So the Right is mad-as-hell over President Obama's perceived insistence on crafting an enormous and heavy-handed government dedicated to achieving absolute control over every segment of American's lives. It's wrong, I tells ya'! And by gum, they're gonna take their country back, and restore it to being the home of the brave and the land of the free. Free from an intrusive government telling hard-working God-fearin' Americans how to live their lives.
Riiighhhtttt.....
They want freedom. Just not real freedom. They don't want the gub'ment telling them they need to waste money on roads, schools, and policemen. Or that kids should be educated. Or "safety nets", whatever the hell that means.
But they are perfectly happy allowing the gub'ment to dictate that you can't have sex. Or if you're allowed to have sex, you can't wear a condom. The gub'ment cutting off Social Security checks for those other losers (you) is okay, but God-fearin' Americans (them) should get theirs, 'cause that's only right. And this being a Christian nation an'all, Gub'ment should make you go to church every Sunday. They'll go right after the race. Maybe.
Yeah. That's the freedom they want. They want the freedom to tell you what to do and how to live, while they are free to do whatever the hell they want. They want the same type of freedom enjoyed by despots and dictators the world over, throughout the history of civilization.
If this was satire, it would be mildly funny. But these views are ripped from the headlines, and espoused by a Presidential frontrunner. As such, I am terrified.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Arr-Ee-Ess-P-Ee-See-Tee!
As an American, it pains me to see the level of disrespect heaped upon this President. I mean, I know he's black, and he did grow up poor. But right now, today, he is the President. Of the United States. All of them.
I know that when Dub'ya was the POTUS, comedians, commentators, and surely us liberals, all had a field day extolling how little we thought of him. But not to his face. Look, when the President invites you to anything, the answer (should be) "Yes". I mean, in 2007, as the world was beginning its descent into the financial and social morass that still consumes it, if my phone had rung, and it was the White House inviting me to an official function, my answer would have been a respectful, "Yes, Mr. President". Hey, I thought Bush 41 was an awful President, but he was OUR President. And as such, he deserved our respect. At least to his face.
Not our worship, mind you... he's just a guy. He screws up, we should call him on it. But common decency dictates that you shouldn't interrupt anyone when he's speaking, much less the President of the United States. You shouldn't wave your finger in anybody's face, but surely not the President's. You shouldn't yell out, "YOU LIE!" in the middle of anybody's speech, but particularly not a State of the Union address. And when the President of the United States invites you to a State Dinner, you damn sure don't answer, "I have to wash my hair!"
Look, it's tough to be the first Black anything. The hill is always steeper, and the hurdles are always higher. We all understand that, and accept that. Every black person who has ever been "The First Black..." anything knew that going in. And President Obama is no different. And he is handling it wonderfully. So this isn't about him. This is about the Jan Brewers and Bill O'Reilly's and Joe Wilsons of the world. History will remember you badly. History will show a President doing a spectacular job from an abysmal starting point, in the face of united political opposition, yet elegantly rising above an unprecedented lack of respect shown to the Office of the President.
History will remind you that you do not have to like the President. You certainly don't have to agree with him or his policies. But you DO need to respect him. And if you can't respect him (or her), you MUST respect the office. And history will find you lacking.
I know that when Dub'ya was the POTUS, comedians, commentators, and surely us liberals, all had a field day extolling how little we thought of him. But not to his face. Look, when the President invites you to anything, the answer (should be) "Yes". I mean, in 2007, as the world was beginning its descent into the financial and social morass that still consumes it, if my phone had rung, and it was the White House inviting me to an official function, my answer would have been a respectful, "Yes, Mr. President". Hey, I thought Bush 41 was an awful President, but he was OUR President. And as such, he deserved our respect. At least to his face.
Not our worship, mind you... he's just a guy. He screws up, we should call him on it. But common decency dictates that you shouldn't interrupt anyone when he's speaking, much less the President of the United States. You shouldn't wave your finger in anybody's face, but surely not the President's. You shouldn't yell out, "YOU LIE!" in the middle of anybody's speech, but particularly not a State of the Union address. And when the President of the United States invites you to a State Dinner, you damn sure don't answer, "I have to wash my hair!"
Look, it's tough to be the first Black anything. The hill is always steeper, and the hurdles are always higher. We all understand that, and accept that. Every black person who has ever been "The First Black..." anything knew that going in. And President Obama is no different. And he is handling it wonderfully. So this isn't about him. This is about the Jan Brewers and Bill O'Reilly's and Joe Wilsons of the world. History will remember you badly. History will show a President doing a spectacular job from an abysmal starting point, in the face of united political opposition, yet elegantly rising above an unprecedented lack of respect shown to the Office of the President.
History will remind you that you do not have to like the President. You certainly don't have to agree with him or his policies. But you DO need to respect him. And if you can't respect him (or her), you MUST respect the office. And history will find you lacking.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Religious Freedom Isn't
It's amazing how the Right loves to claim the mantle of "Religious Freedom". It seems, however, that they are a little unclear on the definition of religious freedom. But their confusion seems to stem from just one crucial word.
See, Religious Freedom is the right to practice your personal beliefs in a way that satisfies your belief structure. As long as you aren't infringing on anybody else,go ahead... worship, pray, chant, and genuflect your ass off.
However, they apparently believe that Religious Freedom extends beyond the right to merely practice. They feel that it's their place to impose their personal beliefs in a way that satisfies their belief structure. All the while proclaiming to be acting on the will of the Founding Fathers.
The simple fact of the matter is, ol' Georgie, Ben, Alex, & the rest of the boys, never envisioned a nation that dictated religious beliefs. That's why the whole "Separation of State and Church" was put in the country's operating manual, also known as The US Constitution. Their view was, 'Believe what you want, or nothing at all, but we're staying out of it.' But every four years, the Right swears that this is "Christian Nation". Sorry, guys, but it's simply not.
At the same time, I could almost stomach their piety if it were at least genuine. However, history shows us that some of the most evil sons of bitches around are the ones screaming from the highest rooftops. Pedophilia, corruption, sexual depravity, bigotry, marital infidelity, and greed, all in the name of the Lord.
Please.
See, Religious Freedom is the right to practice your personal beliefs in a way that satisfies your belief structure. As long as you aren't infringing on anybody else,go ahead... worship, pray, chant, and genuflect your ass off.
However, they apparently believe that Religious Freedom extends beyond the right to merely practice. They feel that it's their place to impose their personal beliefs in a way that satisfies their belief structure. All the while proclaiming to be acting on the will of the Founding Fathers.
The simple fact of the matter is, ol' Georgie, Ben, Alex, & the rest of the boys, never envisioned a nation that dictated religious beliefs. That's why the whole "Separation of State and Church" was put in the country's operating manual, also known as The US Constitution. Their view was, 'Believe what you want, or nothing at all, but we're staying out of it.' But every four years, the Right swears that this is "Christian Nation". Sorry, guys, but it's simply not.
At the same time, I could almost stomach their piety if it were at least genuine. However, history shows us that some of the most evil sons of bitches around are the ones screaming from the highest rooftops. Pedophilia, corruption, sexual depravity, bigotry, marital infidelity, and greed, all in the name of the Lord.
Please.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Death of An Iconic Monster...
Sunday, May 1, 2011. 11:20 p.m. In a few minutes, President Obama will be announcing that Osama bin Laden is dead. President Barack Obama seems to be a President that gets things done. Amid all the mindless blather, political posturing, Machiavellian maneuvering, and manufactured hysteria that is delivered to his door in a relentlessly voracious stream, he simply gets things done. He doesn't talk a lot of trash. He just does what needs to be done.
The (partial) list is impressive:
Reform the American Health Care system. Check.
Rescue the American banking system. Check.
Rescue the American automobile industry. Check.
Successfully appoint a Latina onto the Supreme Court. Check.
Maybe a Nobel Prize might be nice. Check.
Get Osama bin Laden. Check.
He's not finished yet. Not by a long shot.
So how will the Right try to spin this as a bad thing?
The (partial) list is impressive:
Reform the American Health Care system. Check.
Rescue the American banking system. Check.
Rescue the American automobile industry. Check.
Successfully appoint a Latina onto the Supreme Court. Check.
Maybe a Nobel Prize might be nice. Check.
Get Osama bin Laden. Check.
He's not finished yet. Not by a long shot.
So how will the Right try to spin this as a bad thing?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Trouble with PEOPLE
So a few weeks ago, I was chatting with my friend about politics. While bemoaning the impending doom that was surely facing the Democrats on election day, Silas, ever the optimist, opined that, "People are pretty smart, and on election day, they'll do the right thing."
I snorted derisively, and exclaimed, "No, they're not! People are sheep! People are dumb, stupid, easily manipulated, and will do what they're told to do. They'll believe what they're told to believe, and they will vote the way they're told to vote! Just you watch!"
Silas, being a great deal nicer than me, seemed hurt by my callous summation of the American condition. So I felt the need to clarify.
A person is smart enough to look at the facts, and come to a logical decision. I mean, honestly... anyone who can make it through high school, college, carry on an adult relationship, successfully hold a job, care for a family, and do all the myriad other things millions of people do every day, can surely follow the nuances of something as important as national elections. If you get two people together, even two people who disagree entirely, then you will likely see an engaging and intellectually stimulating conversation. An individual is fine. Two individuals is still a pair of individuals.
But once that number grows to three...
Three becomes "PEOPLE". And PEOPLE are terrified. PEOPLE want leadership. PEOPLE don't know what to do, and want someone, anyone, to tell them. It is in the nature of PEOPLE to think the worst. Everyone is out to get them. Things will NOT be okay. If you're not with them, you're against them. Anybody different can't be trusted. PEOPLE are absolutely certain that the very worst is about to happen, and only by surrendering to the very worst in all of us can certain and total disaster be averted. PEOPLE are driven by fear, and that fear makes them lose the ability to think for themselves. And because of all that, they are easily duped into doing things that are absolutely not in their own best interests.
The proof of all that is the fact that, after driving the country off a cliff using unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy over and over, PEOPLE have handed control of the United States House of Representatives back to the very folks that made the mess! And despite all the things the Obama Administration has accomplished in under two years, PEOPLE think that this presidency has been largely ineffectual. Why? Because that's what they're being told by the Republicans and the Tea Partiers.
Why else would anyone who doesn't have health insurance complain about Health Care Reform? Why would anyone who is unemployed applaud a governor trying to refuse millions of dollars in aid that would directly help the unemployed?! Why would someone with no wealthy relatives, who will never inherit a dime, scream about ending the inheritance tax??!!
I'll tell you why... because that's what they've been told. If you ask any one of these PEOPLE about these issues, you'd hear a person speaking common sense:
A person can think for himself. A person understands the difference between acting in his own best interests and facilitating his own demise. But PEOPLE... PEOPLE let mob mentality take over. They get caught up in the sublime pleasure of subjugating their own decision-making to someone else, someone who is certainly smarter, and knows what's best. They DO know best, don't they?
The Republicans understand this phenomenon all too well. They wield it like a weapon, swinging it madly over the heads of the PEOPLE, bending and shaping the will of uninformed many to service the needs of the privileged few. Their method is brilliantly simple. Just say whatever they want, as loudly as possible, over and over, until it becomes accepted as fact. By the PEOPLE.
I snorted derisively, and exclaimed, "No, they're not! People are sheep! People are dumb, stupid, easily manipulated, and will do what they're told to do. They'll believe what they're told to believe, and they will vote the way they're told to vote! Just you watch!"
Silas, being a great deal nicer than me, seemed hurt by my callous summation of the American condition. So I felt the need to clarify.
A person is smart enough to look at the facts, and come to a logical decision. I mean, honestly... anyone who can make it through high school, college, carry on an adult relationship, successfully hold a job, care for a family, and do all the myriad other things millions of people do every day, can surely follow the nuances of something as important as national elections. If you get two people together, even two people who disagree entirely, then you will likely see an engaging and intellectually stimulating conversation. An individual is fine. Two individuals is still a pair of individuals.
But once that number grows to three...
Three becomes "PEOPLE". And PEOPLE are terrified. PEOPLE want leadership. PEOPLE don't know what to do, and want someone, anyone, to tell them. It is in the nature of PEOPLE to think the worst. Everyone is out to get them. Things will NOT be okay. If you're not with them, you're against them. Anybody different can't be trusted. PEOPLE are absolutely certain that the very worst is about to happen, and only by surrendering to the very worst in all of us can certain and total disaster be averted. PEOPLE are driven by fear, and that fear makes them lose the ability to think for themselves. And because of all that, they are easily duped into doing things that are absolutely not in their own best interests.
The proof of all that is the fact that, after driving the country off a cliff using unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy over and over, PEOPLE have handed control of the United States House of Representatives back to the very folks that made the mess! And despite all the things the Obama Administration has accomplished in under two years, PEOPLE think that this presidency has been largely ineffectual. Why? Because that's what they're being told by the Republicans and the Tea Partiers.
Why else would anyone who doesn't have health insurance complain about Health Care Reform? Why would anyone who is unemployed applaud a governor trying to refuse millions of dollars in aid that would directly help the unemployed?! Why would someone with no wealthy relatives, who will never inherit a dime, scream about ending the inheritance tax??!!
I'll tell you why... because that's what they've been told. If you ask any one of these PEOPLE about these issues, you'd hear a person speaking common sense:
- Continuing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy will add $700 billion to the deficit, and that strategy has already been declared a proven failure. And tax cuts of any kind generate only about 35 cents of economic stimulus for every dollar it costs. However, "entitlement benefits" like Unemployment Insurance generate about $1.25 for every dollar they cost. So of course the tax cuts should be allowed to expire. Of course the states should accept money from the Stimulus.
- A civilized society has an obligation to care for the sick, no matter what their economic situation. It's not right to let people die just because they're poor. So health care reform is the right thing to do.
- The inheritance tax affects less than 1/2 of 1% of all Americans. Very few of the PEOPLE screaming for its head are in any position to benefit from its repeal. But they would admit to enjoying the benefits of more revenue to an already cash-strapped government. You know, cops, teachers, firefighters, nice roads, safe food, and other stuff like that that this ideology will prevent. Besides, when he died, all my daddy left me was alone.
A person can think for himself. A person understands the difference between acting in his own best interests and facilitating his own demise. But PEOPLE... PEOPLE let mob mentality take over. They get caught up in the sublime pleasure of subjugating their own decision-making to someone else, someone who is certainly smarter, and knows what's best. They DO know best, don't they?
The Republicans understand this phenomenon all too well. They wield it like a weapon, swinging it madly over the heads of the PEOPLE, bending and shaping the will of uninformed many to service the needs of the privileged few. Their method is brilliantly simple. Just say whatever they want, as loudly as possible, over and over, until it becomes accepted as fact. By the PEOPLE.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
About a Beach
So I live here in sunny Florida. Just this past weekend, we went to the beach. The beautiful, white-sandy, pristine, Pass-A-Grille Beach in St. Pete Beach, Florida. To look out at the gentle surf, smell that fresh sea air, and feel the warm sand on my skin, makes me wonder, how can anyone in his right mind be willing to risk that for the sake of offshore drilling? It's easy for Louisiana to say they want the drilling. They don't have beaches. Not like this:
Or this:
OK, to be fair, Louisiana does have some sandy beaches. Here's one:
That's Grand Isle. While it is beautiful, it's important to remember... Louisiana is not known for that. Louisiana is known for wildlife, hunting, fishing, Mardi Gras, insanely good food, the Superdome, friendly people, bayous, the Bayou Classic, agriculture, and so much more. It is not well known for its beaches. I had to search quite a bit to find a picture like that of a Louisiana beach. Most searches of "Louisiana Beaches" turned up pictures like this:
That's not oil. That's just how the water looks. Here is that same beach after the spill:
Well, Florida is known for its beaches. World-class beaches. That, plus sunshine, good times, bathing suits, and theme parks. We manufacture memories. Our only export is magic. We have lots of retirees, and their grandkids can't wait to visit. We love being a tourist state. Nobody saves all year for that big family vacation to Louisiana. When I moved from Louisiana to Florida, my friends were all jealous. No one envies someone who moves from Florida to Louisiana. Then, the only question is, "Why?"
We live in heaven. I don't want want to keep inviting that hell into my backyard. It's time to end the threat. Let's get off fossil fuels now!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Why Are We So Angry?
We, the United States of America, are pretty angry. Not upset... angry. What's the difference? 'Upset' is a temporary condition. Angry is chronic. It's like the difference between 'weather' and 'climate'. Florida can get a cold snap. Alaska can see a heat wave. Both are temporary. Things will get back to normal.
But that's not happening here. So many people are so angry, and won't accept reality. Instead, they're shouting about it. Raising their fists to the heavens, and vowing to wrest back control. Promising to deliver some unnamed doom to the protagonists who illegally stole the power from those to whom it rightfully belongs: them.
I saw a story about a morbidly obese man who died on a flight to the WSOP (World Series of Poker) in Las Vegas. The comments, left by readers, were overwhelmingly along the lines of, "Fat bastard... he deserved it!" When did we get so mean? A man died. Can't we contain the vitriol for a moment to even consider that?
I made a thoughtless comment about young black men to a friend of mine. I'm black, and my son is a young black man. The comment was about hip-hop ring tones, and how, when looking for a job, it sounds unprofessional. My point was driven by the fact that the massive unemployment we are seeing has hit blacks disproportionately, and one needs to avoid every possible disadvantage to get a job. But I never got to make that point. Another friend of mine, who is also black, overheard, and took issue with my views. Now, if he'd gotten upset, I'd feel that that was probably warranted. But he got incredibly angry, and even threatened me with physical violence. And he's still angry. I am not saying that he, or anyone else, doesn't have a right to be angry. I'm just trying to understand, where is all this coming from?
I look back through some of my posts, and I guess I seem angry as well. But I know I'm not angry about everything... I do feel passionately about some of the items on the national agenda. However, out of the context of these items, life is pretty good, and I'm overall very happy. Perhaps that's the case for what I'm seeing. Maybe people are angry about a specific thing, but okay with everything else. Or maybe, we've simply lost the art of debate. We've forgotten how to talk about things with each other.
I was morbidly obese a year ago. I had Lap Band surgery and so far, I've lost about 95 pounds. I still have a way to go. And, I know that there is additional risk of dying, so I try to control my blood pressure. I also know that internalized anger is poison. So I've learned to let things go. I get upset. But then I ask myself... is this worth me actually dying for? The lives of my friends and family have never been at risk, so the answer is always, "Hell no!" So I Let Sh*t Go. LSG. Many folks in America should try that. They'll live longer, better lives.
Just a thought.
But that's not happening here. So many people are so angry, and won't accept reality. Instead, they're shouting about it. Raising their fists to the heavens, and vowing to wrest back control. Promising to deliver some unnamed doom to the protagonists who illegally stole the power from those to whom it rightfully belongs: them.
I saw a story about a morbidly obese man who died on a flight to the WSOP (World Series of Poker) in Las Vegas. The comments, left by readers, were overwhelmingly along the lines of, "Fat bastard... he deserved it!" When did we get so mean? A man died. Can't we contain the vitriol for a moment to even consider that?
I made a thoughtless comment about young black men to a friend of mine. I'm black, and my son is a young black man. The comment was about hip-hop ring tones, and how, when looking for a job, it sounds unprofessional. My point was driven by the fact that the massive unemployment we are seeing has hit blacks disproportionately, and one needs to avoid every possible disadvantage to get a job. But I never got to make that point. Another friend of mine, who is also black, overheard, and took issue with my views. Now, if he'd gotten upset, I'd feel that that was probably warranted. But he got incredibly angry, and even threatened me with physical violence. And he's still angry. I am not saying that he, or anyone else, doesn't have a right to be angry. I'm just trying to understand, where is all this coming from?
I look back through some of my posts, and I guess I seem angry as well. But I know I'm not angry about everything... I do feel passionately about some of the items on the national agenda. However, out of the context of these items, life is pretty good, and I'm overall very happy. Perhaps that's the case for what I'm seeing. Maybe people are angry about a specific thing, but okay with everything else. Or maybe, we've simply lost the art of debate. We've forgotten how to talk about things with each other.
I was morbidly obese a year ago. I had Lap Band surgery and so far, I've lost about 95 pounds. I still have a way to go. And, I know that there is additional risk of dying, so I try to control my blood pressure. I also know that internalized anger is poison. So I've learned to let things go. I get upset. But then I ask myself... is this worth me actually dying for? The lives of my friends and family have never been at risk, so the answer is always, "Hell no!" So I Let Sh*t Go. LSG. Many folks in America should try that. They'll live longer, better lives.
Just a thought.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
We Need To Get Off Oil
It is just that simple. We need to get off oil. It's a 19th century solution to 21st century energy problems. Look, it's dirty. It's unsafe. It's inefficient. When things go wrong, innocent coastlines get hurt. Right, Alaska, Louisiana, Texas, and, soon, Florida? I live in Florida, and in Florida, we sell sunshine and good times. If that oil washes up on our beaches, our economy will COLLAPSE. Period. Anyone who supports drilling off our coast is a bloody idiot. And that list now includes you, President Obama. We are the Sunshine state. Let's develop solar, as well as wind, and nuclear. Yes, nuclear. Much better track record than petroleum, lately. So, as I said, we need to get off oil!
Listen, Senator dumb-ass, and President clueless... grow a sac and force the United States, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. We are still on petroleum only because YOUR corrupt asses are clearly in the pockets of big oil. If I burnt down a building, my black ass would be in jail faster than I can say Johnny Cochran. These rich, white bastards are turning the entire Gulf of Mexico into a pool of sludge, while you're sitting here with your thumb up your ass, waiting for them to "try" and clean it up?! Are you KIDDING ME, Obama??!!
And you goddamn tea-bagging redneck republican ass-wipes, with your "Drill Baby, Drill", where are you now? Why aren't you out there helping? And how in hell did you get Obama to support lifting the drilling moratorium? What... you have pictures of him skull-f%^$#ing a golden retriever? And, after all this, Obama, you won't back off that idiotic decision?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??!!
Get off oil. We could do it. All we lack is the political will. And a set of balls.
Listen, Senator dumb-ass, and President clueless... grow a sac and force the United States, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. We are still on petroleum only because YOUR corrupt asses are clearly in the pockets of big oil. If I burnt down a building, my black ass would be in jail faster than I can say Johnny Cochran. These rich, white bastards are turning the entire Gulf of Mexico into a pool of sludge, while you're sitting here with your thumb up your ass, waiting for them to "try" and clean it up?! Are you KIDDING ME, Obama??!!
And you goddamn tea-bagging redneck republican ass-wipes, with your "Drill Baby, Drill", where are you now? Why aren't you out there helping? And how in hell did you get Obama to support lifting the drilling moratorium? What... you have pictures of him skull-f%^$#ing a golden retriever? And, after all this, Obama, you won't back off that idiotic decision?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??!!
Get off oil. We could do it. All we lack is the political will. And a set of balls.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
ARE. YOU. F#@%*ING. KIDDING. ME?!
The Tea Bag Party. Every one of them that I've ever seen is white. They universally hate President Obama. Not just his policies. No, they hate everything about him. They even hate his wife. HIS WIFE?! What the f?! George W. Bush was a certifiably awful President, but nobody said anything about his wife. What did Michelle do??!! But they're not racists.
They are armed, and their 'leaders' delight in pushing the envelope, egging these people on to violence, and then blame the opposition for passing laws that they don't like. Therefore, any violence that erupts is the fault of the Democrats, who are surely coming to take their guns and throw them all into concentration camps while they hook their grannies up to life support machines for the sole purpose of pulling the damned plug! But they're not crazy.
I've been politically correct for too long. No more. The Tea Party Movement is the the party for angry white people. When they say they want their country back, they mean they want a white guy in charge. When they say that Obama is taking their freedom, what they really mean is that they want the freedom to live in a country where there is a white guy in charge. When they say Obama is a Socialist, what they really mean is, they want a white guy in charge. When they say that they've been Taxed Enough Already, they mean that they want a white guy in charge. When they are reminded that their personal taxes went down, and they dismiss that fact as utter nonsense, it's nonsense because they want a white guy to lower their taxes. They believe that everything that's wrong with this country will be fixed as soon as we get a white guy back in charge. But they are not racist... they just want someone else in charge. Anyone. As long as he's white.
Now, I'm not saying that anyone who disagrees with Barack Obama is a racist. Not at all. But for most people, disagreement with the President is based on the words he says, and the ideas that he espouses. Hell, that's even true of the Republicans in Congress who are attempting to thwart him at every turn. It's purely political. But for the 'Tea Partiers', the disagreement stems from the fact that the ideas that he espouses and the words that he says, are coming from someone other than a white guy. His ideas wouldn't be so radical if they maybe came from a different President. You know, maybe a white one.
So, here and now, I'm sick to death of the lot of 'em. They're racist, bigoted, small-minded, easily duped, utterly stupid, and so ready to believe that the country is doomed because we elected a black guy. Never mind the fact that, by all accounts, the brotha' is doing a fantastic job. So what that the unemployment free-fall has been stemmed, and job growth is beginning. The hell with the fact that the financial sector has been brought back from the brink of a collapse that would have crippled the entire world. Who cares that GM and Chrysler were rescued from oblivion. The DOW closed at 11,000. Iraq is winding down. Educational benefits for college students have been increased. We signed a nuclear treaty with Russia to reduce the world's nukes by a third. He passed a health care reform bill that eluded every President for two generations! None of that matters. We are all doomed!! It must be true... Glen Beck told them so.
So, Mr. & Mrs. Tea Party Conservative, I have only one question:
ARE. YOU. F#@%ING. KIDDING. ME?!
They are armed, and their 'leaders' delight in pushing the envelope, egging these people on to violence, and then blame the opposition for passing laws that they don't like. Therefore, any violence that erupts is the fault of the Democrats, who are surely coming to take their guns and throw them all into concentration camps while they hook their grannies up to life support machines for the sole purpose of pulling the damned plug! But they're not crazy.
I've been politically correct for too long. No more. The Tea Party Movement is the the party for angry white people. When they say they want their country back, they mean they want a white guy in charge. When they say that Obama is taking their freedom, what they really mean is that they want the freedom to live in a country where there is a white guy in charge. When they say Obama is a Socialist, what they really mean is, they want a white guy in charge. When they say that they've been Taxed Enough Already, they mean that they want a white guy in charge. When they are reminded that their personal taxes went down, and they dismiss that fact as utter nonsense, it's nonsense because they want a white guy to lower their taxes. They believe that everything that's wrong with this country will be fixed as soon as we get a white guy back in charge. But they are not racist... they just want someone else in charge. Anyone. As long as he's white.
Now, I'm not saying that anyone who disagrees with Barack Obama is a racist. Not at all. But for most people, disagreement with the President is based on the words he says, and the ideas that he espouses. Hell, that's even true of the Republicans in Congress who are attempting to thwart him at every turn. It's purely political. But for the 'Tea Partiers', the disagreement stems from the fact that the ideas that he espouses and the words that he says, are coming from someone other than a white guy. His ideas wouldn't be so radical if they maybe came from a different President. You know, maybe a white one.
So, here and now, I'm sick to death of the lot of 'em. They're racist, bigoted, small-minded, easily duped, utterly stupid, and so ready to believe that the country is doomed because we elected a black guy. Never mind the fact that, by all accounts, the brotha' is doing a fantastic job. So what that the unemployment free-fall has been stemmed, and job growth is beginning. The hell with the fact that the financial sector has been brought back from the brink of a collapse that would have crippled the entire world. Who cares that GM and Chrysler were rescued from oblivion. The DOW closed at 11,000. Iraq is winding down. Educational benefits for college students have been increased. We signed a nuclear treaty with Russia to reduce the world's nukes by a third. He passed a health care reform bill that eluded every President for two generations! None of that matters. We are all doomed!! It must be true... Glen Beck told them so.
So, Mr. & Mrs. Tea Party Conservative, I have only one question:
ARE. YOU. F#@%ING. KIDDING. ME?!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Cartoon Villains
The Griffin Perspective is about politics. Here's some politics for you. I make about a third of what I made only a year ago. A good friend of mine makes a little more than half of what he used to. And we're lucky because we could find work. I'm a renter, but the house I live in is in foreclosure, so I'm about to move. In my job, I talk to people every day who've been out of work for over a year. I think that the current statistic for applicants per job opening is about 6:1. In some places, it's better, but in many places, it's much worse. It is no secret that the current economic environment is quite challenging.
Meanwhile, politicians on the right are standing in the way of any real progress. They fought Health Care Reform, bitterly, and while they were not able to stop it, their influence caused the bill to end up being less effective than it otherwise would have been. But the left finally showed some spine and passed it. The right is fighting Financial Reform. They are fighting efforts to help protect the environment. They want to protect only the richest, largest, and most powerful among us. And if that means that everyday folks get trampled, their attitude seems to be, "Yeah... So?" These people are "cartoon villains."
In most cartoons, there is some really evil bad guy who wants to rule the world. He wants to rule by fear, intimidation, and absolute power, with him and his few faithful followers resting at the seat of that power. So what if the rest of the world is a dark, joyless place filled with fear and terror? What if ordinary people lack even the basic necessities of everyday life? As long as he and his minions are in charge of that awful place, then, well, that'd be just fine.
Coal is cheaper than clean energy. ("But it's destroying the planet." "There's no proof of that!" "Here's the proof here!" "Leave me alone...I'm rich!")
Everyone deserves access to health care. ("That's socialism!" "Every other industrialized country on earth has figured that out." "They're all socialists! Leave me alone... I'm rich!")
We have to better regulate Wall Street and the financial sector ("Let the free market work... it'll take care of itself." "That's what got us in this mess!" "There's no proof of that!" "Here's the proof here!" "Leave me alone...I'm rich!")
"Your Highness, the people don't have bread to eat" "Then let them eat cake!"
We are in a battle for the soul of this country. The left is trying to bring the country back to greatness, for everyone. The right is trying to bring this country back to 1953. And the minute I begin the think that, as a people, we're too smart to take a bus ride back to the social dark ages, some cartoon villain shouts "Sarah Palin in 2012... MWAHAAHAAHAAHAA!"
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year
It's just a little past midnight on 1/1/10. 2010! Who the hell would'a thunk it?! When I was a little boy, I thought that by the year 2010, we'd be vacationing on Mars, and everybody would have flying cars.
Well, Earth is still the only place humans live, and flying cars are still not readily available. But it's still a pretty cool world. And at this special time of year, when the whole world stops its breakneck pace for just the slightest part of a moment to catch its collective breath, we can take a moment to wonder, "What's next?" Back in 1993, AT&T made a few guesses, and they seemed to have either a very high-quality crystal ball, or a spy in the U.S. Patent office. Either way, from their vantage point in 1993, they gave an eerily accurate description of the high-tech, interconnected world we live in today. Take a look, and have a great New Year's Day. Oh, and my resolution? You're reading it! Thanks!
Well, Earth is still the only place humans live, and flying cars are still not readily available. But it's still a pretty cool world. And at this special time of year, when the whole world stops its breakneck pace for just the slightest part of a moment to catch its collective breath, we can take a moment to wonder, "What's next?" Back in 1993, AT&T made a few guesses, and they seemed to have either a very high-quality crystal ball, or a spy in the U.S. Patent office. Either way, from their vantage point in 1993, they gave an eerily accurate description of the high-tech, interconnected world we live in today. Take a look, and have a great New Year's Day. Oh, and my resolution? You're reading it! Thanks!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Move Your Money
Okay, I'll admit it... I don't have a lot of money. Alright... I don't have any money. But I work hard, and I pay taxes, and I genuinely care about what's right. Sometimes, "what's right" is a matter of opinion. Like whether or not you should go to church. I'm agnostic. Jesus and Santa are, as far as I'm concerned, cut from the same imaginary cloth. One of my very best friends, Vinny, is deeply religious, and believes there is a Jesus, and that he loves me anyway. Who's right?
But, often, what's right is simply and undeniably... RIGHT. Even if those in power spend unlimited funds to convince everyone otherwise, what's right is still simply right. And in that same way, what's wrong is simply wrong.
It's wrong for Wall Street financiers to earn millions of dollars for taking wild risks with our money, and then when it all blows up in the world's face, get bailed out by the government, only to resume the process. Look, I know that Presidents Bush and Obama had to shore up those institutions. To allow the wholesale collapse of the world banking system would have plunged the entire world into a depression... maybe even a modern-day Dark Ages. Nobody wanted that. But, now that the financial world has been pulled back from the brink, I think retribution is in order. It's only right.
Washington is clearly not up to the job. Here's a better idea...
I'm moving all my money this week. Both dollars!
But, often, what's right is simply and undeniably... RIGHT. Even if those in power spend unlimited funds to convince everyone otherwise, what's right is still simply right. And in that same way, what's wrong is simply wrong.
It's wrong for Wall Street financiers to earn millions of dollars for taking wild risks with our money, and then when it all blows up in the world's face, get bailed out by the government, only to resume the process. Look, I know that Presidents Bush and Obama had to shore up those institutions. To allow the wholesale collapse of the world banking system would have plunged the entire world into a depression... maybe even a modern-day Dark Ages. Nobody wanted that. But, now that the financial world has been pulled back from the brink, I think retribution is in order. It's only right.
Washington is clearly not up to the job. Here's a better idea...
I'm moving all my money this week. Both dollars!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Good Times Ahead
As the author of a politically-themed blog, I take great pleasure in dissecting the events of the moment. I delight in adding my two cents' worth to the ideas of the day, and letting anyone who wanders across my page know that I think. For example:
Former Governor Palin is clueless.
It's not appropriate to shout "You lie!" at the President during a joint session of the Congress.
The Public Option is a good thing and must be included in any meaningful health reform bill.
Congressional Democrats, particularly Senate Democrats, are pretty much spineless.
Most Republicans aren't racist, but most racists are Republicans.
Sometimes, President Obama seems too cerebral for his own good... he needs to be a bit more of a bad-ass.
Stuff like that.
And as I sit here, watching another year wind down, basking in the calm afterglow of another warm, drama-free Christmas spent with friends and family, my thoughts turn toward months and years yet to come. And as I think about the future, I have a feeling that it's good to be alive at this point in time. I believe, for no other reason than belief itself, that humanity is on the verge of something great. And many people who are alive today will be alive to witness it. I have no idea what it is. Some technological breakthrough? A medical miracle? Contact with extraterrestrial life? Discovery of cheap, clean, limitless energy? Who the heck knows?! It just feels like we are coming out of some dark times, and I think there is a bright future just ahead. And it will be something that will benefit the whole world. If I'm right, you heard it here first. If I'm wrong, what the hell do I know?
Former Governor Palin is clueless.
It's not appropriate to shout "You lie!" at the President during a joint session of the Congress.
The Public Option is a good thing and must be included in any meaningful health reform bill.
Congressional Democrats, particularly Senate Democrats, are pretty much spineless.
Most Republicans aren't racist, but most racists are Republicans.
Sometimes, President Obama seems too cerebral for his own good... he needs to be a bit more of a bad-ass.
Stuff like that.
And as I sit here, watching another year wind down, basking in the calm afterglow of another warm, drama-free Christmas spent with friends and family, my thoughts turn toward months and years yet to come. And as I think about the future, I have a feeling that it's good to be alive at this point in time. I believe, for no other reason than belief itself, that humanity is on the verge of something great. And many people who are alive today will be alive to witness it. I have no idea what it is. Some technological breakthrough? A medical miracle? Contact with extraterrestrial life? Discovery of cheap, clean, limitless energy? Who the heck knows?! It just feels like we are coming out of some dark times, and I think there is a bright future just ahead. And it will be something that will benefit the whole world. If I'm right, you heard it here first. If I'm wrong, what the hell do I know?
Friday, November 27, 2009
'Tis the Season...
Hi, and welcome back! Technological problems have prevented my regular posting, and those issues persist to this day. Nevertheless, today is Black Friday. It's a glorious morning here in Tampa Bay. It's maybe 50 or 55 degrees, brilliant sunshine, and only high, wispy clouds. In mid-July, when it's 96 degrees outside, with 98% humidity, in the middle of our daily torrential thunderstorm, I know that months of weather like today's are the reason I live in Florida.
In politics, there is a lull... sort of like the quiet that falls over the main street of an old-West town just before a climactic gunfight. The House grew a collective set of balls and passed a decent healthcare bill that included a Public Option. Then, the Senate prepared an even better bill, that covers more people, trims more from the defecit, and contains Public Option. But, in trying to get it to the floor, The Senate was almost stymied in its attempt by Sen. Joe Lieberman, (I-Aetna), who vowed that he would kill any bill with a Public Option. Still, the Senate was able to pass the procedural vote to allow the bill to be debated on the floor. (Sort of like an argument on whether or not to have an argument. But hey, that's how our government works!) Luckily, that vote passed 60 - 39 (one Republican was absent). Currently, the Senate (and President Obama) have conceded that this will not be a bipartisan bill, and that, not matter what they strip out of the bill, and how watered down it gets, there will be NO REPUBLICANS VOTING FOR THIS BILL. If you'll remember, I said that right here months ago. So all it's done right? Democrats have the 60 votes, and healthcare reform should be a foregone conclusion, right?
Of course not! The threat to reform now comes to us from within the very party trying to get it passed: the Democrats! Conservative Dem's are complaining about the depth and breadth of the Public Option. Senator Liberman (I-Blue Cross, also special envoy from Blue Shield) insists that no bill at all is preferable to one with a Public Option. And, thanks to a last minute flinch from the House Democrats, abortion is now an issue. Abortion... really?!
Introduced by Representative Bart Stupak (D-Michigan), a provision bans any Government insurance plan from covering abortions, except in cases or rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is in danger. But it doesn't stop there. People receiving subsidies to buy insurance are not allowed to use that subsidy to buy a plan that does cover abortion. And they are still prohibited, even if they pay for that plan with their own money. And finally, insurance plans that participate in any government exchange would be banned from covering abortions. As would be expected, conservative Democrats in the Senate have picked up this same rallying cry, and are threatening to make this part of their discussion as well. It's funny how the more conservative a person leans, the louder his complaints about government intervention in his or her health care. Except about abortions... then, it's the government's God-given right to control any woman's choices in that painful and deeply personal decision.
Anyway, deliberations begin in the Senate next week. Will a bill for comprehensive healthcare reform finally get to a President's desk? If so, what will it look like? Let me hazard a guess:
Yes, the President will get a bill to sign. It will have a robust public option. Abortion coverage will remain status-quo. And, to this author's surprise, it will get no less than 1 but no more than 3 Republican votes. Senator Lieberman will blink. And passage of real heath care reform, even a weaker one now to set up for a stronger one in the years to come, will insure Democratic control of Congress for the next decade. Just you watch!
In politics, there is a lull... sort of like the quiet that falls over the main street of an old-West town just before a climactic gunfight. The House grew a collective set of balls and passed a decent healthcare bill that included a Public Option. Then, the Senate prepared an even better bill, that covers more people, trims more from the defecit, and contains Public Option. But, in trying to get it to the floor, The Senate was almost stymied in its attempt by Sen. Joe Lieberman, (I-Aetna), who vowed that he would kill any bill with a Public Option. Still, the Senate was able to pass the procedural vote to allow the bill to be debated on the floor. (Sort of like an argument on whether or not to have an argument. But hey, that's how our government works!) Luckily, that vote passed 60 - 39 (one Republican was absent). Currently, the Senate (and President Obama) have conceded that this will not be a bipartisan bill, and that, not matter what they strip out of the bill, and how watered down it gets, there will be NO REPUBLICANS VOTING FOR THIS BILL. If you'll remember, I said that right here months ago. So all it's done right? Democrats have the 60 votes, and healthcare reform should be a foregone conclusion, right?
Of course not! The threat to reform now comes to us from within the very party trying to get it passed: the Democrats! Conservative Dem's are complaining about the depth and breadth of the Public Option. Senator Liberman (I-Blue Cross, also special envoy from Blue Shield) insists that no bill at all is preferable to one with a Public Option. And, thanks to a last minute flinch from the House Democrats, abortion is now an issue. Abortion... really?!
Introduced by Representative Bart Stupak (D-Michigan), a provision bans any Government insurance plan from covering abortions, except in cases or rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is in danger. But it doesn't stop there. People receiving subsidies to buy insurance are not allowed to use that subsidy to buy a plan that does cover abortion. And they are still prohibited, even if they pay for that plan with their own money. And finally, insurance plans that participate in any government exchange would be banned from covering abortions. As would be expected, conservative Democrats in the Senate have picked up this same rallying cry, and are threatening to make this part of their discussion as well. It's funny how the more conservative a person leans, the louder his complaints about government intervention in his or her health care. Except about abortions... then, it's the government's God-given right to control any woman's choices in that painful and deeply personal decision.
Anyway, deliberations begin in the Senate next week. Will a bill for comprehensive healthcare reform finally get to a President's desk? If so, what will it look like? Let me hazard a guess:
Yes, the President will get a bill to sign. It will have a robust public option. Abortion coverage will remain status-quo. And, to this author's surprise, it will get no less than 1 but no more than 3 Republican votes. Senator Lieberman will blink. And passage of real heath care reform, even a weaker one now to set up for a stronger one in the years to come, will insure Democratic control of Congress for the next decade. Just you watch!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
OK, I'm Back!
It's been a few days since I last posted. I'm sorry that you missed me. But I do have a good reason for my absence. Actually, I have three good reasons. One is a really good reason, one is sorta dumb, but still a valid reason, and one is pretty damned disturbing.
The Good Reason. I haven't had the time, because I recently left the ranks of the unemployed! Yaay! A couple of weeks ago, something went well and they said those four magic words: "When can you start?" So by the time I get home in the evening, cook dinner for my hottie wife, clean up the kitchen (that's right, ladies!!!), and get up to speed with what happened in the news during the day, it's time for bed... I have to get up early. For work! Yaay!
The 'Dumb' Reason: The reason I cook dinner for my hottie wife every evening is that she works at home and uses the good computer. The laptop I'm using right this minute is almost 7 years old, and is so slow that it's all I can do to keep from chucking it out the window. Honestly, the way I use this thing is click on Firefox, play two games of FreeCell. Click on the word 'Bookmarks', play two games of FreeCell. Click on "The Griffin Perspective", play 2 games of FreeCell. You get the idea. By the time the thing is fully up & ready to work with, it's after midnight. I gotta get up in the morning. You know, work. I'm planning on getting a new computer soon, but you know, unemployed. Til now. (Yaay!)
The Disturbing Reason: I've been getting really, really angry. Just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean that I haven't been paying attention. I know that President Obama called Kanye West a 'Jackass' (He is a jackass), and the right went crazy. President Carter said that the poison spewing from the right was racially motivated (I agree, to a point), and the right went crazy. Senator Baucus, falsely identified as a Democrat, gave the insurance industry an early Christams present with the abomination he called a Health Care Reform Bill, and the right went crazy! Weak-willed, candy-ass Democrats sided with Republicans and voted down the public option. During Black History Month, students sang a song about the first black President, AND THE RIGHT WENT CRAZY!
The reason I haven't posted is not because I didn't want to. It's more disturbing than that. I really wanted to. But every time I'd start writing, I'd get so mad that the words would come out all dark and poisonous. I'd re-read what I'd written, and I could just see myself being questioned by DHS.
"So, Mr. Griffin... where did you dig that shallow grave you mentioned repeatedly in your blog that you authored? Are you working alone?"
Delete.
So I took a little break. And tomorrow night, I'll talk about something other than Health Care Reform.
If I can.
Yaay!
The Good Reason. I haven't had the time, because I recently left the ranks of the unemployed! Yaay! A couple of weeks ago, something went well and they said those four magic words: "When can you start?" So by the time I get home in the evening, cook dinner for my hottie wife, clean up the kitchen (that's right, ladies!!!), and get up to speed with what happened in the news during the day, it's time for bed... I have to get up early. For work! Yaay!
The 'Dumb' Reason: The reason I cook dinner for my hottie wife every evening is that she works at home and uses the good computer. The laptop I'm using right this minute is almost 7 years old, and is so slow that it's all I can do to keep from chucking it out the window. Honestly, the way I use this thing is click on Firefox, play two games of FreeCell. Click on the word 'Bookmarks', play two games of FreeCell. Click on "The Griffin Perspective", play 2 games of FreeCell. You get the idea. By the time the thing is fully up & ready to work with, it's after midnight. I gotta get up in the morning. You know, work. I'm planning on getting a new computer soon, but you know, unemployed. Til now. (Yaay!)
The Disturbing Reason: I've been getting really, really angry. Just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean that I haven't been paying attention. I know that President Obama called Kanye West a 'Jackass' (He is a jackass), and the right went crazy. President Carter said that the poison spewing from the right was racially motivated (I agree, to a point), and the right went crazy. Senator Baucus, falsely identified as a Democrat, gave the insurance industry an early Christams present with the abomination he called a Health Care Reform Bill, and the right went crazy! Weak-willed, candy-ass Democrats sided with Republicans and voted down the public option. During Black History Month, students sang a song about the first black President, AND THE RIGHT WENT CRAZY!
The reason I haven't posted is not because I didn't want to. It's more disturbing than that. I really wanted to. But every time I'd start writing, I'd get so mad that the words would come out all dark and poisonous. I'd re-read what I'd written, and I could just see myself being questioned by DHS.
"So, Mr. Griffin... where did you dig that shallow grave you mentioned repeatedly in your blog that you authored? Are you working alone?"
Delete.
So I took a little break. And tomorrow night, I'll talk about something other than Health Care Reform.
If I can.
Yaay!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Of Jackasses and Handguns
Listen, people... you simply cannot have it both ways! Many of you said that when President Obama comes to town, his presence does not nullify your Second Amendment rights. He's just a citizen like you. The fact that he's the frickin' President Of The United Frickin' States doesn't matter. And, as much as I hate to admit it, you're technically right. Stupid as all hell, but technically correct.
So why is it that the President commented that "Kanye is a jackass", some folks are all up in arms saying that "Jackass isn't presidential" or "That should be beneath him?" He's not special enough for you to leave your gun at home, but his lips are too special to form the words "Jackass", or "Stupid" (from Beer-Summit-Gate)?
CHOOSE!
Either the Presidency is a special thing and he can't call stupid "Stupid" or jackasses "Jackass". If that's true, then he's certainly special enough that when you go to see him speak, then you should be, by law, unarmed. And if he's speaking to Congress, you should be respectful.
But if that's too much to swallow, then when someone does something stupid like shout out "You Lie!" in a joint session of Congress, then the President, like any other normal person, should be allowed to retort, "Shut the hell up, dumbass! I'm talking here!"
I'm just sayin'...
So why is it that the President commented that "Kanye is a jackass", some folks are all up in arms saying that "Jackass isn't presidential" or "That should be beneath him?" He's not special enough for you to leave your gun at home, but his lips are too special to form the words "Jackass", or "Stupid" (from Beer-Summit-Gate)?
CHOOSE!
Either the Presidency is a special thing and he can't call stupid "Stupid" or jackasses "Jackass". If that's true, then he's certainly special enough that when you go to see him speak, then you should be, by law, unarmed. And if he's speaking to Congress, you should be respectful.
But if that's too much to swallow, then when someone does something stupid like shout out "You Lie!" in a joint session of Congress, then the President, like any other normal person, should be allowed to retort, "Shut the hell up, dumbass! I'm talking here!"
I'm just sayin'...
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Bill Clinton, Conservative / George Bush, Liberal... WTF?!
If you click on over to Google, and look up "Conservative", it'll mention things like "Resistant to change" and "Cautious: avoiding excess". In even simpler terms, a Conservative will find things a certain way, and leave them pretty much the same way. Not rock the boat, or try for ambitious changes. President Clinton tried to fix health care, (certainly a Liberal endeavor) and that effort failed. However, for the rest of his presidency, he saw that things were working pretty well, and let things run smoothly. The good news was the unprecedented peace and prosperity of the 90's. Good times, indeed. The bad news, for him, was that when things ran smoothly, and he had a little extra time on his hands, well, his idle hands got him into trouble. But that's not the point today. The point is his presidency was not one that tried to rock the boat. Things that worked well were allowed to work, and things that didn't work well were vastly overshadowed by the things that worked well. That sounds like a Conservative to me. The result of his stodgy, conservative, hands-off approach? Years of high income, low unemployment, and a budget surplus. Yay, Conservatives!
If you click back over to Google and look up "Liberal", it'll mention, among other things, "Having political views favoring change and progress". Hmm... "change and progress." President George W. Bush came in, saw that things were running well, indeed, was handed a budget surplus of $127 billion. Rather than be a Conservative, and keep things going smoothly, tweaking where necessary, President Bush instead pushed through monstrous tax cuts totaling nearly $2 trillion! And he increased government spending by over 20% during his first four years in office. And let's not forget those military exercises we've been conducting in the Middle East for 7 years and counting. More spending... fiscal irresponsibility... sounds like a liberal to me. The result of his liberal, change-for-change's-sake policies? His term ended as the nation slid into the worst economic downturn in a generation. Unemployment, savings wiped out, record foreclosures, over $480 billion deficit handed to the next guy to clean up. In a word: Disaster. Boo, Liberals!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
We're Number 37!! Yaay!! Go America!!
I happened upon this absolute gem while perusing The Huffington Post. I think it says what I've been trying to say better than any words I could try and write. Mad Props to Paul Hipp! Visit his site here. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Bipartisanship Goes Against Democracy
In an interview with Rachel Maddow earlier this week, Congressman Barney Frank (D - Massachusetts) said something that smacked me across the face with its utter, well, bald-faced rightness. I know... inelegant grammar, but that's what fit.
Anyway, Rep. Frank said, "... this insistence on bipartisanship really goes against the notion of democracy. We HAD an election in 2008... the Democrats won the Presidency, and significant majorities in the House and the Senate." He went on to say, "The notion that those of us who won the election with a solid majority should compromise 50-50 with those who lost, well then, why have an election?"
Wow!
In a lot of ways, and for a lot of reasons, politics is complex stuff. The notions of freedoms and obligations, rights versus privileges, laws and legality, these are not for the faint of heart or the simple of mind. And much of it is not a simple matter of black or white, good or bad. Usually, it's much more complex than that. However, some things are that simple. Sometimes, it is black and white. This is one of those times.
Barack Obama ran on a promise to fix health care, a system that everyone knows is badly broken. This was a central theme in his campaign. America responded by electing him decisively. No last minute recounts, or challenges, or dimpled hanging chads. Nope... he won fair and square. Then, to make sure Washington got the message, we also gave him a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate. Apparently, America wanted there to be no doubt that Republican/Conservative ideology was soundly rejected. And, let's not forget, the Republicans had 6 years at the wheel, and they started with a budget surplus! And so far, in this administration, they've offered nothing but "NO!"
They offered no meaningful input to the Stimulus Plan, insisting simply on more tax cuts. They have so far, offered nothing of value in the health care debate, relying instead on the tried and true Republican tactics of fear (he's gonna kill granny!), confusion (Medicare is great but government run health care is the devil!) and outright lies (illegal aliens will get free health care provided by death panels!)
So now, after nearly driving the country off a cliff and continuing to try and wrest back control of the wheel, how dare the Republicans insist on equal say in crafting any significant legislation? At the very most, Democrats should tell the Republicans in Congress that they'll take their "suggestions" under advisement. And then, do the grown-up work. But worse, how dare the Democrats, beginning with President Obama, continually capitulate to the infantile demands of a minority so out of touch with the American people?
In Wednesday's speech, the President implied that enough was enough. He warned that he would not waste time with those who only sought to kill the bill for political purposes. For all our sakes, I hope he means it this time.
If You Support The President's Plan, Tell Your Representatives
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
School Children Safe!
President Obama spoke to school children this morning.
The world still turns.
Hmm...
The world still turns.
Hmm...
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