Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Friday, July 10, 2015

RFRA

adulterer, divorcee, gossiper, wife beater, pornographer, purchaser of pornographer, someone who works on the Sabbath, thief, idol worshipper, obese, pork, mixed fibers

how do you identify,  when you've accepted payment without realizing the wedding, funeral, or party; what will you do when you realize the fact.

If Crist was visibly standing next to you, and you deny service to someone who is gay. Do you think he will say "Way to go, that's what I meant when I said love thy neighbor as you love yourself.
*
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” ~Matthew 5:41
*
Doesn't Memorial Pizza prove that RFRA would be used to discriminate, and for profit?
*
Where do we draw a line? Go to Jesus who drew a line in the sand then told the crowd who had gathered to stone a woman…let the one of you who is without sin, cast the first stone.
*
Seriously, if this is an Indiana thing, I apologize for my food snobbery. But if it isn’t, what are Chrystal O’Connor and her dad, Kevin, so freaking worried about? You can’t find a menu for Hateful Memories Pizza online, but I would bet they have a pizza with bacon. Leviticus, the same book that fundamentalists quote every damn time they want to “prove” it’s okay to hate gay people, also has this to say about eating pork: And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you. (Leviticus 11: 7-8)

Read more at: http://www.forwardprogressives.com/memories-pizza-is-first-indiana-business-to-deny-service-to-lgbt-customers/

Of course, the fact the food banks are that low indicates its a good bet that the general population as a whole are not contributing. It would be save to point out segments of the population in general for criticism: people at the casino, people on a cruise ship. These people would be examples for legitimate criticism, in general. Naturally some of them may give profusely to food banks and charities but the criticism would be valid in general, especially if members of the group blowing their money at a casino were at the same time denouncing the values of charity while children were going hungry.
The sentiments of the post is not that all Christians are being hypocritical. The sentiment that "so called" Christians, in this case ones who are attempting to obtain government sanctions for denying services to segments of the population under the claim that it violates their religious freedom.
The pizza owners were never going to be forced to cater a gay wedding, shoot, whoever heard of a pizza catered wedding. The truth is their business would be able to refuse doing a gay wedding by stating that they don't cater weddings. If you deny a service to everyone, you can deny the service to anyone. The truth is the pizza owners were demonstrating their desire to refuse service to some. If you do business in the public domain you have obligations to the public.
If their objection was because of religious, Christian, beliefs then shouldn't they also refuse to cater weddings for: divorcees, adulterers, straight couples who have been living together, convicted felons, covet-ers, gossipers, liars, pornographers? No, just gay couples. Catering a wedding is not endorsing a marriage, or a lifestyle.
Do they serve pizzas with pork on them? I'm sure they do. (see Leviticus)
The pizza owners made more in one week than their business makes in a year, by singling out one group to discriminate against and USED their religion as an excuse.
The sentiments of the post is that under the cover of their religion others are doing the same. Not all Christians, because the crowd of protesters against the law, and the bulk of those opposed to it are also calling themselves Christian.
The term "so called" Christians is not to defame anyone who agrees with the law, or anyone who is opposed to gay marriage, it is in reference to those people who claim to be Christians and fail to live up to THEIR OWN Christian standards that they preach and try to impose upon others, or try to use as a weapon to oppress. If your going to try and impose Old Testament Law, by setting it as a standard for others then remember " there are 613 laws in the Torah (Books of Moses). Of those, 365 are in the “thou shalt not...” category." and if you get to pick and choose then so should others.

Republicans Say Dismantle Constitution And Make Christianity National Religion

Oh my gosh! This is the most dangerous and divisive idea that anyone could come up with. It would not just rip this country apart, but would also pit Christian against Christian. Just look at history, the history of Christianity through the ages. This is what wars were fought over in Europe, Christian against Christian for over 1500 years. GlennDL

57% Of Republicans Say Dismantle Constitution And Make Christianity National Religion

"...Republicans apparently have no misgivings about turning the United States into a Christian theocracy. The poll’s crosstabs reveal that support for making Christianity the official religion is strongest among Mike Huckabee (94 percent), Rick Perry (83 percent), and Ben Carson (78 percent) supporters.
Ben Carson is the preferred presidential candidate of those who want to impose Christianity on the nation with 24 percent support. Mike Huckabee and Scott Walker are tied for 2nd place at 16 percent. Scott Walker (35 percent) and Jeb Bush (22 percent) are the leading candidates among GOP voters who do not want to establish a national religion." Politicususa.com
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/02/25/57-republicans-dismantle-constitution-christianity-national-religion.html
zxzxzzxzxzxzxzxzx
If the question is of the legitimacy of the polling the PPL has received both praise for it accuracy and methodology in the past as well as criticism from the right that its is biased. Every poll produced receives that criticism from whoever is cast in a negative light, so take the poll with a grain of salt.
If you truly consider it a ploy by the Democrats to raise fears then I won't begin to debate that point for two reasons:
1] If either one of us, or both of us, are willing to accept that an argument is either valid or invalid strictly on the basis of who made it then we are not going to address the argument because we will constantly be draw to debating the 'who', and I find that those debates become tedious,
2] I could direct you to quotes, information, names of politicians, and religious leaders who have alluded to Dominionist theology as well as a desire for a Christian Theocracy. That would only result in me appearing to be promoting the 'scare' or some conspiracy theory, and would also not have a productive outcome.
I would suggest: do a google search on Dominionist theology, alter the search with additional keywords like leaders and politicians. Also do google searches for some of those mentioned in the article and some statements from the 2008 Republican primaries.
I would also point out that yes, this country was founded on freedom of religion, but too many of us seem to think that it was founded on freedom of OUR religion and nobody else's, and those people see changing the Constitution as the only way to protect THEIR religion.

No need to apologize, I welcome any civil discussion. When I post/share an article with a point of view I realize there may be someone who disagrees with me. Unlike others I am not trying to shock someone towards by opinion or beliefs nor am I seeking confirmation. I don't want people to read the post topic or summary, I want them to actually read the complete article. To often I see friends just accepting slogans and statements without actually considering or discovering the intent of the slogan or statements. At the most I would be pleased if someone opened their critical thought process long enough to consider a different opinion.
As for why the PPP would conduct a poll on such a topic... because we are now in that point in the cycle (election/pre-election) were pollsters have a field day. Questions on the faith topic are prime subjects for pollsters and candidates. Additionally the idea of and appropriateness of the subject of religion in politics is fair game since religious credentials are an issue that Republicans routinely raise.
Since all people of faith are not of the same mind, beliefs or political party their is a keen interest in to what degree would their rights be impacted by either the secular or religious beliefs of a candidate or party. And that is the point of the article, too what degree do some republicans want their Religious beliefs imposed on others, the nation and to what degree do they really believe in the Constitutional concept of 'Freedom of Religion. Just as Republicans raise the issue of the religious beliefs of democrats, progressives, and liberals they too should explain their beliefs.
As for me I am concerned about what the poll says about the 57% of the Republicans who like the idea of turning our country into a theocracy, who want to strip one of our most basic and fundamental rights from the constitution, and most importantly what it says about those political and religious leaders who try to pander to the idea.
Dominionist theology and a desire for a Christian theocracy are not knew ideas, they are much discussed by the Religious Right, just not always on the public stage.

If you want to examine the PPP's methodology, the actual questions and responses here is the survey itself:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2015/PPP_Release_National_22415.pdf
If you want to examine the PPP itself, here is their website link:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/

CONSERVATIVE TRIBUNE the article does not support the headline.

I clicked on the link/image and as usual the article does not support the claim stated as "BREAKING:". As is the case of all headlines at the CONSERVATIVE TRIBUNE the article does not support the headline. There is no link to the so-called post that it claims Obama or the Pentagon issued any such order. It quotes instruction for soldier behavior in all Muslim countries, which are nearly identical to the instructions for behavior in ALL countries, the exception being a reference to Ramadan. No instructions concerning Sharia law.
All the links connect only to other vile and dishonest articles on the same website(the CONSERVATIVE TRIBUNE's) except one.
The CONSERVATIVE TRIBUNE quoting itself may further emphasize their point, in this case -their lie, but it does not substantiate the false claims made. The one link to an outside source/website displays an equally misleading headline concerning Ramadan. The instructions are, again, similar to instructions issued to all troops in all countries --especially countries with established religion and customs--. Primarily, when off base obey the local civil laws and anticipate that on local holidays many establishments and services may be curtailed by local customs. Such as eat before leaving base, because local businesses will be closed.

The term "politically correct" has been

The term "politically correct" has been and will always be an insult. The intention of the term is to justify one's inability to "win" an argument by mocking an imaginary intention rather than by building a case.

The farce of the politically correct trump card is alive and well today as we watch drama unfold at the national, state, and local levels about the fate of a confederate battle flag.

I have delayed posting this show hoping decisions would be reached before air time. (Perhaps this will happen). Instead, let's discuss this process we are negotiating: its strengths; its weaknesses; and its roots in our Constitution.

Liberty, Justice, and Due Process of Law are at play today.

As always, I'll post related articles on the Lunch with Louden Facebook page. Your comments there just might make it to the show today!

CoffeePartyON!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

DEBT:

debt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_by_U.S._presidential_terms#cite_note-8

Economist Mike Kimel notes that the five former Democratic Presidents (Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Harry S. Truman) all reduced public debt as a share of GDP, while the last four Republican Presidents (George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford) all oversaw an increase in the country’s indebtedness.[2] Economic historian J. Bradford DeLong, former Clinton Treasury Department official, observes a contrast not so much between Republicans and Democrats, but between Democrats and "old-style Republicans (Eisenhower and Nixon)" on one hand (decreasing debt), and "new-style Republicans" on the other (increasing debt).[3][4]

Bruce Bartlett, former domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and Treasury official under President George H.W. Bush, attributes the increase in the national debt since the 1980s to the policy of "starve the beast" and an aversion for tax increases.[5][6] Similarly, David Stockman, director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan, as op-ed contributor to the New York Times, blamed the "ideological tax-cutters" of the Reagan administration for the increase of national debt during the 1980s.[7]

Using nominal dollar measures, CNN's Jack Cafferty and CBS's Mark Knoller have noted that the US national debt has increased more rapidly under President Obama than under any other U.S. president, and that it had increased by $4 trillion since the beginning of his term of office.[8][9]

 

 

http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2008/05/short-term-cost.html

http://seekingalpha.com/article/174445-comparing-debt-to-gdp-ratios-with-presidential-terms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_debt_by_U.S._presidential_terms#cite_note-2

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/opinion/01stockman.html?_r=1

http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/03/fiscal-responsibility-party-opinions-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/187725/20110727/economic-another-old-school-republican-bruce-bartlett-says-heavy-tax-cuts-are-large-contributor-to-d.htm

Economist Mike Kimel notes that the five former Democratic Pres. all reduced public debt as a share of GDP, while the last four Republican Pres. oversaw an increase in the country’s indebtedness. Economic historian J. Bradford DeLong observes a contrast not so much between Republicans and Democrats, but between Democrats and "old-style Republicans (Eisenhower and Nixon)" on one hand (decreasing debt), and "new-style Republicans" (Reagan, Bush I, Bush II) on the other (increasing debt).

A former domestic policy adviser to Pres.Reagan and Treasury official under Pres. Bush I, attributes the increase in the national debt since the 1980s to the policy of "starve the beast" and an aversion for tax increases. The director of the OMB under Pres. Reagan blamed the "ideological tax-cutters" of the Reagan administration for the increase of national debt during the 1980s.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Top 10 Shocking Attacks from the GOP's War on Women Sources:

1. "'Forcible Rape' Language Remains In Bill To Restrict Abortion Funding," The Huffington Post, February 9, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206084&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=6

"Extreme Abortion Coverage Ban Introduced," Center for American Progress, January 20, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=205961&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=7

2. "Georgia State Lawmaker Seeks To Redefine Rape Victims As 'Accusers,'" The Huffington Post, February 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206007&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=8

3. "South Dakota bill would legalize killing abortion doctors," Salon, February 15, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206102&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=9

4. "House GOP Proposes Cuts to Scores of Sacred Cows," National Journal, February 9, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206103&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=10

5. "New GOP Bill Would Allow Hospitals To Let Women Die Instead Of Having An Abortion," Talking Points Memo, February 4, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=205974&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=11

6. "Republican Officials Cut Head Start Funding, Saying Women Should be Married and Home with Kids," Think Progress, February 16, 2011
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/16/gop-women-kids/

7. "Bye Bye, Big Bird. Hello, E. Coli," The New Republic, Feburary 12, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206104&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=12

8. "House GOP spending cuts will devastate women, families and economy," The Hill, February 16, 2011
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-a-budget/144585-house-gop-spending-cuts-will-devastate-women-families-and-economy-

9. "House passes measure stripping Planned Parenthood funding," MSNBC, February 18,2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206122&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=13

"GOP Spending Plan: X-ing Out Title X Family Planning Funds," Wall Street Journal, February 9, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206105&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=14

10. Ibid.

Birth Control for Horses, Not for Women," Blog for Choice, February 17, 2011
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206106&id=26177-3113636-KMu2NKx&t=15

Monday, November 1, 2010

FSA 11-1-10

Love it when people using a government program complain about it being cut when they were probably opposed to it in the first place [FSA, FMLA]…or in hindsight [Social Security, unemployment Insurance, OSHA, FDA] as long as its there when they need it, and as long as we only eliminate it after they’ve used it or qualified for it.

As long as progressive ideals benefit you then you don’t want to see it tampered with, but when your neighbors need it and you don’t [for that moment] then it becomes a government entitlement that’s wasteful.

*********************************

Things have to be paid for, FSA is a Tax cut, but since it was a Tax Cut for the little guy and not the corporations it was expendable. SO now the cut is 2500 [in 2013] instead of 5000. I'll miss it to since my out of pocket has been $4000 every year for 5 years [heart problems] and I use OTCs a lot.

For the 'blame Obama for everything' crowd I'm sure you already know your answers. For the rest of us remember he was elected on Health Care reform but from the day after the election he and health care reform were under right wing attack.

The same thing happened in 92 for Hillary and Clinton's health care reform. Add to this the disaster left by Bush AND his Republicans [who passed everyone of his budgets over 8 years] and the pressure to cave to right-wing demands made cuts like this inevitable, so you blame who you want.

Remember this FSA is: a little guy benefit, not a corporate one; a progressive idea, not a conservative one; if the limit is raised back to $5000 the Republicans will call it an entitlement, not a tax cut for the little guy; unless the OTC industry gets behind changing that benefit it won't happen.

If you want it back at $5000, OTC included and even extended periods before losing it all of those were progressive ideal, so VOTE PROGRESSIVE...put the car in 'D' [democrats] not 'R' [Republicans].

http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/08/30/flexible-spending-account-changes-for-2011-and-beyond/?#comment-188202

Sunday, October 24, 2010

What was the top tax rate during the depression?

  • Merrill Simmerman What was the top tax rate during the depression?

    3 hours ago · LikeUnlike

  • Glenn Littrell

    In 1918 they were 77% and dropped from there to 46% in 1924
    From 1925 thru 1931 they were 24-25%. [the crash was Sept., 1929]
    Taxes started going up with the roll-up to the war, and roll out of the new deal in 1932.
    It peaked at 92% in 1952-53... [Truman,Eisenhower]
    Remained in the 90s thru 1963. Eisenhower, Kennedy]
    Dropped and remained in the 60s from 1964 to 1980. [Johnson, Nixon, Ford & Carter].
    In 1981 it was 69.13% [Reagan]
    1982 thru 1986 it was 50% [Reagan].
    1987 thru 1992 it dropped to 38.5%, then 28% [Reagan] and then up to 31% [Bush Sr.].
    1993 thru it 2000 it was 39.6% [Clinton]
    In the first two years under Bush [Jr.] it was 38.6% and since then it has been 35%
    For 65 of the last 100 years the top tax rate for the rich has been over 50%! You would think that losing a tax cut of less than 4% present in these times would have them kissing the American soil in appreciation that it isn't more. Especially when you consider that they seldom pay the top rate because of loop-holes, breaks and incentives.
    Companies like Exxon [35 Billion profit] in 2008], Bank of America, CitiBank, and GE PAID NO TAXES LAST YEAR!!!!See More

    about a minute ago · LikeUnlike

  • Glenn Littrell

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GDP_depression.svg

    a few seconds ago · Like

  • Why would the working man support it? Why would they want to give control back to the Republicans, but they do. They bought into the charisma of of Reagan. Positive and anti-abortion. This created an emotional tie to the Republican party which following Reagan manifested itself into the religious leaders, the ones with the bully pulpit of TV evangelism in particular, seeing a golden opportunity to combine their motivation[money] with a political alliance that could swell their ranks. Combining forces of the anti-abortion movement within their congregation with the alienated white middle class who saw desegregation and affirmative action as a threat was easily carried out as it employed a fear and victimization, two strong emotional threats.
    This alliance grew as it fit into the Republicans 'southern strategy'.
    The Rush Limbaugh's of the world, like most conservatives and neo-cons were no more religious than the most liberal left-winger, but they realized that the age old fundamentalist practice of 'crisis conversions' was very effective in swaying and committing followers into near blind service to a set of tenants.
    Just as fundamentalist preachers as far back as the great awakening realized the importance of fear, intolerance and hate in selling love and righteousness the conservative right-wing welcomed the masters of those tactics: TV Preachers.
    The end result is that even though the right-wing has done nothing on abortion other than bring it out every election and then reformulate their game plane for overturning it this emotional tie to the conservatives can always be maintained by recycling fear and hate.
    Their emotional attachment to the right-wing pundits has blinded them to the logical arguments to the contrary. Emotion always trumps logic until a life changing event shatters those attachments.

    Sunday, October 10, 2010

    Trickle down

    Craig A Russelburg Trickle down economics: Tax breaks for corporate America in theory benefits the working class. Reality: Corporate America lobbies government, buying our government. And then "rewards" the working class by lobbying the Republicans to lower/eliminate minimum wage. What's really trickling down is urine, folks.

     

    GlennDL

    Bush, Sr. called it 'voodoo economics' before becoming Reagan's running mate. Reagan's budget director has since called it a sham.

    The irony of 'trickle down' is that if it worked it would in fact be the thing that conservatives claim to abhor. Bread crumbs from the table of the rich falling to the masses below, in other words 'handouts', i.e.., entitlements.

    The rich are not going to build a refrigerator factory [supply] if the masses can't afford to buy the refrigerators [demand]. But, if you give jobs to the masses where they can buy refrigerators [demand] then building factories [supply] makes since.
    But in a country where the rich see no civic responsibility to support the country, economy and the masses that enrich them the rich will always seek to invest their tax savings in foreign factories and jobs.

    Taxing them may turn out to be the only way of keeping that money in the country to create jobs?

     

    Scott Wilder just to set the record straight....during the reagan administration, the democrat controlled house, at the urging of president reagan, cut the tax rate on the highest income bracket from 70% to 28%, the theory being that if businesses and c...orporations had more income for use as investment capital, this would result in expansion and more jobs. did it work? i suppose your answer would depend on whether or not you made any money. i know a lot of people, republicans AND democrats, who did. there are pros and cons on both sides of this theory, but the fact remains the democrats are the ones who passed the tax cuts, thereby making supply-side economics a reality. it's simply ludicrous that, 30 years later, the democrats are still trying to blame this on the republicans. one more thing.....if this country has a democratic president, and a democratic controlled congress, why would 'corporate america' lobby only republicans? don't you think they lobby democrats, too?

    Craig A Russelburg

    Some do and have, Scott. The tobacco industry lobbied both. I remember seeing it was something like 75% to the GOP as opposed to about 25% big tobacco money going to the Dems. That's just an illustration but it does support your thought, ...Scott. I also believe that a lot has happened in the 30 years retroactive of of Regan's deal with the House. Corporations are not satisfied with standing pat. Goal-oriented business requires corporations to raise the bar fiscal year after fiscal year to increase revenue, resulting in a better bottom line. When's the last time a corporate board met and said, "Let's try to earn next year what we earned last year!" Never. And in a rough economy, it's the worker who sacrifices to meet his business's goals. As for a Democrat-dominated congress and a Democrat president, the fact is this group of Democrats are not lock-step on the same page as the president. It's divided. The blue-dog Democrats (i.e. Blanche Lincoln) are closer to being moderate Republicans than other Democrats in the House and Senate. That isn't the case with the Republicans as the conservatives have effectively removed nearly all moderate Republicans and put into place right-wingers who appear to be clones on one platform.

    GlennDL

    Reagan had a wide appeal to moderates on both sides of the isle, thus the Blue Dog democrats, but I don't think anyone now is arguing for a return to 70% tax brackets. Then and now that would be oppressive.
    A tax cut and supply side economics are not synonymous. There's more to supply side than just that. Going back 30 years to criticize the birth of supply side economics is fair game when it is still being foisted upon us, especially when Republicans continually go back those same 30 years to claim those tax cuts as Reagan's.
    Yes, corporations lobby democrats too, they also make donations to them both, even dem/rep opponents get money from the same lobbyist, but there is little doubt who they prefer in Congress. Only Congressmen and lobbyist are for lobbyist. Most Americans Dem and Rep would love to see them go.

    I don't believe, as is to often the case that a lot of people making money is the true measure of whether or not trickle down works or not. People made money off of the calamity we now refer to as the great recession.

    The assumption that businesses and corporations would invest in capitol has been undercut by globalization. I don't know if the savings from tax cuts results in investments but apparently they don't result in domestic investments. On what grounds does anyone make the assumption that corporate America, or the wealthy, will point their investments towards the welfare of this country. Its as unfounded as the idea that free markets have a conscience and will correct themselves based on anything other than the profit motive.

    The questions are: Should the people who benefit the most from this country contribute the most? Should the markets be free and deregulated or regulated and 'fair'? Should the country be built, as it always has, from the ground up or should it be maintained from the top down?

    Yes the Dems are divided, this reflects one of the more obvious differences between the Dems and Reps. Because of the Dems big tent they have more diversity of thought. So agreement and compromise are harder to come by. That’s one of the things I like about liberals, progressives and democrats. The discussions and debates encourage discours, but they can be passionate without being loud and mean.

    The Reps on the other hand tend to be more focused and narrow in their objectives. This narrow focus lends itself to a sharper presentation of their goals but there passion leads to less compromise, not just with others but each other. It also makes them more vulnerable to hot button issues since their unwillingness to reach compromise makes them more fearful of the consequences of anything less than total victory. Just look at the history of the anti-abortion issue, lots of passion but the only thing accomplished is more unproductive passion [every four years].

     

    Scott Wilder

    well, i'm sure not a right-winger, nor am i far-leftist. (as you may have already guessed.) i like to think that i'm a middle of the road moderate, probably just a little left of center. what bothers me most is the constant playing of the... 'blame game' by one group against another; the contant harping against the wealthy, and the promotion of 'class envy'. most corporations play by the rules, what ever those rules may be, as laid down by federal law. they're entitled to make a profit. you can't lump them all into one group and label them as 'greedy' or 'bad'. pepsico is a major contributor to the NAACP; coca-cola sponsors the special olympics. many charitable organizations receive the bulk of their contributions from 'corporate america'. how is this greedy or bad? (but we've all been conditioned to think of them as greedy and evil, haven't we? who benefits from that?) one thing i've noticed in the past 40 or so years is that there is no longer a discernible difference between the democratic party and the republican party. the democrats are no longer the 'peoples' party', and the republicans are no longer the conservative 'G.O.P.' the democrats rail against the republicans for the war in the middle east, but they voted for it, too. the republicans rail against the democrats for the social-welfare government give-away programs, but they haven't done anything to repeal any of them. what they've all done is a good job of diviiding this country into population groups according to race, income, and religion, and playing these groups against each other. people are easier to control if you know what group they belong to, and what their values are. it's the old roman tactic of divide and conquer. why do you think it is that whites get so upset when they see other whites marching and agitating alongside blacks, and blacks get so upset when they see other blacks siding with conservative whites? it's because we've been conditioned to think and act a certain way, and when we think and act outside that box, it pisses people off. neither the leaders of the democratic party nor the republican party give two shits about the welfare of the population of this country: their only concern is staying in power, and they will say and do whatever they have to to stay there. i'm not a big fan of the tea partyists, but they're sure getting someones' attention, aren't they? i think it's because the vast majority of the people of this country are sick and tired of the same old crap being done the same old way, with the same old results, and they want a change.

    GlennDL

    Thank you, I too have always considered my self as a left-of-center moderate. A bleeding heart moderate to be exact. The problem is that the extremes of both parties tend to dominate the discourse too much, and that is a pendulum swinging. At this time because of the influence of conservative radio and TV it is over on the conservative extreme at the moment. That's why I, still living in Indiana [a red state], without changing my position over the last 15 years have gone from being a moderate to being a liberal. The extreme shift, at least in Indiana, to the right has redefined many even though their position has not changed. Would Nixon still be welcome in the Republican party? Even Reagan would be to moderate now, especially on immigration.

    The problem with corporations isn't that they are all crooks, and yes most follow the law, as written, but too many of them are writing to many of the laws. I look at most of their civic minded spending as questionable, at least to the extent that they can write it off on taxes or an ego trip. But by the same token not all unions are corrupt or service workers 'thugs'.

    I always find it interesting how people are unaware of the similarities between corporations and unions. Corporations are formed by people pooling their resources, capitol and education, in order to capitalize on those shared resources. Unions also pool their resources, skills and labor, to accomplish the same. But with those similarities comes their biggest difference: Corporations are formed to reduce responsibilities and liabilities, Unions are formed to share and accept responsibilities and liabilities. Both are inherently run by people, good and bad, are at least easily diverted.

    Paulette Condon also commented on Craig A Russelburg's status.
    Paulette wrote:
    "Let's see.  The partial list..CCC, TVA,WPA,PWA, GI BIll, FDIC, Social Security, Medicare Medicaid, Pell Grants, FHA, ARC, Manpower Act of 1965, Health Education Act 0f 1963 (which hepled pay for my nursing education), Vista, Peace Corps, Fedaral Student Loan Program, and FDR's REA (Rural Electrification).  The REA can be considered one of the most successful government programs of all time.  My list is partial. While a few of the programs under Johnson did have some bipartisan support, they still required a lot of arm-twisting.  I am just looking at which President was in office at the time these progams were realized.  I forgot the FHA.  It is amazing the number of home loans that were made to under this program.  The REA brought most of us out of the dark.  I think Republicans should invest in some stronger light bulbs.(:"

    Wednesday, September 29, 2010

    protectionism:

    If you feel protectionism is a bad thing, in every degree, then why do we not ‘retaliate’ against those who practice it against us? To many countries that we import from restrict the importation of our goods into their country. If the labor cost of our goods drive the price too high then why do other countries erect artificial [protectionist] barriers to our goods?

    DO we need a worldwide union? no, but what we need is union organizing worldwide. It doesn’t have to be a global union to balance the playing field anymore than the many unions in America should be one.

    What we need to do in this country is to force our leaders to insist that our trade partners live up to our trade agreements. If Mexico and other countries enforced safety, labor, and environmental regulations as required in the treaties their cost [and wages] would even out the differences and cost of doing business. Just look at Canada; similar rules and regulations. similar labor cost, similar wages, safer products [than China], no child labor, etc. We need to further pressure our leaders to strengthen our treaties to contain language that prevents our partners from using third world labor practices for an advantage over us and the exploitation of their own people.

    Fat complainers Sitting on tier butts

    Its just amazing to see people who CLAIM to be union members complaining about THEIR union:

    About how their money is spent on politicians they don't support, how their union did nothing when they were laid off [blame the idiots that laid you off dummy!], how Dems haven't done this or that.

    Well get off your fat asses and get involved. Your leadership is elected BY YOU!

    If your dues are going to politicians and you don't get a direct vote then fight to change that within your union and fight to oust the leadership who didn't send it where you wanted, VOTE THEM OUT! If politicians are being supported by membership contributions then DON'T GIVE!

    I have encountered very few people who complained about their union that weren't to busy sitting on their butts to get involved. YOU'RE the ones collecting every benefit, complaining and doing nothing. Your the same 'self-defeatist' as the Tea Baggers who ignored what has been happening over the last 30 years and are just now waking-up to it, and like those Tea Baggers you open your eyes to see only the results and not the causes. Like the Tea Baggers you lump all guilt on the party in power and 'bond' with the first dissenter you see. In this case the ousted, but no less complicit opposition, Republicans. The only difference between you and the Tea Baggers is that, as wrong as they are about the causes and solutions, they at least are waking up and getting off their butts!

    No longer can the republicans honestly blame long term democratic control of the Congress since they have had significant turns at the head of of the country, majorities in congress and appointments to the judiciary over the last thirty years. They have managed to successfully deflect their share of the blame through the ultra right doomsayers of FOX and right-wing media.

    If your truly a union member just keep sitting on your butt and believing the republican family values crap and you'll go down with the rest of us, the working families, and then you might realize the anti middle-class, anti-worker, pro-wall street, pro-billionaire, pseudo-Christian and constitutional revisionist right-wing fooled you big time.

    But I doubt it.

    Tuesday, September 28, 2010

    Brownsville Texas

    You say you " Then why are the Socialist Democrats of today able to claim the Civil Rights Platform? Why do the Democrats have a 90% support of the "black" community?", well do a little research dude! Both the Dems & Reps have transformed. The major transformation for the Reps in relations to African-Americans in American was their alienation of the black community over the last 100+ years. Incident like the Brownsville Affair:

    "...The black community, which had largely supported President Roosevelt before (due to Roosevelt hosting Booker T. Washington at a White House dinner, and Roosevelt's occasional condemnation of lynching's), began to turn against him. Even worse, news of the discharged soldiers was withheld until after the 1906 Congressional elections, so that the pro-Republican black vote would not be affected."      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownsville_Affair

    The major transformation for Dems along this line was the break between the northern and southern Democrats over the civil rights movement, which led to southern Dems converting to the republican party or assimilating with the northern Dems.

    The claim that it is liberal bias controlling history text books is ludicrous when you realize that for decades the conservative school boards of Texas [the largest book purchasing block in the country] has controlled what goes into text books.

    Sunday, September 26, 2010

    Arguing with a tea bagger

    The Dunning-Kruger effect is what most of us are referencing, indirectly, when we refer to the Rush/Sarah/Beck fan clubs as continuing to drink the 'Jim Jones Kool-aid'. They believe they're following the logical reasoning [the logos] of Glenn Beck etc., when in truth they've really been swayed by his emotional [pathos] argument and further comforted by his perceived character [ethos].
    Since they believe they are standing on logic when their argument is really rooted in emotion a logical appeal is difficult to make.
    Think of how many times when you try to debate with these Rushites they try to bombard you with 'the talking points', many of which are unrelated to the current topic of your debate. They always believe that they have hit you with an avalanche of logical facts, but whenever [and this is important] you manage to isolate those talking points and factually pick them apart they rebel and disengage because 'you have an answer for everything' or 'your to narrow minded, or to bias to see the light'.

    http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/mpapantonio 

    http://boingboing.net/2010/05/12/confident-dumb-peopl.html

    Wednesday, August 11, 2010

    Solve, Eliminate or the Status Quo?

    The difference between liberal and conservative on the education issue is similar to many of their differences. When liberals face a problem they seek to solve it, when conservatives face a problem they seek to eliminate it. The liberals have a harder task in trying to reform something whereas the conservatives have the easier task because all they have to do is sell the idea. Both can be disastrous. The conservatives are dissatisfied with public education so their solution is to withdraw funds from it to fund their kids in private schools. Of course this would destroy publicly funded schools as removing funding from an already problem filled system would destroy it. The ideal that you make public schools more competitive by diminishing it is ignoring all the problems that infest public schools. For every kid whose parent, along with a voucher, pulled their kid from public into private there would be many more that the voucher would never be enough to help. The only competition that is created here is between parents, who could make the move and who couldn't. The problem would only be solved for those that could make it.
    And that brings us back to the whole conservative/liberal thing. Liberals try to solve/fix, not always successful, conservatives when faced with a broken system seek to eliminate or maintain the status quo. Welfare broke? Fix or eliminate. Social Security broke? Fix, eliminate or status quo [Private accounts would destroy the current system]. Health care system broke? Fix, eliminate or status quo. Wall Street broke? Fix, eliminate or status quo.
    The end result is that little gets done because conservatives are afraid of 'fixes'. Either keep the status quo or eliminate the system. Look at health care reform. In spite of all the evidence the system was broken the preference for the status quo led the conservatives to block solutions. Can you imagine how much better bill we would have if conservatives had beaten the liberals to the punch with a real alternative to the final bill passed? But instead they continue to be obstructionist in the face of problems with the status quo.
    Doug, I agree with your references to proper history, but aren't you in Texas? The history books we have now are not tainted because they are politically correct. The ultra conservative Texas school boards control what the publishing industry provides for the whole country so how about working on them.

    Great points, Glenn. And, you are correct on the philosophical differences, but off a little on understanding the reasons.
    Let's use your education example. The public system has failed, since the federal government took it over, it's graduation rates, test scores, and over all performance has been deemed dismal, at best. So, middle class tax payers fund and use this service most of all, and have tried to display our dissatisfaction. We see superintendents getting paid millions, and not improving the schools. We see a bloated bureaucracy, with no discipline or responsibility. The only recourse to an unresponsive bureaucrat is to cut off the one thing they hold dearest... funding.

    Exactly! and replace it with....anyone, anyone.... cutting off the funding does what? Its not a solution its just a reaction.

    Actions rewarded is action repeated. Cutting off the funding, giving parents a choice to send their kids to a better school, is the solution. If a teacher loses his job because there aren't enough students to justify her classroom, then the message would be received.
    Look at it this way. Let's say you own the only restaurant in town, and have been providing mediocre food for decades. The people continue to come back because the next place is miles away. All of sudden, someone opens a restaurant across the street from you, and they serve great food. People would flock to the new restaurant, forcing the old restaurant to improve or go out of business. It works every time.
    Hell, you could even make it to where kids are allowed to cross school lines, and choose the school they want to go to. Imagine having a school that has an innovative principal and teachers that push the kids and the envelope. It would excel in form, and kids would flock to it, forcing the bad school to catch up or close down.
    What is the goal? To have a better school, producing educated kids that are prepared for life. If it takes teachers getting fired, administrators getting demoted, or the apple cart getting upset... I don't care, I paid for a decent education for my kids, and I expect to receive that.

    I understand the concept of competition, but your solution doesn't address everyone. I know kids who get vouchers and their parents are extremely happy, but they got in the program through a lottery. There are many more kids that didn't win the lottery. Are you going to require all private schools to accept all kids? Since they now get and want the cream of the crop I don't see them buying into that. Are you going to fund transportation for kids? Across school districts? Are you going to bail schools out in mid-term? Sure you'll have subsidies for the lowest income but working middle class families won't qualify, make too much but not yet rich, and they will still be stuck in public/neighborhood schools.
    There's no way to level the playing field between public and private schools but that wouldn't be the point would it, otherwise the debate would be on making public schools competitive within the public domain where now the whole point is about transferring, a sort of funding redistribution, funding to private schools.
    I don't have all the answers but if the competition thing was the answer I would have to see where it fixes public schools not subsidies private schools.

    For the last 30 years, the federal government has dumped billions of dollars into the education system, and it has still failed miserably.
    As far as the lottery goes, that means more people want to join. So expand the program, fund it appropriately, and let the free market improve the education. Transportation can be solved easily, as a huge majority of cities have mass transportation already in place.
    I expect kids to qualify, and not all kids will. But, perhaps the public schools can be used for vocational training. If a parent really wants his kid to excel, if a kid really wants an opportunity, both would do what it takes to qualify. Those that don't want to put themselves out and work for an education, well, the world needs laborers and democrats.
    If my kids, who both excel in school, are being held back because of disruptive students or a slow curriculum, then I should be able to give my kids the opportunity they would otherwise not receive... an unfettered opportunity for education.

    Like I said, I don't have the answers. I agree that Public education, for the most part, is failing, but as we started of with the premise of solving a problem or eliminating it, I still prefer a solution. A solution that has the potential to work for everyone not just for some.
    Mass transit is not adequate in most cities [its a joke in Indy] and non-existent in rural and small cities which also have public school problems.
    Leaving an underclass destined to 'vocational' training, especially as we move more so to a service industry destines the disadvantaged to sub-par education and career choices. There are way to many bad or inadequate parents which place their own kids at an early disadvantage in the current system as well as the system you advocate, but under your system the 'good' kid who has the potential to overcome his 'bad' parent would more likely be destined to that vocational training. And at what age would that future laborer be diverted onto his career path?
    That good kid with the bad parent, or critical circumstance wouldn't stand a chance, would never get the chance to encounter that one good teacher that might make a difference.
    The idea, and the solution, should involve giving every kid the opportunity, as you say, to '...an unfettered opportunity for education.'
    Have a nice day.

    You are helping me demonstrate the entire problem with nationalized (fill in the blank). The federal government just needs to quit accepting money for a service they cannot provide, and disband the Education Department.
    There is no single solution that will work for the entire country, that kind of thinking promotes lowest common denominator legislation, where as kids that achieve are grouped with those that don't want to, holding back the kids that achieve. This is what I meant by unfettered, if a kid can finish the curriculum by his freshmen year, and score well enough on the SAT by his sophomore year, then the school's bureaucracy should be the last thing in his way.
    But, as I have said many times, the progressive and/ or governments way of dealing with problems is a one size fits all "solution". Why not fund a day care type of school, that strives to teach the basics, enough for the kid to function in real life. And, if the kids want to cut up in class, it won't effect those that want to be there and get something out of it.

    In your scenario it appears to me that you seem to believe that at some defining point it becomes apparent which kids are clearly never going to be more than what they are at a particular moment. How you pinpoint that moment in their lives, and how you thin the herd if that moment is not simultaneous for everyone is beyond me. Kids are not little adults that have fully developed personalities which allows them to be segregated into groups of the 'will make it' or 'won't make it' system of schools. What parent, including you and I, would stand for a school system which professed to determined that at an early age.

    Isn't just 'disband the education department' a one size fits none solution. The original premise of the discussion was solving a problem versus eliminating the problem. Disbanding the education department solves nothing, it just leaves a void. After you've done that, then what. The lack of a 'then what' is what continually paints the current conservatives as obstructionist.

    In the end ending welfare and entitlements just leaves a void, obstructing health care reform in 92 left a void as the free market increased its abuses instead of policing itself, in 2010 the obstructionism led to a in cohesive bill that will be further weakened by 'repeal', trying to destroy regulations instead of striking a balance led to deregulation of the savings and loan industry, banking industry, credit card industry housing and mortgage, wall street and energy. What did that get us? Enron, Tycom,the Keating Five, AIG, Goldman Sachs, etc., etc.,, etc., and the current recession.
    I don't want to throw money around anymore than you do, but I think the first step to smaller government is more efficient government and when only one side is coming up with ideals, good and bad, and the other side only wants to hack away at pet peeves the best minds on both sides are held captive to the combat at hand.

    You say that trying to find a single solution for the entire country is lowest common denominator thinking, I don't think I'm the one who has suggested that, but, I'll take the lowest common denominator if it gives us a point for working towards a solution to the problem, but you'll never get me to agree to accepting either the status quo or the process of elimination over trying to find a workable solution.

    from:  http://www.addictinginfo.com/apps/blog/show/4342595-proof-that-the-word-liberal-is-not-a-bad-thing

    Tuesday, August 10, 2010

    con vs lib

    The difference between liberal and conservative on the education issue is similar to many of their differences. When liberals face a problem they seek to solve it, when conservatives face a problem they seek to eliminate it. The liberals have a harder task in trying to reform something whereas the conservatives have the easier task because all they have to do is sell the idea. Both can be disastrous. The conservatives are dissatisfied with public education so their solution is to withdraw funds from it to fund their kids in private schools. Of course this would destroy publicly funded schools as removing funding from an already problem filled system would destroy it. The ideal that you make public schools more competitive by diminishing it is ignoring all the problems that infest public schools. For every kid whose parent, along with a voucher, pulled their kid from public into private there would be many more that the voucher would never be enough to help. The only competition that is created here is between parents, who could make the move and who couldn't. The problem would only be solved for those that could make it.
    And that brings us back to the whole conservative/liberal thing. Liberals try to solve/fix, not always successful, conservatives when faced with a broken system seek to eliminate or maintain the status quo. Welfare broke? Fix or eliminate. Social Security broke? Fix, eliminate or status quo [Private accounts would destroy the current system]. Health care system broke? Fix, eliminate or status quo. Wall Street broke? Fix, eliminate or status quo.
    The end result is that little gets done because conservatives are afraid of 'fixes'. Either keep the status quo or eliminate the system. Look at health care reform. In spite of all the evidence the system was broken the preference for the status quo led the conservatives to block solutions. Can you imagine how much better bill we would have if conservatives had beaten the liberals to the punch with a real alternative to the final bill passed? But instead they continue to be obstructionist in the face of problems with the status quo.
    Doug, I agree with your references to proper history, but aren't you in Texas? The history books we have now are not tainted because they are politically correct. The ultra conservative Texas school boards control what the publishing industry provides for the whole country so how about working on them.

    http://www.addictinginfo.com/apps/blog/show/4342595-being-liberal-is-not-a-bad-thing-

    Friday, July 30, 2010

    GOP Plot to screw the economy and middle class

    Here are a few of the ongoing economic conditions facing a vast majority of Americans, many of whom are all revved up to vote Republican in November. According to Michael Snyder of the Business Insider:
    • 61 percent of Americans "always or usually" live paycheck to paycheck, which was up from 49 percent in 2008 and 43 percent in 2007.
    • 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1 percent of all Americans.
    • Over 1.4 million Americans filed for personal bankruptcy in 2009, which represented a 32 percent increase over 2008.
    • The bottom 50 percent of income earners in the United States now collectively own less than 1 percent of the nation's wealth.
    • In America today, the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks.
    • More than 40 percent of Americans who actually are employed are now working in service jobs, which are often very low paying.
    • Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States rose a whopping 16 percent to 7.8 million in 2009.
    Oh, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that wages for the highest 20 percent of earners rose by nearly 300 percent since 1979, while wages for the bottom and middle 20 percent increased only by 41 percent -- combined. Plotted on a graph, middle and working class wages have flatlined for 30 years. Roll all of these tragic figures into a slow growth recovery and here we are. Most of us in the middle class are screwed.

    The GOP Plot to Screw the Economy and the Middle Class

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-gop-plot-to-screw-the_b_662953.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=072910&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry

    Saturday, July 17, 2010

    Socialism rants:

    http://www.slate.com/id/2251669

    http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/new-tea-party-billboard-of-obama-hitler-and-lenin-receives-complaints-from-other-tea-partiers/19553093?sms_ss=facebook

    me:  

    SO you have access to the internet and can Google references to communism and socialism, find blogs run by a-holes [and I bet they're really pretty too] then use this information to connect the dots [via 62 degrees of separation] and make a connection that you consider definitive proof [Master's Degree program at Glenn Beck U.]
    So let's see.... Tea Party rally-racist with signs-Tea party is racist...BINGO
    and then there's Christ-says the rich won't get into heaven-give to the needy-socialist...BINGO
    but I'm sure the capitalist bible will have an argument to trump the Gospels.

    SO you have access to the internet and can Google references to communism and socialism, find blogs run by a-holes [and I bet they're really pretty too] then use this information to connect the dots [via 62 degrees of separation] and make a... connection that you consider definitive proof [Master's Degree program at Glenn Beck U.]
    So let's see.... Tea Party rally-racist with signs-Tea party is racist...BINGO
    and then there's Christ-says the rich won't get into heaven-give to the needy-socialist...BINGO
    but I'm sure the capitalist bible will have an argument to trump the Gospels.

    Monday, July 12, 2010

    Obama: 2009 report card

    http://www.brookings.edu/about/status-report.aspx

     

    The Status Report: Assessing the Obama Administration’s First Year

    During the presidential transition, Brookings scholars wrote a series of policy recommendations in 12 memos to incoming President Barack Obama. In January 2010, one year into the new presidency, our experts rated the progress of the new administration on those same issues in The Status Report, a series of daily commentary and video.

    Each of the items below provides an assessment of President Obama's performance in light of recommendations made during the Presidential Transition.

    • The Status Report: Assessing Obama’s Leadership

      Darrell West, January 4, 2010

      Darrell M. West gives President Obama a B+ on his ability to reposition government as a solution rather than a problem and for making good progress in a situation of extreme political polarization and unusually large policy challenges.

    • The Status Report: Obama and the Tax System

      William Gale and Benjamin Harris , January 7, 2010

      William Gale and Benjamin Harris give the administration a B, for their handling of tax and fiscal policy in meeting the challenges of the global economic crisis. However, they remain concerned in the lack of progress on efforts to reform the tax and fiscal system.

    • The Status Report: Obama's Challenges in the Middle East

      Martin Indyk and Kenneth Pollack, January 13, 2010

      Martin Indyk and Kenneth M. Pollack give the president an overall grade of B for confronting big challenges in a region that includes Iraq, Iran, terrorism in Yemen, and the Arab-Israeli conflict. That reflects an A for effort, they say, and a C for results that have so far not matched the promise of the administration’s ambitious agenda.

    • The Status Report: Obama and Global Financial Stability

      Kemal Dervis and Eswar Prasad, January 14, 2010

      Kemal Dervis and Eswar Prasad give President Obama a B+ for what the new administration accomplished on global economic policy during the crisis, but temper the high grade with an incomplete for the big tasks that lie ahead, partly the result of problems created by the very policies that got us out of the crisis.

    • The Status Report: Obama's Leadership Abroad

      Steven Pifer and Strobe Talbott, January 19, 2010

      Steven Pifer and Strobe Talbott give President Obama an A- in tackling the transnational threats posed by nuclear proliferation, the arms race with Russia, and climate change. They are taking into account the difficulties that Obama faces in four respects: the sheer magnitude and complexity of the agenda, a difficult Russian negotiating partner, the burden of the Bush legacy of unilateralism, and the intensity of political opposition.

    • The Status Report: Obama and Health Care Reform

      Henry J. Aaron, January 20, 2010

      Because Congress has not yet enacted legislation to reform health care, Henry Aaron assigns a grade of ‘incomplete’ on this issue, noting that history will judge the president depending on whether the effort succeeds or fails in the long run.

    Sunday, July 4, 2010

    copy of comment

    Some people should remember "there for the grace of God go I..."
    I've worked for a paycheck since I was 15 years old (43 years) and the only time I was out of work and drew unemployment was between my leaving the Military and when my GI Bill kicked in. The GI Bill was so small then that I couldn't go to class without getting a job to support my family, but school was hard for me and I had to drop out for my family to survive. So I guise that makes me stupid and a slacker. SO for that guy who has worked a measly 26 years I would point out that pride without humility is just vanity. Unless things have changed I'm pretty sure that Unemployment benefits are for people who have worked. ARE WORKERS The ideal that 26 years of hard work is unaffected by events that are out of our control and is never influenced by some form of good fortune is really self-indulgent. Last but not least as you blame liberals for everything you don't have control of remember that it was conservatives and their anti-protectionist rants that repeatedly said the key to dealing with the outsourcing of American jobs WAS TRAINING!!! Hang in there Charlie and Jennica, going to school is a good thing, as is trying to better your family.