Today is the Anniversary of the Citizens United Decision

Citizens United, the Supreme Court and Election Financing   

Back when Hillary Clinton was campaigning for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2007, a conservative group known as Citizens United produced a film attacking her. The 2002 McCain-Feingold legislation regulating political campaigns did not allow such attacks within 60 days of an election.  In litigation which finally reached the United States Supreme Court in 2010, the Court, by a 5 to 4 vote, ruled that the McCain-Feingold legislation could not deprive Citizens United of its First Amendment rights of freedom of speech.  They reasoned that entities such as Citizens United were entitled to the same freedom of speech as individuals and made it clear that this pertained to corporations, unions, political action committees and other groups.  Today is the second anniversary of this Supreme Court decision and perhaps it is time to review the havoc it has caused and will continue to cause.  

                               

While there are regulations concerning the money that political parties and candidates raise and strict disclosure rules as to where it comes from, regulation of issue-oriented, ostensibly non-political groups such as Citizens United is much looser, enabling enormous sums of money to be raised and spent on political campaigning with minimal and delayed disclosure of its sources.  Such campaigning is apart and separate from the campaigns carried on by political parties and candidates.  It does not need their approval and often is directed at issues or candidates in a negative manner.  SuperPACs, or political action committees, are particularly active in this manner with money made possible by the Citizens United decision.

If the G.O.P. Presidential primary campaign is any indication of what’s to come, the Citizens United decision has enabled large amounts of money to be used to campaign against some candidates with no real indication of where it is coming from. The organizations sponsoring such campaigning may have vague and general names (I’ll make one up: “Concerned Americans for Constitutional Liberty”) but they are entitled to the same right of free speech as any individual American citizen.  That’s what the Court said. Such groups have become a significant tool in the primary campaign and will be a still bigger tool in the General Election.  More money will probably be spent in 2012 by such groups than either the Democratic or Republican parties and their candidates will spend.  

By law, these groups do indeed have to report the source of their financial support early this year, but I suspect such reporting will be intentionally vague, and by then the Republican primaries will be history.  There are tactics to circumvent such disclosure. For example, civic leagues, social welfare organizations and local associations of employees can qualify as tax-exempt non-profit organizations under IRS Sec. 503C(4). By law, these organizations do not have to disclose where they get their money, so let us assume that a donor who wants his privacy protected gives $5,000,000 to the "Dakota Civic Social Welfare Association" (I made that one up, too), a 503C(4) tax-exempt non-profit group. That group then donates that amount to a SuperPAC (like the one I made up in the preceding paragraph) and the "Dakota C.S.W. Association" is disclosed as being the donor but the true donor remains hidden.  Then, under the Citizens United decision, this money can be spent in any way the SuperPAC wants to influence an election, without restriction, with no one knowing where it came from. Thank the Supreme Court for this.

President Obama has made two appointments to the Supreme Court, Justices Sotemayor and Kagan.  These appointments did not change the Court’s balance since these appointees replaced Justices who were of a similar mindset.  To bring about a change in the Supreme Court, and open the way for an eventual reversal of the Citizens United decision, President Obama must have the opportunity to appoint a Justice to succeed one of those who were in the majority on the case.  These were Justices Alito, Thomas, Scalia, Kennedy and Chief Justice Roberts.

For this opportunity to occur, and the decision to be reversed, the President will have to be re-elected for four more years since none of these five Justices can be counted on to leave the Court imminently.  Only when that happens will the danger of a Presidential election in this country being bought be eliminated.  And the enormous amount of money unleashed for election campaigning by the Citizens United decision can do exactly that.  Make no mistake about it!

                                         

Reversal of the Citizens United decision should be high on the agenda of anyone who believes in fair campaigning in this country, and this includes leading Republicans who were viciously smeared in their primary campaign by independent organizations (which no one ever heard of before) supporting their opponents.  Needless to say, the five Justice majority on the Supreme Court should be ashamed of itself for the worst decision that Court has made since the Dred Scott decision.

Jack Lippman

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And from the pen of Sid Bolotin's, here's ...

                                                   THERE WAS A BOY - 2012

Sid Bolotin

The sun burned across the old man’s half closed eyes. He was sitting on the porch of his youngest son’s home in Northampton, a town in western Massachusetts. He listened to the pulse-pulse-pulse of the lawn sprinkler as it propelled itself in a circle to water the lawn and adjacent vegetable garden. He watched his two grandsons gleefully careening through the arched flow of the water’s arc and heard their squeals of sheer delight. These were two of his 9 grandchildren that he’d soon be leaving behind when he relocated to Florida. The heat, the whirring of insects, the fluttering of the butterflies exploring the blossoms on the Buddha (butterfly) bush combined like an opiate that lulled him to sleep.

                                 

The old man tossed in his sleep. His mind was racing with old images as his 7 decades of life unreeled like video on rewind. It was as if he was skipping from stone to stone going upstream along the shore of the river of his life. Each stone brought a pause, an instant stop-play of his life’s adventure. There were his grandchildren, then his children, and his wife as he traveled backward in his reflection of his life. He could see his struggles with his questions about the way of life’s meaning. The ones always asked but still not answered. Gurus, workshops, retreats, books, discussion groups, and, of course, therapy had never produced the answer that he sought for a question never really articulated. Suddenly the imaging paused on him as a young teenager in a state of awe listening to the song, Nature Boy. The old man’s tossing quieted as he absorbed the scene and its emotions. Once again he was in that state of grace, that feeling of well-being, that connection with the Eternal that had embraced him so long ago. He began to sing along with Nat King Cole as the wondrous story of the strange, wise, sad eyed, magic boy purred from Nat’s velvety throat. Tears welled up and rolled down his cheeks as he intoned the song’s immortal message: “the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.”

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Downsizing in the Supermarket

One of the games food companies play is the reduction in the weight of their products, while leaving them in what appears to be the same size packaging.  Last year, the amount of orange juice in a typical orange juice container shrunk from 64 ounces to 59 ounces, while being packaged in the same size container.  The cost did not drop 7.8% as the quantity of juice in the container did.  And all of the companies, led by Tropicana and Minute Maid, did it at the same time.  The supermarket “house brands” followed suit within a few months.

The latest such rip-off involves tuna fish.  Up to six months ago, a typical can of tuna fish contained 7 ounces of fish, and often, an excess of water or oil.  Now, most are down to 5 ounces but the cans still look to be the same size.  (There even a few versions down to 4.5 ounces.)  Formerly, there was enough tuna in a 7 ounce can, when mixed with mayonnaise and perhaps some celery or onions, to fill two nice sized sandwiches.  Now, those two sandwiches will look a bit skimpier because the 5 ounce can is 28% smaller than its predecessor, but of course, the price is the same.

                                 

If the free enterprise system were working properly, one smart orange juice company or tuna fish packer would put a product on the market containing the original weight.  This would probably bring that company sufficient new business to more than equal the profit it would be throwing away by not conforming with their industry’s reduced quantity practices.  But that does not appear to be happening.  And I wonder how many other products have been “downsized” and escaped this consumer’s notice.

Jack Lippman

  

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The Potpourri Poll 

The poll, at the top of the right sidebar, is being revised.  It will deal strictly with the race for the Presidency.  The questions may change as we get closer to Novermber 6, but the theme will remain the same.  Who will be elected President in November.? 

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Most readers of this blog are alerted by Email every time a new posting appears.  If you wish to be added to that Email list, just let me know by contacting me at Riart1@aol.com.  Also, be aware that www.Jackspotpourri.com is now available on your mobile devices in a modified, easy-to-read, format.

Our family of web sites includes:

 www.politicaldrek.com

 www.sportsdrek.com

 www.healthdrek,com

 www.computerdrek.com

and our parent site, the blog where it all started, www.jackspotpourri.com.  Check all of them out and feel free to submit your thoughts and articles for publication on these sites, which, while operative, are still “under construction” in varying degrees.

Jack Lippman

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To send this posting to a friend, or enemy for that matter, whom you think might be interested in it, just click on the envelope with the arrow on the "Comments" line directly below.

 

Meditating with Sid, Changes to the Blog and Richard Cordray's Appointment

You will note a few new features on Jack’s Potpourri today!  I got rid of the new template I had installed last week in favor of a more colorful one.  It was too difficult to read the “lead-in” material at the top.  An occasionally changing picture is going to be a regular feature of the new format.  I wonder how many of you can identify the location pictured.  I am leaving it at the top for a few more days.

We also are listing the six postings which have drawn the most “hits” since the blog’s inception.  I don’t control this.  It comes from Google, which is the source of the technology for the blog.  

Finally, we have instituted a poll.  The question on it now will remain there until the afternoon of January 24.  We will then come up with another polling question.  In an election year, this will be a valuable adjunct to the blog.  Please participate in the poll; I have no way of identifying who participates and what they answer.  Enjoy the rest of the blog, and please, as Sid has done, submit some of your work for inclusion in it.

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And here is a piece written by Sid Bolotin a few years ago which contains timeless truths.  Study it carefully.  It also will appear in the near future on www.healthdrek.com.

    

Jack Lippman                                                    

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Meditation

Sid Bolotin

If you Google “meditation,” you can delve into 36,000,000 sites; if you go on “you tube,”  you can explore 170,000 videos.

Picture the subject of meditation as a tree with multiple major branches that subdivide into smaller branches that grow countless leaves. These leaves represent the actual schools of meditation as practiced by specific groups of people. 

The underlying result of any meditative practice is the quieting of the mind. If you allow a glass of muddy, swirling water to sit on a table for a while, in time the silt will settle, and the water will become crystal clear. That’s akin to the quiet, clear mind…freed of swirling thoughts and incessant monkey-mind chattering. Buddhism refers to this clarity as “original mind”.

Techniques for quieting the mind include focus on the breath, repeating a mantra like “Om”, counting rosary beads, whirling as Sufis do, reciting Hebrew letters for the name of God as Kabbalists do, or staring at a lit candle.   

                                            

                                       

Meditation is not relaxation, dreaming, or visualization. It is silent wakefulness. It develops awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. And, instead of becoming attached to these inner experiences which are constantly changing, the focus is on watching without getting caught up in them…like watching bubbles rise in a glass of champagne. Dr. Steven Hayes, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Nevada, in his acclaimed modality called ACT refers to this awareness as the “Observing Self”…think of it as you in a movie-house watching the theater of your mind. While in this state, some practitioners advocate projecting love and compassion to make the world a better place. Others teach that it facilitates attraction of wealth, your soul mate, and other desires from the Universe.

All religions at their basic, mystical level promote meditation as a way to connect to God. New Age meditation addresses the Spirituality that is within all human DNA…that which makes us all One. Twenty-one years ago I volunteered at the Mind-Body Clinic at Boston’s Deaconess Hospital, to assist Dr. Herb Benson, a noted cardiologist, to teach his Relaxation Response technique to the patients for management of stress, high blood pressure, chronic pain, and anxiety. At the same time Jon Kabat-Zinn was at the U. Mass Medical Center in Worcester, MA. teaching meditation at his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program. Both programs are still paving the way for meditation in medicine. Neuro-scientists are using PET scans to map areas of the brains of Tibetan lamas, while they are in deep meditation.  Researchers have proven that meditation does result in beneficial, physiological changes in the body. This past Wednesday night two young women from FAU with PhD’s in Neuro-science made a presentation to my Zen group about studies of the brain waves of eight Tibetan monks who are accomplished, deep meditators with 10 to 40 years of practice between them. Their EEG’s and other tests were compared to a control group of subjects with little to no meditative experience. The results clearly prove that the monks’ gamma wave (30 to 100 Hz) activity was “off the charts” even when not meditating. And, when asked to meditate on compassion for other living beings, the gammas went thru the roof. Meditation, over time, increases awareness, produces thickening of the left prefrontal cortex, and increases communication between all parts of the brain.

Words like “thought” and “mind” are used to talk about meditation, but consider this: no one can find “the mind”, and a thought cannot be found, stopped, or its origin established. Brain scientists can identify the brain’s circuitry and its activations, but not the isness of mind or thought. One great book on this subject is: “My Stroke of Insight”, by Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist who documented her own stroke.

As for me…after years of bouncing thru various disciplines and religions, I’ve returned to a Zen Buddhist meditative practice called Zazen which means “just sitting”. It involves being attentive to your breath, noticing your thoughts, and using your breath as an anchor when you notice you’ve become attached to a particular thought or feeling. 

Zen explores the nature of realty with the premise that: the world is the way it is (not the way we want it to be), everything is impermanent (nothing stays the same), and our suffering is caused by trying to keep the good stuff and change/prevent the bad stuff. Zazen meditation is an experience of just being with your life as it is…warts and all. This Zen leaf of the meditation tree is a goalless practice of non-doing…of just being in the present moment. Zen discourages meditating with a goal in mind because, to do so just creates another, stressful something to be achieved.  Zen does not purport to heal you, attract wealth, get you Tiger’s women, or fix flat tires…but, if it should happen, great. If not, that’s just as great. Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 wrote in his famous,12-book-collection of meditations: “Everything that happens, happens as it should. And if you observe carefully, you will find this to be true.”

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Richard Cordray Appointed to Head Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Despite G.O.P. Opposition

(The following appeared on the Huffington Post last week.  The Republicans are claiming that this appointment was illegal and unconstitutional because such an “interim” appointment can be made only when the Senate is not in session.  Right now, although there are not enough Senators around Washington for a quorum, the Senate is still technically in session according to the G.O.P., as explained in the article.  The President has put the needs of the nation ahead of the games the Republicans like to play. Incidentally, though his record has long since been surpassed, Richard Cordray was a big time winner on “Jeopardy” some years ago.  He seems very devoted to protecting the welfare of the American consumer and any opposition to him is merely an attempt to attack the President.  Read the following from the Huffington Post at your leisure..) Jack Lippman

In a bold move sure to infuriate Republicans and possibly draw a court challenge, President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that he will use his executive power to bypass Congress and put Richard Cordray in charge at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The move is a rare instance of the president invoking his authority to override a months-long effort by Senate Republicans to block Cordray. They rejected his confirmation in a December vote and reiterated that, even though they like Cordray, they would keep opposing him or any other CFPB nominee until changes are made at the agency. Obama's recess appointment on Wednesday trumps their effort.

The president announced Corday's appointment during a speech on the economy in Cleveland, Ohio. Cordray, who previously served as the Ohio attorney general, flew on Air Force One to stand alongside the president at the event. Once appointed, Cordray can begin serving as CFPB director later this week and could stay in the role for at least two years.

"Today, I'm appointing Richard as America's consumer watchdog," Obama told the crowd. "That means he'll be in charge of one thing: looking out for the best interest of American consumers. His job will be to protect families like yours from the abuses of the financial industry. His job will be to make sure you've got all the information you need to make important financial decisions."

Obama called it "inexcusable" and "wrong" that CFPB still doesn't have a director since beginning operations in July. He said while he will continue to "look for every opportunity to work with Congress" to boost the economy, he has "an obligation as president to do what I can without them," hence the recess appointment.

"I will not stand by while a minority in the Senate puts party ideology ahead of the people they were elected to serve," the president said to applause. "Not when so much is at stake. Not at this make-or-break moment for the middle class."

A CFPB spokeswoman declined to comment on the news. But Senate Democratic proponents of Cordray and the CFPB were thrilled.

"Republicans have been trying to make an end run around the law by denying this watchdog a leader," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in a statement. "I support President Obama's decision to make sure that in these tough economic times, middle-class families in Nevada and across the country will have the advocate they deserve to fight on their behalf against the reckless practices that denied so many their economic security."

"Ohio families deserve a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau -- complete with a Director -- that can stand up to the special interests and look out for Ohioans' interests," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who chairs the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection.

"We asked for a fair up-or-down vote on Richard Cordray's nomination. But too many senators are willing to stand instead with Wall Street, blocking a qualified nominee for the first time in the history of the Senate based on opposition to an agency's very existence," Brown said. "Rich Cordray is fair-minded and highly qualified, which is why he enjoys widespread and bipartisan support from both the people of Ohio and those he would regulate."

With a director in place, the CFPB can now, for the first time ever, monitor the activities of non-bank entities, including payday lenders, debt collectors and credit reporting agencies. Many of these entities were "the source of some of the most harmful, deceptive, unfair and predatory lending practices" that led to the financial crisis, Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin said last month. The agency, which has been partially in operation since July, is the brainchild of Harvard law professor and now-Senate candidate for Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren. It was created under last year's Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation. 

"President Obama's decision to overrule the big banks and the Senate Republicans who are protecting them gives consumers a strong ally and advocate in Washington," Warren said in a statement. "Senate Republicans will surely complain about the recess appointment, but their refusal to allow an up or down vote on Cordray's nomination is just another example of the political games in Washington that must end."

The president's move is notable for two reasons. For one, Obama rarely invokes his recess appointment authority, compared to past presidents. Until now, he has made 28 recess appointments. By contrast, former President George W. Bush made more than 170 during his presidency and former President Bill Clinton made almost 140. Secondly, and more importantly, Obama is making a recess appointment when the Senate isn't technically in recess -- a risky step that could spark a court challenge.

White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer made the case that it is fully within the president's right to make recess appointments when Republicans are relying on "a gimmick" to prevent the Senate from going into recess:

"Here are the facts: The Constitution gives the President the authority to make temporary recess appointments to fill vacant positions when the Senate is in recess, a power all recent Presidents have exercised. The Senate has effectively been in recess for weeks, and is expected to remain in recess for weeks. In an overt attempt to prevent the President from exercising his authority during this period, Republican Senators insisted on using a gimmick called 'pro forma' sessions, which are sessions during which no Senate business is conducted and instead one or two Senators simply gavel in and out of session in a matter of seconds. But gimmicks do not override the President's constitutional authority to make appointments to keep the government running. Legal experts agree. In fact, the lawyers who advised President Bush on recess appointments wrote that the Senate cannot use sham 'pro forma' sessions to prevent the President from exercising a constitutional power," Pfeiffer wrote on the White House Blog.

                                           

                                                Empty United States Senate Chamber

That line of reasoning isn't sitting well with House and Senate Republican leaders, however, who charged Obama with threatening the constitutional system of checks and balances and warned of future legal challenges.

"This is an extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab by President Obama that defies centuries of practice and the legal advice of his own Justice Department," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement. "This action goes beyond the President's authority, and I expect the courts will find the appointment to be illegitimate."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Obama has "arrogantly circumvented the American people" by installing Cordray when the Senate isn't in recess.

"This recess appointment represents a sharp departure from a long-standing precedent that has limited the President to recess appointments only when the Senate is in a recess of 10 days or longer," McConnell said in a statement. "Breaking from this precedent lands this appointee in uncertain legal territory, threatens the confirmation process and fundamentally endangers the Congress's role in providing a check on the excesses of the executive branch."

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Most readers of this blog are alerted by Email every time a new posting appears.  If you wish to be added to that Email list, just let me know by contacting me at Riart1@aol.com.  Also, be aware that www.Jackspotpourri.com is now available on your mobile devices in a modified, easy-to-read, format.

Our family of web sites includes:

 www.politicaldrek.com

 www.sportsdrek.com

 www.healthdrek,com

 www.computerdrek.com

and our parent site which you are reading right now, the blog where it all started, www.jackspotpourri.com. 

Check all of them out and feel free to submit your thoughts and articles for publication on these sites which, while operative, are still “under construction” in varying degrees.

Jack Lippman

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To send this posting to a friend, or enemy for that matter, whom you think might be interested in it, just click on the envelope with the arrow on the "Comments" line directly below.

Wall Street Bonuses and Some Political Drek

Political Drek

About Issues:  There are many significant issues with which the United States must deal.  These include foreign policy, foreign aid, national defense, relations with Latin America, the size and disposition of our defense forces, the global economy, civil rights, funding Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, eliminating unemployment, job creation and business creation and growth, structuring and funding the safety net, regulating business, banking and finance, the balance of trade, our national deficit and debt, fiscal and monetary reform, educating our children, fighting the drug-use epidemic, the world-wide technology race, global warming and climate change, the foreclosure crisis, etc. etc.  How many of these issues have you heard discussed in any depth by the aspirants for the Republican Presidential nomination?

Synthetic Issues:  While, campaigning on the issues of same-sex marriage, abortions, illegal immigrants, reduced spending and no new taxation, government bureaucracy, and referring to the Affordable Health Care Act as “ObamaCare” may result in a candidate picking up a few votes, making such points does not address the real issues the nation faces.  When the Republicans wake up to this and turn from such synthetic issues to real issues, they will have a chance to attract the middle of the road independent voters they need to win.  Until then, they are dead in the water. Sad thing is that they don't realize it.

And About Mitt:  Many Republicans have a problem with Mitt Romney  While he is clearly

                                                         

the most qualified of the Republicans seeking the nomination, he projects a sanctimonious attitude when he speaks, one I read as that of false piety.  As a businessman, he had to make hard decisions which often hurt investors and employees, but ended up with his company making money. There is nothing wrong with this.  A businessman cannot be an angel all of the time, and Romney certainly wasn’t, but he constantly projects the image of a smiling straight shooting cowboy in a white hat who has never done anything wrong, ever, and everyone knows this is just not so, even for a devout Mormon.  Could he be less than candid in what he is saying, people wonder.  

And his smile of optimism seems welded onto his face.  I wonder what his face looks like when he, as all politicians and influential businessmen must do occasionally, makes a condolence call.  Does he still sport that grin showing his perfect teeth as he comforts the bereaved family?  

And while presenting himself as a businessman is fine, why does Romney rarely mention his service as Governor of Massachusetts, another part of his background which served to provide him with valuable experience for seeking the office of the nation’s Chief Executive? Or is he so intent on denigrating the role of government that he is ashamed that he once served as part of it?   

But the Republicans have no one better.  The other potential nominees are all oriented too far to the right to stand a chance against the Democratic nominee, the incumbent President.  I predict “Smiling Mitt” will win big in South Carolina next Saturday and still bigger in Florida ten days later.  But he will win the Republican nomination this summer only after a struggle on the convention floor with the ideologues to his right in the Party who do not trust him.  He will make one of them his running mate.  But he will continue smiling. 

Jack Lippman

                                                    

                                                          

Wall Street Bonuses:  

I really don’t know too much about this subject and I may be barking up the wrong tree, but these are my thoughts.  Please correct me if I am off base.

I read the other day that some Wall Street firms are reducing their year-end bonuses and this has made some of their employees very unhappy.  Such bonuses vary from minimal amounts to amounts in the millions of dollars.  In an industry and a country where layoffs are occurring, it would appear that such bonuses are obscene and should be illegal.  But I can see why reduced bonuses would make some employees unhappy.

Join me in assuming that an effective Wall Street trader or investment banker may be salaried at $250,000 a year plus a generous benefits package.  At year end, if his activity has resulted in creating significant profits for his employer, he may get a bonus ranging from a percentage of his salary up to ten times his salary.  This is supposed to keep his talents with his present employer and avoid his looking for another firm to join.  This is a horrible way to compensate employees.  If an employee earning a $250,000 salary consistently warrants a $1,000,000 bonus, his salary should be $1,250,000 and there should be no bonus.  Some traders and investment bankers receive commissions directly.  If the commission percentage is a fair one, there should be no need for a bonus.  If, however, the trader or investment banker receives no commission or just a token amount, with most or all of it going to the firm, a bonus would be a way of passing the money he would have earned if there had been a full commission structure on to him.  A salaried investment banker or trader who receives no direct commission has a legitimate gripe, therefore, if his bonus in lieu of commissions is reduced.

                                     

In an economy in recession, with many unemployed people out there, the concept of Wall Street bonuses leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths and should be abandoned.  A trader or investment banker should be paid what he or she is worth in salary and commissions with no bonus whatsoever.  If he or she becomes a partner in a firm, however, that would present an opportunity to get a share of the profits, but until that point is reached, bonuses are a horrible alternative.

JL

                                                         

Sister Web Sites:

As I frequently mention, I have established four new websites, all of which are in various phases of construction.  They are bare-bones sites but each day they are growing a little.  These sites can be viewed at Politicaldrek.com, Sportsdrek.com, Healthdrek.com and Computerdrek.com.  There is already some content on the first two of them, but all of you are invited to contribute political, sports, health and computer articles to all of these sites. Pick your site based on the type material you are submitting. You may Email each site directly by using the “Contact” tab on their respective page-top menus.

JL


                                                   

                                                                  

                    

Most readers of this blog are alerted by Email every time a new posting appears.  If you wish to be added to that Email list, just let me know by contacting me at Riart1@aol.com.  Also, be aware that www.Jackspotpourri.com is now available on your mobile devices in a modified, easy-to-read, format.

 

                                                        

To send this posting to a friend, or enemy for that matter, whom you think might be interested in it, just click on the envelope with the arrow on the "Comments" line directly below.

Don't We Look Different Today!

Jack’s Potpourri looks a little different today, doesn’t it?  I think the bookshelf background looks kind of neat.  Anyway, an explanation of sorts is in order.  

I came across another blog the other day which, like Jack’s Potpourri, was developed using Google’s Blogspot technology.  It appeared that this other blog, which centered on voicing a liberal Democratic political outlook, has been in existence about five months, but most significantly, it uses the same Blogspot template as Jack’s Potpourri has been using since 2009, and is maintained by a resident of the same community in which I reside.  Blogspot offers 33 different “appearance” options for blogs using its technology, but the author of that particular blog chose to look exactly like Jack’s Potpourri. It may be just a coincidence, but I take it as a compliment.  Oddly enough, that blog’s author used to be on Jack’s Potpourri’s “Blog Alert Update Email” list, but is one of the few recipients who has requested to be removed from that list.  So, I decided to change the appearance of Jack’s Potpourri.  The old look was getting a little stale. Hope you like it.

By the way, the alligator pictured above is the blog's new mascot. This picture of him taken in the canal behind my house is from a few years ago, but he's still around.  Critics of this blog should be aware that our mascot stands ready to rise (or crawl) to the defense of whatever is published in it.  I have figured out how to change the picture up top on the blog and will be doing so periodically, but fear not, the alligator will still be on guard against critics.

One last reminder.  When you have a chance, take a look at our sister site, www.politicaldrek.com.
JL
                                          
                                   

Report From The Crusader:

A few months ago, I described my role as a “crusader.”  At this time, I’d like to report on the progress of the four “crusades” in which I have found myself involved during the past year.

                              

Three of them concerned the homeowners’ community in which I reside, and if you don’t care about that, go ahead and jump two paragraphs down.  But those of you who don’t live in such a community or in a condominium are missing out on one of the great experiences of modern day living.  It isn’t enough that we have federal, state, county, municipal and perhaps other levels of real government to deal with.  Homeowners’ communities insert another layer, one closer to the individual than any of the aforementioned ones.  They tax (or assess), in order to maintain the community, and promulgate rules, and rules, and more rules.

These three areas that my crusades have involved concerned more frequent cleaning of the sidewalks, unfair event ticketing procedures relating to single, widowed and divorced residents and finally, the purchase of new furniture for the community’s pool area.  All of my crusades involved the extensive use of Email and web site message boards.  I succeeded in moving up the sidewalk cleaning schedule and was instrumental in enabling single residents to bring a guest without a charge to free events where that was supposedly not possible, although married residents paying the same monthly “maintenance” charges faced no such impediment.  Unfortunately, I didn’t succeed in regard to the pool furniture because the dollar amount involved was significant and a recalcitrant vendor was involved.  That crusade was over my head.

                                         

I am continuing my crusade against Classical South Florida, however, which purchased local public radio station WXEL last year, converted it to a 100% classical music station and in effect got rid of National Public Radio non-musical programming, and locally oriented programs for most Palm Beach County residents.  Their new designation, WPBI, is now up for license renewal and I have a solid complaint pending with the Federal Communications Commission.  It may take years to come to fruition, but I suspect this crusade will succeed.  At a minimum, WPBI should be fined based on my complaint, and maybe even be moved to bring All Things Considered and Morning Edition back to Palm Beach County on a listenable-at-home local frequency.  And that’s the latest news from the Crusader!
Jack Lippman

                                    

Political Drek:

The other day I was paying the check by credit card at the cash register of a local restaurant.  I asked the clerk, a young man in his early twenties, what the tax was so that I could figure how much to add for a tip.  (I usually triple the tax, resulting in an 18% tip.)  Smiling at me, he said, “Sure, the amount going to President Obama is $1.68.”  I immediately corrected him, pointing out that the sales tax is a state, and not a federal tax, and if he wanted to label it as going to a politician, Florida Governor Rick Scott was someone more appropriate to name. 

“Gee,” he said. “Everyone seems to dislike Governor Scott, but isn’t it funny that, despite this, he was elected Governor!” "Won't happen again," I retorted.  I then asked the young man whom he liked for the Presidency and he indicated that while his mind was still open, he liked Ron Paul a lot.  Not being able to recognize that sales taxes are state, and not federal, taxes is typical of the level of intelligence of many of Paul’s young supporters.

                           

President Obama, to whom your local sales taxes don't go, Rick Scott, where your local sales taxes do go ... or at least to the State he governs, and Ron Paul, the choice of those who don't know the difference about this and almost anything else.

Note that this position, attacking Ron Paul's supporters, is not in sync with Democratic Party strategy, which would prefer anyone but Romney as their opponent in the Presidential election.  Hence, their barbs are directed at Mitt, and at no one else.  But I personally feel that any G.O.P. candidate other than Romney would be a very risky bet for the country to make.  I still support Barack Obama, but should he lose, Mitt Romney is a far better choice than any of the others.  I call 'em like I see 'em. 

And while on this subject, let me quote from a very recent column by Charles Krauthammer, a conservative columnist, concerning those in the G.O.P. race in New Hampshire.

   "Mr. Gingrich speaks of aligning himself with Mr. Santorum against Mr. Romney.  For Newt's campaign, this makes absolutely no strategic sense.  Except that Mr. Gingrich is after vengeance, not victory.  Ahab is loose in New Hampshire, stalking his great white Mitt.

      What a lineup.  Messrs. Santorum and Gingrich go after Mr. Romney, whose unspoken ally is Rep. Paul, who needs to fight off Mr. Santorum in order to emerge as both No. 1 challenger and Republican kingmaker, leader of a movement demanding respect, attention and concessions.  And John Huntsman goes after everybody."

Wow!   Ya can't tell the players without a scorecard! (If you're interested, Krauthammer actually seems to prefer Santorum to the rest ... but that is this week.)

JL

    
                                                       

                                                                  

                    

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