Republican Defintion of Free Market

For Republicans, "free" means tax money that comes from rich liberals with college degrees. Check it out:

• 25 out of 31 total red states get more Federal tax $ than they contribute
• 13 out of 18 blue states give more Federal tax $ than they receive
• The Top 12 Federal tax contributing states are blue
• The Top 8 Recipients of Federal tax money are Red
• Blue states, not including MD and VA (where much of the Federal Gov't. is located), paid $1.4 trillion more than they got back
• Red states received $800 billion more than they paid
• Blue States lost $8916 per capita
• Red States gained $8,499 per capita
• Red states take in $17,415 more per capita than blue in Federal tax dollars

See Taxes paid by state, per capita.

Complete data on which states are giving and which states are taken to produce my above summary came from the Tax Foundation. Thanks.

Where the Pork Goes

My overlay of the two maps is quite interesting . Basically shows that areas with the heaviest agricultural pork vote Republican -- so it's "welfare" when it goes to Democrats, and it's "helping America" when it goest to Republicans.




Map showing $ amount of farm subsidies received by county.



Map showing blue and red by county.

Conclusion: Red counties are enthralled with the welfare money provided to them by blue county voters via the Republican party. Write to your congress person and demand an end to farm subsidies now. Let the free market work. If Brazil can provide sugar-derived ethanol more cheaply than American farmers can provide it from corn, they should suffer the consequences and be incented to grow a crop that is profitable without you and me paying for it.

Dear Senator Grassley: get out of the way

Dear Senator Grassley--

I was sad to read your comments in today's New York Times about the White House's latest intiative with Brazil. One of the fundamental values of the Republican party used to be that of free-market enterprise. As I'm sure you know, the Washington Post has been reporting on the record growth of farm subsidies, including $1.3 billion to people who don't farm.

Rather than trying to protect the corporate agriculture industry that has destroyed a true American way of life, I urge you to consider looking at non-corn-based ethanol alternatives that can bring back the American family farm. Any kind of cellulosic product, from sugar to switch grass to trees, can be grown quickly and cheaply and without federal subsidies.
The Republican party has become exactly what it was supposed to be against: a machine that siphons tax dollars away from tax payers and towards special interest groups. The only difference between Republicans and Democrats is who they give my tax money to -- because it sure isn't me.

This country is in danger of a financial catastrophe because we'be borrowed ourselves into oblivion to pay for the Medicare Drug benefit, billions in farm subisidies, a failed war in Iraq (instead of the promised war on terror), and tax cuts for the rich etc. Meanwhile most American tax payers do not benefit from any of these policies, and the recent volatility in the stock market highlights how vunerable we really are.

I say all of this because you are in a position to do something about it. Stop protecting your corporate benefactors from free market competition. Stop spending my tax dollars to prop up companies and business practices that can't survive the free market your party is supposed to stand for. Get out of the way of progress please.

What I'm listening to now

Time flies right? I was listening to DJ Riz on KEXP and he played this incredibly smooth track, "Did I Do Wrong?" by one Clara Hill. Turns out King Britt produced it, duh. Off the chain. Off the chain. So another beatport session was born.

Between the Lines feat. Bajka - Bonobo
You've probably heard Bonobo if you've heard any downtempo beats in the last 5 years or so. This track really stands out with a deep 60's french crime heist orchestra vibe, re-worked into a hard Jay-Dee with jazz hits kind of vibe. Bajka has a perfect 60's but updated "these boots are made for walking" kind of vocal. High quality downtempo shows that there's always a time and place for good funky grooves that go beyond the ordinary. Perfect to get your set started, as the song itself goes from sparse and minimal, building up with a nice tambourine groove that feels like the tempo is going to pick up.

Did I Do Wrong (Original King Britt mix) - Clara Hill
I'm not usually a fan of the Sonar Kollectiv vibe outside of Jazzanova, as it feels like the line between intellectually powered elevator music has been crossed... but this is King Britt we're talking about. Ms. Hill has a fantastic soul voice, and King Britt's smokey sultry minimal groove is just... smoking! I got home from hearing this on the radio (thank you again Riz) and immediately gave Riz props for brightening my night and the airwaves. After days on end of terribly uninspired indie rock, hearing something like this just makes your week. This is the kind of track they would play at the Loft and just let it play the way they do. After 9 minutes you're still sad it's over. Very verbed out drums, pulsing electro 80s beats layered just behind them, some soft pads and Clara Hill's gorgeous voice. It all goes off once the crispy 808 hats come in, SIZZLA!

Restless Times feat. Stefan Leisering (Recloose Mix) - Clara Hill
Well of course I had to find out what else Ms. Hill was up to and I found this mix. One of Recloose's better mixes. Standard weirdness, but the balance of power lies in the funky houseish beat, syncopated sine wave bassline, and weird key hits. Good driving music.

Flickermood - Forss
This sounds like some guy went nuts with a sampler and Serrato and made this crazy cut up downtempo contraption. Walks the fine line between the bad side of Four Tet (i.e. too many noises and messy) and the good side -- beautiful chaos from a world that is right next to the everyday but just outside it.

quote of the day

A reporter asked Tony Snow yesterday what the attack on the Bagram Air Base that targeted the vice president and killed at least 23 people said about the Taliban’s strength. “I’m not sure it says anything,” he replied.

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/opinion/28dowd.html