Is America going broke?

The newest cover story in Macleans isIs America going broke?

They might have a point. Read this which came out today.

From Steve Maich, who wrote the article:


The U.S. Federal Reserve chairman essentially echoes all of the key points of this week's cover story:
-The U.S. entitlement programs (medicare, medicaid, social security) are unaffordable.
-The deficit can not be solved without higher taxes and lower spending.
-This is at least an implicit criticism of the Bush tax cuts, but it's also the beginning of the bad news for Americans, and their major trading partners who rely on huge consumer spending in the U.S.
Greenspan has never been this explicit on the problem before.
Expect this to be the prevailing theme in U.S. politics over the next several years: how are we going to avoid a financial calamity?

Bildt Comments

Bildt Comments is a blog by the former Prime Minister of Sweden.

Area Dog Will Never Live Up To Dog On Purina Bag

Some humour to get Friday started.

Gay Marriage and "Tradition"

I always have trouble with those who cite "tradition" as the main reason for denying homosexuals the right to be married. Traditionally women had no vote; traditionally a lot of good and bad things happened that we can choose to follow or ignore. In my experience (limited as it may be), I see that people espousing the view that gay people should not be allowed to marry tend to fall into the religious camp. They use the bible as their main reference, and they have often referred to the Canadian Constitution to defend their point that a god-fearing country like Canada should not support gay marriage. The Constitution reads as such :


Constitution Act, 1982(1)

SCHEDULE B

CONSTITUTION ACT, 1982

PART I
CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

Whereas Canada is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law


The funny part here is that "traditionally", there is no mention of God in our constitutional documents. The whole "supremacy of God" thing has only been around since 1982 (though it is mentioned in the 1960 version of the Charter proposed by the Diefenbaker government). Seems like kind of a short time-frame in which to establish a tradition, but maybe that can be a personal choice.

So if we are not traditionally a country constitutionally based on the supremacy of a cloud being, then I guess that argument against gay marriage falls a little flat. Or maybe tradition can be adjusted. Kind of like the "rule of thumb".

And don't you think that all the upset over gay marriage is really over men marrying. And by extension, it is about men having sex with men? I think that is the real sticking point for a lot of people. I don't think they are as upset over lesbians; but the thought of men having sex makes them all tingly and angry. Personally, I have no problem with men having sex, as long as they aren't fat and hairy. In that case it's just gross.

Benny Hinn

Did anyone see the bit on The Fifth Estate about Benny Hinn? I continue to be stunned by the amount of money these charlatans can milk out of the faithful. Are these people true believers, or have they decided to believe? That is, do you think people are willful participants in being bilked and lied to?

That could be a good lead-in to a joke about people who vote for the Liberal party.