Irony of the week

Very conservative Tea Partiers harboring extreme distrust in the government have heeded the "advice" of conservative congresspersons, and media persons and are not returning census forms. This of course will undercount districts where there are higher densities of these people. Potentially leading to a loss in representation to those states.

If they think the government does not listen to them now, how much "better" will it listen if their districts are reapportioned, and merged with another? It's almost a self-fulfilling prophesy. The government does not listen - they lose a congressional seat, and their voice is merged with the district next to them. Less representation - fewer like minded votes.

We can argue about the rightful role of government. One thing that is certain is that Congress is given the duty in the Constitution to conduct a census. If you're not counted because you "protest" governments role by not participating in a role that is in arguably a government responsibility, then what can you really hope to gain?

Google Gets in Bed with Verizon

What is most important is net neutrality in all of this I think. Fact of the matter is that much of the infrastructure for telecom is heavily subsidized, and those networks are a public trust (much like broadcasting rights) As such the big telecoms really need to commit to net neutrality. For all the bluster they make about "their pipes" (jargon - not stupidity) being their pipes - as they have been subsidized they're just as much our pipes.



Additionally, comparing broadband access here, and in Europe where population densities are higher is apples to oranges, and the FCC plan is correct in that greater investment in infrastructure construction into lower population densities will be needed as it is just not profitable enough. The gov't investment is needed to support it's growth.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why are we angrier about health care than the financial meltdown?

I am baffled as to why we are angrier about health care reform (regardless of which side you are on) than we are about the financial meltdown on 2008.

Basically the worst financial meltdown has brought us the worst economy since the 1930s. The causes of it are known, but the degree to which the misconduct has been investigated, and specific legal cases are not part of the news. I would think it would be were it happening. For that reason I'm inclined to think it's not happening.

Bankers are still leveraged, and the toxic assets that were the rot in the system (so we were told) are still in the system. Some reports tell us that there are more foreclosures coming, and more defaults are expected.

Well, hopefully this is the beginning. I doubt it, but I hope so. We need more Dylan Ratigans in the media.

I posted this MSNBC video of Mr. Ratigan's show - which I could not find on msnbc.com, but have here from Huffington Post.