Private Parts

When people push the privatization of Social Security they are failing to provide the details. Now, most people don't care about the details, even though the say they want to know them. When they start to hear about COLA's, administrative policy, and PIA's their eyes start to roll back into their head.

Even with that in mind I have a laundry list of unanswered questions, problems, and issues that would have to be answered, solved, and addressed before any private accounts were established.

1. Who is eligible for a private account? What will be the cut off age?
2. What percent of individual's contributions will be eligible for contribution?
3. Will the tax status of the private account be on a Pre-Tax or After-Tax basis?
4. If it will be Pre-Tax, that creates a tax cut, how will the massive loss in revenues be made up?
5. If it will be After-Tax, will that point be made known when this is made to look like a 401K Plan?
   
6. Who will administer these accounts? Employers? The government? Are Individuals forced to go to a Financial Institution on their own?
7. Who pays the administration fees?
8. Are administration fees included in Bush's Plan?
9. What investments can be included? Private Funds? Stocks, bonds, options, futures, commodities? Anything? Who Decides what a person can invest in?
   
10. Who manages those investments? Are they owned directly or in a mutual type fund?
11. Who pays the brokerage fees? Are they straight fees or discounted?
    
12. If these are collectively owned in mutual type fund, who does the accounting?
13. If the private accounts are use, who then who votes the proxies?
14. Will lump sum distributions now be allowed?
15. Will beneficiary benefits continued to be offered.
16. How will beneficiary, minor dependent, disability, and death benefits be funded?
17. Does Bush's plan cap the level of earnings on private accounts to pay for existing and future "traditional" benefits?
18. Is Bush using the "Cash Balance" type of retirement plan as his basis for this? Those type of Plans have not yet received favorable determination letters from the IRS.
    

I could on and on with questions that are not being asked by the media and not by politicians. This issues should be debated in public, and not just on CSPAN. CNN, FOX, MSNBC, PBS, talk radio, and we in the blogosphere should be discussing the details and understand it BEFORE a lobbyist writes the bill and passes it around an hour before the final vote.

In the Wood & Acropolis Chili Lose Battle to Stay

A Judge has ruled in favor of developers paving the way for the destruction of two long time UC and Clifton Heights establishments, In the Wood and Acropolis Chili. No indications on any appeals or other avenues to allow these property owners the continued rights afford to most all other property owners.

UPDATED for the Spelling Guy

Reaction to Police Shooting

Yes, it has been muted if you measure it by the media coverage. The Buzz appears to not have had a glut of angry callers. No negative comments outside the suspect's family have been heard, but since when has Cecil Thomas been a bellwether for the mood of black activists?

Allen - Collins Settlement

Mike Allen, former county prosecutor has agreed to pay Rebecca Collins $45,000 as part of a settlement of a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment. The lawsuit against the County is still pending.

Yet More Typical Bronson Blather

Peter Bronson is at it again, but this time E Goods takes him to the woodshed, not me.

Irrational Delusionists

Today is the day for the war supporters to wave their flags over their eyes, sing Amazing Grace, and blow their back slapping wad on the Elections in Iraq. It does not matter to them how we got here (no WMD) and it clearly matters not, or at least does not matter today what will happen tomorrow (civil war). Today Dear Leader was able to take a bow, and anyone who dares says "big fucking deal" is with the terrorists. How many free societies have curfews the day of elections? How many have bombers kill 25 people and would at least 71 on the day of elections?

People who feel good about today are so completely delusional about the situation in Iraq. To them it is all about Bush's policies and their support for it. This is not about them. This is not about Bush's image. This is about the people of Iraq and they are not in good shape. We, at this point, know not how many votes were cast. We don't even have any election monitors to show no fraud. We don't know who will be appointed the leaders of the country. We have so many open questions about what will happen next, playing PR cheerleaders does nothing but provide political cover for Bush on the eve of his State of the Union address. We now will not only see a pull back of the rhetoric by the Bush administration, but a pull back of the press. Iraq will become just like Afghanistan, a faceless back story where little has changed since the last dictatorial government fell.

So I guess now I am a terrorist for not waving a flag for Dear Leader.Sorry about that. Sorry for not accepting the propaganda. Sorry for not conforming to the dogma. Sorry for wanting real democracy in Iraq. Sorry for wanting people to face the reality of state of Iraq and not the PR drivel coming from Dear Leader’s minions. I am not sorry for anything I have written. If you don’t like it, then tough. If you feel the need to tell me to ‘love it or leave it,’ I think you have shown why I had to write what I did and why I can’t stand still and let PR pass as truth.

Image Boost?

As a company P&G has many, many problems, but they are a plus for Cincinnati in both attracting new people to the city as well as their sizable charitable giving to various groups including a strong commitment to education and the arts. Will their mergers with Gillette boost the image of Cincinnati across the country? In the short run I think it is simply good press, so the answer is yes. Cincinnati as a Midwestern corporate HQ center is something that has been slipping as of late with the sales of Star and Provident, and this adds a boon to the Perception of Business leaders that Cincinnati is still a white collar Mecca.

The real benefit only comes with jobs jobs jobs. P&G states that the combined company will loose 6,000 jobs, but most of that will be overseas. On the surface this sounds like a plus for Cincinnati, but a loss for Boston. Over time this insures jobs here in Cincinnati and it could expand them.

Cincinnati Police Shoot Suspect

The Cincinnati Police have shot a suspect outside a local nightclub. Information at this point that "some woman," as the WLWT article states, tipped off police that suspects in a car near by the club had a gun. The police located the car and the rest is unclear as to hot the suspect was shot twice. He is reportedly expected to live. The report indicates that the police stated a gun was found in the car. Reactions I have heard or read so far have not been irrational, let’s hope it stays that way.

No Win for Winburn

Publius at SaveOurCity believes former Councilman Charlie Winburn could win the Mayor's Race with a divided Democratic party between Mallory and Pepper. Publius is wrong. Winburn can not be elected Mayor with either Mallory or Pepper in the race. Pubis is right that it is possible, though not probable, that Winburn could win a 3 or 4 way race, but that only wins him the primary. Only the top two make it to the general election. Curtis Fuller won the primary in 2001, but lost the Mayoral race significantly a month and half later. If Winburn were to somehow win the primary then any of the three of Pepper, Reece, or Mallory would crush him in the general election.

It's Freaky Friday After All

We have a profile of the local Cragslist: Cincinnati. It is something that I fear could make Si Leis get his shorts in a wad.

Also, it is Final Friday and the KnowTheatre is performing and CA has the details and folks will be heading to Milton's afterwords.

British/Irish/Scottish Films

Here is a list of British,Irish, and Scottish films I have seen and really liked. Some of these may not have been a Hollywood production, but the topic was based somewhere from the British Isles. These are not in any special order.

1. Enigma
2. In the Name of the Father
3. Much Ado About Nothing
4. Richard II
5. Trainspotting
6. Gosford Park
7. The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill, But Came Down a Mountain
8. Four Weddings and a Funeral
9. My Left Foot
10. Waking Ned DeVine
11. Brassed Off
12. The Quiet Man
13. Shakespeare in Love
14. Elizabeth
15. Hope and Glory
16. Braveheart
17. Master and Commander
    

This is not a complete list of my favs, but a start. Anyone have any more or more importantly think I am out of my gourd on one of these actually being good?

YNTG Done?

Kathy Y. Wilson is never an easy read, and her latest column is also foggy. I guess her weekly column Your Negro Tour Guide is done. I assume, but can't quite discern that she will continue to write for CityBeat, but not with the Race handcuffs. That I think is great. I like her writing, but the limits of race issues often left the same themes and same rhetoric. For her career I think it is best.

Unless I missed something cryptic, which is very possible, I think she is staying with CityBeat. If I missed something and she is not, someone please set me straight.

Ghiz Not Running

Stephanie Dunlap has a story on Leslie Ghiz which reports two issues: Ghiz will likely not run and Sam Malone was behind the snub to Ghiz. What I hope is just her public face, Leslie still defended the Party. She is a fool to stay in the local GOP. She should not believe that only Malone wanted her out. If the local GOP wanted to be fair and not let one person control them, then should have done something. Instead, they let the anti-homosexual bigot Sam Malone keep her off council. This has the CCV written all over it.

Me Blog Good

I am pleased that Cincinnati is well above the average in an intelligence ranking of cities. I hope this is just the actual city and not the Metro Area.

El Cometa del Risque

A woman in a Chicken suit. You would think you would see that fairly very often, but for me last night it was a first. Yesterday at Drinking Liberally the Chicken suit was not the highlight, but still fun. It was not a young chick either, so I can say that the experience, which from afar, was not as exhilarating as a man like myself might wish for.

The rest of the night was almost as enjoyable. Since several bloggers where there, the issue of blogging came up and specifically on stuff to write about. I of course did not take any notes, so I can't really regale anyone with the many great stories folks told or interesting topics that were suggested as blog fodder.

The raging debate I kept having in my head was whether "Junkie Barista" would make a better name for a rock band or the title of a new Yoga position.

I can't get one image out of head though. It has to do with the topic brought up about a hypothetical columnist sorting through a box of sex toys. It is something I think everyone would find disturbing, if it were true. You might be surprised to know Funnel Cake was not responsible for such an image.

Save Our City On Nate's Claims re 'The Boycott'

I don't like to say much about Nate, and I do not have to.

Pepper is In

Councilman David Pepper is officially in as a candidate for Cincinnati Mayor. He has money and business leaders on his side. A few interest points from the article.

1. No mention of Tom Brinkman as at least a possible candidate for mayor? He has been listed previously as a possible candidate, but could he or his confidants popped that trial balloon?
2. Pepper is dating a TV News reporter/anchor? I hope she does not report on any political coverage and I don't think I have to worry much, local TV news ranks local politics only above Pee-Wee Football scores in the level of coverage.

Who else will declare soon?

Ignorance

A man who thinks a sky fairy created man now spews right wing talking points about how to being the destruction of Social Security. Peter, as the rest of Social Security destruction movement does, fails to account for how his plan will add money to the trust fun to cover shortfalls, how they will pay for survivor benefits, how they will pay for disability benefits, how they will administer such a plan.

What they are not telling you is that they are doing what corporations are doing, putting all responsibility and RISK on the participant. What will people do if in 10 years we suffer another depression? That wipes out the market and with it the trust.

Peter and the money hungry idiots need to understand something that most miss; social security is an INSURANCE PROGRAM. It is not an investment plan. We have plenty of room in the IRA, 401(K) and 403(b) plans for people to make tax free investments.

This is about providing a safety net to people. Peter plays the game of trying to make people think it is an investment that can be quantified in Wall street terms. He needs to be thinking in Hartford terms. Does Peter want to let 18 year old kids opt out of Auto Insurance? I doubt it, but you never know. He may say if you are wealthy enough, then yes, because they can afford it. I guess that might be who he is looking out. The problem is that he is ignorant and that he is think about money now, and not about security in the future. Bill Gates could die a poor man. I could die richer than Bill Gates. That uncertainty is why we want to provide a safety level of income for EVERYONE to make sure they have a minimum level of income in old age. This is not about Frat boy Johnny spending his extra beer money. This is about the 20 year old shift manage at Burger King building a net to help augment their retirement.

The issue here is the get people saving in their 401(k) and IRA's. If you fear Social Security being gone in 40 years, fear not. If you still fear it, then get your ass saving. That way, as was designed, your PIA will be gravy.

[I have been working on a longer post on SSA. I will continue working on that and try and provide an outline of what BushCo is not telling you about how it plans on destroying Social Security.]

UPDATE: 1:30 PM - Where's Mine? Clarence Paige asked that rhetorically over 10 years ago as a description of what the average voter was thinking. Based on comment to many people in favor of privatizing Social Security come across as only thinking about themselves. This is what is cause the variation. If you can't think beyond yourself, then you are missing the point. We can't have a plan that fit each person trying to squeeze out a new Benz at retirement. We can't have a plan where you can opt out if you can "afford it" because that is fool hearty.

To also answer a comment who said that my car insurance comparison was flawed because you don't have to drive. True, you don't have to drive. You don't have to earn wages in this society either. If he wants to avoid SS, I suggest he win the lottery and live off the interest for the rest of his life. The minute he is dead broke at age 85, then I wonder what he is going to do?

This sounds like to me trying to make people responsible for maintain their own street or fire department or police department.

Community Web Activitsts

A great use of technology, community web sites are great, as long as people are connected to the web. The web divide is both economic and generational. Much like cable TV, there are still those who do not have cable, and not because they gave it up, because they can't afford it, mainly installing it in their homes.

Hamilton County Loves Porn!

A great column from WaPo last month showing that despite the anti-porn crusaders of CCV and Si Leis, Hamilton County consumes more porn than the average county.

About a year after the Utah case, a similar scenario played out in Hamilton County, Ohio, a conservative Cincinnati suburb. In 2001, under pressure from an influential local antiporn group, Citizens for Community Values, prosecutors filed obscenity charges against two local video stores for selling adult videos. The Cincinnati Enquirer launched an investigation of community standards and found that:

"Last year, more than 21,000 Hamilton County residents purchased 26,000 explicit videos from one of the nation's largest mail-order companies. A company spokeswoman described those sales as typical for a community of this size. . . . In January of this year, 182,000 Greater Cincinnati residents -- an estimated 70,000 from Hamilton County -- visited an adult Web site at least once. Nielsen - NetRatings found that 21.8 percent of all residents here who went online visited an adult site. The national average for January was 21.4 percent. In recent months, Hamilton County residents bought adult movies on pay-per-view TV at about the same rate as viewers did in other mid-sized TV markets. The numbers suggest county residents are quiet contributors to the adult industry's rapid growth. And with every purchase, they change Hamilton County's long-held notion of a community standard."

The data comes from the Enquirer, but that seems to have not made much of an impression on the anti-porn zealots.

[Via, you guessed it, Funnelcake]