Republicans act so strong when it comes to our security and foreign policy and well just about everything. But are they really that strong or is it just the bluster of a bully?
It seems that the pen has been replaced by the finger in the adage about the mighty sword. Republicans and Conservatives and every other splinter group therein has taken to using their fingers not just to give the 'high sign' to the Obama administration but to point blame at!
They will point their fingers every time something does not happen to their liking. And since they are in the minority on Capitol Hill finger pointing is their main weapon. But it is not their only one.
Using amoral individuals to set up groups on the web they reel in unsuspecting citizens looking for help. You might answer an ad for info on a face lift and end up sending a message to your congressman that health care reform is bad for the country even though you desperately wish it to come true!
These cowards on the right who hide behind splinter groups but fail to distance themselves from their message continue to stimy any progress in Washington. But they have no qualms about getting face time, usually on Fox to state their disgust at Obama for all he has done or failed to do.
Tom Ridge is talking about how terrible Obama is for trying the so-called underpants terrorist in Federal Court even though that is exactly what he did to the 'shoe-bomber' under the Cheney-Bush administration. (No error on the order of power.)
I will not endeavor to list all the 'Flip-Flops' being performed by the 'Right' since Obama took office because I only have another 30 or 40 years left on this earth. I am sure you can make you own quick list and don't forget to include the traitorous Lieberman.
You remember him, don't you? He proposed Medicare for all until he realized it might become a reality and then opposed it to the point of Jihad proportions. Of course a little funding by the insurance industry didn't hurt either.
The latest non-sequitur out of Congress comes from the honorable Senator from the great state of South Carolina. (Pardon me while I take an antacid.)
Jim Demint (R-SC) is toeing the party line about homeland security and is up in arms over the fact that our Transportation Security Administration has not been able to keep our airlines safe from terror. He blames the Obama administration for not having someone at the helm of that agency. If the TSA was run by a capable individual perhaps none of this would happen.
But here's the thing - President Obama has in fact appointed a man to head the agency but the appointment is being held up in the Senate - BY JIM DEMINT!
How does this publicity hound justify his contradictory action? He claims that the well qualified appointee to head the TSA would probably allow the baggage handlers at the airports to join unions!
I'll let that one sink in for a second.
Go on and read it again and then look it up for yourself. In other words do a little fact checking, something neither Fox nor it seems the Republicans ever do these days.
In a nutshell (perfect analogy for Mr. Demint) we cannot have true homeland safety if our airport baggage handlers are allowed to join unions and attempt to get living wages and better working conditions!
This point of view is Demented.
Hey, notice the similarity!
Hmmm, coincidence?
I think not!
So why is the minority being allowed to rule when they come up with ideas such as this? Simply put the Democrats don't have the balls to stop them!
When the President entered office he wanted to have a bi-partisan term, one during which both sides acted civilly and debated intelligently and came to solutions that best helped the country move forward.
What he was greeted with instead was a group of men and women acting like spoiled children with their fingers in their ears chanting, "Nyah-Nyah." And whenever their fingers came out of their ears they pointed blame and threatened, just like all the bullies we knew growing up. Do we really want this group running the country?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
We Are the World
I am by no means an egotist but I do notice that a few (very few) people have visited this blog from outside the United States. I note this as I recently placed a World Counter on the blog that allows me to see how many times the blog is viewed and from where. Not that many have done so but enough to amaze me. That pleases me and also makes me wonder how in the heck they found this?!?
But I welcome them as I do anyone who chooses to waste a short amount of time reading my thoughts and rants. I do wish that some more of you would add to the discussion and even argue with me by way of leaving comments.
If you would like me to cover an issue or state my point of view on anything it would be my pleasure to do so. All you must do is ask. But if you do be prepared for my view which may not be to your liking.
For example:
As with anyone who writes on the web I take my chances at offending some but I generally lean toward the side of the little guy (or gal.) I am not in favor of any large organization hurting the so-called little people merely to make a gain. Even though I naturally I realize businesses are in business to make that gain.
When we speak of corporate greed we are taking on a subject that appears to be the opposite of an oxymoron since corporations must be greedy to get investors and thereby more money with which to operate and get even larger profits.
This cycle may be considered vicious but it is necessary. It is up to Government to set up the playing field in such a manor as to have safeguards in place to stop runaway greed.
In America we try to have regulations on utilities since by virtue of their name they are things we all need. For example a utility must ask for permission to raise rates.
Right now we have a fight going on for health insurance reform and the government is trying to pass a law that makes purchasing insurance mandatory. This will turn that industry into a utility. But if they do so they must then regulate it!!! As it stands now there are no plans to do so and that is just plain wrong. Look for people to rebel and defy any law of that type.
Our government recently allowed a British company - National Grid - to come in and purchase or rather take over a utility in the new York area - Keyspan. Nat Grid promised to have the people's best interest in mind and proved it by advertising how wonderful they were. Now they have petitioned the government for the right to outsource a few hundred jobs overseas taking them from Long Island.
There is no doubt that our government will allow this abortion to happen since they are the same people who allowed such an important part of our every day lives to be taken over by a foreign country in the first place. What did they think the corporation would do, lower rates and hire Americans???
I guess all countries have problems and some far more than ours. But in this era of a flat and small world we should all know what the grass looks like elsewhere. Perhaps we can learn and teach each other a thing or two.
But I welcome them as I do anyone who chooses to waste a short amount of time reading my thoughts and rants. I do wish that some more of you would add to the discussion and even argue with me by way of leaving comments.
If you would like me to cover an issue or state my point of view on anything it would be my pleasure to do so. All you must do is ask. But if you do be prepared for my view which may not be to your liking.
For example:
As with anyone who writes on the web I take my chances at offending some but I generally lean toward the side of the little guy (or gal.) I am not in favor of any large organization hurting the so-called little people merely to make a gain. Even though I naturally I realize businesses are in business to make that gain.
When we speak of corporate greed we are taking on a subject that appears to be the opposite of an oxymoron since corporations must be greedy to get investors and thereby more money with which to operate and get even larger profits.
This cycle may be considered vicious but it is necessary. It is up to Government to set up the playing field in such a manor as to have safeguards in place to stop runaway greed.
In America we try to have regulations on utilities since by virtue of their name they are things we all need. For example a utility must ask for permission to raise rates.
Right now we have a fight going on for health insurance reform and the government is trying to pass a law that makes purchasing insurance mandatory. This will turn that industry into a utility. But if they do so they must then regulate it!!! As it stands now there are no plans to do so and that is just plain wrong. Look for people to rebel and defy any law of that type.
Our government recently allowed a British company - National Grid - to come in and purchase or rather take over a utility in the new York area - Keyspan. Nat Grid promised to have the people's best interest in mind and proved it by advertising how wonderful they were. Now they have petitioned the government for the right to outsource a few hundred jobs overseas taking them from Long Island.
There is no doubt that our government will allow this abortion to happen since they are the same people who allowed such an important part of our every day lives to be taken over by a foreign country in the first place. What did they think the corporation would do, lower rates and hire Americans???
I guess all countries have problems and some far more than ours. But in this era of a flat and small world we should all know what the grass looks like elsewhere. Perhaps we can learn and teach each other a thing or two.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Peace of Mind?
There is an old joke about insurance:
A man is going over his policy and the insurance agent is trying to answer all his questions.
But for every possible loss he can foresee he finds out he is not covered!
Finally in disbelief he asks the agent, "Then why do I need insurance?"
"For peace of mind," comes the response.
It may be old but it is really not a joke! The insurance agencies of this country are bloodsuckers and they are not about to give up their steady diet without a fight. The problem is we don't get to see that fight. We can only infer that it is going on.
But why should there even be a fight?
And a 50 year one at that!
Isn't it a no-brainer that in this supposedly greatest country the world has ever known the citizens should be entitled to good health care?
When Politician after Politician claims that he or she is on the side of the public and wants to help us with our insurance premiums etc. they are not telling us the whole truth. What they mean to say is, "Let me help you get insurance. The price you pay is, well that's between you and your provider."
And since this so-called health care reform push has been going on in the not-so hallowed halls of Congress every day has brought another piece of bad news for humans. The latest gift to the undeserving insurance industry is the mandate that every Eloi must buy insurance from a Morlock. This guarantees them more profits and us nothing.
Since the year is about to end we should all be getting ready for the annual ritual known as feeding the kitty. Oh, I mean paying our taxes to the IRS so that the Politicians can get their salaries. But truth be told they don't need our money anymore. The various 'lobbies' have seen to that.
When you go to a store and purchase something there is an unwritten guarantee that the item will work and will be replaced if not. Both sides understand this and abide by it as well.
The same thing goes for the lobbies! They have bought just about every Senator and Congressman in our government and they rightly expect to get what they paid for!
So far it has been money well spent.
I just rounded up all my bills and payments for the year and came to a wonderful conclusion. And just like Tennessee Ernie Ford once said, I owe my soul to the company store.
My total payments to all the insurance companies for the year amount to an unbelievable 40% of all my bills!!! When you realize that the do nothing puppets in DC demand around 30% of our income you start to realize that you are working for them!
The year that just passed saw millions of us laid off due basically to a banking and insurance fraud that was knowingly perpetrated on the American citizen. The criminals who did this deed were rewarded by their puppets with huge amounts of our tax dollars as bailout money.
This money was then and is still being distributed amongst themselves as booty. What the Directors on the Boards of these fraudulent companies do not take for themselves as bonuses they are earmarking as bribes for Congress and television ads to convince those among us too stupid to dress themselves that they are good people.
The only solution to this problem is to stop the secretive bribery of Congress. Unfortunately that will never happen because it is the right of special interest groups to 'lobby' for their cause in front of whomever they deem fit to listen. This right is in our constitution and the unintended loophole therein ensures our demise.
We should demand that our leaders make public all their bribes. Failure to do so would constitute immediate dismissal from Congress, fines equal to 10% more than the bribes received and jail time as deemed fit by a jury of OUR peers. And to make the punishment really fit the crime - Loss of their lifetime insurance coverage and unearned pension! After all they did not do the job for which they were hired!
The above should be considered the Citizen's Insurance plan.
It is the only way we can have real peace of mind.
It is the only way WE THE PEOPLE can still be in control of the country.
A man is going over his policy and the insurance agent is trying to answer all his questions.
But for every possible loss he can foresee he finds out he is not covered!
Finally in disbelief he asks the agent, "Then why do I need insurance?"
"For peace of mind," comes the response.
It may be old but it is really not a joke! The insurance agencies of this country are bloodsuckers and they are not about to give up their steady diet without a fight. The problem is we don't get to see that fight. We can only infer that it is going on.
But why should there even be a fight?
And a 50 year one at that!
Isn't it a no-brainer that in this supposedly greatest country the world has ever known the citizens should be entitled to good health care?
When Politician after Politician claims that he or she is on the side of the public and wants to help us with our insurance premiums etc. they are not telling us the whole truth. What they mean to say is, "Let me help you get insurance. The price you pay is, well that's between you and your provider."
And since this so-called health care reform push has been going on in the not-so hallowed halls of Congress every day has brought another piece of bad news for humans. The latest gift to the undeserving insurance industry is the mandate that every Eloi must buy insurance from a Morlock. This guarantees them more profits and us nothing.
Since the year is about to end we should all be getting ready for the annual ritual known as feeding the kitty. Oh, I mean paying our taxes to the IRS so that the Politicians can get their salaries. But truth be told they don't need our money anymore. The various 'lobbies' have seen to that.
When you go to a store and purchase something there is an unwritten guarantee that the item will work and will be replaced if not. Both sides understand this and abide by it as well.
The same thing goes for the lobbies! They have bought just about every Senator and Congressman in our government and they rightly expect to get what they paid for!
So far it has been money well spent.
I just rounded up all my bills and payments for the year and came to a wonderful conclusion. And just like Tennessee Ernie Ford once said, I owe my soul to the company store.
My total payments to all the insurance companies for the year amount to an unbelievable 40% of all my bills!!! When you realize that the do nothing puppets in DC demand around 30% of our income you start to realize that you are working for them!
The year that just passed saw millions of us laid off due basically to a banking and insurance fraud that was knowingly perpetrated on the American citizen. The criminals who did this deed were rewarded by their puppets with huge amounts of our tax dollars as bailout money.
This money was then and is still being distributed amongst themselves as booty. What the Directors on the Boards of these fraudulent companies do not take for themselves as bonuses they are earmarking as bribes for Congress and television ads to convince those among us too stupid to dress themselves that they are good people.
The only solution to this problem is to stop the secretive bribery of Congress. Unfortunately that will never happen because it is the right of special interest groups to 'lobby' for their cause in front of whomever they deem fit to listen. This right is in our constitution and the unintended loophole therein ensures our demise.
We should demand that our leaders make public all their bribes. Failure to do so would constitute immediate dismissal from Congress, fines equal to 10% more than the bribes received and jail time as deemed fit by a jury of OUR peers. And to make the punishment really fit the crime - Loss of their lifetime insurance coverage and unearned pension! After all they did not do the job for which they were hired!
The above should be considered the Citizen's Insurance plan.
It is the only way we can have real peace of mind.
It is the only way WE THE PEOPLE can still be in control of the country.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Low Hanging Fruit
The phrase above is used to describe an easy win; one that was almost a foregone conclusion. The fruit bearing tree is right there in front of you and the fruit thereupon is hanging shoulder high. It is ripe and tasty and will make you a hero to whomever you share it with.
But occasionally the phrase could bring to mind the allegory of Tantalus for whom the word tantalize was coined. Tantalus was being tortured by the furies of mythology by being placed neck high in a river of water with wonderful fruit hanging low above his head. Each time he would bend his head down for a drink the river would recede and whenever he reached up for a tasty treat the tree would lift it's limbs high.The two paragraphs above being played out of play these days in a farcical way with the main character being the United States Government. And the stars are those warring factions of hypocrites commonly known as Congressmen.
In the first case where the fruit is easily within our reach the Government has shown it's disdain for a giant company subverting all attempts at stopping their monopolistic practices by suing them. The company is Intel and the claim is that they have hobbled competitors in the semiconductor business by using illegal sales practices.
One may argue that that is exactly what a company in a free enterprise system is supposed to do and their competitors must try harder if they feel they are number two. We have seen this happen before and it will continue.
So what is the problem here?
The problem is consistency.
If our elected official feel it is prudent to go after Intel, a move which although justified may in the end cost the consumer more for computer products then why stop there?
Why not also go after a much larger sector of criminals who are subverting our very lives?
Why not at the very least remove the anti-trust exclusion for the insurance industry?
The cold hard fact has to do with cold hard cash. The cash our leaders are reaping by stringing us along in a dog and pony type show of ongoing debates.
Will we get health care reform?
Will we get a lowered age for Medicare?
Will the public ever be allowed to shop for alternative lower cost insurance?
Since our Government is so hell bent on making Intel allow the public to have options then why not also sue the far more costly insurance industry???
American citizens are drowning in a river of debt with the low hanging fruit of affordable health care closer to our reach than ever before. But the furious silent behind the scenes furies of the insurance lobbies continue to pull the branch away.
Congress has the solution within their reach but they are being weighed down by their pockets filled with campaign donations from the very industry they claim to wish to reform.
Is there a way to reconcile the differences between the two opposing sides? Some say 'reconciliation' is the way and some form of reform would pass with a mere 51 - 49 vote in the Senate.
But the truth is neither side wants that.
As long as the debate continues and there is the slightest glimmer of hope that Congress will do the right thing the insurance lobbies must continue to pay them to rethink. Congress will never kill the Golden Goose no matter how many polls or e-mails beseech them to do so.
So where is our knight in shining armor?
Where is the Champion of Change?
Since Congress has been blinded by bullies without borders when will OUR President show the strength of character and proper power we need him to exert?
It is way too long past the point of no return. For if the majority in power today cannot reach high enough to grab this low hanging fruit from the bastardized branches of the insurance cartel then they shall surely not return in 2010 or 2012.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
A Paul Harvey-Like Moment
On this day (December 16th) in 1973 Orenthal James Simpson became the first NFL running back to break the 2,000 yard rushing barrier in professional football. And he did it in only 14 games.
And as the wonderful and legendary NPR broadcaster would say "And now for the rest of the story."
O J waited 20½ years, nearly to the day to celebrate by killing his former wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman. Then showing that he had lost most of his NFL quickness and elusiveness he led the police on a very low speed chase in the infamous white Bronco.
Many former sports celebrities have trouble adjusting to life after the game but OJ was able to translate his cut and slash style of running in an interesting way.
Even though he was unbelievably guilty of murder and even made statements to that effect he pleaded not guilty by reason of celebrity and hired the so-called "Dream Team" of scum, I mean attorneys to defend him.
These high priced low value low lifes argued in rhythm and rhyme and totally baffled and bull-shitted the two idiot team of prosecutors headed by the inept Marcia Clark during a 134 day trial.
The trial divided America between the people who knew he was guilty and the ethnically charged group who wanted to believe otherwise.
Johnnie Cochran of glove fitting fame is now dead like the two people his client murdered so he takes his crime to his grave. But the others still lurk in the shadows looking for the next murderer to 'make a killing off.'
Harvey Levin, an attorney who for some reason was not on the dream team worked the case as a legal reporter on KCBS in LA. As many of the sleazy lawyers involved in his defense Levin almost got the entire case tossed when he aired a video allegedly showing inept prosecutor Marcia searching Simpson's home before acquiring a proper search warrant. But the truth won out at least in this part and the jackass had to retract his story shortly thereafter and apologize on air.
But don't feel bad for Mr. Levin, he has gone on to continue his low-life activities by stalking celebrities and making a fortune off their errors and mistakes. This leech now runs the useless and disgusting website TMZ and nothing more need be said.
How did the million dollar dream team do? Well it took the enamored jury only 4 hours to come up with their decision. And that verdict revealed in front of the new celebrity Judge Lace Ito was as clear as black and white. O J the murder was found not guilty of his crimes. The joy and grief across the land was also mostly black and white.
Later a more rational jury found the murderer guilty in a civil trial that was not defended by any dream team.
But just as leopard keeps his spots O J is currently in jail for a crime that included weapons charges and murder threats. He has finally touched down and resides with his peers.
No one can take away the TWO thousand yards gained by the athlete during the autumn and winter of 1973 but it is also sadly true that no one can bring back the TWO lives he ended in 1994.
And as the wonderful and legendary NPR broadcaster would say "And now for the rest of the story."
O J waited 20½ years, nearly to the day to celebrate by killing his former wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman. Then showing that he had lost most of his NFL quickness and elusiveness he led the police on a very low speed chase in the infamous white Bronco.
Many former sports celebrities have trouble adjusting to life after the game but OJ was able to translate his cut and slash style of running in an interesting way.
Even though he was unbelievably guilty of murder and even made statements to that effect he pleaded not guilty by reason of celebrity and hired the so-called "Dream Team" of scum, I mean attorneys to defend him.
These high priced low value low lifes argued in rhythm and rhyme and totally baffled and bull-shitted the two idiot team of prosecutors headed by the inept Marcia Clark during a 134 day trial.
The trial divided America between the people who knew he was guilty and the ethnically charged group who wanted to believe otherwise.
Johnnie Cochran of glove fitting fame is now dead like the two people his client murdered so he takes his crime to his grave. But the others still lurk in the shadows looking for the next murderer to 'make a killing off.'
Harvey Levin, an attorney who for some reason was not on the dream team worked the case as a legal reporter on KCBS in LA. As many of the sleazy lawyers involved in his defense Levin almost got the entire case tossed when he aired a video allegedly showing inept prosecutor Marcia searching Simpson's home before acquiring a proper search warrant. But the truth won out at least in this part and the jackass had to retract his story shortly thereafter and apologize on air.
But don't feel bad for Mr. Levin, he has gone on to continue his low-life activities by stalking celebrities and making a fortune off their errors and mistakes. This leech now runs the useless and disgusting website TMZ and nothing more need be said.
How did the million dollar dream team do? Well it took the enamored jury only 4 hours to come up with their decision. And that verdict revealed in front of the new celebrity Judge Lace Ito was as clear as black and white. O J the murder was found not guilty of his crimes. The joy and grief across the land was also mostly black and white.
Later a more rational jury found the murderer guilty in a civil trial that was not defended by any dream team.
But just as leopard keeps his spots O J is currently in jail for a crime that included weapons charges and murder threats. He has finally touched down and resides with his peers.
No one can take away the TWO thousand yards gained by the athlete during the autumn and winter of 1973 but it is also sadly true that no one can bring back the TWO lives he ended in 1994.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
With Apologies to Christmas Trees
Oh Lieberman, Oh Lieberman
How big insurance loves you
They line your pockets full of green
You spout their lies you're really mean
Oh Lieberman, Oh Lieberman
How big insurance loves you
Oh Lieberman, Oh Lieberman
You used to care 'bout humans
But you have changed in just four years
And brought the country close to tears
Oh Lieberman, Oh Lieberman
You used to care 'bout humans.
Oh Lieberman, Oh Lieberman
2012's not far off
From Democrat to I N D
When will we see the last of thee
Oh Lieberman, Oh Lieberman
2012's not far off.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
UNCLE
Okay, you win!
I give up!
The Congressional Democrats are just as bad if not worse than the scum, I mean lying SOBs, I'm sorry, their hypocritical bastard counterparts of the Republican Party.
As an individual citizen of the supposedly most powerful country in the world I have very little say in what happens outside of my immediate circle of influence. And that circle is shrinking as fast as the global ice caps.
Basically everything that gets done in this country is decided by the Republican Party whether or not they are in power. That is clear since they are not in power and everything is going their way!
Take any issue that concerns human beings (and I am leaving out many in Congress) and analyze what's happening.
Global warming or climate change or whatever you wish to call it IS REAL! The World's water levels are rising as the ice caps and glaciers disappear. It is clear that we are in danger on many levels such as polluted water, loss of coastal cities or island nations and more intense storms and flooding not to mention droughts. Okay, I mentioned them, sue me.
But the puppet masters who control the Republicans in government and therefore the country do not like any regulations on pollution so screw the future of the planet.
Profits are us, profits are now!
Science tells us that we are to expect tremendously more powerful storms and flooding as a result of our inaction.
Congress will act immediately to allow insurance companies to raise rates on flood damage through the sky. (They already don't offer hurricane insurance in Florida because they might actually have hurricane damage in Florida. Thanks Jeb.)
Health care reform rejection was a foregone conclusion the moment the ball-less Dems allowed the debate to degenerate into moronic tea-parties and grandma killing lies. Grassley and Hatch are quite powerful for evil men and they know how to work the floor. The floor of the congress and the floor of Main Street that is.
Now that they have their way and the public be damned option is gone they will not rest until the reform bill is completely altered.
Here is the next step:
All citizens must purchase health care insurance.
If someone is found on the street without a national health care insurance card from an approved purveyor he or she will be fined.
Said fine will go directly to the bonus fund of the local insurance company's board of directors.
Insurance companies will be mandated to increase premiums yearly without ceiling.
Failure to do so will result in immediate dissolution and the former lemmings will be distributed amont the remaining insurance companies.
On every level of government we have abuse of power.
In every locality across this country you can find corrupt politicians.
But unfortunately everywhere there is a corrupt politician waiting to screw the public and take the money for doing nothing there are do-nothing assholes who continue to elect them and follow them and campaign for them in the hopes that they too can reap the benefit of screwing the other guy.
It is pouring rain while I write this and my basement is slowly showing puddles in the far corner. My backyard is sporting the largest Lake Resch I have ever seen in my 26 years here.
Things will only get worse from here on out and since our leaders can see no further than their pockets there is no hope in sight. The flood of bad news will continue until a majority of the people stop saying, "Not in my back yard."
We must change the nation for real. It starts with every individual and that means in all our back yards.
If you feel you can take back the country then write to you congressmen. But make sure you put a dollar or two in the envelope or they won't give a shit!
PS - One last point to the Dems and especially the eunuch in the White House - SINCE ALL OF YOU ONLY GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOURSELVES AND ARE DOING FAR BETTER THAN THOSE OF US DOWN ON THE STREET I WILL NOW START TO THINK LIKE YOU AND MAYBE GET AHEAD AS WELL! SO UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING FOR ME STOP SENDING EMAILS REQUESTING $5 DONATIONS EVERY HOUR. GET ME A F--KING JOB AND AN INCOME FIRST BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR GREASY HAND IN MY POCKET!!!
I give up!
The Congressional Democrats are just as bad if not worse than the scum, I mean lying SOBs, I'm sorry, their hypocritical bastard counterparts of the Republican Party.
As an individual citizen of the supposedly most powerful country in the world I have very little say in what happens outside of my immediate circle of influence. And that circle is shrinking as fast as the global ice caps.
Basically everything that gets done in this country is decided by the Republican Party whether or not they are in power. That is clear since they are not in power and everything is going their way!
Take any issue that concerns human beings (and I am leaving out many in Congress) and analyze what's happening.
Global warming or climate change or whatever you wish to call it IS REAL! The World's water levels are rising as the ice caps and glaciers disappear. It is clear that we are in danger on many levels such as polluted water, loss of coastal cities or island nations and more intense storms and flooding not to mention droughts. Okay, I mentioned them, sue me.
But the puppet masters who control the Republicans in government and therefore the country do not like any regulations on pollution so screw the future of the planet.
Profits are us, profits are now!
Science tells us that we are to expect tremendously more powerful storms and flooding as a result of our inaction.
Congress will act immediately to allow insurance companies to raise rates on flood damage through the sky. (They already don't offer hurricane insurance in Florida because they might actually have hurricane damage in Florida. Thanks Jeb.)
Health care reform rejection was a foregone conclusion the moment the ball-less Dems allowed the debate to degenerate into moronic tea-parties and grandma killing lies. Grassley and Hatch are quite powerful for evil men and they know how to work the floor. The floor of the congress and the floor of Main Street that is.
Now that they have their way and the public be damned option is gone they will not rest until the reform bill is completely altered.
Here is the next step:
All citizens must purchase health care insurance.
If someone is found on the street without a national health care insurance card from an approved purveyor he or she will be fined.
Said fine will go directly to the bonus fund of the local insurance company's board of directors.
Insurance companies will be mandated to increase premiums yearly without ceiling.
Failure to do so will result in immediate dissolution and the former lemmings will be distributed amont the remaining insurance companies.
On every level of government we have abuse of power.
In every locality across this country you can find corrupt politicians.
But unfortunately everywhere there is a corrupt politician waiting to screw the public and take the money for doing nothing there are do-nothing assholes who continue to elect them and follow them and campaign for them in the hopes that they too can reap the benefit of screwing the other guy.
It is pouring rain while I write this and my basement is slowly showing puddles in the far corner. My backyard is sporting the largest Lake Resch I have ever seen in my 26 years here.
Things will only get worse from here on out and since our leaders can see no further than their pockets there is no hope in sight. The flood of bad news will continue until a majority of the people stop saying, "Not in my back yard."
We must change the nation for real. It starts with every individual and that means in all our back yards.
If you feel you can take back the country then write to you congressmen. But make sure you put a dollar or two in the envelope or they won't give a shit!
PS - One last point to the Dems and especially the eunuch in the White House - SINCE ALL OF YOU ONLY GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOURSELVES AND ARE DOING FAR BETTER THAN THOSE OF US DOWN ON THE STREET I WILL NOW START TO THINK LIKE YOU AND MAYBE GET AHEAD AS WELL! SO UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING FOR ME STOP SENDING EMAILS REQUESTING $5 DONATIONS EVERY HOUR. GET ME A F--KING JOB AND AN INCOME FIRST BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR GREASY HAND IN MY POCKET!!!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Magical World of Politics
How does a magician make an elephant disappear?
How did those quarters get in my ear or nose?
I am certain I saw him saw that lady in two!
A great magician uses the simple art of deflection to get us looking in the wrong direction while he plies his ploy. And since we are taught at an early age to be delighted; amazed and in awe of seeing the impossible we enjoy being fooled by these masters of illusion.
What parent hasn't used "Peek-a-Boo" to get giggles out of an infant?
"Where did mommy go?"
"Here she is!"
But there may be another side to the art of deflection.
As used by an artful dodger or other street urchin a gentle tap on your left shoulder or a bump in the lower rear while passing you in the street focuses your attention on that area. It takes the 'tappees' mind off the spot of interest for the 'tapper.' They use the deflection to pick a pocket or two.
So how do we train ourselves to know the difference between the good old harmless fun of magicians or illusionists and the malicious doings of the dastardly demons of the street?
Well we could become overly suspicious of strangers but strangely it is not always the stranger that strands us out on a limb. These days it appears to be the politician!
In an old joke we are asked how do we know when an attorney is lying and the answer is of course, "When his mouth is open." Hopefully that is not 100% accurate although our system does reward a form of lying, namely not telling the complete truth.
When someone talks a blue streak about one side of an issue without mentioning the other side is he being an advocate or an illusionist? It is a fine line indeed but one we are faced with on a daily basis. It is up to us to be informed enough to know the facts and determine the truth.
Unfortunately not many of us have the time to research all sides of every issue? We are a nation hooked on "sound-bites." We read headlines or listen for snippets of news and walk away feeling we understand the entire story.
And that is where a devious politician may use his or her magical magician-like skills to turn us to the dark side.
A great example: Will any health care bill being discussed, let alone passed by congress ever really have a provision in it that allows us to "kill grandma?"
Give me a break!!!
And yet a sizable number of Americans still believe that to be true!
These uninformed citizens may have been looking for a reason to be against reform and heard that statement from an illusionist in DC.
It struck a nerve, after all look who said it!
I trust that person.
That person is a Senator/Representative/Talk Show Host so they must know!
Using unrealistic yet realistic sounding rhetoric the partisan divide in Washington has created an atmosphere that breeds passionate illusion. And it proves to be a vicious cycle as more people believe more politicians use the method.
But the illusion is going even further. It is no longer just that of a master magician. A new craftier performer has appeared, or should I say is evident behind the scenes. This entity is the puppet master/ventriloquist. The new master has many faces; lives quietly yet influentially on"K" Street and is commonly known as a Lobby.
To make the analogy complete we should consider the lobby community as Fagin. They send their minions out to pick the pockets of the unsuspecting citizens. And while he is doing this his puppets, AKA Congressmen and Talk Show celebrities are deflecting our attention.
The elephant did not disappear, it is laying in wait for 2010 and 2012.
And those quarters that I used to have in my ear? Somehow they found their way into the pockets of Wall Street bankers!
It must be magic!
How did those quarters get in my ear or nose?
I am certain I saw him saw that lady in two!
A great magician uses the simple art of deflection to get us looking in the wrong direction while he plies his ploy. And since we are taught at an early age to be delighted; amazed and in awe of seeing the impossible we enjoy being fooled by these masters of illusion.
What parent hasn't used "Peek-a-Boo" to get giggles out of an infant?
"Where did mommy go?"
"Here she is!"
But there may be another side to the art of deflection.
As used by an artful dodger or other street urchin a gentle tap on your left shoulder or a bump in the lower rear while passing you in the street focuses your attention on that area. It takes the 'tappees' mind off the spot of interest for the 'tapper.' They use the deflection to pick a pocket or two.
So how do we train ourselves to know the difference between the good old harmless fun of magicians or illusionists and the malicious doings of the dastardly demons of the street?
Well we could become overly suspicious of strangers but strangely it is not always the stranger that strands us out on a limb. These days it appears to be the politician!
In an old joke we are asked how do we know when an attorney is lying and the answer is of course, "When his mouth is open." Hopefully that is not 100% accurate although our system does reward a form of lying, namely not telling the complete truth.
When someone talks a blue streak about one side of an issue without mentioning the other side is he being an advocate or an illusionist? It is a fine line indeed but one we are faced with on a daily basis. It is up to us to be informed enough to know the facts and determine the truth.
Unfortunately not many of us have the time to research all sides of every issue? We are a nation hooked on "sound-bites." We read headlines or listen for snippets of news and walk away feeling we understand the entire story.
And that is where a devious politician may use his or her magical magician-like skills to turn us to the dark side.
A great example: Will any health care bill being discussed, let alone passed by congress ever really have a provision in it that allows us to "kill grandma?"
Give me a break!!!
And yet a sizable number of Americans still believe that to be true!
These uninformed citizens may have been looking for a reason to be against reform and heard that statement from an illusionist in DC.
It struck a nerve, after all look who said it!
I trust that person.
That person is a Senator/Representative/Talk Show Host so they must know!
Using unrealistic yet realistic sounding rhetoric the partisan divide in Washington has created an atmosphere that breeds passionate illusion. And it proves to be a vicious cycle as more people believe more politicians use the method.
But the illusion is going even further. It is no longer just that of a master magician. A new craftier performer has appeared, or should I say is evident behind the scenes. This entity is the puppet master/ventriloquist. The new master has many faces; lives quietly yet influentially on"K" Street and is commonly known as a Lobby.
To make the analogy complete we should consider the lobby community as Fagin. They send their minions out to pick the pockets of the unsuspecting citizens. And while he is doing this his puppets, AKA Congressmen and Talk Show celebrities are deflecting our attention.
The elephant did not disappear, it is laying in wait for 2010 and 2012.
And those quarters that I used to have in my ear? Somehow they found their way into the pockets of Wall Street bankers!
It must be magic!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
It's a Matter of Death or, uh...
An inescapable conclusion has come to light - Republicans are against keeping us alive!
Okay that may seem like an unfair representation of their stance on most issues but a simple examination of their main policies will serve as a pointer toward their seemingly not so hidden agenda.
As a whole the entire Republican party in Congress has been against anything and everything Obama except for one key issue which I will note later.
The President and most of his Democratic colleagues have been pushing for health care reform since this current term began. Unfortunately neither he nor they have been forceful enough to get it done. They have had to spend far too much energy refuting the absurd lies thrown out by the 'right.'
Americans are dying due to a lack of health insurance which translates into a lack of good affordable health care and that leads to death. The Republicans law-makers (oxymoron?) have been as one goose-stepping with the insurance lobby in stalling; befuddling; and basically stopping any meaningful change in our current system.
STOPPING AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE MEANS DEATH!
(By the way - they all have the best health care already so they couldn't care less)
The President has vowed to finish the war in Afghanistan within 2 years. This will not be easy and may prove to be impossible but at least he is trying to fix the morass and mess left by the inept duo that preceded him in the White House.
The Republicans are all for this! They have but one reservation and that is they do not like the time limit to end the war. Forget what words they use to explain the facts bear out the real reason; they like war.
War kills!
War is good for business, as long as they are not on the firing line. (I would like to submit the wartime records of messrs. Bush and Cheney into evidence your honor)
WAR MEANS DEATH!
(By the way not too many of them are veterans and a short while ago they trashed war hero Dems in order to get themselves elected.)
This week for the first time in a decade new lines of embryonic stem cells have arrived at laboratories. This is in response to President Obama's changing of the strict religious rules placed on the medical and research communities by the aforementioned clueless inept and mostly evil duo.
In my local paper, Newsday there was an article listing those in favor and those opposed to this change of policy. Must I really delineate who was for vs. against?
OF COURSE I DO!
Democrats and scientists were all for this chance to use technology and their GOD-GIVEN talents (sorry) to come up with methods to save lives.
The Republicans and Church members were steadfastly against it, although one local Reverend from Westchester did say he was okay with the measured way in which the cells are being used.
Bottom line is that stem cell research can bring about new finds and ways to save lives. Blocking or opposing stem cell research in an ostrich sort of way means
YOU'D PREFER DEATHS!
And that BS about the so-called Pro-Life movement which should really be named ANTI-CHOICE is all about keeping an unborn fetus alive while not giving a damn about the life of the already alive and functioning mother. The Republicans mainly feel that abortions are a lower class problem and since most of the lower class is either Democratic or non-voters, well you do the math.
They would rather save the life of an unborn fetus at the expense of the mother; the DEATH OF THE MOTHER.
Now it is possible that some of the Republicans are not as evil as their words and policies make them out to be but it takes a lot to find them.
As a last example I give you a bill proposed by the junior Senator from Minnesota, the honorable Al Franken.
It seems that some large corporations / contractors, such as Cheney's infamous KBR Halliburton have forced their female employees who have been sexually abused on the job to bring their cases to the company before going puiblic. They are told that the decision made by that biased board must be binding.
In other words the fox will decide whether or not to allow the hen to complain.
Senator Franken cannot stop this disgusting practice but he can ask that Congress not allow these chauvinistic pigs to win government bids. His bill forbids their bids.
Good News - Bad News (no joke): The bill passed but by only a 68 to 30 vote!
So who were these 30 sub-humans who want to allow women to get raped and not be allowed to complain about it?
Well if you have to think long and hard about an answer then you must be a Republican!!!
Let me repeat:
By their own voting record 30 out of 40 Republicans Senators feel it is okay to allow companies to cover up the gang rape of women!
And not only did the 'right' side of the aisle vote against this no-brainer of an issue they belittled Senator Franken for bringing it up calling his bill a veiled political attack on Halliburton!
So in conclusion the Republicans are in favor of death wherever possible but if it is not then I guess rape will do!!!
Okay that may seem like an unfair representation of their stance on most issues but a simple examination of their main policies will serve as a pointer toward their seemingly not so hidden agenda.
As a whole the entire Republican party in Congress has been against anything and everything Obama except for one key issue which I will note later.
The President and most of his Democratic colleagues have been pushing for health care reform since this current term began. Unfortunately neither he nor they have been forceful enough to get it done. They have had to spend far too much energy refuting the absurd lies thrown out by the 'right.'
Americans are dying due to a lack of health insurance which translates into a lack of good affordable health care and that leads to death. The Republicans law-makers (oxymoron?) have been as one goose-stepping with the insurance lobby in stalling; befuddling; and basically stopping any meaningful change in our current system.
STOPPING AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE MEANS DEATH!
(By the way - they all have the best health care already so they couldn't care less)
The President has vowed to finish the war in Afghanistan within 2 years. This will not be easy and may prove to be impossible but at least he is trying to fix the morass and mess left by the inept duo that preceded him in the White House.
The Republicans are all for this! They have but one reservation and that is they do not like the time limit to end the war. Forget what words they use to explain the facts bear out the real reason; they like war.
War kills!
War is good for business, as long as they are not on the firing line. (I would like to submit the wartime records of messrs. Bush and Cheney into evidence your honor)
WAR MEANS DEATH!
(By the way not too many of them are veterans and a short while ago they trashed war hero Dems in order to get themselves elected.)
This week for the first time in a decade new lines of embryonic stem cells have arrived at laboratories. This is in response to President Obama's changing of the strict religious rules placed on the medical and research communities by the aforementioned clueless inept and mostly evil duo.
In my local paper, Newsday there was an article listing those in favor and those opposed to this change of policy. Must I really delineate who was for vs. against?
OF COURSE I DO!
Democrats and scientists were all for this chance to use technology and their GOD-GIVEN talents (sorry) to come up with methods to save lives.
The Republicans and Church members were steadfastly against it, although one local Reverend from Westchester did say he was okay with the measured way in which the cells are being used.
Bottom line is that stem cell research can bring about new finds and ways to save lives. Blocking or opposing stem cell research in an ostrich sort of way means
YOU'D PREFER DEATHS!
And that BS about the so-called Pro-Life movement which should really be named ANTI-CHOICE is all about keeping an unborn fetus alive while not giving a damn about the life of the already alive and functioning mother. The Republicans mainly feel that abortions are a lower class problem and since most of the lower class is either Democratic or non-voters, well you do the math.
They would rather save the life of an unborn fetus at the expense of the mother; the DEATH OF THE MOTHER.
Now it is possible that some of the Republicans are not as evil as their words and policies make them out to be but it takes a lot to find them.
As a last example I give you a bill proposed by the junior Senator from Minnesota, the honorable Al Franken.
It seems that some large corporations / contractors, such as Cheney's infamous KBR Halliburton have forced their female employees who have been sexually abused on the job to bring their cases to the company before going puiblic. They are told that the decision made by that biased board must be binding.
In other words the fox will decide whether or not to allow the hen to complain.
Senator Franken cannot stop this disgusting practice but he can ask that Congress not allow these chauvinistic pigs to win government bids. His bill forbids their bids.
Good News - Bad News (no joke): The bill passed but by only a 68 to 30 vote!
So who were these 30 sub-humans who want to allow women to get raped and not be allowed to complain about it?
Well if you have to think long and hard about an answer then you must be a Republican!!!
Let me repeat:
By their own voting record 30 out of 40 Republicans Senators feel it is okay to allow companies to cover up the gang rape of women!
And not only did the 'right' side of the aisle vote against this no-brainer of an issue they belittled Senator Franken for bringing it up calling his bill a veiled political attack on Halliburton!
So in conclusion the Republicans are in favor of death wherever possible but if it is not then I guess rape will do!!!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Rings & Things
At this time of year when one of the most famous gifts of song is 'Five Golden Rings' a YouTube animation artist by the name of Roy Prohl has given us a video version of what that gift would look like if we gave it to the Earth.
The entire article about an Earth with Saturn-like rings may be read and viewed at the Scientific American website if you'd prefer to do so. I won't be totally insulted but...
By the
way for those of you who wonder what that gift might cost aside from blocking part of the sky I'm sure it would be a massive layout of cash. But here on Earth with the price of gold way up this year's "12 Days" total would cost you over $84,000!
Compare that with the relatively cheap cost of 8 Days of Hanukkah. Candles aren't
that expensive and depending on how much Gelt you wish to spread around you can make out like a bandit. Oy what a bargain!
The entire article about an Earth with Saturn-like rings may be read and viewed at the Scientific American website if you'd prefer to do so. I won't be totally insulted but...
By the
way for those of you who wonder what that gift might cost aside from blocking part of the sky I'm sure it would be a massive layout of cash. But here on Earth with the price of gold way up this year's "12 Days" total would cost you over $84,000!Compare that with the relatively cheap cost of 8 Days of Hanukkah. Candles aren't
that expensive and depending on how much Gelt you wish to spread around you can make out like a bandit. Oy what a bargain!
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