Swimming Upstream: Tax Free Medals?

Clearly these thoughts will provoke, agitate, rile and annoy most people because they have already emotionally and viscerally committed and connected to the idea the American athletes who win medal in the Olympic Games should not be expected or made to pay taxes on the monetary prize that accompanies the medals themselves. Surely it is fundamentally and essentially American to not have anyone who is representing the nation to the world in these international competitions to have to pay taxes on such awards.

But while it is clear and obvious that Americans think it is patriotic and American to not make our country’s athletes pay taxes on the Olympic prize money, it is worth a minute’s worth of consideration for the basis in logic, principles and fairness. So let’s take a minute and consider.

The athletes represent America voluntarily and in the spirit of serving the nation as our ambassadors to the world. They have spent years training and competing to attain their status as the best in their sports. This dedication and drive is exemplary of American values: working hard, struggling against the odds, and let’s face it succeeding. Often these athletes pursue their ascent to the top positions in their sports in relative obscurity where only those intimately knowledgeable about the sports know who them, to the American public they are not household names. [Note: there are some exceptions like NBA stars and women beach volleyball players. Who make decent money and really need the help from the political brain-trust.]

Are athletes in some way truly unique in representing America to the world, and thus warranting of a special exemption? We don’t want to consider the military personnel that are deployed in both larger numbers and in more countries? They represent America every day in situations that are substantively more important and centric to American values than sports. Should we tax them for fighting and protecting our nation because it’s not entertaining and the medals often won are not for things that anyone would strive to have happen to them? Surely this is more aligned to our American values; and thus the tax exemption is not justified on the basis of representing America. What about scientist and Nobel prize winners? Do they represent American values less honorably, less importantly or less meaningfully?

So it’s hard to come up with the specialness that makes the exemption so appropriate here?

Now if the politicians wanted to show their recognition of the significance of the athletes’ accomplishment and believe that the athletes deserve the full value of their prize money, they could be (what do you call it? Oh, yeah!) smart. They could think, perhaps for the first time, about an issue before they choose the simple-minded and good old political answer to everything: let’s pass a half-baked, half-considered, half-assed law that creates an opportunity to look like they are doing something good (a rarity in itself).

Why not insure that the athletes get to keep their prize money by making the solution a true American approach to solving the dilemma? If they can’t think of any, they could consult with people who could show them how to handle the problem. They could turn the solution not into a government mandated solution but into a patriotic recognition consistent with American values. This doesn’t require the politicians to do anything, so they could continue to do what they are good at – doing nothing. They could tell the public how the athletes could keep the prize money without them having to take credit for it, but then they couldn’t take credit for it.

So why do I think it’s wrong for our politician’s to rush into this issue which they seem ill-equipped to handle? Because the politicians should be true leaders and just try and take credit for charging to the rescue when they are just seizing the spotlight.

American Spartacus Moment: Contempt of Congress

Congress is poised to hold Holder “in contempt of Congress”. Yet again, neither the Republicans or the Democrats, neither the executive or legislative branches, or the media have demonstrated any competence in handling or addressing this program and the proper determination of accountability and responsibility. Why should Congress bother to put their efforts into managing the investigation of this program in an intelligent, responsible and ethical manner when they could have used this opportunity to serve the interests of the American people?

I guess you can’t expect better of them. They are rewarded for acting irresponsibly. Congress wins their position by acting in self-serving and self-aggrandizing ways. Their respective parties only provide them with recompense if they tow the party line and do the party’s bidding.

So do I expect Congress to find Holder in contempt? Yes. Do I expect the consequences to be the same as it has been when previous Republican and Democratic public servants have been cited with the same contempt? Yes. Do I believe the public interest will have been served? No.

What I am waiting to see is whether there will be an “American Spartacus” movement.

What is an American Spartacus moment you may ask? It’s exactly what you should have reflected it to be. We should start seeing people standing up and declaring, shouting and demanding that “I am in contempt of Congress!” I am willing to be the first, because there is no doubt that I have contempt for Congress; and perhaps I am an American Spartacus.

Recovery: Sluggish, Steady, Studied, or Surprise!

A big, if not the biggest, political campaign issue for this election season will be the economy. Whether the issue is cast directly in terms of the US economy as an all encompassing concept or in other conceptual terms related to the economy – tax rates, unemployment, inflation, consumer confidence,  government spending, et cetera; it will be the central issue essential to determining the outcome of the election Thus the political parties, pundits and provocateurs will inundate the media, masses and muggles with innumerable claims and accusations based on nothing more than their belief and opinion that they know anything relevant to the issue when in actuality they possess no useful or substantive insight into anything germane to the causal factors that drive the US and the global economies.

The public will be desperately seeking to find some reason(s) to believe that any of the candidates: Presidential, Congressional, and state level, have an answer to their fears, needs and aspirations.  But of course this is not a reasonable expectation as the politician, parties and industries that make their living, careers and vast amounts of money by serving the interest of special-interest groups who may care of the economy but it is strictly their economy and not anyone else’s. Unfortunately for them, and more so for us, the US and global economies are not real world systems the politicians, their owners, their controllers, or their parties have the ability to control.

The US economy, like any other, operates under governing “laws of physics” that are not controlled by the wishes or desires of foolish people who think they can make the economy operate according to their dictates and rules. These bumfuzzled clowns persist in presenting to the American people the ‘promise’ that they will fix everything. They are persistent buffoons however, they continue to expel their simple-minded drivel and pledge to make all thing right; knowing that when it all doesn’t work out that they can blame the other side for having thwarted their valiant attempt to win through for the good of us all but alas they could not. But “think how much worse” it would have been “if I hadn’t been here to prevent disaster!”, or “if only I had been here to avert disaster!”.

The economy is recovering slowly. So this is a good sign or a bad sign, just spin it to meet your needs. Unemployment would be much higher/lower if our policies had been followed/not hindered by the other side. You’ve heard them, you’re going to hear them again and more. Previous recoveries have been stronger/weaker, shorter/longer, or broad/narrow; so American would be better/worse if we just do what I say.

Where are the questions that demand that the candidates provide answers that inform and demonstrate their understanding and competency to lead? Questions of this type aren’t asked, and if somehow someone comes close to a question of this type, they are never answered.

So before you pick the office holder of your choice, insure yourself that they have provided an answer to the question: What will you do for the country to make up for the consequences of your policies, if you are wrong?

Independents - The Deciding Deciderers

Whether the Republican flag-bearer or the Democratic placard-holder wins the 2012 Presidential election, it will all depend upon and rest in the hands of the Independent voters; and probably more so in the laps of women Independents. So from now until the election we will all be privileged with experiencing the sycophantic Republicans and toadying Democrats bombarding us with their fawning promises that they and only they can save us from the ravaging catastrophic policies of the other side and restore the America to it shining ubiquitous prosperity. In other words, the politicians will be continue to use the established technique of “promise them anything” and don’t worry that they have no plans, intentions or more pointedly ability to delivery on them. So the test to the Independent will be of their own ability to assess, judge and determine what policies they see as necessary steps to implement and for accomplishing the functions and roles that our government is able to provide.

The Independents will have to decide if ‘cutting’ is a solution or just another one of the simple-minded slogans that doesn’t explain, guide or guarantee anything in specifics or reality. Cutting costs is always a good objective whether for an individual, a family, a business, a community, a state or the federal government; but except in political campaigns just cutting is hard, has consequences (not always good one) and requires some degree of intelligence to accomplish a goal aligned with the cutting. This ‘cutting’ solution applies to taxes, government spending, size of government, and the economy both local and nationally.

The Independents will have to likewise decide if making the wealthy pay their ‘fair share’ or protecting the wealthy’s role (though spuriously questionably) as the essential job creaters in the economy is to be the guiding principle in vectoring the direction forward on taxes, tax rates and tax policies. Once again the Independents will have to separate the ‘fluff’, fuzzy-math, false claims and fallacious proposals that are touted as a choice between freedom versus servititude, jobs versus unemployment, security versus armaggedon, and prosperity versus destitution. Each parties’ candidates for the numerous offices will obviously be shouting why they, and only their vision, will deliver the former and the election of their opponents distorted and evil views will portent the latter. Not an easy task given the enormous financial sums that special interest groups will be plowing into the media blitzes that will inundate everyone with the tempting ‘candies’ and ‘gifts’ offered by these strangers accosting the unwary in public square. They will need to remember to adhere to their parents’ warning to “not take candy from strangers.”

The Independents will need to recognize the manipulative use of issues that are deemed important to the Independents but which are meant as lures to hook and ensnare these voters, rather than to inform the voters about policies or to establish a principle by which they will govern. I am sure that the Democratic and Republican bases have the same or similar issues, but there are already trapped in their partisan party alignment and unable to overcome the intellectual impedance required to chose outside their affiliation’s anointed one.

What will the Independents decide? That is the question that is plaguing the Republican and Democratic leaders, strategist and media consultants. We can only hope that the Independents will ignore the parties and focus on the issues and assess them with their own critical eye. That they will decide with a view to what the nation’s interests and how both their own and their countrymen/women will be best represented and lead.

When the “More Verbal” Sex Cannot Express Their Selves

What was the flash of illuminating brilliance? What salient and meaningful issue got surfaced by a Democratic consultant today? Well none actually! But a completely inept and addlepated issue has been thrust upon America’s political landscape because no one including evidently the spokeswoman herself may or may not have known what the significant issue should have been understood to be. Another missed opportunity to surface a real issue or several issues, all because even the more social and communicative sex is no better at comprehending the context of the situation than their bumbling and verbally challenged male counterparts.

What was the issue that surfaced? The ever significant question of ‘stay at home mom’ versus ‘super career working’ woman.  This debate issue always adds to the meaningful discussion of, well I am not actually sure what it really brings to the public discussion. It may be that women (much like men) like to view their own personal choices as the correct one and one to which they have every right to choose and will stand up and fight anyone who thinks otherwise, even when no one is or has prevented, impeded or challenged it. So let’s spend excessive hours of news cycle after news cycle, and public surveys and panel discussion on not only a completely bogus issue; but simultaneously avoiding an meaningful issue.

Forget the pretend and irrelevant issue about how necessary it is to make sure people understand that being a mother is hard work. If they don’t know that already then they are probably your political office holder or one of their savvy political advisors. The issue that Mrs. Rosen should have explained the listening audience and media representative were unable to ken is does the experience of Mrs. Romney raising her family under the daunting burden and oppressive weight of the meager financial resources that her husband was able to provide. I am sure that the vast majority of stay-at-home or working moms; married or single women with children; or women with Republican, Independent or Democratic orientations would believe that their concerns, issues and challenges were very comparable to Mrs. Romney’s. Further did the experience of raising their family under these awful circumstances not imprint an indelible appreciation of the struggles that most American mothers and fathers face on a daily basis?

Now there’s an issue! Do your political leaders really know or care about you?

Taxing the Intelligence of Politicians

Why is it that I don’t have high expectations for the “Romney Rule”, the “Buffett Rule” or any “Rule” that politicians are capable of formulating? Oh yes! It’s because politicians are only capable of thinking in a one track / rut of either cut taxes or raise taxes. If you think I meant that Republicans only think of one of these options and Democrats only the other then you are stuck in a parallel rut. The answer to taxes and fair tax treatment is not to be found in the minds or plans that our members of Congress, our President or President-in-hoping, the political parties, or well pretty much any group who harp about one point or another.

The tax issue is a challenging test for our politicians; they have an opportunity to make a difference, to create an approach and policy for taxation. Developing a solution to the tax issue would allow an intelligent politician to demonstrate his/her competence and appreciation of a crucial element of our governmental and democratic system. They could show the public how to make a far more sensible tax system than the one that has evolved, been distorted and corrupted by politicians and special-interests to the disadvantage of the general public, and that has not kept current with either the financial realities of our economic environment or with the changing impacts that the current policies have created to the detriment of the nation’s fiscal viability.

The “Romney Rule”, the “Buffett Rule”, the “Bush tax cuts”, and the plethora of quaint platitudes employed to support any given politician’s position do not demonstrate an understanding of the problem or the complexity of taxes and tax policies’ consequences within our economy and society. These catch-phrases and sound-bites demonstrate rather the true problem, burden and obstacle to Americans and their taxes. Politicians and their ilk continue to show that they do not understand, have a clue or even know enough to know they are the most significant factor that constitutes the tax problem. They may be the worst obstacle to addressing our tax problem, but they are only marginally running ahead of numerous groups who have their own ‘simple’ solutions. I will admit that their proposals are simple, but not that they are solutions.

Even though politicians can’t think of a rational tax system, they could present an alternate version of their own plan that keeps everything that they see as the solution but which adds a ‘consequences’ plan. If the results that they ‘promise’ will result from their plan don’t materialize then the ‘consequence’ portion of the plan kicks in. It’s sort of a “I didn’t know that was going to happen” safety valve.

I don’t expect politicians to do this of course. It has three problems: 1. They would have to think of a ‘consequence policy’, 2. They would have to adhere to the consequence and not ‘stand up’ and deliver, and 3. They would have to be much smarter than they are since it requires being able to understand concepts beyond ‘raise taxes’ (more) and ‘cut taxes’ (less). Consequences require you to be able to actually think.

What our Republican and Democratic leaders won’t do is find people who can lead them by the hand through the thorny issue and show them how to enter into a new tax system that benefits the whole spectrum of Americans.

Gauging America’s Scientific Mind – American Intelligence Test #14

Is America still the leader in scientific research? Questioning America’s dominance in the sciences would have been unthinkable not that long ago; but while Americans probably like to assume that we are still the world leaders in research and discovery, the question cannot and should not be casually dismissed today. This in itself is a serious indication that one of the most salient factors that has benefited America’s competitiveness and buttressed our society and economy is perhaps being indiscriminately frittered away. So whether the US is or is not the world-leader in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is not the direct subject of this test; but instead this test assesses the issue of who the suspects or even the responsible parties in our national decline. The term ‘science’ will be used in this test to refer to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics solely for brevity purposes.

If you’re not good at tests, don’t worry; if you fail this one it’s only because you have failed many and much more important ones already. If you’re older then you have failed your parents’ test, if you’re simply ‘mature’ then you have failed yourselves and everyone else, and if you’re younger then you are failing yourself but may have time to redeem yourselves. It’s a short test, only five questions, not much to fear.

OK, there is no reason to delay further; this is a discussion that the nation is long overdue in having. It’s test time.

Q-1: Is science a primary political issue in America’s elections?    Yes         No

Q-2: Does the Government have a principle roll in insuring the quality and competitiveness of America’s scientific standings?          Yes         No

Q-3: Are the members of Congress competent to establish national policies for science, intelligent enough to direct funding for scientific programs, and adequately suited for judging the value of the scientific worth and value derived from government funding?    Yes         No

Q-4: Which of the following are responsible for the decline in America’s scientific rankings among other nations?
A. Congress        B: Presidents     C: Media    D: Dept. of Education     E: Democrats     F: Teacher Unions G: Republicans   H: Public      I: Businesses   J: Religious orgs/groups   K: Courts    L: Lawyers

Q-5: From the list of choices given in Q-4 above, which of those entities would you trust to place your life and future, and the lives and futures of your families into based on their decisions and intelligence?

That’s it! And if you’re interested in how well you scored on the test; then the correct answers are:

Q-1 is No,  Q-2 is Yes,  Q-3 is No,   Q-4 is ‘all of them’ (you must have seen this coming), Q-5 is already answered, you have already relied upon these groups to get the nation to where it is; not only in science but also in its economic and societal conditions.

If you want confirmation of these answers, pay attention to the Presidential and other election campaigns that will illuminate the capabilities of our leaders, parties, and special-interests.

The solution is unfortunately only to be found through a scientific approach to dealing with our challenges, problems and needs. So unless you demand more of the people that you elect in these areas than you have in the past, they will continue to ‘believe’ that they are capable of handling America’s scientific paths, priorities, and purposes.

Prior tests can be found at now4yourconsideration sourced at blogspot.com.