Robert Reich: ‘Turning America Into a Giant Casino’

Source:Robert Reich- left-wing political economist and blogger Robert Reich.

Source:FreeState MD 

“Anyone who says you can get rich through gambling is a fool or a knave. Multiply the size of the prize by your chance of winning it and you’ll always get a number far lower than what you put into the pot. The only sure winners are the organizers – casino owners, state lotteries, and con artists of all kinds.

Organized gambling is a scam. And it particularly preys upon people with lower incomes – who assume they can’t make it big any other way, who often find it hardest to assess the odds, and whose families can least afford to lose the money. 

Yet America is now opening the floodgates. 

In December, the Department of Justice announced it was reversing its position that all Internet gambling was illegal. That decision is about to create a boom in online gambling. Expect high-stakes poker to be available on every work desk and mobile phone. 

Meanwhile, states are increasingly dependent on revenues from casinos, lotteries, and the “Mega Millions” game (in which 42 states pool their grand prize) to partly refill state coffers.

Given who plays, this is one of the most regressive taxes in the nation. In the most recent Mega Millions game – whose winning tickets were drawn last week and whose jackpot rose to $640 million – lottery ticket buyers shelled out some $1.5 billion, most of which went to state governments. 

And then there’s the “Jumpstart Our Business Startups” or “JOBS” Act, which President Obama is expected to sign into law Thursday. It allows so-called “crowd funding” by which people whose net worth is less than $100,000 can gamble away (invest) up to 5 percent of their annual incomes in any get-rich-quick scam (start-up) that any huckster (entrepreneur) may sell them.” 

From Robert Reich 

To respond to Robert Reich, I’m going to give you both a practical response for why we have legal organized gambling in America, as well as a philosophical one.

States (whether they’re run by Democrats or Republicans) can only tax so much. There are only so many people that can afford pay high taxes in each state. Which is one of the main facts that Socialists will probably never understand about American economics. Which means to have the high quality schools, roads, bridges, law enforcement, tourist attractions to each state, they have to have the revenue to pay for those things. Without business, workers, and money in the economy and not in the government’s, government would never have the revenue to pay for the services that every developed economy has. 

My philosophical argument for organized gambling in America: there has yet to be a government anywhere in the world that is more qualified to make the personal and economic decisions for the individuals, than the individuals themselves. With any life comes at least a certain amount of risk (at least in a free society) otherwise life wouldn’t be worth living for most of us. The way to reduce risk in a free society is through regulation and taxation, not prohibition, which doesn’t work. Just look at the War On Drugs or prostitution.

Guardian Mary Silver: President Franklin D. Roosevelt- Great Depression Fireside Chat

Source:Guardian Mary Silver- America in the 1930s, during the Great Depression.

Source:FreeState MD

“AP US History Assignment.

7th Hour

Great Depression/Unemployment

By: Riah Countryman, Kevin Islas, and Hector Mirelez” 

From Guardian Mary Silver 

“President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took office in early 1933, would become the only president in American history to be elected to four consecutive terms. He would lead his nation through two of the greatest crises in its history—the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II (1939-45)—and would exponentially expand the role of the federal government through his New Deal reform program and its legacy. From March 1933 to June 1944, Roosevelt addressed the American people in some 30 speeches broadcast via radio, speaking on a variety of topics from banking to unemployment to fighting fascism in Europe. Millions of people found comfort and renewed confidence in these speeches, which became known as the “fireside chats.” 

Source:History- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democrat, New York) 32nd President of the United States (1933-45)

From History 

The fact that President Franklin Roosevelt was speaking about a recession in America in 1938, is pretty good evidence that five years after becoming President of the United States, that we were still not out of the Great Depression yet.

The economy was getting better in 1938, but we slipped back into recession in 1936 or 37. We were still looking 20-25% official unemployment. Maybe half of the country living in poverty. By the time the United States got involved in World War II in 1941-42, we were still dealing with the Depression, Recession and high unemployment. And it was really World War II that moved the country to full-recovery from the Great Depression. With all the money that was spent financing our involvement in that War.

What the New Deal deserves credit for, is establishing a public safety net that the country could turn too, when they are unemployed, or don’t have a large enough retirement account, to protect people’s savings in banks. And the New Deal did put some unemployed workers back to work through infrastructure investment.

But the Great Depression was so deep which is why it was labeled the Great Depression with so many people losing all of their money and jobs at the same time. With so many banks and business’s all failing at once. What the New Deal did was help sustain the country through the Great Depression, so things couldn’t get worse, but it didn’t bring us out of it.

It was World War II that brought the United States out of the Great Depression and back to prosperity and an economic power, as well as a world power, where we’ve remained ever since with the millions of people it employed, either in the Defense Department, or working with private contractors that did business with DOD. Making all of our equipment and the American auto industry did very well during World War II making all of those tanks And President Roosevelt deserves a lot of credit for this as well.

The New Deal, served as a buffer from the Great Depression. Put in the floor that the American economy could cash on and buy it time to recover. But it didn’t get us out of it and back to full-recovery.

Salon: Alex Pareene- Rick Santorum: ‘Liberal Penn State Punished Me For Being Conservative’

Source:Salon Magazine- "Rick Santorum's 1976 high school yearbook photo" From Salon Magazine.

Source:FreeState MD  

“Rick Santorum hates college. The former senator from Pennsylvania and current presidential candidate has lately taken to declaring that Barack Obama’s promotion higher education is both elitist snobbery and a insidious attempt to “indoctrinate” the children of America’s hardworking conservative parents into socialism. His crusade against the ivory tower took an even weirder turn last weekend when he told a radio station that he was discriminated against at Penn State for his conservatism.”

From Salon Magazine 

If Rick Santorum is a Conservative, then Ron Paul is a Socialist and Ron Reagan was a Communist. Oh by the way I’m Santa Clause, right now its 100 degrees in Boston and it’s snowing in Houston. And before you take any of that seriously, keep in mind right now its March. And you want to know why Rick Santorum is not a Conservative, I’ll tell you anyway.

Conservatism in a political sense, forget about religion right now, but in a political sense conservatism is about conserving individual liberty. Not subtracting individual liberty or conserving a way of life from the 1950s and never modernizing. And it’s about limited government, especially the Federal Government, spending no more than you take in and always try to spend less than that. And devolving power back to the states and to the people. And a foreign policy that’s very limited and based around only protecting national security interests. 

Political or constitutional or classical conservatism, is not about: “I and people who ally with me, know best how free adult Americans should live their lives. And if you don’t take our friendly advice on how you should live your own life, even though we have no idea who you are, we’ll get our friendly advice passed through law. And then if you don’t comply on how we believe you should live your individual lives, we’ll arrest you for your own good for living an immoral life. Even if your lifestyle is not hurting anyone else with how you are living.” Which is sort of Rick Santorum’s political philosophy. 

On all counts of what conservatism actually is from a political sense, fiscally and socially especially Rick Santorum doesn’t qualify as a Conservative. Not on social issues, fiscal policy or foreign policy. He has a record as a borrow and spender, porker, empowering the Federal Government in his sixteen years in Congress. (House and Senate) 

On social issues, Rick Santorum has a record of wanting to outlaw things that are currently legal. Limiting our personal freedom and has even added to that in his presidential campaign, coming out in favor of a constitutional amendment to empower the Federal Government to define marriage. Nothing Conservative about that and what happened to States Rights? The distinguished Senator is also in favor of outlawing pornography, gambling and birth control.

On foreign policy, Senator Santorum voted for preventive war, hard to see either Barry Goldwater or Ron Reagan voting for the 2nd War in Iraq.

So in a political sense, Rick Santorum doesn’t qualify as a Conservative and never has. He meets the qualifications of a religious theocrat. But those are different from conservatism and on the Far-Right, where Senator Santorum is in American politics. 

Rick Santorum or perhaps Ricky or Slick Rick (at least when it comes to trying to convince people who know better of his conservative credentials or the serious lack of them) is a Big Government Republican. A right-wing statist, the ultimate big brother or big government, or better yet Uncle Sam, no real Conservative’s favorite uncle. And he believes he knows best how free people should live their own lives.

I mean if Rick Santorum is a Conservative, the Queen of England eats Burger King whoppers for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. And when Burger King is unavailable, she gets her meals from McDonald’s. And it never rains in Seattle and a lot other nonsense that is simply not believable.

C-SPAN: President Franklin Roosevelt’s- 1933 Presidential Inauguration

Source:C-SPAN- Franklin D. Roosevelt, inaugurated as the 32nd POTUS.

Source:FreeState MD

"Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Inauguration (March 4, 1933)"

From CSPAN

When Franklin Roosevelt became President in 1933, America was in the worst economic condition in its history, at least in the 20th Century. And since the Great Depression obviously and moved quickly to deal with it with his New Deal agenda that was a collection of brand new social insurance programs from the Federal Government. Unemployment Insurance, Welfare Insurance, Social Security, public works programs and other programs and has been credited got getting America out of the Great Depression.

President FDR, is the father of the American safety net. A collections of Federal social programs to help people when they’re in need. And can’t financially support themselves.

President Roosevelt, should get credit for that, but not his New Deal getting us out of the Depression. By the time America got involved in World War II in 1941-42, we were still dealing with the Great Depression. And at best we're going through a severe recession. We still had 20% unemployment and 50% poverty in the United States. By 1942, almost nine years after FDR became President.

If you look at when the United States finally broke out of the Great Depression, it was during World War II and after World War II. That President Roosevelt committed us too, because of all the new jobs that opened up in America. With all the new military spending and work needed to produce those parts. And with everyone being drafted in the military. And with these workers going oversees, that opened up more jobs at home.

President Roosevelt, is one of the greatest president’s we’ve ever had. And deserves credit for it, but mainly because of his foreign policy success’. And also to call him a Liberal Democrat or even Progressive Democrat, just doesn’t fit. He was a Progressive on economic policy obviously. But had neoconservative leanings when it came to national security. With his detainment Camps for ethnic-Japanese, Italian and German-Americans. Because of their ethnicity.

The Roosevelt Administration, inherited such a huge hole in the economy from the Hoover Administration and didn’t have a clear outlined agenda for exactly how they were going to deal with. They had a bunch of experiments and ideas, sure. But didn’t know exactly how they were going to respond to the Depression. And they did the best that they could to deal with it.

Jon Bon Jovi: ‘It’s My Life (2003)'

Source:Bon Jovi- it's their life.

Source:The Daily Journal 

“Bon Jovi – It’s My Life (Official Music Video) Music video by Bon Jovi performing It’s My Life. (C) 2003 The Island Def Jam Music Group”

From Bon Jovi 

I’m not a big Jon Bon Jovi fan, but one song of his that I’m a big fan of is It’s My Life, because that song perfectly describes how I look at life. It’s My Life, that tells me that I have to live it and I better be in charged of it. And not let others live my life for me, meaning being in charged of it. Because I’m the one that’s going to have to deal with the consequences of it good or bad. So I better be the one making the decisions in it, calling the plays. 

There few ways to be alive – The first one and unfortunately the most common one (at least from my perspective) is living your life the way people around you want you to live your life. Living your life to make other people happy. This happens a lot when men who are looking to pass their business down to their kids. To run their business, whether their kids are interested in the business or not or even want to run the business. 

Another way to live your life is risk free take, no chances, don’t do anything that can hurt you. You live your life that way, you may a live a long time (if you don’t bore yourself into a coma or death) but you’re probably not going to be very happy. To me that’s being alive, but not living, which are two different things. 

The third way and the way I prefer to live my life and this starting during the Hippie Revolution, is to live your life by living it, living your life the way that makes you happy. Figuring out what you want to do with your life and then being as productive at that as possible. Whether that makes people around you happy or not. If they really love you and you’re not hurting yourself and they understand that, they’ll be happy that you’re happy. Even if what you’re doing with your life is not how they would live their own lives. That’s called living your life, not just being alive technically, but being alive emotionally as well.

This is what life is about to me, because at the end of the day you’re the one, that has to deal with the consequences of your own decisions. So make the best of them with the best facts and information available and make them your own with no regrets.

Salon: Steve Kornacki- ‘The GOP’s Emerging Bob Dole Problem’

Source:Salon Magazine- is Mitt Romney the Bob Dole of 2012? 

Source:FreeState MD

“A flood of new data points to one clear conclusion: At least for now, President Obama and his Republican opponents are heading in opposite directions.

A CBS News/New York Times poll released last night puts Obama’s approval rating at 50 percent — his best performance in that survey since the spring of 2010 (not counting last May’s brief bin Laden bounce). The poll also shows Obama enjoying his best score since the summer of ’10 on his handling of the economy and his best score since at least late 2009 (when the question was first asked) on job creation, and finds voters more optimistic than they’ve been in nearly two years on the overall direction of the economy.

This comports with other recent surveys. According to RealClearPolitics’ database, three polls released in the last two weeks have the president’s job approval at or over 50 percent. Before this, you have to go all the way back to the very end of the bin Laden bounce, in mid-June, to find a single poll with Obama that high. (In that same span, three surveys put his approval rating below 40 percent.) The relationship between Obama’s improving fortunes and the economic headlines of the past few months — declining unemployment since last September punctuated by a jarringly strong January jobs report — seems undeniable.” 

From Salon Magazine 

Bob Dole probably made a mistake running for President in 1996. He wasn’t too old, but he was pass his time as far as where the country was, who was President and the situation of the country and the fact that he was leading the opposition at a time when the country liked who was in charge. But that he should’ve won in 1988 and I agree with him there.

The Bush attack machine took Leader Dole down in South Carolina. Just like the Romney attack machine took down Newt Gingrich in Florida this year.And had George H.W. Bush team’s not done those things, chances are Bob Dole is the 1988 Republican nominee for president. And Mitt Romney is no longer the frontrunner this year.

Leader Dole in 1996 was trying to convince the country of something they weren’t, which was unhappy: unemployment 5%, high economic growth, falling budget deficit, the country was at peace.

In 2012 what Mitt Romney is trying to do is convince the country of something that Barack Obama isn’t: soft on defense, socialistic, dictator, anti-American, wants to make the country like Europe, etc. I’m not going to layout all the false charges, because hopefully you have better things to do with your time and I would like to keep you awake for the whole post, but you get the idea.

But to tell you this is exactly why the Far-Left doesn’t like President Obama, Occupy Wall Street, the so-called Progressive Caucus, MSNBC talk and company (the real Socialist-McGovernites in America) because Barack Obama isn’t any of these things that the Far-Left in America wants him to be.

While at the same time, Mitt has been unable to convince the country why he should be President and stand up for himself. And answer the charges that are thrown at him. What he does instead is try to change the subject, with his attack machine. And he’s paying a heavy price for it.

Janet Jackson: Rhythm Nation Tour (1990)

Source:Yahoo- Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation (1990) album.

Source:The Daily Journal

“Janet Jackson has marked the 30th anniversary of her landmark Rhythm Nation 1814 with the first-ever digital release of nine rare remix albums from the era.

Rhythm Nation 1814: The Remixes collects nearly 90 remixes spread across mini-LPs for “Alright,” “Black Cat,” “Come Back to Me,” “Escapade,” “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “Rhythm Nation,” “Miss You Much” and “State of the World.”

From Rolling Stone 

“Music video by Janet Jackson performing Rhythm Nation Live (C) 1990 A&M Records

No rights to this video are assumed by the uploader. No copyright infringement intended. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. No official upload of this content exists by the licence holder.

Additionally, three rare B-sides from the era – “The Skin Game,” “You Need Me” and “The 1814 Megamix” are also included in the compilation, which collects various 12″ and 7″ vinyl releases and CD singles and a series of CD maxi-singles from Japan. The entire collection is available to stream and purchase on digital music services now.” 

Source:Janet Jackson Music Extras- Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation.

From Janet Jackson Music Extras 

I think this photo is from a 1990 Janet Jackson concert in Detroit, Michigan, but I’m not sure. I love this photo, because this outfit was essentially the Janet Jackson uniform from the Rhythm Nation concert (1989-90) with the black blouse, the skin-tight, black denim jeans, and black leather high boots, as well as the long beautiful black hair. And she looked so sexy on stage dancing in that outfit.

Source:Janet Jackson- in concert in 1990.

Janet Jackson should be known for her great talents as a performer, as a singer and dancer and even a songwriter, but also one of the sexiest and best looking performers not only of our generation, but also ever. A woman who combines, beautiful baby-face looks and with a great tight sexy body to go with it and never afraid to show it or show it off when she’s performing.

Janet Jackson has a keen intelligence, who knows the world around her and what’s important and what she thinks about it and what she believes needs to be said that perhaps isn’t said enough, overlooked perhaps, or communicated in a way where the most people possible can hear and understand it. This is what Janet Jackson is about and why she’s gone as far as she has to the point I believe her music and act, has topped her brother Michael.

Janet’s been involved in producing her own music because she knows better than anyone what she’s trying to communicate. When I think of Janet Jackson and her music, I think of songs like Black Cat which is a great classic rock song, she performs this song as well as any classic rocker, even though she’s basically a R&B Singer and a great one. Janet has always had great versatility with her ability to combine two great sounds into one song like Black Cat.

Another song from JJ would be Love Will Never Do, again the same Rhythm Nation album. Twenty years later still her best album another very sexy video shot on a beach, the actual song Rhythm Nation where she sings about we are all members of the same world basically. So lets us make the most of it.

Janet Jackson combine both physical beauty, sex appeal, intelligence, talent all into one package and can communicate all of these abilities as a singer, dancer and commentator on world events as well as can be done right now and one of the best ever.  Janet Jackson is the best spokesperson as far as how are generation looks at the world.