VirusHead

The actual dialogue that we should be having has been eclipsed by the pathologies of the American public.

This post is for arguing the pros and cons of the actual bill, ok?

Civil dialogue, only, please. Stick to topic and argue the actual bill!

Ready Jonathan? Ready Phil? Ready Michael? Anyone else that wants to join in?

Here is your forum. Make your case. See if you can be fair and adhere to the rules of civil dialogue. Maybe then some points could arise that are actually important to everyone.

Here’s how this specific conversation started on Facebook:

I posted this link:

Swastika painted at Georgia congressman’s office – Yahoo! News – Someone spray-painted a large swastika on a sign outside the office of a Georgia congressman who was involved in a contentious argument over health care at a recent community meeting.

And this comment:

“So, this is Georgia and I’m confused. Is this an accusation or a proclamation?”

Feedback from Friends

Michael: Atrocities of WWII aside, that really can’t ever be put aside… EVER.. I’m actually kinda’ impressed that they have both the direction and the tilt correct.. given the usual pool of suspects, anyway. Unlike the one who painted it onto the Plymouth Rock backward… and was caught..

Heidi:
There’s a disconnect for me though. Rush, Limbaugh, etc. have been comparing Obama/Democrats to the Nazis all week, without being aware of the resurgence of the KKK and those sorts of attitudes among their base? Unlikely. Maybe it’s just especially weird here, this week.

Michael:
meh… he’s a clown who’s paid to fill a time slot.. you’d think by now people would wise up against per-minute ideology.

Phil: Typical. The sub-moronic trailer trash who are being goaded and funded to trash the nigg… I mean, that esteemed gentleman of color who happens to be president, praise Jesus and may the man die slowly… lack any apparent form of irony, rationality, intellect or historical knowledge. They DO, however, appear to know how to use spray paint. I guess all those opposable thumbs aren’t totally going to waste!

Phil: PS: Just in case my meaning was not totally clear, I am NOT referring to Obama by any form of racial slur. I am reflecting a sad truth about those who are so vehemently opposed to anything and everything the man does. At heart, they’re just terrified of a colored president, and will believe – or do – anything to counter that apparently terrifying reality.

Jonathan: I’m one of those who dislike the President’s policy decisions. I couldn’t care less what color he is. His policies scare me. Most frightening is the clear difference between his public words, and his actions. In other realms, that would be called lying.

Phil: *sighs*

The “lying” here, Jonathan, is being done by Obama’s opponents. Thanks for being one more American taken in by the high-stakes con-game being run to keep us shackled to the insurance companies! You are buying the lies wholesale, and we’re all paying the bill. If you want to know the truth, READ THE DAMNED PLAN, not the utter fabrications about the plan being spread by Sarah Palin’s lackeys and masters. It’s called “lying,” all right, but Obama isn’t the one doing it.

Phil: And as for “frightened,” be frightened by the people who are starting riots and inciting hatred at town hall meetings. This was done before, Jonathan, using exactly the same playbook. Germany, 1933. Look it up, and see who’s REALLY playing Hitler now.

Jonathan:
Wow. Do you have your tinfoil hat on to block the mind control impulses from the evil republican-neo-cons? We do have that vast right-wing conspiracy including insurance companies…

On a serious note, I’ve only seen/read excerpts from the bill, and those sections are disturbing. How about I post some links to those sections which clearly contradict the Obama rhetoric about the bill? I won’t have time until tomorrow night though. Gotta do laundry.

Phil: Who needs tinfoil hats? All you need is half a brain. As for the “mind control,” it’s quite simple, really: lies, lies, and more lies, backed up by utter fabricated hysteria from Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin and FOX News. Utter. Complete. Fabrications. No evil conspiracies necessary. Just the old Vladimir Lenin truism: “A lie told often enough … Read Morebecomes the truth.”

Regarding the insurance companies, please watch the interview with former Sigma executive Wendell Potter; in it, he tells Bill Moyers exactly what they do, why they do it, and how they get away with it… including a mention of the “third-party dirty work” that would be employed to stop health care reform attempts. See http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

As for the proposed bill, see: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc111/h3200_ih.xml

Start from here – or start from your own concerns.

Photo Challenge

The beautiful Beverly has tagged me for a photo challenge. Here are the rules:

1. Open the 4th photo folder of your computer.
2. Choose the 4th photo of that folder & publish it on your blog.
3. Explain the photo.
4. Challenge 4 bloggers to do the same.

And now the 4th pic in my 4th album ~ DRUM ROLL PLEASE . . .

This photograph captures something essential about (John’s older brother) Steve and Pat, and looking at this really makes me miss them. It was taken a couple three years ago (as they say here in Georgia) when most of John’s side of the family met for a few days of fun and sun at a beach house at the Alabama Gulf Shores. We all had a really fun time, despite my trying to turn them on to Lewis Black (hee hee).

Don’t you just get a smiling feeling inside looking at their faces?

I play, but I don’t vector anymore. So – hey, 3 out of 4 ain’t bad. Don’t let that stop you! If you’d like to play, please comment with your post link. I’d love to see some photos, I just don’t want to pressure ya!

One more Georgia vote for Barack Obama! Woo-hoo!

Ben’s school was closed today, so I took some time from work and we went to the other little elementary school, where we vote. We went over at a little bit before 9:30 AM. The before-work voters had come and gone and the parking lot still have plenty of spaces. We walked right in, filled in our form, showed our id, got approved, and got in line for the machines. There were no more than a dozen people ahead of us.

Everything went smoothly. I would like to have had some kind of paper trail, but oh well – it’s Georgia.

They were so nice to have given Ben a sticker. They didn’t have to, because of course he can’t vote, but it made him feel included in the process. He’s been interested in the election. He doesn’t understand a lot about many of the issues, but he says he just likes Barack Obama.

Our neighborhood is roughly half-and-half. I’m not too worried about on the ground corruption in this part of town. I have the feeling Georgia might be close. Most of the polls seem to give McCain a 2-point edge, but I’ve seen a few that give Obama the same. I think it will depend on whether the Republicans turn out – and they don’t seem very energized here this year. There’s nothing on the ballot about gays or abortions, and they don’t really feel so strongly about things like giving educational funds to developers or mandating school uniforms. It will be very close in Georgia – both our Senators vote with Bush on everything – but I think there’s a good chance that Obama will take it.

I feel very good about the election, and I’m hopeful that we’ll be waving “bye-bye” to some of the more destructive representatives on the far right.

It’s going to be a very exciting night.

In Georgia, it is always an especially wise thing to do to pay close attention to the other items on the ballot. Don’t ever be fooled by the wording, but dig into what it really means. If you know anything about state and local government here, you know enough to err on the side of caution. Here are my thoughts on the proposed amendments for this go-round.

Amendment 1 To Encourage The Preservation Of Georgia’s Forests Through A Conservation Use Property Tax Reduction Program.
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that the General Assembly by general law shall encourage the preservation, conservation, and protection of the state’s forests through the special assessment and taxation of certain forest lands and assistance grants to local government?

This is about whether Georgia can give tax breaks to those who own 200+ acres of undeveloped land. To grab the tax benefit, they have to keep the land undeveloped for 15 years. The state agrees to reimburse local governments for any lost tax revenue. My thoughts on this are mixed. I can see problems and advantages.

I’m worried that it’s really specific to the big landowners like Georgia Pacific, who would hold the forest lands in 15-year rotation, take the benefit, then clear the forest anyway. This would pay for them to do it. Note: “Ensures availability of timber to continue to fuel Georgia’s traditional forest industry as well as emerging markets such as bioenergy.”

The Georgia School Boards Association opposes it because they are worried that the Legislature will back off its commitment to help when the state budget is tight.

If it’s a matter of trust, I’d have to vote no. Things are pretty corrupt. But it’s possible that it could protect some land for at least a little while longer. If I had any real feeling that it would be closely monitored, I’d give it a cautious yes.

I’m undecided.

Amendment 2 To Authorize Local School Districts To Use Tax Funds For Community Redevelopment Purposes.
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize community redevelopment and authorize counties, municipalities, and local boards of education to use tax funds for redevelopment purposes and programs?

This is about TADs (or tax allocation districts), which would freeze the amount of property tax revenues collected, and direct revenues generated by rising property values into a fund used to pay for redevelopment projects. First of all, take a look around. This is moot. There is no fund from rising property values.

More importantly, this would permit special property taxes, including school taxes, to fund redevelopment. Translation: Use education money to benefit developers.

The Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Tax Allocation Districts were unconstitutional because they used educational funds for purposes other than education. Exactly right. This amendment would negate that. Boooo!

If developers cannot get market financing, and local governments refuse to issue general revenue bonds, then why should educational monies be used? Beyond all the obvious arguments, it seems to be that an inability to get funding for profit-development probably signals a problem with the project.

This is a no-brainer for me. No thank you. The PTA provides a big chunk of support for the school my son attends, and developers are already in a very privileged position in Georgia. I also don’t like the idea – in times like these – of government borrowings that depend on future property tax growth from an area under any kind of risky redevelopment.

Some have said that it’s the only way to get funding for things like the Atlanta Beltline project and some kind of reasonable public transit system. Bah! As far as I can tell, they just stole the I-400 toll money to build Atlantic Station, and the Olympics gave us numerous examples of where this kind of thing can go. Living here has made me very suspicious of developers. Now they want to involve school districts?

I vote no. No. NO.

Amendment 3 To Authorize The Creation Of Special Infrastructure Development Districts Providing Infrastructure To Underserved Areas.
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by general law for the creation and comprehensive regulation of infrastructure development districts for the provision of infrastructure as authorized by local governments?

“Infrastructure Development Districts” – IDDs are described as a “new economic tool,” and it sounds like it comes from the same people who dreamed up “tax allocation districts.” This alone is enough to make one pause. What you can’t tell from this wording is that what it’s all about is allowing local governments to to use bonds and private companies to pay for the construction and maintenance of new roads, sewers, schools or other infrastructure through bonds and private companies.

This would also allow developers to charge residents a fee/tax to pay for their infrastructure costs (sewers, bridges, water lines, roads). There is no real government oversight provision here, although there is a residential tax. My own feeling is that developers should pay for those things themselves if they don’t qualify for county/city/federal funding. They already charge residents enough, and I don’t like the idea of private taxation on top of all the other fees and expenses involved. This ends up being a form of double taxation, and there isn’t really anyone from the private side who can be held accountable to voters.

Although this is touted as a way to get funding for areas of Georgia that find funding challenging, I’ve been watching the development of neighborhoods that become little cities of their own and it hasn’t been a very good trend in terms of their tendency to privatize gain and socialize risk. There is little to no oversight, and I’ve seen some glaring conflict of interest problems. It also encourages what is already a serious problem with sprawl, and grants governmental powers to private entities.

I vote no.

Oh, and if somehow the Sunday alcohol sale issue gets to the ballot, I will vote to allow liquor sales on Sunday. Georgia is one of only three holdout states on this issue.

If you have counter-arguments, let’s hear them before Election Day.

It’s been a while since I did some of these. Just as fun – and a bit inaccurate – as always.

You See the World Through Blue Colored Glasses

You live your life with tranquility. You have faith that things will work themselves out with time. You judge all your interactions through the lens of hope. You try to get all the facts before forming your opinion. You face challenges with wisdom. You know that all bad things pass, and you have the confidence to see problems through. You see love as the utmost expression of trust. Your relationships tend to be peaceful and stable. At your worst, you can be cool, melancholy, and detached. You sometimes have to step back from emotionally charged situations. You are at your happiest when you are able to reflect and relax.

If you really want a treat, get yourself some rose-colored glasses. The world really does look better. My current sunglasses are amber. My old rose mirrorshades are too scratched up to wear anymore, and I haven’t found a new pair that was the right color and the right price…

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You Are 40% Extrovert, 60% Introvert

You’re a bit outgoing, a bit reserved Like most people, you enjoy being social But you also value the time you have alone You have struck a good balance!

Hmmm… that actually seems about right. I’m not sure that it’s so much a balance as a situational flexibility. The extroverted side feels a bit less natural to me – a little over-energetic – and I can’t sustain it over long periods of time. I sink into a very comfortable groove when I’m alone – daydreaming, reading, listening to music, writing, observing, thinking, questioning… That’s my center.

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Never Date a Virgo

Demanding, picky, and a total perfectionist – there’s no way you want to live up to Virgo’s standards. It’s not that you couldn’t please a Virgo… you would just hate yourself for doing it. Instead try dating: Libra, Leo, Aquarius, or Aries

So noted (My husband is a Libra).

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Absolutely! But as long as we’re fantasizing about that, I’d also want some sort of personal flyer or hovercraft. Driving on mountain roads can get to be a bit tedious after a while.

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You Are Not Destined to Rule the World

You are destined for something else… Like inventing a new type of cupcake. You just don’t have the stomach for brutality. But watch out – because many people do!

Not destined to rule the world? Darn. Because I’m not brutal enough? And here I was thinking that it was the lack of meekness thing.

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You Are A Lily

You are a nurturer and all around natural therapist. People see you as their rock. And they are able to depend on you. You are a soothing influence. You can make people feel better with a few words. Your caring has more of an impact than even you realize.

Nurturer? I’m not liking the way this is going. First cupcake inventress, now this. It’s true that I’m very good to have around in a crisis, but I don’t really think that “soothing” is the first adjective that would come to mind…

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So here are some about how the various places I’ve lived might continue to have an influence – or not:

You Are 52% Massachusetts

You’re likely a Massachusetts transplant. Big rotaries still scare you, and you probably live outside of 495.

Yes. Big rotaries scare me, but being born in Massachusetts and living there for more than 20 years didn’t change that. And yes, I think every place I ever lived was outside 495.

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You have 43% Iowa in you!

 

Hey, not bad. You enjoy a little bit of the rural life. Next time you’re in the midwest check Iowa out. It’s not so bad.

Do you have Iowa in you?
Take More Quizzes

Iowa City wasn’t really so much about the rural life. The quiz didn’t even ask about the Amana Colonies! The best question was about the festival that is held in Pella; I was really, really tempted to select “Window” festival…

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How French are You?

You got 127 points. You’ve finally lived long enough in France for other people to notice your existence!

Sure, NOW! Actually, I would move to Paris in a heartbeat if I could make a living there. I miss it.

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You Are 32% California

You’re not from California – don’t try to game this quiz!

Ok, I’m not really sure that a summer near UCLA really counts… but it was fun.

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HOW GEORGIA ARE YOU? Your Result: IMMIGRATE   YOU MOVED TO GEORGIA FROM SOME OTHER PLACE. YOU SEEM TO HAVE SOME INTERSEST IN THE STATE AND HAVE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND OUR HERITAGE AND HISTORY. ALTHOUGH YOUR NOT BORN AND BRED, U HAVE SOME PRIDE.
BORN AND BRED
DAMN YANKEE!
HOW GEORGIA ARE YOU? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I’ve been here in Georgia since 1992. Most Georgians still place me in the “damn Yankee” category, but Atlanta is a little bit different. There are people from all over the world living in Atlanta. I’ve tried to understand the heritage and history, but I would have to say “not really” on the pride. The weather is great, and I’ve met some wonderful people here, but it’s a tough place for me to live in many ways.

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You Are Pinot Noir

Sophisticated and worldly, you probably know more about wine than most drinkers. You have great taste, and you approach all aspects of life with a gourmet attitude. You believe that the little things in life should be cherished and enjoyed… and of the best quality possible. And while you may take more time to eat a meal or tour a city, it’s always time well spent. Deep down you are: A seductive charmer Your partying style: Refined. And you would never call it “partying” Your company is enjoyed best with: Stinky expensive cheese

Stinky expensive cheese? Gah!

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Your Famous Last Words Will Be:

“What we know is not much. What we don’t know is enormous.”

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