Debt ceiling? Screw you, congress!

Most of you have probably forgotten all that went on in 2011 when the right-wingers in Congress pushed the country to the brink concerning raising the debt ceiling versus the country defaulting on its obligations.  That dilemma was resolved at zero hour by enacting the automatic spending cuts (including a huge chunk of defense) to take place in 2013. 

Now, as we face the so called “financial cliff” many right wingers are threating to use the debt ceiling as leverage to get the President to cave on raising the tax rates for the top 2% and protecting social security, Medicare, and other social safety net expenditures.  This brought me to remember something that was in the background in the 2011 go-around:  The President simply bypassing congress and increasing the debt ceiling by invoking the 14th Amendment.  Here is an excerpt from a 2011 article addressing the subject:

Critics of the debt limit cite the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which states: "the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned." (Emphasis ours)

Of course, the Fourteenth Amendment is open to wide, and varying, interpretation and debate. The most basic question here is, does a limit on debt "question" the "validity" of the debt?

Legal scholar Garrett Epps, writing in The Atlantic in April, said that a case could easily made for simply ignoring the congressionally mandated debt limit.

"This provision makes clear that both the monies our nation owes to bondholders, and the sums promised in legislation to those receiving pensions set by law from the federal government, must be paid regardless of the political whims of the current congressional majority," Epps wrote.

In essence, Epps argues that Obama should stand before Congress and say, Tough luck--the Constitution says we can't default. Epps argued that in the event that Congress does not act, Obama should (and could) instruct the Treasury Department to issue "binding debt instruments on the world market sufficient to cover all the current obligations of the United States government, even in default of Congressional action to meet those obligations."

This time around Obama does not have to worry about a second term or low approval ratings.  He was reelected in a landslide and is now sporting very high approval ratings.  Thus, I believe that if the “hair on fire” nuts in the congress want to threaten Obama with a debt ceiling default, he should invoke the 14th Amendment and tell them to go to hell.  Sure they will try to impeach him, but they will never get the votes needed and the proceedings would go on for a long time.  But what does Obama care…he’s in for the duration now.  Interesting, no?

The “King Tide”

Yesterday and today, we experienced a “King Tide,” which flooded many places in the BayArea.  Here is the article that was featured in today’s San Francisco Chronicle.  The article points out that while King Tides are not caused by global climate change, the Tides do give us a sobering example of what is going to happen as the seas keep rising into the future.

The King Tide hit us at 11:00 this morning and flooded part of the trusty path along the bay that my dog and I walk just about every day.  I’m including some pictures that I took.  One thing for sure, when the seas rise (for whatever reason) there is no stopping them.  The world had better wise up or resign itself to getting smaller -- literally!

The spot we enter the path from the house

Looking back after skirting some of the flood

Farther down the path.  Getting a bit deep here

Even farther down the path.  Note the Bay Bridge and the City across the bay

The Platters will endure forever!

My whole life tunes have been running through my head.  They come unbidden, and often are very strange and unlikely.  For instance a few days ago the theme song from “Tammy and the Bachelor” started playing in the old skull.  You remember:
“I hear the cottonwoods whispering above, Tammy, Tammy, Tammy’s in love…” and so on.  I think that was Patty Page or Doris Day, but I could be wrong.
This morning for the usual unknown off-the-wall reason, “The Great Pretender” by The Platters slid into the jukebox and away I went.  This led me to remember that I pretty much remembered most of The Platters’ songs word-by-word even today.  So I jumped on to my Rhapsody account and started playing the 21 track album simply titled, “The Platters:”  Just some of the juicy stuff? “ The Great Pretender, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, The Magic Touch, My Prayer, Twilight Time, Unchained Melody” – you remember, right?!  Well I left one of my favorites out just so that I could let you play it yourself and then be smiling for the rest of the day.  After all, in the end it all comes down to you, and “Only You”

Reality is becoming dystopian

We simply must do something to address the “life and death” threat of climate change.  I’m a big fan of Charlie Pierce (he wrote “Idiot America”) who wrote a sobering  column on the subject today.  It should be required reading for everyone, especially the Neanderthal doubters.  Check it out here.

Very scary, right?

Roger Deakins deserves an Oscar

Hi everybody.  I haven’t posted for a while just because I got busy with the Thanksgiving holiday, and really had nothing to say.

Yesterday we got around to seeing “Skyfall,” the new James Bond movie.  I loved it.  There are many reasons why, all of which have been thoroughly discussed in other reviews:  terrific acting given full reign, a script that was actually easy to follow yet full of suspense and surprises, awesome action set pieces, a fine opening “Bond song” written and performed by Adele, a delicious villain, and sure handed direction by Sam Mendes.  But what I want to single out is the gorgeous, artful cinematography provided by Roger Deakins. 

Before seeing the film read a lot of reviews, many of which praised Deakins’ work in “Skyfall.”  Also the guys on “Film Junk,” the weekly pod cast I listen to, raved about the cinematography and noted that while Deakins has been nominated for the Oscar many times, he has yet to win it.  They are hoping that he will win this year for “Skyfall.”  You can read about Deakins here, including his extensive work with the Coen brothers and Sam Mendes.  Suffice it to say that his filmography is impressive.

So,  as I watched the film yesterday, I made it a point to pay specific attention to the cinematography, which I can’t ever recall doing on a first-watch of a film.  The cinematography is  indeed a masterful effort by Deakins, running the gamut from large scale overhead city shots (day and night), to perfectly composed interior shots, amazing action set pieces, and best of all, gorgeous landscape vista compositions. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be rooting for Roger to win the Oscar next year.  And, I am going to pay close attention to his work, past and future.

~ Tom

The power of music

Recently I fell upon a tune named “Run” by Snow Patrol.  For some reason, it really knocked me out and kept running around in my head off and on for days.  That prompted me to want to learn the guitar chords and sing it myself.  You can listen to the entire song as performed by Snow Patrol here.  Please listen to it before you play the video below so that you will be familiar with the song beforehand.
The following video really demonstrates the power of music and sort blew my mind while increasing my faith that the world is not as bad as it sometimes seems.  I’ve been to many, many live concerts and seen a ton of concert footage, but I have never seen a crowd this large sing along (often just by themselves) in perfect tune.  Amazing and moving.  Dig it.

Snow Patrol is cool and belongs on Birth of the Cool!

Mick on Abe

As you know, Mick LaSalle is just about my favorite film critic.  Check out his review of “Lincoln”  from today’s S.F. Chronicle.  Here is a terrific paragraph from the review:

Let's just say it: The experience of watching Daniel Day-Lewis in this role is nothing less than thrilling. This is Lincoln. No need for a time machine, there he is. There are entire stretches in "Lincoln," especially in the Cabinet scenes, as you hear the complexity of his legal and strategic thinking, that you might very well forget you're seeing acting - even forget you're in a movie theater - and instead believe that you're sitting in a room with the 16th president. To be on the receiving end of that is more than entertainment. It feels like a gift.

I don’t know about you, but I am really looking forward to seeing this flick.

~ Tom