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| Recap - Week of 7/20/09 | ||||
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Saturday, July 25, 2009
Week in Review
Pensions for Alaska Territorial Guardsmen?
Where is Sarah Palin when we need her? I mean, my god, the Feds are actually thinking about sending money from Washington to Alaska to restore pension payments to 26 old men who served during WWII in the Alaska Territorial Guard!How can this terrible travesty be allowed to happen? Where, I ask again, is Sarah Palin? Why isn't she on a soapbox in Juneau denouncing this horrific invasion of Alaska's prerogatives and terrible attack on Alaska's "sovereignty"?
This is a clear example of Palin's hypocrisy! Can't Alaska take care of its own? Why does the federal government need to be involved? Were these men not part of ALASKA's Territorial Guard?
It is obvious and very dissapointing that Palin doesn't care anymore. She's a lame duck, I guess. She's probably got more important things on her mind, like what to wear to the next Pro-Life rally in Alabama or Mississippi or Texas. And we know she's obsessing about her chances to become the prez in 2012.
But still. More "socialism" from Washington, and Palin has nothing to say? So sad. She could at least tell those old men to fund their own damn pensions just like the rich folks.
The most despicable liars in America
You'll find them on this video - the most despicable liars - which includes Limbaargher and Beck and other assorted fruitcakes who are perhaps more dangerous to the health of our nation than swine flu or rampaging boa constrictors or Rick Warren, or Rick Perry, or even Sarah Palin.
These charlatans have no conscience. The exude pure evil. They provide the most powerful evidence available that there is no god, for if there were a god she would strike them down with unmatched righteous fury.
They trade on the First Amendment but trample its spirit.
The video is from Media Matters. A caution, though. If you are a good person, a decent person, a person who values the truth, it may make you violently ill.
These charlatans have no conscience. The exude pure evil. They provide the most powerful evidence available that there is no god, for if there were a god she would strike them down with unmatched righteous fury.
They trade on the First Amendment but trample its spirit.
The video is from Media Matters. A caution, though. If you are a good person, a decent person, a person who values the truth, it may make you violently ill.
Joshua Holland and lying right-wing pundits
Joshua Holland, an editor and senior writer at AlterNet has a brief article detailing how the right-wingnut media consists of people who lie their asses off.
Now, to lie your ass off, means you know the truth but prefer to tell a lie, which further means you are ethical and morally challenged and an asshole, to boot.
Here's Holland's take on the House health care bill:
It "would create publicly-run insurance exchanges through which private insurers could sell their policies. But eligibility in those exchanges -- or 'gateways' -- would be limited. The CBO projects that by 2019, 30 million Americans -- about one in ten -- would participate in the exchanges.
"Within those gateways, people would have the option of buying into a publicly-administered insurance plan. ...
"Private insurance would remain unchanged for the overwhelming majority of Americans. ... "
Holland's article is here.
Watch the video to see the liars in action.
Now, to lie your ass off, means you know the truth but prefer to tell a lie, which further means you are ethical and morally challenged and an asshole, to boot.
Here's Holland's take on the House health care bill:
It "would create publicly-run insurance exchanges through which private insurers could sell their policies. But eligibility in those exchanges -- or 'gateways' -- would be limited. The CBO projects that by 2019, 30 million Americans -- about one in ten -- would participate in the exchanges.
"Within those gateways, people would have the option of buying into a publicly-administered insurance plan. ...
"Private insurance would remain unchanged for the overwhelming majority of Americans. ... "
Holland's article is here.
Watch the video to see the liars in action.
Rachel Maddow on Rick Perry
Found this over at Conrad Strong's blog, also! Thanks!! It adds a visual sense to what I wrote yesterday about Perry tilting toward treason (scroll down a couple of posts)...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Why Repugs and Blue Dog Dems fight health care
There is but one reason why Repugnicans all across the country, along with the nogoodnik Blue Dog Democrats, are fighting health care reform with every ounce of strength they have.
It has to do with who owns them. Anything they say relative to health care reform has to be considered in this light:
They are bought and paid for by the health care industry and by the drug companies. They are owned by those corporate entities.
The health care industry along with the drug companies are running scared. If Obama's health care plan is passed, they fear their unconscionable profits derived from the weak, the poor and the sick of our land will be curtailed, perhaps severely.
Thus, they are calling in their chits. They want payback. And the Repugnicans and Blue Dogs are only too willing to crucify health care reform on the cross raised by the health care industry and the drug companies. With nails molded from their 30 pieces of silver, and to fan the flames of their fiery need for power, they betray the American people once again.
It has to do with who owns them. Anything they say relative to health care reform has to be considered in this light:
They are bought and paid for by the health care industry and by the drug companies. They are owned by those corporate entities.
The health care industry along with the drug companies are running scared. If Obama's health care plan is passed, they fear their unconscionable profits derived from the weak, the poor and the sick of our land will be curtailed, perhaps severely.
Thus, they are calling in their chits. They want payback. And the Repugnicans and Blue Dogs are only too willing to crucify health care reform on the cross raised by the health care industry and the drug companies. With nails molded from their 30 pieces of silver, and to fan the flames of their fiery need for power, they betray the American people once again.
Rick Perry, the 10th Amendment, and tilting toward treason
Rick Perry, the big hair guv'ner of Tejas, don't want no Obama health plan for the people in his state! No sir!And Mr. Perry is so upset he might even "invoke" the 10th Amendment if necessary to keep Texicans out of Obama's health plan! Yes Sir!
Obama's health plan would be "disastrous" for Tejas, said Big Hair (acccording to the McClatchy Washington Bureau).
Perry wants Obama's health care plan to fail. But if it doesn't, Texas and some other states might rise up in rebellion! Resist! Resist! "...I'm certainly willing and ready to fight if this administration continues to try to force their very expansive government philosophy down our collective throats," saith Lord Perry.
One cannot help but wonder why this asshat did not stand up and fight when the Bush administration forced its very expansive government philosophy as exemplified by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan down the throat of the people of Texas? How much of the taxes paid by Texans have been used to finance these wars, and how many Texans have died fighting these wars?
Why didn't Perry stand up and fight when the Bush administration violated the Constitution by secretly spying on American citizens, which includes, of course, the citizens of Tejas? And why didn't Big Hair stand up and fight when the Bush administration, utilizing its expansive government philosophy, gave free rein to the Wall Street criminals who have proceeded to bankrupt our country?
Perry seems to be dumber than I originally thought. Evidently, he has not read our Constitution, and thus does not understand it, and he doesn't seem to know very much about American history, or about how our system of government has evolved down through the years. He doesn't seem to remember anything about the Civil War and the result of that horrendous conflict. In fact, he sounds just like the southern politicians did before that Armageddon exploded.
Someone like Perry can get elected only because the Texas (and American) educational system has failed totally. I speak from experience. As a history teacher I was told straight out by the principal of my school that history didn't matter. There was even talk for a time about doing away with the teaching of history. The reason for that extreme position had to do with the fact that most of the students could not read or write and they had to learn how to do that to pass state-mandated tests (mandated, I should say by that lover of big, expansive government, Jeb Bush)!
The only thing that mattered in her school, saith the principal, was reading and writing!
So, people like Rick Perry get to become governors and people like De Mint get elected to Congress because the people are sometimes stupid, usually ignorant and know nothing of American history, our basic documents such as the Constitution, nor do they know the difference between capitalism, socialism and communism.
When a governor of a state stands up in public and asserts he will fight comprehensive health care for all Americans, and not only so, but will "resist" a bill signed, sealed and delivered by the United States Congress and the President of the United States because of some miguided notion about state sovereignty, he is treading awfully close to treason.
And treason is a very serious crime. Perhaps someone ought remind Big Hair that governors are not exempt from abiding by the Constitution of the United States.
The moron from California, Dan Lungren, rises
This is the Repugnican wacko who thinks it imperative, not that we have health care for all of our citizens, but that we have "In God We Trust" etched on the walls of the new Capitol Visitor Center.
And Jesus wept!
Who cares if Tim Tebow is a virgin
For thousands of people in this country, what Tim Tebow thinks or does is considered to be of some importance. They think it is wonderful that Tim Tebow and Jesus walk hand in hand. and that Tim Tebow writes Bible verses on his face, and that Tim Tebow, in their opinion, shows mighty spiritual fortitude.
But why? Who cares?
Tim Tebow is known to be a born-again christianist who, in the off-season goes around the world trying to convert pagans so that they, too, will become born-again christianists and will not burn forever in hell. To burn forever in hell would be terrible. The keeper of hell probably prohibits the playing of football. Which would explain why some football players become born-again christianists.
Who cares?
Tim Tebow can throw a football. Tim Tebow might even be a great football player.
Who cares?
Now Tim Tebow has announced he is a virgin and "saving himself for marriage." Wow! Isn't that something? But, I can't recall anything in the Gospel mythologies where Jesus talks about saving yourself for marriage. I wonder why? Perhaps he didn't consider it important. He did talk about not parading your religion around in public like the hypocrites do.
As I've said many times, I have nothing against Mr. Tebow. And he can believe any fanciful nonsense he desires.
But saving yourself for marriage says nothing about you except that you have have been taught sex before marriage is bad and will make your god mad and you may not go to heaven where football must surely be allowed (well, maybe not on Sundays!)
But, please! Who cares what Tim Tebow thinks about such things?
He throws a football.
Who cares?
P.S. So far as I can tell, no one is certain as to who is Tebow's girlfriend. Be that as it may, the girls with whom he has been "friends" have had a special something or maybe two special somethings. Maybe he does have great "spiritual fortitude," or maybe he got tackled too hard a few times!
Craig Ferguson figured it out...
This is absolutely wonderful. And I found it at Dianne's Forks Off the Moment, where you will also find much substantial common sense commentary on the world's weirdness.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Marsha Blackburn - "Let them eat cake"
Marsha Blackburn is a Repugnican Representative from Tennessee. Watch her cry about how the government should not spend money on the poor fools who happen to get caught in a Katrina or a tsunami ...
Just when you think the Repugnican Party can't sink any lower in the slime, Blackburn leads the way down!
I wonder what her reaction would be to "emergency" funding if all the homes in her Tennessee district were blown away in a tornado?
Again, I ask, from which rocks do these creepos crawl and why the hell would anyone vote for them for any position?
Michael Steele - out of touch!
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Palin playing to her base
From Alex Koppelman at Salon.The 10th Amendment to our Constitution "reserves any powers not expressly given to the federal government to the people or the states."
Sarah Palin, playing to her base - the rednecks who cling to religion and guns - has signed a resolution (approved by the Alaska legislature) which refers to the 10th Amendment and tells the federal guv'mint to leave Alaska alone!
The latter part of the resolution reads thusly: "This resolution serves as Notice and Demand to the federal government to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers."
Heh. Heh.
It means nothing. But the asshats and beanheads all over the lower 48 (most of whom don't know Alaska from Hawaii) are saluting their moose-hunter leader for signing the resolution and showing them damn feds a thang or two!
Someone should tell them that this battle was joined many years ago and has been resolved.
Or, better yet, the federal government should go into Alaska and dismantle every federal program that is in place; the feds should also shut down any federal benefit Alaska receives from the federal government. No more nuttin!
That would last about 24 hours and as Alaska disintegrated, Palin would be pleading on her knees for federal assistance!
What a moron!
Read all of Koppelman's article here.
Eric Cantor and his Judeo-Christian foreign policy
This comes from Steve Benen at the Washington Monthly via AlterNet.When Eric Cantor, the minority whip in the House (Repugnican from Virginia), spoke to those gathered for the annual conference of the Christians United for Israel (which actually should be named "So-called Christians United for the Conversion of all Jews in Israel before God Slaughters Them at Armageddon"), he said this:
"Reaching out to the Muslim world may help in creating an environment for peace in the Middle East, but we must insist as Americans that our policies be firmly grounded in the beliefs of the Judeo-Christian tradition upon which this country was founded."
Heh. Heh.
Cantor is mentally-challenged, as we all know, but this is a new low, even for him. What the hell are the "beliefs of the Judeo-Christian tradition" ?
I'd like Cantor to define what he means when he uses the term, "Judeo-Christian." That's a stupid term devised by Christians to smooth over their killing of Jews down through history for not accepting Jesus as the Messiah. Furthermore, it has never been possible to define "Jew," or "Christian" with any precision because the variations are endless, much less "Judeo-Christian."
Name one belief upon which our country was founded that is exclusive to a mythical "Judeo-Christian" tradition!
How do people like Cantor ever get elected to anything?
Bagdhad embassy boondoggle
The Bush administration saw no problem with beginning an unnecessary war in Iraq in order to help Bush 43 get over his inferiority complex relative to Bush 41 and, of course, to secure the Iraqi oil for all their compatriots in the energy business.Cost in dollars and human lives be damned.
One of the biggest boondoggles was the construction of a monstrous embassy on the banks of the Tigris River. Hell, it only cost $700 million. It is essentially a city within a city and tightly secured against those Iraqis who might disapprove of such a massive US presence in their midst.
Altogether, the embassy currently has some 1,873 folks working there, alongside more than 13,000 contractors.
Hey, is Iraq a place to make some bucks? You betcha!
But there's a problem. Too many people are living the good life at the embassy, so now the guv'mint's talking about "downsizing" to, well, about 600.
Why do we need 600 people in a piddly-ass little country like Iraq which we are in the process of leaving to its own devices?
We don't. We didn't need the embassy in the first place! It's a monument to the utter stupidity and wastefulness of the Bush 43 administration! It's an insult to the Iraqi people!
It was built without consideration as to cost. Or as a State Department report put it: the embassy was built "without regard to the usual budget constraints on U.S. missions overseas."
And isn't it interesting that our leaders in Washington had no problem spending billions of dollars on an illegal and unnecessary war, along with $700 million on a unneeded and idiotic embassy, but have a terribly tough time finding the money to provide health care for all of our citizens?
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Republicans and Blue Dog Dems block health care reform
[Christianist wingnut lover of Jesus and hater of Obama, Jim DeMint]Turns out, as we've known all along, that certain Democratic members of Congress have sold their souls to their corporate mentors just like Repugnicans do as a matter of course. The Blue Dogs, crabbing about how 60 years isn't long enough to talk about health care reform, want to continue the discussion into the fall!
But then, at least one of the Blue Dogs, has been bought and paid for by the health care industry and the drug companies.
It must be tough, to stand up front and pretend to care when all you really want to do and must do, to satisfy your masters, is delay and defeat true health care reform.
Now, the Republicans have no health care plan. But, typically, they don't give a rat's ass about the American people. All they care about is power so they can continue to feast off the bones of the middle and lower-classes. They were just about there, at the peak, where nobody could bring them down, and then this damn uppity you-know-what by name of Obama upended all their dreams.
Being racist to the core, Repugnicans like the profound christianist who has accepted Jesus as his lord and savior, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), are fighting tooth and nail to derail health care for the masses!
One of the major reasons they are doing this is because they believe that defeating Obama on healthcare will bring him down. DeMint, speaking to a bunch of like-minded wingnuts, said:
"If we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."
Try to get your mind around that! DeMint does not care about the country, or the people of the country. It's not even a matter of principle. It's personal for this unprincipled christianist from the South! Bring Obama down. That's what these freaks want to do!
And that is the ugly face of the Repugnican Party in this country! No concern, no care, no plan. Just pure unbridled hatred!
Republicans blocking health care
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Sarah Palin in another ethical bind
Poor Sarah! One of the reasons she just had to quit pretending to govern Alaska is that all these bad people were filing phony claims that she violated ethical standards as enshrined in Alaskan law which made her really mad and took all of her money and much of her time 'cause she had to fight back, dontcha know?Poor Sarah! All these false allegations! She could no longer pretend to govern properly. And she also had to get her campaign train on the track for 2012 as there might be other Repugs out there somewhere who are just a tad smarter than she is who also want to be prezident of this proud wonderful land that is so close to Alaska. She really needs a bit of a head start.
The trouble is, one major investigation found her guilty. She pretended the opposite, but it really did! In another, which found she abused her office by charging the state for time she spent at home, she was required to repay the money. While some of the charges have been dismissed, several others are still pending.
And now, according to the Anchorage Daily News:
"An independent investigator has found evidence that Gov. Sarah Palin may have violated ethics laws by accepting private donations to pay her legal debts..."
Uh oh! There's that pesky word, "evidence." Damn. That sure screws things up for Ms. Palin, doesn't it?
"The report [of the independent investigator -- note, not a Dem or a Repug or a member of the MSM] ... says Palin is securing unwarranted benefits and receiving improper gifts through the Alaska Fund Trust, set up by supporters.
"An investigator for the state Personnel Board says in his July 14 report that there is probable cause to believe Palin used or attempted to use her official position for personal gain because she authorized the creation of the trust as the 'official' legal defense fund."
Another pesky phrase there: "probable cause." The legalise for "She did it!"
Now, all Palin has to do is refuse to take money from the defense fund, which the report recommends.
But, will she do that?
Seems like Sarah has trouble following the law. Just like George W. Bush and Dickie Cheney. No wonder the Repugs love her!
Send a note to God
[Image by mariaeyes2_2008 at Photobucket]Medl Mobile solicited ideas. Some 20,000 folks sent in their best thoughts. Out of those they chose what they consider to be the most brilliant one. It was dreamed up by a 17-year old by name of Allen Wright and it's called "A Note to God."
As reported by McClatchy's Washington Bureau, this app "lets iPhone users send prayers into cyberspace and allows them to read the prayers of others. The messages are stored in a database, and users remain anonymous."
A side benefit is that when you die and God/Jesus/Allah or whomever, meets you at the Pearly Gates, he/she/it will know who you are - that person who sent all those notes from Kookamunga!
Isn't this fascinating? A medieval application for a 21st Century innovation!
But there are a couple of problems. Which god do you pray to: Yahweh, Allah, Vishnu, Buddha, Jesus, Mary, Zeus, Dionysis? And, is there any guarantee offered that you will actually connect to the god of your imagination? What if your god is sitting on a planet too far to be reached by this shot into cyberspace?
My first reaction to all this was that it will never work. Who's gonna spend money to participate in such nonsense?
Then, I remembered. Millions of people voted for George W. Bush, and millions more think Sarah Palin is the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary.
Medl Mobile's gonna make millions!
Walter Cronkite - a real reporter!
[Image from www.popcrunch.com/]The Media Bloodhound, Brad Johnson, has written an excellent essay on the mainstream media's tributes to Walter Cronkite. Johnson notes, poignantly, that in all their effluent "memorializing" of Mr. Cronkite, the MSM failed to point out that Cronkite was strongly opposed to the Iraq war and said so, publicly.
"Following his death last week," writes Johnson, "various network news tributes replayed footage of Cronkite's influential '68 on-air editorial" during which he declared that President Johnson and his Defense Department were wrong and that, no matter what they said, the Vietnam Was was "unwinnable."
Cronkite felt the same way about Iraq, and he felt it was his responsibility, as a reporter, to say so!
But that's only part of the story. I've come to the conclusion that one of the major problems in this country is that the MSM is owned, lock, stock and barrel by corporate entities that care not for truth but only for the bottom line. Thus, the MSM consists largely of hired quacks who waddle to the tune their owners sing.
We do not get the truth. The people in this country are given sound bites and propaganda, all of which are duly reported as "news." It's no wonder that so many continue to vote against their own best interests.
All of this comes starkly to the fore in a statement by MSM hack, David Gregory, on MSNBC (a General Electric company!) on Mary 28, 2008:
"I think there are a lot of critics who think that [in the run-up to the Iraq War] .... if we did not stand up and say this is bogus, and you're a liar, and why are you doing this, that we didn't do our job. I respectfully disagree. It's not our role."
"It's not our role"? How incredible is that? Whose role is it, then. And what is your role, Mr. Gregory?
The MediaBloodhound answers that with the only answer possible: The role spelled out for the media by Mr. Gregory is "public relations officer."
Please read all of this superb article here.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sarah Palin could have been vice president ... if only ...
I found a very funny article at WorldNetDaily. Well, all their articles are funny in one way or another. Usually, they are funny strange. Or funny deranged. The people at WorldNetDaily are so strange and weird that normal folks have a hard believing their strangeness and weirdness.
Okay, to the funny article.
It was written by Jane Chastain, and posted on July 16, 2009.
In a nutshell, Sarah Palin would be vice president if John McCain wasn't such a dork, and the Republican "elite" weren't such a bunch of old fogies.
Heh. Heh.
Yup! The title of this funny article is "Why the GOP elite despises Sarah Palin."
Heh. Heh.
A bit of history. And truth. Both seem to elude Ms. Chastain. It was the GOP "elite" who "discovered" Ms. Palin beating on a state trooper in Alaska and when Todd said they could visit, they jumped on a plane and flew all the way up there so she could serve them dinner and they came winging back full of religious fervor saying they had found the equivalent of the Virgin Mary (boy, were they wrong about that!) in Juneau or maybe it was some Pentecostal church where folks were casting out demons...
Anyway, if the GOP elite despises Palin now, that was not the case when McCain was told to STFU and make Palin his vice presidential running mate.
So, what happened? Why is Palin despised by the GOP elite? The phrase, "GOP elite," is, of course an oxymoron.
Back to the story. John McCain, the dork, "threw in a wildcard by selecting Sarah Palin to be his vice president," says Ms. Chastain. [Actually, no. He was told by the "elite" he had to choose her!]
But then Chastain, a Palin fan, says "The energetic young governor from Alaska turned the political landscape upside down. If McCain hadn't been such an unbelievably bad candidate, if he had taken his Geritol and not slept through his debates, if he had taken ginkgo biloba so he could have memorized a few new lines, Barack Obama likely would still be the junior senator from Illinois."
Heh. Heh.
So, what planet is Chastain from? Seems to me that McCain didn't do all that badly. But every time Palin opened her mouth she said something stupid or proved she was woefully ignorant and a fool and that she was a liar of the first order!
Oh, sure, those who cling to religion and guns liked her a lot. But, hey, they like their hooch and hound dogs, too. Doesn't mean a drunken dog should be vice president!
Chastain continues. McCain campaign workers leaked info to the press putting Palin in a bad light. Poor Palin. But she could put herself in a bad light with no problem. In fact the McCain campaign knew if she got in front of a microphone she would go down in flames and thus they tried to hide her where the media couldn't find her!
And now! Well, now the GOP elite is trying to "bury Palin."
If that's true, I'd have to say with good reason!
Chastain is out of this world for sure. She thinks Palin resigned for the "good" of Alaska. She really has the state's best interests are heart, not her own. Sarah Palin is also not a politician but a "statesman." Stateswoman?
She fought corruption in her own party. Heh. Heh. She didn't run for mayor of Wasilla or governor of Alaska because she wanted to, but rather because there was a need and "no one else [was] available to fill that need, so she answered the call."
Now, the best part: Palin doesn't really want to be president. But, if worse comes to worse, and she sees the need and nobody else steps up to the plate "who can get the job done, she likely will take off her apron, put down her hunting rifle, dust herself off and run for the office."
Oh, stop laughing. Heh, heh, heh! Omigod. That is so funny. And tragic. There are people who actually believe this pile of horseshit!
You can read all of Chastain's funny article here.
Rachel Maddow on Palin's incompetence
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Kill, kill, kill the healthcare bill
This morning on CNN, Bobby Jindal the wingnut christianist, creationist, exorcist governor of Louisiana was given a huge block of time to repeat the GOP's talking points against the healthcare plan!
No time was given to a proponent of the plan!
What a crock.
Bill Kristol urges nogoodnik Repugnicans everywhere to throw the kitchen sink at the health care bill - Kill it, says Kristol!
So, the healthcare industry, the drug companies and corporations everywhere are jumping on the bandwagon and on their bought-and-paid for members of Congress to beat down any chance of real healthcare reform!
The word that these fear mongers are tossing out to frighten the majority of Americans who believe in God, motherhood and apple pie but never read a book because they haven't yet made it to an 8th-grade reading level, is "socialism."
Socialism, the big bugaboo. The nogoodniks never define this, other than to imply the Obama administration plans to take over everyone's lives and run them from the West Wing.
Even that sorry clown, the RNC Chairman, Michael Steele, aka the tin man, got into the act, telling the world that Obama's health care plan is, yes, "socialism." And there is, indeed, said the man of tin, a conspiracy, a "cabal," if you will, comprised of Obama and that uppity woman, Nancy Pelosi to foist government health care on everybody!
Here's what he actually said: "Obama-Pelosi want to start building a colossal, closed health care system where Washington decides. Republicans want and support an open health care system where patients and doctors make the decisions."
It is "socialism," said Steele.
Not only is this a bald-faced lie, and Steele knows that, but it's fear mongering at its worst.
And it once again proves that Repugnicans don't give a rat's ass for the average working American, but only about benefiting their corporate benefactors! And that is why the Repugnican honchos plan to blanket the country with TV ads whining that all the money given to the banks and auto industry comprises "the biggest spending spree in our history" and wail that Obama's health care plan is "a risky experiment with our health care."
There is nothing these nogoodnik Repugnicans will not do to regain their power. Nothing whatsoever. They have no morals, no ethics. They are spiritually bankrupt, no matter how many of them live at the "C" Street "church" and attend bible studies and prayer meetings!
But it ain't only Repugnican nogoodniks. There are some wolves in sheeps' clothing known as bluedog Democrats who are just as bad.
They are all lousy Americans!
Hey, but never mind. As these asshats in Congress label Obama's health care proposals as "socialistic," they generally have no problem forcing others to inhale their own toxic religious beliefs. They have no problem sharing in their own government health plan and most generous retirement plan! For some reason, they don't consider such things as being "socialist."
None of this is new, of course. If the Repugnicans had had their way back in the 30s and 40s we would have no Social Security, no Medicare, no Medicaid, no welfare programs whatsoever; and the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the lost souls without hope would all be left to suffer and die while their corporate masters complained about the mess they were making.
Furthermore, even though the health care situation is a true crisis, and even though the United States is way down the list of industrialized nations in terms of health care excellence, what is really important is to kiss the asses of the NRA and pass legislation which will allow concealed weapons permit holders to carry guns anywhere they please.
But that's another whole article.
Unfortunately, when considering the level of ignorance that maintains in the heartland, and especially in the south and west, it is likely that health care will be shot down by card-carrying NRA members and their ilk who think that putting a gun in their pocket is their god-given right and, if carrying a weapon will not solve all their problems, it will make them feel better when cancer sprouts in their cells and they find they have no health insurance.
I write the above as one who carries a concealed weapons permit!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Republican dumb ass governor - Rick Perry
Rick Perry, the clone of G. W. Bush, but even dumber, is back in the news...It's hard to find a better word to describe Perry than dumbass. He keeps appointing scientifically-challenged nogoodniks to the State Board of Education who in turn keep insisting that Texas students learn all about how god created the world in six days six thousand years ago according to the word of god in as promoted in the biblical book of Genesis. These nogoodniks on the SBOE also rewrite history in the textbooks so the dear children of the Lone Star State don't hear about folks like Caesar Chavez or other such radicals, and they also refuse to provide appropriate sex education for Texas kids so Texas continues to be one of the leaders in teenage parenthood!
While Perry has not actually said he thinks Texas should secede from the Union because the big, bad politicians [especially Obama] in Washington are taxing the saddles right from under the big fat asses of Repugnican Texans everywhere, he has implied that it is a good idea, and actually threatened to do so quoting an old legal argument that, in fact, has no legal standing.
Perry is also one of those nogoodnik Republican governors who bitched and moaned about the stimulus funds provided for their states. Perry wasn't gonna take no damn stimulus money from Washington! No sirree! That might mean that down the road, say in 200-300 years, Texans might have to actually pick up the tab for taking care of their own needs and their own people. Can't have that! And Perry didn't want Washington's help, either. "Let them eat cake," is what he said, in essence, of the needy in Texas.
Where's a guillotine when you need one?
Now, though, big hair Perry is back in the news because Texas is financially strapped. Evidently big hair Perry couldn't see this coming. So -- now get this -- Perry wants the fedrul guv'mint to lend him some money "to cover the very expenses the rejected stimulus money would have paid for."
Ain't that sweet? What a dumbass!
According to CBS, Perry did accept $17 billion in stimulus funds, but (according to a CBS news blog) "rejected $555 million that would have covered state unemployment benefits. Perry said he was not accepting the money because the state would have been obligated to expand its unemployment coverage, creating too much of a long term tax burden."
Right. Screw the people. That's the Republican mantra. It's always about money, unless it's to pay off the corporate assholes that run this country!
Well, Texas' unemployment compensation fund is running short and big hair Perry needs money now. So, brushing back his mane of black hair, and climbing on his high horse, Perry rides off to the big city to ask for some of the money he should have accepted in the first place.
Funny, how with Repugnicans, their principles are always somehow determined by their wants and needs. Even George Bush became a "socialist" when he realized he had to bail out the banks or they were gonna fail resulting in an even bigger mess than the one he and his rich Repugnican compadres had already created.
Some Dems in Texas are upset with Perry. You think? Yeah, well, if Perry had accepted the stimulus money, it wouldn't have to be paid back. Now, he wants a loan and that Texas will have to pay that back (hopefully, with an high interest rate) to the feds!
And some people still think that the Repugnicans are better financial managers and can govern better than the Dems.
Hah!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
PZ Myers to visit the Creation Museum
Yup. PZ Myers will be visiting the Creation Museum, along with some friends. Hopefully, he will survive the experience.Cartoon is from The Freethinker who also has a funny article about Myers' upcoming visit to this monument to ignorance and superstition. Read it here.
Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World"
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Rachel Maddow - More on The Family
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Tax the rich to pay for healthcare! YES!
I've been running about on christianist wingnut websites of late just to see what the religiously retarded are about these days, and a recurring theme has presented itself: The theme revolves around the notion that it is horrible to tax the rich to help pay for health care for everyone.
One example of this can be found in an article by someone called Pete Chagnon at OneNewsNow, a christianist crap site that pretends to provide news. Chagnon warns all those rich christianists out there that "If you're rich and you live in America, you could be hit hard under President Obama's healthcare plan."
Yup. And it's the damn libruls fault, too! "To pay for this plan," Chagnon cries [quoting "some [people]" who "estimate" that the plan "could reach $1.5 trillion," which is, as you know just a tad more than what the war in Iraq has cost us], "liberals are proposing a hefty tax on America's rich."
Oh wow! I bet you didn't know this. Curtis Dubay, a dubious member of the ultra right wacko think tank, The Heritage Foundation, "says people in New York City could face income tax rates upwards of 60 percent."
Well, how Pete doth go on. Why, you'd think the end of the world was coming. "Staggering tax increase," he saith. "...a tremendous strain on the already-weakened economy," he also saith. And those poor folks who make only $350,000 to $500,000 a year - they're gonna get hit with a huge surtax.
Two things: One, I don't think people who are living in their cars because they lost their jobs, their health care, and their homes are going to give a rat's ass about the proposed surtax on the financially elite members of our society.
Secondly, OneNewsNow is a christianist wingnut organization and its articles are all geared toward christianist wingnut people. I would think they would welcome surtaxes on the rich. I would think they would be yelling "Yes!" from the rooftop of their christianist penthouses. I would think they would be packing their christianist churches on Sunday mornings to thank their Lord for making taxes on the rich to pay for health care possible.
That's what you would expect if they really believed the gospel stories of Jesus, their Lord and Savior. Jesus made it clear over and over again in his chats with the Palestinian Jews of the first century Common Era that rich people have about as much chance getting into heaven as a donkey has of turning into a horse. [Which explains why we have so many asses in Congress, but that's another article].
In fact, Jesus' message to the rich could be summed up in his words to the rich young man who had kept all of the commandments "from his youth": Go, sell what you have, give it to the poor, and follow me."
Ha, ha, ha, ha. Isn't that funny? Do you know any christianist who really believes that? Of course not. But what's even funnier is to listen to them try to explain why Jesus didn't mean what he said.
So, us non-christianists will stand with Jesus on the matter of taxing the rich to pay for health care for the poor! And we'll tell the christians to put their money where their mouth is: "Go, sell what you have, give it to the poor (in the form of health care) and follow Jesus."
Then, maybe, just maybe, someone will actually listen to what they have to say. And who knows, they may have just a smidgen of a chance of getting into heaven! It might even work for christianist pastors of mega-churches or televangelists, but I don't think so...I think there's a special place in hell reserved for these folks!
One example of this can be found in an article by someone called Pete Chagnon at OneNewsNow, a christianist crap site that pretends to provide news. Chagnon warns all those rich christianists out there that "If you're rich and you live in America, you could be hit hard under President Obama's healthcare plan."
Yup. And it's the damn libruls fault, too! "To pay for this plan," Chagnon cries [quoting "some [people]" who "estimate" that the plan "could reach $1.5 trillion," which is, as you know just a tad more than what the war in Iraq has cost us], "liberals are proposing a hefty tax on America's rich."
Oh wow! I bet you didn't know this. Curtis Dubay, a dubious member of the ultra right wacko think tank, The Heritage Foundation, "says people in New York City could face income tax rates upwards of 60 percent."
Well, how Pete doth go on. Why, you'd think the end of the world was coming. "Staggering tax increase," he saith. "...a tremendous strain on the already-weakened economy," he also saith. And those poor folks who make only $350,000 to $500,000 a year - they're gonna get hit with a huge surtax.
Two things: One, I don't think people who are living in their cars because they lost their jobs, their health care, and their homes are going to give a rat's ass about the proposed surtax on the financially elite members of our society.
Secondly, OneNewsNow is a christianist wingnut organization and its articles are all geared toward christianist wingnut people. I would think they would welcome surtaxes on the rich. I would think they would be yelling "Yes!" from the rooftop of their christianist penthouses. I would think they would be packing their christianist churches on Sunday mornings to thank their Lord for making taxes on the rich to pay for health care possible.
That's what you would expect if they really believed the gospel stories of Jesus, their Lord and Savior. Jesus made it clear over and over again in his chats with the Palestinian Jews of the first century Common Era that rich people have about as much chance getting into heaven as a donkey has of turning into a horse. [Which explains why we have so many asses in Congress, but that's another article].
In fact, Jesus' message to the rich could be summed up in his words to the rich young man who had kept all of the commandments "from his youth": Go, sell what you have, give it to the poor, and follow me."
Ha, ha, ha, ha. Isn't that funny? Do you know any christianist who really believes that? Of course not. But what's even funnier is to listen to them try to explain why Jesus didn't mean what he said.
So, us non-christianists will stand with Jesus on the matter of taxing the rich to pay for health care for the poor! And we'll tell the christians to put their money where their mouth is: "Go, sell what you have, give it to the poor (in the form of health care) and follow Jesus."
Then, maybe, just maybe, someone will actually listen to what they have to say. And who knows, they may have just a smidgen of a chance of getting into heaven! It might even work for christianist pastors of mega-churches or televangelists, but I don't think so...I think there's a special place in hell reserved for these folks!
Christianist wingnuts want god to hover over the Capitol Visitor Center
[Photo of Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc.]Christianist wingnut, Dan Lungren (a Repugnican congressman from California), insists that Congress spend $100,000 to etch "In God We Trust" along with the Pledge of Allegiance on the walls of the new Capitol Visitor Center.
Well, of course! What could be more important than nodding to a non-existent deity? Especially with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, job losses at record levels, people losing their homes at warp speed, health care but a dream for millions, racial hatred peaking once again among the stoopid and deranged, states unable to pay their employees, an infrastructure falling down around us, Russia rattling its sabers, Iran in the grip of a deadly theocracy, Middle East tensions growing, North Korea sending missiles into the air and expanding their nuclear nightmare...
Oh, and don't forget all the Repugs currently having affairs or recently quitting affairs, many of whom are part of the "C Street" bunch who actually believe there is a god somewhere up in the sky that has ordained them to become rich and rule the world and has given them the right to ignore law, truth, honesty, fidelity...
What is so terribly sad is that Lungren's suggestion was approved by the House of Representatives by a vote of 410-8!
Are the members currently in Congress, Dems and Repugs alike, so ignorant of our Constitution and so ignorant of our history, they fall victim to the religious scams of scum like Lungren?
Fortunately, the Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed suit to stop the writing on the wall.
Dan Barker (if you haven't read his book, Godless, please hike to the nearest bookstore), co-president of the FFRF claims rightly that Lungren's proposal is "a Judeo-Christian endorsement by our government ... Lungren and others are pro-religious, and they want to actually use the machinery of government to promote their particular private religious views. That is unconstitutional, and that's what we're asking the court to decide."
Of course it's unconstitutional.
Lungren's a nogoodnik, and Barker's right on target. Hopefully, the suit will be successful (depends on how "activist" the judge is!)...
There's more here, from McClatchy.
Chuck Todd - Torture investigation is political "catnip"
And we wonder why the American people do not get the truth from the MSM these days! Here's Chuck Todd suggesting that an investigation into the criminality of a previous regime is political "catnip." It's not important.
But Chuck Todd is bought and paid for by General Electric which owns MSNBC.
Most of the mainstream press is bought and paid for by some corporate entity. That's why they spout bullshit and lies; the truth, which is often painful for the high and mighty, can be spoken in the light of day only at the expense of a reporter's career.
Where is Walter Cronkite when we need him?
But Chuck Todd is bought and paid for by General Electric which owns MSNBC.
Most of the mainstream press is bought and paid for by some corporate entity. That's why they spout bullshit and lies; the truth, which is often painful for the high and mighty, can be spoken in the light of day only at the expense of a reporter's career.
Where is Walter Cronkite when we need him?
Who is Wendell Potter?
Bill Moyers and Amy Goodman have already interviewed Wendell Potter and I was wondering who the first person in the "main stream media" would be to bring him on. I thought it might end up being Rachel Maddow, but it turned out to be Ed Schultz instead. Good for Ed.
SCHULTZ: Welcome back to THE ED SHOW. The Republican sound machine is in full force against health care.
We gave you the "Playbook," in fact back on May 6th on this program, we went through the right wing`s messaging machine playbook; it`s a 28-page strategy memo from Republican pollster Frank Luntz. He told the Republicans to hammer basically four things when it comes to reform, that reform would be a "government takeover" by Washington bureaucrats. It would "ration" your health care. And get "between you and your doctor."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R) MINORITY LEADER: The advocates of a government takeover of health care are talking about spending trillions more, trillions more.
SEN. MIKE ENZI (R), WYOMING: This bill will allow Washington bureaucrats to ration care. The bill lays the groundwork for a government takeover of healthcare, giving Washington bureaucrats the power to prevent patients from seeing the doctor they choose.
REP. KEVIN BRADY (R), TEXAS: The federal programs, agencies, commissions and mandates that will be in between the patient and their health care provider, their doctor. Why would any patient be forced to give control of their health care decisions over to this Faustian web of Washington bureaucracy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHULTZ: Well, you`ve got to admit they do their homework when you ever give them anything to learn, you know.
Big insurance is lining is pockets of lawmakers. Big insurance only cares about their profits. They want lawmakers to protect their backyard, their profits. They`re voting against reforms that would really be good for consumers.
But I don`t want you to take my word for it. I want you to pay attention to this next interview. We have a former insurance insider.
Joining me now is Wendell Potter. He is a senior fellow on health care for the center for media and democracy. He`s also a former vice president for the insurance giant Cigna.
Mr. Potter, good to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your time. Is the industry telling the truth to the American people and telling the truth to those in the Congress?
WENDELL POTTER, SENIOR FELLOW, CENTER FOR MEDIA & DEMOCRACY: No, they`re not. And that`s one of the reasons why I left my job at Cigna and why I decided to speak out. I didn`t want to be a part of that -- those lies and misleading statements once again.
I`ve been a part of them in the past and I just didn`t want to do that again.
SCHULTZ: Where are the insurance companies making their big profits when it comes to health care? What are they doing to consumers?
POTTER: What they`re doing to consumers is, number one -- they`re shifting a lot more of the financial burden from them and the employers onto the shoulders of working men and women. And they also are very actively looking at claims when they`re submitted. And they`re acting -- taking action to dump people when they`re sick, either in the individual market or in the small groups.
So a lot of small employers no longer can afford health care because of the actions taken by the insurance companies to get rid of them when their employees` claims are a little bit higher than the underwriters expected.
SCHULTZ: Mr. Potter, do you think that there`s a lot of people in the industry that feel the same way you did but just didn`t follow the action you took?
POTTER: Absolutely, I know there are. I`ve gotten just dozens, actually hundreds of e-mails from people that I have worked with in the past. And most of them now former Cigna employees and employees of other companies who know me and have sent me communications to sell me, "I wish I had done that."
There are many who feel the same way.
SCHULTZ: Now, Mr. Potter recently the inspector general`s office came out with a report earlier this week stating that this out-of-network expense to Americans hits about 100 million Americans who are dealing in the health care industry, that want insurance and whatnot. And Senator Rockefeller has told us clearly that the American people are getting ripped off.
Do you think Congress believes that the American people are getting ripped off, and now of course we`ve got this inspector general`s office report to back it up? What don`t they get about what`s going on?
POTTER: I don`t think they`ve been paying attention. I think if they had been paying attention and weren`t -- as you put it -- their pockets being lined with contributions from the industry, I think that they would be outraged and it would be very willing to take action to make sure that we have a reformed, functional health care system in this country.
SCHULTZ: How much do you think they want to defeat the public option?
POTTER: Well, they`re pulling out all the stops. That`s why you`re seeing the same talking points they`ve used over the years being trotted out again. They`re ever green talking points.
They will say one thing on -- the industry is engaged in what I call the charm defense in saying that they`re all for reform; but behind the scenes, working with their allies to gut it. The public option is one of the things that they pretty much have drawn a line in the sand saying, "We can`t accept that."
SCHULTZ: And finally, Mr. Potter, give the American people, our viewers tonight, a sense who`s winning this battle. We`ve never seen a president go this far against Washington lobbyists. We`ve never seen a president go this far against the establishment when it comes to health care.
There`s a lot of pressure on the Democrats to get this done. They`ve got 60 Democrats in the Senate. They`ve got a bunch in the House. Some of the conservative Democrats are still wavering a bit. But who do you think is winning this battle right now?
POTTER: I think the president is winning. I think the advocates for health care reform are winning. It may not seem that way, when we see a headline like we saw the other day in the "Wall Street Journal," about the CBO estimating that we can`t afford it.
We can`t afford not to do this. I think the president can communicate that more as time goes by and as Congress really gets down to business. I think that we`ll see reform this time and meaningful reform.
SCHULTZ: How do the folks at Cigna treat you now?
POTTER: I haven`t heard anything from them. I`m not surprised. A lot of my former colleagues have been -- who are no longer -- who like me, former colleagues, have been contacting me. I didn`t expect that they would be visibly attacking me or even communicating with me, and they haven`t been.
SCHULTZ: Finally, why are you doing this? You did a very compelling interview with Bill Moyers. We tried to get you on the program before; I appreciate you being here tonight.
This is a brave position, I think. This is one that`s unusual for someone who worked and lived and profited in the corporate world. Why are you doing this?
POTTER: Two reasons. One, I left my job because I didn`t like where the industry was taking this country in terms of the insurance products it`s now selling. They`re pushing these so-called consumer-driven plans that are pushing more, as you put it, as you noted, of the financial burden onto consumers. We can`t afford that. The median household income is $50,000 in this country, we can`t afford more cost shifting.
Secondly, I didn`t want to be part of the lying machine again. I didn`t want to be misrepresenting reality like the industry has done and its allies have done for many years.
SCHULTZ: Ok, Mr. Potter, I appreciate your time tonight. Come back and join us again. And thanks for speaking the truth to the American people and telling us what`s going on.
POTTER: Thank you for this opportunity.
SCHULTZ: You bet.
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