Returning to Peacetime, Impact on the Federal Budget

As a follow-up to the post from earlier in the week, Time to End the War in Afghanistan, I offer Returning to Peacetime...a white paper* by local Sacramento policy idea guy,  Devin Lavelle.    He argues that reducing U.S. military spending to pre-9/11 levels -- a reduction of about $385 billion a year from what we spend now -- would take care of a significant piece of the U.S. budget deficit, the issue that now roils Washington D.C., global financial markets and cable televisions political talk shows.

Big bankers, heads of major corporations, Wall Street financiers and a significant number of national elected officials now claim the US deficit is the single greatest problem facing the American economy and our collective future. They are behind various plans to severely slash government spending on social services and even Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid to the tune of trillions of dollars over the next 10 years.    Others would like to see revenues (essentially, taxes) increased or earlier tax cuts for wealthier Americans rescinded, although there is little serious discussion of such options by national politicians. 

Unfortunately, the current debate over the U.S. deficit offers little hope for those concerned with the overall state of the U.S. economy, the huge program cutbacks being made by state and local governments that are harming real people all around the country (see Of  Tuition Hikes and Salary Spikes), and the lack of job prospects for millions of Americans. 

In his careful, understated way, Lavelle suggests another way to begin achieving significant deficit reduction without sacrificing the social safety net.    It is a short read. Check it out.

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* note: a "white paper" is term used for a report or guide that is researched and written to help citizens, elected officials and policy makers make decisions and solve difficult problems. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Kyle Rowland!

Kyle Rowland, proud member of the C.K. McClatchy High School class of 2011 (and the Room 8 Second Period Crew), nearly blew the roof of the legendary Sacramento Memorial Auditorium with his half-improvised Blues harmonica/slide guitar performance in memory of his late mother at June's graduation ceremony.   Kyle's been playing the Blues harmonica since his days in diapers--his father put a harmonica in his crib when he was just a tiny baby.  Kyle used it for pacifier and teething ring before he learned to make music with it, just like his dad. 

Kyle first appeared on stage with Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee when he was just ten years old.   Lessons with Mick followed and in the years since, Kyle has played with Blues greats at music festivals and in clubs throughout Northern California.  Kyle was named "Blues Harmonica Player of the Year" at the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame Award Show in 2009.   He also fronts his own band, the Kyle Rowland Band.

In June, Kyle played the famous three-day Monterey Blues Festival and as this incredible review in Guitar International notes he proved the highlight of Saturday's line-up: 

Kyle commands the stage like an experienced bandleader. He cues the band, perfectly, banters with the audience, makes sure a well-played solo gets acknowledged, and tells historical stories about the band members (all of whom are at least three times his age!) All this between playing the hell out of his harp. As bass player Henry Oden told the crowd, “This is the future of the blues, y’all – give it up!”

Here he is in Monterey (Kyle shows up at about 4:45 into the video).   Enjoy.  We love ya, Kyle!

 

Time to End the War in Afghanistan

Ten years ago in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, Rory Stewart, now a Conservative Party member of the British Parliament,  walked across Afghanistan.   That journey produced a book called The Places in Between.    Stewart spoke at this month's TEDGlobal2011, the annual global conference in Edinburgh, UK by the nonprofit, TED (Technology Entertainment Design) an organization dedicated to "spreading good ideas."  Stewart's TED talk was titled, "Time to End the War in Afghanistan."  He speaks boldly and compellingly.  This is certainly 20 minutes worthy of your time. 



For more on Stewart, you can check out his MP (member of Parliament) website here.  Interesting site; interesting guy --even if one doesn't necessarily agree with everything he has to say. 

With a nod to my incoming geography students, I've included below a map of Afghanistan, a map of the United Kingdom (see Edinburgh in Scotland) and a map of Southern Europe indicating Bosnia, which Stewart references prominently in his talk.