Is Mitt Romney a Communist?

by Arthur

Someone said that I was "just back from China" and was going to write something about China. Here goes.

Hong Kong

 Technically I was in Hong Kong, which is now part of China, but it is rather different, since the agreement for the return of HK to China dictated that the existing political system in Hong Kong should remain in place for fifty years. It has, and hasn't, ever since. But Hong Kong is quite useful for China, representing a hybrid economy, one more palatable to certain outside investment and trade than China proper is. The government of Hong Kong is more transparent and open to criticism by the public and the press in Hong Kong. It is an interesting mix.

The other thing that is interesting about Hong Kong SRA (Special Administrative Region) is that one is near enough to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to take a taxi or a ferry into the PRC itself. For whatever reason, the proximity puts stories about what is happening in China into sharper focus. Not to give away the punch-line, but China currently has a significant problem with official corruption… but with a few notable exceptions, no one is supposed to talk about it, since to do so would be in poor taste. If, however, an official steps too far over the line and causes a world of distasteful trouble, then all bets are off and they become a whipping boy, who is publicly attacked as a terrible person and a really, really bad example… then they are used as a good warning to other officials to clean up their act and be far more discrete about their sleazy activities. But there is one big problem about being squeaky clean; one makes significantly less money, than if one is bent like a pretzel. Part of the temptation is that all of the land in China remains the legal property of the State. In a sense, that could be seen as true everywhere else in the world, for example when some other government (ours included) needs land to build a new highway, so while taking land from private owners is often rancorous and unpleasant, such land usually ends up being condemned to allow socially important projects to be constructed. Given that all of the land in China is assigned somewhat informally, or more formally on a ninety-nine year lease, what happens in China if a property or group of properties are needed for an important project? It gets condemned, without public debate, the owners are moved out (sometimes with a bulldozer), and the project goes forward. So, what's the difference?

 The difference is that in China a LOT of condemnations have been done during this last decade of explosive growth in China, displacing hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of lower income Chinese, in order to permit the construction of manufacturing centers and high-end residential complexes. Not public works or infrastructure projects, though some land has been taken for those uses as well. In the process of taking land for private and lucrative business endeavors (so not for public works or infrastructure projects) a new and creative class of Chinese millionaires and billionaires has been created. It is fascinating to read an analysis of the career paths of these newly enriched. A surprising number of them were originally civil servants, perhaps until they realized that there was some serious money to be made by joining the private sector and trading off their existing connections to government officials. One of the ways that critics suggest that these former (and sometimes current) officials (and their family members) make money is by influencing the officials who have the power to judge which projects should be condemned, and which should not. It has been suggested that such choices are sometimes influenced by the transfer of funds, usually done in indirect ways, sometimes to the deciding parties themselves, but more often to their immediate family members. Who also get very rich. Family values, as it were.

In the US we sometimes use the term "back-hander" to describe such acts of self-serving generosity, but it would be rude to suggest that there was any connection between the tawdry corruption seen in some parts of our country with the current scale of corruption in China, which of course was meant to function as a "Workers Paradise". Without wishing to be rude, or insulting, there are some interesting similarities.

 The scale of official corruption in China is causing the Chinese government major headaches, particularly when officials are being asked to investigate their peers. While that dilemma is being wrestled with, dissatisfaction in China among the disenfranchised and powerless has been growing. Make no mistake, many average citizens in China are proud of China's increasing wealth and world stature, but for those left out of the tangible benefits of recent changes, or directly impacted by them in devastating ways, while public expectations are rising, levels of unhappiness about how things are moving and how different classes are treated by the government is also growing. These concerns appear to be growing, since the government's efforts to placate or intimidate their unhappy population has enjoyed no great success. What we are seeing in China echoes what George Orwell described in his novels "Animal Farm" and "1984".

 You may well ask, what does all that have to do with Mitt Romney? Romney is by any measure, one of the elite. When he speaks of running a successful business, one must ask, "Successful for who?". The statistics on the number of jobs that Bain Capital has created are exaggerated and self-serving. Coincidentally, they are as dubious as many current Chinese statistics are. As China is experiencing a business slow-down, reflecting decreased demand for Chinese exports, massive mounds of coal are starting to pile up near Chinese power plants that had been running at full capacity, in support of manufacturing. It recently has been discovered that District and Provincial Officials were "advised" to report decreased electrical demands, not as a downturn, but as an "unchanged" level of energy usage. Why? Critics suggest that “party line” was intended to maintain an appearance that everything is just going along just fine, move along, nothing to see here, folks!. Wait, where have we heard a mirror image of that upbeat story line? I found myself thinking of the current dispute between the Romney for President campaign and Governor Rick Scott of Florida, and the governors of Iowa and Ohio. While these Governors would like to boast about growth and low unemployment in their States, presumably to help them get reelected, the Romney campaign has asked them to please not mention that nasty "growth" thing, since it would be better for Romney's campaign to be able to talk endlessly about how the economy is so terrible and awful because that evil (Kenyan) President has betrayed our nation and created so, so many laws that have crippled businesses, instead of letting them run wild across the face of our nation like rabid wolves. Which is really what they would prefer to be doing. In short, the Romney campaign appears to want to employ dishonest and self-serving propaganda that is every bit as false as the claptrap that the leaders of the PRC are trying repeat over and over again until their population becomes completely brainwashed, to tamp down the anger of the Chinese people. Romney on the other hand is trying to generate anger, by repeating lies over and over again, but it really is just the same technique.

It doesn't appear that Romney gives a damn about facts, jobs, worker's lives, healthcare, the economy, our nation's security and indeed, about the world. He cares about getting elected, whether by telling and retelling demonstrable lies, overwhelming secret fundraising through Karl Rove's Slush-PAC or through voter disenfranchisement. What seems clear is that he and the Republican Party are willing to do whatever it takes, fair or foul, to take back the White House. That "whatever it takes" ethos is straight out of the Communist Party playbook. Facts are inconvenient, lives are expendable, while seizing power is paramount. It will be for the good of all to seize power by whatever means necessary. John McCain was sputtering the other day about how the Romney campaign is taking funds from foreign countries, until someone sat on him and told him to shut up. See, if a Democrat said that it would be treason and Fox News would talk about it non-stop for a week. Has everyone got their talking points straight now?

 One is left with an amazing realization that self-proclaimed "conservatives" appear to be behaving like the cousins to modern-day communists. To heck with calling Obama a “socialist”, to the GOP that is just a buzz-word. Will they ever realize how morally corrupt they have become?  Will their heads explode, or will they happily fall into the arms of their well-tailored official buddies in Beijing and celebrate a family reunion? Or, will they foster perpetual war, perpetual conflict and an invasion of Iran to keep the world on edge and the American people concerned and alarmed, in order to permit them and their families an opportunity to mimic the more corrupt segments of the Chinese leadership and their creative efforts to cash in?

When Mitt Romney speaks of Russia as "the gravest threat to our nation" and China as a nation that must be reined in, is this nothing more a matter of positioning them as punching bags, in order to gain loyalty by creating fear? In my opinion that's not diplomacy, that is fraud. Again, it is something that Orwell warned us to watch out for. Oh, and for issuing those warnings, BBC kicked Orwell off their staff. Just the same way that Fox News would fire any of their staff who spoke truth to corrupt power.

Wednesday Update - Run, Baby, Run Edition

(The Olympic Track and Field Trials are upon us here in our fair city.  This is Eugene, Oregon, a place called "Track Town USA" by jocks, joggers, and those in the know.  All the motel and hotel space has been long ago sold out, and we've got visitors from all over the country.   But the most entertaining sight in town this week is the neophytes coming out of the woodwork to do a few laps around the 7-11.  Everybody wants to get into the act, and joggers are everywhere.  And if you thought those pseudo-pro bicycle riders with their lycra spandex multi-colored suits looked silly, you should see the get-ups some of these runners have.  Most of them have ear buds in their ears, and I believe it's because they don't want to hear the neighbors laughter as they thud by.  But I admire what they're doing, gawdluvem.  And I plan to join them, just as soon as I can find my speedo, florenscent yellow socks, and that pink stocking cap.  But I digress ... )  

• It's been a while since we heard from the Republican Party of Texas, arguably the weirdest organized political group on the planet.  You know, the one that came out with such things as Governor Rick Perry saying that Social Security was a "Ponzi Scheme?" The group of people who opposes the teaching of “critical thinking skills” because they “focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority?” Yep, them's the ones.  Well they're back at it again, and they've come out with their 2012 Platform.  Here's a list of just 5 of the craziest policies in that platform.
• In August of 2004, then Vice-President Dick (we call him Dick) Cheney spoke at an event in Albuquerque, but locals were only allowed to get a ticket to attend if they first signed a loyalty oath swearing they "endorse George W. Bush for reelection of the United States [sic]."  Just imagine what Republicans would say in 2012 if Democrats pushed voters to stand, raise their right hands, and pledge their allegiance to President Obama.  The Republicans always have loved the idea of "loyalty oaths," a way to keep the noise down when right-wing speakers are spewing crap.  Rachel Maddow reports.
• Ever wonder what nuns do all day?  Sure you have.  One of the things they've been doing is actively and frequently pissing off the Vatican, nearly every single day, in all sorts of delightful ways, for years.  Mark Morford reports on "How to Properly Spank a Nun."
• Bad Hat Flashback.  September 11, 2001.  The video of our beloved President of the United States, and his infamous 7 Minutes of Silence.  Worth reminding the youngsters the way it was.
• It's a American shame:  The poorest people in the United States are often the hardest working. And coporate farmers are trying to kill them.  It seems that pesticides are poisoning more than 10,000 farm workers annually.  And in some places in California it's No Beba el Agua, don't drink the water.  Something is terribly wrong with this picture.

Romney "Shows Us the Money." His Money.

Romney has been saying that he did a lot of stupid things when he was a teenager, right. So here is the far more mature Mittens, after two degrees from Harvard, managing a really responsible investment firm, very conscious of his responsibilities to the firms that Bain Capital invests in, right?

Umm, no, not exactly. Romney is still an adolescent jerk. When one first looks at this photo, at the size it is normally shown, you see a few hundred dollar bills being displayed. But I noticed something in Mitt's jacket. Was it the tip of his tie, peeking out? Nope, mo' money. In fact, as one looks more closely, the folks in the photo have the bucks in their breast pockets, their teeth, tucked into their collars and the one with glasses has a C-note tucked into the earpiece of his specks. Money is such fun!  - Arthur

 

What Happens When You Can't Have Sex or Beer As a Teenager

This is fairly nuts. (Click here for story)  It sounds like Romney was well-known as a local psycho. Fun is fun, but these are really complicated things for him to be doing. I did some stupid things when I was fifteen, but Romney was seventeen and eighteen, and he had collected costumes for his role-playing. And a fake red light for his car. Impersonating a police officer, which Romney did, was a crime, as probably was impersonating a fireman and waving an axe around in a shop. Sooo… these were not examples of good judgment.

Why was Romney so wound up? Was it because as a young Mormon he was not permitted to (a) drink, or (b) have any of that forbidden sex that other teens found so entertaining? Was this Romney's envious and pent-up sexuality finding an unusual outlet? In other words, did it give Mitt a hard-on to dress up in police and fireman's costumes and try to scare people?

If so, and Mitt was elected President, would he be dressing up, a lot, maybe in pilot's costumes like George W Bush did? Would he order aircraft carriers to come up the Potomac (as far as they could) so that he could land on them in fighter planes (as a passenger) and pretend he was Top Gun? Or maybe he'd dress up as a General and storm into the War Room to announce that North Korea had just attacked Cleveland? Gosh, imagine how fun that would be!

Hasn't our country already been through that? Romney seems to think we should invade Iran. He also says he thinks Russia is the "greatest threat" to our nation and he says he wants to start a huge fight with China. Ooooo, muy cojones, Mittoso! So what is all this? Just a more adult version of his interest in playing "dress up"? Seriously? Personally, I would prefer to have an adult in the White House. The last moron we had was one moron too many.

Arthur

Buck Naked Girls vs. Bare-Assed Ambitions

Mitt Romney has wanted to be President in the worst way for many, many years. Many believe that his run for Governor of Massachusetts was simply to "position him" for a run for President, an ambition his father had for many years, but was unable to realize.

The problem is, Romney's father and mother were for the most part people of principles. Whatever Romney ever was, which by all accounts was always fairly dodgy and off-putting, became odder and less comfortable still when he dove into making money… at all costs. Ambition is laudable, but ambition at any cost is a great deal less so.
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.It is doubtful that anyone will be able to accuse Romney of being caught in bed with three young beauties, the floor littered with champagne bottles and lingerie. By all accounts Romney is a loyal husband and a strictly observant Mormon, enough so that he never drank, smoked cigars or pot, nor presumably drank coffee. Good for him… except the Mormon religion has a troubling omission; it does not speak to the issue of someone becoming obsessed with making money, in pursuit of high political office.
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Ironically, the lack of other outlets for his youthful energies may have contributed to Romney's bullying, dressing up as a policeman and play acting at arresting other students, and his desires to dominate others. Regardless of the harm it might do to others. Taking out large loans, keyed to a company that his firm has just taken over, taking the money for his own firm and then running the subject firm into bankruptcy and collapse, putting thousands out of work when those companies failed? Those are the actions of what has sometimes been called "Vulture Capitalism".

We are left with a puzzling dilemma. Although I am inclined to distrust men whose wives cannot trust them out of their sight, that has an impact only on the quality of their own lives and the lives of their immediate family. It does not demolish the lives of thousands of innocent workers and their families. By comparison, Romney has managed to make Bill Clinton seem like a saint. We've got to ask, which is better? Buck naked girls or bare naked ambition.

Romney seems poised, if he is elected, to further erode the middle class, while reducing his own taxes and raising ours. I hope I will not be counted as selfish if I say, I'd prefer for him to have the hots for a flirtacious waitress.

Arthur

Weekend Update - Feeling a Little Gassy Lately?

Can someone - anyone - tell me why gas prices are so high?  No, really.  Now that I'm retired I should be out driving around, visiting friends and relatives, traveling a little, getting some "me time."  But I damn near have to take out a loan just to fill up the tank before the trip, and gawdhelpme I have to do it again when I get home.  What's the deal?  Oil prices are down, demand is down, supply is up, and gas prices just keep going up.  Why isn't congress launching a huge investigation and pounding their fists on their respective podiums demanding inquiries and law suits and arrests?  Oh wait, I think I know ...

• "According to current estimates, OPEC member countries have made significant additions to their oil reserves in recent years … As a result, OPEC's proven oil reserves currently stand at well above 1,190 billion barrels."  And that's a report from OPEC's own website.
• The price of gas keeps going up, and our standard of living keeps going down because of it.  The oil companies get away with, of course, because those giant billion dollar a year profits makers have congress, and even presidential campaigns in their pockets. Let's face it folks, there ain't much we can do about it. 
• And oh does the money flow when those high flying horse dancing Republicans get together for a weekend of fun, frivolity, and $15 a glass Scotch.  Money seems to be no object for these people.  Do you think they managed to talk about how high gas prices are affecting the poor in America?  Nah, why spoil a good party?
• But we all know that corporations are people, according to our beloved Supreme Court, and now Mitch McConnell thinks proposed legislation requiring companies to disclose their campaign spending would stifle their free speech. He describes the current push to disclose the sources behind campaign contributions as a “political weapon,” used by the Democrats, “to expose its critics to harassment and intimidation.” Most of us call that accountability.
• Let's assume you're a congressman.  Lobbyists come before you to influence you to vote for whatever giant multimillion dollar company they work for, and because of all the handouts and perks you receive from them, you vote in favor of that company.  But before you do, you call your broker and buy up some of that company's stock.  And because of your vote the stock goes up and you make millions.  In most places that's called "insider trading." Pretty neat little trick, right?  Should be illegal, right?  Guess what ...

Apparently It's Summer

(Today is the day of the Summer Solstice, the first day of Summer.  Except in Oregon.  We're always just 48 hours away from a rain shower.  The other day it got up to almost 80 degrees so the boy and I went down and bought a pool for the back yard.  He played in it one day.  The next day it rained.  Phooey.  I'm depressed.  But I digress ...)

• Samuel Werzelbacher, the bald-headed douchebag also known as "Joe the Plumber," is running for congress in Ohio.  Sam's big on gun ownership, and loves to shoot fruit and vegetables while declaring his love for America.  He also claims, as a "student of history," that the Holocaust was caused by gun control.  “In 1939, Germany established gun control. From 1939 to 1945, six million Jews and seven million others unable to defend themselves were exterminated,” says Sam.  Sam made a video the other day, and his campaign spokesman, Phil Christofanelli, maintains it's not at all offensive.  You be the judge.
• I like this statement: If you have to lie to make your case, maybe your case isn't so strong. Mitt Romney just doesn't grasp that concept apparently.  In a stump speech Monday the Mittster said this:  "a doctor told him that he had to fill out a 33-page change-of-address form, several times, to get the post office to send his mail—including reimbursement checks—to his new location. That is what happens with government-run organizations where you have 'no competition.'"  Is he really that clueless?  Have you ever changed your address?  A post card.  Two minutes on-line.  Good grief.
• Strange things are floating ashore over here on the West Coast.  Here in Oregon an enormous floating dock from Japan's tsunami washed right up on the beach.  Further north of us other objects including a car have washed ashore.  But in California they're worried about "radioactive buckyballs."  Seems that Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear reactors at its Fukushima complex have blasted out soccerball-sized objects that are said to have been formed when water hit the super-heated, primarily uranium-oxide, fuel in the damaged reactors.  Kind of takes the fun out of beachcombing, don't it?
• So what happened over there at Facebook?  It went public and everyone was thinking ohmygawd I've got to sell everything I have and buy shares and we're all going to be rich rich rich!  And then ... nothing happened.  Mark Morford reports "Facebook In Sweet Decline."

Here's Some News

(Arthur has returned from his trip to China and files this report.)

When I was traveling overseas I was pleasantly surprised by the Bloomberg News International Channel, that seemed far less blindly pro-business than CNBC or any of the other Business channels. It appeared to be focused on reporting news, rather than manufacturing it. Mayor Bloomberg sounds like a complete tool, but his television channel and his news service may be worth paying attention to. Polls are only as good as their design and their questions. Bloomberg seems to have come up with quite different results from Rasmussen (a GOP front) and the more mainstream (or so I thought) pollsters like Gallup. One thing that one can say about Bloomberg is that he is so wealthy that he couldn't be bought, whereas the others? Not so clear that they could not be swayed by some generous backhanders. Think it couldn't happen in this great country? Umm, think again. Karl Rove's secret PAC has been raising gazillions, and that is just the public part of the process. Anyone who thinks that there isn't any black money floating around this election year should sit down and think about it for a moment. It has been estimated that Mitt Romney will be asked to pay up to five million dollars a year more in taxes if he isn't able to (a) win the election, and (b) stop the Bush tax cuts from expiring as they are scheduled to do. Oh, and that huge deficit that means that we should short-change retirees and demolish Medicare, Social Security, Welfare, Education, Road building, Medical research, Student Loans, Firemen, Policemen and Teachers? That would not exist, were it not for the "Bush Tax Cuts". In a recent speech Bush said he wished those tax cuts had a different name, since he did not enjoy hearing about how negative their impact had been. Tsk, tsk, poor little Georgie!

 

I continue to be strongly of the opinion that the American people have every right to create massive boycotts of Billionaires who donate to Super PACs. I think the entire Super PAC model and the "Citizens United" decision by the Supreme Court was a travesty and a disgusting perversion of the principles our country stands for. The Supreme Court needs some retirements and replacements of the ideological stiffs who have brought us such poor decisions. Given who got them in office, it would also be fair to describe it as the "Bush Court", though that might give George an additional bit of pain and tentative connection to reality.

 

What I find fascinating in the Bloomberg poll is that the majority of Americans appear quite able to see what a sheltered and entitled tool Mitt Romney is. I find that quite encouraging. I was interested to read that Romney recently got a $77,000 tax write-off for losses associated with his part ownership of a "dancing horse". I don't wish to appear to be a hayseed, but a dancing horse? Seriously? Presumably one that enters into "dancing horse competitions"? Wow. The Late Night comedians must be sending Romney thank you notes.

 

Arthur

The Nervous Republicans

Being a Rookie Retiree (barely three months out of the chute) I'm beginning to see things I never noticed when I was working everyday.  Things like the growth rate of grass.  I swear I could mow the lawn in our backyard every other day, it grows that fast.  And cats.  Ever wonder what your cats do all day when you're at work?  Well it's nothing to write a book about, I'll tell ya.  They do absolutely nothing.  Oh they'll occasionally get up and waddle over to their food dish and eat a couple morsels of crunchy Indoor Weight and Hairball Care, but then it's back to the exact spot they've been lying in since dawn.  Cats are to retirement like peel is to a banana.  No, I will not explain that.  Another thing I've noticed since I've been retired is that there's really not much on television during the day worth watching.  Believe me, I've watched most of it.  (Note: The tolerance-time-period for whistling the theme from The Andy Griffith Show is about two hours.  After that time, apparently your wife is legally authorized to kill you.)  And here's something else I've learned:  There really IS nothing that has to be done today, that can't be put off until tomorrow.  But I digress ...

• Ever heard of Gary Johnson?  You probably have somewhere.  He "the other guy" running for President.  Gary Johnson's name will be on the ballot in every state this election, right next to, or immediately following, Barak Obama and Mitt "the Barber" Romney.  Johnson started out as a Republican candidate for president, but dropped out to run for the Libertarian nomination after the former New Mexico governor’s brand of socially liberal, fiscally extremely conservative politics (for the uninitiated, Johnson’s for legalizing pot, he’s pro-choice, pro-gay marriage and he wants to slash the federal budget by more than $1 trillion in his first budget) failed to gain any traction in the crowded GOP primary.  I saw an interview with him the other day and was rather impressed with his demeanor.  The time restriction didn't allow Johnson to delve too deeply into his convictions but he seemed like a reasonable fellow.  Perhaps those of you who just can't bring yourselves to vote for President Obama for whatever reason, should take a good hard look at this fellow.  He might be talking your language.  And he's making the Romney camp nervous.
• Apparently Jeb Bush, brother of Dubya, is getting his head straight on the thought of retirement from Republican politics, and I hope this means we no longer have to worry about him becoming a candidate in the future.  He had the audacity the other day to say his father, the aging and increasingly confused George H.W. Bush, and the still deceased Ronald Reagan would have a hard time fitting in with the current leadership of the Republican Party, the tea baggers.  Criticize the Tea Party?  Ohmygawd. And now The Pope of the Republican Party, Grover Norquist, has called him "foolish," and stopped just short of calling Jeb Bush "stupid."  Goodnite Jebboy.
• What happens when a clergy person -- a minister, a priest, a rabbi, an imam -- realizes he doesn't believe in God?  Well, they're calling it a "major threat" to religion.  You know something's going right when even clergymen begin to realize that god is just a dangerous myth.  Check out this fascinating story Clergy People Coming Out as Atheists.

Weekend Update - Misc. Edition

• So you think Willard Cummerbund Romney would be a good President who would represent all the people in America?  really?  Do you have your own personal car elevator?  Are you worth $250 million and still call yourself "unemployed?"  Do you randomly make $10,000 bets with people?  Do you even know what "dressage" is?  Please, do me a favor, think again. 
• The times they are a-changin', goes the song, and being in the latter part of my sixth decade I can attest to that fact.  Tolerance is actually, finally growing in America, in spite of some still very closed minds in our society.  Mark Morford writes "It's OK to be a little amazed. The U.S. military -- after no small amount of legal coercion and serious scowling -- has now officially outpaced the church, the GOP, social conservatives, Mormons, black preachers, Mitt Romney, Fox News and your Republican grandparents in nearly all matters of gender, female empowerment and fundamental sexual freedom. Is it not a thing?"  All the Dead People Say Yes.
• They hung George W. Bush the other day.  Well, let me rephrase that, Dubya's picture was hung in the White House, and for a while it seemed the press corps was almost nostalgic for the good old days of foul ups like Afghanistan, Iraq, Katrina, and Bin Laden.  It doesn't look too good for President Obama right now, he seems to be slipping in the public eye.  It'll cost you $10 for a magnetic 2012 campaign bumper sticker.  Maureen Dowd brings all this together with "Dreaming of a Superhero."
• We're past Memorial Day now, and along with thousands of other people around here I paid my respects at the resting sites of several relatives and friends.  I decided to wear my Vietnam Veteran's hat, just 'cause, and as usual when I wear it in public I got several comments of "welcome back" from the usual crowd of well meaning people.  But there's always something about that phrase that's bothered me.  In this article from Truthout, a Marine veteran attempts to explain that feeling.  "Don't Thank Me for My Service."
• Washington D.C. has a wonderful environment-saving program consisting of free bicycles planted around town for people to use when they need them, in lieu of driving or hailing a cab.  Good idea, don't you think?  Actually, according to some Conservatives, it's all a COMMUNIST PLOT!
• One of my "never-miss" programs on the tube is "The Daily Show."  Host Jon Stewart on Wednesday was feeling down about the 2012 presidential election. It’s “going to suck,” he said in a defeated whisper. But then — out of nowhere — a gift from the comedy gods!  We're ALL thankful for Donald Trump.  Watch the video here.