Lee Trucks emailed me a video that I really love. It is about the product cycle. Yep, business and production. But it is also about "external costs". It is about environmental costs and social costs.
As Democrats we believe in the stewardship of this earth. We believe in caring about others. These are core Democratic values. They are core American values. This little video does a great job of putting everything in perspective.
I like this video. I hope you take time to watch it.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Pete Hoekstra is irresponsible
Pete Hoekstra is irresponsible. I don't know any other way to describe him. Americans can't trust Pete Hoekstra with their money. Pete has been US Rep for the 2nd Michigan district for many years. His record speaks for itself. Americans deserve better.
Pete Hoekstra has helped George Bush drive our country deeper and deeper into debt. In just the past seven years of the Bush adminstration Pete has supported new debt to the tune of $3,000,000,000. (Yes, that is billion!) When President Clinton left office we had established a pattern of balancing the budget.
How did we get going so far in the wrong direction? For one thing, we lost our system of checks and balances. Our founding fathers clearly saw the danger of an unchecked powerful executive and their fears were right on target. Our Congress has the responsibility of providing that check and balance. Instead a Republican Congress rubber stamped the excesses of President Bush and President Bush rubber stamped the excesses of a Republican Congress. Pete Hoekstra's failure to do his duty to his country has left American weaker. Americans deserve better.
How could Pete and his Republican friends get us into so much debt so fast. One way was that Pete made sure the millionaires got big tax breaks. We couldn't afford to take care of the millionaires and still balance the budget so the Republicans adopted a credit card mentality. Pete chose to take care of millionaires and leave the bill for our kids.
How could Pete and his friends take us so much deeper into debt so fast? Pete supported President Bush's mismanaged efforts in the war with Iraq. Prewar intelligence was bungled. Pete chaired the House Intelligence Committee. President Bush's arrogant go-it-alone policy sacrificed the opportunity for military and financial support from the rest of the world. Now we dump billions and billions into a war that has been so mismanaged that it may be lost.
What has Pete's irresponsibility cost Americans? We are now so deeply in debt that Republicans say we can't fund 911 Commission recommendations. We are so deeply into debt the Republicans say we can't afford after-school programs or college loans. Republicans say we can't afford health care for all Americans, or even for needy children and their families. Pete Hoekstra's irresponsibility has destroyed the American dream that each generation will make America a better place for the next generation. America deserves better.
The biggest disgrace of Republican fiscal mismanagement is ear marks. Republicans, operating without checks and balances, increased the number and amount of ear marks many many fold. They spent like drunken sailors, in the words of one Republican senator. Ear marks became paybacks to special interests who contributed money to the Republicans. If you didn't join the "pay to play" system the Republicans generally left you out in the cold. "Pay to Play" ear marks supported by Pete Hoekstra and the Republicans were a national disgrace. It was only after Americans demanded more responsible leadersip that a newly elected Democratic Congress brought ear marks under control. Pete Hoekstra failed us. Americans deserve better.
Americans have a chance for someone better in 2008. This year we will see a lively Democratic primary and a real challenge to Hoekstra's reign of irresponsibility. There are 3 candidates at the moment running in the Democratic primary: Scott Killips, Fred Johnson, and Kimon Kotos. They have different views and different strengths. It is time for MI-2 voters to study these candidates carefully. Look at their websites. Talk to them. And then get involved. Pete Hoekstra has failed us. Americans deserve better. Now is the time for change.
I want to encourage a discussion on fiscal responsibility in the federal government. I hope we get comments from voting Americans and from all of our candidates. Yes, I would even like to hear from Pete. Please add your comments.
Pete Hoekstra has helped George Bush drive our country deeper and deeper into debt. In just the past seven years of the Bush adminstration Pete has supported new debt to the tune of $3,000,000,000. (Yes, that is billion!) When President Clinton left office we had established a pattern of balancing the budget.
How did we get going so far in the wrong direction? For one thing, we lost our system of checks and balances. Our founding fathers clearly saw the danger of an unchecked powerful executive and their fears were right on target. Our Congress has the responsibility of providing that check and balance. Instead a Republican Congress rubber stamped the excesses of President Bush and President Bush rubber stamped the excesses of a Republican Congress. Pete Hoekstra's failure to do his duty to his country has left American weaker. Americans deserve better.
How could Pete and his Republican friends get us into so much debt so fast. One way was that Pete made sure the millionaires got big tax breaks. We couldn't afford to take care of the millionaires and still balance the budget so the Republicans adopted a credit card mentality. Pete chose to take care of millionaires and leave the bill for our kids.
How could Pete and his friends take us so much deeper into debt so fast? Pete supported President Bush's mismanaged efforts in the war with Iraq. Prewar intelligence was bungled. Pete chaired the House Intelligence Committee. President Bush's arrogant go-it-alone policy sacrificed the opportunity for military and financial support from the rest of the world. Now we dump billions and billions into a war that has been so mismanaged that it may be lost.
What has Pete's irresponsibility cost Americans? We are now so deeply in debt that Republicans say we can't fund 911 Commission recommendations. We are so deeply into debt the Republicans say we can't afford after-school programs or college loans. Republicans say we can't afford health care for all Americans, or even for needy children and their families. Pete Hoekstra's irresponsibility has destroyed the American dream that each generation will make America a better place for the next generation. America deserves better.
The biggest disgrace of Republican fiscal mismanagement is ear marks. Republicans, operating without checks and balances, increased the number and amount of ear marks many many fold. They spent like drunken sailors, in the words of one Republican senator. Ear marks became paybacks to special interests who contributed money to the Republicans. If you didn't join the "pay to play" system the Republicans generally left you out in the cold. "Pay to Play" ear marks supported by Pete Hoekstra and the Republicans were a national disgrace. It was only after Americans demanded more responsible leadersip that a newly elected Democratic Congress brought ear marks under control. Pete Hoekstra failed us. Americans deserve better.
Americans have a chance for someone better in 2008. This year we will see a lively Democratic primary and a real challenge to Hoekstra's reign of irresponsibility. There are 3 candidates at the moment running in the Democratic primary: Scott Killips, Fred Johnson, and Kimon Kotos. They have different views and different strengths. It is time for MI-2 voters to study these candidates carefully. Look at their websites. Talk to them. And then get involved. Pete Hoekstra has failed us. Americans deserve better. Now is the time for change.
I want to encourage a discussion on fiscal responsibility in the federal government. I hope we get comments from voting Americans and from all of our candidates. Yes, I would even like to hear from Pete. Please add your comments.
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