Hello, all.

I would say 'good morning' but it is very wet and on the cool side this morning. Really dreary weather. I am just very glad we didn't get any tornadoes. And the first thing I found was this item at Firedoglake Action detailing who Obama has appointed to the budget balancing commission. Talk about stacking the deck--most of them are for drastic cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and at least half support some form of privatization. It doesn't matter to me that all of these (supply your own epithet) claim that they won't change my situation with regard to Social Security. I find it incredibly dishonest that they want to cut the programs for anyone younger than 55. By that age most workers would have been in the workforce between 30 and 37 years. Suddenly they would be told that all that time they were paying for NOTHING. I call it a rip-off if someone only works one MONTH with Social Security taxes being taken out, if the powers that be are going to reduce or eliminate the benefits. So called privatization is an even worse rip-off. Social Security taxes would still be taken out--I don't see any provisions to lower or eliminate that but the individual tax payer would have no more say in how those funds would be distributed. And you now who would administer that money, don't you? How about the dear boys and girls at Goldman or JP Morgan/Chase, et al. If they want to do away with or limit Social Security for those under 55 then they should give all such workers every penny of their money back with interest. But then they wouldn't be able to hide the true size of the deficit.

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It is now Tuesday and I will say 'Good Morning' today. Part of my snit yesterday was the result of the weather. I walked out on the patio to find that two of my plastic tents over the garden containers had collapsed thanks to the heavy rain. All it took was a slight low spot where the water could gather. I lost my sweetpeas and two peppers for certain. The one marigold that looked bad may revive and I think the other two peppers and my eggplants will also recover. I have all of those under the hot caps I cut from milk jugs.

I saw the headline on Huffington Post this morning that an incumbent Democratic congressman from W. Virginia has lost his primary fight to stand for re-election in the fall. Add that to the incumbent Republican Senator from Utah who also lost and I think the sum will be a very interesting fall election. The voters, it seems, are pissed with everyone in office.