Bank Might Have Used Bail-Out Funds For Pre-Election Political Conference

Another very disappointing story has emerged where Bank Of America apparently hosted a corporate pre-election, Oct 17, 2008 political conference on how to engage in political activity such as fighting the Employee Free Choice Act only three days after receiving $25 billion in federal bail-out funds.

The story is yet another disappointing example of a major banking institution possibly abusing the intent of the $700 billion federal bank bail-out. All funds should have been directly used to help to extend credit or loans or to pay for critical operating costs, not to fly executives around the country for some purely partisan and political conferences about proposed legislation dealing with labor unions which isn't even law or how to elect more Republican senators in 2010.

The conference paid for by Bank Of America included speakers such as millionaire corporate antilabor union lobbyist, Rick Berman, laying out post-2008 election plans and political strategy for the 2010 elections hoping to frighten potential senate candidates who oppose his antiunion agenda. Also included was a hysterical message by former Home Depot CEO Bernie Marcus who claimed that those senator who don't support an antilabor union agenda, "should be shot, should be thrown out of their(expletive) jobs".

If anything, the conference hosted by Bank Of America was largely just a partisan Republican and antilabor union political event, possibly even funded by the taxpayer's $25 billion dollars in federal bailout funds.

What is also shocking about this Bank Of America conference is that Bank Of America manages the credit cards for a progressive umbrella organization, Working Assets, in which card users generate donations for a wide range of progressive organizations each time they use this credit card. Apparently the politics at the corporate offices of Bank Of America are far out of sync with some of the credit cards that they manage.

Economic Stimulus Bill Targets Tangible Job Creation Projects

The proposed economic stimulus bill has many proposals that would create real tangible results as well as jobs. Motorists would witness new highway construction putting many thousands of idled construction workers back to work. Crumbling Veterans Administration hospitals would receive vital repairs as well as modernization. Veterans cemeteries would witness improved upkeep and maintenance.

In addition, new mass transit projects would be built around the country, providing many jobs as well as reducing urban traffic congestion problems such as pollution or lack of parking spaces. The nation's electrical grid could be modernized where some dirty burning coal fired electrical-generation plants could be retired in favor of some cleaner and better controlled new generation of nuclear power plants or other energy producing alternatives.

Local governments, of which at least 88% are in serious "red" ink problems, would get a portion of grants from a $40 billion dollar fund to prevent job layoffs and to keep vital city workers such as firemen or police on the job.

Some states like California or others with serious fire management safety problems would receive some funds to hire workers to clean up dangers that can result in fires that have the potential for great property damage or loss of life.

Local neighborhood elementary and secondary schools would witness an influx of new federal funds to renovate older buildings and to modernize so that the children can be trained to hold the jobs of the future. Some local school districts in large cities may receive around $20 million in actual grants to repair or upgrade crumbling schools, providing many local construction jobs.

In addition, workers will see a $500 withholding tax credit. And workers too poor to receive this credit will witness the $500 as a direct subsidy that they can spend on any of their family needs as they see fit.

Unemployed workers will also receive a $25 a week benefits increase as well as an extension of benefits while the Obama Administration and congress make any attempts to improve the economy and reduce the staggering recent unemployment numbers.

Blind and disabled persons would receive a special one-time "13th" month Social Security Supplemental Income Assistance check to spend as they wish to pay their living expenses or their bills.

In the Pacific Northwest, the Bonneville Power Administration which provides electricity to Oregon and Washington, and sometimes sells to neighboring states like California, would witness a $3.25 grant to build nine new electrical power generation projects that could not built without this funding. Oregon alone is expected to gain 1,000 construction jobs just as a result of this one program.

Many Republicans in congress no doubt want to see "trickle-down" tax cuts to big business as their one-note solution to the economy crisis. But past tax cuts during the Bush Administration failed to keep the American economy from slipping into this deep recession. The fact of the matter is that real construction projects at Veterans Administration hospitals, highway and school projects will provide an estimated 3 million jobs, and leave some real tangible results behind.

The price tag on the economic stimulus bill may be high. But it will actually provide real results such as improved, cleaner and more modern electrical service. Such improvements to the nation's electrical grid may be vital to the development of some extreme hybrid automobiles that can run up to 40 miles on electricity without using a single drop of gas.

On closer examination of this economic stimulus bill, it is actually providing a great deal of bang for the buck. The $700 billion Bush bail-out of the banks actually provided few new loans to buy homes or cars as it should have, and the taxpayer would be hard pressed to see any real tangible improvements as a result of that huge bail-out. But this bill is far different. It creates real jobs and funds real projects that should improve the lives of any American who uses schools, highways, veterans hospitals, or numerous other government services.

Some seek to demonize or misrepresent this bill by searching for some small provision that funds a strange little project somewhere. And certainly a few pet projects have slipped into this bill. But overall, the lion's share of this bill closely targets funding to real projects that have a high infrastructure worth to the quality of life in America. Certainly this bill is by no means a perfect bill. But it's certainly a far better bill than the $700 bank bail-out proposed by Bush which had far too few strings attached to require a wiser use of these taxpayer funds by the banks receiving this aid. With a few nips and tucks here and there, this economic stimulus bill deserves to pass the senate and congress and to start improving the nation's infrastructure and provide up to 3 million jobs.

First Amendment Law Website Supports My Opposition To Eric Holder

A website run by a talented group of First Amendment lawyers and other intellectual property professionals, The Legal Satyricon, which is headed by attorney Marc J. Randassa, who serves as both a First Amendment lawyer as well a professor of law at Barry University liked a past Wizbang post that I recently wrote that was highly critical about the awful free speech past of recently confirmed Attorney General candidate, Eric Holder. This law website essentially agreed with my position which was highly critical of Holder for confusing the role of religion with the role of government as it applies to the Justice Department. It was very heartening to see such a talented group of lawyers and other professionals find one of the features posted in Progressive Values and Wizbang Blue to be worthy of quoting in part. I certainly appreciate this endorsement for the quality of Progressive Values and Wizbang Blue.

I'd strongly recommend that anyone interested in First Amendment law issues add The Legal Satyricon to their list of favorites for easy reference. This site features excellent discussions on a wide range of legal issues dealing with the First Amendment, intellectual property and trademark law issues. And the team of writers skills range from law professors to software developers. This is a fine group of some of America's brightest legal minds in the areas of modern law as it applies to the Internet.

A few days ago a procensorship post by one writer over at Wizbang immediately drew some responses and discussion from me. I felt compelled to defend freedom of expression and the First Amendment as any good civil liberties warrior should. But it is certainly heartening to see a group of First Amendment lawyers use a fine website like The Legal Satyricon to further the defense of civil liberties and free expression and help to keep religion or other elements from dictating how the laws of the nation are enforced in regards to free expression.

The strict reading of the wording of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution's Bill Of Rights makes it absolutely clear that the founding fathers had no intent whatsoever that some should use religion or other personal beliefs to jail other persons because of something they write or produce, that offends their own personal religious beliefs or moral tastes. The government was never intended to be the "good taste" police by the founding fathers. All American obscenity laws are clearly unconstitutional and should be struck down as such.

In 1840, A Massachusetts book dealer who offered for sale a copy of the racy European novel, FANNY HILL, became the first known case in the United States of someone arrested for selling an alleged "obscene" novel. This book dealer was essentially arrested and jailed without a formal charge because there was no such law against obscenity in Massachusetts at the time. It was one full year later that the state legislature of Massachusetts actually wrote a law to justify this arrest.

Arrests like that without a formal charge are just some of the many outrageous examples of actions by those who abuse government powers to promote their religious views. And unfortunately the First Amendment views of new Attorney General Eric Holder are not too much better than this. He deserves a careful oversight by anyone who supports the First Amendment. When he is wrong, then we need to speak out and say so.

The Internet and legal issues dealing with free expression will no doubt sometimes involve the Justice Department under Eric Holder. Hopefully, Mr. Holder will understand the worldwide nature of the Internet and respect that this giant communication medium cannot be subjected to a patchwork of local community standards laws dealing with legal limitations on freedom of expression.

Repertoire Records Reissues Classic Rock Albums With Great Success

Hamburg, Germany's Repertoire Records is quickly gaining a worldwide reputation among record collectors for their quality remastered Cd's of classic rock and other speciality music that would normally be long out of print or unavailable in many cases. Some of the albums, like Canned Heat's 1970 album, FUTURE BLUES, pictured here are great counterculture gem classics.

The controversial cover of the FUTURE BLUES album also made a strong counterculture protest statement as well by using a flag distress signal in space. It was a clever protest message that no doubt horrified some Nixonites at the time. The cover as well as the music pretty well represented the political nature of Canned Heat.

The Repertoire version of this classic hippie age blues/rock album not only includes all of the classic tracks such as Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson's cool SKAT and LONDON BLUES, as well as Bob "The Bear" Hite's great reworking of the old Wilbert Harrison classic, LET'S WORK TOGETHER, but includes bonus mono 45rpm single versions of SKAT and LET'S WORK TOGETHER as well. More cool bonus tracks such as their CHRISTMAS BLUES, or their novelty piece with ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS, THE CHIPMUNK SONG, and their great remake of Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs' WOOLY BULLY are included. Canned Heat were a great skillful counter culture blues/rock act and it's great to see FUTURE BLUES back again, although a French label did reissue the same FUTURE BLUES album a few years back with a few different bonus songs. THE CHIPMUNK SONG is great fun because Bob Hite calls the Chipmunks "mice", and scolds them that this is not "1958, it's 1968". It's real classic 60's hippie culture stuff.

Besides some Canned Heat classics, Repertoire has many other real gems that really stand out. Included in their catalogue is the album CRAZY ELEPHANT that includes both GIMME GIMME GOOD LOVIN' as well as the far less successful followup single SUNSHINE, RED WINE. There are plenty of bonus tracks on this album as well. Crazy Elephant were essentially a one hit act, but had a great aggressive driving powerpop sound.

There is a BEST OF THE 1910 FRUITGUM COMPANY Cd that includes 28 songs, including all of their popular singles. This was once a great fun bubblegum music act. And even more bubble gum is a greatest hits album by The Archies album which includes the big hit SUGAR SUGAR. Maybe this isn't real great music here, but these songs sure seemed like fun at the time to 10-15 year olds in the late 60's.

The catalogue also includes the Dave Edmunds album with I HEAR YOU KNOCKING, and includes both the album as well as 45rpm mixes of this great song that was #1 in the UK for 11 weeks.

There are a number of Alvin Lee solo albums included in the Repertoire catalogue, including the great ROCKET FUEL, which managed to capture much of the Ten Years After sound. There are probably more Alvin Lee titles in the Repertoire catalogue than any other artist, and every album features some of the most skillful guitar work you'll ever hear. ALVIN LEE has always ranked right up there with Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and other guitar supermen.

Other notable acts in the Repertoire catalogue include Roy Wood's Wizzard, CCS, The Zombies, Gary Wright, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, West, Bruce & Laing, Rick Derringer, Vanity Fair, UFO, Frijid Pink and The Troggs. The Troggs were cool because they were sort of like one of the first punk rock acts ever. Their music was raunchy and outrageous and only mellowed out as the group aged. But it was great primitive sounding stuff with highly sexualized lyrics for the time. Their sound was crude and stone-age sounding. Little doubt later raunchy punk rock acts like The Stranglers were somehow influenced by The Troggs. The Stranglers sound also seemed largely like a punk version of The Doors with their heavy lurching keyboard sound and Hugh Cornwell's rough vocal style. Many late 70's punkers were no doubt influenced by the simple and crude style of inspirational acts like The Troggs. The simple and garage oriented sound seemed to influence a musical rebellion from the years of overproduction as groups like The Beatles kept raising the bar with more and more complex recordings.

Some late 60's early 70's acts like Frijid Pink almost pioneered the "heavy metal" sound with their thunderous and loud rendition of HOUSE OF THE RISING SON. These guys really knew how to turn their guitar amps way up. They managed a few singles at the time, and none of them very mellow either.

Roy Wood's Wizzard was also a strange player in the glitter rock scene with his heavily bearded as well overly face painted look. It was strange 70's music for sure.

CCS is an act largely unknown in the states. But they were famous for great instrumental remakes of WHOLE LOTTA LOVE and other classic rock standards back in the 70's.

Johnny Winter was always one the best bluesmen around. SECOND WINTER was originally released as a three sided Lp. It's great to see this classic album again. The searing guitar version of Dylan's HIGHWAY 61 REVISTED is a real blues rock gem.

Spirit was a pretty talented act with some great gems that stand out such as I GOT A LINE ON YOU and MORNING WILL COME. This is good stuff.

What is probably best about Repertoire is that many of the recordings they market may not be the very best albums ever recorded. Yet they are real classics in their own right that deserve new life because they are significant in their own way for the new musical ground that they once broke at the time. This Hamburg record label has become something like the American Rhino Records label, for building up an authoritative catalogue of recordings for people who know music. Tasty stuff indeed. Thanks so much for your contributions to record collecting, Repertoire Records.

Native American Community Will Benefit From Stimulus Bill

There are currently about three million Native Americans living in the United States including a small population of North American Eskimo-Aleut. Some of these Native Americans live on 55.7 million acres of land that is administered by the Bureau Of Indian affairs. And while there are a number of highly successful persons in this community including top scientists, actors or even astronauts, this Native American population still continues to suffer from unacceptably high rates of poverty, health issues as well as a lack of health insurance.

During this current economic downturn, the rates of poverty problems within the Native American community have only worsened. At least 24.3% of Native Americans now live in poverty. And at least 29% of Native Americans may be without health insurance as well. And while a few Native American confederations run some casinos to help to bring in revenues or provide employment to keep this important culture alive, much of the schools, hospitals and other living conditions on Bureau Of Indian Affairs managed land are simply unacceptable.

Generally, speaking the Native American community has witnessed years and years of funding neglect from Washington and has faced woeful underfunding of schools and education as well as health facilities. However, the current economic stimulus bill may help to provide up to $3 billion in badly needed funds to improve a wide range of services for Native Americans. While this may work out to an average expenditure of around $1,000 per Native American, these funds are badly needed to help this important segment of the U.S. population get the education they need to find employment, improve the quality of their schools, and help to reduce some serious health issues that face this community, including higher rates of heart problems and strokes than the general population.

One big problem is that when you hear opponents of this economic stimulus bill attack wasteful spending or seek to prevent the bill from passing, vital financial aid and improvement of the Native American communities in America is just one of the many important aspects of this bill. The fact of the matter is that the Native American community has largely faced poorly funded schools and health services for too many years. And this important aid to the Native American community is an important moral cause for the United States government which at one time caused this Native American community so much death and destruction, poverty and loss of land.

Today, many Americans live in conditions far more acceptable and comfortable than many Native Americans live. And it is an important obligation of the United States government to fund Native American services at some level of equal parity with comparable city schools or health services since it is the federal government that manages the Bureau Of Indian Affairs and not cities with local tax bases. With such a high poverty rate in some Native American communities, it is not possible for a local tax base high enough to fully fund many important services such as funding local fire departments or police.

Part of what is so encouraging about the Obama presidency is that this president is very serious about improving the economic standing, educational opportunities and health care funding for so much of the nation's poor. This is in sharp contrast to the Bush years where some minority populations of the U.S. actually lost much ground to poverty. And the added problems of this serious recession have also placed an additional strain on the health and well being of many in the Native American community.

On my mother's side of my family, there are some of my relatives who come from a South American Indian background. And while these relatives do live well, not all persons of a North or South American Indian background live quite so well. This current portion of the economic stimulus bill carefully targets funding to at least provide some needed aid to keep some North American Native services open and funded. When opponents of this economic stimulus bill tell you that they oppose this bill, this is just part of the important services included in the bill that need continued funding. The Bureau Of Indian Affairs needs continual vital funding to keep schools, hospitals and other services open. It is completely unacceptable for opponents of the economic stimulus bill to attempt to obstruct the continued funding of vital Bureau Of Indian Affairs Services. Vital services need to remain open.

My Call With The Democratic National Committee

I had an important phone call with the Democratic National Committee of which I'm a member late this week, urging them to get President Obama to request a 30 minute prime-time slot on all the major networks to present the details of the economic stimulus bill to the country and to appeal for voter support for the bill. I explained that even a Google search on the topic returns few details about the specifics of the bill, and instead some opponents of the bill, including in the senate and on right wing talk radio and conservative blogs are only defining the bill by presenting a few of the proposals that they oppose.

In the last couple of days, the president has done a better job presenting the dangers to the American economy if the bill is not passed. But he needs to do far more than this. He needs to present a viable case to the public how this bill will actually improve the economy or provide three million claimed jobs, because so far the details are very sketchy.

And a positive sign is that at least moderate Republicans made some objections heard to portions of the bill, and added some provisions that they thought were better and more targeted, and now are likely to vote for the bill.

But the overwhelming fact is that few American really know what provisions and spending proposals are in this bill, and the Obama White House needs to do a better job selling this bill and educating the public what actual goals are contained in the bill.

The Obama Campaign for president was a near flawless operation, and finely run. But so far the first 100 days at this White House have been a little bit bumpy, despite the fact that this president is a very serious and hardworking man who has not even found the time check out any of the perks of Camp David. The same care that went into running his campaign needs to exist to get the economic stimulus bill passed if the stakes are really as high as President Obama claims.

My conversation with the Democratic National Committee was serious. And my comments were seriously taken, where they promised some consideration and action on them.

I played a role getting this president elected because I wanted to see the economy rebound. I certainly hope to see some action where the White House starts to present it's most important proposals with the same seriousness as the campaign to win the office in the first place.

Mr. Obama cannot allow his opponents to define his policies for him. He needs to defend and sell his policies if he intends to make a successful public impression. So far his actions on important legislation for children's health care such as S-Chip have been excellent. However, a success or failure to sell his economic stimulus bill and message, as well as whether the specific proposals will actually work or not will go much farther in defining this presidency.

The success or failure of Mr. Obama to address the serious economic crisis will play a pivotal role in his presidency and help to define whether he becomes a success as president like a Franklin Roosevelt, or a failed presidency like a Jimmy Carter.

Mr. Obama needs to quickly grab onto the grips of his power to present himself as the FDR of this new generation, using some of the great communication skills of a Ronald Reagan to make his case.

Kremlin Embarrassed By ABBA?

Some strange news has leaked from the Kremlin that an ABBA tribute band called BJORN AGAIN which was called at the request of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to perform for him and a small audience of Kremlin dignitaries on January 22. This band which has both the look and sound of the original ABBA group, was put under heavy military guard when they arrived in Russia before their secret Kremlin show.

But strangely, a Kremlin spokesman for Prime Minister Putin is denying that Putin was in the audience for the ABBA tribute show, although he was clearly visible to members of this group in the private small audience of Kremlin dignitaries.

Apparently, Putin might be attempting to keep his embarrassing love for the music of ABBA a state secret. The wall of secrecy surrounding this government only remains it seems, or else maybe Putin is embarrassed about the real lack of macho appeal from songs such as DANCING QUEEN.

Reportedly the leader of BJORN AGAIN, Rod Stephen, actually gave up a job in metallurgical research so that he could spend full time recreating the crappy pop music sound of ABBA. Good career move there, Rod.