Day: April 18, 2011

105th Anniversary Of San Francisco Earthquake: A Reminder Of Nuclear And Natural Disaster Likely In The Future!

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On this 105th Anniversary of the infamous San Francisco Earthquake, which destroyed much of that city, and is still one of the top few greatest natural disasters in American history, if not the worst, we have a reminder of the doom and gloom predicted in the next 30 years by most scientists!

With a nuclear power plant right on the San Andreas Fault between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and another nuclear power plant between Los Angeles and San Diego, in a state with 37 million people, there is the looming threat of much more than a disastrous earthquake, but also of a much worse tragedy of nuclear radiation on the scale of what has happened last month in Japan and in Chernobyl in the old Soviet Union 25 years ago!

There has long been the prediction of a massive earthquake in California, and despite much planning and building of structures that are supposed to survive such a natural disaster, it is still worrisome that no one can possibly prepare adequately for a natural event such as an earthquake, and be sure that there would not be a worse disaster with a tsunami and or nuclear breakdown!

It seems more a question of when, not if, as to such a natural tragedy and possible nuclear disaster, and the cost of such an event both regarding loss of life and cost is impossible to measure, or to plan for. Disaster preparedness is far from an exact science, and no one seems willing to deal with the financial cost that cannot be forseen until it occurs!

Karl Rove And The “Birthers”: Civil War Developing In Republican Party!

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Karl Rove, the mastermind behind George W. Bush, much maligned and denounced by many, at least has some common sense, and has come out swinging against the loonies in his party, who continue to support the “Birther” argument that Barack Obama was not born in America!

A strong attack by Rove against Donald Trump, and by implication against Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann and others in the party who continue the reckless argument that only promotes disrespect and conspiracy theories, at a time when this nation has so many problems and issues, is a strong sign that the GOP is about to implode!

Again, only two major candidates totally repudiate the “Birther” argument convincingly–Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty, and that is why if the party has any sense, it will nominate one or the other next year for the GOP nomination, with Romney still having the upper hand at this point, but with Pawlenty or Jon Huntsman as “dark horses” who might suddenly surge!

Unfortunately, as Rove well realizes, the GOP is becoming the laughing stock of serious minded people with its irresponsible candidates, who seem to focus on nothing else except citizenship, rather than the important domestic and foreign policy issues!

What is becoming more apparent is that the Republican Party MUST declare a break with the Tea Party Movement loonies, both on economic and social issues, and liberate themselves to return to be re-established as a main stream party, as it used to be until 1980!

If not, if the Tea Party Movement takes over, the Republican Party will become part of the dustbin of history!

More On Hispanic And Latino Numbers In American Population! And The Shift In African American Population!

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The Census Bureau informs us that Hispanics and Latinos have not just become one out of every six Americans, a total of 50 million in the population in 2010.

They have also become the largest minority group in 191 of the country’s 366 metropolitan areas!

Even in states such as Nebraska and Oklahoma, they have had a growing impact!

A 42 percent increase in their numbers is astounding, at the same time that many African Americans are migrating back to the South after a century of leaving the South for the North!

And the number of white Anglos have fallen in all metropolitan areas, and have seen, for instance a drop in Las Vegas from 60 percent to 48 percent!

So the political effects will be major in scope in coming years, including the reapportionment battle in many state legislatures, which will have a long range effect on the fortunes of the Republicans and the Democrats!

Should We Be Upset That 45 Percent Of American Households Pay No Federal Income Taxes? NO!

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As American finish tax forms due by tonight, the controversy over who pays federal income taxes arises yet again.

Conservatives and Republicans have no problem condemning the fact that 45 percent of American households pay no federal income tax. The fact that 68 percent of American households under $50,000 income pay no taxes vexes them.

But can a family of four, in reality, be expected to pay federal income taxes when they have a problem in almost any part of the country paying rent, food, and other basic needs that every family with children has?

Realize all taxpayers everywhere pay state sales taxes, and property taxes if they own their home, and state and local income taxes in all but seven states, as well as Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes!

Realize that health care for millions is extremely expensive for a family of four, and that the cost of just taking care of children is sky high!

Earning $50,000 for a family of four was once considered middle class, but realistically is not enough in the economy of today,and with the taxes and fees that all Americans pay!

And realize that when one says under $50,000, that does not mean everyone is making close to that amount, as many families of four are living on only $30,000 or less for a family, and are wallowing in poverty and deprivation!

The federal government has offered tax breaks to help families pay for college, buy homes, have children, and given wage supplements to the extremely poor.

But for every tax break for lower income tax payers, the wealthy and upper middle class have been given much more lucrative tax advantages, and somehow, that is not a problem for Republican and conservatives!

In other words, if the government helps the rich, and many avoid taxes altogether or pay a very low rate of taxes, that is perfectly fine, a good example of capitalism!

But if the poor or struggling middle class has breaks, we should milk them for all they are worth, and look down on them as lazy, shiftless, lacking in ambition, and punish them for having children, after advocating no abortion rights!

Needless to say, this is the height of hypocrisy by the Republicans and conservatives, but they have no shame in condemning the poor, just as in the Gilded Age, the social philosophy known as Social Darwinism ruled, and has now been revived in modern times without any shame or embarrassment by the hard Right in this country!