Campaign 2010

Countdown to Congressional Elections


The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.
Noam Chomsky, M.I.T. emeritus Professor of Linguistics

The Rise of Corporate Freedom of Speech

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$2.9 Billion Spent in 08
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Primary Election Results
(UPDATED: August 25, 2010)






"The Great 2010 Incumbent (Non-)Revolt"

Senate Primary’s
Incumbent Democrats
1 Loss; 6 Wins of 13
Incumbent Republicans
1 Loss; 9 Wins of 12

House Primary’s
Incumbent Democrats
2 Loss; 182 Wins of 245
Incumbent Republicans
2 Loss; 140 Wins of 158

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Visual Facts

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National Debt Clock

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WHEN Did You Become Fiscally Responsible?
BEFORE Obama or AFTER Obama??
January 20, 2009
$10,838,758,414,164.46 - ↑90%
Discretionary Spending at 48.6%

January 20, 2001
$5,719,124,940,098.04 - 36%
January 20, 1993
$4,192,107,025,882.17 - 62%
January 20, 1989
$2,601,104,000,000.00 - 189%
January 20, 1981
$909,041,000.000.00

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Debt by President

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United States of Corporations

Thanks to the GOP's Supreme Court
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Corporate Bill of Rights

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The Decade When the U.S. Lost Its Way

Where Have All the Neocons Gone?

From Neocons to Crazy-Cons

America Builds an Aristocracy

Supreme immodesty: Why the justices play politics

The Biggest Medicare Fraud Ever

Enough Right-Wing Propaganda

Tax Rate for Richest 400 Taxpayers Plummeted in Recent Decades, Even as Their Pre-Tax Incomes Skyrocketed

"The financial reform bill will determine whether Wall Street’s banks will serve the American economy or whether the American economy will continue to serve Wall Street's banks."

"While the economy doesn't function for most of us ordinary workers, it yields considerable reward for those at the top."

Republicans Are Locked in a Passionate Embrace with a Corpse and Won't Let Go

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"It should tell you everything you need to know that, in lobbying to retain its bank supervisory powers, the Fed's allies include the big Wall Street banks."

"[Texas Republican Jeb] Hensarling told a Texas-size whopper — and then tried to claim Republican credit for Bill Clinton’s budget surpluses."

"The Supreme Court's 5-to-4 decision last week giving American corporations the right to unlimited political spending was an astonishing display of judicial arrogance, overreach and unjustified activism."

"It was wrong because nothing in the First Amendment dictates that corporations must be treated identically to people."

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"A huge, unregulated boom in which almost all the upside went directly into private hands, followed by a gigantic bust in which the losses were socialized."

So You Just Squandered Billions . . . Take Another Whack at It

Banks 'Too Big to Fail' Have Grown Even Bigger

Bankers' bonuses Beat Earnings as Industry Imploded

U.S. Rescue May Reach $23.7 Trillion

The Bank Bailouts — Corporate Welfarism

New Evidence Cheney Swayed Reaction to Leak - Valerie Plame

Once Again, The More You Watch Fox The Dumber You Are

"Over the past year, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury have injected trillions of dollars into frozen financial markets, snapping up unwanted bonds, extending guarantees to banks and slashing interest rates."

Building a Better Capitalism

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The Great Wealth Transfer

The Richer

Who Rules America? Power, Politics, and Social Change

Proponents of Estate Tax Repeal Are Resurrecting Old Misconceptions

Income Gaps Between Very Rich and Everyone Else More Than Tripled In Last Three Decades

Ending Plutocracy: A 12-Step Program

Our Gilded Age

The Rich and the Rest of Us

GOP's "Small Government" Talk is Hollow


Distortions, Hypocrisy & More

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Friedrich Nietzsche
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Today is

February 1, 2010

Texting And Cell Phone Usage While Driving

February 1, 2010  

Using cell phones and texting while driving has become a big issue of late. 19 states have already ban texting while driving, along with Washington D.C. Nearly two dozen others are seriously considering it. 6 states have ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving. And like anything else a government does or wants to do, this one too has its supporters and opponents. Those who support the new laws often point to their own experience, and the ones who don’t keep insisting its not a danger. That’s why the latter is certain to be praising the latest survey regarding the use of cell phones while driving. The survey says cell phone bans have not decreased traffic accidents. But what about common sense?

“Common sense” — now there’s a phrase for the ages. I sometimes wonder if there’s anyone who has never used it. I guess I’m supposed to place a link here that will take you to the definition; but I won’t. Talk about something that is certainly left up to ones own interpretation, this has to rank near the top. So instead, I will use the word “logical”, although it too has room for interpretation.

No doubt most of those who oppose banning these widow/widower-makers have experienced a close call by someone who got distracted while driving, or they know of someone who did. But these folks believe they don’t (or won’t) get distracted. Unfortunately, that sort of thinking has been the downfall of many; e.g., drunk drivers.

As noted, many of us who support the banning have had personal experiences of some kind, and I’m no different. I spend a lot of time on the highways every year, and having done so, I’ve seen my fair share of distracted drivers who were using cell phones and texting.

I recall one incident when on a 9-hour trip, and traveling on an Interstate highway; keeping an eye in the rear view mirror as I usually do. My wife and I were on a long bridge traveling in the right hand lane, along with a lot of other traffic, when I noticed a truck in my rear view mirror approaching in the left lane. Vehicles in the right lane were constantly swerving to the right to avoid being hit because the truck driver was constantly invading their space. Of course, those in the right lane had little room to maneuver due to the bridge guard rails. I mentioned to my wife that we had a drunk driver approaching. So I kept a very close eye on him, which put me in danger of hitting the vehicle in front of me had traffic slowed un-expectantly. The driver of the truck finally came along side of me and almost hit my car. I blew my horn which startled him and caused him to look up. Look up from what, you ask? From texting! He had both arms laid across the top of the steering wheel holding his phone and punching the text buttons with both hands.

Of course that story is only one of many I could tell, and is no different than ones millions of other drivers could tell. But another story goes back years before the incident I just described. It was during the days when I too thought I wasn’t being distracted from using cell phones. I was working then (since retired), which required a lot of driving. On this particular trip I was on a road I was very familiar with as I had traveled it many, many times. I received a call on my old bag phone (if you’re old enough, you’ll remember those). The call was from an old friend I had not seen or heard from for more than 35 years. We talked for the better part of half an hour. When the call was over I started evaluating where I was and realized I didn’t know. When I finally figured it out, it was obvious that I had traveled for many miles unaware that I was even driving. But that won’t happen to you, will it?

Ok, so continuing on: a recent survey says that banning the use of cell phones while driving has not decreased the number of accidents. But come on — lets be logical!! (There’s that word)

I personally know of someone who is now very old and still a very dangerous driver. I use the word “still” because this person has always been that way, even when in their 40’s. On two-lane country highways this person would go around cars entering sharp curves and just before topping very high hills (that some would describe as mountainous) or driving for several minutes looking at and talking about something off in the distance. And that person never had an accident until very late in life, and, I don’t know of anyone else having an accident due to this person. However, it wasn’t because of not doing something dangerous; it was nothing but lady luck — being in the wrong place at the right time.

If accidents have not increased due to the usage of cell phones and texting while driving, pure logic tells one that it’s mostly likely due to nothing but luck. But then again you have to remember how statistics are gathered. For example, when opponents of cigarette smoking gather their death related “facts”, they use some very peculiar stats. One such example is a man who smoked from the age of 18 to age 23. When he died from cancer at the age of 80-something, that death was recorded as a smoking related death.

Now I am not saying that traffic accident statistics are gathered in the same way, and I certainly am not insinuating tobacco doesn’t cause cancer. But when the high potential of having an accident caused by using something as distracting as texting — and in many cases, a cell phone — is denied, then the deniers should probably reexamine their thinking.

“Safe” does not apply to multi-tasking when driving is one of those task. If you think so, maybe you should ask yourself this question: Would I want to be on an airplane, without autopilot, if the pilot was texting?

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2 comments to Texting And Cell Phone Usage While Driving

  • Excellent post, Old Man. It only takes a second at highway speeds to end up in a serious or fatal accident, regardless of the distration.

    Most distrations, such as the radio, a sandwich, or beverage, are momentary and relatively infrequent. Texting is repetitive and, like talking on the phone, ongoing.

    Just like passages in the bible, you can find statistics to support just about any position you want to take. The question is, is your position logical? It’s not rocket science to conclude texting while driving carries a high risk of being in an accident.

  • Krystal KidNo Gravatar

    80% percent of all rear end collisions (the most frequent vehicle accident) are caused by driver inattention, following too closely, external distraction (talking on cell phones, shaving, applying makeup, fiddling with the radio or CD player, texting, etc.) and poor judgment. I doubt if we’ll ever stop the madness so I got one of these sparebumper.com to protect my family.

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