Taxes are all the rage these days–again. What I’ve learned is that lots of people in positions of power avoid them in interesting ways. (Why lower a tax, therefore, if its value is empty. Logical flop, but fun nonetheless.) Who’d have thought that tax on driving would be worth over 100 Grand. I’m sure there’s a deeper story to Daschle’s tax issues , what he calls a “tax laps,” than has been made public, as would probably be the case with most in Congress.

Value is interesting question in whatever market. A service provided on the back of a tax is considered of less value by Republicans because more profit could be had by restructuring it in the market and it comes off as an “entitlement.” Public schools, for example, could be a neat business. But then a “market value” would be established, a windfall for some, an element of scarcity for others. Public learning as scarce commodity. Thrilling.

Shelby wants us to “attack the financial cancer” but has very few ideas beyond the 80’s cliche: cut taxes, the only idea Republicans have apparently. And Sununu’s in a state over some monster of a government policy too difficult to find in the dark. Do I disagree with Shelby and Sununu? Not really. But CT is heading toward a 4 Billion deficit in a few years and it’s not because of lower tax revenue. Causality? That’s a good one.

None of his is poetry or fiction. These are too honest.

The Courant has a sad article on mortgage relief in CT.

The Wrights, with yearly income of about $80,000, share a predicament with thousands of families in trouble in Connecticut — many of whom had reason to hope for help from the state. An examination of Connecticut’s mortgage relief programs shows that only a small fraction of homeowners have qualified for aid that was meant to reach many more families.

Even as foreclosures continue by the hundreds, more than $100 million set aside by the state to help families keep their homes is going untapped. The state programs are so narrow and carry so many restrictions that getting approval is nearly impossible.

From what I can gather from the article, there are several programs in CT and each comes with its own set of standards: EMAP, CTFAMILIES, and HERO:

Since July 1, a program to help homeowners make payments on their mortgages has helped one borrower so far, with just five approvals pending. That, despite 382 applications for the program — the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, or EMAP.

The centerpiece program, CTFAMLIES, has fared better, with 65 loan refinancings closed, totaling $13.5 million, among 309 applications. Another seven refinancings are approved, and awaiting a closing date.

In yet another program — the Homeowner Equity Recovery Program, or HERO — the state planned to buy mortgages from lenders, who would take a loss, and negotiate to set more affordable interest rates. HERO has yet to help a single homeowner, and just one loan is expected to close later this month, state records show.

These programs, according to the article, are managed by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. My intent here is not to write about the financials but to ask a few questions. If a relief program is going to be useful, it seems to me that a few important items are required: 1) develop a process to identify who needs assistance 2) develop a process for getting aid to them as painlessly as possible. Standards matter, but it’s not that difficult to develop them. Why do we need separate programs, which will confuse people having problems and looking for information and will put a lot of administrative load on the state and its employees?

Moreover, a quick look at the CHFA website is enough to confuse anyone or drive them bananas.

A snip from my home town news paper, the El Paso Times

EL PASO – Mayor John Cook vetoed a unanimous vote by City Council that earlier Tuesday asked the federal governemnt to seriously study the idea of legalizing drugs in response to the violence that has plagued Juárez.

In what is the third veto of his administration, Cook said the council’s position “was not consistent with community standards both locally and nationally. I urge council to reconsider supporting the original wording as recommended.”

Council voted 8-0 earlier today to approve a resolution that outlined 11 steps the U.S. and Mexican governments needed to take to deal with the violence that has resulted in more than 1,600 homicides in Juárez.

South-West city Rep. Beto O’Rourke added a 12th step, which asked the U.S. government to have “an honest debate on the decriminalization of narcotics.”

I’m with Beto. But would decriminalization really put a sock in this incredible violence?

The auto industry “bailout” is an odd thing. Canada is moving in kind. It seems to me that the money will last a few months, then issues will arise, the same as exist now.

Blame’s not an issue. American’s were purchasing, rather financing, weird cars for years. I still have to struggle in the parking lot with Suburbans and Excursions or whatever blocking off whatever treeline exists in CT.

What will happen in the next few months that changes anything? Here are a couple of ideas, though: put the northern industry into the hands of the union and designers and see what happens, such as re-equiping (see link below). Top management should reduce its paycheck to a 200K cap, even for the chiefs. If you can’t live on 200K (I have no idea what I would do with 200K–it would be interesting, maybe do some more insulating and give more to the groups and charities we give to now), then something’s wrong. Million dollar paychecks, in any economy, are bizarre and must be “overvalued.” Third, take Ray’s suggestion and run with it.

Prior to the second debate between President-elect Barack Obama and John McCain, I sent a tweet to Obama saying “go get him. Don’t stand for cheap shots.”

Now, I’m ashamed of that message. Coolness, measuredness, and calm, intellectual determination was the better way. These past eight years have whittled at my nerves. Professionalism derided, the persistence of anachronistic folly, a cretinous pride in ignorance, derision of international partners and collaborators, and an odd savagery raking at constitutional ontology, as Luckovich illustrates.

After my initial elation and disbelief at Barack Obama’s election, I’ve now slowed down to thoughtfulness, thinking of family, friends, colleagues, about change and the future. Bilal visited class yesterday and took my World Literature students through the history, contexts, and significant influences of the Koran. He’s a soft-spoken expert, and the students want him to return on Monday to continue the discussion, perhaps exploring different interpretations of certain sura. He persists in a large conversation over the public perception of Islam and the elegance of its ideas. In class we talked about the relations between Islam and T’ang poetry and we learned a lot about how people can elevate or destroy because of ignorance. I made the point that this is why we dig and dig into the poetry, not necessarily to know, but to engage and connect, not to punish but to come away humbled by openness.

The last eight years have not been about being humble.

…Ashamed though I am of my high position
While people lead unhappy lives,
Let us reasonably banish care
And just be friends, enjoying nature.
Though we have to go without fish and meat,
There are fruits and vegetables aplenty.
…We bow, we take our cups of wine,
We give our attention to beautiful poems.
When the mind is exalted, the body is lightened
And feels as if it could float in the wind.