Obama Economic Plan

• End the Iraq War.
  
• Raise taxes a few points on the top 1%.
• Balance the budget.
  

Bush has been so reckless financially, he has made America look like the Roman Empire before its fall. All those who earned the Nobel Prize for Economics are on one side, Bush is on the other side. He has defied the basic wisdom. This is dumb and getting dumberer.

Bush has created such havoc on the country's finances the next President of the United States who might balance the budget just might qualify for the Nobel Prize for Economics. When the national budget goes as off the radar screen as has under Bush, interest rates go up on all sorts of things like student loans. What you get in ill-conceived tax cuts, you more than give away in raised interest rates.

Like Howard Dean famously asked in 2004: "What tax cuts?"

Besides balancing the budget, the most important thing to do is to prepare the country and the world for a full blown information age.

• Universal health. (Health Care As A Spectrum)
  
• Lifelong education.
  

Security issues are very important. The only real, long term security for America is to find a progressive way to spread democracy country after country after country. Do it like in Nepal not like in Iraq.

• Total spread of democracy by 2020.
  

And then there is the big ass issue of global warming. That issue is bigger than terrorism and nuclear proliferation put together.

• Global warming.
• Terrorism.
• Nuclear proliferation.
  

In The News

Obama organizing Iowans Chicago Tribune, USA A former community organizer on Chicago's South Side, Obama relayed his often-frustrating experiences of trying to get people to meetings and mobilized to make change. ........ Iowa Atty. Gen. Tom Miller, who endorsed Obama even before the state's former governor left the presidential race, said Obama is doing well in the state.

Barack Obama’s global warming plan Blogger News Network Obama’s plan is modeled after the one recently signed into law, through an executive order, by California governor Schwarzenegger. In January Schwarzenegger created a statewide low carbon fuel standard. Obama intends to take the California plan nationwide. .... My impression is that the Obama campaign, much like the Clinton campaign, is a bit short on ideas.
Clinton Would Make Husband Roving Ambassador New York Sun he remains a very popular figure in much of the world and is considered an effective diplomat. ...... That's precisely what America needs in the wake of a war in Iraq that's left America isolated and hated throughout much of the world, Mrs. Clinton said. ....... he remains immensely popular among Democrats. ...... She said that Mr. Bush and Vice President Cheney have done lasting damage. "I don't think we know all the damage that this president and vice president have done," Mrs. Clinton said. ....... She said nothing will affect the issue until leaders of countries, such as Mexico, improve the economic lives for millions living in poverty.
Romney, Giuliani the favorites at key SC Republican conventions Eyewitness News Romney has collected more money from Tennesseans for his 2008 presidential run than any other candidate so far. Tennesseans have donated more than 550-thousand dollars to the various candidates, almost 238-thousand of which went to Romney.
Dems Weigh Iraq Options Washington Post there is no denying that Democrats do not have the two-thirds majority needed to override Bush's veto. And soon enough, everyone will be asking what happens next.
In Detailed Speech, Bush Says Iraq Buildup Is Working "The nature of a strategy aimed at securing the population is that the most important gains are often the least dramatic," he said. "Day by day, block by block, Iraqi and American forces are making incremental gains in Baghdad."
Bush Rebuffs GOP Pressure For Gonzales to Step Down Nearly every committee Republican appeared skeptical of Gonzales's handling of the firings and their aftermath. Telephone calls yesterday to dozens of GOP lawmakers, lobbyists, and current and former Bush administration officials found almost no support for the attorney general. ....... Bush traditionally has bristled at pressure to dismiss advisers under fire, particularly those close to him, such as Gonzales, a longtime confidant from Texas. When he has eased out top officials, he has usually dictated the timing so as not to appear to be caving in to critics. Giving in, he has reasoned, would only embolden his foes to seek more scalps. ...... "Everybody at the White House . . . all think he needs to go, but the president doesn't" ....... After weeks of seclusion to prepare for Thursday's testimony, he tried to return to a normal routine, presiding over an afternoon awards ceremony for National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
French paradox: Voters adamant and undecided Chicago Tribune three weeks of rioting across France that some say marked the beginning of the end of Jacques Chirac's presidency. ...... Across France, an estimated 1.8 million new voters have registered ..... "It's the only thing politicians understand," said Samir Mihi, 29 ...... Nicolas Sarkozy remained the front-runner ...... the far-right's perennial favorite, Jean-Marie Le Pen. ...... Polls last week showed Sarkozy leading with 27 percent to 29 percent, followed by Royal with 21 percent to 26 percent. ..... The top two finishers face each other in a May 6 runoff. ...... Chirac, a deeply unpopular figure in France these days, is not seeking a third term
Barack Obama speaks in Manhattan 7Online.com "Oh, that's somebody's blackberry. That's Sharpton's blackberry," said presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama. "Is that Hillary calling?"

Nepal: Police arrest MJF cadres Telegraphnepal.com
Another Indian investor wants to quit Nepal India eNews.com
Romney, Giuliani the favorites at key SC Republican conventions Eyewitness News
Mauritius to observe Bihar Day Indian Muslims
Maoists storm Bihar station, trains stopped for six hours The Statesman Maoists displayed their “might” for the second time in a fortnight, capturing the Narganjo station in Bihar’s Jamui district early today, leading to the suspension of train services on the Howrah-Patna section of Eastern Railway for more than six hours. ..... about 200 Maoists raided the station at 2 am and held the areas captive
Law lets gays create legal partnerships Los Angeles Times
Fifth day of fighting and at least 200 dead in Somalia Monsters and Critics.com
Indians rush to rescue N-deal The Australian at the heart of the dispute is India's insistence it retain its right to test strategic nuclear weapons and reprocess spent nuclear fuel. ..... The pact would allow India access to US civilian nuclear technology, overturning a decades-old ban that resulted from India's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. ...... The 123 Agreement refers to parts of the US Atomic Energy Act which specifically require Washington, by law, to end nuclear co-operation with India should it conduct another nuclear test - something the country has vowed not to do since it imposed a moratorium on itself after conducting underground explosions in 1998. In the hothouse atmosphere of Indian politics, however, agreeing to such a condition would be suicide for the coalition Government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ...... Powerful opponents of the deal - including a number of the country's top nuclear scientists - insist that a fundamental issue of national sovereignty is involved and that to agree to a US pledge that it will never in the future carry out another nuclear test is outrageous. ....... The US has bluntly said it is not prepared to change its laws and regard India as a nuclear weapons state that has the right to test strategic nuclear weapons and reprocess nuclear fuel despite never signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. ....... The US fears reprocessed fuel could be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium for a new generation of nuclear weapons, undermining Mr Bush's argument that last year's unusual deal with India would aid non-proliferation. ........ Mr McCormack said: "Inasmuch as it bumps up against US law, we're not going to be able to change our law." ....... But Mr McCormack added: "When you're blazing a trail on an issue, and there's not a body of work or a history or a precedent to fall back on, every issue becomes important for one side or the other. But at the end of the day, I think we're going to get this done." .......... The intractable Indian position is that it has shown itself to be a responsible nuclear state but that it cannot be asked to compromise its right to test nuclear weapons in the future. ....... The deal with the US, approved last December, would allow civilian nuclear trade with India and is seen as the centrepiece of the developing relationship between New Delhi and Washington. There would be UN inspection of India's 14 civilian nuclear plants, but its eight military plants would be off limits. ........ The sense of anxiety, if not crisis, surrounding the future of the agreement and bilateral relations intensified last night when a bipartisan group of US senators asked India to cease its growing military co-operation with Iran.
US Congress set to defy Bush on Iraq war Reuters
Wolfowitz Scandal Takes Bank Hypocrisy to New Heights Foreign Policy In Focus
WiMax Gets Ready for Prime Time The Heartland Institute
Caterpillar, Google lift Dow to record Gulf Times The US stock market ended the week with a rally that sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a record after earnings from Caterpillar to Google topped estimates. .... The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite Index rose to six-year highs. ..... Crude oil rose more than $1.50 a barrel in New York on concern that yesterday’s presidential election in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, would result in a disruption of shipments. Militants in Nigeria’s delta region who have halted almost a quarter of the nation’s oil production say their campaign for control of local resources won’t be stopped by the election. Nigeria was the fifth-largest source of US oil imports last year. The country produces low-sulphur oil that is prized by US refiners.
Bollywood's Bachchan says sorry to Indian paparazzi Reuters.uk

Dow Jones closing in on 13000 points Taipei Times
• New York Sues Drexel Over Student Loans Consumer Affairs
Asian soccer can rival Europe, AFC chief says Guardian Unlimited
HP keeps worldwide PC market lead over Dell in 1Q SouthCoastToday.com
Dell Once Again Offers Windows XP Wyoming News
Dell does doubletake on Vista San Antonio Business Journal
Dell blinks on Windows Vista offering TECH.BLORGE.com
HP Extends Market Lead Over Dell DailyTech
Low-Salt Diet Shakes Off Heart Disease MedPage Today
Sarkozy all smiles as France goes to the polls Times Online
Red Sox 7, Yankees 5 Red Sox Pound Yankees’ Soft Spot New York Times Chien-Ming Wang threw 55 pitches on Saturday...... fastballs that still reached 98 miles an hour in the seventh inning ...... Matsuzaka is still a mystery to the Yankees, who bid $33 million for the right to negotiate with him but fell well short of Boston’s $51 million bid. The players will study tape of him on Sunday, but for now, their exposure has been limited to highlights. ....... Center fielder Johnny Damon, who rested a sore back and hamstring, said he would start Sunday. But Manager Joe Torre said Jorge Posada’s bruised left thumb was too swollen for him to return this weekend. ..... Carl Pavano, who is on the disabled list with a mild elbow strain, threw off flat ground on Saturday, but Torre said Pavano still felt discomfort.
Tainted food kills 30 South African dogs BusinessWeek
Cut Your Salt Use and Cut Your Risk of Heart Disease Forbes Reducing the amount of salt in your diet can lower your risk of developing heart disease by 25 percent and the risk of dying from heart disease by 20 percent ...... "Dietary intake of sodium among Americans is excessively high" ...... People in both trials reduced their salt intake by about 25 percent to 35 percent. .... "A prudent sodium intake is best achieved by avoiding salted, salt-cured and salt-smoked foods such as lunch meat, hot dogs, ham, olives, pickles and regular salted canned foods, and other prepared foods, which often use more salt than home-made equivalents" ...... The salt we shake onto our food contributes far less to most diets than salt processed into foods. Even foods we would never think of as salty, such as breakfast cereals, cookies, and even some soft drinks, often contain copious additions of sodium...... To see the benefits highlighted in this paper play out at the population level will require modification of the food supply, so that eating less salt requires a lot less work
Alec Baldwin apologises for daughter rant Digital Spy
Baldwin apologizes for angry voicemail to 11-year-old daughter CBC News

Obama-Spitzer Vs. Giuliani-Romney

I started out thinking it will be Clinton Vs. McCain, but then that is B.O. Before Obama. Now I am thinking it will be Obama-Spitzer Vs. Giuliani-Romney. McCain is not a contender, neither is Hillary.

It is obvious to me Giuliani will be the Republican nominee. Why will he pick Mitt Romney? He will think, we already got the South. If we can compete in the Northeast, suddenly the MidWest and the Left Coast will start looking shakey for the Dems. And so he will pack it up with another Northeasterner. And that will be smart.

If Giuliani is the Republican nominee, suddenly New Jersey no longer looks securely Democratic no more.

There is a saying in Hindi, loha lohe ko katta hai. Iron cuts iron. Obama will need Spitzer like it were nobody's business. Obama will need Spitzer so bad, he better not even be thinking in terms of anyone else as running mate. He will need Spitzer heart and soul, not just as, okay, so I became the nominee, and I was looking around, and my staff had a short list, and we figured you might be the right choice. That is not how you pick a running mate. You have to make your running mate feel like The One. Shopping around is not how you do it.

Without Spitzer, Obama will likely lose New Jersey to Giuliani. And if you lose New Jersey, that shakes up the entire Dem thinking on where we are secure and where we are not. Suddenly a whole bunch of not so safe states emerge.

Giuliani is also going to be super hard-hitting on security issues. And this guy knows. He has done his homework. To many Americans his face is synonymous with 9/11. Obama will need a New Yorker to counter that. Spitzer knows New York as well as Giuliani does. Spitzer's knowledge of the city is actually more current. Giuliani has been travelling the world and the nation the past few years. Spitzer has been digging his heels. He knows the terrain.

Giuliani has another advantage. He does not have the baggage of a Bush or a McCain. He has not been in power. He is as much an outsider as Obama who has not spent much time in Washington. "I have not been in Washington long, but I have been there long enough to know the ways of Washington must change."

And with Giuliani, suddenly the Dems' social edge is blunted. This guy used to l-i-v-e with a gay guy.

We will win, but the victory will not be easy. Even with Obama-Spitzer, we will be running neck and neck most of the way. Rudy is going to make us earn our victory.

Without Spitzer by his side, Obama could actually lose.

An Obama Spitzer Ticket
Obama, Hillary, Spitzer
7 Point Agenda For New York City
Two Terms As Governor

In The News

New Hampshire Woman Tearfully Begs Barack Obama to End Iraq War if ... FOX News
Local Dems back Sen. Obama - Assembly/Senate coalition backs ... The Brooklyn Graphic, NY
Michelle Obama vs. Hillary Clinton New York Times, NY Michelle Obama, 43, has a reputation for telling it like she thinks it is—whether about the butter, her husband’s ongoing effort to quit smoking or his political priorities. And though she’s lighthearted in her critiques, she never plays the role of the deferential political wife........ “He’s a gifted man,” she tells the audience, “but, in the end, he’s just a man.” ....... She’s a charismatic public speaker, an accomplished professional whose life as a working parent looks familiar to all kinds of women. ...... While Mr. Romney called the Senate’s top Democrat ill-informed, Rudolph W. Giuliani called Democrats naïve, saying they don’t understand the “big picture” with Iraq as part of the “overall war on terror.”
Clinton, Obama Speak At Sharpton Convention NY1
New Jersey Democrats Organize for Obama WNBC
Democrats 2008: Hillary 32%, Obama 30% Angus Reid Global Monitor
Barack's rock Chicago Tribune, IL
Michelle Obama profileChicago Tribune The daughter of a loving, tight knit family, she's an anchor for a spouse who grew up all over the world but never knew a stable nuclear family. Her background, deeply rooted in a working-class South Side neighborhood, lends credibility in some quarters to her husband, who has consistently battled questions from some African-Americans as to whether the son of an African father and a white American mother is authentically black. ....... "I heard that growing up, 'You talk like a white girl' " ....... One of the things I hope happens through our involvement in this campaign is that this country and this world sees yet another image of what it means to be black
Barack Obama speaks to MU students UM Maneater, MO
Fundraising breaks political alliances Boston Globe, MA
Fundraising breaks political alliances Sacramento Bee
Obama in Boston WBUR, Boston's NPR News Station, MA
Clouds Part for Obama's Appearance Wyoming News, WY
Romney, Obama lead Ohio money list Dayton Daily News (subscription), OH
Hillary Clinton Maintains Modest Lead Over Barack Obama Among ... PR Newswire (press release), NY

Spitzer orders IG probe into threat allegations WSTM-TV, NY
State Panel Authorizes Blackout Investigation NY1
Spitzer Aiming for Greener NY Newswatch 50, NY
Spitzer plan tackles energy, global threat Buffalo News
Spitzer given green grades for first 100-days EmpireStateNews.net, New York
Spitzer: Moment of silence Friday for VT victims Syracuse Post Standard, NY
Spitzer issues first veto WCAX, VT
NY Governor Pursues Violent Game Legislation - Friday, April 20th ... Shacknews
Federal Aid for Flood Victims: Spitzer Seeking Out Help WTEN, NY
Spitzer on Negotiation, Gay Marriage and Energy New York Observer, NY
Elliot Backs Eliot On Tax Deductions Albany Times Union, NY

Giuliani Delivers Keynote at Oklahoma City Memorial WNYC, NY
Rudy Giuliani Leads John McCain by More Than 2-to-1 in Race for ... PR Newswire (press release), NY
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks at Texas A&M KCEN-TV, TX
Giuliani backs Bush, war, at A&M Austin American-Statesman (subscription)
Rudy Giuliani Tops All Others in New Jersey Poll NewsMax.com, FL
Romney, Giuliani a hit with SC GOP Jackson News-Tribune
Giuliani becomes first Republican candidate to file for primary WIS, SC
Giuliani could be a strong candidate Cincinnati Post, OH
GIULIANI BANDWAGON BRANCHES OUT TO ISRAEL New York Post, NY
Rudy Giuliani On Iraq, Taxes, Mistakes BusinessWeek

Romney, Giuliani a hit with SC GOP Sacramento Bee, CA
Mitt Romney stumping in McCain turf Arizona Republic
On Iowa visit, Romney predicts caucus success DesMoinesRegister.com, IA
Younger Romney Whips Up Support Signal, CA
Mitt Romney Blasts Sen. Reid on Iraq NewsMax.com, FL
Romney: America is the 'hope of the world' Iowa City Press Citizen, IA
Romney: Gonzales may have to resign Concord Monitor, NH
Romney Leads All Candidates In NH Cash WMUR
Patrick names own majority to council, can undo Romney policy SouthCoastToday.com, MA
Romney, Obama lead Ohio money list Dayton Daily News (subscription), OH
Obama, Romney lead in Colorado fundraising Rocky Mountain News
Romney taps donors through Mormon church Jackson News-Tribune, WY
Mitt Romney makes first '07 Seacoast visit Portsmouth Herald News, NH

Health Care As A Spectrum

Culture Shift Better eating, sleeping, exercise habits Shift primary focus from illness to wellness Incentivize good behavior

Bedrock Basic Care A national grid of medical clinics that provide basic care to anyone who walks in As the country gets richer you add number and quality of services offered

Basic Universal Insurance For the next level services not offered by bedrock basic care Private sector Managed competition Plenty of market forces so there is a constant push to bring down costs and enhance quality

Advanced Health Insurance For services not covered by Bedrock Basic Care and Basic Universal Insurance Purchased by those who can afford it and those who qualify for associated government programs Plenty of market forces so there is a constant push to bring down costs and enhance quality

Flight Into Space Kind Of Health Insurance If the super rich want super care at super expensive rates and can afford it, let them have it Over time services move from the right to left

When you say universal health insurance, that can sound like you are saying no matter who you are, no matter what disease you have, no matter how expensive an operation you need, you will get it. That would be utopia. And any such promise would be a lie, not humanly possible. There is no such thing called a blank check.

Take a look at the table above.

Left takes pressure off of right. As in Culture Shift takes pressure off of Bedrock Basic Care which takes pressure off of Basic Universal Insurance and so on. Right adds to the quality of left over time. So what was once only available to those with Advanced Health Insurance can end up being part of the Bedrock Basic Care package over time.

This way health care is universal. It is unnecessary for the vast majority of the people for vast stretches of time. It is there when it is needed. The market forces are at work. Innovation is not muffled. Money is made. Profit is made. There is competition. So costs don't go up when they don't have to.

Health Care Options
The Spectrum Concept: Wide Applications
The Spectrum On Gender
The Spectrum/Dialogue Concept Is Key To Power

Something similar should be thought of in terms of education. If you put all books and all journal articles online that are "free" and supported by ads, you are putting all that in the Bedrock Basic Care compartment. The technology is already there. I am working on my autobiography that way. I am not looking for a publisher. I am publishing it as I am writing it. Online. Ads are displayed. It is so easy to do. All it will take is for some college textbook writers to follow in my footsteps. And there will be a deluge. Money will still be made. But there will be no artificial profits.

Bill Clinton's Gore Offensive

Never underestimate Bill Clinton. He just might talk Gore into jumping into the fray to split up what he thinks is the male voting block. Well, Obama has the Spitzer option.

In The News

India marks 'wedding of century' CNN International
Bollywood couple's low-key wedding disappoints celebrity-mad India The Age A woman claiming to be the lover of Bachchan slashed her wrist in front of the actor's home. ..... Police later arrested the woman, who they said was a struggling fashion model. ..... the guests — much like Liz Hurley's guests at her nuptials with Arun Nayar — were sworn to secrecy. .... the union was a gathering of the who's who of India. Top industrialists, film stars and politicians attended. ...... The most conspicuous absence was that of the other big dynasty that dominates Indian life as much as the Bachchans — Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and her children. ...... The two families used to be inseparable. It was Amitabh's mother, Teji, who gave Sonia away at her wedding to Rajiv. ..... Their children grew up together. The family albums are full of shared picnics, dinners and holidays. But at some point after Rajiv's assassination, a rift occurred between Sonia and the Bachchans. They have been estranged since. ....... Speculation was rife that the Gandhis would be invited, but the Bachchans evidently decided to seal the estrangement. ........ The gold-embossed invitation cards were four-pages long and came in a box, accompanied by flowers and traditional Indian sweets. ...... The henna was brought in especially from Rajasthan, the brocade silk saris were from Benares and the white tents air-conditioned.
No PowerPoint? Google will offer a free alternative Indianapolis Star
New Star Sanjaya Malakar Plans On Hiring Bodyguard Playfuls.com He dropped out of high school after his sophomore year and later obtained a GED. ...... While most people believe it was the “American Idol” haters who kept Sanjaya on the show for so long, the 17-year-old Indian thinks it was his fans alone who voted for him. .... Speaking about the Idol contestants and the outside world, Sanjaya said they are kept busy and isolated. ...... "We're in a bubble . . . . I got inklings every once in a while of something different going on that I guess was a cultural phenomenon, but I don't think it really has hit me yet how big it is."
Barack Obama outlines energy policy MSNBC Obama seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars by five percent in 2015 and ten percent in 2020. The idea echoes California's approach.
Obama: Change gun laws for mentally ill MSNBC
A new era of black political leaders
Obama critical of McCain over Iraqi visit
Obama dismisses notion of VP spot
Obama: U.S. ready for health care reform Obama said his fundraising success was proof that the nation's political mood was shifting and that Americans were eager to embrace new ideas. ..... take our country back...... Obama noted that in previous campaigns, presidential candidates have offered detailed proposals without building that political support
Sculpture of Obama as Jesus causes stir the plan he'll eventually support will offer universal coverage and will squeeze efficiencies out of the health care system. It also will stress preventive programs, such as weight control. .... "Standing pat is not an option." ..... Obama said if he was starting from zero, he would likely support a single-payer system, similar to the government-run program in Canada. But he's leery of taking such a step because the United States already has a complex and established system of employer-based health coverage. ....... "The government is already covering half the people," said Obama ...... Medicare, Medicaid and veterans health systems ..... Obama cited his mother's struggle with health care as she dealt with ovarian cancer. She died at age 53. ..... Obama said he was surprised that few at the meeting were willing to scrap the system. ..... "There are no simple answers," Kirsch said.

Dems and former President Clinton reach out to black leaders Staten Island Advance
To Bill Clinton, Obama's just one of the pack Chicago Tribune
Bill Clinton: Hillary would be best; Gore might run; Dems have ... USA Today "you have got the prospect that vice president Gore might run." ..... Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, "would be the best president by a good long stretch, for all kinds of obvious reasons -- or at least they are obvious to me. ... But she also genuinely loves her job in the Senate. ... So for her personally, she is going to (be) fine regardless. "