The proto-fascist-communist-socialist, Bernie Sanders had a huge article in the Views section of our local, liberal rag The Centre Daily Times today.  Bernie is the Senator from Vermont—a Northeastern state very near Canada.  The title of the article was “Deficit reduction requires shared sacrifice,” but what it really espoused was soaking the rich and corporate to “reduce” the burden on the poor and middle class—-who, according to Bernie—are facing the loss of Medicare, education, unions, livelihood and oxygen.  “Red” Sanders suggested three ways in which the rich and corporate might pitch in:

1. By getting rid of the Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy
2. By closing corporate loopholes, and
3. By reducing the budget of the Pentagon—now fighting three unbudgeted wars.

Smokey and I shuddered to read the ideas spelled out by Sanders, but I must report that the more we thought about it, the more they began to make good sense.  What is wrong with taxing the rich and corporate and ending even two wars (it appears that you have to have at least one unfunded war—boys will be boys)?

To find out what we were missing, Smokey Diamond visited Millard Needsmore—spokesperson for Eye of A Needle, Inc.

At Stevieslaw, we realize that we are the only blog in the nation that has not done a piece about Newt Gingrich over the past week or so.  This is either a reflection of our deep respect for the Newter or our incredible laziness (please choose one).  Now, Smokey Diamond has run down the rest of the story.

We have learned that not only has Newt apologized to Paul Ryan for calling his Medicare plan “right-wing social engineering” and explained that he would have voted for it had he been in Congress, but the Newt will also tout (or toot for you poets) the plan around the nation as he campaigns for the Presidency.  His conversion, as Gingy explained to Smokey, was a result of his deeper understanding of the Ryan plan.  “This plan will only adversely affect seniors and people who ever expect to become seniors,” Newts told Smokey—“not everyone.” “Most of all, it will have a positive influence on the country’s millionaires and multi-millionaires who will not be asked to help pay for your healthcare.”  “Remember,” he said, “Millionaires must be protected if we are ever to offer a single new job in this country again.”

Newty continued, “I have promised Paul that I am through with the kind of knee-jerk reactions, based on common sense, which got me in trouble in the first place.”  “I am a

We, in Pennsylvania, haven’t heard much from super-candidate Rick Santorum lately. And here at Stevieslaw, we’ve yet to meet anyone who claims to miss him.  Every six months or so, the national media reports on a statement or two from the Taliban that commends Santorum on his women’s rights policies, but other than that we’ve had nothing.

Now the Daily Beast reports Santorum told conservative radio host, Hugh Hewitt, that Santorum’s former colleague John McCain does not understand enhanced interrogation. This is a bit strange as McCain is a decorated war hero and prisoner of war who survived “enhanced interrogation” from the N.

This is our one hundredth post since November 2010.  There are so many people to thank.   The oil executives, who feel that without some billions in government aid they can no longer go on drilling: The pharmaceutical companies, who have made record profits this year, because people have delayed medical treatment in the poor economy: The major corporations, that pay no tax on their profits.  Many thanks to the polluters, the arms manufacturers, the war mongers and all the little people—Tom Corbett, Scott Walker, Rick Scott and others, who have turned the cutting of social services for the neediest into an entertainment.  To Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and others who think that saying something twice makes it true.  And, to all who feel that taxation, of even the very rich, is the great Satan and that promoting the common good is missing a “for me.” 

Phil Ochs wrote “There but for Fortune” in 1963.  For me, it has always been better than a month of Sundays.  For all the talk of inspiration and perspiration as the road to “success,” there is much to be said for a long and strong run of good luck.

There But For Fortune.

Show me a prison, show me a jail,

Show me a prisoner whose face has gone pale

And I’ll show you a young man with so many reasons why<