September 22, 2013

Social Security has ZERO to do with the Deficit.

Cuts to SS, using Chained CPIs or any other cuts, using any other kind of deceptive language, will do NOTHING to bring down the Deficit.

Why? Because the SS Fund is not part of the Federal Budget.

And the Government has no right to touch it without the permission of those who own it. None, whatsoever!

SS is a fund OWNED BY those who paid into it during their working years, an INSURANCE fund that provides a safety net for retirees and now for the disabled and orphaned children.

Raiding this Insurance Fund has become a habit of Warmongers and the Wealthy who want to keep THEIR taxes as low as possible.

When they raid the SS Fund they have to provide US Govt Bonds to ensure that what they borrowed will be paid back.

They don't WANT to pay it back! They want to Privatize it and gamble with on Wall St. We know what has happened to Pension Funds when they were placed in the hands of the Wall St. Gamblers.

This must never happen to the SS Fund.

You will hear lies claiming that the fund is 'empty' and needs 'fixing'.

If that is the case, then every creditor of the US Govt holding those bonds, including China, need to worry that those Bonds have no value.

The US Government CAN NOT default on its creditors, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE who are among those creditors, without dire consequences to this country.

As one of those creditors, the SS Fund receives interest on the Bonds it holds every year.

Even during the recission the SS Fund continued to show a surplus.

The Fund has an over 2 Trillion dollar surplus.

The Bonds it holds are backed by the Full Faith and Credit of the US Government.

The Fund is NOT empty, it is owed trillions by the US Government.

Money that is safe so long as the US Govt honors its debt to its Creditors.

You might see some attempts, even here on DU, to use the CBO report to try to create the impression that SS Benefits need to 'cut' in order to help with the DEFICIT.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Because the SS FUND HAS ZERO TO DO WITH THE DEFICIT.

Therefore cutting benefits will have ZERO EFFECT ON THE DEFICIT.

Raise the Cap on SS and focus on creating jobs and the SS Fund will be good for another 100 years.

Anyone saying otherwise has one giant ulterior motive.

Thanks FDR for the Social Safety Nets that have saved the lives of countless numbers of Americans.

NO DEMOCRAT should ever participate in doing anything that would jeopardize those protections for the least among us.

Just thought this needs to be said periodically, even here on DU.

Hands OFF Social Security!

Pay for your wars and your Tax Cuts for the Wealthy with your own money!

September 6, 2013

There Is a Process in Place for Dealing with War Crimes.

It's called 'The Rule of Law'.

We have the mechanisms in place on an International level. We signed on to various agreements with the civilized world on how to deal with accusations of War Crimes.

It works like this:

Once an accusation is made and there is some seemingly credible evidence to back it up Neutral Investigators are sent to the country in question to verify the claims, or not, as the case may be.

IF they determine, after spending sufficient time there, that there is evidence of crimes against the people, they return with that evidence and present it to the International Court.

There is no fear that presenting this evidence publicly will jeopardize anyone's 'National Security eg. So that excuse for NOT being willing to show the world the evidence, is eliminated.

Once there is agreement that in fact there is enough evidence to prove in court that War Crimes have been committed, indictments are handed down. It's hard to imagine that any civilized nation would not be on board to stop a War Criminal after the evidence has been seen and assessed to be true.

The accused then becomes an International Pariah and the accusations alone, WITH PROOF, cause others to fear being too supportive of his/her crimes in the future. Not only will that person be indicted but all those who aid and abet him/her in the commission of the crimes.

Eventually there will be an arrest or several arrests.

It works, without killing any more innocent people or becoming part of the killing generated by the criminals.

Here's an example of a War Criminal who was tried, convicted and sentenced for his crimes at the Hague not so long ago. The first one since WW11.

Isn't it time to begin to repeat this successful method of removing such people from positions of power where they can cause so much harm?

Charles Taylor sentenced to 50 years for war crimes

The brutal dictator didn't look so tough anymore as he was forced to answer for his crimes in a civilized court of law:



Isn't it time to begin to repeat this successful method of removing such people from positions of power where they can cause so much harm?

This seems to be the obvious way to get World support for dealing with War Criminals.

The world is failing to see how a 90 day bombing campaign will not result in even more death and destruction.

The doubts about the evidence CAN be wiped away if that evidence is made available for a thorough investigation.

Also possible if we use the Rule of Law, is the investigation of all the allegations on all sides and if the allegations against the 'rebels' turn out to be true, they too can be held accountable. And anyone who is supporting them with arms and finances will be less likely to do so once they are indicted for war crimes.



Then the International Community can act to begin the same process that put Taylor away for 50 years.

What a concept! And why stop at one War Criminal? Why not rid the world of all War Criminals this way? It certainly would have a lot more support than our current ignoring of war crimes when it suits us.

The Rule of Law!

The preferred method of dealing with crime by civilized nations everywhere.

Why have we abandoned it?