Ignore history and you are doomed to repeat it

wapo_cbpp_debt

The chart provides a quick reminder of how we got here: tax cuts, deregulation leading to the banking meltdown, and war. Of the current 13.6 trillion dollar national debt, 10 trillion dollars were piled up under Republican presidents. The remaining 3.6 trillion could be attributed to Obama in the sense he was sworn in when it accrued, but that does not tell the whole story. The vast majority of “Obama’s debt” came from the Bush tax cuts, the Bush wars, and the Bush recession. A stark contrast with Reagan and Bush II, both of whom inherited a balanced budget. The one thing Obama actually did do, the stimulus, was a tiny, one time addition to the treasure trove lost thanks to conservative policies. And note the one thing you don’t see on that chart: Social Security and Medicare. Keep that in mind as you hear conservatives howl in anger this week demanding we punish future recipients of earned benefits for past Republican cluster fucks.

Hobby Lobby theocrats refuse to cover “slut” pills

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You have to hand it to wealthy self-absorbed theocrats these days. Hiding behind the thin veneer of religious freedom, they feel entitled to break the law of the land at the drop of a hat. Such is the case with Hobby Lobby, owned and operated by yet another over pious social conservative clan pretending to stagger under the weight of big government tyranny, all simply to be a thorn in the side of human progress and basic decency: [Read more…]

Why I liked Norman Schwarzkopf

Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf passed away thursday from complications from pneumonia, he was only 78 years old. Schwarzkopf gained national celebrity status during the Gulf War. He was the primary architect of a strategy that led to what can arguably be called the greatest lopsided defeat in a major war in modern history. But that’s not what I and many others liked about this guy the most. [Read more…]

Another day in the life of a middle aged peasant

Update: Medical students, cardiopulmonary specialists, and heart patients, this is an actual post written while I was having what was later diagnosed by a cardiologist as a relatively ‘mild’ heart attack. Bear in mind no heart attack is truly mild in any sense of the word. Read below, learn what NOT to do when having symptoms.

So I’m having the usual holiday AS flare up, it seems to get worse in December like clockwork every year. And yesterday afternoon there’s a new worrisome symptom: chest pain! It was kinda behind the sternum, seemed to be in the base of the throat a little bit. It wasn’t debilitating but given my age, 50, and general risk behaviors, eating crap and smoking, not to mention constant high blood pressure and high blood fats, I’m a prime candidate for an MI and this could be a warning sign. To complicate matters, I also used to suffer from chronic panic attacks, so last night was real fun. [Read more…]