What makes a nation? This was the question raised by the Bates family.
Our lesson today follows the occupation of an old defensive WWII sea fort of the UK’s by the Bates family beginning in the 1960s and continuing to modern day. Led by former English major Paddy Roy Bates, the Bates family “settled” the abandoned fort in 1967. Soon after, the family declared their new home to be the independent sovereign state known as the Principality of Sealand. Roy subsequently pronounced himself the Prince of Sealand.
The story of Sealand includes heated debates with neighboring countries, drafting a constitution, creating official currency, participation in official national athletic events, tourism and economic development, mercenaries and speedboats and helicopters in an attempted hostage takeover followed by negotiations, shady investors, governments in exile, and catastrophic fires - just to give you a little taste of Sealand’s rich history.
Today, this nation has an estimated population of 27 Sealanders with 0% poverty, 0% unemployment, and $0 in national debt - not to mention a GDP of US$600,000. Perhaps, one might allege, governments throughout the world should take note of Prince Roy’s economic leadership.
There is no doubt that the Republican legislators led by Boehner are refusing to pass anything that would reflect positively on President Obama. Flat out refusing. It is political hijacking at its worst - and it is at our expense. How are there so many people blind to this? This should be at the forefront of everyday discussion among Americans, yet I’d wager that the majority do not even realize what the payroll tax cut is. My mind aches with the absurdity of this circus.
While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks. …
[F]or those making more than $1 million - there were 236,883 such households in 2009 - I would raise rates immediately on taxable income in excess of $1 million, including, of course, dividends and capital gains. And for those who make $10 million or more - there were 8,274 in 2009 - I would suggest an additional increase in rate.
My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice.
Be sure to read his entire editorial - in which he raises many points that he and Bill Gates and some others in their financial position have made in the past.
WASHINGTON - After months of heated negotiations and failed attempts to achieve any kind of consensus, President Obama turned 50 years old Thursday, drawing strong criticism from Republicans in Congress. “With the host of problems this country is currently facing, the fact that our president is devoting time to the human process of aging is an affront to Americans everywhere,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who advocated a provision to keep Obama 49 at least through the fall of 2013. “To move forward unilaterally and simply begin the next year of his life without bipartisan support - is that any way to lead a country?” According to White House officials, Obama attempted to work with Republicans right up until the Aug. 4 deadline, but was ultimately left with no choice except to turn a year older.
It’s hard to get my actual work done with this kind of stupidity on my newsfeed. I can’t resist.
Stephen King trash talking Republicans at a political rally in Sarasota, FL. I love this guy.
Government has to pump money into competitive markets to get investment going again. That’s what stimulus is. Tax and spending cuts are like bleeding George Washington to cure him of a cold. The folk remedy dressed up as medical expertise killed the great man while attempting to save him.
I'm a writer, teacher, and student in rural Pennsylvania. Sometimes I blog. This is my stream of consciousness - a self-serving archive of musings, music, food, snippets of what I've been reading, and whatever else captures my interest.
