Category Archives: Politics

Politics

a little hope and then this…

Leave a comment

Well..you saw yesterday that there was a little hope that the repubs would start to do the right thing when it comes to the ordinary American….that they would start to put the middle class first instead of the richest 2 percent of the country….well…nevermind. The latest outrage comes form Kyl and his ilk; the unapologetic idiots that are so far against fairness in the economy that they are holding up benefits for the long-term unemployed to make sure they can continue the Bush tax cuts for the rich. Now, their logic for this move is that any new spending must be offset by spending cuts elsewhere in the economy so to not add to the deficit; 12 billion dollars to benefit people that are in danger of losing their entire life….but they are willing to extend the Bush tax cuts (almost a trillion dollars added to the deficit) because their logic says that tax cuts don’t have to be paid for in any way…they are different after all.

And the latest polls suggest that people are just going stupid…the majority trust the Dems to handle the economy but the majority are also going to vote for the repubs who have “spread the wealth” upward….have reached into yours and my wallet and handed it to people to help them buy their caviar and get the fourth house on the lake. Aren’t you tired of this yet? It’s starting to get to the point where this is not my country anymore….I’m happy that I’m getting a year older tomorrow and won’t have to see these heartless shills steal what is left of what was a great country much longer…geez…

Politics

Never thought I’d thank a Republican…..

Leave a comment

Well…it’s kind of a strange state of affairs when I would even consider thanking a republican for anything except for being an easy target for these posts…but, today, I find myself amazed and confused by the actions of Scott Brown and Olympia Snowe; both Republican senators from the northeast who have gone against their party to support the overhaul of the financial system. As expected, the tea party idiots are apoplectic and vow to defeat both of them in the next election.

So, the tea partiers want there to be a system rigged in favor of the guys that caused the meltdown that has taken their jobs? All in the name of “states rights” since they feel the federal government doesn’t have the authority to regulate any part of the economy. So, for what they see as principle, they are ready to let the financial thieves steal more and more of the country?

Thank you Scott Brown and Olympia Snowe for doing what is right instead of what is right for your careers….

Politics

Is Frank Beckmann an idiot or just a cynical Repub shill?

Leave a comment

Well….yay…it’s outrage day again here in the world of the sane. Reading the Detroit News this morning, I ran across a piece of tripe from the columnist Frank Beckmann, whose premise is that the Obama administration is crazy since they have chosen to enforce the federal right to control immigration policy by challenging the Arizona law on immigration. His posit is that since the federal government is not living up to what the people of Arizona want on immigration enforcement, it is their right to make their own laws regarding it. What’s next Frank, if they don’t like some trade laws or the Chinese manipulation of their currency, are you proposing that Arizona send a delegation to talk to the Chinese or make laws that would better fit the thoughts of the residents? Or, if they decide we should get out of Afghanistan, then they can bring home any Arizona Reserve or National Guard unit that they see fit?

Frank also goes on to say that since the Obama administration has decided to not enforce federal marijuana laws in states that have approved medical marijuana, their stand on the Arizona immigration law is invalid…no, Frank, it’s not inconsistent or invalid, it’s the feds recognizing that this is a medical issue that affects individuals in those states, not a federal policy one and has the compassion to see the difference. They federal government has always had to the right to chose where to apply resources in the application of the law.

He concludes that Obama’s administration is bowing to political pressure and is not prosecuting people that should be under current laws…all I have to say is: Where were you , Frank, when the Bushies were illegally wiretapping the entire country and torturing in the name of America; breaking too many laws and treaties to count….cheerleading as usual. So now, I guess your column means you would support prosecution of Bush, Cheney, and all of their cronies? No. I didn’t think so…..Geez…..

Politics

I’m not surprised…

Leave a comment

Well…as promised, I have to comment on the op-ed by Nolan Finley in the Detroit News today, in which he asserts that Obama is directing a “War on Business” since he wants to revise how corporations are taxed and regulated, and how trade is conducted. And the only evidence this guy presents is a “report” that was cooked up by some group called the Business Roundtable as a response to the imagined slight they felt when they met with Obama and he didn’t roll over and give them everything they wanted a la the Bushies. He then goes on to cite 5 areas that the righties and their business cronies are so concerned about: taxes (go figure), financial regulation, trade, energy, and healthcare. I think I’ll respond in that same format; paraphrasing his words and then giving my response.

Taxes. His take..we should cut corporate taxes so they will invest more here since we have a higher corporate tax rate than other countries. Mine…you have got to be kidding me….we may have a tax rate that is higher but look at the actual taxes paid and you see a different story since the repubs built in so many loopholes that only a company with a really stupid accounting firm pays their full tax bill. Disingenious Nolan.

Financial Regulation. His take…we re-regulate the financial industry since it will cost companies 5-6 billion dollars and maybe 120K jobs. Mine…ha, ha, ha, ha….again, and you have got to be kidding me! Not regulate the guys that cost the economy 8 million jobs and trillions of dollars? Just because it may cost them some money and we may lose some financial industry parasites? Take a look at Canada and what has happened there since they were NOT taken in by the calls for deregulation of their financial industry….much less losses in both jobs and money. Read a little about your neighbors across the river, Nolan.

Trade. His…we need more agreements like Nafta or we will lose jobs to our competitors. Mine….I can’t even laugh about this anymore. Nafta started the wholesale loss of jobs in this country and now he wants more of the same? Just so his business buddies can ship more jobs to low wage countries like China who then use currency and tariff manipulation to ensure we can’t sell to them?

Energy and environment. His take…limits on carbon emissions that are proposed will send business elsewhere. Mine…these are proposed regulations that are in the talking stages but the same thing was said when the first smog regulations were put into place for cars and when the first CAFE standards for fuel mileage were imposed. That worked out pretty well…for both business and regular people.

Health care. His take (or I should say business’s take) is that the new regs will cause uncertainty and change. Mine…I sure hope so..try being a 56 year old who needs to buy health insurance…you can’t unless you want to pay 1,200 to 2,000 dollars a month.

He then finishes with the Republican talking point that we need to do something about the deficit; well, where the hell were you, Nolan, when your repub buddies were taking the surplus Bush was given and then starting two wars you didn’t pay for using accounting tricks and then rewarding the rich for being rich with those massive tax cuts that did nothing for the economy? If you are so concerned about deficits, then you will support letting the Bush tax cuts expire. Do you even realize that what your are proposing (cutting spending during a recession/depression) was tried in the 30′s? Didn’t work then.

You seem to think that we all need to do what rep Joe Barton did last week: apologize to business and ask “pretty please” will you let us help you make obscene profits while telling the American middle class to go to hell. Geez….

Politics

Okay, I’m on a roll…let’s move on to Rick Barber…

Leave a comment

Well..I hope you’ve seen the latest campaign ad by Rick Barber who is running for the House from Alabama, where he uses the image of Abraham Lincoln to drive home his point that paying your fair share of taxes is equivalent to slavery. Really, Rick? Let’s start with the fact that many people in Alabama still hate Lincoln and the north for the Civil War so, let’s trot out the president that raised the first income tax to pay for the war? And propagate the lie that he would agree with you?

I have my doubts that we have a sustainable gene pool if this is the best that Alabama has to offer; and that anyone who can think would vote for this moron…please Alabama, prove me wrong…Geez…

Politics

More Boehner…..

Leave a comment

Well…in the last post, I neglected to mention another wonderful statement that came out of Boehner’s mouth today….another jaw-dropper that is breathtaking in its obtuseness…he stated that reforming the financial regulations that the Dems have been working on, regulations (or lack of them) that allowed the worst meltdown and recession in 8o years is like “killing an ant with a nuclear weapon”.
Oh, really, John? How did all that de-regulatin’ work out for the country? How many people are out of work because of you and your ilk whose only allegiance is to the corporations that buy your votes to stack the deck against ordinary folks?

Are you stupid or do you just not care what you say? Oh, that’s right, the repubs don’t care what they say because most of it is lies or comes form the little voices in their heads….

I’ve been working very hard to not be angry all the time about everything, and my friends can see I’ve had some success; but when I see this stuff from any public figure who is cynically using his position for the personal gain of his business friends…I can’t stay silent…I hope you can’t either…geez…

Politics

Those heartless bastards..

Leave a comment

Okay folks..if you had any doubt of what the GOP is all about, all you have to do is open your ears and eyes and listen to the new assaults on the middle class that they have proposed in the last couple of days…first you have George Will (I know, not a legislator but he is a defacto leader and one of the “brightest” brains of the repubs) saying that there should be no more extensions of unemployment benefits for anyone since “doing so will just encourage people to stay unemployed”. Okay George, who in their right mind would chose to lose their house, medical benefits, and everything else they’ve worked for just to get a measley 300 dollars a week? Where the hell are those jobs they are not taking? I’d really like to know since I could use one as could many other people I know..one who is going to lose his house because you and your repub buddies are so worried now about the deficit. Where were you when you and all of your rich, repub cronies were getting millions in tax cuts that you knew were going to put the country in the red and you didn’t care…you got yours so the hell with everyone else.

And now we have Boehner today saying that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan should be paid for by pushing the eligibility for social Security back to 70 and then means testing for anyone to get any money at all. Now, you know how these guys are about taxes, doesn’t he realize this is one of the largest tax increases in history if his plan is followed? Oh, but is not a tax on his beloved corporations but on the middle class so that is okay in his eyes. It is just another way to minimize the importance of Social Security and for the repubs to get what has been their goal since the 30′s; the elimination of any and all safety nets for everyday people…just listen to their senate candidate from Nevada, Sharron Angle, who has stated that Social security should be eliminated and everyone should be on their own.

I sit here amazement that anyone listens to George Will or John Boehner anymore…they are despicable people that need to go away and take their ideas with them….geez….

Politics

It’s the constitution again…

Leave a comment

Well…the gun rights people are happy today after the Supreme court made it harder for states and cities to have their own restrictions on guns. Now, I’m a pretty liberal, progressive person but when it comes to the constitution, I sometimes have to side with the righties when they have an absolutist view of the rights that they hold dear. My big problem is that most people pick and choose the rights they want to defend having more than once heard these very same righties utter the phrase “if you don’t have anything to hide, you won’t mind having your home, car, or person searched” on the capricious authority of any police officer. You’ve heard me tell of the horror stories that come from this kind of power and of the gutting of what is the most important amendment in the bill of rights; the fourth.

So why can’t we agree that the entire constitution is important and needs defending by both the right and left? Where was the right when their darling boy GW made the biggest attack on the constitution and their rights in history? Geez…

Politics

When did anger become a virtue?

Leave a comment

Well…this just popped into my head…no it didn’t hurt…when did anger and the expression of it become such a virtue? To listen to those on the right, Obama is not fit to be president because he acts too cool in times of crisis. You have got to be kidding me again…when I was growing up it was a virtue to not get upset at every little thing…to act like a man (or woman) when things went wrong and to think, then take action. There is even a well-know phrase, “calm under fire” that was one of the highest compliments that you could give someone. What went wrong? I think the right is confusing the sound and fury that has come to define their brand of politics with accomplishment…and being an adult. Fox News is even using the phrase “No Drama Obama” as another slur…what would they have him do? Run around and scream?

It’s just another instance of the right saying whatever they can, no matter how true to try to bring the Obama administration down by any means…sounds like terrorism to me…but as always, I support their right to say it.

Keith, if you decide to steal this one, too..you owe me…

Politics

Good riddance…

Leave a comment

Well…as I advocated the other day…the President has removed General McChrystal from his position leading the effort in Afghanistan strongly reaffirming to this country and the rest of the world that the civilians are now and always will be in charge of our military. And, as more and more information comes out on this guy, what I said about him in the other post is also true: that this guy was just one of the tea partiers that could not accept that their side lost the election and was just throwing an immature fit like you see at all of the tea party rallies. Now, I know that some of you that read this are bosses…what would you do if one of your employees did what McChrystal did to the President? If one of your brightest engineers, for example, spent his break or work time bad-mouthing you to the rest of your team and showed you no respect? I’m sure you’d warn him that it wasn’t appropriate…but if he kept it up you wouldn’t tolerate it and would probably ask him or her to go somewhere else. Just what Obama did.

But, there is a larger danger here that has been ignored by our generation; a warning of which was given by an ex-general who was also president Eisenhower. “Beware the military-industrial complex”…to that I’ll add my own corollary…”Beware the hero worship of the military”. Many of the commentators seem to want to give the military a pass on everything with the right being the biggest cheerleaders…and yes they do sacrifice…but they also know what they are getting into when they sign up. It’s become almost like a religion to some folks and what the world doesn’t need is another religion…geez.