Edward Kennedy is turning over in his grave. The Senate seat he filled so abundantly for 40 years is now occupied by a former beefcake model and a Republican no less. Scott Brown, the new senator from Massachusetts, is a relative political unknown, who covered up his republicanism in independent trappings to win in a state that has traditionally been a Democratic Party stronghold.
How did things go so wrong, so quickly for the Democrats? Just one year into the "presidency of hope," Barack Obama is facing a revolt of the very independent voters who swept him into the White House. Those voters expressed their anger and frustration in Massachusetts and their voice has been heard by Obama strategists, who want to avoid a disaster in this year's mid-term elections. They realize that Brown's election was not about Democrats vs. Republicans in the traditional sense. It was about jobs, jobs and more jobs, as well as the perception that Obama's administration is driving us all deeper into debt.
This early wake up call has already shifted the emphasis of the administration's message. All the President's Men are talking about the stimulus having created or saved some 2 million jobs. We'll hear more about that, fiscal responsibility and taking on special interests in the State of the Union message tomorrow night. We can also expect to hear the words "cooperation" and "collaboration" in regard to health care reform.
The following day, the President and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to appear in Tampa, Florida, hopefully to announce federal support for a fast rail project that promises to bring much-needed jobs and economic activity to the state. Florida was critical to Obama's win in 2008 and it has suffered more than most states in the recession. Unemployment is more than 11 percent, substantially higher than the national average.
"There are few places that have been hit as hard by job losses as Florida, and I think you'll see him (Obama) talk about his plans for getting the economy going again," says Steve Schale, a Democratic strategist who helped Obama win in Florida.
Certainly, everyone in the Sunshine State will be hanging on the President's words and deeds in days to come.
And, That's That...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Bank Bonus Bashing
Can't find a job? Frustrated with trying to modify your mortgage? Can't get a loan for your small business? Take some solace from the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the new Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearings on C-SPAN2. The hearings started January 13th by grilling the chief executives of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America. While it's not entertaining TV, it's fun to watch bankers squirm in $3,000 suits to justify their actions in pursuit of financial gain.
Those financial institutions and the people who run them have become a lightening rod for criticism from the White House to the out house back on the farm. As the hearings began, media attention was again focused on the huge profits racked up by the banks from investment of the taxpayer bailout funds they received and the outlandish bonuses the mega-banks are paying their top executives, as a result.
The purpose of the commission is to uncover the "salacious wrongdoings" of financial kingpins who brought the global financial system to the brink of collapse. This latest round of banker bashing will justifiably continue until big banks change their ways voluntarily or they are forced by regulation to contribute proportionate to their gains in the recovery of the economy.
Average people have good reason to be outraged that in the midst of economic uncertainty bankers are giving themselves fat bonuses. Greed apparently continues to drive the financial community without regard for the collective good of the economy. Their gross avaricious is cause enough to bite the bankers in the behind. President Obama's moved to tax the excess profits of institutions that gained the most from the taxpayer bailout should be a wake-up call for the bankers.
The real dilemma is that bankers "just don't get it," as Administration spokespeople from the President down have said repeatedly. Arianna Huffington, the grand dame of blogging, and others in the private sector have proposed another way of reaching the bankers. They have started a movement to hit the bankers in the pocketbook by taking deposits out of the mega-banks and placing them in community banks that invest where they live and support average bank customers. If you want to learn more about the movement, go to the Huffington Post or Google "Move Your Money."
Such catharsis, however, is little more than a nuisance to bankers pulling down six, seven and eight-figure bonuses even in bad years, according to the New York Times. Unfortunately, the old saying on Wall Street still applies; "money talks and bullshit walks."
Bankers will not pay attention until their hands are held to the fire by their boards of directors and stockholders. Stockholders have the power to pressure the bosses of major financial institutions to take a hard look at what drives them. Perhaps, they can provide a seat and a voice for the small business people who create wealth and jobs in this nation, as well as a place for the ethicist, who can see beyond the numbers. Clearly, the accountants, lawyers, and, even the mathematicians, who determine investment strategies, have failed to tame the lions of Wall Street. It's time for Main Street to have a say.
And, That's That...
Those financial institutions and the people who run them have become a lightening rod for criticism from the White House to the out house back on the farm. As the hearings began, media attention was again focused on the huge profits racked up by the banks from investment of the taxpayer bailout funds they received and the outlandish bonuses the mega-banks are paying their top executives, as a result.
The purpose of the commission is to uncover the "salacious wrongdoings" of financial kingpins who brought the global financial system to the brink of collapse. This latest round of banker bashing will justifiably continue until big banks change their ways voluntarily or they are forced by regulation to contribute proportionate to their gains in the recovery of the economy.
Average people have good reason to be outraged that in the midst of economic uncertainty bankers are giving themselves fat bonuses. Greed apparently continues to drive the financial community without regard for the collective good of the economy. Their gross avaricious is cause enough to bite the bankers in the behind. President Obama's moved to tax the excess profits of institutions that gained the most from the taxpayer bailout should be a wake-up call for the bankers.
The real dilemma is that bankers "just don't get it," as Administration spokespeople from the President down have said repeatedly. Arianna Huffington, the grand dame of blogging, and others in the private sector have proposed another way of reaching the bankers. They have started a movement to hit the bankers in the pocketbook by taking deposits out of the mega-banks and placing them in community banks that invest where they live and support average bank customers. If you want to learn more about the movement, go to the Huffington Post or Google "Move Your Money."
Such catharsis, however, is little more than a nuisance to bankers pulling down six, seven and eight-figure bonuses even in bad years, according to the New York Times. Unfortunately, the old saying on Wall Street still applies; "money talks and bullshit walks."
Bankers will not pay attention until their hands are held to the fire by their boards of directors and stockholders. Stockholders have the power to pressure the bosses of major financial institutions to take a hard look at what drives them. Perhaps, they can provide a seat and a voice for the small business people who create wealth and jobs in this nation, as well as a place for the ethicist, who can see beyond the numbers. Clearly, the accountants, lawyers, and, even the mathematicians, who determine investment strategies, have failed to tame the lions of Wall Street. It's time for Main Street to have a say.
And, That's That...
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Prostate as "Smooth as Silk"
"Smooth as silk," is how my urologist described the inside wall of my prostate gland recently after the third annual examination, post successful cancer treatment. His encouraging, although not very scientific description, was confirmed by the PSA test, which came in at 0.04. That is a far cry from the 8.5 reading I got in 2006, when I first visited Dr. Thomas G. Cangiano, a urologist, who, along with the other doctors in his group, built a medical practice around compassionate care.
How did that compassion manifest itself in my treatment? My second visit to the doctor’s office was to perform the biopsy and ultrasound of my prostate, a procedure that requires special equipment to be brought into the office along with a technician to run the equipment.
The process involves inserting a probe, the approximate size of a pencil flashlight, up the rectum. Unfortunately, the passage in my case was made more difficult by hemorrhoid tissue, which caused pain and bleeding.
There is expense and time involved in doing the procedure in the doctor’s office and they could have barreled ahead in order to save both. I would have survived, but instead the doctor opted not to cause me the discomfort and rescheduled to do the procedure in the hospital with local anesthetic so I would not suffer.
If this appears to be a blatant testimonial for my urologist so be it. The toe-headed Dr. Cangiano deserves the recognition, especially when you consider his early beginnings.
We did not realize it at first but Tommy, his brother and his sister were childhood friends of our son and daughter in Puerto Rico, where we all lived prior to moving to Florida. Pee Wee football was the common denominator. Our son and Tommy’s brother were teammates and the girls were cheerleaders. Tommy was a few years younger so he was usually running around the field making mischief. Amazingly, Tommy survived those years and excelled to become the accomplished doctor who cured my cancer and hundreds of others. My cancer-free prostate is now like that of a teenager and it’s thanks to the fine early treatment of Dr. Cangiano.
Early detection and treatment are critical to not becoming one of the nearly 30,000 men who die from prostate cancer in the U.S. each year. Feel free to add your two cents. We'll have more to say about that important topic for men later.
That's That... for now.
How did that compassion manifest itself in my treatment? My second visit to the doctor’s office was to perform the biopsy and ultrasound of my prostate, a procedure that requires special equipment to be brought into the office along with a technician to run the equipment.
The process involves inserting a probe, the approximate size of a pencil flashlight, up the rectum. Unfortunately, the passage in my case was made more difficult by hemorrhoid tissue, which caused pain and bleeding.
There is expense and time involved in doing the procedure in the doctor’s office and they could have barreled ahead in order to save both. I would have survived, but instead the doctor opted not to cause me the discomfort and rescheduled to do the procedure in the hospital with local anesthetic so I would not suffer.
If this appears to be a blatant testimonial for my urologist so be it. The toe-headed Dr. Cangiano deserves the recognition, especially when you consider his early beginnings.
We did not realize it at first but Tommy, his brother and his sister were childhood friends of our son and daughter in Puerto Rico, where we all lived prior to moving to Florida. Pee Wee football was the common denominator. Our son and Tommy’s brother were teammates and the girls were cheerleaders. Tommy was a few years younger so he was usually running around the field making mischief. Amazingly, Tommy survived those years and excelled to become the accomplished doctor who cured my cancer and hundreds of others. My cancer-free prostate is now like that of a teenager and it’s thanks to the fine early treatment of Dr. Cangiano.
Early detection and treatment are critical to not becoming one of the nearly 30,000 men who die from prostate cancer in the U.S. each year. Feel free to add your two cents. We'll have more to say about that important topic for men later.
That's That... for now.
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