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The debt ceiling crisis – it’s getting worse:

Time to get scared about debt limit armageddon
By Jonathan Bernstein:

House Republicans seem to really buy what Michele Bachmann and others are selling: that there is no real debt limit deadline, and that default isn’t a big deal anyway.

Several weeks ago, former Obama Administration OMB Director Peter Orszag predicted that it would take a financial market panic to get this done. I guess what scares me now is: what happens if the Dow drops 2000, 3000 points…and House Republicans take it as a signal that they’re on exactly the right track? What if Rush Limbaugh and Fox News interpret a market panic as a sign that it’s time to double down on tax cuts and Medicare cuts?

Connecticut’s deficit – there may be some hope:

Can unions find way to make everybody happy? by Brian Lockhart

One union source yesterday said one likely scenario is for union leaders to agree to alter their rules to allow the 26 bargaining units that voted in favor of the health care and pension givebacks to accept them, and the eight opposing units to continue operating under the status quo. This is being referred to as the “yes/no” solution.

The rationale is this approach would be a way for union leaders to push through the deal they negotiated, cut back on the thousands of layoffs and other deep cuts Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy is now pursuing, and still respect the rank-and-file “no” votes.

But it will be at least one month before this scenario becomes a reality because, under union bylaws, leaders cannot vote on any rule changes until 30 days after they’re proposed.

The Greek Crisis- things are a little better:

Greece’s 300 legislators debated, and finally approved, an internationally backed financial-rescue plan with many clear downsides—it will pile pain onto hapless firms and citizens who already pay taxes, for instance, and so subsidise those who do not.

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More than seven in 10 low-income families in a new study struggled to reach adequate levels of nutrition in their diet, researchers said.

When asked to recall food choices from the previous day, only 28 percent of participating parents and caregivers reported meals with adequate amounts of nutrients like vitamins A and C, protein, calcium and iron, according to the study.

The work, which appears in the current edition of Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal, measured more than 100 low-income families’ eating patterns, and also examined their meals’ nutritional value to determine how certain meal patterns could lead to more nutritious diets.

“Nutrients we get from these food groups such as calcium, folate, potassium, Vitamin C and Vitamin A are critical in the diets of young children and are often lacking in the diet of limited-income children,” Koszewski said. “Due to the fast-paced lifestyle of many families, not having breakfast together makes it difficult to meet these nutrients later in the day.”

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As of now, the Governor’s entire plan is to tell his department heads to save $700 million. The legislature is supposed to OK that plan. He says he has to act now (he doesn’t) and that it’s his only alternative (it isn’t).

Jon Pelto asks why lay-off so many – renegotiate with the unions or at least implement the “savings” agreed upon, even if they have no basis in reality:

The Concession Plan was scheduled to save Connecticut $700 million next year.

That means a “hole” of $700 million.

One option would be to fix the concession plan and get it adopted. 57% of state employees already voted for it but that would require a commitment to the fundamental principles of collective bargaining.

So back to the problem at hand. Although the wage and pension portion of the Malloy/SEBAC agreement can’t be implemented (at least not until there is a re-vote), the plan included $170 million in “savings” that both sides agreed to that can and should be implemented.

Governor Malloy and his budget director agreed that the state could save $90 million in FY12 “by reducing agency procurement costs, making operations more efficient and identifying other cost-saving measures throughout state government”. In addition, separate of the new proposed wellness and disease management programs, the two sides agreed that a health cost containment committee would save $40 million in FY12 and $35 million in FY13.

And finally, they agreed that by using new technologies and reducing the use of outside consultants that state could save another $40 million in FY12 and $50 million in FY13.

Are all of these savings truly achievable? Maybe not, but these savings were good enough a couple of weeks ago for Malloy to include in his plan for next year’s budget. (Oh and they were good enough for the editorial writers who are now calling for massive layoffs).

So why did Malloy throw them out now? He is the one who says he is committed to making government more efficient.

The $700 million would drop to $530 million.

In addition, there is at least $150 million surplus built into next year’s budget with revenues continuing to grow and up to another $100 million hidden in the line item that pays retiree health benefits.

Those would bring the shortfall down even further – to $280 million or even less.

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From FactCheck.org:

Rep. Michele Bachmann officially joined the presidential campaign trail, but made a flurry of false and misleading claims along the way.

The Minnesota Republican appeared on two Sunday talk shows the day before giving her formal announcement speech in Waterloo, Iowa. On the shows, she made false statements about income from her family farm and government subsidies to her husband’s business. She also made misstatements regarding earmarks, federal pay, government-owned “limousines” and health care:

* Bachmann falsely claimed that she and her husband “have never gotten a penny” from a family farm that received federal subsidies. But she reported income from the farm in 2006, 2008 and 2009 — the most recent year available — on her congressional financial disclosure statements.
* She claimed she had been “faithful” to her pledge not to request federal earmarks. But she requested $40 million in transportation earmarks in the 2009 fiscal year budget after taking the pledge, later claiming such projects should not be subjected to her promise. She withdrew her requests after the House Republicans took a party position in 2010 not to seek earmarks.
* Bachmann wrongly blamed President Obama for increasing the number of federal transportation workers who earn more than $170,000 from one to 1,690 during the recession. At least two-thirds of those employees were receiving more than $170,000 before Obama took office.
* She criticized the president for a 73 percent increase in government “limousines.” But one department accounted for the increase, and it had a long-term plan, pre-dating Obama, to add armored vehicles. The term “limousine” includes armored vehicles and sedans, not just actual limos.
* She claimed government money received by her husband’s counseling clinics did not benefit the business, because the funds paid for employee training. It’s true the clinics received $24,041 for training, but the business received thousands more in government funds, including money for treating crime victims.
* The three-term congresswoman repeated — on two Sunday shows — the false claim that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the federal health care law will “cost the economy 800,000 jobs.” The CBO never said that. It said there will be a “small” impact on jobs.

When she got to Waterloo to deliver her first official campaign speech, Bachmann made her now viral gaffe in saying that tough-guy actor John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. The Duke was born in Winterset, Iowa, and was raised in California. It was John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer, who was from Waterloo.

Lots of detail and links here.

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Michele wants to do away with anything that inhibits economic activity of any sort – explicitly minimum wage, but also implicitly, healths and safety regulations, environmental regulations, nuclear safety, – the mind boggles at what she wants to eliminate:

From Good Morning America:

Stephanopoulos: Well let me move on to another one of your statements on the issue of jobs which is so central to this campaign. You said back in 2005 that taking away the minimum wage could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment. Where is the evidence for that?

Bachmann: You know I think what we need to do is, again George, focus on job creation. I’m a former federal tax litigation attorney. I worked for years in the federal tax court system and watched how devastating high taxes are on business and individuals and farmers. And I’m also a job creator. My husband and I started from scratch a successful small business. That’s really the focus that I’m hearing today in New Hampshire. People are very upset that the president has us at 9.1 percent unemployment. That is not acceptable. He promised us that we wouldn’t see unemployment go above 8 percent. We’ve lost millions of jobs, people are suffering, they are hurting and I feel their pain and I want to make sure that what we do going forward is actually to address this and turn the economy around and get it on the right track because that’s really what people care about – that’s what they’re talking to me about all across the country.

Stephanopoulos: I think that’s what everyone wants to get this unemployment down but do you still believe that eliminating the minimum wage could virtually eliminate unemployment?

Bachmann: I think what we need to do is bring economists together, people who have been in this field to let us know what are the job killing regulations that could help us in turn put the economy on the right track. And so I think we need to across the board look at all of the regulations of various departments and do that. Unfortunately under President Obama we’ve seen a tremendous expansion of even more government regulations, that’s lead to even fewer jobs being created. So there’s several tactics we need to look at, one is the tax code, another is the regulatory burden that adds approximately 1.7 trillion of burden on job creators. If we could lift that then I think we’d see more people get higher wages, better benefits and more jobs because what we want is more job growth in America rather than to see jobs transferring overseas.

Stephanopoulos: Let me try one more time, so you are saying that the minimum wage is one of those regulations you’d take a look at, you’d try to eliminate it?

Bachmann: Well what I’m saying is that I think we need to look at all regulations, whatever–whatever ones are inhibiting job growth that’s what we need to –

Stephanopoulos: And the minimum wage is one of them?

Bachmann: All regulations George. I think every department. We have just too much expansion of government and so what we need to do is tamp that down so that the American people can keep more of what they make.

Bachmann is famous for being smarter than Sarah Palin, but her grasp of American history isn’t much better than Sarah’s:

and also from Good Morning America:

Stephanopoulos: Earlier this year you said that the Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence worked tirelessly to end slavery. Now with respect Congresswoman, that’s just not true. Many of them including Jefferson and Washington were actually slave holders and slavery didn’t end until the Civil War.

Bachmann: Well if you look at one of our Founding Fathers, John Quincy Adams, that’s absolutely true. He was a very young boy when he was with his father serving essentially as his father’s secretary. He tirelessly worked throughout his life to make sure that we did in fact one day eradicate slavery….

Stephanopoulos: He wasn’t one of the Founding Fathers – he was a president, he was a Secretary of State, he was a member of Congress, you’re right he did work to end slavery decades later. But so you are standing by this comment that the Founding Fathers worked tirelessly to end slavery?

Bachmann: Well, John Quincy Adams most certainly was a part of the Revolutionary War era. He was a young boy but he was actively involved.

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The rejection by state employee union members is the latest step in the tragedy/farce of Malloy budget calculations and negotiations.

Colin McEnroe finds humor in this very sad development:

This is good news for Malloy because now he’s probably going to lay off many thousands of state employees. People want to see him get tough with the unions, and layoffs will look tougher than the concessions.

This is bad news for Malloy because the satisfaction people take in Malloy’s toughness will be a passing fancy, to replaced by the numbing reality of long lines at service windows, unanswered phones, closed state parks, dead people in the streets, etc.

See how confusing this is?

Still, if you really had to pick one of the two choices, I would strongly urge you to circle “bad.” Malloy has talked about cutting state aid to municipalities if the concessions fall apart, and roughly 98 percent of Connecticut residents, give or take 2 percent, live in municipalities. Property taxes could go up. Human school teachers could be replaced by German shepherds. That kind of thing.

Jon Pelto points a finger:

Governor: This Disaster is Your Doing…

From Day 1, Malloy could not have handled the situation any worse.

Susan Bigelow adds perspective:

…Rejection is an utter disaster on so many levels, from economic to social, but let’s put this into some political perspective. “No” voters in state government seemed miffed that the governor wasn’t respecting them enough, that his tactics were heavy-handed and amounted to bullying, but have they seen what’s happening almost everywhere else in the country? Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had to swim against a national tide of union bashing, layoffs, service cuts, and zero tax increases to push through an agreement that really did call for sacrifice from everyone. He has suffered greatly for it, his approval ratings are abysmal and his chances for a second term currently seem bleak.

Through it all, the governor’s office negotiated a tough-but-fair deal for state employee unions, a deal that could have been a national model for how to preserve services and keep people employed without raising taxes too much. This was the response to Govs. Scott Walker and Chris Christie, a rare moment of labor relations sanity in a country that desperately needs it. The only thing that was required was for state employees to do their part and ratify the best deal they were going to get under the circumstances….

For now, we’ll wait for the legislature to meet next week to decide where we go from here. I’m going to swallow my own disappointment in exchange for worry about my town, the state’s economy, the thousands who may find themselves unjustly out of work soon, and the future of the services so many needy people depend upon. Someone has to.

I’ve said from the beginning that there was no politically popular way out of the mess CT’s finances were in – that whomever was elected would be a one-term governor. Gov. Malloy’s initial budget, with unrealistic projections, and a very light share of the burden on the rich was deeply unsatisfactory, but his refusal to work any further with the unions goes way beyond that.

I don’t suppose there is any chance the legislature will stand up and say to the governor – “Don’t be an ass – go back and talk to your employees some more,” is there?

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Lots of interesting stuff the last 3 weeks, mostly on diet:

I. I’ve got to cut down even more on carbs – almost all are whole grain now – maybe that’s different? And eat even fewer potatoes (I LOVE hash browns) and corn (I LOVE sweet corn)

A, Cut Down On ‘Carbs’ to Reduce Body Fat

A modest reduction in consumption of carbohydrate foods may promote loss of deep belly fat, even with little or no change in weight, a new study finds.

When paired with weight loss, consumption of a moderately reduced carbohydrate diet can help achieve a reduction of total body fat.

B. Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets may reduce both tumor growth rates and cancer risk

Eating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may reduce the risk of cancer and slow the growth of tumors already present.

C. Dietary changes appear to lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Following a low-saturated fat and low–glycemic index diet appears to modulate the risk of developing dementia that proceeds to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and making a switch to this dietary pattern may provide some benefit to those who are already experiencing cognitive difficulty,

2. I should add salt to my diet, instead of avoiding it?

Salt Is Good For Those w/o High Blood Pressure?

A new eight year long European study concludes that salt consumption is not dangerous and may in fact be beneficial. What they concluded was that the less salt the participants ate, the more likely they would die from heart disease. In fact, the heart disease risk was 56% higher in the low salt group. This is certainly contrary to advice from American Medical Association, American Heart Association and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which says higher sodium consumption can increase the risk of heart disease. It’s not unusual to see differing opinions, but what are we ordinary folks to make of the controversy?

3. I don’t eat potato chips, almost no french fries or most other potatoes, but I need to eat more yogurt:

For Your Weight – Potato Chips/ French Fries: Bad; Yogurt Good!

Potato chips were the worst culprit, causing people to gain 1.69 pounds, followed by potatoes in general, which caused people to gain 1.28 pounds. (French fries were worse than boiled or mashed potatoes.) This, explained Dr. Mozzafarian, could be because starches and refined carbohydrates produce bursts in blood glucose and insulin, increasing hunger and thus upping the total amount of food people eat at their next meal.

Sugary beverages accounted for a one pound weight gain, while alcohol caused people to gain an average of 0.41 pounds over four years. Unprocessed meats accounted for a 0.95-pound uptick in weight, while processed meats were right behind at 0.93 pounds

Increased daily servings of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt were significantly inversely associated with weight change.

4. I really should start lifting weights:

Strength training for persons older than 60 years

People lose 30% of their muscle strength between the ages of 50 and 70 years. However, maintaining muscle strength in old age is enormously important in order to maintain mobility and to be able to lead an independent life and manage everyday tasks independently.

5. I’m glad I take a low dose statin, which is very good for me

Statins Helpful, BUT Take Time To Work

Over the long term, treatment with cholesterol-lowering statins reduces the rate of mortality and cardiovascular events such as heart attack, for people with and without heart disease.

and not a high dose, which can cause muscle damage and

increase diabetes risk

Intensive-Dose Statin Therapy Associated With Increased Risk of Diabetes

6. Other things I do/consume that are good for me:

Strawberries Boost Red Blood Cells

Mystery ingredient in coffee boosts protection against Alzheimer’s disease

8. I spend 2-3 hours most evenings reading and/or watching baseball, soccer or a movie. Is reading more healthy than watching TV – or are both quite dangerous to my health? I really have to get out more!

Extensive TV Watching Linked With Increased Risk of Diabetes, CVD and Death

In an analysis of data from several studies, watching television for 2-3 hours per day or more was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular disease and all-cause death.

9. An important message to my employees:

Sucking up to the boss may keep you healthy

9. I’m sure glad I don’t take any of these drugs:

Common drugs linked to cognitive impairment and possibly to increased risk of death

A large, long-term study confirms that medications with anticholinergic activity, which include many drugs frequently taken by older adults, cause cognitive impairment. The research is also the first to identify a possible link between these drugs – which include over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids and incontinence treatments – and risk of death.

Anticholinergics affect the brain by blocking acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter. Over-the-counter products containing diphenhydramine, sold under various brand names such as Benadryl®, Dramamine®, Excedrin PM®, Nytol®, Sominex®, Tylenol PM®, and Unisom®, have anticolinergic activity. Other anticholinergic drugs, such as Paxil®, Detrol®, Demerol® and Elavil® are available by prescription.

Recent Previous Reports

March 29

March 2

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We are headed to disaster (debt default – or massive spending decreases in the face of continuing recession and horrible unemployment) as a result of Republicans refusal to consider any tax increases out of fear of the tea party, putting their own political survival over the interests of the country. Aren’t there any responsible Republicans willing to say this?

And why are Republicans so willing to do this? Because they will do anything to stop Barack Obama from being re-elected, even if it mean