Megachurch pastor Rick Warren recently tweeted that half of Americans pay no taxes. He thought this was a funny point to make in the debates, that some people were not making enough sacrifices. However, as is usually the case with conservative claims, further examination renders them bunk. Fact-checkers have examined this and I will briefly summarize their findings.
It is true that 47% of Americans pay no FEDERAL income tax. However, they do pay payroll taxes, sales taxes, state income taxes, property taxes, and excise taxes. The reason for the 47% number is due to the fact that these people are either too poor to pay federal income taxes, or that they are able to claim deductions that allow them to avoid paying. So in a twist of unbelievable irony from a party that always complains about taxes being too high, they complain that taxes are not high enough on the poorest among us. That is the Republican way! Protect tax breaks for Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, but actually RAISE taxes on the least fortunate. It is beyond me how they are able to garner support from anyone except the millionaires and billionaires (which do not all support them either).
Sunday, July 31, 2011
CNN Don Lemon Owns Rand Paul
In an interview on CNN today, Rand Paul did what any good politician would do; he avoided answering a question by going off topic, similar to what Sarah Palin did in the Vice Presidential debates when she said that she didn't want to talk about what the moderator asked, she wanted to talk about what the "American people" cared about. He was asked whether the Tea Party was overreaching after achieving many of their goals, yet refusing to compromise (I think he was hinting at tax increases even though he did not directly say it).
This is a very difficult question for Republicans who are trying not to look like childish obstructionists who insist on getting every single thing they want from a deal and not giving anything back in return, and even risking a default by the United States if they do not get their way. So for him to avoid the question is completely understandable. However, it does not change the reality that the Tea Party has NOT been a positive force in the United States government. They are against people who need help the most, and favor the interests who need it the least.
This is a very difficult question for Republicans who are trying not to look like childish obstructionists who insist on getting every single thing they want from a deal and not giving anything back in return, and even risking a default by the United States if they do not get their way. So for him to avoid the question is completely understandable. However, it does not change the reality that the Tea Party has NOT been a positive force in the United States government. They are against people who need help the most, and favor the interests who need it the least.
DEBT DEAL WITHIN REACH
Progress has been made on the fighting between Republicans and Democrats over the debt-ceiling. Inside sources are saying that the deal would include a debt-ceiling increase of at least 2.1 trillion. Spending cuts of around 1.2 trillion over a ten year span. It forms a special Congressional committee to recommend further policy recommendations that can include anything. It will complete it's final report by late November. If the report is not acted on by December 23rd, there would be automatic trigger cuts that occur in both Medicare and Defense (to give both sides incentive to follow). And finally, a vote will be allowed to be taken on a balanced budget amendment in both houses of Congress.
It is wonderful that Congress has reached a deal to avoid default at close to the last minute. However, it is strange that a special Congressional committee is going to be granted a lot of power to use down the road. What if this committee is made up of Republicans who refuse to raise taxes? And who is going to appoint members? It's troubling to me that the Tea Party has forced Congress to become more dysfunctional than it usually is. Hopefully this provision is taken out in the final vote.
It is wonderful that Congress has reached a deal to avoid default at close to the last minute. However, it is strange that a special Congressional committee is going to be granted a lot of power to use down the road. What if this committee is made up of Republicans who refuse to raise taxes? And who is going to appoint members? It's troubling to me that the Tea Party has forced Congress to become more dysfunctional than it usually is. Hopefully this provision is taken out in the final vote.
Man and Machine
Actroid androids are robots that resemble humans very much. They look like us! The line between man and machine is becoming more and more blurred as technology continues to advance. Some welcome this, thinking it is progess, and others are scared of it, as is illustrated in the Terminator movies. Both are legitimate points of view, and can be defend thoroughly. But another interesting question is the line between human and robot. At what point does a machine becoming a human being?
I don't believe I can answer this question in a blog post, but I think an interesting area to study would be when a robot can display originality. When a robot can innovate and discover something humans have not. This will be an incredible breakthrough. It will mean something that can compute much faster than human beings has the ability to invent. This could end up drastically changing the speed at which technology changes, creating a snowball effect. And the final results are probably something we could not even imagine...
I don't believe I can answer this question in a blog post, but I think an interesting area to study would be when a robot can display originality. When a robot can innovate and discover something humans have not. This will be an incredible breakthrough. It will mean something that can compute much faster than human beings has the ability to invent. This could end up drastically changing the speed at which technology changes, creating a snowball effect. And the final results are probably something we could not even imagine...
The 14th Amendment Option?
Section 4 of the 14th amendment to the constitution states that “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payments of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.” Many Democrats are calling for Obama to do invoke this and bypass Congress. It is a tricky situation and one that must be handled with caution.
The debt limit has always been raised in the past, even when the situation seemed dire. However, the case this time is different. Many in the Tea Party TRULY believe either that default is not possible or that it would be a good thing in the long run. This is extremely worrisome. They are very inflexible people. They are not open to evidence, so experts telling them it would be bad does not phase them. What happens if the Tea Party pulls us to the brink of default?
This is where the 14th amendment comes in. It is not clear whether it would be constitutional for President Obama to try this, but it would postpone a default while the question worked it's way to the Supreme Court. If I were Obama, I would call the Supreme Court to the White House and ask them what they thought about the matter. In any case, I firmly believe that if the Tea Party decides to hinder any attempt at a deal, this would be the only viable option to rescue the country.
The debt limit has always been raised in the past, even when the situation seemed dire. However, the case this time is different. Many in the Tea Party TRULY believe either that default is not possible or that it would be a good thing in the long run. This is extremely worrisome. They are very inflexible people. They are not open to evidence, so experts telling them it would be bad does not phase them. What happens if the Tea Party pulls us to the brink of default?
This is where the 14th amendment comes in. It is not clear whether it would be constitutional for President Obama to try this, but it would postpone a default while the question worked it's way to the Supreme Court. If I were Obama, I would call the Supreme Court to the White House and ask them what they thought about the matter. In any case, I firmly believe that if the Tea Party decides to hinder any attempt at a deal, this would be the only viable option to rescue the country.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Police Investigate Beating
Las Vegas police officer Derek Colling was accused of beating Mitchell Crooks for videotaping him while he was investigating a burglary. An investigation by the police department found Colling to be guilty. I think this is a very significant finding. It shows that the police cannot act with impunity when dealing with civilians and that emerging technology can expose actions that may have gone undetected in the past.
Start with police responsibility. Before videotaping was so widespread, police could rough around a suspect and get away with it. There would be no evidence to support a victim of a crime, and this happened often during the civil rights movements of the 60s. Police should not be able to abuse their power and there should be safeguards to ensure they don't. With videotaping, there is no escape. An abusive police officer being caught on camera assaulting another human being and not escaping the consequences is positive for us all.
Start with police responsibility. Before videotaping was so widespread, police could rough around a suspect and get away with it. There would be no evidence to support a victim of a crime, and this happened often during the civil rights movements of the 60s. Police should not be able to abuse their power and there should be safeguards to ensure they don't. With videotaping, there is no escape. An abusive police officer being caught on camera assaulting another human being and not escaping the consequences is positive for us all.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Fuel Efficiency Standards Are Raised
President Barack Obama and the manufacturers of major automobiles in the United States have agreed to increase fuel efficiency standards to 54.5 MPG by the year 2025. This is good for business, good for consumers, and good for the overall economy.
Start with consumers. People are paying large amounts of money for gas. It is sucking family budgets and causing them to have less disposable income. If people can buy an affordable vehicle that gets great MPG, then they will not be using as much of their income on gas and will be able to use it on other things.
This is where it helps the business community. When people have more disposable income, they have more money to spend. And with more money to spend, they will do things like go shopping for electronics or clothes, and eat out more often. This will in turn stimulate the economy and increase the profitability of business, which will encourage more economic growth. Businesses will also not have as many expenses with regards to transporting items from one location to another.
With both of these factors working together, the overall economy will be strengthened. Families spending more and businesses collecting more. The economy will grow, and everyone's standard of living will be increased. For conservatives who are in bed with the big oil companies, they should consider the long-term effects of not supporting such legislation.
Start with consumers. People are paying large amounts of money for gas. It is sucking family budgets and causing them to have less disposable income. If people can buy an affordable vehicle that gets great MPG, then they will not be using as much of their income on gas and will be able to use it on other things.
This is where it helps the business community. When people have more disposable income, they have more money to spend. And with more money to spend, they will do things like go shopping for electronics or clothes, and eat out more often. This will in turn stimulate the economy and increase the profitability of business, which will encourage more economic growth. Businesses will also not have as many expenses with regards to transporting items from one location to another.
With both of these factors working together, the overall economy will be strengthened. Families spending more and businesses collecting more. The economy will grow, and everyone's standard of living will be increased. For conservatives who are in bed with the big oil companies, they should consider the long-term effects of not supporting such legislation.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
9/11 Memorial Violates Separation of Church and State
After the rubble was cleared from the World Trade Center bombings on September 11th, 2001, there was a steel t-joint that was designed to hold up the buildings. The joint, due to it's resemblance to the Christian cross that symbolizes Jesus' death and resurrection, caused many Christians to begin to see it as a memorial. It was originally moved to St. Peter's church, but it has been moved back to ground zero. American Atheists are suing saying that unless symbols from many other religious groups are included also, it is a violation of church and state.
The atheists seem to be right on this one. Since ground zero is public property, a Christian religious symbol would appear to be an endorsement of the Christian religion, which would not be constitutional. I always find it strange when certain groups of Christians become upset when there is a challenge to the constitutionality of a religious symbol on public property, such as the ten commandments. There is a separation of church and state in the U.S. constitution, and public property sporting a specific religion's symbols is an endorsement of that religion. There is no defense that can be offered. It is also ironic that many who claim we need these Christian religious symbols are also the ones who claim to be "strict conservative constitutionalists" who say that the government cannot constitutionally do many of the things it currently does. I guess that only applies if one is not a right-wing conservative Christian.
The atheists seem to be right on this one. Since ground zero is public property, a Christian religious symbol would appear to be an endorsement of the Christian religion, which would not be constitutional. I always find it strange when certain groups of Christians become upset when there is a challenge to the constitutionality of a religious symbol on public property, such as the ten commandments. There is a separation of church and state in the U.S. constitution, and public property sporting a specific religion's symbols is an endorsement of that religion. There is no defense that can be offered. It is also ironic that many who claim we need these Christian religious symbols are also the ones who claim to be "strict conservative constitutionalists" who say that the government cannot constitutionally do many of the things it currently does. I guess that only applies if one is not a right-wing conservative Christian.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Reid Plan Reduces Deficit More Than Boehner
The Congressional Budget Office, the non-partisan policy analysts that both sides respect, scored both the Reid and Boehner plans and found that the Reid plan reduced the deficit by more, 2.2 trillion for Reid and 850 billion for Boehner. Isn't this ironic that Republicans have said Democrats don't want to cut spending but the plan put in by a Democrat actually cuts the deficit more over the next ten years? This is normal fantasy indulgence by the right.
I wonder how the Tea Party is going to react to this. They are unahppy with Boehner right now anyway, so this could very well fuel a primary challenge by a more conservative candidate. The Tea Party really cannot be pleased. It has been obvious over these debt negotiations that they do not like compromise. They are like spoiled children that don't want to share. They want all they ask for or they will ruin the game for everyone else. I hope Americans have learned from their mistake of electing these mentally unstable Tea Party freshmen in 2010, and will vote in some adults to office.
I wonder how the Tea Party is going to react to this. They are unahppy with Boehner right now anyway, so this could very well fuel a primary challenge by a more conservative candidate. The Tea Party really cannot be pleased. It has been obvious over these debt negotiations that they do not like compromise. They are like spoiled children that don't want to share. They want all they ask for or they will ruin the game for everyone else. I hope Americans have learned from their mistake of electing these mentally unstable Tea Party freshmen in 2010, and will vote in some adults to office.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Guns Guns Guns
4 different shootings have happened this weekend. At a birthday party in Texas, a gunmen at a skating rink killed himself and 5 other people. In Central Florida today, a fight between teenagers, nine rounds were fired but no one was killed. A 15 year old was killed at a party Saturday night. And on Sunday morning in Seattle a man went into a casino to find his ex, and when he found her, he killed her and the man she was with, along with hurting 5 bystanders.
Events like this give all Americans pause. What causes people to engage in such violent behavior? However, one thing is clear, the easy availability of a gun makes it much easier for crazy people to kill large amounts of people in a short period of time. Why should a weapon that can kill people in such an efficient way be so easily available? What need does the average citizen have for such a firearm? There is no need. There is no reason that guns that fire multiple rounds in a matter of seconds should be accessible to anyone but law enforcement and the military. People who are paranoid about the government who say we need such weapons probably should not have them to begin with.
Events like this give all Americans pause. What causes people to engage in such violent behavior? However, one thing is clear, the easy availability of a gun makes it much easier for crazy people to kill large amounts of people in a short period of time. Why should a weapon that can kill people in such an efficient way be so easily available? What need does the average citizen have for such a firearm? There is no need. There is no reason that guns that fire multiple rounds in a matter of seconds should be accessible to anyone but law enforcement and the military. People who are paranoid about the government who say we need such weapons probably should not have them to begin with.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Perry and Gay Marriage
Rick Perry, the governor of Texas who said Texas should secede from the Union if the federal government does not slow down, and a potential Republican nominee for President of the United States, said that gay marriage was a states issue. He said he had no problem with New York passing it, but he would personally oppose it in his state. This sounds like gay marriage has become the new racism hidden in states' right talk.
During segregation, this was the position of many racists, saying it was a state issue and the federal government should not force de-segregation on the states. I'm not exactly sure where along the line people decided that it would be a good idea to make a civil right, i.e. marriage, a state's right issue. It is about the dignity of the persons involved. It is not about a particular agenda. Conservatives are simply on the wrong side of history, like they have been so many times in the past. The state's right rhetoric cannot hide the bigotry that stands behind their words. I find it ironic how Republicans try to bash Democrats for being weak, yet Republicans are the ones who completely lack the moral courage to stand up to their bigoted base and tell them that being gay is not a choice and gay marriage is a civil rights issue they will support.
During segregation, this was the position of many racists, saying it was a state issue and the federal government should not force de-segregation on the states. I'm not exactly sure where along the line people decided that it would be a good idea to make a civil right, i.e. marriage, a state's right issue. It is about the dignity of the persons involved. It is not about a particular agenda. Conservatives are simply on the wrong side of history, like they have been so many times in the past. The state's right rhetoric cannot hide the bigotry that stands behind their words. I find it ironic how Republicans try to bash Democrats for being weak, yet Republicans are the ones who completely lack the moral courage to stand up to their bigoted base and tell them that being gay is not a choice and gay marriage is a civil rights issue they will support.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Obama Finally Ends DADT
Today Obama officially ended the discriminatory bigoted policy of the United States military known as Don't Ask Don't Tell. It stipulated that gay soldiers could serve as long as they were not openly gay, and the military would not ask questions. The repeal already passed awhile back, but it was not officially certified until the Secretary of Defense, the joint chiefs of staff chairman, and the President had all signed it. And since Obama was the last one to sign it, it officially was repealed today.
It's distressing to me how painstakingly slow progress has been on this issue. It is the middle of the year 2011 and WILLING open homosexuals are just now being granted the right to serve in the United States military, when we need soldiers more than ever, it is ridiculous that this has not happened sooner. However, I am very happy that this step has been taken. This will increase acceptance of homosexuals in society and strengthen the military. And eventually, gay marriage will become legal, even in the most bigoted conservative states.
It's distressing to me how painstakingly slow progress has been on this issue. It is the middle of the year 2011 and WILLING open homosexuals are just now being granted the right to serve in the United States military, when we need soldiers more than ever, it is ridiculous that this has not happened sooner. However, I am very happy that this step has been taken. This will increase acceptance of homosexuals in society and strengthen the military. And eventually, gay marriage will become legal, even in the most bigoted conservative states.
Here Comes The Crazies!
Westboro Baptist Church, the hate-mongering group that likes to protests anything and everything, is protesting in New York this weekend over the governor's (Andrew Cuomo) signing of same-sex marriage into law. Many conservative Christians denounce them and say they are not affiliated with true Christianity. However, they blame homosexuality for things like New Orleans and 9/11, just like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell who many mainstream conservative Christians listen to. Conservatives and Westboro all say homosexuality is a sin against God, believe in salvation by grace, and believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. Many a time growing up I heard sermons saying that homosexuality was an abomination and it was a sin. That people were not born gay.
I'm looking for a major difference in the beliefs of Westboro and conservative Christians and the only thing I really see is 1) Westboro is more pre-occupied with homosexuality than other conservatives and 2) conservative Christians are nicer in their message about it. Normal conservative Christians simply say homosexuality is an abomination and a sin against God but it's like any other sin so you can overcome it. Westboro seems to view it as much more heinous than most. However, the fact remains they still share many similar relevant qualities that "respectable" Christians fail to notice. Perhaps conservative Christians should consider how closely their beliefs are related to Westboro Baptist Church and re-evaluate them.
I'm looking for a major difference in the beliefs of Westboro and conservative Christians and the only thing I really see is 1) Westboro is more pre-occupied with homosexuality than other conservatives and 2) conservative Christians are nicer in their message about it. Normal conservative Christians simply say homosexuality is an abomination and a sin against God but it's like any other sin so you can overcome it. Westboro seems to view it as much more heinous than most. However, the fact remains they still share many similar relevant qualities that "respectable" Christians fail to notice. Perhaps conservative Christians should consider how closely their beliefs are related to Westboro Baptist Church and re-evaluate them.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
American Companies Behaving Badly
The Institute for Global Labor and Human Rights released a report in June that showed major American companies had been purchasing clothes that were made in factories in Jordan that abused their workers. The factories did things such as beating workers, nor complying with contracts, and forced them to live in unsanitary conditions. I want to be clear that the American companies were not doing this, but they were buying clothing from factories that were. The American companies buying the clothing were Target, Macy's, Kohls, Hanes, and Target according to this report. The American government and United Nations are investigating.
If this is true, this is disgusting. Companies should first and foremost be moral. Profit motive comes second to that. Workers should be treated fairly. People have a right to fair working conditions, and to be paid a living wage that will allow them to NOT live in poverty and save for their retirement. There is no reason this should not happen, with corporate profits in the millions and sometimes even billions. Unions need to come back strong in the United States and all of our standards of living will improve.
If this is true, this is disgusting. Companies should first and foremost be moral. Profit motive comes second to that. Workers should be treated fairly. People have a right to fair working conditions, and to be paid a living wage that will allow them to NOT live in poverty and save for their retirement. There is no reason this should not happen, with corporate profits in the millions and sometimes even billions. Unions need to come back strong in the United States and all of our standards of living will improve.
Texas Does It Again!
Remember when Texas' Board of Education decided to engage in revisionist history? They said there was no such thing as a separation of church and state, teach that Germans and Italians were put on concentration camps also along with Japanese(which is actually true but doesn't really quell charges of racism, it just bolsters them), how McCarthyism was right, change "capitalism" to "free-enterprise system", and got rid of Jefferson in groups of thinkers that inspired revolutions and replaced him with Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin, and William Blackstone. They are at it again with evolution.
Rick Perry, the dumbed down version of George Bush, appointed Barbara Cargill to chairwoman of the board. She recently said that of the 11 members on the board, only 6 are "true" conservative Christians, and there are 11 Republicans on the board. She does not believe evolution occurred, and thinks textbooks should point out the problems with the theory. As a budding philosopher, I have no problem with pointing out flaws in something. However, evolution is the best and most current explanation of the variety of life on earth. My problem is more with the anti-intellectualism that has infiltrated many in the Republican party.
All liberals have had this problem. The conservative says something that is factually false, and you point to a reliable source that refutes them, and then they deny the source is reliable. For example, waterboarding was considered torture for many years in the United States, at least since World War 2. And then conservatives claim that what George W. Bush did was NOT a war crime when all the evidence is to the contrary. Or the theory of evolution. Or being gay is a choice. Conservatives do not have to embrace this absurdity. Not all conservatives do, but many in the Republican party are like this, enough to force the elected officials to often give lip-service to these positions, and sometimes push for them. Another example is the Bush tax cuts. Some conservatives claim that revenues increase with tax cuts, but no reliable fact-checking organization has ever found this to be true, AND Ronald Reagan himself raised taxes during his Presidency, seeing that the revenue was needed to keep the debt from exploding more than it already was.
Prominent conservatives in the Republican party need to speak out against this anti-intellectual, history revising, bigoted outspoken wing of their party and say enough is enough. We will no longer court your vote. And the media should ask directed questions about why they don't think evolution is a viable theory (used in the SCIENTIFIC SENSE OF THE WORD and not everyday lingo) and why they believe discriminating against homosexuals even with all the scientific evidence against them is the right thing to do.
Rick Perry, the dumbed down version of George Bush, appointed Barbara Cargill to chairwoman of the board. She recently said that of the 11 members on the board, only 6 are "true" conservative Christians, and there are 11 Republicans on the board. She does not believe evolution occurred, and thinks textbooks should point out the problems with the theory. As a budding philosopher, I have no problem with pointing out flaws in something. However, evolution is the best and most current explanation of the variety of life on earth. My problem is more with the anti-intellectualism that has infiltrated many in the Republican party.
All liberals have had this problem. The conservative says something that is factually false, and you point to a reliable source that refutes them, and then they deny the source is reliable. For example, waterboarding was considered torture for many years in the United States, at least since World War 2. And then conservatives claim that what George W. Bush did was NOT a war crime when all the evidence is to the contrary. Or the theory of evolution. Or being gay is a choice. Conservatives do not have to embrace this absurdity. Not all conservatives do, but many in the Republican party are like this, enough to force the elected officials to often give lip-service to these positions, and sometimes push for them. Another example is the Bush tax cuts. Some conservatives claim that revenues increase with tax cuts, but no reliable fact-checking organization has ever found this to be true, AND Ronald Reagan himself raised taxes during his Presidency, seeing that the revenue was needed to keep the debt from exploding more than it already was.
Prominent conservatives in the Republican party need to speak out against this anti-intellectual, history revising, bigoted outspoken wing of their party and say enough is enough. We will no longer court your vote. And the media should ask directed questions about why they don't think evolution is a viable theory (used in the SCIENTIFIC SENSE OF THE WORD and not everyday lingo) and why they believe discriminating against homosexuals even with all the scientific evidence against them is the right thing to do.
Palin LAUGHABLY Says She Will Help the Mainstream Media
Ever since Palin could not answer Katie Couric's question, "What do you read?", she has become known as a bit of a dunce. What many people do not know about Sarah Palin is that she has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Hawaii. She recently said "I want to help clean up the state that is so sorry today of journalism..." I think the first step she can take is to start acting like a serious thinker.
Palin consistently dodges reporters of any news organization that does not give her a favorable view. She only gives interviews to places like NewsMax, Fox News, or The Christian Broadcasting Network. All three of these are actually unreputable news organizations. She doesn't go on CNN, ABC, CBS, or NBC. She won't talk to the New York Time or the Washington Post. Her interviews are to organizations that do NOT practice good journalism. It is ironic at BEST that she would make such a statement. In theory she knows very well what she is doing. She knows what good journalism should be, she just chooses for some reason not to engage news companies that practice it. I think she does have a lesson to teach. Any news organization that she regularly appears on is an example of HOW NOT TO PRACTICE GOOD JOURNALISM. Until she engages with real reporters, she cannot be taken seriously as a public thinker.
Palin consistently dodges reporters of any news organization that does not give her a favorable view. She only gives interviews to places like NewsMax, Fox News, or The Christian Broadcasting Network. All three of these are actually unreputable news organizations. She doesn't go on CNN, ABC, CBS, or NBC. She won't talk to the New York Time or the Washington Post. Her interviews are to organizations that do NOT practice good journalism. It is ironic at BEST that she would make such a statement. In theory she knows very well what she is doing. She knows what good journalism should be, she just chooses for some reason not to engage news companies that practice it. I think she does have a lesson to teach. Any news organization that she regularly appears on is an example of HOW NOT TO PRACTICE GOOD JOURNALISM. Until she engages with real reporters, she cannot be taken seriously as a public thinker.
Grover Norquist Backtrack
Grover Norquist, the man in charge of Americans For Tax Reform, and the one who insists all Republicans sign a pledge promising that they will not raise taxes, told the Washington Post editorial board that letting the Bush tax cuts expire would not be an increase stating, “Not continuing a tax cut is not technically a tax increase," and with regards to the pledge and whether letting the Bush tax cuts expire would be a tax increase he said, “We wouldn’t hold it that way."
In a stunning about face, on an interview with MSNBC, Norquist said he was quoted out of context by the Washington Post and said if he had been quoted in context, "Otherwise it wouldn't pass the laugh test to go to the American people and tell them you just allowed $4 trillion dollars in higher taxes by allowing the 2001-2003 lower rates to lapse and tell people that's not a tax increase."
It seemed as there was a glimmer of hope. The debt-ceiling talks have been stalled due to the Republicans consistently being in bed with corporations. Norquist comes out and says letting the tax cuts expire would not technically be a tax increase and liberals like me cheer. It is a breakthrough. The Republicans have political cover now to let them expire for the richest Americans and not be in trouble for it.Then Norquist backtracks, and all hope is lost again. The debt-ceiling talks show how irrational and ridiculous the Republican Party has become. Recently, a video was found of Ronald Reagan calling for a CLEAN debt-ceiling increase with no policy attached. He would be laughed out of the Republican party today. HE ALSO RAISED TAXES 11 TIMES. What a liberal. The Republican party has transformed from a conservative alternative to Democratic liberals to a party based on the religious dogma of no new taxes.
In a stunning about face, on an interview with MSNBC, Norquist said he was quoted out of context by the Washington Post and said if he had been quoted in context, "Otherwise it wouldn't pass the laugh test to go to the American people and tell them you just allowed $4 trillion dollars in higher taxes by allowing the 2001-2003 lower rates to lapse and tell people that's not a tax increase."
It seemed as there was a glimmer of hope. The debt-ceiling talks have been stalled due to the Republicans consistently being in bed with corporations. Norquist comes out and says letting the tax cuts expire would not technically be a tax increase and liberals like me cheer. It is a breakthrough. The Republicans have political cover now to let them expire for the richest Americans and not be in trouble for it.Then Norquist backtracks, and all hope is lost again. The debt-ceiling talks show how irrational and ridiculous the Republican Party has become. Recently, a video was found of Ronald Reagan calling for a CLEAN debt-ceiling increase with no policy attached. He would be laughed out of the Republican party today. HE ALSO RAISED TAXES 11 TIMES. What a liberal. The Republican party has transformed from a conservative alternative to Democratic liberals to a party based on the religious dogma of no new taxes.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Limits of Free Speech
I begin this post not really sure how I feel about the case I am about to describe. Free speech is a protected right in the U.S. Constitution, but at what point does it cross the line and deserve censorship? Walter Bagdasarian posted a message about Obama on Yahoo.com two years ago. This is not surprising. There are many political comments on Yahoo. However, in this one he said that Obama "will have a 50 cal in the head soon" and also called him a racial slur.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled that his speech was protected and there was no evidence that he actually intended to carry out an act. Usually free speech is protected unless the individual is inciting a riot or there is a known intent to harm. Many people say unruly things in political discourse, so it is hard to gauge intentions. With that said, I believe that if I were to say outloud at a school or work that I wanted to shoot Obama and I was reported, the FBI would be paying me a visit. I do not know whether I would be charged or not. But is this what free speech is about? Talking about killing another human being? I'm not sure this is protected. I don't believe the man necessarily deserved a harsh sentence or anything. Perhaps he needs anger management. But the point is that talking about politics and issues is not equivalent to talking about killing another person, just because of their race or political party.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California ruled that his speech was protected and there was no evidence that he actually intended to carry out an act. Usually free speech is protected unless the individual is inciting a riot or there is a known intent to harm. Many people say unruly things in political discourse, so it is hard to gauge intentions. With that said, I believe that if I were to say outloud at a school or work that I wanted to shoot Obama and I was reported, the FBI would be paying me a visit. I do not know whether I would be charged or not. But is this what free speech is about? Talking about killing another human being? I'm not sure this is protected. I don't believe the man necessarily deserved a harsh sentence or anything. Perhaps he needs anger management. But the point is that talking about politics and issues is not equivalent to talking about killing another person, just because of their race or political party.
Republican Voter's Lack of Intellectual Depth
Michele Bachmann, one of the Republican Presidential candidates from Minnesota (the other being Tim Pawlenty), is now polling at number two right behind Mitt Romney. I wonder about the rationality of voters who strongly support her. She's extremely inflexible and bigoted. Bachmann and associates DOES practice reparative therapy, and Bachmann refuses to consider tax increases as part of the budget deal on the table (thought his could be leveled against any Republican). She called for investigation into members of Congress who may hold "anti-american views". And she's just downright crazy with her beliefs on homosexuality. Why should such a person be supported?
A President should be able to assess evidence and change opinions accordingly, and should not be a bigot. She refuses to change her mind on anything, even with the evidence is staring her in the face, such as is the case with homosexuality and evolution. She has irresponsibly said that she won't vote to raise the debt-ceiling, and in doing so it is not a big deal. Default isn't a real threat. Stephen Colbert likes to use the word "truthiness" for politicians who play fast and loose with the facts, and Michele Bachmann seems to be the epitome of that word.
A President should be able to assess evidence and change opinions accordingly, and should not be a bigot. She refuses to change her mind on anything, even with the evidence is staring her in the face, such as is the case with homosexuality and evolution. She has irresponsibly said that she won't vote to raise the debt-ceiling, and in doing so it is not a big deal. Default isn't a real threat. Stephen Colbert likes to use the word "truthiness" for politicians who play fast and loose with the facts, and Michele Bachmann seems to be the epitome of that word.
Rupert Murdoch Lies Just as Badly as Fox News
If one were to watch Fox News as the main source of media, public policy polling has shown that they will consistently misinform you on major issues, and politifact has rated many of the people on the network and find the truth to be wanting. The man who owns NewsCorp, which is the parent company of many smaller companies, one of those being Faux News, was engaged in sleazy journalism. His British newspaper, News Of The World, was caught hacking into the phones of many British people, some as famous as Gordon Brown, and lower status people, such as the 13 year old girl named Milly Dowler. She was missing and NewsCorp employees actually hacked into her voicemail and deleted them to make room for her family and friends to leave more, leaving them and the police to believe she was still alive. And recently, Rebekah Brooks, Murdoch's second in command, admitted she had paid off the police for scandalous information. Murdoch claimed yesterday in front of the British Parliament that he did not know what was happening.
There seems to be a problem among conservative politicians of taking "personal responsibility" fof their actions. If a CEO is running a company with so many unethical people, he should resign for the sheer fact that he lacks the ability to judge character. However, it is not likely that he did not know what was going on, especially with Rebekah Brooks admitting to the police she paid off the police for information! This abdication of responsbility is similiar to what the Republicans that were in charge during the Bush years are doing. They cry and wail like a child at a candy store that they are not getting what they want, all the while they have spent all of their parents money at the mall and maxed out all of the credit cards. When the parent asks the child to get a job and pay for it (because this would bring in revenue), they refuse and blame the parents for wreckless spending, even though it was them that actually spent wrecklessly. The Republicans voted for huge tax cuts, two wars, a prescription drug bill, the creation of a new Department of Homeland Security, and No Child Left Behind all without paying for any of it. The economy tanks and revenues fall because people aren't working, emergency measures are needed to stabilize the economy, and Republicans make it sound as though Obama is the main problem. America needs to wake up to the fact that the Republican party in it's current form is intellectually bankrupt. And in the words of David Brooks, a conservative, " But we can have no confidence that the Republicans will seize this opportunity.(What he means here is a real deficit reduction deal in these debt-ceiling negotiations) That’s because the Republican Party may no longer be a normal party. Over the past few years, it has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative."
There seems to be a problem among conservative politicians of taking "personal responsibility" fof their actions. If a CEO is running a company with so many unethical people, he should resign for the sheer fact that he lacks the ability to judge character. However, it is not likely that he did not know what was going on, especially with Rebekah Brooks admitting to the police she paid off the police for information! This abdication of responsbility is similiar to what the Republicans that were in charge during the Bush years are doing. They cry and wail like a child at a candy store that they are not getting what they want, all the while they have spent all of their parents money at the mall and maxed out all of the credit cards. When the parent asks the child to get a job and pay for it (because this would bring in revenue), they refuse and blame the parents for wreckless spending, even though it was them that actually spent wrecklessly. The Republicans voted for huge tax cuts, two wars, a prescription drug bill, the creation of a new Department of Homeland Security, and No Child Left Behind all without paying for any of it. The economy tanks and revenues fall because people aren't working, emergency measures are needed to stabilize the economy, and Republicans make it sound as though Obama is the main problem. America needs to wake up to the fact that the Republican party in it's current form is intellectually bankrupt. And in the words of David Brooks, a conservative, " But we can have no confidence that the Republicans will seize this opportunity.(What he means here is a real deficit reduction deal in these debt-ceiling negotiations) That’s because the Republican Party may no longer be a normal party. Over the past few years, it has been infected by a faction that is more of a psychological protest than a practical, governing alternative."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Defense of Marriage Act Under Fire
The Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents the federal government from granting the rights to same-sex couples that married couples enjoy on the federal level, is under fire from President Obama and Congressional Democrats. Obama is no longer supporting it, and Dianne Feinstein and others are sponsoring what is being called the Respect for Marriage Act. This act would ensure that homosexuals in states where same-sex marriage is legal would be entitled to the same benefits heterosexual couples get.
I say about time! But why was this not pushed when the Democrats had control of the House and the Senate? It is obvious that the bigoted Tea Party Republican controlled House will never agree to this. However, the fact that this idea is being discussed in Congress means that it is already on it's way to being repealed, and it's only a matter of time before this occurs. I say The Tea Party bigots get behind this and actually support the freedom they incessantly talk about.
I say about time! But why was this not pushed when the Democrats had control of the House and the Senate? It is obvious that the bigoted Tea Party Republican controlled House will never agree to this. However, the fact that this idea is being discussed in Congress means that it is already on it's way to being repealed, and it's only a matter of time before this occurs. I say The Tea Party bigots get behind this and actually support the freedom they incessantly talk about.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Casey Anthony Verdict Updated
As the nation watched the trial of Casey Anthony, captivated at every turn, everyone assumed that the evidence the prosecution was presenting was accurate. The only question was whether the evidence pointed strongly enough to Anthony being guilty or not. However, the evidence was not completely accurate. Are you surprised prosecutors are fabricating evidence?
We all heard on the news that there were 84 searches for chloroform on Casey Anthony's computer. However, this is not true. There was only ONE search. John Bradley is the developer of the software CacheBack, which was used to prove that there had been 84 searches for chloroform. There was a problem with the software, and when it was fixed that was when John Bradley discovered that it was only one search. He says he notified the prosecution and the police. As we all know, they did not correct the record.
Many people have said Casey Anthony escaping a conviction is a failure of the justice system. How could an awful murderer get away with such a heinous crime? This is a good question, but a better question is whether the evidence the prosecution used was not accurate in other areas of the trial. How much did they lie? It's not unheard of for a prosecution to manufacture evidence, as DNA testing has exonerated many that were wrongfully convicted. It seems as though the conclusion to draw from this may not be that the jury made the wrong decision, but that the prosecution was not completely honest.
We all heard on the news that there were 84 searches for chloroform on Casey Anthony's computer. However, this is not true. There was only ONE search. John Bradley is the developer of the software CacheBack, which was used to prove that there had been 84 searches for chloroform. There was a problem with the software, and when it was fixed that was when John Bradley discovered that it was only one search. He says he notified the prosecution and the police. As we all know, they did not correct the record.
Many people have said Casey Anthony escaping a conviction is a failure of the justice system. How could an awful murderer get away with such a heinous crime? This is a good question, but a better question is whether the evidence the prosecution used was not accurate in other areas of the trial. How much did they lie? It's not unheard of for a prosecution to manufacture evidence, as DNA testing has exonerated many that were wrongfully convicted. It seems as though the conclusion to draw from this may not be that the jury made the wrong decision, but that the prosecution was not completely honest.
New Harry Potter Film
This is really out of the ordinary for my blog, but I feel as though I should briefly give my opinion of this movie. It is great. It keeps you hooked the entire time. And after it ends, you are wishing there would be more. It's not often a two and a half hour movie can seem to go so fast. I felt like I was only in the theater for 20 minutes. Anyway, if you have not seen this movie, I strongly urge you to see it ASAP!
Why America Does Not Need Another Conservative Texan
Haven't we tried this experiment before? George W. Bush was given a fiscally sound government and completely bankrupted it. Huge tax cuts for the rich, a prescription drug bill, a new Department of Homeland Security, No Child Left Behind, and two wars that were all not paid for. America's reputation was ruined around the world. Torture was temporarily legalized. And same-sex marriage was used as a wedge issue to turn out bigoted voters. These are just a view of the problems that the former President caused.
Now let us turn to Rick Perry. In his book published last year, "Fed Up: Our Fight to Save America From Washington, he espouses some very indefensible positions. Recall that during the health care debates he made national headlines for saying that Texas should secede from the Union if the federal government did not stop overstepping boundaries. Therefore it is not surprising in his book that he says the New Deal and the National Income taxes are both "marches toward socialism" and should be rolled back. He denies evolution and global warming, saying that it is just natural cycles of the earth to the latter and intelligent design is the better explanation to the former.
The common thread that unites Rick Perry and George Bush is that they both let their ideology shape what they perceive to be true or false, rather than letting what is true or false shape their ideology. The National Academy of Sciences and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change both have said it is HIGHLY probable that the vast increases in the earth's overall temperature are due to human activity. Evolution is accepted by virtually every reputable scientist of any kind in the world. But Perry and Bush both denied these findings because they do not want to face what is happening around them. It is a curious phenomenon that conservatives like Bush and Perry deny global warming, even though it is not a partisan issue whether it is actually occurring. It just is, and dealing with is what the debate should be about, not whether it is happening at all. That is the height of willful ignorance.
Now let us turn to Rick Perry. In his book published last year, "Fed Up: Our Fight to Save America From Washington, he espouses some very indefensible positions. Recall that during the health care debates he made national headlines for saying that Texas should secede from the Union if the federal government did not stop overstepping boundaries. Therefore it is not surprising in his book that he says the New Deal and the National Income taxes are both "marches toward socialism" and should be rolled back. He denies evolution and global warming, saying that it is just natural cycles of the earth to the latter and intelligent design is the better explanation to the former.
The common thread that unites Rick Perry and George Bush is that they both let their ideology shape what they perceive to be true or false, rather than letting what is true or false shape their ideology. The National Academy of Sciences and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change both have said it is HIGHLY probable that the vast increases in the earth's overall temperature are due to human activity. Evolution is accepted by virtually every reputable scientist of any kind in the world. But Perry and Bush both denied these findings because they do not want to face what is happening around them. It is a curious phenomenon that conservatives like Bush and Perry deny global warming, even though it is not a partisan issue whether it is actually occurring. It just is, and dealing with is what the debate should be about, not whether it is happening at all. That is the height of willful ignorance.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Herman Cain Thinks Mosques Can Be Banned
Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather's pizza and current Republican Presidential nominee, said in an interview on Fox News Sunday that any community that disapproves of a Mosque has the right to ban it. He also made a very interesting argument for the separation of church and state, "Islam combines church and state. They're using the church part of our First Amendment to infuse their morals in that community, and the people of that community do not like it. They disagree with it."
What is striking to me about this description of Islam is that it can apply to many portions of Christianity in America today. Many conservative pastors today speak out against "god-less liberalism" and claim that Republicans are the candidates that must be supported because they align with "Christian values." Putting aside the fact that Jesus would never have supported a party that was so in bed with corporations it lost sight of actual reality, they are claiming that their religion guides them in voting, and if the Republicans do win, they expect them to support the right-wing conservative Christian agenda of outright discrimination against homosexuals and draconian restrictions on women's reproductive rights because of a belief that life begins at conception, all the whole not defining life and going against the scientific evidence. If this is not infusion of church and state, I don't know what is!
I cannot imagine a Republican coming out and saying, conservative Christians have too much influence in our government. They push for discrimination against homosexuals, restricting women's reproductive rights, banning stem cell research that has the potential to save millions, and push lies that intelligent design is a viable "alternative" to evolution. I only ask for consistency.
What is striking to me about this description of Islam is that it can apply to many portions of Christianity in America today. Many conservative pastors today speak out against "god-less liberalism" and claim that Republicans are the candidates that must be supported because they align with "Christian values." Putting aside the fact that Jesus would never have supported a party that was so in bed with corporations it lost sight of actual reality, they are claiming that their religion guides them in voting, and if the Republicans do win, they expect them to support the right-wing conservative Christian agenda of outright discrimination against homosexuals and draconian restrictions on women's reproductive rights because of a belief that life begins at conception, all the whole not defining life and going against the scientific evidence. If this is not infusion of church and state, I don't know what is!
I cannot imagine a Republican coming out and saying, conservative Christians have too much influence in our government. They push for discrimination against homosexuals, restricting women's reproductive rights, banning stem cell research that has the potential to save millions, and push lies that intelligent design is a viable "alternative" to evolution. I only ask for consistency.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
California Gay Curriculum Law
The law passed by California, SB 48, which includes teaching about the contributions of homosexual people in history, is being challenged in court. Conservatives, who already hold strange political opinions to begin with, are challenging the law because they believe it will lead people to see homosexuality as normal and thus result in same-sex marriage. And same-sex marriage is a very evil thing indeed under this view.
I find it strange that conservatives would oppose a law that was actually teaching history. History happened, and if homosexuals made contributions to society as a whole there is nothing people who are against homosexuals in their quest for equal rights can do to change that. There is no "revisionist history" going on here, but simply an accurate portrayal of events. With the number of being people bullied for being gay lately, one would think that conservatives would soften their stance on homosexuality. However, blind bigotry seems to rule the day for them, as they oppose any efforts to show the general populace homosexuals are not as scary and perverse as the conservatives want us to believe.
I find it strange that conservatives would oppose a law that was actually teaching history. History happened, and if homosexuals made contributions to society as a whole there is nothing people who are against homosexuals in their quest for equal rights can do to change that. There is no "revisionist history" going on here, but simply an accurate portrayal of events. With the number of being people bullied for being gay lately, one would think that conservatives would soften their stance on homosexuality. However, blind bigotry seems to rule the day for them, as they oppose any efforts to show the general populace homosexuals are not as scary and perverse as the conservatives want us to believe.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Michele Bachmann's Crazy Church
Salem Lutheran Church, in Stillwaters, Minnesota, have identified the office of the Pope as the anti-Christ, which is the figure in the Bible that will institute a one-world government and cause everyone to follow him and deny the divinity of Jesus. Michele Bachmann has been a member of this church for more than decade. She and her Church both deny they are anti-Catholic.
Growing up as conservative Republican Christian, I am very aware of the view that many of them hold that says Catholics are not even Christians. They use strange rationale like Catholics pray to Mary or that you don't need a Priest to speak to Jesus. Anyway, many of their views are very anti-Catholic among, and there is no reason to believe Bachmann does not hold this view. It would be different if a person were anti-religion, but being a conservative Protestant and then attacking Catholics just makes you look really stupid. All of them share outrageous beliefs, with Protestants saying salvation depends on believing a person actually came back from the dead, even though that NEVER happens in any case thus experienced. They also discount being a good person to get to Heaven, which means people like Ghandi are going to hell. It would be wise for one to examine one's own beliefs before attacking those of another.
Growing up as conservative Republican Christian, I am very aware of the view that many of them hold that says Catholics are not even Christians. They use strange rationale like Catholics pray to Mary or that you don't need a Priest to speak to Jesus. Anyway, many of their views are very anti-Catholic among, and there is no reason to believe Bachmann does not hold this view. It would be different if a person were anti-religion, but being a conservative Protestant and then attacking Catholics just makes you look really stupid. All of them share outrageous beliefs, with Protestants saying salvation depends on believing a person actually came back from the dead, even though that NEVER happens in any case thus experienced. They also discount being a good person to get to Heaven, which means people like Ghandi are going to hell. It would be wise for one to examine one's own beliefs before attacking those of another.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Balanced Budget Amendment
John Boehner, the Republican Speaker of the House from Ohio, is proposing a balanced budget amendment as a way to control the U.S. debt, saying “that spending restraints are set in stone, and the certainty it provides will help create a better environment for job creation across the country.” This seems to be gaining traction among some Republicans. And although it seems like it may be a good idea, it is misguided policy because it limits the government's ability to act in an emergency, and it hurts the poorest members of society.
To begin with, the role of the United States government is to act when it needs to act, whether it is everyday operations where it ensures food is safe to eat or if there is an emergency, such as occurred with Hurricane Katrina. Imagine for a moment if the government had 50 billion in revenue coming in every year. And this covered all of the bills, but only barely. Then imagine a recession hit and revenue was reduced to 40 billion. This means that there would need to be IMMEDIATE cuts to government spending in order to balance the budget. Furthermore, Hurricane Katrina would still be occurring and causing damage to New Orelans. How could the government possibly deal with this catastrophe when it's hands were tied so heavily? It would mean that the United States government could not act at all, or that it would have to cut EVEN MORE to be able to free up funds to deal with the emergency. This is an inefficient way to run a government, and also would hurt the poorest members of society, because the programs they rely on would be the first to be cut to free up funds. Supporters of this idea should think through the consequences before spouting something that sounds good politically.
To begin with, the role of the United States government is to act when it needs to act, whether it is everyday operations where it ensures food is safe to eat or if there is an emergency, such as occurred with Hurricane Katrina. Imagine for a moment if the government had 50 billion in revenue coming in every year. And this covered all of the bills, but only barely. Then imagine a recession hit and revenue was reduced to 40 billion. This means that there would need to be IMMEDIATE cuts to government spending in order to balance the budget. Furthermore, Hurricane Katrina would still be occurring and causing damage to New Orelans. How could the government possibly deal with this catastrophe when it's hands were tied so heavily? It would mean that the United States government could not act at all, or that it would have to cut EVEN MORE to be able to free up funds to deal with the emergency. This is an inefficient way to run a government, and also would hurt the poorest members of society, because the programs they rely on would be the first to be cut to free up funds. Supporters of this idea should think through the consequences before spouting something that sounds good politically.
What If The Federal Government Shuts Down
There has been lots of talk about this issue, and Politifact.com and the Washington Post fact checker, two respected fact checking entities, are murky on what exactly will occur. However, there may be a way to shed some light on this topic. In an interview Jay Powell, who was the Under Secretary to the Treasury during Bush 41's Presidency and also currently works at the bipartisan Policy Center, said that there would have to be priority decisions about what was most important to keep open. Interest on the debt would come first, and then there would be a question of what to do next. National defense, prisons, police, FBI, etc. all would be competing with social programs like Social Security and Medicare. And it seems likely that since the United States could not simply shut down military and police funding, it is likely that entitlement programs would be the ones who suffer, with Powell saying "But any way you play the game, you can’t cut spending by 44 percent overnight without cutting very popular and important programs."
This is a very sobering assessment of the likelihood of what would occur should there be a government shutdown. The United States government would be sending the message that it could not agree on a deal to increase the debt limit, and would have to resort to making tough decisions about who to pay and what to fund. There actually is a lesson here, such that if the Republicans could get what they wanted deep down inside, cutting social programs, taxes, and regulation, then the shutdown would resemble more of what they want the country to IDEALLY look like. People do not like this vision of America at all where seniors are left to fend for themselves and the poorest members of society are not given a helping hand. Hopefully this lesson will sink into voter's minds when they go to vote for President in 2012. In a recent poll by Quinnipac University, 48% of voters say they will blame Republicans if the debt ceiling is not raised, compared to 34% who would blame President Obama. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come.
This is a very sobering assessment of the likelihood of what would occur should there be a government shutdown. The United States government would be sending the message that it could not agree on a deal to increase the debt limit, and would have to resort to making tough decisions about who to pay and what to fund. There actually is a lesson here, such that if the Republicans could get what they wanted deep down inside, cutting social programs, taxes, and regulation, then the shutdown would resemble more of what they want the country to IDEALLY look like. People do not like this vision of America at all where seniors are left to fend for themselves and the poorest members of society are not given a helping hand. Hopefully this lesson will sink into voter's minds when they go to vote for President in 2012. In a recent poll by Quinnipac University, 48% of voters say they will blame Republicans if the debt ceiling is not raised, compared to 34% who would blame President Obama. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come.
Republicans Attack Each Other
Republicans cannot decide whether Obama is lying about the default, and about what their strategy should be in negotiating with the President. Some say we should push it to the brink, and others like McConnell say Obama should be given unilateral authority to raise the debt limit.
I think it's fitting that the chickens have come home to roost. The Republicans courted the mentally unstable Tea Party and now they are paying the price. The Tea Party does not have a reasonable view of what government is, thinking agencies that regulate pollution and food health are unnecessary costs on businesses. They think taxes should not be raised under ANY circumstance. And now, John Boehner is having to deal with trying to circle up the votes of these people in order to raise the debt-ceiling, when they don't think the date is even real at all. Maybe this will be a lesson for the Republican party. The non-Tea Party Americans will not look favorably on unreasonable positions, and this could end up costing the Republicans votes in the long run.
I think it's fitting that the chickens have come home to roost. The Republicans courted the mentally unstable Tea Party and now they are paying the price. The Tea Party does not have a reasonable view of what government is, thinking agencies that regulate pollution and food health are unnecessary costs on businesses. They think taxes should not be raised under ANY circumstance. And now, John Boehner is having to deal with trying to circle up the votes of these people in order to raise the debt-ceiling, when they don't think the date is even real at all. Maybe this will be a lesson for the Republican party. The non-Tea Party Americans will not look favorably on unreasonable positions, and this could end up costing the Republicans votes in the long run.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Casey Anthony Juror Threats
Juror number 12 in the Casey Anthony trial has quit her job and is leaving the town she lives in because she fears for her life. She is afraid the public backlash against the verdict is so great she is not safe if she stays in her current town and job. Her husband is moving with her. I've noticed two things about the trial that worry me.
The first is that sometimes the public tends to jump on a person as guilty before they even know all of the details. Our criminal justice system is set up so that if a person is tried, they are presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty. It does not matter if an individual has a gut level reaction that a person is guilty, or even that they are probably guilty. If there is reasonable doubt, then a person must be acquitted. It is impossible to get 100% certainty most of the time, and if there is doubt as to whether the person is guilty even though it may "seem" like they are, then the correct decision is to acquit.
The second thing that bothers me is that people are now sending death threats to jurors, Casey Anthony, and her family. This mob mentality is a pathetic excuse for rational analysis. The criminal justice system is set up so we can live in a civilized society and there are not random witch hunts based on hints of suspicion. People are tried by a jury of their peers and then declared guilty or innocent. The fact that people seem to be willing to just throw this out when they disagree with a decision gives me much pause as to the future of this country.
The first is that sometimes the public tends to jump on a person as guilty before they even know all of the details. Our criminal justice system is set up so that if a person is tried, they are presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty. It does not matter if an individual has a gut level reaction that a person is guilty, or even that they are probably guilty. If there is reasonable doubt, then a person must be acquitted. It is impossible to get 100% certainty most of the time, and if there is doubt as to whether the person is guilty even though it may "seem" like they are, then the correct decision is to acquit.
The second thing that bothers me is that people are now sending death threats to jurors, Casey Anthony, and her family. This mob mentality is a pathetic excuse for rational analysis. The criminal justice system is set up so we can live in a civilized society and there are not random witch hunts based on hints of suspicion. People are tried by a jury of their peers and then declared guilty or innocent. The fact that people seem to be willing to just throw this out when they disagree with a decision gives me much pause as to the future of this country.
REAL Christians Call on Obama and Congress Not To Hurt The Poor
5,000 preachers, from a variety of Christian denominations, called on President Obama and Congress to NOT cut services for the poor, citing Matthew 25:45 where Jesus says how one treats the lowest members of society is how you treat him. The group is organized by Sojourners, which is a group of Christians who all are concerned about social justice. One individual said "As I look out our country, what concerns me more ... is a radically individualistic attitude that says 'I got mine, it's completely up to you to get yours'...That's not the ethic of Jesus".
This is an extremely powerful point. Many people in America claim to be Christians, but they support a party that is antithetical to the Bible. Jesus railed against excessive wealth and warned that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven (Matthew 19:24). Yet conservative Christians, through an astonishing act of cognitive dissonance, claim that Republicans are more in line with the Bible. It is preposterous and so uninformed that if one were to write it as answer to an exam question, it would receive an F.
This is an extremely powerful point. Many people in America claim to be Christians, but they support a party that is antithetical to the Bible. Jesus railed against excessive wealth and warned that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven (Matthew 19:24). Yet conservative Christians, through an astonishing act of cognitive dissonance, claim that Republicans are more in line with the Bible. It is preposterous and so uninformed that if one were to write it as answer to an exam question, it would receive an F.
Michele Bachmann Admits She Doesn't Pay Attention to Facts
Apparently Michele Bachmann never saw the part of the marriage vow that said "Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President." On Hannity, she said that was not part of the document she signed.
This appears to be a case of downright lying by Bachmann or an inability to read carefully. Perhaps she just has no regard for the truth and has a preconceived notion of reality that can NEVER be changed no matter how much credible evidence is presented. It seems more likely that she is in such a frenzy to get to the most bigoted part of the Republican party, the social conservatives, that she will sign anything that she thinks will increase her standing for that group. The 2012 Republican primary rolls on!
This appears to be a case of downright lying by Bachmann or an inability to read carefully. Perhaps she just has no regard for the truth and has a preconceived notion of reality that can NEVER be changed no matter how much credible evidence is presented. It seems more likely that she is in such a frenzy to get to the most bigoted part of the Republican party, the social conservatives, that she will sign anything that she thinks will increase her standing for that group. The 2012 Republican primary rolls on!
Mitch McConnell's Shocking Admission
On Laura Ingram's radio show today, Mitch McConnell said he did not want to shut down the government because it would help Obama get re-elected. He pointed to the 1995 government shutdown and how people blamed the Republicans for it. The Republicans would then have some responsibility for the bad economy and that is horrible for the Republican Party's chances at winning the Presidency.
Now the American people have Mitch McConnell on record saying that he is playing politics. Instead of actually negotiating a deal with Democrats and including tax increases, he says he does not even want to get involved at all because if the government comes close to shutting down, the Republicans would be blamed, and thus not be able to beat Obama. I think he is right Republicans would be blamed, and rightfully so for their unwillingness to compromise at all. Instead he says to give Obama full authority to raise the debt ceiling and takes the Republicans completely out of the equation(which for a liberal like me is something to celebrate). Can anyone dispute now that the Republicans are not negotiating in good faith?
Now the American people have Mitch McConnell on record saying that he is playing politics. Instead of actually negotiating a deal with Democrats and including tax increases, he says he does not even want to get involved at all because if the government comes close to shutting down, the Republicans would be blamed, and thus not be able to beat Obama. I think he is right Republicans would be blamed, and rightfully so for their unwillingness to compromise at all. Instead he says to give Obama full authority to raise the debt ceiling and takes the Republicans completely out of the equation(which for a liberal like me is something to celebrate). Can anyone dispute now that the Republicans are not negotiating in good faith?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Mitch McConnell
Mitch McConell, the Republican minority leader, today said Congress should grant the President the authority to raise the debt ceiling without Congress. The President would ask Congress for the authority to raise it, and they would have to grant it unless a veto-proof majority could be provided to stop it.
This plan seems sensible. This would actually get rid of the Congressional squabbling and political maneuvering, and this would almost eliminate the idea of a debt-ceiling almost completely. I'm not sure why McConnell would actually say this, considering it would give the Presidential branch more authority. However, I think I can support this plan.
This plan seems sensible. This would actually get rid of the Congressional squabbling and political maneuvering, and this would almost eliminate the idea of a debt-ceiling almost completely. I'm not sure why McConnell would actually say this, considering it would give the Presidential branch more authority. However, I think I can support this plan.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Michele Bachman's Surprising Past
The anti-tax, racist pledge signin, homophobic GOP Presidential candidate has claimed her former job was a tax attorney. However, what she conveniently left out was that she actually worked for the IRS. I personally see nothing wrong with this, the IRS needs people to help enforce the tax code. However, with the Republican rhetoric on taxes and how the government is evil, it is the height of hypocrisy for an individual to work for the IRS. Perhaps Republicans should start showing some honesty and admit that taxes are not raised just for the sake of raising them. They are raised to fund services, including defense and education. Republicans should join the rest of us in the reality based community.
Bully Claims She Isn't So Bad
Sharon Chanon Velazquez, one of six teenagers in the state of Massachusetts that were charged with bully Phoebe Prince, a 15 year old Irish immigrant says she isn't a "mean person" or a "bully". She was called names such as "Irish whore" and "stupid slut". She was attacked because she had a romantic relationship with a guy by the name of Austin Renaud.
Cases like this disgust me. Teenagers are especially bad when it comes to situations like this. They are not brought up by their parents to have respect for people and they are not properly supervised at school. Males learn from watching their fathers and male pastors that discriminating against homosexuals is ok, and females learn from their mothers and other females in their life that being petty and learning how to say really hurtful things to other women(men don't respond the same way to being called a slut) is a way to get back at them. The responsibility for cases like this in many cases falls on the parents and the community of the bullies that allows them to get away with such behavior. Society as a whole must grow up. Discrimination and immoral behavior must be called out every time it happens.
Cases like this disgust me. Teenagers are especially bad when it comes to situations like this. They are not brought up by their parents to have respect for people and they are not properly supervised at school. Males learn from watching their fathers and male pastors that discriminating against homosexuals is ok, and females learn from their mothers and other females in their life that being petty and learning how to say really hurtful things to other women(men don't respond the same way to being called a slut) is a way to get back at them. The responsibility for cases like this in many cases falls on the parents and the community of the bullies that allows them to get away with such behavior. Society as a whole must grow up. Discrimination and immoral behavior must be called out every time it happens.
Chuck Todd says Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin Could Never Win GOP Nomination
Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin are both very outspoken members of the today's Republican Party. When they say something inflammatory, generally the media will jump on it. Howwever, Chuck Todd, a reporter from MSNBC, believes they could not actually win the nomination. They are more about playing to the base and do not have enough broad appeal to achieve anything more.
It's hard to tell exactly if Palin could ever win. She was extremely popular in Alaska before she become a GOP hack. However, the public has a very short memory sometimes and it is conceivable that she could end up improving her image and be seen as a more serious contender. Whether this is what she plans for 2012 or not is the big question. Perhaps she is waiting until 2016. Either way, I think the American people are smart enough to see her for what she is, which is a political opportunist that completely abandoned what made people like her when she first was entrusted with the job as governor of Alaska, which she subsequently failed to finish.
It's hard to tell exactly if Palin could ever win. She was extremely popular in Alaska before she become a GOP hack. However, the public has a very short memory sometimes and it is conceivable that she could end up improving her image and be seen as a more serious contender. Whether this is what she plans for 2012 or not is the big question. Perhaps she is waiting until 2016. Either way, I think the American people are smart enough to see her for what she is, which is a political opportunist that completely abandoned what made people like her when she first was entrusted with the job as governor of Alaska, which she subsequently failed to finish.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Republicans Heartlessness
The negotiations over raising the budget ceiling are very contentious in Washington. Both sides are pointing fingers claiming that those other people are the reason an agreement has not been reached. But why has the agreement not been reached? Both sides cannot be right that it's the other side's fault. Watching the Sunday shows thus far, the answer seems quite clear who is mostly responsible for this impasse, and that is the Guarantors of Poverty.
The Democrats are offering massive spending cuts, putting Medicare and Medicaid on the table, and the Republicans are refusing to allow a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans. So the deal is that doctor reimbursement in Medicare is cut, Medicaid is cut so poor people have less access to health care, and Bill Gates and Exxon Mobile do not need their taxes increased. I don't see how this is fair at all. Senior citizens and the poor are hung out to dry, while extremely profitable corporations would just become even more profitable under the Republican plan. A simple question to ask yourself when examining the two sides in this debate is whether people who legitimately need help are being afforded it or whether their help is being cut so Bill Gates can buy a few more yachts.
The Democrats are offering massive spending cuts, putting Medicare and Medicaid on the table, and the Republicans are refusing to allow a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans. So the deal is that doctor reimbursement in Medicare is cut, Medicaid is cut so poor people have less access to health care, and Bill Gates and Exxon Mobile do not need their taxes increased. I don't see how this is fair at all. Senior citizens and the poor are hung out to dry, while extremely profitable corporations would just become even more profitable under the Republican plan. A simple question to ask yourself when examining the two sides in this debate is whether people who legitimately need help are being afforded it or whether their help is being cut so Bill Gates can buy a few more yachts.
Slavery Language Removed!
Bob Vander Plaats discriminatory pledge against African Americans and homosexuals has now REMOVED the part that said "Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President." Rewriting history is the GOP way, such as portraying the South as somehow noble even though it was actually defending slavery. What should happen next?
The Media MUST not let this story die. This racist homophobic Republican man saying African Americans had it better under slavery even as they elect the first "black President", as though "one of them" hasn't done anything for them and you were almost guaranteed he would because they have the same skin color is disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!! The Media needs to hammer Bob Vander Plaats until he agrees to an interview, and then shame him out of public office once he does an interview. Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum need to be asked, if you think you are so qualified to be President, how you could so carelessly sign something without looking at the details?
The Media MUST not let this story die. This racist homophobic Republican man saying African Americans had it better under slavery even as they elect the first "black President", as though "one of them" hasn't done anything for them and you were almost guaranteed he would because they have the same skin color is disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!! The Media needs to hammer Bob Vander Plaats until he agrees to an interview, and then shame him out of public office once he does an interview. Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum need to be asked, if you think you are so qualified to be President, how you could so carelessly sign something without looking at the details?
Saturday, July 9, 2011
House GOP Approves INCREASE in Defense Budget
The House Republicans have approved, on a 336-87 vote, a $649 billion defense spending bill which increases the current budget by 17 billion. This is very puzzling to me. Why have the Republicans been running around screaming that we have to cut spending, and then go and increase the defense budget? Medical research, funding for NASA, funding for college education, and the like are all on the chopping block. Yet, they say we need national security to protect us from certain harm, but this argument can apply to many social programs also!!! That is the irony of not being consistent in alternative positions.
If I have no food, I become malnourished. If I become malnourished for too long, I can end up dying. Therefore I need food in order to protect me from certain harm. If I become ill with cancer and don't go to the doctor because I don;t have the funds and only go when I am already in the end stages of cancer where it's vastly more difficult to reverse it, providing me with health care protects me from harm. This is a poor excuse for an argument when it is used inconsistently. I agree that we need a military and a modest defense budget for protection purposes, but allowing people to die from starvation or not proving them with medical care also is not protecting people either.
If I have no food, I become malnourished. If I become malnourished for too long, I can end up dying. Therefore I need food in order to protect me from certain harm. If I become ill with cancer and don't go to the doctor because I don;t have the funds and only go when I am already in the end stages of cancer where it's vastly more difficult to reverse it, providing me with health care protects me from harm. This is a poor excuse for an argument when it is used inconsistently. I agree that we need a military and a modest defense budget for protection purposes, but allowing people to die from starvation or not proving them with medical care also is not protecting people either.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Pray the Gay Away!!!
Public figures should be held to a certain standard. Richard Nixon resigned over ordering a spying operation on the Democratic Party. He was shamed out of office, along with breaking the law. George W. Bush authorized the torture of prisoners, but he did not even come close to regretting it, and defended the practice in his book Decision Points saying he would do it again. It seems as though times are changing and public figures have no remorse for engaging in reckless behavior. If a politican lies on a consistent basis, and if they take positions that are extreme and indefensible, they need to be called out by the media and hammered mercilessly. The public must understand that there is reality, and some politicians have decided to abdicate it. One politician that currently needs to be called out is Michele Bachmann.
Michele Bachmann has taken the stance that gay marriage is wrong, and says she will support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Typical run of the mill GOP hate speech. However, what makes her different is her husband, Marcus Bachmann, who surprisingly has a PhD in clinical psychology. The Nation magazine has learned that her husband runs a clinic called Bachmann and Associates, and it engages in the practice known as "reparative therapy" aka changing sexual orientation. This practice is repulsive, and the research is not on his side. In fact, the evidence goes the other way, suggesting it is harmful to attempt to do this and can lead the victims of this crime to be more likely to commit suicide or be depressed. The mainstream media should hammer Michele Bachmann and show what kind of person she really is.
Michele Bachmann has taken the stance that gay marriage is wrong, and says she will support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Typical run of the mill GOP hate speech. However, what makes her different is her husband, Marcus Bachmann, who surprisingly has a PhD in clinical psychology. The Nation magazine has learned that her husband runs a clinic called Bachmann and Associates, and it engages in the practice known as "reparative therapy" aka changing sexual orientation. This practice is repulsive, and the research is not on his side. In fact, the evidence goes the other way, suggesting it is harmful to attempt to do this and can lead the victims of this crime to be more likely to commit suicide or be depressed. The mainstream media should hammer Michele Bachmann and show what kind of person she really is.
GOP Has No Regard For Facts
The federal government is nudging private industry to focus more on energy-efficient light bulbs. However, the Guarantors of Poverty are now fighting this effort, even though the law that starts this nudge was signed in 2007 under that pink commie named George Bush. It is also interesting that it would save money by using light bulbs that are more energy efficient.
So something saves money, but because it interferes with the natural workings of the market, it is therefore evil. I do not understand the Republican mind-set that green technology is somehow bad. Are they so in bed with big oil that they can't see straight? Or are they just willfully ignorant? It's really hard to tell considering a lot of Republicans also tend to deny evolution as well. Perhaps they think science is illegitimate, which is a philosophical position, but they fail to show what would be the best way to arrive at knowledge if science, which has been very successful, is replaced by something else. The real replacement seems to actually be based on Stephen Colbert's character, which says my gut is right, and I don't give a damn about the facts!
So something saves money, but because it interferes with the natural workings of the market, it is therefore evil. I do not understand the Republican mind-set that green technology is somehow bad. Are they so in bed with big oil that they can't see straight? Or are they just willfully ignorant? It's really hard to tell considering a lot of Republicans also tend to deny evolution as well. Perhaps they think science is illegitimate, which is a philosophical position, but they fail to show what would be the best way to arrive at knowledge if science, which has been very successful, is replaced by something else. The real replacement seems to actually be based on Stephen Colbert's character, which says my gut is right, and I don't give a damn about the facts!
BP Tells Victims They Don't Need Anymore Financial Compensation
British Petroleum, the company responsible for the oil spill that seemed to never end, is now claiming that victims of the spill do not need any more payouts because the areas damaged the most are getting better and the economy is also. How could this company completely abdicate their responsibility, considering they are not actually paying the full amount of the damage they caused? How many animals did they kill? How many livelihoods did they ruin?
Corporate greed knows NO bounds. This company cut corners at every point they found the chance. Some people on the rig when the explosion happened actually died! And BP then has the audacity to claim that they don't need to make any more payments to the victims? The United States should completely kick them out of this country. A company with no moral compass has no right to be here.
Corporate greed knows NO bounds. This company cut corners at every point they found the chance. Some people on the rig when the explosion happened actually died! And BP then has the audacity to claim that they don't need to make any more payments to the victims? The United States should completely kick them out of this country. A company with no moral compass has no right to be here.
U.N. Says Texas Violated International Law
The U.N. High Commssioner for for Human rights, Navi Pillay, said that if Texas did not allow Humberto Leal to have access to the Mexican government during his trial, then it was a breach of international law. And the conservative majority of the Supreme Court denied his appeal. I think this issue is one that many in the Guarantors of Poverty constantly take a very strange inconsistent position on. They claim on the one hand that international law is not a big deal, that the United States law is what REALLY matters, then on the other hand when countries with their own laws that are different from their own violate their moral sensibilities (such as in Iran), they claim that Iran needs to be condemned and their laws are not just.
Cognitive dissonance is holding two contradictory opinions about something in your mind at the same time. This is something psychology has found humans just do. Conservatives seem very prone to do this, and the case of Humberto Leal is a prime example. When North Korea captured our journalists and sentenced them to hard labor, the conservatives and the right-wing echo chamber Fox News demanded ACTION to free them. Free them. Let the international community put pressure on North Korea. So the conservatives make a special case for themselves, that our law is above international reproach, while the laws of other nations are subject to what we believe is best. Ethnocentrism lives on!
Cognitive dissonance is holding two contradictory opinions about something in your mind at the same time. This is something psychology has found humans just do. Conservatives seem very prone to do this, and the case of Humberto Leal is a prime example. When North Korea captured our journalists and sentenced them to hard labor, the conservatives and the right-wing echo chamber Fox News demanded ACTION to free them. Free them. Let the international community put pressure on North Korea. So the conservatives make a special case for themselves, that our law is above international reproach, while the laws of other nations are subject to what we believe is best. Ethnocentrism lives on!
Racism fined
Joe Arpaio, the Arizona Sheriff of Maricopa County that prosecutes undocumented workers at a frenzied pace, has been caught in engaging in racial profiling. Two deputies decide to raid a landscaping company and stopped two men by the name of Julian and Julio. The Sheriff's department was sued and the judge found they had no legal right to stop the two men and detain them for almost three hours. The department was fined 200,000 dollars.
This is very encouraging to see. The Arizona Immigration law is legalized racism, just like Jim Crow and Slavery were. It's too bad no court has the moral courage to strike it down, especially the conservative majority on the Supreme Court. But the fact that the racist profiling of Joe Arpaio's department was held accountable for their actions is something to be praised.
This is very encouraging to see. The Arizona Immigration law is legalized racism, just like Jim Crow and Slavery were. It's too bad no court has the moral courage to strike it down, especially the conservative majority on the Supreme Court. But the fact that the racist profiling of Joe Arpaio's department was held accountable for their actions is something to be praised.
Warren Buffet speaks truth to power
Warren Buffet, on an interview with CNBC, decided to call out the Republicans for their hypocrisy. He began by pointing out that the debt ceiling was raised 7 times under George W. Bush and the Republicans never made a fuss about it at all. Now, the Tea Party Republicans have decided to play politics with the nation's credit rating. And Buffet sums this up very nicely, " the Republican-controlled Congress is "trying to use the incentive now that we're going to blow your brains out, America, in terms of your debt worthiness over time."
It's about time a major figure in the business community finally came out and called the Republicans out on their intellectual dishonesty. Wall Street is going to start pressuring the Tea Party Republicans on their little game of chicken they so enjoy. And if the GOP does not cave to them, the blame for the consequences will be on them for generations to come.
It's about time a major figure in the business community finally came out and called the Republicans out on their intellectual dishonesty. Wall Street is going to start pressuring the Tea Party Republicans on their little game of chicken they so enjoy. And if the GOP does not cave to them, the blame for the consequences will be on them for generations to come.
Racism in the Marriage Vow
I will admit that I did not read the whole vow completely, because after the first few lines it sounded like the same Gaurantors of Poverty talking points. However, there is a snippet at the end that is outrageous yet not completely surprising since most racists are Republicans. I am going to explain this. There is a possbility of confusing the claim All racists are Republicans with All Republicans are racists. They are not the same. Some people are Republican's because believe they like small government, or because they believe abortion is murder. However, the GOP has dabbled in racism, with their attacks on undocumented workers being a drain on the system and being "other". A lot of attacks on Obama have been racist, such as Republicans running around demanding to see the birth certificate. And Ronald Reagan talked about his famous "welfare" queen who drove a Cadillac and lived the good life while on welfare, conjuring up an image of a black woman taking advantage of the system because she is lazy. These are all appeals to the racist wing of the Republican party. And recently, the tea party decided to show up not while Bush was around, but when the first black man took office. And now, here is what the end of the pledge says "Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President."
Now, this is why it is not surprising that Bob Vamder Plaats, a very conservative Republican, would include something like this in a pledge. He is either harboring racist feelings himself, or he is playing to the racists in the Republican party in order to garner support. John McCain, during the 2008 Presidential debate, stood up to a woman who called Obama an arab, and said Obama was a good man personally who he happened to disagree with. Good people don't cut education, food assistance to the poor, or health care funding that people desperately need, but I digress. That was an example of moral courage by John McCain, but I don't think any of the current GOP candidates would have the cajones to do such a thing today.
Now, this is why it is not surprising that Bob Vamder Plaats, a very conservative Republican, would include something like this in a pledge. He is either harboring racist feelings himself, or he is playing to the racists in the Republican party in order to garner support. John McCain, during the 2008 Presidential debate, stood up to a woman who called Obama an arab, and said Obama was a good man personally who he happened to disagree with. Good people don't cut education, food assistance to the poor, or health care funding that people desperately need, but I digress. That was an example of moral courage by John McCain, but I don't think any of the current GOP candidates would have the cajones to do such a thing today.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Marriage Pledge!
There are all kinds of pledges out there that groups are attempting to get the Guarantors of Poverty presidential contenders to sign. No new taxes, never support abortion, etc. The newest one is by a guy named Bob Vander Plaats. It is a marriage pledge, which among other things tries to bind the candidate to only supporting heterosexual marriage.
The Guarantors of Poverty are now trying to mandate like they do with abortion and taxes that Republicans must be supportive of discriminatory policies toward homosexual Americans. They seem to have no conscience at all, nor have the ability for independent thought. Marriage has always been a certain way, so we have to keep it so. With the gay marriage bill in New York being at least being allowed to come up to be voted on by the Republican controlled Senate and garnering a view Republican votes, there is hope in this area. But there are still many people like Mr. Plaats are engaging in immoral actions.
The Guarantors of Poverty are now trying to mandate like they do with abortion and taxes that Republicans must be supportive of discriminatory policies toward homosexual Americans. They seem to have no conscience at all, nor have the ability for independent thought. Marriage has always been a certain way, so we have to keep it so. With the gay marriage bill in New York being at least being allowed to come up to be voted on by the Republican controlled Senate and garnering a view Republican votes, there is hope in this area. But there are still many people like Mr. Plaats are engaging in immoral actions.
Humberto Leal executed
CNN reported, at around 6:44 P.M. that Humberto Leal was executed by the state of Texas. I really wonder what kind of society that we live in that would condone such cruel and unusual punishment. This is a disgusting perversion of justice. The man was not allowed his right to defense from the Mexican government, and the immoral death penalty was used.
Swing-voters approve tax cuts
Public Policy Polling found that voters in Montana, Ohio, Missouri, and Montana all approve of raising taxes on millionaires by almost 80%. This seems to be a good sign that the Republicans are not actually winning the debate, and if the public can see that Republicans are in favor of policies they do not support, hopefully public support for the Republican party will go down.
Orrin Hatch says poor should contribute more
The Democrats have been handed a gift and a month's worth of free advertising by Orrin Hatch, a Republican Senator from Utah. He claimed that 51% of households pay no income tax and that isn't fair (a similar claim by Eric Cantor as fact-checked and found to be true). So this is an interesting claim Hatch is making. Republicans have said they don't wait to raise taxes on anyone, yet Hatch complains here about people paying NO income tax. To be consistent he would've been wiser to celebrate this, not say it's not fair.
However, the incomes of people who don't pay any income tax are not in the upper tiers of society when it comes to income anyway. Hatch is saying he does not want to get rid of tax breaks for corporate jets and oil companies, yet he thinks it is OK to raise taxes on the poorest members of society, or eliminate loopholes that would hurt them the most. Seems like Republicans again are acting like the Guarantors of Poverty-GOP.
However, the incomes of people who don't pay any income tax are not in the upper tiers of society when it comes to income anyway. Hatch is saying he does not want to get rid of tax breaks for corporate jets and oil companies, yet he thinks it is OK to raise taxes on the poorest members of society, or eliminate loopholes that would hurt them the most. Seems like Republicans again are acting like the Guarantors of Poverty-GOP.
Education as business?
Rick Perry tried to persuade the University of Texas to adopt a system where teacher's are evaluated based on student evaluations and not investing much in research unless there is money to be made off of it. It's hard to give a measured response to an idea that is so prima facie asburd. However, I will make an attempt.
The Perry proposal really shows the divide between a lot of liberals and conservatives when it comes to the idea of the PURPOSE of education. Should education be about making us all Capitalists who are greedy or about informing us about the human experience and helping us to question it along with providing some skills that are needed for employment? I would take the latter view.
Education is about teaching children/adults that the world is a complicated place. We have a history of atrocities and kindness. Black and white rarely exists in the real world. Complex ideas are considered that can change a person's perspective on the world. Ideally, it should instill a thirst for knowledge and learning that does not end once one officially leaves the school. It is a life-long process. And this is a value education can provide to all people, liberal or conservative.
The Perry proposal really shows the divide between a lot of liberals and conservatives when it comes to the idea of the PURPOSE of education. Should education be about making us all Capitalists who are greedy or about informing us about the human experience and helping us to question it along with providing some skills that are needed for employment? I would take the latter view.
Education is about teaching children/adults that the world is a complicated place. We have a history of atrocities and kindness. Black and white rarely exists in the real world. Complex ideas are considered that can change a person's perspective on the world. Ideally, it should instill a thirst for knowledge and learning that does not end once one officially leaves the school. It is a life-long process. And this is a value education can provide to all people, liberal or conservative.
Texas violating international law?
Humberto Leal, a Mexican citizen, was charged in the United States with the murder of Adria Sauceda. However, he was never informed he had the right to the Mexican government to aid him in his trial. The U.N., the White House, and the Mexican government are all coming down on this side. Texas is contending that since it hasn't passed U.S. law, it does not apply. They are seeking the death penalty.
This is the height of intellectual dishonesty. International courts should play a role, just like they did with the Nazis. George Bush is guilty of war crimes, and it seems the trend it in Texas continues of just defying international law when it goes against the conservative disgusting tendencies toward punishment for punishment's sake. It goes back to when George Bush was asked how he would feel if another government captured an America soldier and did to them what we did to the people we captured. U.S. citizens have been captured in Iran, and we protested saying they were not being treated fairly. Inconsistency never ends!
This is the height of intellectual dishonesty. International courts should play a role, just like they did with the Nazis. George Bush is guilty of war crimes, and it seems the trend it in Texas continues of just defying international law when it goes against the conservative disgusting tendencies toward punishment for punishment's sake. It goes back to when George Bush was asked how he would feel if another government captured an America soldier and did to them what we did to the people we captured. U.S. citizens have been captured in Iran, and we protested saying they were not being treated fairly. Inconsistency never ends!
Casey Anthony Final Defense
Casey Anthony was sentenced today. The judge sentenced her to 4 years for all 4 counts of misleading police. There will also be a 1,000 dollar fine for each count. The defense made an interesting attempt to try and say it should all be tried as 1 count because there was not significant space between time and location. The judge did not buy it. She will be given credit for time served and then her sentence will be calculated based on previous offenses, time served, and good behavior.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Women Represented
On the Chris Matthews Show, Chris Matthews pointed out that there are actually less women today in Congress than there were last year. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democratic Congresswoman from New York, argued that not enough women are actually running for office. They need to become more involved in politics. Kathy Hochul, a Democratic Congresswoman from New York, agreed with Kirsten that women need to become more involved.
Perhaps if more women were involved in politics and in corporate decisions the world would be a better place. Men have ruled the world for most of human history. Perhaps it is time women got a shot. Men haven't really set the bar very high, with endless wars, wreckless government spending, and corporate greed. It seems as though if women would've been more involved, these situations would've turned out much differently.
Perhaps if more women were involved in politics and in corporate decisions the world would be a better place. Men have ruled the world for most of human history. Perhaps it is time women got a shot. Men haven't really set the bar very high, with endless wars, wreckless government spending, and corporate greed. It seems as though if women would've been more involved, these situations would've turned out much differently.
Teachers Behaving Badly
Most of the time we think students are the one's that cheat. One student copies another's homework, or they exchange test answers. However, it seems as though teachers are not above cheating either. In Atlanta 178 teachers and principals were caught changing test answers in order to prop themselves up. The question then becomes whether the United States is focusing too much on testing.
It seems to be that the purpose of education is not to bubble in answers on an exam. The purpose of education is to become a well-rounded member of society, constantly learning and growing. The growth never ends. I personally believe that a good replacement to high-stakes testing is to institute a mastery system, where students advance as fast as they can show master of the material, which is accomplished by written and oral examination. There could still be testing but students would progress at their own level. Teachers would be suited to different levels of students and not use a one-size fits all strategy.
It seems to be that the purpose of education is not to bubble in answers on an exam. The purpose of education is to become a well-rounded member of society, constantly learning and growing. The growth never ends. I personally believe that a good replacement to high-stakes testing is to institute a mastery system, where students advance as fast as they can show master of the material, which is accomplished by written and oral examination. There could still be testing but students would progress at their own level. Teachers would be suited to different levels of students and not use a one-size fits all strategy.
Fort Hood Shooter
Maj. Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people in his infamous shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, is facing the death penalty in a trial run by the military. I say this with a heavy heart because the man was motivated by a twisted religious ideology that celebrates martyrdom, this is a gross violation of justice to try this man in a military court and to seek the death penalty.
Trying him in a military court sends a very odd message to society. The regular civilian courts are not adequately equipped to try someone who is clearly guilty and get a conviction. Or perhaps the message is that it is not an actual trial at all, but a simple show trial, which would be a violation of Hasan's constitutional right to a fair trial by a jury of his peers.
The second injustice is the death penalty itself. It is never justified to kill when self-defense is not in play. And clearly it's not here. The man has already been stopped and detained. He could potentially be a valuable source of information, but instead the thirst for blood is winning the day.
Trying him in a military court sends a very odd message to society. The regular civilian courts are not adequately equipped to try someone who is clearly guilty and get a conviction. Or perhaps the message is that it is not an actual trial at all, but a simple show trial, which would be a violation of Hasan's constitutional right to a fair trial by a jury of his peers.
The second injustice is the death penalty itself. It is never justified to kill when self-defense is not in play. And clearly it's not here. The man has already been stopped and detained. He could potentially be a valuable source of information, but instead the thirst for blood is winning the day.
Terrorists Implating Bombs?
Terrorists are now contemplating the idea of actually inserting bombs inside of human beings so they can avoid detection by security forces. This is extremely disturbing to me. What if they are actually able to figure out a way to do this on a consistent basis?
Technology is very amazing in some cases, such as modern medicine or even this blog. But in other cases it can be dangerous, such as with the atomic bomb. It seems as though this "war on terror" is going to keep evolving into something very strange. Considering that a terrorist will most likely get a nuclear bomb eventually, I'm not very optimistic about the future.
Technology is very amazing in some cases, such as modern medicine or even this blog. But in other cases it can be dangerous, such as with the atomic bomb. It seems as though this "war on terror" is going to keep evolving into something very strange. Considering that a terrorist will most likely get a nuclear bomb eventually, I'm not very optimistic about the future.
God's gender?
Many of us in America grew up hearing God the Father. God was always referred to as a He. However, the United Church of Christ is challenging this view by adopting the position that God is gender neutral. There is no God the Father specifically. There is God, no gender attached.
At this point in my life, I am unsure whether or not God exists. But I do find this to be a very welcome change. Many members of the very religious conservative wing of the Republican party still harbor sexist attitudes, thinking women should not be in positions of power, such as being a CEO or a pastor. Adopting language that removes gender from God is a good step to hopefully changing the landscape within a certain part of the church. Sexism still lives in America, so any changes to counteract that are welcome.
At this point in my life, I am unsure whether or not God exists. But I do find this to be a very welcome change. Many members of the very religious conservative wing of the Republican party still harbor sexist attitudes, thinking women should not be in positions of power, such as being a CEO or a pastor. Adopting language that removes gender from God is a good step to hopefully changing the landscape within a certain part of the church. Sexism still lives in America, so any changes to counteract that are welcome.
Weiner Scandal
Anthony Weiner, a Democratic Congressman from New York, resigned on June 16th after an emotionally charged scandal where he was caught sending sexually suggestive pictures of himself to women he had met on the internet. He initially lied to the media, but later on came clean.
What is striking to me about this scandal is that it seems to be irrelevant to actual governing. Sexual escapades sometimes show character, but sometimes they do not. He cheated on his wife, which is immoral. But spousal cheating and sleaziness are not grounds for dismissal from the United States Congress. Our system has become so dysfunctional that private sex lives somehow became part of our evaluation of governing skills. Politicians that peddle lies about taxes increasing revenue and spreading hate for homosexuals do not receive the same scorn.
Anthony Weiner broke no actual laws. He didn't try to pay off a campaign staffer like John Ensign, the Republican Senator from Nevada did. However, he was a liberal firebrand, who supported a reform of the health care system by transforming it into Medicare for all. He called out Republicans for their hypocrisy on tax cuts ballooning the deficit and then their refusal to raise them. It's a travesty that in our system an individual's private sexual life seems to be more important than their actual governing record.
What is striking to me about this scandal is that it seems to be irrelevant to actual governing. Sexual escapades sometimes show character, but sometimes they do not. He cheated on his wife, which is immoral. But spousal cheating and sleaziness are not grounds for dismissal from the United States Congress. Our system has become so dysfunctional that private sex lives somehow became part of our evaluation of governing skills. Politicians that peddle lies about taxes increasing revenue and spreading hate for homosexuals do not receive the same scorn.
Anthony Weiner broke no actual laws. He didn't try to pay off a campaign staffer like John Ensign, the Republican Senator from Nevada did. However, he was a liberal firebrand, who supported a reform of the health care system by transforming it into Medicare for all. He called out Republicans for their hypocrisy on tax cuts ballooning the deficit and then their refusal to raise them. It's a travesty that in our system an individual's private sexual life seems to be more important than their actual governing record.
Gabrielle Giffords aid Ron Barber
After the horrific shooting by Jared Loughner, Ron Barber, who was an aid to Gabrielle Giffords, the Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona, returned to work yesterday. He was shot in the cheek and the thigh. Other people at the scene were not so lucky, with the judge, 9 year old girl, and another Gifford aide named Gabe Zimmerman all died. This is such a sad story because it was extremely preventable.
Stricter gun laws would've made it much more difficult for Jared Loughner to get the gun and shoot the people he did. America has a strange obsession with guns, that even as an American citizen, I don't completely understand. Hunting for sport or something similiar is one thing, but buying a gun that fires multiple rounds very quickly is just a killing machine that really serves no purpose for a regular citizen.
The answer to violence, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, is not more violence. "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars." The way to stop violence is to stop fueling it. Society needs a fundamental transformation in the way we look at crime, moving away from this mob mentality of punishment, and towards reformation and helping people re-enter society and be as productive as possible.
Stricter gun laws would've made it much more difficult for Jared Loughner to get the gun and shoot the people he did. America has a strange obsession with guns, that even as an American citizen, I don't completely understand. Hunting for sport or something similiar is one thing, but buying a gun that fires multiple rounds very quickly is just a killing machine that really serves no purpose for a regular citizen.
The answer to violence, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, is not more violence. "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars." The way to stop violence is to stop fueling it. Society needs a fundamental transformation in the way we look at crime, moving away from this mob mentality of punishment, and towards reformation and helping people re-enter society and be as productive as possible.
Shared Sacrifice?
There has been much talk in Washington about the need for "shared sacrifice" with the meaning being that no one group should be disproportionately affected by the decisions made. Recently, Jeff Sessions, a Republican from Alabama, claimed that it's "rather pathetic" that millionaires and billionaires need to sacrifice also. At this point I could just leave this post as a summary and I think it would speak for itself. However, it is quintessential Republican speak and needs to be called out.
Republicans seem to believe that by deficit reduction, that means that cuts to education, infrastructure, green technology, cancer research, and other programs like this are the key to getting it down. People who need help the most are going to get it the least. Why? Because of the religion of no raising taxes. It seems to be better under a Republican perspective to decrease the quality of education and infrastructure in order to help Bill Gates and Warren Buffet stay filthy rich. Roads and bridges are falling apart but that is of no consequence. People are dying of cancer, but that is not a sufficient reason to invest more in the research. And our planet is warming due to human activity, but the Republicans say it's a myth(majority of scientists who actually understand it would disagree).
It seems that what is TRULY pathetic is that Jeff Sessions would protect CEOs and corporate profits at the expensive of society as a whole. Kids educations and future are not the focus, only the greed and profits of unrestrained capitalism. Jeff Sessions should apologize to those kids and cancer victims he so abhorrently seems to see as insignificant.
Republicans seem to believe that by deficit reduction, that means that cuts to education, infrastructure, green technology, cancer research, and other programs like this are the key to getting it down. People who need help the most are going to get it the least. Why? Because of the religion of no raising taxes. It seems to be better under a Republican perspective to decrease the quality of education and infrastructure in order to help Bill Gates and Warren Buffet stay filthy rich. Roads and bridges are falling apart but that is of no consequence. People are dying of cancer, but that is not a sufficient reason to invest more in the research. And our planet is warming due to human activity, but the Republicans say it's a myth(majority of scientists who actually understand it would disagree).
It seems that what is TRULY pathetic is that Jeff Sessions would protect CEOs and corporate profits at the expensive of society as a whole. Kids educations and future are not the focus, only the greed and profits of unrestrained capitalism. Jeff Sessions should apologize to those kids and cancer victims he so abhorrently seems to see as insignificant.
Cutting Education
School districts across the country are cutting summer school and shortening school weeks. Teachers are being laid off and class sizes are increasing. What is to be made of all of this? Some of it is due to the economic recession, others are due to state's having balanced budget amendments (see how smart that idea is), and others are due to Republicans trying to reduce the size of government.
The economic recession is just bad and it wouldn't be right to blame cuts on politicians who enacted them because of this as long as it was done in a balanced way. The balanced budget laws are also not the fault of people who have to abide by them, but they are responsible for the process they use to get the budget balanced.
The most egregious is when Republicans try to reduce the size of government by literally cutting education. Get rid of some teachers, break their ability to unionize, reduce their benefits and the government has shrunk in size.
Teachers are vastly important to a fully functioning society. Kids learn how to read and develop a love for knowledge for knowledge's sake. And there is a strong correlation between poverty and levels of education. The Republicans cut education while in the same breath are giving millionaires and billionaires tax breaks. It's incomprehensible how the current Republican party is considered to be anything but the Guarantors of Poverty for the vast majority of people.
The economic recession is just bad and it wouldn't be right to blame cuts on politicians who enacted them because of this as long as it was done in a balanced way. The balanced budget laws are also not the fault of people who have to abide by them, but they are responsible for the process they use to get the budget balanced.
The most egregious is when Republicans try to reduce the size of government by literally cutting education. Get rid of some teachers, break their ability to unionize, reduce their benefits and the government has shrunk in size.
Teachers are vastly important to a fully functioning society. Kids learn how to read and develop a love for knowledge for knowledge's sake. And there is a strong correlation between poverty and levels of education. The Republicans cut education while in the same breath are giving millionaires and billionaires tax breaks. It's incomprehensible how the current Republican party is considered to be anything but the Guarantors of Poverty for the vast majority of people.
California Gay School Bill
The California Congress has passed a law that would require schools not to denigrate gays and show how they have contributed to society throughout history and today. Tim Donnelly, a Republican member of the assembly, said that the bill was promoting a "homosexual agenda". The Demcratic governor Jerry Brown has not signed the bill as of yet.
I never really understand when members of the far right say that there is some kind of "homosexual agenda." Homosexuals are simply asking for a civil right that is being denied to them based on the uncontrollable sexual orientation they happen to have. They simply want equal rights and to not be discriminated against (such as in Texas it is still legal to fire someone for being gay). Their agenda is not any different than women or African Americans,who want to be treated equally regardless of irrelevant factors.
I never really understand when members of the far right say that there is some kind of "homosexual agenda." Homosexuals are simply asking for a civil right that is being denied to them based on the uncontrollable sexual orientation they happen to have. They simply want equal rights and to not be discriminated against (such as in Texas it is still legal to fire someone for being gay). Their agenda is not any different than women or African Americans,who want to be treated equally regardless of irrelevant factors.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Obama Pushes Congress
Obama pushed Congress today to come to a long-term agreement and not "kick the can down the road". The agreement must also include tax increases. This is a welcome change to me. Obama is pushing back against the corporate led GOP and actually saying he will not budge on tax increases. John McCain said recently that the American people voted in 2010 based on the GOP promise that taxes will not be increased. However, polls show most Americans are willing to raise taxes on the rich.
Obama should keep pushing hard and expose the GOP as the Guarantors of Poverty. They do not fight for the middle class or poor Americans. They always come down on the side of the powerful and rich. They do this by supporting policies such as making it harder to sue for a redress of grievances in businesses, making it harder to sue a doctor that was negligent, reducing workplace safety regulations, getting rid of minimum wage laws, the list goes on. Hopefully the American people can see as the result of these negotiations where the real priorities of the parties lays.
Obama should keep pushing hard and expose the GOP as the Guarantors of Poverty. They do not fight for the middle class or poor Americans. They always come down on the side of the powerful and rich. They do this by supporting policies such as making it harder to sue for a redress of grievances in businesses, making it harder to sue a doctor that was negligent, reducing workplace safety regulations, getting rid of minimum wage laws, the list goes on. Hopefully the American people can see as the result of these negotiations where the real priorities of the parties lays.
What if the Government Defaulted?
Some are now asking this question with the August 2nd deadline approaching. There would be no money to pay veterans, medicare/medicaid, or social security. And interest rates would have to be raised in order to actually attract investors to buy our bonds. Jim Kessler, of the think tank third way, puts it like this, "You can cheat on your spouse and maybe your marriage will survive, but your marriage will never be the same again. And you can default on your debt as a nation and your country will survive. But the way your country is viewed will never be the same again."
This is rather depressing, especially considering the Tea Party Republicans stance that raising taxes is a non-starter on a deal. The whole country could be shaken but raising taxes is still off the table. Reagan lives on!
This is rather depressing, especially considering the Tea Party Republicans stance that raising taxes is a non-starter on a deal. The whole country could be shaken but raising taxes is still off the table. Reagan lives on!
Casey Anthony Trial
I'm going to begin by being completely honest and say I have not followed this story closely. Casey Anthony was only convicted of 4 misdemeanors for misleading the police. However, there was no physical evidence linking Casey to Caylee's death. The jury felt they had "reasonable doubt". Therefore they decided not to charge her with the death penalty. I think that is the right call in this case. In fact, I think it's the right call in every case not to ever sentence someone to death.
There have been many cases in the past where innocent people have been wrongly convicted. It's conceivable these wrongly convicted persons were then executed by the state they lived in. Why the need for blood and vengeance? Justice should be about reforming offenders as much as possible and showing that society does not tolerate certain behaviors. It should not be about state-sanctioned unjustified murder. Murder is only justified in the case of self-defense, directly with something such as a robbery, and indirectly with something like war. The state clearly does not have to murder someone in cold blood to defend itself. Therefore the death penalty needs to go the way of the horse and buggy.
There have been many cases in the past where innocent people have been wrongly convicted. It's conceivable these wrongly convicted persons were then executed by the state they lived in. Why the need for blood and vengeance? Justice should be about reforming offenders as much as possible and showing that society does not tolerate certain behaviors. It should not be about state-sanctioned unjustified murder. Murder is only justified in the case of self-defense, directly with something such as a robbery, and indirectly with something like war. The state clearly does not have to murder someone in cold blood to defend itself. Therefore the death penalty needs to go the way of the horse and buggy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)