"Stimulus" Perspective

My Email to My Senators

Please contact Senators Murray and Cantwell to express your opinion on the proposed multi-hundred billion "stimulus" package.

I wrote them tonight:

Dear Senator,

I'm writing to express concern for the huge stimulus bill you will be considering shortly.

Please work to ensure that the bill is as efficient and small as possible. Please don't allow project that won't help the economy recover, such as birth control or funding of ACORN.

Please ensure that a lot of the money goes to energy and infrastructure projects- things that can help America's economy become more efficient and reliable.

I just read an article titled "US-EU trade war looms as Barack Obama bill urges 'Buy American' The prospect of a trade war between the US and Europe is looming after "Buy American" provisions were added to President Barack Obama's $820 billion (£573 billion) stimulus package." in the British paper the Telegraph.

While I'm not an historian, I understand trade wars were partially responsible for the Great Depression, and it seems prudent to avoid the path of a new trade war.

Thank you for your SERVICE to the PEOPLE of the great State of Washington.

Sincerely,
Greg Moon

$819,000,000,000.00

The house just approved a $819 some BILLION financial "Stimulus" today. The Senate can block it (but probably won't) but they may cut some of the worst of it.

A friend reminded me of this very appropriate quote from one of the founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, who also happened to be a genius:

"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic. "

I'm not thinking that the United States will collapse at any time now, but if this bill passes, we are on the road to Lord-knows-what, but possibly a European style democratic socialism. That would be a stake in the heart of the worlds largest and most dynamic economy. Europe, while not poverty stricken, survives with an unemployment rate

I've heard a lot of analysts saying that a big portion of this money won't become available until well over a year from now, and the recession should be (fingers crossed) over by then.

This is pork-barrel politics at it's worst. A lot of this money will go to trivial things, and the bill is not really designed to "stimulate" the economy. It is political money going to those who are politically connected. If you don't think Acorn is politically biased, watch this, and read this.

I seem to remember a lot of gnashing of teeth and ripping of garments over the cost of the Iraq war (less than $600 Billion, spent over a six year period). We're preparing to spend $819 billion in the flash of an eye. Where are those people now?

Working In Downtown Seattle

Well, my contract with the City of Seattle will be up soon, on February 13th.

I will miss downtown, I usually enjoy my bus ride, which gives me a chance to get a big chunk of reading done everyday. There are a lot of great places to go for lunch. An Indian/Pakistani place, Café Zum Zum, is my favorite. I've run into a few old friends downtown, and sometimes go to lunch with a friend who works nearby.

I work in the Seattle Municipal Tower, the building in the middle.

Greg On TV!

I was interviewed for a news story today on the local news, KOMO channel 4!

Screen shot:


See the whole fabulous interview!

I'm so proud... I think I came across just a little smarter than President Bush : )

Banned From Little Green Footballs!

Pardon the following rant. I just want to get this on the internet in case folks have had a similar experience on the web.

I love to surf news sites and political blogs. I enjoy the perspective and analysis, and the back-and-forth of posting with other folks around the country.

One of the blogs I've enjoyed a lot for the last few years is Little Green Footballs, created and maintained by Charles Johnson.

I hadn't posted there in quite awhile, when I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in on his "The 2008 Weblog Awards" post. I said (You can read it all if you were so inclined) something to the effect of "I love this site, but I think Charles focuses a little too much on the Creationism/Intelligent Design issue." After that, all bets were off! I was, for lack of a better word, "blog-swarmed". The LGF minions "attacked" me, using profanity and referring to me as a "troll" (Which, in the blog commenting world, is a great insult!). It was late, and there was nothing I could say to ease their anger, so I signed off shortly thereafter.

The next day I went to see what else had gone on, and another poster with the screen name "Motorcycleboy" had written a sharp, but not over-the-top (in my view) parody of LGF's position on the Creationism/Intelligent Design. Once I saw that, I posted that it was funny and accurate (I wanted to defend him, since he had defended me the previous evening). Well, I should have looked at the posts that came just after... Charles banned "Motorcycleboy". Then I thought to myself, "Wow, I bet I was banned too".

Turns out I was:



A few of things, here.
1) I have almost the identical position on the issue as LGF (Which is, don't teach creationism/Intelligent Design in public school science classes). I'm simply not as adamant about the issue as they are. I'd dare say they are fanatical about that issue.

2) Perhaps it was because I was posting at night that I seemed to get the crazies, but I got a very cult-like vibe of "Tow the line, or be cast out!". Charles has a bit of a cult of personality thing going over there (whether he meant to create one or not is another question). That is never healthy, in my view- whether it be worship of a celebrity, politician or anyone else.

3) Charles Johnson is famous, and has appeared on national broadcasts. When you get to that level, don't you need to be willing to engage, and take a little hit now and then? Is his skin really so thin he'd ban someone for saying a parody of him was funny? Well, I know the answer to that last one.

Crazy December/Wonderful Holidays/Happy New Year 2009

Happy New Year to all my family & friends!

Most of you live in the Seattle area, so you know about the week of snow we recently lived here! We had 2 big snow events on Dec 20th and 21st.

Greg & Niece at Stepsister Mary's House

I measured 9" at my home in North Seattle. For Seattle, that's pretty significant. And it was cold for a whole week, which is very rare around here and the snow was everywhere for 7 days. I was pretty fortunate, I was able to get around by bus to work and by car to do little errands around my part of town. I did miss work one day of work on Monday December 22nd, after a valiant 2-hour adventure trying to get downtown for work. I did catch a bus, but the chains snapped, so we all had to get off the bus. I then journeyed to a busier arterial and waited and waited for a bus for 40 minutes, but none came. I started marching home, and did see a bus, but it was so full, it just roared by. I threw in the towel, and went home for the day.

The holidays were wonderful as usual. The Christmas Eve event was held at my Dad's as is traditional. My step mom made her usual wonderful meal of breads, cheeses, meats, and cookies. The folks,


The snow was beautiful, if inconvenient

My stepbrothers John & Peter, Brother Scott and Family, John's wife Kelli and two of her friends, the folks' neighbor Sanjay, and my buddy Andy were all there. Afterwards, we all went to the Buckaroo Tavern, which is also traditional (yeah, really!). We had beers and played pool : )

On Christmas day, a big chunk of the family met at the folks again for the wonderful Christmas breakfast my Step mom Elizabeth makes each year. I went home, chilled, wrapped presents, then drove to Stepsister Mary's beautiful home in Edmonds where the whole family met for the main Christmas gathering, complete with a wonderful dinner.

New Year's eve was pretty mellow. I met my friends Andy and Kim for a pretty good Chinese dinner at Moon Temple in Wallingford, then Andy & I hit the local May Thai restaurant for a couple drinks to ring in the New Year. I was home and asleep by 1:00 AM.

Wishing you all a wonderful, peaceful and prosperous 2009!