Something to Know - 28 February

There is a lot of stuff to know out there.  However, trying to ignore the stupidity of Congress in all matters pertaining to what is known as "The Sequester" is difficult.  I am a simple student of our form of government where the basic rules are that the Supreme Court makes decisions on what is in line with the intent of our Constitution.   The President, or the head of the Executive branch, enforces the legislation that roles out of Congress, and the Legislative Branch crafts the laws, or legislation.  Why is it that the Speaker of the House keeps up this silly dialogue that he wants the President to come up with "the plan"?  Does he not know that he is the guy running the show on money matters?.  I  really think that Rachel Maddow's view that Congress and the President approved of the messy problem last year, so why can't they "un-approve of it this year"?  Mr. Boehner, the resolution to do so starts from your House.   Anyway, let's see if we can find something else to know.

1.  Here is an opinion from a "Republican" on what is screwed up and damaging to the economy and the growing disparity between the wealthy and all others in this country:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/opinion/republicans-must-bridge-the-income-gap.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130227&_r=0&pagewanted=print

2.  While the United States is preoccupied with city, county, state and federal budget cuts, and slashing teachers and closing the doors to education, let's look at Mexico.  Thomas Friedman has this little piece for us to keep in mind.  Yeah, things are really bad in some places and the narco-trafficantes are a large problem, and we may think that all that Mexico does is export unskilled labor across the border.....read this.  As it develops its technology and intellectual capacity, it is finding its legs to compete for the future.   Should we not be doing the same?:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/opinion/friedman-is-mexico-the-comeback-kid.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130227&pagewanted=print

3.  One of the more crass and disgusting perrmances by the GOP was their recent snarky attacks and opposition to Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary.  They just wasted time, and introduced us to the reincarnation of Joe McCarthy in the body of their Ted Cruz:

http://www.nationalmemo.com/thanks-to-the-gop-opposing-chuck-hagel-america-now-knows-ted-cruz/

4.  Here is a story with multiple layers of interest and learning possibilities.   Monsanto has made itself an ugly reputation in the world, just like BP in the Gulf States.  So, here is Monsanto and its sacred GMO corn seeds making its same ugly presence known in Mexico, for the same reasons it has done so in India and the USA.  Mexican farmers can be very vocal, and react when they are pissed off.  You can also enjoy some good street scene parades in Mexico City, and judge how well you can understand Spanish:

http://truth-out.org/news/item/14775-mexican-farmers-protest-the-entrance-of-gmo-corn

--
Juan

"Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock."
       -- Ben Hecht