Day: April 25, 2011

Haley Barbour’s Explanation Of Why He Is Not Running For President!

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Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour surprised a lot of political observers by announcing he would not run for the Republican Presidential nomination today, but his reason for not running is somewhat unique in being stated openly.

It is not because of his insensitivity to the issue of race in Mississippi!

It is not because he has the image of being too close to powerful lobbyists.

It is not because he recognizes that the country is not about to elect a Mississippian to the White House, because of the terrible image that state has in the national mind.

It is not because he is willing to admit that it will be difficult to defeat President Obama in 2012.

No, it is none of the above! Rather, it is because he is unwilling to give a TEN YEAR commitment to the venture of running for and winning the Presidency for two terms, which is indeed a ten year commitment!

This is a refreshing way of someone saying why he will not be a candidate, totally true but unusual, as no one to the author’s knowledge has ever used that as the reason not to run!

Barbour is smart enough to realize that it just might not be worth it to sacrifice a decade of one’s life to run for a job that is a massive headache, ages the person, and often shortens his life span, with the level of stress and tension he has to deal with for a salary that, compared to corporate leaders, athletes, and entertainers, is quite inadequate!

And to run for the glory and historical reputation that the position represents just might not be enough of an appeal for many to sacrifice their time and their health!

Senator Bernie Sanders’ Guide To Corporate Freeloaders!

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Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has come up with a list of what he calls “Corporate Freeloaders”, corporations that have failed to pay taxes to the US government, and demonstrate an arrogance that is infuriating!

At the top of the list is Exxon Mobil, paying no federal income taxes, but receiving a rebate from the government, while making $19 billion in profits in 2009!

Bank of America is second on the list, making $4.4 billion in profits, but gaining a $1 trillion bailout from the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department, and even receiving a $1.9 billion tax refund!

General Electric is third on the list, cutting American jobs by one fifth, earning $26 billion in profits over five years, and receiving a $4.1 billion tax refund!

The rest of the list includes oil companies Chevron, Valero Energy, and Conoco Phillips; banking and finance companies Goldman Sachs and Citigroup; and in transportation, Boeing and Carnival Cruise Lines.

So, in summary, it is the oil and energy companies, the banks and finance companies, plus transportation companies and General Electric, who have willingly robbed the nation of needed tax revenues!

Is there any way to justify this? Is it “Christian values” to refuse to pay taxes? Is it moral or ethical to do this? Or is it just plain greed, selfishness, and corruption that explains how the top American corporations can have no limit to their lack of patriotism and commitment to the advancement of the American people, instead of just themselves?

Haley Barbour And Ron Paul: One Out Of GOP Race, And The Other In!

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Republican politics is more amazing by the day!

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, a power player in the party apparatus as head of the Republican Governors Association, has decided NOT to run for President, although many thought of him as a “heavy hitter”! Barbour was liked by lobbyists in the party, but that was precisely why he looked undesirable to others, along with his insensitive comments about African Americans in Mississippi fifty years ago, which made him radioactive, as we are not about to elect an old Southern type to the White House in 2012. But many thought he would run, so his decision not to run is a big surprise!

Does this benefit anyone? YES, probably former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who continues to look like the “dark horse” who might emerge from the pack, with similar views to Barbour, but a much better public image and presentation than Barbour was capable of demonstrating. Barbour has a lot of friends and associates who could be valuable to anyone he might endorse, and it is highly unlikely he would back either Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman!

At the same time, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas is forming an exploratory committee to run again for President, despite the fact that he has absolutely no chance to be the nominee!

Paul’s libertarianism on domestic policy and his opposition to America’s role in overseas military adventures can appeal to many, but even with Tea Party backing, there is no possibility to believe that he could, at age 77, win the nomination or the Presidency. He is a gadfly who is more annoying to the GOP than anything else, and has already been ridiculed in the past when he ran in the 2008 primary season!

The only good thing about Ron Paul running is that it prevents his son, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, from entering the race, as he could be more of an annoyance and potential threat than his father! But we must realize that Rand Paul will certainly run in future campaigns, a highly regrettable situation!

So the Republican Party wends its way toward total disaster in the Presidential race, while at the same time committing suicide politically with its”bully” Governors and the Paul Ryan plan to eliminate Medicare, both developments causing major headaches for the Republican Party in polls all across the country!

40 Years Of OSHA: Something To Celebrate!

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Forty years ago this month, after President Richard Nixon had signed into law the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at a time when 14,000 workers had been killed on the job, the agency went into business.

Since then, workplace fatality, injury and illness rates are down 65 percent, but still 4,000 workers on the average die on the job even today.

Four million still suffer workplace injuries and illnesses.

The battle for safety at workplaces continues, but OSHA has made a tremendous difference, and we should salute the agency and President Nixon for the improvements that have occurred in the past 40 years!

And also recognize that big business corporations had resisted such legislation, but it was forced on them by a Congress and a President who understood the need for such an agency!