Ok, back to business as I was a bit under the weather recently. Ever since the Christmas Day attempt at bringing down an airliner, Republicans have been salivating that there was a terrorist attempt under Obama’s watch. They figure this was just what they needed to begin a new string of attacks on Obama and Democrats and how they’re weak on “the war on terror”. Never mind that the policies in place were left over from the Bush-Cheney Regime; they count on the fact that most Americans don’t pay attention to politics so they can say virtually anything and get away with it. Like Obama, Bush was on vaction at the time of the shoe bomber attack. He didn't speak publicly for 6 days compared to Obama's 3. The perception that Republicans are asserting is that Obama wasn't doing anything after he learned of the attack. It would be laughable, but when I view other blogs, the conservative base actually believes that he just shrugged and continued to play golf. Conservatives are now attempting to rewrite history in the mindset of America. They are counting on the fact that most Americans are too lazy to fact check. Eventually this may work for them, as America gets dumber collectively with every passing year, but I think it's still a bit too soon!
First we watched Dana Perino in November claim on Sean Hannity’s show that there were no terrorist attacks during Bush’s administration. Ok, it’s Fox and Hannity, it would’ve been way too much to expect some journalistic integrity or credibility. Then there was Mary Matalin on CNN with conservative John King in December claiming the Bush administration “inherited the most tragic attack on our own soil in our nation's history.” Obviously soul mate King gave her a pass too. However, what former Clinton advisor George Stephanopoulos let Rudy Giuliani get away with Friday on Good Morning America was unforgivable. Giuliani claimed “We had no domestic attacks under Bush." First it just appeared that he didn’t seem to remember he was the mayor of New York City on 9/11/01. Then he told yet another blatant lie which again went unchallenged, saying that it took Obama “10 days to respond.” In fact, anyone who has been paying attention knows that is untrue. After a firestorm mostly from the left was created by these lies going unchallenged, Rudy claimed he meant "post 9/11." Well, not so fast dude. GWB was in office from 1/20/01-1/20/09. What else happened on Bush’s watch you might ask? The Anthrax Attacks were from October-November 2001, the Shoe Bomber on 12/22/01, LA Airport shootings by Hesham Mohamed Hadayet on July 4, 2002, D.C. Sniper John Allen Muhammad in the fall of 2002, Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar of Iran who claimed he was following in the footsteps of his idol, 9/11 hijacker Muhammad Atta when he ran down 9 North Carolina college students in March of 2006. Later in the day after being heavily criticized, even from some of ABC’s own correspondents for his failure to correct Giulini, Stephanopoulos posted an expression of regret on a blog post. A blog post?! Really? How about making your apology on GMA on Monday morning in the same time segment that the interview aired so the likelihood that you’ll be apologizing to the same mislead viewers is heightened. When writing about Giuliani's misspoken words, the Washington Independent's Spencer Ackerman wrote: "You actually need to give President George W. Bush credit for this. The Bush people did a wonderfully effective job of making it verboten in mainstream political discourse to consider the deaths of 3000 Americans on 9/11 in any sense Bush’s failing."
Vice President Biden was right in 2007 when he said of Giuliani; “…I mean, think about it! Rudy Giuliani. There's only three things he mentions in a sentence -- a noun, a verb, and 9/11. There's nothing else! There's nothing else!...”
As far as the attempted attack on Christmas Day, it’s sickening that Republicans are happy that an attempt was made, but appear somewhat saddened that it failed. When you have Faux Newz resident talibangelical Brit Hume along with Bill Kristol claiming that the attack was a success even though the only thing Abdulmuttalab managed to set on fire was his own junk, you’re showing your hand. You’ve got Dick Cheney running to every single microphone or camera he can find to say that Obama’s too low key, doesn’t want to admit we’re at war and promises more attacks because of this alleged weakness and all the ditto heads (elected officials as well as the conservative electorate) follow his lead. Do they actually think if he says the word “terror” more often, that’s some sort of tool against terror? It's been one of their claims. How do they think they don't sound ridiculous? Maybe if the Bush-Cheney Regime hadn’t actually taken their eye off the real terrorists instead of trying to steal the “black gold” in Iraq, we wouldn’t be in this mess now. The sad truth about this fool who got 5 seperate deferments to keep him from serving in Vietnam is that the very people we're trying to defeat are listening to this idiot tell them that the current administration in inept. He is inviting them to attack. Are the Republicans so hungry for power that they have total disregard for the safety of Americans not just here, but abroad? Why can't the majority of Americans see this game being played? Why isn't the majority of the media calling him or other conservatives out? MSNBC is the exception. They get called a liberal channel (3 hours with Olbermann, Maddow, Schultz) which is balony (3 hours of Scarborough and daily guest nazi Buchanan) because they seem to be the only one's that haven't yet fallen victim to the "conservative media bias" that now inhabits our airwaves. It's crystal clear for anyone paying attention,that the current administration has stepped up the search and destroy missions of terrorist pockets. Isn't it likely that the current administration, by using the "speak softly and carry a big stick" approach is probably leading to more success because we're not tipping our hand to the enemy? By the way, I think Obama's address on Thursday when he said, "The buck stops with me." was one of the most honest presentations any modern President has given. If Obama and the Democrats do this right, the Republicans will never again be able to paint them as weak and defenseless. Maybe that's what neocons like Cheney are really afraid of, that it's working.
Liz Cheney’s neoconservative political attack organization, Keep America Safe, is out with a new ad titled “100 hours.” It is complete with images of the President golfing on his Hawaiian vacation. Stephanopoulos actually did his job today on ABC’s “This Week”, confronting Cheney about her hypocritical attack. “As many Democrats and others have pointed out, President Bush waited six days before doing much about Richard Reid, the shoe bomber.” Cheney evaded the question entirely, pretending not to hear it. “The point of that ad,” she said, “was this notion that you cannot win a war if you’re treating it as sort of an inconvenient sidelight.” My question is why anyone gives a rat’s behind what this neocon nobody has to say. Her father's crooked administration didn't give a damn about defeating terrorists, they lied to get into a war with a country who's oil they wanted to control. They never even attempted to capture bin Laden. If they had, they wouldn't have been able to occupy Iraq. Her father is an evil bastard and it’s clear the apple didn’t roll far from the tree.
It’s really disheartening what we’ve become as a nation. All those right wingers claiming that Obama is the most polarizing President ever (they still can’t believe the black guy won) don’t seem to remember that George W. Bush who was never rightfully elected to his position actually said in November of 2001, “You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror”, when anyone dared question his policies on his new found purpose. You can’t really get any more polarizing than that. I believe that was a crucial turning point that pitted conservatives against liberals in a very hardened way and I don’t see it getting better any time soon, especially since the right wing religious zealots are having success in determining public policy. I have a genuine fear that this country at some point is going to become a theocracy, not a democracy.
Quick Thoughts: Not all Republicans are clueless political gamers afterall. Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) said on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt” about the criticism of Obama's handling of the terrorist situation: “It’s unfair, I think the president is focused…To the contrary, Obama has demonstrated firmness” and “decisiveness… That’s been the antidote to the criticism.” Good for him to have the guts to say so! I'm sure he's not the only one who feels this way, but the larger portion prefer to play partisan politics or are afraid of getting in Cheney's crosshairs...or crossbow! ...
On Thursday, Tea Party Nation claimed that "liberal troll" Rachel Maddow tried to join the group and "we banned her 7 minutes after she joined. I have little doubt she will mention this on her show." The teabaggers must've been disappointed that Rachel did not mention it, although Keith Olbermann and Richard Wolfe discussed the falsehood on Countdown. Did a bunch of 8th grade level racists actually think they were going to outsmart her? The funny thing is, as soon as I received the forwarded "tweet" from TPM, my first thought was "riiight, she joined using her own name." My next thought was, "typical conservatives not looking at the big picture." I guess it never occured to the teabaggers that by publicizing this lie, liberals and Maddow fans in general would actually join the site to "disrupt the flow of constructive dialogue against liberalism." Check it out. Did I mention the site ended up going down? The always polite Ms. Maddow responded with: "Of course, this idea of me trying to join their listserv is completely made up, but still -- I'm flattered the Tea Party folks think I'm well known enough to help their cause, I wish them all best luck with their conference."
Finally, Brit Hume who seems jealous of the attention all the other crackpots on Faux get decided to jump on board. The born again evangelical now believes he has the credentials to lecture others' religious choices. He said Tiger Woods should convert to Christianity for forgiveness and redemption.[].make a total recovery and be a great example to the world. Yeah, you know how wild and crazy those Buddhists are. I guess that in Brit's world, Vitter's penchant for prostitutes and diapers, Sanford and Ensign's mistresses are all ok now because they're Republicans and they've allegedly asked for forgiveness from the Lord. Never mind the path of destruction they created for those around them. As far as Buddhists, since I knew nothing I looked it up, unlike Hume. Their basic belief is that suffering ceases when desire ceases, that enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth. Seems like those will apply to Tiger's "transgressions" just fine.
Showing posts with label conservatives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conservatives. Show all posts
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tea Bags, Candy Canes and Hypocrisy
I get so sick of the religious zealots in this country forcing their beliefs down everyone’s throats that I’m going to devote some time to it today. I’m going to begin with the smaller story of the two I read about this week. This year in Bill O’Reilly’s annual "War on Christmas" rhetoric, he sent one of his goons, Jesse Watters to harass the superintendent of an elementary school in Chelsford, Massachusetts because they do not have Christmas decorations set up! The best part is, the school had asked for volunteers to plan the party, but the same people who always do it were the only respondents. The committee decided to continue with how the event has been run for the past 19 years. After all the work had been done, flyers sent and crafts made, the families who strongly opposed the secular party came forward demanding they change the event. Don’t you just love the people who don’t want to lift a finger to help, but have no problem bitching about how it’s done. I’m posting a link to an article the school felt it had to post in the Lowell Sun because of all the bad press they received from newspapers and conservative radio: Byam PTO welcomes suggestions, volunteers
Now for the story that inspired me. Merry Hyatt, a four month resident of Redding, CA who is a substitute teacher and member of the Redding Tea Party Patriots, has found support in her desire to put an initiative on the ballot next year requiring public schools to play Christmas carols. She claims her motivation for the initiative was to help restore children’s moral compasses by inviting Jesus to school Christmas parties. Currently schools currently are allowed to offer Christmas music as long as it is used for academic purposes rather than devotional purposes and isn't used to promote a particular religious belief. Hyatt believes it is a First Amendment right to worship which I don’t disagree with, but what she is trying to accomplish is clearly a violation of the U.S. Constitution which also prohibits making laws respecting an establishment of religion, it’s the very first line of the amendment and she is on that slippery slope. Since the 1st Amendment and the 2nd Amendment were their rallying cries all year, you’d think they’d know these things – it’s not really that long to read! Or does she just not understand that the entire amendment that teabaggers used all year at their anti-Obama rallies are enforceable? I don't care if they sing Christmas carols, but you can not make it mandatory. I'll wager that Merry doesn't include Deck The Halls on her required carols list either (Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la, la la la la.)! The truth is we did them when I was in school, but I also grew up in a small town with about 40 kids in my class -- we all looked alike had the same background and while I don't remember it being required, it wasn't a bit deal because there wasn't any diversity amongst us. This situation strikes me as just one more example of conservatives being unhappy with the changes resulting from our society becoming more diverse and it's really gotten over amplified with the election of our first black President who they will not except as a fellow Christian. They harken back to a mythological religious America that probably never existed. These people are very simple and are scared of anything not exactly like them. They live in a world of absolutes. Everything is black or white to them because that's what they've been told. Look, I have no problem with unquestioning believers as far as it applies to them as individuals. My issue is when they want every single person to adhere to their belief system. It's great that they can take comfort in His words when they need that, but don't threaten people with what's best for them. I have never read the Bible, but I know a few common things that it teaches: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", "Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone." and perhaps my favorite is "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
I think further commentary requires a little background about myself. I don’t see anything in black and white, rather varying shades of gray. It’s what keeps me curious and engaged in the conversation. We live in a world of complexity and I don’t understand how people lack the curiosity or capacity to think for themselves. Does thinking really hurt that much? It’s very similar to what I said in my December 4th article about Fox News viewers; they’re given key words and topics so they don’t need to think for themselves. Religion does the very same thing on a much larger scale. I was raised in a very Catholic household and dragged to church each weekend. I made my first communion (oh, how I hated that little white fluffy dress) and had to go to catechism until I made my confirmation which was probably around junior high. I’m wired much differently than my family, immediate and distant. I really am a black sheep in the sense that everyone around me are conservative no questions asked believers. What’s pretty funny is my parents always vote Democrat because they’re old school “Republicans are for the rich, Democrats are for the people” voters. My political beliefs sprung from that theory, but I’ve far expanded on my thoughts about many other important policies. They’re stuck with that one thought. On social issues, they're clearly conservatives and probably should be voting Republican these days, but I’m not going to tell them, hell it’s two votes! Amazing that I turned out so well, isn’t it! As you can tell by my views, I’m not conservative by any stretch and I’m on the fence 50/50 in regards to religion. Is there a God? The weakest believe so, no questions asked. They need to somehow hold onto that hope that they’ll be reunited throughout eternity with loved ones in paradise. Do I think it’s possible? Sure I do. I’m somewhat “spiritual”, I think there’s a higher power, but I also ask “Is that power just my own mind”. The whole thing with people seeing ghosts and such, I believe is real. But, are they actual ghosts or are they products of the mind? I figure, if there is indeed a God and we meet when my time comes, if he's the loving, forgiving God we're taught about he's just going to say, "I understand why you were a bit skeptical. There was a lot of wacky stuff going on during your lifetime, with people using my name to justify violence and hatred towards others, but look around, none of them are here! What goes around comes around."
Getting back to our country’s religious zealots, and I'm talking about the radicals, not the devout people who go to worship quietly and privately. It really bothers me that they preach love, compassion and understanding yet are the most intolerant group of radicals in our midst. This evangelical movement in our country is truly frightening. Our country is being hijacked by radicals who want to teach Christianity in schools, but don't care if the little "fundies" can read or write and no one is doing anything about it! Recently, they've designed and sold bumper stickers and other memorabilia with the Psalm 109.8 verse "May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership." That leads into Psalm 109:9, "May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow." When the Bible was written there weren’t politicians, this isn’t about Obama leaving office at the end of his term people! Thanks once again to Rachel Maddow's coverage, CafePress and Zazzle have stopped carrying this wretched propaganda. The zealots are also against a woman's right to chose a safe legal medical procedure, yet don't acknowledge the bible giving the thumbs up to stone disobedient children. And keeping with their own hypocrisy, after the unwanted child is born, they will be the first to scream they don’t want their tax dollars going to care for that teenage slut and her bastard baby. The bible also encorages slavery and that girls can be sold. Of course that makes sense since they’re still smarting over Constitutional Amendments 13 and 19. The guy living in the White House should be tending to the grounds of the White House where he belongs. And if women were never given the right to vote, white men would rule forever! The fact that they cherry pick their hatred really pisses me off. I have a huge problem with the majority being allowed to vote on the rights of a minority invoking God into the conversation when we’re supposed to be a country that seperates church and state. In addition, a large part of our electorate has become so blind and hateful with their Bible teachings guiding them instead of history, science and knowledge of current events that I think people should be required to pass a 12th grade HS test before they're allowed to register to vote. It's not just poor minorities that will suffer, the good ol' boys will have a big problem too. These idiots voting for a ticket because they think the VP candidate is attractive or because they want to further dimish civil rights are going to turn us into a third world country. You know what the most amazing thing about this is to me? Most of these same people celebrating the birth of Jesus would've been applauding and assisting nailing the queer, sandal wearing, long haired, hippie dude to the cross.
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.”
- Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here (1935)
Quick Thoughts: As I was sitting at the drive thru of McDonalds one morning this week waiting for my coffee and listening to Bill Press, I was behind a Honda CRV whose back window was cluttered with decals, but initially I wasn't paying attention to them. Of course, this older lady that I could see in her side view mirror must’ve ordered a lot of stuff because we sat for an unusually long period so I looked up at the decals. The largest one was a “Mary Kay Cosmetics” one running across the top, flanked by a “NRA” decal on the right and a “Terrorist Hunting permit no. 91101” on the other side. I was thinking, “Oh this is awesome, I’ve got to take a picture and post this on my blog”, but I couldn’t get the damn phone out of my pocket quick enough before she started pulling away. I thought about skipping my coffee for the picture! I don’t buy cosmetics, but if I did, I wouldn’t be showing up at her house for them! I will be on the lookout for that CRV though!... Last weekend the 32-13 Alabama Crimson Tide victory over the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship game was emotional for (literally) "wear it on your face" Christian, Tim Tebow, who was seen crying on the sidelines as the clock ticked down. Well, Timmy it looks like God prefers the thumpers to the fundies. How does that make you feel? Is God still great? Didn't hear you say it after the game. I'm not a college football fan, but ever since the first time I saw this talibangelical go into his praise of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, during his freshman year, I've rooted against Florida. He's not projecting well as a pro QB, but I would love him to be drafted by the San Francisco 49ers!... Last week, Britain shut down their UFO Investigation Service citing lack of activity. For over fifty years, sightings of alien sightings across the British Isles have been reported to the service by concerned citizens. Here's my theory, the aliens were here, but while trying to study our species, they turned on Fox because they'd heard that "fair and balanced" mantra as well. What they saw was a rabid Glenn Beck go crazy with a chalkboard, they saw thousands of people who had been given a small tax decrease show up in various cities to protest the new rate while wearing teabags on their heads, they saw people stand out in the cold rain to get a glimpse of an unemployed Alaskan, they heard a sitting U.S. Congresswoman encourage people to slit their wrists over health care reform, they watched thousands of white, possibly diabetic, mostly older people needing dental work holding signs and screaming that they didn't want no stinkin' government healthcare while demanding the government keep their hands off their Medicare. They had seen enough, they looked at each other and unanimously concluded that there was no need to stay as there isn't any intelligent life on earth....
I'm going to do a follow-up this weekend to the Uganda story as there have been some developments, due to the extensive coverage a certain newswoman has devoted to this criminal bill.
Until then...
Now for the story that inspired me. Merry Hyatt, a four month resident of Redding, CA who is a substitute teacher and member of the Redding Tea Party Patriots, has found support in her desire to put an initiative on the ballot next year requiring public schools to play Christmas carols. She claims her motivation for the initiative was to help restore children’s moral compasses by inviting Jesus to school Christmas parties. Currently schools currently are allowed to offer Christmas music as long as it is used for academic purposes rather than devotional purposes and isn't used to promote a particular religious belief. Hyatt believes it is a First Amendment right to worship which I don’t disagree with, but what she is trying to accomplish is clearly a violation of the U.S. Constitution which also prohibits making laws respecting an establishment of religion, it’s the very first line of the amendment and she is on that slippery slope. Since the 1st Amendment and the 2nd Amendment were their rallying cries all year, you’d think they’d know these things – it’s not really that long to read! Or does she just not understand that the entire amendment that teabaggers used all year at their anti-Obama rallies are enforceable? I don't care if they sing Christmas carols, but you can not make it mandatory. I'll wager that Merry doesn't include Deck The Halls on her required carols list either (Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la, la la la la.)! The truth is we did them when I was in school, but I also grew up in a small town with about 40 kids in my class -- we all looked alike had the same background and while I don't remember it being required, it wasn't a bit deal because there wasn't any diversity amongst us. This situation strikes me as just one more example of conservatives being unhappy with the changes resulting from our society becoming more diverse and it's really gotten over amplified with the election of our first black President who they will not except as a fellow Christian. They harken back to a mythological religious America that probably never existed. These people are very simple and are scared of anything not exactly like them. They live in a world of absolutes. Everything is black or white to them because that's what they've been told. Look, I have no problem with unquestioning believers as far as it applies to them as individuals. My issue is when they want every single person to adhere to their belief system. It's great that they can take comfort in His words when they need that, but don't threaten people with what's best for them. I have never read the Bible, but I know a few common things that it teaches: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", "Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone." and perhaps my favorite is "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
I think further commentary requires a little background about myself. I don’t see anything in black and white, rather varying shades of gray. It’s what keeps me curious and engaged in the conversation. We live in a world of complexity and I don’t understand how people lack the curiosity or capacity to think for themselves. Does thinking really hurt that much? It’s very similar to what I said in my December 4th article about Fox News viewers; they’re given key words and topics so they don’t need to think for themselves. Religion does the very same thing on a much larger scale. I was raised in a very Catholic household and dragged to church each weekend. I made my first communion (oh, how I hated that little white fluffy dress) and had to go to catechism until I made my confirmation which was probably around junior high. I’m wired much differently than my family, immediate and distant. I really am a black sheep in the sense that everyone around me are conservative no questions asked believers. What’s pretty funny is my parents always vote Democrat because they’re old school “Republicans are for the rich, Democrats are for the people” voters. My political beliefs sprung from that theory, but I’ve far expanded on my thoughts about many other important policies. They’re stuck with that one thought. On social issues, they're clearly conservatives and probably should be voting Republican these days, but I’m not going to tell them, hell it’s two votes! Amazing that I turned out so well, isn’t it! As you can tell by my views, I’m not conservative by any stretch and I’m on the fence 50/50 in regards to religion. Is there a God? The weakest believe so, no questions asked. They need to somehow hold onto that hope that they’ll be reunited throughout eternity with loved ones in paradise. Do I think it’s possible? Sure I do. I’m somewhat “spiritual”, I think there’s a higher power, but I also ask “Is that power just my own mind”. The whole thing with people seeing ghosts and such, I believe is real. But, are they actual ghosts or are they products of the mind? I figure, if there is indeed a God and we meet when my time comes, if he's the loving, forgiving God we're taught about he's just going to say, "I understand why you were a bit skeptical. There was a lot of wacky stuff going on during your lifetime, with people using my name to justify violence and hatred towards others, but look around, none of them are here! What goes around comes around."
Getting back to our country’s religious zealots, and I'm talking about the radicals, not the devout people who go to worship quietly and privately. It really bothers me that they preach love, compassion and understanding yet are the most intolerant group of radicals in our midst. This evangelical movement in our country is truly frightening. Our country is being hijacked by radicals who want to teach Christianity in schools, but don't care if the little "fundies" can read or write and no one is doing anything about it! Recently, they've designed and sold bumper stickers and other memorabilia with the Psalm 109.8 verse "May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership." That leads into Psalm 109:9, "May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow." When the Bible was written there weren’t politicians, this isn’t about Obama leaving office at the end of his term people! Thanks once again to Rachel Maddow's coverage, CafePress and Zazzle have stopped carrying this wretched propaganda. The zealots are also against a woman's right to chose a safe legal medical procedure, yet don't acknowledge the bible giving the thumbs up to stone disobedient children. And keeping with their own hypocrisy, after the unwanted child is born, they will be the first to scream they don’t want their tax dollars going to care for that teenage slut and her bastard baby. The bible also encorages slavery and that girls can be sold. Of course that makes sense since they’re still smarting over Constitutional Amendments 13 and 19. The guy living in the White House should be tending to the grounds of the White House where he belongs. And if women were never given the right to vote, white men would rule forever! The fact that they cherry pick their hatred really pisses me off. I have a huge problem with the majority being allowed to vote on the rights of a minority invoking God into the conversation when we’re supposed to be a country that seperates church and state. In addition, a large part of our electorate has become so blind and hateful with their Bible teachings guiding them instead of history, science and knowledge of current events that I think people should be required to pass a 12th grade HS test before they're allowed to register to vote. It's not just poor minorities that will suffer, the good ol' boys will have a big problem too. These idiots voting for a ticket because they think the VP candidate is attractive or because they want to further dimish civil rights are going to turn us into a third world country. You know what the most amazing thing about this is to me? Most of these same people celebrating the birth of Jesus would've been applauding and assisting nailing the queer, sandal wearing, long haired, hippie dude to the cross.
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross.”
- Sinclair Lewis, It Can’t Happen Here (1935)
Quick Thoughts: As I was sitting at the drive thru of McDonalds one morning this week waiting for my coffee and listening to Bill Press, I was behind a Honda CRV whose back window was cluttered with decals, but initially I wasn't paying attention to them. Of course, this older lady that I could see in her side view mirror must’ve ordered a lot of stuff because we sat for an unusually long period so I looked up at the decals. The largest one was a “Mary Kay Cosmetics” one running across the top, flanked by a “NRA” decal on the right and a “Terrorist Hunting permit no. 91101” on the other side. I was thinking, “Oh this is awesome, I’ve got to take a picture and post this on my blog”, but I couldn’t get the damn phone out of my pocket quick enough before she started pulling away. I thought about skipping my coffee for the picture! I don’t buy cosmetics, but if I did, I wouldn’t be showing up at her house for them! I will be on the lookout for that CRV though!... Last weekend the 32-13 Alabama Crimson Tide victory over the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship game was emotional for (literally) "wear it on your face" Christian, Tim Tebow, who was seen crying on the sidelines as the clock ticked down. Well, Timmy it looks like God prefers the thumpers to the fundies. How does that make you feel? Is God still great? Didn't hear you say it after the game. I'm not a college football fan, but ever since the first time I saw this talibangelical go into his praise of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, during his freshman year, I've rooted against Florida. He's not projecting well as a pro QB, but I would love him to be drafted by the San Francisco 49ers!... Last week, Britain shut down their UFO Investigation Service citing lack of activity. For over fifty years, sightings of alien sightings across the British Isles have been reported to the service by concerned citizens. Here's my theory, the aliens were here, but while trying to study our species, they turned on Fox because they'd heard that "fair and balanced" mantra as well. What they saw was a rabid Glenn Beck go crazy with a chalkboard, they saw thousands of people who had been given a small tax decrease show up in various cities to protest the new rate while wearing teabags on their heads, they saw people stand out in the cold rain to get a glimpse of an unemployed Alaskan, they heard a sitting U.S. Congresswoman encourage people to slit their wrists over health care reform, they watched thousands of white, possibly diabetic, mostly older people needing dental work holding signs and screaming that they didn't want no stinkin' government healthcare while demanding the government keep their hands off their Medicare. They had seen enough, they looked at each other and unanimously concluded that there was no need to stay as there isn't any intelligent life on earth....
I'm going to do a follow-up this weekend to the Uganda story as there have been some developments, due to the extensive coverage a certain newswoman has devoted to this criminal bill.
Until then...
Friday, December 4, 2009
18 More Months...at least - Is It Officially The Obama Doctrine Now?
While I applaud Obama for deciding on a date to bring troops home from Afghanistan, I would have preferred there wasn’t an eighteen month escalation preceding it. Of course critics say that the only thing Obama’s 18 month plan does is create a month 19 plan for the terrorists. Well, maybe so, but realistically we can’t capture and kill them all so just how many more American lives need to be wasted as we stumble around looking for a clear path to a perceived victory? How many times in the last eight years has the mission been changed just to keep us there? Even though I never viewed Bush as a legitimate President, I supported his decision after 9/11 to go into Afghanistan with the mission to capture and/or kill Osama bin Laden. I wanted the man responsible for the attack on our country “dead or alive”. On March 13, 2002, the part-time resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue stated in regard to bin Laden, “I am truly not that concerned about him. I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." That was just six months after the worse attack ever on US soil. Clearly, W’s heart wasn’t in it as he discovered they had no oil, so he shifted his attention to Iraq where he forced unfounded ties to Al Qaeda and the Taliban and used them to sell to congress and the American public the need of a pre-emptive war. Of course for the Bush administration, it was a financial windfall to keep the war going and capturing bin Laden was never a priority because it would have destroyed any way of justifying going into Iraq. Cheney’s lifetime ties to Halliburton and the millions he's made from them are rarely included in this sad story either. When Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow bring it up, they're assailed as enemies of "real" America. Who is the real enemy? U.S. Marines allegedly had bin Laden trapped in Tora Bora in December of 2001 and asked for additional support. A decision to not deploy those requested American forces to go after him or block his escape was made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his top commander, Gen. Tommy Franks. Why would they do that if not to prolong the war and start another one? How many American lives could have been saved.
Wednesday night on The Rachel Maddow Show, Rachel was joined by our U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice. The two had a very respectful back and forth as Rachel believes there’s an undeclared war in Pakistan while Rice denies that is the case and explains the differences in our Middle East involvements. It’s informative to watch two adults talk about U.S. policy. The two parts are about 23 minutes combined:
This interview should be enlightening for those of us truly trying to understand our mission and goals. Unfortunately, we have an electorate that, for the most part, has no real intellectual curiosity and in fact dislikes anyone who does. Surely, 23 minutes of two smart women (gasp) talking about military strategy can not be taken seriously by the "right". They see this type of discussion reserved for conservative white males only and it wouldn't have taken 23 minutes, just six words, "bomb the hell out of them." They much prefer the primal instinct of war over a well reasoned peaceful policy discussion and decision. In their eyes, "fight makes right" and anyone who disagrees is viewed as a traitor or weak. These people agreed with McCain and his 100 year war idea. Most of our low information voters rely on “key” words/topics like; liberal, socialist, fascist, czar, Marxist, Nazi, Hitler along with Kenyan, ACORN, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc…to get them fired up -- no thought needed. These words are delivered on a nightly basis from Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on Fox and Rush Limbaugh on the radio. The fact that their listeners/viewers repeat these words after hearing them on these shows even though many of the terms are contradictory certainly doesn’t deter them, that’s for sure! They applaud the untrained, unsophisticated views of their hero's. The only one in that group who completed what he started is O'Reilly (Marist College). The people that hang on to their every word, despise Maddow (Stanford & Oxford), Olbermann (Cornell), Ed Schultz (Minnesota State) and Thom Hartmann (Michigan State). I'm not sure when having an education became a bad thing in this country. Except for the occasionally bombastic Schultz, have you also noticed that our commentators have a much calmer demeanor? I'm also not buying that being a "liberal" is the profanity that conservatives have turned it into. By definition, we favor progress and reform, the protection of civil liberties. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. Those aren't bad things!
Anyhow...
Obviously President Obama has more information about the situation than we do, but I’d love to see our service members come home. I'm just not sure that the goals that Susan Rice explained are realistic. These wars have done nothing positive for our country and there’s so much more we need to focus on. I did not vote for Obama to follow in Bush's footsteps in any manner, including Iraq and Afghanistan. We live in a world of microwave ovens and high-speed internet so we’ve grown accustomed to wanting everything now…if not sooner! Besides the war, President Obama is being criticized a lot for not accomplishing anything in his first year because we can’t see sure evidence. The stimulus appears to be working, yet because unemployment didn’t immediately fall to 5%, conservatives call it a failure. The health care impasse has been caused by "just say no" Republicans and conservative Democrats. Granted, Obama should take a more active role, but with the eight year mess he was handed, there remains only so many hours in a day. George W. Bush was most likely the worst leader (I won’t call him Prez) this country has ever had and his legacy is quite possibly going to destroy Obama’s as well unless giant steps are taken. I think one of the things that has caught him off guard is there is no longer a "no drama Obama." Everything he does is getting ridiculed and scrutinized by the right in ways that they weren't totally prepared for, so they've taken some heat. He came out of the gate strong with broadening stem cell research and passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. He appeared to be a strong, quiet, no frills Commander-in-chief when he ordered the Navy Seals to kill three Somali pirates who were holding an American cargo ship captain hostage. Then the health care debate began, Sarah Palin spoke of death panels, the crazed fringe took over informational town hall meetings and all the wonderful momentum and hope we had for this young President came to a screeching halt. I hope he can clean up most of the damage before the 2010 elections. While I don't think the Democrats will lose the majority in the House, it may no longer be a strong majority.
Sarah Palin Update: Since my last post was on Thanksgiving, I wasn't yet aware of The Turkey Trot To Nowhere. Evidently Sarah agreed to run the 5k Kennewick “Turkey Trot.” But she quit 40 minutes in! She wanted to avoid the adoring masses at the finish line. The article is linked above from "The Mudflats." It appears that the infamous Palin bus tour is a hoax. Joe McGinniss reports she's in fact flying around America on a private jet, specifically a luxurious "Gulfstream II 12-passenger jet rented from Universal Jet Aviation of Boca Raton, Florida, at a cost of more than $4,000 per hour." Yes indeed, her fans say she's "just like them!" In addition, camera's and recording devices are being banned from her book signing stops, BUT for a fee, you can get a photo taken of yourself with the former Alaska Governor for the following size/prices: 5x7 $15.99, 8x10 $20.99, 8x12 $23.99, 11x14 $35.99. Has any of her "fans" figured out yet that she's just in this for the money? Speaking of the former Governor, the Minnesota Mall of America announces she wants to be called Governor and wants only English speaking press when she appears there. Why should they call her Governor? Honestly, the way her gaffe filled book signing tour is going, you'd think she'd ban English speaking press so her never ending flow of ignorance wouldn't be reported daily!
Palin has also called on President Obama to boycott the Copenhagen climate conference since she feels the hacked emails from the the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England prove that man-made climate change is a hoax.
Quick Thoughts: On the Tiger Woods' ongoing saga: You know, the story seemed pretty conflicted right from the start, and has unfolded exactly as I expected it too, including my vision of the night in question and how the window of the Escalade was smashed. I am the last person who will condone any form of domestic violence, but as more and more information comes out, don’t you get the feeling that he probably wishes he just stayed in the house and took the beating?... On Thursday, Republican Senators David Vitter (R-La.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla) introduced the gimmick filled "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act". "The idea, broad-brush, is that whatever government option is in the bill, every senator and every representative should be enrolled in it," Vitter told 'The Hill'. "No other possibilities, no other choices." "It's called leadership," Coburn said. "If it's good enough for everybody else, we ought to be leading by example." Funny thing happened though, Democrats called their bluff. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) who tried to become a co-sponsor and was given the cold shouldar, was joined by Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.) in support. These are the kind of Democrats we need -- one’s with a spine! I like Sherrod Brown a little more every time I see him. ... You will love this headline: "Arlington, Tennessee Mayor Russell Wiseman Assails 'Muslim President' For Pre-Empting 'Peanuts": Seriously, this guy believes that President Barack Obama's West Point address, in which he announced his intention to escalate the war in Afghanistan, was intentionally timed to prevent Christians from watching Charlie Brown, stating, “Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim [sic] president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose”: The Peanuts Christmas show? Really? Now I could see if it was Rudolph or Frosty, but...These conservative fools weren’t embarrassed by eight years of a court appointed corrupt Presidency with the Bush-Cheney Regime, but they still can’t get over the fact that the young, black Hawaiian (yes Republicans, it was a state in 1961) won. Southerners get upset that they're perceived as uneducated, but they keep electing people like this. In fact, they should be embarrassed that people like Wiseman (ironic, isn't it?) continue to pop up on television and other media and make every southern stereotype be proven true.
Snarky comment of the week from Huffington Post commentator MCISMetal: "I can't comment on the Kyoto Accord as I've only ever seen the Honda" - Sarah Palin
In case you missed it...
News of the "get a life -- and a new iron": Nov. 27 METHUEN, Mass. (AP) -- A Massachusetts woman who recently separated from her husband and had her hours cut at work says an image of Jesus Christ she sees on her iron has reassured her that "life is going to be good." Mary Jo Coady first noticed the image Sunday when she walked into her daughter's room. The brownish residue on the bottom of the iron looks like the face of a man with long hair. The 44-year-old Coady was raised Catholic. She and her two college-age daughters agree that the image looks like Jesus and is proof that "he's listening." Coady tells The Eagle-Tribune she hopes her story will inspire others during the holidays. She says she plans to keep the iron in a closet and buy a new one.
Wednesday night on The Rachel Maddow Show, Rachel was joined by our U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice. The two had a very respectful back and forth as Rachel believes there’s an undeclared war in Pakistan while Rice denies that is the case and explains the differences in our Middle East involvements. It’s informative to watch two adults talk about U.S. policy. The two parts are about 23 minutes combined:
This interview should be enlightening for those of us truly trying to understand our mission and goals. Unfortunately, we have an electorate that, for the most part, has no real intellectual curiosity and in fact dislikes anyone who does. Surely, 23 minutes of two smart women (gasp) talking about military strategy can not be taken seriously by the "right". They see this type of discussion reserved for conservative white males only and it wouldn't have taken 23 minutes, just six words, "bomb the hell out of them." They much prefer the primal instinct of war over a well reasoned peaceful policy discussion and decision. In their eyes, "fight makes right" and anyone who disagrees is viewed as a traitor or weak. These people agreed with McCain and his 100 year war idea. Most of our low information voters rely on “key” words/topics like; liberal, socialist, fascist, czar, Marxist, Nazi, Hitler along with Kenyan, ACORN, abortion, same-sex marriage, etc…to get them fired up -- no thought needed. These words are delivered on a nightly basis from Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on Fox and Rush Limbaugh on the radio. The fact that their listeners/viewers repeat these words after hearing them on these shows even though many of the terms are contradictory certainly doesn’t deter them, that’s for sure! They applaud the untrained, unsophisticated views of their hero's. The only one in that group who completed what he started is O'Reilly (Marist College). The people that hang on to their every word, despise Maddow (Stanford & Oxford), Olbermann (Cornell), Ed Schultz (Minnesota State) and Thom Hartmann (Michigan State). I'm not sure when having an education became a bad thing in this country. Except for the occasionally bombastic Schultz, have you also noticed that our commentators have a much calmer demeanor? I'm also not buying that being a "liberal" is the profanity that conservatives have turned it into. By definition, we favor progress and reform, the protection of civil liberties. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. Those aren't bad things!
Anyhow...
Obviously President Obama has more information about the situation than we do, but I’d love to see our service members come home. I'm just not sure that the goals that Susan Rice explained are realistic. These wars have done nothing positive for our country and there’s so much more we need to focus on. I did not vote for Obama to follow in Bush's footsteps in any manner, including Iraq and Afghanistan. We live in a world of microwave ovens and high-speed internet so we’ve grown accustomed to wanting everything now…if not sooner! Besides the war, President Obama is being criticized a lot for not accomplishing anything in his first year because we can’t see sure evidence. The stimulus appears to be working, yet because unemployment didn’t immediately fall to 5%, conservatives call it a failure. The health care impasse has been caused by "just say no" Republicans and conservative Democrats. Granted, Obama should take a more active role, but with the eight year mess he was handed, there remains only so many hours in a day. George W. Bush was most likely the worst leader (I won’t call him Prez) this country has ever had and his legacy is quite possibly going to destroy Obama’s as well unless giant steps are taken. I think one of the things that has caught him off guard is there is no longer a "no drama Obama." Everything he does is getting ridiculed and scrutinized by the right in ways that they weren't totally prepared for, so they've taken some heat. He came out of the gate strong with broadening stem cell research and passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. He appeared to be a strong, quiet, no frills Commander-in-chief when he ordered the Navy Seals to kill three Somali pirates who were holding an American cargo ship captain hostage. Then the health care debate began, Sarah Palin spoke of death panels, the crazed fringe took over informational town hall meetings and all the wonderful momentum and hope we had for this young President came to a screeching halt. I hope he can clean up most of the damage before the 2010 elections. While I don't think the Democrats will lose the majority in the House, it may no longer be a strong majority.
Sarah Palin Update: Since my last post was on Thanksgiving, I wasn't yet aware of The Turkey Trot To Nowhere. Evidently Sarah agreed to run the 5k Kennewick “Turkey Trot.” But she quit 40 minutes in! She wanted to avoid the adoring masses at the finish line. The article is linked above from "The Mudflats." It appears that the infamous Palin bus tour is a hoax. Joe McGinniss reports she's in fact flying around America on a private jet, specifically a luxurious "Gulfstream II 12-passenger jet rented from Universal Jet Aviation of Boca Raton, Florida, at a cost of more than $4,000 per hour." Yes indeed, her fans say she's "just like them!" In addition, camera's and recording devices are being banned from her book signing stops, BUT for a fee, you can get a photo taken of yourself with the former Alaska Governor for the following size/prices: 5x7 $15.99, 8x10 $20.99, 8x12 $23.99, 11x14 $35.99. Has any of her "fans" figured out yet that she's just in this for the money? Speaking of the former Governor, the Minnesota Mall of America announces she wants to be called Governor and wants only English speaking press when she appears there. Why should they call her Governor? Honestly, the way her gaffe filled book signing tour is going, you'd think she'd ban English speaking press so her never ending flow of ignorance wouldn't be reported daily!
Palin has also called on President Obama to boycott the Copenhagen climate conference since she feels the hacked emails from the the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England prove that man-made climate change is a hoax.
"Policy decisions require real science and real solutions, not junk science and doomsday scare tactics pushed by an environmental priesthood that capitalizes on the public's worry and makes them feel that owning an SUV is a 'sin' against the planet."In some ways Palin's sudden enthusiasm for science comes as a surprise, since she has suggested evolution is not real and wants creationism taught in schools. Then again this gives her the chance to once again recite "Drill baby, drill."
Quick Thoughts: On the Tiger Woods' ongoing saga: You know, the story seemed pretty conflicted right from the start, and has unfolded exactly as I expected it too, including my vision of the night in question and how the window of the Escalade was smashed. I am the last person who will condone any form of domestic violence, but as more and more information comes out, don’t you get the feeling that he probably wishes he just stayed in the house and took the beating?... On Thursday, Republican Senators David Vitter (R-La.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla) introduced the gimmick filled "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act". "The idea, broad-brush, is that whatever government option is in the bill, every senator and every representative should be enrolled in it," Vitter told 'The Hill'. "No other possibilities, no other choices." "It's called leadership," Coburn said. "If it's good enough for everybody else, we ought to be leading by example." Funny thing happened though, Democrats called their bluff. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) who tried to become a co-sponsor and was given the cold shouldar, was joined by Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.) in support. These are the kind of Democrats we need -- one’s with a spine! I like Sherrod Brown a little more every time I see him. ... You will love this headline: "Arlington, Tennessee Mayor Russell Wiseman Assails 'Muslim President' For Pre-Empting 'Peanuts": Seriously, this guy believes that President Barack Obama's West Point address, in which he announced his intention to escalate the war in Afghanistan, was intentionally timed to prevent Christians from watching Charlie Brown, stating, “Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim [sic] president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose”: The Peanuts Christmas show? Really? Now I could see if it was Rudolph or Frosty, but...These conservative fools weren’t embarrassed by eight years of a court appointed corrupt Presidency with the Bush-Cheney Regime, but they still can’t get over the fact that the young, black Hawaiian (yes Republicans, it was a state in 1961) won. Southerners get upset that they're perceived as uneducated, but they keep electing people like this. In fact, they should be embarrassed that people like Wiseman (ironic, isn't it?) continue to pop up on television and other media and make every southern stereotype be proven true.
Snarky comment of the week from Huffington Post commentator MCISMetal: "I can't comment on the Kyoto Accord as I've only ever seen the Honda" - Sarah Palin
In case you missed it...
News of the "get a life -- and a new iron": Nov. 27 METHUEN, Mass. (AP) -- A Massachusetts woman who recently separated from her husband and had her hours cut at work says an image of Jesus Christ she sees on her iron has reassured her that "life is going to be good." Mary Jo Coady first noticed the image Sunday when she walked into her daughter's room. The brownish residue on the bottom of the iron looks like the face of a man with long hair. The 44-year-old Coady was raised Catholic. She and her two college-age daughters agree that the image looks like Jesus and is proof that "he's listening." Coady tells The Eagle-Tribune she hopes her story will inspire others during the holidays. She says she plans to keep the iron in a closet and buy a new one.
The "image of Jesus" that she sees has only reassured me that what's going to be good in her life is not burning down her house. The good news is she's going to put it in the closet and buy a new one. Since it looks like it's very old and well used, this is a good call...although I'll be expecting it to be up for bid on Ebay!
UPDATE 12/6/09: Just did a quick search on Ebay and there already is an iron with Jesus alleged image listed! The reasonable seller zinsanemods (amazingly the same person also has an Ozzy Osbourne iron - what are the odds?!) has allowed a $3000 Buy It Now.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Theocracy Unleashed (Thanks John)
An American Fable - 17 November 2009
With the release of theocrat Sarah Palin's ghost written book Tuesday, and the sheer excitement from the right, it has made me think about the differences in how liberals versus conservatives value women. Liberals view women as an equal part of society. Conservatives think women are baby making machines destined to be subservient to men. Look at the women the left appreciates compared to the right; On the left we admire MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. On the right, they adore unemployed serial quitter Sarah Palin, unemployed breast implant recipient Carrie Prejean, and fictional writer Ann Coulter(?). Why does the left respect their women? Maddow was a Rhodes Scholar who earned a PhD from Oxford in Political Science, Pelosi is the first female Speaker of the House and Schultz easily won re-election last November while quietly fighting breast cancer. Why does the right enjoy their women? Palin despises women and once won a beauty contest, Prejean despises gays and once won a beauty contest, and Coulter despises liberals and wishes he won a beauty contest. It feels like the country is really at a crossroads. Conservatives want to go back to the days when men were men and women knew their place. They want Christianity taught in schools to force their beliefs on all children. Liberals want to move forward when men can love men and women know their place is as Speaker of the House. Liberals believe your spirituality should remain a private matter, to be taught freely within one’s own home if so desired. The discrepancy between the left and the right is obvious. The left is methodical, open minded, very accepting of equality, change and look forward to the future without fear. The right are reactionary, afraid of change, feel aversion against anything that doesn't look or act like them, clinging to the status quo (and guns & religion) while looking back wistfully at the past. As a progressive woman, I can not relate to people like Palin. How can any woman, especially one with daughters punish a woman who's been the victim of rape? In just one example of her leadership, as Mayor of Wasilla, she directly shifted the cost of the rape kits from the police department to the victims. Sarah Palin represents everything opposite of what I believe in. The fact that blow up dolls with her likeness were being manufactured during the election, and possibly still are, told me all I needed to know about why men were voting for her, but the women? I'm still confused. Some women who supported Hillary Rodham Clinton instead of Barack Obama actually switched alliances to Palin which sickened me. I'm sorry, I hope a day comes when I see a woman President elected, but I will not vote for any candidate without regard to their politics just because they urinate while sitting. That's irresponsible, ignorant and a whole new type of profiling.
Fact Checks - Oh My!
Immediately upon release of her book Tuesday, Facebook politician Palin started complaining about the AP doing fact checks on her book.
Future...and Past, Unknown
The fact that this woman attended 5 different colleges to get a degree makes me think that she had to move on to easier schools each time. The conservative base thinks that, that means, she’s really, really smart! And considering she got her degree in journalism, you’d think she could have written her own book! Instead she chose to tell her fable to far right Evangelical Lynn Vincent to spin the book towards Palin's favor. I challenge any of the Palinites to explain any policy that Palin has spoke of with authority. I mean policy, not opinion. We know how she feels about Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, ACORN, that she’s wants to rule the country with Christianity, she hates gays and thinks women are second class citizens. I dare any of her cult followers to tell me where she stands on issues of national security, world policies, how to improve trade equality, how to create jobs, etc… She has NO ideas and no clue. Conservatives have deemed anyone with an education, an "elitist". When did being educated become a bad thing? If Palin ever did get into the White House, make no mistake, the likes of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney would be running the show with their “pretty little thing” keeping a low profile. Conservative leadership has mastered mass manipulation and discourages individual thought. It seems that if conservatives hear something enough times, it becomes the truth (fair and balanced, fair and balanced). The leadership feels that by keeping the electorate ignorant, excessively reporting distortions of truth from the "left", they will thrive and return to power since undereducated voters are very primal in their beliefs. This is why educating young people is so important. They need to be able to assess a situation themselves instead of being brainwashed by a certain network that only Republicans and conservatives are good Americans. Other countries are racing past us in every facet of life, we must not elect politicians based on false fears or a candidate's alleged "hotness", nor let religion dictate our future or we are doomed to failure. This particular candidate falls into every single one of those categories. We need to think about policy!
Backlash from the Queendom!
I thought I was done writing for this week, but the former Miss Wasilla didn’t let me down! Twittering quitter Palin left a Noblesville, Indiana book signing with many angry (ex)fans who stood outside in a cold rain for several hours to meet their idol. In what shouldn’t have been a surprise, Palin got tired and quit, disappointing hundreds that spent about 3 hours getting wristbands and another 3 hours waiting in line to get their book signed. Some people took the day off from work and walked away empty handed! Borders bookstore had announced that they would give out 1,000 wristbands (1 per book, 2 maximum per person) which would guarantee them getting their books signed and many didn’t even get one signed. The cold, wet, angry crown gathered outside the nice warm tour bus that Palin retreated to, chanting "Sign Our Books! Sign Our Books!" They also shouted "Quitting on the job! Quitting on the job”. This is one way to anger and lose your base. If she can't run a book tour, how can she run a country? I'm sure by Sunday, it will be someone else's fault.
Quick Thoughts: In the spirit of my usual article ender, I thought I’d share some of Huffington Post’s unofficial “Going Rogue” index (because Palin’s book was literally rushed out without one) along with my take, since anybody reading my blog isn’t any more likely to read this dollar store drivel than I am. Here's a few examples: 4 pages (384-388) dedicated to common sense conservatives which I would say is an oxymoron; 10 pages dedicated to smearing Couric (255-256, 271-279), psst Sarah, we have video now and you can keep it on file to view repeatedly!; Creationism vs. evolution (217-219), You betcha The Flinstones were based on a real life family; Debate preparation (281-289) Why prepare when you “weren’t necessarily going to answer the questions asked”?; Election night speech and faceoff with McCain camp (332-337) No VP loser has ever been allowed to speak, but then again, SHE was the reason people voted for that ticket; Ethics attacks, loss of reputation (372-375), that bias liberal media found out what she did and that just wasn’t right. Only Democrats are to be investigated; Getting a D in college once (112), Just once? Really?; Charlie Gibson interview: (270-271) In what regard Charlie? And also too, how was she actually supposed to know what the Bush Doctrine was therefore?; Joe the Plumber, Tito the Builder (305-308) What?! No Rosie the Riveter?; Lobbyist who gave rides to Willow and her basketball team (137) Nothing good can come of me commenting; Obama's mistakes (388-394) 6 pages, 10 months in. Dubyas mistakes would require another book; Pregnant and the birth of Track (50-54)-Track, almost naming him "Zamboni"(53). Early on I joked that she chose her kids' names out of a “snow machine” parts catalog. Who's buying the first round?; Trig, pregnancy results - "Holy geez!"(171-174), Is that folksy enough for you?; Trig, water breaking and delivery (191-196) Everybody knows the best thing to do is get on a 3000 mile, 8 hour plane ride when your water breaks so you can call the kid a native Alaskan.
Take a deep breathe, count your blessings and keep in mind that this woman was 8,538,559 popular votes away from becoming the Vice President to a 72 year old, three time cancer survivor!
Have a great week and keep looking forward!
With the release of theocrat Sarah Palin's ghost written book Tuesday, and the sheer excitement from the right, it has made me think about the differences in how liberals versus conservatives value women. Liberals view women as an equal part of society. Conservatives think women are baby making machines destined to be subservient to men. Look at the women the left appreciates compared to the right; On the left we admire MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. On the right, they adore unemployed serial quitter Sarah Palin, unemployed breast implant recipient Carrie Prejean, and fictional writer Ann Coulter(?). Why does the left respect their women? Maddow was a Rhodes Scholar who earned a PhD from Oxford in Political Science, Pelosi is the first female Speaker of the House and Schultz easily won re-election last November while quietly fighting breast cancer. Why does the right enjoy their women? Palin despises women and once won a beauty contest, Prejean despises gays and once won a beauty contest, and Coulter despises liberals and wishes he won a beauty contest. It feels like the country is really at a crossroads. Conservatives want to go back to the days when men were men and women knew their place. They want Christianity taught in schools to force their beliefs on all children. Liberals want to move forward when men can love men and women know their place is as Speaker of the House. Liberals believe your spirituality should remain a private matter, to be taught freely within one’s own home if so desired. The discrepancy between the left and the right is obvious. The left is methodical, open minded, very accepting of equality, change and look forward to the future without fear. The right are reactionary, afraid of change, feel aversion against anything that doesn't look or act like them, clinging to the status quo (and guns & religion) while looking back wistfully at the past. As a progressive woman, I can not relate to people like Palin. How can any woman, especially one with daughters punish a woman who's been the victim of rape? In just one example of her leadership, as Mayor of Wasilla, she directly shifted the cost of the rape kits from the police department to the victims. Sarah Palin represents everything opposite of what I believe in. The fact that blow up dolls with her likeness were being manufactured during the election, and possibly still are, told me all I needed to know about why men were voting for her, but the women? I'm still confused. Some women who supported Hillary Rodham Clinton instead of Barack Obama actually switched alliances to Palin which sickened me. I'm sorry, I hope a day comes when I see a woman President elected, but I will not vote for any candidate without regard to their politics just because they urinate while sitting. That's irresponsible, ignorant and a whole new type of profiling.
Fact Checks - Oh My!
Immediately upon release of her book Tuesday, Facebook politician Palin started complaining about the AP doing fact checks on her book.
"Imagine that," she declared, "11 AP reporters dedicating time and resources to tearing up the book, instead of using the time and resources to 'fact check' what's going on with Sheik Mohammed's trial, Pelosi's health care takeover costs, Hasan's associations, etc. Amazing.”I guess Sarah doesn’t realize that the AP employs over 4100 journalists. So instead of setting the record straight and clearing up any “misinformation”, she chose deflection and her dedicated supporters never even noticed that she didn’t dispute that the book is full of lies, just that she was incensed that it was being reported! Palin relies on the fact that her fans unwavering worship isn’t based on intellectual capacity, it’s based on the presentation. She is going to make a lot of money while laughing behind the backs of her most ardent supporters. Furthermore, if she wrote a truthful memoir, why would she care about a fact check being done? In fact, it’s not just the AP; the McCain campaign staff has virtually and unanimously stated that the book is a complete work of fiction. In fact, former McCain campaign senior adviser Nicolle Wallace told “The Rachel Maddow Show” that Sarah Palin's book "Going Rogue is "based on fabrications," and that the basis for Palin’s depictions of her and former McCain campaign director Steve Schmidt as villains "took place entirely in her imagination.” My take from the excerpts I’ve read, the interviews she’s done and the statements from everyone not Palin is that the ghost written book is how she wants the public to remember her version of what happened/didn’t happen, not as they actually happened. And gosh darn it, if it’s printed, it must be true. I laughed out loud when I read that she did the Katie Couric interviews out of sympathy for supposedly low self esteem Katie. I was never a Couric fan until those interviews, but she’s been on the “tv machine” for a very long time. Sarah, not so much…although it feels like it. I will say though, her fans…they don’t get any more loyal. The fact that the woman is being defended by her followers as if she parted the sea is a true phenomenon of the human condition. I really want to know what she’s done to deserve this admiration. Obama was beat up for his ties to Pastor Jeremiah Wright, but Palin got a free ride over a visitor from Kiambu, Kenya (ironic isn’t it?) named Thomas Muthee. Muthee's popularity took him to Wasilla Assembly of God in May, 2005, where he prayed over Palin and called upon Jesus to propel her into the governor's mansion and beyond. Muthee also begged Jesus to protect Palin from "the spirit of witchcraft." Can you even imagine if Obama had even been in a building with this taking place?! Palin Gets Protection From Witches (Palin "prayer" at about 7:00)
Future...and Past, Unknown
The fact that this woman attended 5 different colleges to get a degree makes me think that she had to move on to easier schools each time. The conservative base thinks that, that means, she’s really, really smart! And considering she got her degree in journalism, you’d think she could have written her own book! Instead she chose to tell her fable to far right Evangelical Lynn Vincent to spin the book towards Palin's favor. I challenge any of the Palinites to explain any policy that Palin has spoke of with authority. I mean policy, not opinion. We know how she feels about Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, ACORN, that she’s wants to rule the country with Christianity, she hates gays and thinks women are second class citizens. I dare any of her cult followers to tell me where she stands on issues of national security, world policies, how to improve trade equality, how to create jobs, etc… She has NO ideas and no clue. Conservatives have deemed anyone with an education, an "elitist". When did being educated become a bad thing? If Palin ever did get into the White House, make no mistake, the likes of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney would be running the show with their “pretty little thing” keeping a low profile. Conservative leadership has mastered mass manipulation and discourages individual thought. It seems that if conservatives hear something enough times, it becomes the truth (fair and balanced, fair and balanced). The leadership feels that by keeping the electorate ignorant, excessively reporting distortions of truth from the "left", they will thrive and return to power since undereducated voters are very primal in their beliefs. This is why educating young people is so important. They need to be able to assess a situation themselves instead of being brainwashed by a certain network that only Republicans and conservatives are good Americans. Other countries are racing past us in every facet of life, we must not elect politicians based on false fears or a candidate's alleged "hotness", nor let religion dictate our future or we are doomed to failure. This particular candidate falls into every single one of those categories. We need to think about policy!
Backlash from the Queendom!
I thought I was done writing for this week, but the former Miss Wasilla didn’t let me down! Twittering quitter Palin left a Noblesville, Indiana book signing with many angry (ex)fans who stood outside in a cold rain for several hours to meet their idol. In what shouldn’t have been a surprise, Palin got tired and quit, disappointing hundreds that spent about 3 hours getting wristbands and another 3 hours waiting in line to get their book signed. Some people took the day off from work and walked away empty handed! Borders bookstore had announced that they would give out 1,000 wristbands (1 per book, 2 maximum per person) which would guarantee them getting their books signed and many didn’t even get one signed. The cold, wet, angry crown gathered outside the nice warm tour bus that Palin retreated to, chanting "Sign Our Books! Sign Our Books!" They also shouted "Quitting on the job! Quitting on the job”. This is one way to anger and lose your base. If she can't run a book tour, how can she run a country? I'm sure by Sunday, it will be someone else's fault.
Quick Thoughts: In the spirit of my usual article ender, I thought I’d share some of Huffington Post’s unofficial “Going Rogue” index (because Palin’s book was literally rushed out without one) along with my take, since anybody reading my blog isn’t any more likely to read this dollar store drivel than I am. Here's a few examples: 4 pages (384-388) dedicated to common sense conservatives which I would say is an oxymoron; 10 pages dedicated to smearing Couric (255-256, 271-279), psst Sarah, we have video now and you can keep it on file to view repeatedly!; Creationism vs. evolution (217-219), You betcha The Flinstones were based on a real life family; Debate preparation (281-289) Why prepare when you “weren’t necessarily going to answer the questions asked”?; Election night speech and faceoff with McCain camp (332-337) No VP loser has ever been allowed to speak, but then again, SHE was the reason people voted for that ticket; Ethics attacks, loss of reputation (372-375), that bias liberal media found out what she did and that just wasn’t right. Only Democrats are to be investigated; Getting a D in college once (112), Just once? Really?; Charlie Gibson interview: (270-271) In what regard Charlie? And also too, how was she actually supposed to know what the Bush Doctrine was therefore?; Joe the Plumber, Tito the Builder (305-308) What?! No Rosie the Riveter?; Lobbyist who gave rides to Willow and her basketball team (137) Nothing good can come of me commenting; Obama's mistakes (388-394) 6 pages, 10 months in. Dubyas mistakes would require another book; Pregnant and the birth of Track (50-54)-Track, almost naming him "Zamboni"(53). Early on I joked that she chose her kids' names out of a “snow machine” parts catalog. Who's buying the first round?; Trig, pregnancy results - "Holy geez!"(171-174), Is that folksy enough for you?; Trig, water breaking and delivery (191-196) Everybody knows the best thing to do is get on a 3000 mile, 8 hour plane ride when your water breaks so you can call the kid a native Alaskan.
Take a deep breathe, count your blessings and keep in mind that this woman was 8,538,559 popular votes away from becoming the Vice President to a 72 year old, three time cancer survivor!
Have a great week and keep looking forward!
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