it no other way. Nature to them is not landscaping, it’s life. Buildings there are a necessity that people escape as often as possible. Michigan, however, was too successful at producing a production society. Southeast Michigan is nothing but blue-collar consumerism. Like in the Upper Peninsula, a passion for nature needs sweep through the southeastern Mitten population, as encouraged by the elected officials. This in time will help battle depression, obesity, and guide the population from consumerism to conservatism. That later mentality is necessary for a population to think better thoughts about which companies they want to work for and support, which kinds of jobs and buildings they want in their communities, the influences they want their children to have. And speaking of a change in mentality…

Put all of your resources into prying Detroit free from the Democrats. Seriously; think of how unbalanced the US would be if it was run by the Republicans for forty-eight years. It’s past time for a priorities shift.

So few in southeast Michigan take advantage of the forestry system because they’ve been educated by example and environment that nature has nothing to offer except raw materials for merchandise and stews.

The gray sky for a third of the year is wretched. Speaking as one with seasonal depression, when I bought a full-spectrum sunlight lamp last month, my life changed. It’s a drug. A happy one.  Whatever happens, full spectrum light bulbs should be a constitutional right–no, forget that; they are a right of humanity!

So yes, the gray skies contribute to depression and obesity. Another culprit is the consumerism. Whenever I’m in Michigan I walk the streets at night. House after house has that wicked blue glow of a t.v. flickering out the windows. No driveway is full of the cars of guests over for dinner. There’s no sound or sight of music being made, but only listened to –more consumerism!

The people believe their highest happiness will be found in consuming products other people make for them. Those who sell the products have done an excellent job of instilling that mentality. Don’t learn to make music, listen to what we make. Don’t cook, we’ve got whatever you want. Don’t think, we’ll do it for you. Even the Starbucks idea of a third space is being rubbed out as every new store now features a drive-thru. The idea of enjoying community is diminishing into ‘just buy the coffee and go.’

I’m viewing the problem from a pastoral angle. People will stay and work productively in places because of proper priorities and a sense of feeling valued in a soul-soothing community.

Detroit’s future will most likely be a different social group’s influx. The Oak Lawn area here in Dallas was similar to Detroit’s dilapidated, drugged out environment. Then Dallas’ gay community went house hunting. Being a minority group, they wanted to stay together. They basically bought blocks of houses at a time and one street after another, turned the area into one of the most swinging spots in Dallas.

Michigan’s Cool Cities program is actually designed to court homosexual populations for this same reasons. It’s in the front wording of the program; homosexuals, we want to be your community!

Pick a street downtown and start planning. Preferably within walking distance of the art institute.

Google or Macintosh could solve the issue in a decade like Ford did to Dearborn.

F-me 72 minutes long.

I appreciate efforts to make positive comments. But holy horses ass don’t you hate being treated like you’re a stupid jerk who has no idea what’s happened in the past year?

Indeed, I love the idea of a capital gains tax cut on small business investment. But I’ll swear this right now – and let it be heard: If Obama and his Democrats pass such a tax cut, and actual cut and not in name only, the following Saturday, at the first strike of noon, I will cross my front street and take a shit in my mail box.

This address has amazed me. I wasn’t expecting Obama to be so brazenly and blatantly contradictory and – well – disingenuous. This address was one contradiction after another – and one skewed view of reality after another.

Seriously – he’s still trying to sell the Recovery Act as a jobs creator? Even MSNBC is calling that bill a big fat failure. No one with a brain is proud of that load of pork – Liberal victory party.

Seriously – he thinks there’s no support for this asinine health reform bill because he didn’t explain it well enough? Does he really think we’re that stupid??? Who the hell knows what is in that bill? The week before last his camp had locked themselves in a room, made dirty secret deals in order to grab votes for a secret bill. All the while Obama is constantly – on every channel every week – spouted poetry about vague ideas of health reform. Didn’t explain it well enough… Oh yeah – if only the American people understood the bill they’d all be on board. YOU KNOW DAMN WELL YOU KEPT IT A F****G SECRET BECAUSE YOU KNEW DAMN WELL IF AMERICA DID KNOW WHAT WAS IN IT THEY’D SHIT THEMSELVES OVER IT!!!!

Seriously – he wants to talk about putting old Washington politics aside? That’s what he spent the last bit of the address about, an emotionally calling for a start of new, and so on. Seriously? HE – Obama – was calling for an end to the perpetual campaign???  Come on – we aren’t all stupid. Obama himself IS that dirty style of politics – where you do [this] but talk [that]. That’s what this address IS!!!. He’s talking [$that] while doing [$this].

$that = nuclear, drilling, tax cuts, spending freeze, veto

$this = health takeover, redistribution, climate religion, command economics

I noticed something interesting. He claimed with regard to healthcare reform that he didn’t take it on to take a political victory. As he said it though, watch his body language. He didn’t believe what he was saying, or at least he wasn’t comfortable or confident saying it.

But the most honest thing he said was that he’d focus on job creation in 2010. No – I don’t believe he will focus on job creation in 2010. It’s just honest that he basically admitted that he sure as shit wasn’t focusing on jobs creation in 2009 – unless you count government jobs.

I’d get more detailed, but I’m just exhausted. Obama’s idea of sharing a cake is to take the whole damn thing up to his room. Of course his brother will disagree with that policy. So Obama will accuse his brother of “not sharing” by blocking his policy of sharing the cake.

I can’t believe a single thing Obama says anymore. I just can’t. It’s not partisanship either, or any of that blind religious belief in conservativism some would like to accuse me of, or racism, or prejudice against left handed people. It’s a simple fact I learned long ago: Some people lie.

Also, does anyone else find his narcissism a little off-putting? Shit, this whole speech was focused on Obama. I-I-I-I-I-I-I…

It is funny that every Democrat commenting on the speech has had something derogatory to say about Republicans holding up legislation. Those poor Dems… If they ever took a group trip to Baskin Robins we’d never see them again.

Come on Republicans. Get on board with our cake sharing policy! Don’t you believe we should share cake??? Why won’t you let us share the cake with you? You just want the whole cake for yourselves don’t you. Yeah, you’re selfish. Obama has bent over backwards to compromise with your guys and you’ll have nothing to do with it. It’s like – you expect Obama’s cake sharing policy to actually let you have some of the cake or something…

Shit I shouldn’t have watched this thing so early in the day. I was going to watch it last night but my connection got sick. Maybe I’ll have more detailed and less frustrated comments later.

Ok, with all the abuses of language and blatant misrepresentation of facts this past year, you might think it odd that I’d mention this – but it’s a good example of common economic stupid. In the past year, 25% of American steel workers have been laid off. So this lady was saying on TV that, “every steel worker’s job creates 7 other jobs.”

Does that sound familiar? Every time someone is trying to argue for aid, bailouts, protectionist taxes, and so on – they bring up this idea that these particular jobs create other jobs. Now what do they mean by that?

Well, they probably mean the fact that a person has a job means they’ll spend money which will result in demand which will result in the extra jobs. Or maybe they’re talking about the other workers who would support the new worker. For example: A new steel worker would be doing work that consumed pig-iron, coke, fuel, and transportation – all of which employ people.

But listen! This argument is illogical on its face. EVERY job creates other jobs in this way. And, if we accept thisargument as clean claimable arguable fact, all we have to do is somehow get one person – that’s 1 individual – hired by someone somewhere. Because, multiplied exponentially, we’ll all have millions of jobs! Even if every new job created only 2 new jobs that same week, in a year wed have more NEW jobs than people in America.

This one ranks with the idea green jobs will fill the unemployment gap.

Samad: Hello Noisy Dove. I want let you know I hear Obama make immigration reform and I be American soon. You have advice for me? I worry much for the process, but anything better than humping bags of rice up and down these slippery God-forsaken roads for barely pay enough for one miserable bowl of rice a day for myself.

Hey Samad. Hows that infected ass wound doing? Anyway, I look forward to seeing you in America. Just be careful. The process is a little dangerous – but lol – not as dangerous as your old job.

Let’s outline the process just to avoid confusion.

1. Get arrested by American troops for terrorism.
2. Take advantage of your free high-class legal council provided my America.
3. Get acquitted in NY.
4. Get released in NY with a tidy US government stipened.

Ok, now steps 2, 3, and 4 are automatic assuming you manage to pull off step 1 properly. The key is to do something belligerent enough to rattle the American troops into arresting you without shooting you. This will take some creativity. Stealing something won’t work. Another idea would be to have someone tip-off the troops that you’re a terrorist and have some cell phone part in your bag.

Once you get your lawyer you can then explain how you stole a phone and took it apart because you couldn’t get it to work, and how you were swearing at the soldiers because you had them confused with some other soldiers who threw bottles of piss at you as they drove by.

Samad: Oh good. I had some confusion about step 1. And thank you for asking. My ass has healed well. That learns me to no more walk in front of my goat near air field.

I have question: How bad the soldiers beat me and how long probably they keep and torture me before trial? I worry for that. Last time I taken by police here they beat me good. Weeks later, after many interrogations, they let me out at night and I know not where I was. Also, even now if I smell gasoline I vomit uncontrollably and if I see duct-tape I salivate profusely – not to mention my height is now two solid inches less for some reason.

I no want sound like stupid girl, but longer torture than 2 week give me worry. I know, I know, after working as tie-down for uncle who own truck, few things give worry, but at least falling of truck at high speed offer fast death.

Oh Samad – where do you get these ideas? Hell, some of our most elite, highly trained, and honorable soldiers – Navy SEALs – are currently being prosecuted for supposedly giving that jerk who burned those contractors in Fallujah a bloody lip.

Once you’re captured they won’t harm you. They’ll take good care of you and have a doctor treat that ass wound.

Samad:But Noisy Dove, what stop terrorist from bogging down legal system with false accusation? That so silly. America so silly some time. How you can make super soldier who kill enemy at night no warning in enemy land then make him be nice to enemy in daytime? Maybe you need robot for soldier?

Indeed Samad – excellent points. I wish I could say it’s all due to America’s strong belief in justice and honor – but crap like this has more to do with political correctness and self righteousness.

According to this article in the Boston Globe, there is mass confusion over counting the amount jobs created or saved by the use of stimulus money.  Most groups reported jobs for workers that had not been hired yet, and for work that had yet to start.  90 jobs were reported as “created” when 150 people got a cost of living increase.  The Democrats are saying they expected confusion and a shake out, but that the numbers would get increasingly accurate as time went on.  This knowledge of inaccuracy certainly did not stop the Obama Administration from claiming that the stimulus has saved or created 640,000 jobs – something we now know (and guessed all along) is wildly exaggerated.

Calling a lawyer litigious is like calling an engineer industrious, or an entrepreneur entrepreneurial, or a doctor inquisitive. Because – like – being litigious means having a tendency to litigate – which is the essential job of a lawyer. So if a lawyer likes their job they probably make lots of money too, which is bad, because everyone who isn’t a stupid right-wing nut-job knows that unless you’re working for the government or in a government program all your wealth is being stolen from the poor. That’s easy enough to see on a percent of national wealth graph.

Green jobs are great. We can do a lot of stuff here in Michigan, like build wind turbines. But that won’t result in more jobs. The greener we get the fewer energy jobs there will be in the energy industry, especially if we reduce our overall use.

Example: The left wants to stop coal. They so want to stop coal. It’s their main target of the cap and trade “jobs” bill. What replaces coal? Nuclear and wind. It takes people to mine, ship, and burn coal on a continuous basis – if you’re burning you’re mining and shipping. Nuclear takes mining too, but nothing even comparable and not continuous. The wind doesn’t hire anyone.

The irony is that the “climate” bill (cap and trade) is based on taxing energy. Taxing energy will be the main jobs killer. Even if every energy job was replaced with a green job – one for one – there would still be a net job lose due to the bill’s effects, because it slows the economy by making business and industry more expensive. And we can’t forget the long-term costs in businesses leaving the US.

I’d rather we burn coal than oil (natural gas) – we need that for making plastic and petrochemicals. Burning coal is dirty, but it’s an energy source we have plenty of. Utilizing green energy is the best thing long term. But trying to sell energy taxes as job creators is extremely dishonest. And taxing business any time soon is a recipe for recession pancakes.

A friend recently said to me in a conversation,

My views are the right ones.  we all know the libs are wrong and wacked for the most part.

Well, that depends on your values. If you want the US to be efficient and competitive in the world market – Liberals are stupid. But if you want fairness and don’t care about our competitiveness – Liberals are great fighters for the “little guy”.

Take the recent passing of the minimum wage increase as an example. It was, of course, heralded as a proud moment in history – something that will pull people out of poverty. (If you watch CSPAN you know what I mean. Everything the Democrats say about their bills is “proud” this and “historical” that.) But the troubling thing is the false logic. I heard the arguments that a min-wage increase would stimulate the economy by putting more money into it.

The fact is – min-wage is a price floor on labor. That means if you raise it you directly reduce the amount of labor being purchased or increase the price of the goods or services the labor produces. In other words, when a company is forced to pay workers more, they either lay people off or increase prices. So instead of helping poor people in general, it increases everyone’s living expenses and totally screws a few poor people – but helps a few poor people, usually the lucky union members. Additionally it makes competing in the world market more difficult or impossible – so most labor intensive industries leave the US because labor is so expensive.

I think minimum wage increases have less to do with helping to pull people out of poverty and more to do with supporting unions. Unions are the main force behind many Democratic candidate campaigns, and we’ve seen some payback for all their efforts recently. The UAW got a sweet deal with the reorganization of GM while the bond holders got hosed. And now the minimum wage increase, which helps unions by forcing competing non-union firms to raise their wages and become less competitive against unionized firms.

Now if you’re short-sighted you might see this as a good thing- the unions’ efforts to raise their members’ wages, raises all wages in that industry. But this has a cost. There is of course the cost in competitiveness – foreign countries stop importing our goods and domestic companies move jobs overseas. But there is also the individual’s cost, you know, the little guy that voted for a Democrat because the economy was bad. When you artificially raise wages, as I stated above, you artificially raise prices and cause unemployment. One guy is getting fired so the company can split his wages up among 20 of his former co-workers. Some workers get an extra amount in their check but we all pay more for everything.

It’s definitely important to have labor laws and protections against worker exploitation. But seriously, a minimum wage hike during a depression, while we see the unemployment rate tick up every day, is unwise unless your sole focus is gaining political points.

The working poor…

Some people are working 50+ hours a week just to feed and house themselves. They make lowwages and are trapped without access to education. Their children inherit this entrapment. Their children have to work right away and get no help.

Mean while, the rich can educate and nurture their young to get the best education, the best jobs, and control over the poor. In an effort to maintain profit the rich keep the medial worker’s wages low – keeping them trapped. This inequality has only grown over the past 8 years with numerous forms of tax relief and help for corporations.

When the rich get an entrepreneurial idea, they can go grab a loan under the name of a corporation. If the idea fails, so what? The corporation goes down not the rich guy, who chose to pay himself $300k/yr for the couple years it was in business, even though it lost money the whole time, and he only paid his workers minimum wage.

Poor people get ideas too. It’s just naïve for them to imagine having the time, money, credit, or knowhow to implement them. Some try at great expense. Few succeed.

Taxing the wholly-handshake out of the rich and not taxing the poor, or even giving the poor a tax cut in addition to not charging them taxes would help to bring some fairness to the universe by at least making sure the poor people can afford high calorie food and cigarettes. We can also take measures to equalize housing by compelling banks to allow subprime applicants to get a loan for a home they can’t make the payments on and won’t maintain.

Another good idea is a government takeover of the health care system. This will allow the government to distribute health care fairly and keep rich doctors and nurses from making so much more money than regular people. This will best be done by franticly writing a huge medical reform bill, and keeping the details ambiguous while we belligerently elbow and head butt the 20 pound pile through congress before anyone is able to even skim through it.

Another essential mechanism to freeing the poor from their trap under the rich is to maintain the recession. Only during difficult economic times have productive social political changes been able to occur. We can artificially maintain this recession for many years, perhaps even more years than the great depression was maintained, through the proud passing of the historic cap and trade bill. Not only will this bill raise the price of virtually everything – making the poor even more dependent on the government – it will also chase jobs away, far more than it will replace with green jobs. Keeping unemployment high is important because low unemployment is the last stage in economic recovery.

Like the Economic Recovery Act, the cap and trade bill will also help us sure up our congress member’s support back home. Instead of loading the bill with monetary gifts for their supporters, we will load cap and trade with exceptions. All-in-all, cap and trade will give government control over energy and give its hungry new bureaucracies a much needed new revenue source. It will be like having a new IRS/EPA/stock exchange just to manage.