Bruzzone

Occupy’s major message misfire—banks, not ports

(Published concurrently at Huffington Post, December 13, 2011)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA --  The Occupy Wall Street message has been effective. They initially chose the right common enemy.  The banks and bank bailouts angered not just the student demonstrators.  The banks and financial giants generated anger among home owners, those who owe more than their homes are worth, millions who have lost their homes, or watched bank bailouts, or saw their jobs eliminated or threatened by the subsequent recession.  Targeting the banks and government bailouts was an effective common theme.

But for a second time, Occupy demonstrators have targeted West Coast ports.  A total media misfire.  Ports are not banks. 

Wall Street cynicism fuels Occupy (and before, tea party) demonstrators

via www.huffingtonpost.com

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- I had an existential "Occupy" moment last Friday.

While walking to a meeting in San Francisco's Financial District, I passed near a big demonstration in front of Wells Fargo Bank's California Street Headquarters. I knew something was up when I saw police were congregating three blocks away.

From 2D to 3D 'Fusion' Politics

From 2D to 3D Politics

(Originally posted by Bruzzone at Huffington Post/Elections 2012, October 11, 2011)

 SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- I know 2D politics. I was a political party leader, often labeled a conservative. In fact, I was a former chair of the San Francisco Republican Party. I've written hundreds of raw meat conservative articles, commented often in the press, and produced and hosted several TV public affairs programs here.

That changed with a speech I gave at a Republican Women Federated luncheon about a year ago.  In that speech I roundly criticized both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberal progressives. More importantly, I highlighted one of the largest and most powerful U.S. voting blocs -- the independent voter base. I noted that independent or 'declined to state' voters are rapidly increasing n all states. Rasmussen Reports estimates that 32% of all U.S. voters are unaffiliated.

Presidential candidates, fear the ‘nervous’ American worker

SAN FRANCISCO, CA --  We’re all familiar with the monthly unemployment rate referred to as U-3. 

Last month it rose to 9.2%.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports, with considerable less fanfare, U-6:  workers under-employed – part time workers, working even one hour a week, but seeking full time work.  The unemployment and under-employment rate last month reached 16% of American workers.

There’s a third less known rate:  the long term discouraged workers rate.  These are workers who have given up looking for work and have lost their unemployment benefits.   Taken together, the unemployed, underemployed, and discouraged workers reached 23% last month.

Obama outsmarts the republicans, for now

SAN FRANCISCO, CA --- The overriding goal of every first term president is be a two-term president.  or this President, much more is at stake than personal achievement.  

As a former Harvard University constitutional law professor, he knows that a second term offers him the opportunity to change the Supreme Court for decades.  That would provide him a second major victory.  To stem off legal attempts to repeal his health care initiative—the measure which would mark his place in U.S. history.   But he has a third priority of winning re-election:  To use the fiscal crisis – which will only exacerbate in the next 24 months – to accomplish his pervasive goal, distributive justice.  

Why California continues to buck national trends and choose Democrats

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA ---

The last two contested congressional races in California have been decide  d. Democrats Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) and Rep. Jerry McNerney were re-elected in close races.

Around the nation voters overwhelmingly chose Republicans for the House, the U.S. Senate, and many statehouses. Meanwhile California voters chose Democrats for every statewide race.

Why this political countertrend?

With QE2, bank lending and loan demand fail to improve

A new survey by the Federal Reserve has unveiled a disappointing scenario in the credit market: New demand for loans is dropping off, housing demand remains week, more banks have tightened norms for mortgage loans and small businesses' appetite for credit is seriously dented.

via bruzzone.typepad.com

DeLay warns GOP: Don't underestimate Democrats this fall (From The Hill)

From "The Hill's Blog Briefing Room":

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) on Wednesday warned Republicans not to underestimate Democrats this fall.

DeLay, fresh off having the Justice Department drop a federal investigation against him, said GOP wins in the midterm elections aren't "a given" due to the strength of the grassroots infrastructure Democrats built in 2006 and 2008.

Economy’s ‘unusual uncertainty’ – an aborted job recovery

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- For a week now, the stock market has been digesting Fed chief Ben Bernanke’s troubling characterization of the economy ---‘unusual uncertainty’ he called it.

Following Bernanke’s testimony before Congress, the markets saw a flood of high earnings reports from America’s largest corporations, but matched with poor unemployment figures, and rising home foreclosures, as reported Thursday.

Here’s what’s ‘unusual’: The natural healing power of the markets that would normally be revitalizing the job market.

Republicans ensnarled by unemployment benefits

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Senate Republicans got ensnarled by the Democrats over the extended unemployment benefits bill.

So did I. In both cases, it was a failure of communication, not principle.