Budget Solutions Available

     Yesterday, Congress passed a two week spending bill, meant to avert a government shutdown. The bill will cut spending, in that two week period, by $4 billion. House leadership has proposed a bill that would cut annual spending by $61 billion. The new Republican House, filled with Tea Party Freshmen, had campaigned on $100 billion dollars in cuts, and, truthfully, this bill will not satisfy them. The problem is, that the House bill is unsatisfactory to the Democratic controlled Senate. So, Congress is dead-locked over the budget, and a shutdown looms for the first time since Newt Gingrich was Speaker.
     Will a two week extension be long enough to get a deal done? It looks doubtful, but thanks to the Government Accountability Office, perhaps there is a way out. A study by the GAO has found that dozens of programs overlap in their missions. There are 47 job training programs, 80 programs to help disadvantage adults with their transportation needs, 82 programs for teacher improvement, and 52 programs for entrepreneurial efforts. These programs could be consolidated, eliminating administrative cost while not reducing services. To be sure, these measures will not balance the budget. The sacred cows of defense, Medicare and Social Security must be dealt with for the United States to get its fiscal situation in order. Will Congressional leadership deal with these issues, or are their efforts focused on short-term fixes on the back of the middle class.
    

No Exit For Art Superstar

     Sunday, of course, was the Academy Awards, and while most people were debating the merits of "The King's Speech" versus "The Social Network," many others were wondering what would happen if Banksy won an Oscar. Banksy, who is perhaps the most famous graffiti artist in the world, was nominated for his documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop." The only problem being, however, that nobody actually knows what Banksy looks like.
     "Exit" is basically about filmmaker Thierry Guetta, who began filming street artist like Space Invader and Shepard Fairy. Guetta followed these street artist around in the middle of the night, filming then painting sidewalks, buildings, and other public spaces, telling them that he was making a documentary about graffiti art. Then, he met Banksy, and quickly earned his trust.
     Banksy had planned to place a blow-up doll, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and black hood, chained to a ride at Disney World, as a comment on abuse at Guantanamo Bay. Guetta would film the act and the public's reaction. Guetta, however, was picked up by park security and questioned for 4 hours. He was not water-boarded, but he did not tell them he knew who did the artwork.
     Soon, Banksy became the biggest artist in the world, street or otherwise. He was now having full-on art shows, in a gallery. Street art had taken off, and it was time for Guetta's documentary to hit theaters, Banksy told him. So Guetta spent 6 months editing thousands of hours of footage. Then, he showed it to Banksy.
     "I was in that position, where someone shows you there work, and you realize that it's shit." Banksy says. "I started to wonder if (Guetta) was a filmmaker or just someone with mental problems."
     So Banksy sent Guetta home, telling him to go make some art, and keeping the tapes for himself. This is when the switch happens. The film stops being about street art and starts being about Guetta himself. Guetta goes crazy, creating thousands of pieces, and renting a huge venue for his show. Soon, he is on the front page of LA Weekly, and thousands line up for the opening of his show, which stays open for two months.
     Some have wondered if the movie is not a documentary, but a hoax. This is an easy assumption to make, especially on the heels of the Joaquin Phoenix film "I'm Still Here." Ultimately, this seems doubtful. Either way, however, the film works as a commentary on celebrity (we still don't know what Banksy looks like) and art, itself (does Guetta really have any talent?). Banksy, and many other artist who appear in the film, have spent years curating an image and a message. Often in anonymity, always in a grey area of legality, and usually with no monetary compensation, only for Guetta to arrive, stand on their shoulders, and make millions. He recently did an album cover for Madonna.

Gas Prices A National Security Issue

     As protest sweep across the Middle East and northern Africa, many have voiced concern over perceived "instability" in the region. While such concerns are of little importance when compared to the freedoms of long repressed peoples, that instability has born its first fruit.
     Libya is a major exporter of crude oil to Europe and the United States, but is ruled by dictator Mohammar Ghaddfi, who has been in power since 1969. When protesters started demanding that Ghaddfi step down, the dictator responded with maximum force, and now the country is locked in civil war.
     Now, Americans are feeling the pain at the pump. Gas prices have risen to a national average of $3.38 a gallon, up 19 cents over the previous week, and 68 cents over the same week last year. The price of oil barrels has leveled out at around $100, mostly because Saudi Arabia has promised to raise production.
     In truth, the United States has been supporting dictators in the Middle East for decades, mostly over the price of oil. Now that those rulers are losing power, there is a range of issues that Americans will have to contend. While much of the chatter has been over national security, and if these new Arab governments will embrace Islamic radicals, the United States is threatened with a larger security issue, our energy Independence.