Federal Review Dot Com

Costs Too Much
I have no problem with the idea of permitting people to invest some portion of their Social Security funds in the markets. I'd invest some of mine, all things being equal. Its the costs I object to. Given Bush's comments about controlling our debt to support the "strong dollar" policy (that he tacitly rebukes by his drunken sailor spending habits coupled with tax cutting fanaticism), how can he justify the trillions it may take over a decade to make this change in the pain-free manner he suggests? Answer: there really is no pain-free. We'd all pay the costs of borrowing to let those of us who wish to invest our Social Security $ in equities. Why not put some real "accountability" on the table? Not in the fictional Rumsfeldian-Abu-Graib sense. I mean real accountability. If you invest, you accept the risk of real benefit reduction. And you pay the costs of administering the investments. Never happen. Listen to what some republicans had to say about the idea that is "up there" on the W. agenda:

"Anybody who thinks borrowing money for the transition to personal accounts is going to solve the problem of the long-term solvency of Social Security doesn't understand the size of the problem," said Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the retirement system. Mr. Grassley said Congress would also have to put benefit reductions and tax increases on the table, in part to hold down the need for borrowing and in part to assure that any changes restore Social Security's long-term financial stability.
Representative Jim Kolbe, Republican of Arizona, said the government could probably keep new borrowing to $800 billion over 10 years, but only if Congress and the administration are willing to back tax increases and benefit cuts as part of a broad overhaul of the retirement system. "People do not understand that tough choices need to be made," Mr. Kolbe said.

Never mind that this proposal does nothing in and of itself to increase savings. It simply holds out the hope of higher net returns after the cost of borrowing. This is no solution and should not be undertaken until or unless the voters (that US, folks) are willing to accept a tax increase or user fees to fund it, and/or the reduction of benefits based on risk or means testing or whatever formula PAYS for it. Scream all you like about fairness of this or that proposal.................just show me the money that pays for this and we can do it. Turns out the only way to get this money is borrow and have us all pay or suggest tax increases or benefit cuts (read: pain in the here and now - accountability.)

Why is it that we can suggest opening up the entire population, via increased debt, to the costs of some of us investing without risk is o.k....... while suggesting the entire population have universal health care is taboo because the costs might be spread unevenly? You can hear the Republican machine beating the "class warfare" drum beating already, can't you?

Not Encouraging
Consider the source. This is not Krugman, Dionne or (fill in the name of your least favorite liberal columnist here). This is the Defense Science Board. All W's protestations of progress against the backdrop of continued violence, the calls for delay of the election in Iraq, and the sadly mishandled post-war planning and execution are further evidence of his willing blindness or innate delusionary tendencies - I don't know which.

I'd like to temper the criticism of the "execution" of the post-war situation because much of it was a fait d'acompli (pardon my French, "Feedom Fries" eaters). The fine men and women of our armed forces are doing an incredible job despite the terrible pre-war decisions made in DC.

Had W. decided to follow the Powell doctrine of overwhelming force (reflected in by Shinseki's initial troop estimates) instead of trying to get a "two-fer" - (1) the neo-con vision of the U.S. as democracy messiah for the mid-east, and (2) the hope of "demonstrating" the Rumsfeld vision of "transformation" of the military forces by skimping on troops and relying on technology and speed, much of the "execution" would likely have gone much better. The initial stages of the aftermath gave the insurgent terrorists the momentum and encouragement. These status of these "visions" he sought remains an open question.

Even if Iraq remains one country - its really at least three - and elects a government accepted by a majority of Iraqis, it still may be a theocracy that is hostile to U.S. interests. If that's so, how was this worth over a thousand US military lives and hundreds of US billion$?

When did "conservatives" become such bleeding hearts, touting their ability to free the world of dictators? I thought conservatives recognized that the US military exists to serve US interests in a strict interpretationists' sense. Silly me. They must be planning to go free most of Africa, not to mention ridding the world of Kim Jong-Il. Wouldn't THAT be a great idea? NO........ Obviously we don't have the troops (or stomach in the sense of political will) for that. Only for wars of convenience and against far lesser foes.

W. sought to avoid his father's problem with the "vision thing". Vision without substantiation is hallucination. Where this ends up remains to be seen, but clearly it didn't have to happen this way. We could have waited out the dying regime - if the intel had not been pumped up on WMD. And even if the decision to go to war was irreversible, we could have done it (the democracy messiah thing) better by not trying to do it on the cheap. That is, if it turns out to be do-able at all. Open question.

Who's Your Daddy, 'Hoo?
Nothing federal about this review, sports fans. VA Tech, picked by some to finish 6th in the ACC now has its shot at the ACC title, albeit against Miami on the road. That these two teams are playing for the title is testament to the wisdom of bringing them into the league
(from a football perspective, that is). Despite being slammed in the mid-season by critics like the Stinging Nettle (who also took the occasion to slam Miami's football prowess this season), the Hokies showed the sort of team they were today. After UVA established a first and goal they came up with only three points. When they answered Tech;s scores and tied it at ten, the Hokies answered with a 14-point run. When faced with a chance to run up the score at the end to impress cynical pollsters who credit naught for sportsmanship, Frank Beamer declined and simply ran out the clock. Class: you can't buy it.

And kudos to Al Groh for what he's done with that program in Charlottesville. Aside from bringing first-rate college football back to UVA, Groh is a role-model college coach and you won't see any of his players acting like they are from S.C. (with apologies to Lou Holtz, who was appropriately disappointed in his players conduct last week as they impersonated the Pacers and a few fans of the Pistons). Groh has established a great defense and an almost pro-level offensive line. The 'Hoos should do what it takes to keep him because he keeps in close touch with the goings-on in the NFL and may still have a pro stint in him.

VA Tech's Bryan Randall held it together for Tech in their 24-10 triumph over UVA today. Randall is a class act as well as being the number one or two career QB at Tech in most categories (sure, if Michael Vick had played 3 or 4 years..... ) Randall survived injuries, being benched for Marcus (the thug) Vick on national TV, and his own mistakes in the early years. Randall, a graduate student playing in his last home game, showed his colors as a leader today as he was the first player off the bench to congratulate the defense after they held UVA to three despite a 1st and goal. He was the one who ran up to calm a Tech lineman who got miffed at a late elbow from a defensive lineman. Michael Vick will always be the most famous Tech QB, but Randall will be loved in the 'burg for years to come, no matter what happens next week or in his football future. Thanks, Randall for the demonstration of how is should be done - on and off the field.

And finally, VA Tech has changed the ACC lexicon as it applies to football. "Tech" refers to a team from the mountains for Virginia, not an Atlanta school. In basketball, "Tech" still makes reference to a GA team, however.

AN ASS BY ANY OTHER NAME
Last week, Oliver Willis came up with the idea of treating the Democratic Party like any other product in need of marketing help and came up with the idea of Brand Democrat. And he came up with some spiffy, pithy copy and logos. And as a good capitalist, he's selling his Brand Democrat merchandise. You can see some of what he came up with here. Many are impressive and quite good. It's an idea that could actually help.

But, then there comes a response, calling itself Rebrand Democrat. Now these are funny. Some hits and misses just like on the pro-Dem side, but anyone with a sense of humor should enjoy these.

Thanks to Stinging-Nettle and Marblehead17 for the heads up on each.

Now, where are the pro and anti-elephant ones?

WE NEED AN INVESTIGATION
Continuing the lighthearted theme that has taken hold here since the election, I've noticed a strange compulsion toward violence in certain public endeavors. First there were all those break-ins and rock throwings preceding the election. Now, there's the Pistons/Pacers brawl in Detroit, which you can see running 24/7 on the the Malice in the Palace Channel (aka, ESPN). Then the Tigers decided to find out if they could really lick the 'cocks in Death Valley - andnot just by running up the score. Then U.S. Secret Service and the President himself had to mix it up with their Chilean counterparts this weekend. And some nut gets into a scuffle at the unveiling of the new Washington Nationals - well, according to Drudge, but that story has been erased from Drudge history (odd).

We all know why this is happening. Did we learn nothing from that incident when the Klingons and crew of the Enterprise went at it - with swords, even - because some amorphous alien entity fed on their anger and hatred? Come on, we need to get the NASA boys in on this. We need congressional investigations. It's mind rays, I tell you. Where's my aluminum foil?