I will promise you this, I'll always say no.

While the junior grade presidential candidates are all bloviating how evil President Obama is, the president is getting things done in spite of a do-nothing-congress. Amidst all the hullabaloo of the primaries President Obama is at work and on the job. And if he isn’t in the Oval Office, the office goes wherever he goes.

But anyway, while the President is writing and proposing policy, the junior presidential want-a-bee’s are hard at work trying to redefine who President Obama is. Or, at least who they wish him to be. Even though he is not what they say. Never mind who the Republican leadership is and the candidates are.

If you can’t come up with reasonable policies or legislation for America, then slam your opponent. Make him or her look bad. A good lie or two helps. I am ashamed to admit it but the Republicans are only good at one thing. Labeling others and distorting the truth. More like ignoring the truth and slandering whomever they revile. They even disparage and pound each other. Mit loves to hammer Newt. Just watch and listen.

But the bottom line for Republican Presidential hopefuls is, they have no promises nor are they willing to make promises. I take that back. They promise to undo everything President Obama work hard for. No willing intent for the greater good. Just buyer beware and the banks and insurance companies want your money. And will be aided by congressional deregulation and fuzzy legislation

Now ask yourself this. Better yet, ask a Republican. Were Republicans the ones who came up with Health care reform? No. Was it Republicans that came up with consumer protection and banking regulation? No. Was it Republicans that brought back the automobile industry from disaster? No. Did congressional Republicans try to protect your drinking water and air quality? No. Was it Republicans who tried to protect all American’s civil rights and human equality? No. Was it Republicans who tried to promote quality education? No. Was it Republicans who want all Americans to earn at least a livable minimum wage? No. Is it the Republicans leadership that support public workers? No.

The Republicans hate public schools. They hate public school teachers. Republicans despise policemen and their unions. Also dislike firemen and their collective bargaining. And the same goes for nurses, social workers, school councilors, the board of education and on and on.

So, if you talk to a man or woman running for public office and they plan to get rid of Obamacare, ask him or her with what will they replace Obamacare with. How will they make health care affordable? What will they do with the millions of families without health care. What will they plan to do to develop alternative energy? How will they bring down the cost of gasoline. With what will they replace coal fire power plants with. Natural gas? Nuclear? Wind, solar, bio fuels or what?

What will happen is, you will get that silly smirk and a look of “are you kidding me?” Republicans don’t do that kind of stuff. We have no policies. No reforming legislation. Just criticism for the President. They hate the President. They think he’s a failure and America is going to hell in a hand basket. Oh, sure. Just look around.

Therefore, all the Republicans wants, is the President’s job. Nothing else. No progressive policies or helpful legislation for America. No health care. No clean air. No jobs. Temporary work on a pipeline is not a job or career.

All the Republicans can say, “Just give me the Whitehouse. I deserve it.” Oh? Really?

I like what you're doing but narrow your focus

I kind of see what the point is to the Occupy Wall Street movement is about. Although they need to narrow their focus and hammer on one or two things. It would give them a more defined and pointed attack.

However, I agree with the general movement. Too much concentration of money in so few hands. Hands that might be a bit corrupt and greedy. I don’t trust anybody who makes their own rules and just makes money from money and leaves little benefit to the general American population. Sort of like Wall Street “Payday” lenders. Creepy and nasty.

I would suggest the OWS movement to concentrate on getting congress to confirm the director to the Consumer Protection Agency. Lobby the House of Representatives to get that done. Consumers could surely use more protection from the maniacal banks and brokers. Either confirm a director or get rid of the local US Rep who keeps voting NO.

Next, press for taxing the rich and large corporations. Eliminating loopholes and corporate subsidies. Make them pay for their greed. However, I would change the tax laws for corporations and the extreme rich. Lowering the tax from 35 percent to 25 percent with no exceptions, deductions, tax credits, subsidies or any tax holidays. Just a flat rate. I would also tax capital gains by the same rate. This would make tax laws fairer for all.

Anyway, this is what I would concentrate on if I were part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. I wish you guys well. Good luck.

Who are the job killers? Americans out of work. That's who.

When Republicans talk about killing jobs, they are speaking of jobs of little substance. Jobs that pay a marginal amount and short lived. Jobs without benefits. Many jobs that pay minimum wage and only attractive to undocumented workers. All in all jobs no trained or skilled worker would desire. And you can bet your life these jobs would not be alluring to the defenders of such jobs. No self-respecting congressman would ever think of taking such jobs. Oh? Why not?

Americans out of work are looking for steady career jobs. Jobs with health and retirement benefit. Jobs that would require training and skill. Jobs with longevity. Jobs that will carry them through to a reasonable retirement. Jobs that will build a strong middle class. However, those kind of jobs have been sent away. Far away to China, India, Mexico, and other so-called “Off-shore” places. And who sent them there? The same folks who are yammering about killing jobs. Our friendly Republican congressmen and women. Aided with the help of our friendly US Chamber of Commerce. Yes. Are you surprised?

So instead of long-term jobs with long-term benefits, our skilled and willing work force is served up with long-term unemployment. Nonetheless, this is the reward they receive. Pink slips. Termination due to jobs moved off shore. Go flip burgers. Good luck buddy. Have a nice day.

“Job Killer” is just an empty slogan just to distract all of us from the real point. Mostly regulation and rules. Regulations that protect Americans from unnecessary hazardous work. Regulations that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink. Regulations that protect us from bank and loan fraud. Job Killer is just a hollow GOP war cry in order to take back control of the Whitehouse and all of congress. In turn, American workers get meaningless low paying jobs. Mining coal. Building pipelines. Jobs on land and sea oil rigs. All short term contract work. Usually hard and dirty work and with no thanks. Just let go with no unemployment benefit at the end.

Americans didn’t struggle and finish colledg just to serve the interests of Big Oil and Coal owners and their shareholders. That would be the opposet of the American Dream. Quite the reverse for sure. Americans struggled and got training to build America up. Not let it down. American want long term well paying careers. Workers loyal to a company that is loyal to American workers. God bless American workers. God bless America.

Red Dirt Podcast 011, Killing jobs or each other 6:55

Goodbye Mr. Banker. Goodbye Mr. Wall Street. Can't afford the risk. I'll go it alone.

We are now in an era what I call a “Stow it under your mattress” economy.  Many folks who were burned by the past recession and who lost significant amounts of money in the stock market, funds, and annuities are now putting their cash in low interest CD’s or under their mattress.  Both grow about the same.  I wouldn’t be surprised if some mattress maker sell a box spring and mattress with a vault inside.  Now, if they could only put an ATM in there as well.

But my point is a huge amount of personal money is away from investments and Wall Street.  Away from risk.  Hidden and safe.  However, not growing.  And I’m sure that’s the way the smaller investor wants it to be.  Money holders more in control of his or her own money.

Therefore, Wall Street and banking is finding this “tight to the vest” approach as the new normal.  And most likely will be this way for years to come.  Less spend and investing and more sitting tight on personal money.  “Got burnt in 2007.”

I too recently have cashed out some funds and place it in a credit union CD account.  Just feel better about that.  I no longer trust Wall Street and big banks.  After what others and I have witnessed in the past couple of years I certainly feel I can manage my money better than the typical money managers.  Surmising that the big money people really had no interest in the safety of my investment.  But only interested in making money off my money.  Keeping the rewards to themselves while others and I suffer the losses.  But I was told over and over to stay in the market for the long run and most likely my money might grow again.  Yeah sure.  While my money sits long term in some mismanaged fund, day traders and in and out traders are using my money as leverage to spike the market, take a profit, and bale out.  Leaving me holding an empty moneybag. 

Nope.  “No thank you any more!  I’ll manage my own money.”

To the Tulsa World Editor

Letter to our local editor

Sunday, August 14, 2011, 1:58:15 PM | Chuck Ayers

Letter to the Editor: A king of denial. Katherine Horton, Tulsa. Sen. James M. Inhofe’s denial of climate change and his contempt for climate scientists and environmentalists are nothing but collusive trickery to promote his agenda of protecting the oil and gas industry. We are already witnessing overwhelming evidence of global climate change: drought (especially here in the Southern Plains, where our farmers are struggling), record heat and cold, rising ocean levels and temperatures, accelerating polar ice melt, upward shift of plant and animal ranges, changes in growing seasons, and extreme weather events. The parallel rise of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and the Earth’s temperature throughout recorded history cannot be denied. Inhofe’s vision is not only myopic, but incredibly disingenuous. His statement that the notion of global warming is “the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people” is a cynical ruse meant to indoctrinate and distort the overwhelming scientific evidence. To ignore and ridicule this evidence is nothing short of extreme and willful negligence by someone who was elected to protect the health and welfare of his constituents, not the bottom line of his corporate benefactors. If he were simply a science skeptic, would he be making every effort to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air and Water Acts? Self-serving politics and corporate protection are not what we need. We need leaders with a far-reaching perspective and a true respect for life. For Inhofe to willfully deny reality is not only folly, but a dereliction of duty.