Saturday Smorgasbord III

Here are several bits-and-pieces, left over from this week ...

The Billionaire Who Feels Our Pain


Tea Party Fave & Neo-Con Idol Gov. Rick Scott of Florida is about to unveil a state budget that would reduce government spending by some $3 billion.

How is he proposing to do this?

Cut Medicaid, cut school spending, cut money for public works, cut family & children services, and cut state employee and teacher pensions.

Did I mention he also wants to cut taxes? Indeed!

Cut the Corporate Tax Rate in half -- eliminating it in-toto by 2013!

If you'll recall, Scott is the multi-billionaire from Naples who financed his first-ever campaign for public office in Florida.

Bottom Line: he "bought" the governorship with sloganeering about job-creation and by pandering to the Tea Bag Movement.

How he'll pull all of this off -- like "creating" 700,000 new jobs without addressing some structural short-comings in the state -- escapes even the experts. This man is no Warren Buffett.

By the way, Scott's also the guy who almost went to the Slammer when his company got caught with its hand in the Medicare Cookie Jar.

Since Scott has a background in health management, let him ponder this:

A guy comes to the hospital with a broken leg. The doctors proceed to amputate the broken leg, his other leg, and then both of his arms.

When he finally comes out of anesthesia, the guy sees what they did to him and screams: "Was This Really Necessary?!"

To which the doctors tell him: "We did it for your own good -- to make sure you don't break any other bones in your limbs."

Take a tip from former California Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger: work through tough financial times by forging coalitions across-the-board. Manage debt. Do not resort to long-term, draconian measures when short-term fixes will do the trick.  As governor, represent all the people of your state -- not just the ultra-wealthy and / or the oligarchs.

Jeb Bush slashed taxes and spending to this degree a few years back. Even conned the legislature into eliminating the Intangible Tax on dividend income. Told us all that cash would be re-invested into job-creation.

Guess what? Not one dime went into jobs: it went into the Equity Markets and the high-end Real Estate Markets to make the weathiest even richer and allow them to live in further luxury.

Today, hundreds of thousands of folks in Florida can't even find jobs to work: there are none! I don't even want to think about what happened to our public educational system and to child and family services.

Here some good news, however: not even the Neo-Cons who run the show in Tallahassee are buying the Scott budget plan.

The guv's doing Florida Big Favors, however: he's flying all around the state in his Private Gulf Stream Jet, on his own nickle; and he's pledged to accept only $1 per year in salary. In fact, his first jet touch-down: a Tea Bagger Rally to tout his Budget Plan.

How gratuitious...

Did I mention Scott's Governor's Office Payroll has set a record? He defends it by claiming he pays those high salaries, to make them competitive with the private sector!

Oh, I forgot: Scott's also one of the Tea Bagger / Republican Party's New Faces -- along with the recently elected US Sen. Marco Rubio.
At least we can poke fun at Sarah Palin ...

Thank you, Senate Democrats!

You have finally thrown some cold reality into the faces of all those House Anti-Obama Cool Aid Drinkers.

Keep waging the Good Fight against them regarding Health Care Affordability and Availability.

I can't take any more Neo-Con gloating over Judge Vinson's ruling against ObamaCare earlier in the week.

Far-Right is using the Vinson Ruling as its Lynch-Pin  to defeat one of the most important milestones ever enacted -- but may I remind them of a couple of facts first?

Over the years, federal judges friendly to those who oppose social progress have ruled against the Minimum Wage, Social Security, Environmental Protection, School Integration, Medicare and Handicapped Access.

Each and every one of these adverse rulings was overturned by either the full District Court, or by the US Supreme Court.

Would you want to bet on which Party led the attacks against the programs that I have listed above?

I'll give you a hint: it starts with the letter "R" -- the same party that will fight Health Care Reform to the bitter end.

Sam's Gone Native

Sam Huber, president of my Kiwanis Club, flew to Costa Rica earlier this week. He's delivered a couple hundred pounds of over-the-counter children's medications to a village.

He's also setting up what would be the first Kiwanis Club in Costa Rica whose members, largely, will be American Ex-Pats who have retired there.

More good news on the local Kiwanis Front: we recently sponsored a Martini Festival/Competition which generated more than $14 Large in net profit -- all of which will be used to expand our Pack Pack Food Program for needy kids and families.

Yes,indeed! Making our community better -- one kid and one family at a time!

Another Day, Another Shooting

A man, whose daughter was just about to celebrate her 2nd birthday, was gunned down in his driveway on Thursday. The cops are looking for the killer -- who apparently shot and killed Dad in a case of mistaken identity.
\
This incident is the fifth to take place on five consecutive days in my area. Through good fortune, the four others resulting only in woundings.

I know, I know: guns don't kill - people do. Mentally sick people, sociopaths, the enraged. Not one of these shootings had anything to do with the protection of life or property.

I'm not a praying man, but if I were, I would hope that Representatives and Senators in my state will sober up before they cast their vote on an Open Carry Bill now working its way through the committee process.


Death Announcement No. 1

I am sad to report the demise of our 1998 Honda Passport. Cause of death: Blown Engine. Seems that the old Girl could take no more after delivering us, safely, back and forth to Vermont several weeks ago.

Passed into The Great Auto Valhalla at 123,000 miles.

Am now in the market for an Army Surplus Deuce and a Half...

Death Announcement No. 2

Our prized Wild Tamarind could take no more and gave up the Ghost this week. All of the leaves dropped and there are several cracks in the trunk.

Cause of death: Cold Weather. This was one of many specimen trees that we have planted on our property and it prospers in humid, Tropical Climes. It took a beating from the cold last year, but it bounced back.

Alas, my Wild Tamerind will become primo fire wood for the chiminea -- whenever I get around to it with the chain saw.

Final - Final Thought

Jim's Super Bowl, Stone Cold, Lead Pipe Lock Of the Week: PITT 24/GB 23. Late field goal breaks Pack Fans' hearts.

I want to watch a Great Game -- hoping it's going to be the Best Ever.

That's it! Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are!