“I’d rather fight to my last breath than let the fate of my children and grandchildren be dictated by billionaires on Bay Street and Wall Street.” – USW International President Leo W. Gerard, 2011 Convention Opening Speech, Aug. 15, 2011.Dear Sisters and Brothers, Every generation has its moment, its moment to stand up and fight for a better world and brighter tomorrow. Now is our time. As United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard said to open our Constitutional Convention: “We can only win the future if we’re willing to fight for it!” Our union’s fighting spirit has been on display all week at the convention, where thousands of USW members and guests have recommitted themselves to our movement for an economy that works for everybody, for fair trade, the right to collectively bargain, safer workplaces and a dignified retirement. You don’t have to be a delegate to join us in this important battle for our future. Click here to watch our convention theme video, “The Fighting Spirit,” then send it to your friends and family. This is the fight of our lives – of our children’s and grandchildren’s lives – and we need everyone to stand up.   Tell us what you’re standing and fighting foron our convention Web page and stay tuned for future information on how Steelworkers are leading the way as we Stand Up and Fight Back!   Visit the USW on Facebook         Visit the USW on Twitter

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It was just recently The Contemplation uncovered that Bradley Schreiber, a former senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has opened his own Homeland Security Solutions, LLC (Read More . . .).

A senior advisor jumping ship? It looks like Schreiber jumped into his own business only to watch the Department of Homeland Security blend with a the National Security council. This is not only smart, but both Homeland Security and National Security Council are both redundent.

One Problem (of many) Bush’s Homeland Security Didn’t Fix

Homeland Security is a joke.  We already have in place the FBI, CIA, INS and Department of State, which with common database and collaboration can easily manage security.  The proper management of these already existing Departments has made Homeland Security redundant.

Fact:

In all US ports container searches are still done in a very lazy fashion.  Did you know that not all containers coming into US ports are searched? U.S. seaports handle over 2 billion tons of freight each year but only about 5% of containers entering the United States are inspected on arrival.  Lets do the math :: 5% of 2,000,000,000 = 100,000,000+.  That is 100 million containers not ever inspected.

Let me clarify what inspected mean . . . it the container looks normal, smells norma (with dogs) and tagging matches all the paperwork it is approved.  The chances of being opened is less than 5%.

There are other areas of vulnerability of ports include:

• The geographical/physical layout of the ports themselves is of concern.
• The protection and security of the landside perimeter of a port is difficult due to their large size.
• orts located in highly urbanized areas allow terrorists a densely populated area in which to hide while infiltrating or escaping the port area at their perimeter.
• The high volume of trucks entering and exiting port facilities pose a threat to the port, as well as surrounding geographical areas. Exiting trucks may contain questionable contents.
• The disabling of a ship at port is enough to halt all activity at that port for an extended period of time, especially if the disabled ship is blocking a throughway for other vessels. Think about a one lane highway and you hold up one car.

Did you know that cargos will never be inspected if it meets one of the following:

• Either as a direct result of Federal Government involvement
• Indirectly through financial sponsorship of a Federal program (indirectly?)
  • There have been many US Government personnel that have imported illegal substance, trafficking and classified information via this “sponsorship program”.
  • This would include Blackwater contractors
• In connection with a guarantee provided by the Federal Government

Now, how many of these un-inspected on each cargo ship?

• Military Cargo  =  100% (governed by Military Cargo Preference Act of 1904);
• Export Import Bank  =  100% (governed by Public Resolution 17);
• Civilian Agencies Cargo  =  at least 50%  (governed by Cargo Preference Act of 1954); and
• Agricultural Cargoes   =  at least 75%  (governed by the Food Security Act of 1985)

Which basically means . . . our ports are the easiest to ship.

Nothing has actually changed and cargo inspection has not changed due to the Bush Administration only real  Except the reputation of the United States being a bulling by imprisoning without due process and fair trial via our military prisons (AKA Guantánamo Gay Bay).

One Port Solution Fits All

One High Port Import Tax – Any company that imports goods or services inside the US will be taxed a high percentage.  Sell the goods here or be willing to pay the price.

There are plenty that do not pay any import or less import tax, here are a few:

Australia Special Rate
Bahrain Special Rate
Trade in Civil Aircraft (duty-free treatment)
NAFTA for Canada (duty-free treatment)
Chile Special Rate
Africa (duty-free treatment)
Israel Special Rate (duty-free treatment)
Uruguay Chemicals for Dyes (duty-free treatment)
Morocco Special Rate
NAFTA for Mexico
Dominican Republic-Central American Special Rate
Singapore Special Rate

Notice anything?  Looks allot like what you see on WalMart’s shelves!

One High Port Export Tax – Any company that exports goods or services outside the US will be taxed a high percentage.  Sell the goods locally or be willing to pay the price.

Where does the money go? – The high tax will pay for 100% container inspection, stimulate the economy and produce jobs without building another bridge.

Final Thoughts

The economy for the US is now so dented that it only a discount buyer will be willing to invest in the US economy.  The only way to react is to strengthen our import/export tax tariffs and let the priority be true independence.

OR

The United States keeps importing and filling Walmart shelves. I remember pre-walmart and if I wanted to get something from Singapore or Chine I went to a specialty store. Now, it is low quality crap.  We will be a WalMart country.  Remember when people said, “I Live in Ford Country”?  Well soon it will be “I live in WalMart Country”.

OR

We start acting and matching globally. Instead of leading the charge into exporting/importing why not follow the lead of other countries that aren’t in debt, in fact one . . . Estonia.

“People need money and we’re here to give it to them,” says Bailout Bill, Founder of BailoutBooth.com. “Times are tough and the government is taking a long time to get their act together, so while they’re letting politics get in the way of helping people, we’re here to give bailouts to as many people as possible.”

Will the Stimulus Bill Money Reach Your Pocketbook?

NO

What is the actual impact of the Stimulus?

You will not feel it!  This is not about who is in office (I wanted Barr) it is about decision making.  President Bush bailed out the corporations in hopes of maintaining productivity, jobs and profit . . . it didn’t work.  Layoff and unemployment is up and will rise until the United States understands one simple thing :

Any country that doesn’t produce any product that is wanted/needed/dependent globally it will be a poor country.

The only true commodity of ‘The States’ is it’s workforce, the number of individuals with the ability to go to work daily is astounding.  Allow me to point out two things:

• Ability doesn’t mean willing
• Individuals doesn’t mean US citizens

Until all US citizens have jobs that will impact their ability to have the three musts for survival : food, clothing and shelter.  Those three survival needs have nothing to do with owning a home, having a television nor spending $100 for sneakers or jeans.  The basics of ‘The States’ has been perverted into greed and high priced items.

The only way the stimulus package will make any difference is for ‘The States’ and its citizens to place food, clothing and shelter back on the priority list . . . and only be the list for the next 5 years. Until then, ‘The States’ will suffer a long hard financial crisis.

Solutions to Survive

• Shop only local owned and operated stores.
• Avoid box stores and franchises.
• Carpool or alternative transportation to work (bike, walk, public transportation)
• Remove your television cost.
  • Cut the cable/satellite bill down to $0.00 and start hooking up that antenna.  The conversion has already started and you will not miss a local sporting event.
  • If you need anything, it is internet.   Everything is available online . . . everything.
• Victory Garden
• Cook from scratch
  • Making your own soup is cheaper than any Cambells soup.
• Stop redundant technology
  • Do you have an stove, toaster, toaster oven, pizza oven, and microwave?
    • If you have an electric stove . . . that is all you need, seriously.
  • Do you have a home phone, work phone, cell phone?
    • Get skype or just a cell phone.
  • Do you have more than one automobile?
    • If you live in a city, you do not really need one.  Rent for long trips.
    • If you live in the country, you only need one car.  If you can’t make it work, then think about telecommuting a few days a week.
  • Do you have more than one television?
    • One question. Why?
• Socialize
  • Eat at home before going to the local pub to watch sports
  • Have a potluck at your home
  • Join a group, they are free (not on the internet).
  • If there isn’t a club or group that interests you . . . organize one.
• Food doesn’t have to be plenty.
  • You just need three meals a day to maintain a healthy diet.
  • Control yourself  and and actually make your own meals.  Eating out (even fast food) should be considered a luxury.
  • A good meal is plated 1/4 protein, 1/4 starch and 1/2 vegetables

To survive and succeed in a financial trouble times *drink* it takes determination, outlook and self control.  Not one of the US citizens’ strong trait.  That is OK.  The rest of the world will get richer and stronger.  Maybe UK will bring the colonies back into the fold.

• First-time homebuyers purchasing a home before Dec. 1 will receive a US$8,000 tax credit. While this would in theory support the housing industry now, the tax benefit will not be realized until 2010, making it likely that potential homebuyers will wait until the last minute before making a purchasing decision.
• The US$1,000 child tax credit will be extended to more taxpayers who typically do not earn enough to pay taxes, and so normally would not benefit from the credit.
• College students or their parents will receive a tax credit of up to US$2,500 on tuition and related expenses in 2009 and 2010.
• Tax credits will be distributed on a weekly basis, at about US$13 a week per wage earner starting in June. Over the course of 2009, single tax payers will receive US$400 and couples US$800.
• Americans drawing unemployment checks will receive an extra US$25 per check.
• A temporary assistance emergency fund for needy families will be set up in the amount of US$3 billion.
• The first US$2,400 of unemployment benefits received in 2009 will not be taxable.
• The Department of the Interior will receive US$735 million for road repair in national parks.
• The Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will receive US$9.2 billion for projects ranging from energy efficiency improvements to visitor centers to the cleanup of abandoned mine sites on public lands.
• The plan makes US$25 billion available for teachersâ’ salaries.
• Early education and childcare programs will receive a US$4 billion package.
• The EPA will receive US$800 million to clean up hazardous waste sites and gasoline storage tanks.
• The plan sets aside US$3.7 billion for the hiring of new police officers and US$1 billion for the hiring of local officers under the Community Oriented Policing Services program.
• Law enforcement on the Mexican border and in rural areas, Indian tribe law enforcement, programs that help crime victims, youth-mentoring programs and efforts to fight Internet child predators will receive US$765 million.
• States facing budget deficits will receive an injection of US$87 billion for Medicaid.
• The government will pump in US$90 billion for highway repaving, new water lines and old bridge reinforcement.
• The stimulus plan sets aside US$20 billion for â’green jobs,â’ which include everything from the energy efficiency remodeling of federal buildings and schools to building renewable energy installations such as wind turbines and solar panels. If this works, it would contribute to the formation of an entirely new and beneficial economic sector â” the very definition of effective stimulus spending.
• Americans drawing on supplemental security income would receive a one-time payment of US$250. This benefit goes primarily to those on limited income and so is likely to be spent shortly after being awarded.
• Homeowners will receive a tax credit to cover as much as 30 percent of the cost (up to US$1,500) of remodeling their homes for energy efficiency (adding energy-efficient windows, furnaces and air conditioners). This is the sort of activity that normally only takes place in times of extreme economic growth, so a tax credit that would not be earned until 2010 is unlikely to affect spending decisions. (Note that green remodeling of government buildings is in the â’immediate stimulusâ’ category, because the federal government has direct control over how the money is spent, as opposed to this program which encourages the private sector to follow suit.)
• The government will help pay health insurance premiums up to 65 percent of the total cost for laid-off taxpayers, defraying costs under the current Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) program which allows fired employees to keep their coverage for 18 months but at the full cost of the premium. The COBRA program only applies to companies employing a minimum of 20 employees. Employees laid off but not eligible for COBRA will be allowed to sign up in 60 days.
• The government will offer direct grants to producers of wind turbines and will inject US$2 billion into next-generation batteries to stimulate technology innovation.
• The plan will give US$300 in rebates for the purchase of new, efficient appliances and US$5 billion for energy improvements for low-income homeowners.
• The stimulus will get an extra 800,000 students into the Pell Grant program, which allows low-income students to attend college, and will increase the grant US$4,731 to US$5,350 for 2009 and US$5,550 for 2010-2011.
• Tuition tax credits will be increased to US$2,500 and will be 40 percent refundable for those families who do not earn enough to have to pay taxes and thus take advantage of the credit.
• Scientific research will be supported with US$15 billion, with the National Institute of Health distributing US$1.5 billion to university research facilities.
• There will be an injection of US$2 billion for prisoner rehabilitation programs under the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant.

Personal Thoughts

I want to be stimulated, not teased. Some of these wouldn’t even count as foreplay.

Here is the new Bush Hippocratic Oath

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: 

• I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
• I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
• I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.
• I will not be ashamed to say “I know not,” nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient’s recovery.
• I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty.
• Above all, I must not play at God. I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person’s family and economic stability. 
• My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick. I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
• I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter.
• May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
• Unless I don’t wanna
• Unless God or the church I belong to tells me different

The “right of conscience” medical regulation was pushed through by President Bush during his “midnight regulation” in his last weeks of his “lame duck” presidency. This regulation would allow anyone to refuse to participate in medical procedures they feel goes against their religious beliefs. “Employees” are defined broadly: from the pharmacist filling a prescription for antibiotics to a cashier refusing to ring out oral contraceptives, to the one who cleans the surgical tools after a procedure involving a blood transfusion. From The Washington Post :

The far-reaching regulation cuts off federal funding for any state or local government, hospital, health plan, clinic or other entity that does not accommodate doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other employees who refuse to participate in care they find ethically, morally or religiously objectionable.

Which means if you can be denied health care for any reason . . . male, female, religious, athiest, catholic, born again, gay, lesbian, straight, poor, rich, sick, obese, thin, famous, musician, writer, teacher, fireman, police officer, etc . . .

For any personal reason Medical Staff can deny your health care!