So, as I was saying yesterday, I’m a little confused by these Christian bumper stickers. What exactly is up with that? But as I promised… here’s my point.
What I’m REALLY confused about is the dichotomy surrounding the apparent Christian adherence to the Republican Party. Now I understand certain fundamental tenets that would appeal to the average Christian. The rights of the unborn, prayer in school, the preaching of family values (although hypocritical it does seem to be discussed more among conservatives than liberals… at least publicly). But what about feeding the poor? Insuring that everyone is medically cared for? Cleaning up after Katrina? The “golden rule”? Granted, I’m just a casual observer but aren’t these things better addressed by Democrats?
If we examine the general opinion on welfare (feeding the poor), which party seems more supportive? Welfare requires taxes. Plus, I’m sure I don’t have to get into the myriad of emails that circulate about illegal aliens, community activism, and “redistribution of wealth”. And a quick aside on this redistribution of wealth issue. Whenever we see this we assume it’s redistribution from those who have to those who have not. But if you think about it, what do we have now? A twenty five percent tax on a person who makes twenty grand a year is going to hurt that person a lot more than that same tax on a person who makes a million. Now, throw in the tax deductions (which the average person making 20 grand doesn’t have) and suddenly an argument can be made that we are redistributing from the have nots to the haves. Sure, taxes go to things that the rich might not feel like supporting (unless of course they are into that golden rule thing) but they also go into schools, roads, assorted public works, etc. We all benefit from those. So is it fair that the poor shovel twenty five percent of their incomes into this fund while the rich shovel in less? But back to my point. Which party really seems to have a higher desire to actually feed and care for the have nots?
How about health care? We are currently locked in a horrific debate about the pros and cons of a public health care option. I think we all agree that under the current system there are a lot of our own citizens who don’t have access to adequate health care. Which party seems more inclined to give it to them? Shouldn’t a real Christian jump on the chance to do whatever it takes to get insurance and health care to everyone regardless of any perceived imperfections in the proposed system? Should the priority be what is the positive effect on the have nots or what is the negative effect on the haves?
Which party was in power when Katrina destroyed New Orleans? Do we really think the response was adequate? There is another one of “those” emails out there that tries to brush off Katrina by raising comparisons with the democratic response to the mid-west floods. It’s filled with blatant lies. Do the research. I think two or three people died in those floods. The dollar damage was astronomically less than that of Katrina. Many of those victims were able to return to their homes when the waters receded. The mid-west floods were nothing like Katrina.
And let’s talk about that golden rule as it applies to War. War is a necessary evil. I know it and you should too. Sometimes it’s necessary and appropriate. Sometimes it’s not. If we were to poll both parties regarding support for Iraq, which party do you think would be more inclined to approve? And for what? We never found WMDs. It’s been established that Saddam Hussein had absolutely nothing to do with 9-11. Yes, he was a bad man. There are a lot of bad men in the world. And there are a lot who are far worse than Saddam Hussein ever was. If we are inclined to go kick ass based solely on the fact that leaders are “bad men” might I suggest we start in Africa where people are being killed or starving to death if they are lucky enough to avoid a bullet. How did we, as a country, allow our focus to be taken off of Osama Bin Laden and placed on Iraq?
Now, just to show my “centrist” side (and prove I’m not a far left nut job) I fully support our actions in Afghanistan. THAT is where the Taliban was based. Here’s something to ponder. During the debates, Obama took some shit from the right when he said he might support action in Pakistan if we didn’t get the cooperation we needed from that government. He also recognized that our actions in Afghanistan were justified. It was Iraq he had a problem with. Well, I for one agree completely. And I also recognize that by invading Iraq, we were forced to dilute our presence in Afghanistan. I also find it interesting that we are suddenly reading about the Pakistanis killing a few Taliban here and there now when we didn’t before. I used to rant and rave about our so called alliance with this country when they were basically harboring terrorists along their border with Afghanistan. Now the guy who said he would consider action in Pakistan is in charge over here and they suddenly seem willing to do something about that. Amazing isn’t it? I’m hopeful that Obama won’t be swayed by those of us too liberal to see the Taliban as an enemy worth eradicating.
But here’s my point. What would Jesus do? My wife goes to church. I don’t. But she came home a year or so ago with a fascinating story about the sermon. I really don’t remember all the details but the gist was that it seemed to be a little political. She left with the impression that the preacher man was at least asking for more tolerance for the left from the right, and might have even been indicating the left had more going for it! The quote that I remember and which obviously had the most impact on me was “What would Jesus do? He’d FEED THE POOR”. It is the second time in my life that something coming out of a religion made total sense to me. Of course he would feed the poor! In anticipation of the question, the other instance was the response I got to the age old question of if there is a God, why do good people die way before their time? The answer was that maybe they were so good that God decided to call them to their “reward” early. If you believe that there is a reward of sorts waiting for us after we die, then that answer makes sense. I’m certainly hopeful there is something going on after our stint on earth. The thought of “eternal sleep” doesn’t excite me in the least. Hey, I love to sleep. But my love of sleep is based on how great it feels when you wake up!
So when you are contemplating your politics, you might do well to look at ALL aspects of the party line. Do we NEED prayer in school? You can pray at home. Should abortion be legal or illegal? Personally, I’m totally against abortion. I look at a baby and can’t imagine destroying it before it has a chance to see the world. But frankly, I’m far more against imposing my own moral beliefs on someone else. Especially when that someone is biologically equipped to be pregnant and I’m not. I’ll never get an abortion. But I’m not going to tell you what to do either. And how can you be against abortion but support killing people in other countries and being responsible for the deaths of our own brave soldiers for reasons that aren’t clear or may not be present at all?
Before you dig your heels in the sand and proclaim yourself a Republican, ask yourself “What would Jesus do… besides blow them all to hell”? Of course the obvious answer remains “HE’D FEED THE POOR!”
Peace,
Common Sense
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
What Would Jesus Do, Besides Blow Them All To Hell…..
Over time, I have seen several Facebook posts proclaiming devotion to Jesus Christ. Now I don’t have a problem with the devotion. I get a little annoyed with the proclamations. It’s not a big deal but something about it strikes me as irritating. I love my Harley. But I don’t put posts on Facebook shouting it to the world and asking for hoots from everyone else who loves theirs. I guess it’s kind of a personal deal. But again, it’s not a major irritant.
Now, on the other hand, there are bumper stickers. I actually wrote a letter to the editor of the now defunct “Eastside Journal” about what I’m about to tee off on. They are far more irritating than the Facebook posts. I think my “favorite” is the one that states “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”. Basically it says the rest of us are fucked (for the record, I’m a baptized and confirmed Lutheran… but I don’t “practice”, so I don’t know if I’m fucked or not. I like to think I’m not. Why? Because I’m a NICE GUY). Then there is the fish. I thought it was a riot when the Darwin fish came out. You know, the one with little legs and feet? But then, the Christians came out with the Christian fish EATING the Darwin fish. I think it said “survival of the fittest”. That was funny too. At least initially. Then I started mulling over that “turning the other cheek” stuff. I mean that Darwin chomping Christian fish is a little aggressive don’t you think? The Darwin fish wasn’t kicking the shit out of the Christian fish. The Christian fish wasn’t even pictured. The Darwin fish was just minding his own business. Why the hostility?
I had an idea I wish I’d followed up on. Maybe I will some day. If any of you do this and it takes off, I expect royalties. I was going to show the Christian fish eating the Darwin fish. Then put a big ass fish behind the Christian fish humping the shit out of it. Maybe even show a little pecker. Under it I’d put something like “now THIS is survival of the fittest”. I wonder what their answer to that one would be. An even bigger fish gobbling up the whole humping mess?
I saw one once that immediately pissed me off to the point where I was actually trying to catch the guy and give him a ration of shit. I was with my wife and we were on our way to a Sonics game (remember them…. Thanks a lot Howard Schultz you fucking idiot… if you don’t understand, Google Sonics/Howard Schultz). Had to give up the chase or miss the opening tip off. What it said was “My God can beat up your God”. Can you fucking believe it? It’s probably a good thing I didn’t catch the asshole. I mean, that’s taking the religious bumper sticker to a whole new level. Borderline dangerous really. It’s like pasting a sign on your back that says “kick my ass, I’m a douche bag”. Now to be fair, nowhere did it say he was a Christian. But I’m guessing he was because, well, the next paragraph tells you why.
I really need to ask why we don’t see more bumper stickers from other religious groups. I’ve never seen a “Jews Rule” or an “Allah’s ‘the bomb” bumper sticker have you? How about “Say hey Buddha, he ‘da man!” Maybe “Mormons… the other white meat”. Or “Give it up for the LDSs. We’ll hang out on your front porch when no one else will”. How come whenever I see a religious bumper sticker it’s a Christian bumper sticker? Is it what my mother used to call (when I was “acting out”) an attention getting thing? Is it a “neener, neener, neener, I’m a Christian and you’re not” kind of thing? Does anyone know what’s up with these stupid bumper stickers? You know the nice chrome fish you see stuck to the back of cars? Have you ever seen a chrome Star of David?
And please don’t bring up the gay pride stickers or the NASCAR stickers or the “my kid’s an honor student stickers”. Yeah, these can be annoying too. But they aren’t religions. It’s one thing to think Fords are better than Chevys. It’s another thing entirely to say your religion is better than someone else’s. I go to an annual Men’s Weekend with some close friends. We’ve been doing it for around 15 years. All we do is play poker, golf, and eat. It’s definitely a “guys in the cave” type of deal. We have golf shirts made up that say “12th Annual Men’s Weekend (or 13th, or 14th, whatever). One year we did hats too. There are two brothers who sometimes attend. They look a little alike. Both have short cropped hair. On the buff side of thin. Well, imagine them driving to the golf course, side by side, in their little “matchie-poo” golf shirts and golf hats, interacting as brothers are wont to do. Now place them around 30 minutes out of Ocean Shores Washington (very rural) where we do this thing. I can guarantee you there aren’t many democrats out there. Finally, imagine me placing a magnetic bumper sticker on the back of their car that says “Honk if you like gay porn”. Yeah, I did it. Now THAT was FUNNY.
But my point….. I think I’ll make you wait until tomorrow for my point. This post is long enough. Consider the title of the blog your clue and stay tuned!
Peace,
Common Sense
Now, on the other hand, there are bumper stickers. I actually wrote a letter to the editor of the now defunct “Eastside Journal” about what I’m about to tee off on. They are far more irritating than the Facebook posts. I think my “favorite” is the one that states “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”. Basically it says the rest of us are fucked (for the record, I’m a baptized and confirmed Lutheran… but I don’t “practice”, so I don’t know if I’m fucked or not. I like to think I’m not. Why? Because I’m a NICE GUY). Then there is the fish. I thought it was a riot when the Darwin fish came out. You know, the one with little legs and feet? But then, the Christians came out with the Christian fish EATING the Darwin fish. I think it said “survival of the fittest”. That was funny too. At least initially. Then I started mulling over that “turning the other cheek” stuff. I mean that Darwin chomping Christian fish is a little aggressive don’t you think? The Darwin fish wasn’t kicking the shit out of the Christian fish. The Christian fish wasn’t even pictured. The Darwin fish was just minding his own business. Why the hostility?
I had an idea I wish I’d followed up on. Maybe I will some day. If any of you do this and it takes off, I expect royalties. I was going to show the Christian fish eating the Darwin fish. Then put a big ass fish behind the Christian fish humping the shit out of it. Maybe even show a little pecker. Under it I’d put something like “now THIS is survival of the fittest”. I wonder what their answer to that one would be. An even bigger fish gobbling up the whole humping mess?
I saw one once that immediately pissed me off to the point where I was actually trying to catch the guy and give him a ration of shit. I was with my wife and we were on our way to a Sonics game (remember them…. Thanks a lot Howard Schultz you fucking idiot… if you don’t understand, Google Sonics/Howard Schultz). Had to give up the chase or miss the opening tip off. What it said was “My God can beat up your God”. Can you fucking believe it? It’s probably a good thing I didn’t catch the asshole. I mean, that’s taking the religious bumper sticker to a whole new level. Borderline dangerous really. It’s like pasting a sign on your back that says “kick my ass, I’m a douche bag”. Now to be fair, nowhere did it say he was a Christian. But I’m guessing he was because, well, the next paragraph tells you why.
I really need to ask why we don’t see more bumper stickers from other religious groups. I’ve never seen a “Jews Rule” or an “Allah’s ‘the bomb” bumper sticker have you? How about “Say hey Buddha, he ‘da man!” Maybe “Mormons… the other white meat”. Or “Give it up for the LDSs. We’ll hang out on your front porch when no one else will”. How come whenever I see a religious bumper sticker it’s a Christian bumper sticker? Is it what my mother used to call (when I was “acting out”) an attention getting thing? Is it a “neener, neener, neener, I’m a Christian and you’re not” kind of thing? Does anyone know what’s up with these stupid bumper stickers? You know the nice chrome fish you see stuck to the back of cars? Have you ever seen a chrome Star of David?
And please don’t bring up the gay pride stickers or the NASCAR stickers or the “my kid’s an honor student stickers”. Yeah, these can be annoying too. But they aren’t religions. It’s one thing to think Fords are better than Chevys. It’s another thing entirely to say your religion is better than someone else’s. I go to an annual Men’s Weekend with some close friends. We’ve been doing it for around 15 years. All we do is play poker, golf, and eat. It’s definitely a “guys in the cave” type of deal. We have golf shirts made up that say “12th Annual Men’s Weekend (or 13th, or 14th, whatever). One year we did hats too. There are two brothers who sometimes attend. They look a little alike. Both have short cropped hair. On the buff side of thin. Well, imagine them driving to the golf course, side by side, in their little “matchie-poo” golf shirts and golf hats, interacting as brothers are wont to do. Now place them around 30 minutes out of Ocean Shores Washington (very rural) where we do this thing. I can guarantee you there aren’t many democrats out there. Finally, imagine me placing a magnetic bumper sticker on the back of their car that says “Honk if you like gay porn”. Yeah, I did it. Now THAT was FUNNY.
But my point….. I think I’ll make you wait until tomorrow for my point. This post is long enough. Consider the title of the blog your clue and stay tuned!
Peace,
Common Sense
Monday, October 26, 2009
Health Insurance, the NRA, and the Big Fat Idiot
Haven’t blogged in awhile. Had a big gig on Friday that I felt unprepared for and was focused on that. It turned out to be a great gig and I’m suddenly feeling more prepared for the next one. It appears that what we lack in proficiency (or more accurately, what I lack) we make up for in song selection. The crowd loved us. So I’m back.
I got an email from a conservative friend about insurance company profits. He attached an article that basically said they were some of the lowest out there (5-6%) and of course used that as a means to take apart the argument for reform. I Googled the subject and as usual, you can find whatever you are looking for. I found articles that showed REAL profits as high as 20%! That’s pretty healthy! I think this could be argued ad nauseum. After the economic collapse we should all be painfully aware that stated profits are as much a function of book keeping as they are a function of a company’s health. But does it really matter? Are we talking about profits or health care? If you are looking at it strictly as a business, then profit is the penultimate measurement of success. Personally, I tend to look at it as a means to keep me and my family healthy… or in dire instances… alive!
This is one of the many differences between a liberal and a conservative. The conservative asks how much money is being made. The liberal asks how many lives are being saved or how many people are forced to be uninsured. It’s like the NRA. I had a talk with an NRA representative who called me a week or two ago asking for membership or money. Probably got my name because I used to be a member. I pointed out that I lost interest in them because their arguments were too extreme. I believed we had a right to own guns. But I also believed we had a right to do what we could to make sure the WRONG people didn’t own guns. When I asked why the NRA had such a problem with background checks and waiting periods he told me that when you allow that, you open the door to further regulation up to and including the banning of gun ownership.
Well, it seems that when you talk about a public option with conservatives it immediately opens the door to that being the gateway to socialized medicine. If the conservatives are so certain that the government can’t run a decent health care program they shouldn’t be concerned about socialized medicine. If the public option sucks, people will abandon it in favor of private companies and we will return to the status quo in no time. The only difference will be those that can’t afford private insurance will suddenly have coverage. These people don’t have coverage now so the effect on insurance companies (and their profit, or lack thereof) will be nil. So what ARE we really arguing about?
Like I’ve said before (and will, I’m sure, say again), this argument’s bottom line isn’t really about health care. It’s about control. If a public option becomes available, and it WORKS, then the conservatives have another big problem on their hands. Any “win” for the current administration is a “loss” to conservative America. That’s why “The Big Fat Idiot” is on record stating he hopes the Obama administration is a failure. They are in trouble. America is sick and tired of them. And any “loss” will just further weaken their position.
And speaking of big fat idiots… You need evidence of Rush Limbaugh’s disgusting sub-human ethics? Read about his latest gaff. He latches on to an article about Obama’s thesis that turns out to be false (was labeled satire) and tees off on the guy. Then when informed the article is in fact satire, does he apologize? No. He plays on the fact that satire is only funny if it is based in fact therefore there must be truth to the article in question. This is GREAT news for all of us. Now, every American needs to read “Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot” to know the true nature of the guy. It wouldn’t be funny if it wasn’t based on fact. He just completely destroyed any arguments against the book with his ignorant, inflammatory ranting and therefore has rendered himself pointless. We should all write him a thank you note. And tell him to shut the fuck up.
Peace,
Common Sense
I got an email from a conservative friend about insurance company profits. He attached an article that basically said they were some of the lowest out there (5-6%) and of course used that as a means to take apart the argument for reform. I Googled the subject and as usual, you can find whatever you are looking for. I found articles that showed REAL profits as high as 20%! That’s pretty healthy! I think this could be argued ad nauseum. After the economic collapse we should all be painfully aware that stated profits are as much a function of book keeping as they are a function of a company’s health. But does it really matter? Are we talking about profits or health care? If you are looking at it strictly as a business, then profit is the penultimate measurement of success. Personally, I tend to look at it as a means to keep me and my family healthy… or in dire instances… alive!
This is one of the many differences between a liberal and a conservative. The conservative asks how much money is being made. The liberal asks how many lives are being saved or how many people are forced to be uninsured. It’s like the NRA. I had a talk with an NRA representative who called me a week or two ago asking for membership or money. Probably got my name because I used to be a member. I pointed out that I lost interest in them because their arguments were too extreme. I believed we had a right to own guns. But I also believed we had a right to do what we could to make sure the WRONG people didn’t own guns. When I asked why the NRA had such a problem with background checks and waiting periods he told me that when you allow that, you open the door to further regulation up to and including the banning of gun ownership.
Well, it seems that when you talk about a public option with conservatives it immediately opens the door to that being the gateway to socialized medicine. If the conservatives are so certain that the government can’t run a decent health care program they shouldn’t be concerned about socialized medicine. If the public option sucks, people will abandon it in favor of private companies and we will return to the status quo in no time. The only difference will be those that can’t afford private insurance will suddenly have coverage. These people don’t have coverage now so the effect on insurance companies (and their profit, or lack thereof) will be nil. So what ARE we really arguing about?
Like I’ve said before (and will, I’m sure, say again), this argument’s bottom line isn’t really about health care. It’s about control. If a public option becomes available, and it WORKS, then the conservatives have another big problem on their hands. Any “win” for the current administration is a “loss” to conservative America. That’s why “The Big Fat Idiot” is on record stating he hopes the Obama administration is a failure. They are in trouble. America is sick and tired of them. And any “loss” will just further weaken their position.
And speaking of big fat idiots… You need evidence of Rush Limbaugh’s disgusting sub-human ethics? Read about his latest gaff. He latches on to an article about Obama’s thesis that turns out to be false (was labeled satire) and tees off on the guy. Then when informed the article is in fact satire, does he apologize? No. He plays on the fact that satire is only funny if it is based in fact therefore there must be truth to the article in question. This is GREAT news for all of us. Now, every American needs to read “Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot” to know the true nature of the guy. It wouldn’t be funny if it wasn’t based on fact. He just completely destroyed any arguments against the book with his ignorant, inflammatory ranting and therefore has rendered himself pointless. We should all write him a thank you note. And tell him to shut the fuck up.
Peace,
Common Sense
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Space, The Final Frontier...
OK, buckle up! I’m about to show my less than liberal side (I warned you it was in there). Target, that beloved Middle America retailer is under fire for marketing an “Illegal Alien” costume. No, it’s not a migrant worker. It’s a real alien. From another planet. Complete with orange jump suit and green card. You can see it here.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-alien-costume-controversy,0,4261573.story
OK, I’m a “touchy feely” guy who fully believes that everyone should be treated fairly and honestly. I give to charities. I pretty much vote the democratic ticket (there are exceptions). And as you know, I have a few problems with the extremely conservative fringe of our society. But I also think that we have a right to a sense of humor. Now if the costume DID portray a migrant worker, I would take issue with that. I mean there are a ton of mean spirited anti-human themes that come to mind that would also prove to be in bad taste. Make the costume a prison outfit to imply illegal aliens are criminals. I’d have a problem with that. Make the costume portray an indigent beggar to imply illegal aliens are a non-productive drain on society. I’d have a problem with that. Make the costume into some exaggerated caricature of a Mexican or South American person to bolster American’s distasteful habit of promulgating stereotypes. I’d have a problem with that. Portraying any ethnic group of people to imply the entire populace of that group is illegal. I’d have a problem with that. But come on! It’s a fucking Star Trek/Lost in Space/Creature From Another Planet type of alien! Lighten up!
I’m sorry but political correctness has been taken too far. The executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles has said the costume is “distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant of social stigmas and current debate on immigration reform." Really? I thought it was a clever play on words. You know… a-l-i-e-n? Like someone from another planet? Not someone from another country. I mean is there even a connection here? There are a plethora of books and movies out there that utilize the possibility of life on other planets as their subject matter. When ET wanted to go home, did we envision a tunnel under the US/Mexican border? If we talk about little green men are we suddenly guilty of degrading everyone who isn’t white (or any other color for that matter)? If Target decides to market a LEGAL alien costume portraying a little green man are we going to hear from the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Extra Terrestrial Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles? Hey, we can’t be too careful. We may have visitors here among us who would find that offensive. What if they aren’t green? They could be blue, pink, azure… we don’t know! It’s horrifying to think we might offend some guy named Zxplatralo from the Andromeda Galaxy.
We have Americans dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have Americans living in trailers outside of New Orleans. We have Americans who have lost 30-50% of their life savings due to the tanked economy. We have Americans who don’t know where their next meal might be coming from. There’s the threat of a Swine Flu epidemic. Our jobs are being shipped overseas and down south. Corporations are revealing themselves to be con-artists. I could go on and on. Don’t we have more important things to concern ourselves with? This is a Halloween costume we are talking about people. An argument can be made that many of them are offensive by nature. The nurse in the skimpy outfit. The Native American in stereotypical garb. The hobo. People might take offense to an “army guy” (they kill), a cop (they deserve more respect), an axe murderer (too violent). If we live our lives in a manner that will not be offensive to anyone, well, we might as well stay at home with our hands tied behind our backs because there is someone out there who will find almost anything offensive.
So get real. If you want to go after someone, go after hate groups, or religious fanatics who show zero tolerance for those who think differently than they do, or Bernie Madoff. Don’t waste your time, or more importantly, OUR time with shit like this. There really are things far more important, and valid, to worry about. Now excuse me, I have a costume party to prepare for. This year I’m going as Rush Limbaugh. Talk about offensive!
Oh, and by the way. My apologies to anyone affiliated with "Family Ties". In my last blog I connected Kirk Cameron with them. It was pointed out to me that he was on "Growing Pains". My bad.
Peace,
Common Sense
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-alien-costume-controversy,0,4261573.story
OK, I’m a “touchy feely” guy who fully believes that everyone should be treated fairly and honestly. I give to charities. I pretty much vote the democratic ticket (there are exceptions). And as you know, I have a few problems with the extremely conservative fringe of our society. But I also think that we have a right to a sense of humor. Now if the costume DID portray a migrant worker, I would take issue with that. I mean there are a ton of mean spirited anti-human themes that come to mind that would also prove to be in bad taste. Make the costume a prison outfit to imply illegal aliens are criminals. I’d have a problem with that. Make the costume portray an indigent beggar to imply illegal aliens are a non-productive drain on society. I’d have a problem with that. Make the costume into some exaggerated caricature of a Mexican or South American person to bolster American’s distasteful habit of promulgating stereotypes. I’d have a problem with that. Portraying any ethnic group of people to imply the entire populace of that group is illegal. I’d have a problem with that. But come on! It’s a fucking Star Trek/Lost in Space/Creature From Another Planet type of alien! Lighten up!
I’m sorry but political correctness has been taken too far. The executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles has said the costume is “distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant of social stigmas and current debate on immigration reform." Really? I thought it was a clever play on words. You know… a-l-i-e-n? Like someone from another planet? Not someone from another country. I mean is there even a connection here? There are a plethora of books and movies out there that utilize the possibility of life on other planets as their subject matter. When ET wanted to go home, did we envision a tunnel under the US/Mexican border? If we talk about little green men are we suddenly guilty of degrading everyone who isn’t white (or any other color for that matter)? If Target decides to market a LEGAL alien costume portraying a little green man are we going to hear from the executive director of the Coalition for Humane Extra Terrestrial Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles? Hey, we can’t be too careful. We may have visitors here among us who would find that offensive. What if they aren’t green? They could be blue, pink, azure… we don’t know! It’s horrifying to think we might offend some guy named Zxplatralo from the Andromeda Galaxy.
We have Americans dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have Americans living in trailers outside of New Orleans. We have Americans who have lost 30-50% of their life savings due to the tanked economy. We have Americans who don’t know where their next meal might be coming from. There’s the threat of a Swine Flu epidemic. Our jobs are being shipped overseas and down south. Corporations are revealing themselves to be con-artists. I could go on and on. Don’t we have more important things to concern ourselves with? This is a Halloween costume we are talking about people. An argument can be made that many of them are offensive by nature. The nurse in the skimpy outfit. The Native American in stereotypical garb. The hobo. People might take offense to an “army guy” (they kill), a cop (they deserve more respect), an axe murderer (too violent). If we live our lives in a manner that will not be offensive to anyone, well, we might as well stay at home with our hands tied behind our backs because there is someone out there who will find almost anything offensive.
So get real. If you want to go after someone, go after hate groups, or religious fanatics who show zero tolerance for those who think differently than they do, or Bernie Madoff. Don’t waste your time, or more importantly, OUR time with shit like this. There really are things far more important, and valid, to worry about. Now excuse me, I have a costume party to prepare for. This year I’m going as Rush Limbaugh. Talk about offensive!
Oh, and by the way. My apologies to anyone affiliated with "Family Ties". In my last blog I connected Kirk Cameron with them. It was pointed out to me that he was on "Growing Pains". My bad.
Peace,
Common Sense
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
And God Said, "Go out and be morons... and vote Republican"
I’m starting to sound like a broken record. But I can’t help myself. There is just too much fodder out there and I can’t lay off! Let me touch on two that really punched my buttons.
The first one is a doozy. The Conservative Bible Project. Heard of it? See the title of this blog post? It's coming soon to a Bible near you. This group of right wing lunatics have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the Bible. Yes, that Bible. The one that has apparently been subjected to an incredible amount of “liberal bias” in its historical translations. These people want to do things like “provide a strong framework that provides a thought for thought translation without corruption of liberal bias” (no, I’m not making this up). “Avoid unisex ‘gender inclusive’ language” which they feel somehow “emasculates” the writings (I swear, I’m not making this up). Express “free market “parables explaining the many economic parables and their full free market meanings” (please believe me when I say I’m not making this up). “Utilize powerful conservative terms as they develop”. Apparently “defective translations” use the word comrade three times more often than the word volunteer (I was unaware they had the same meaning. Isn’t a comrade a friend or companion while a volunteer is someone who willfully agrees to do something? I know you think I’m making this up… I’m not). This is a good one…. “Prefer conciseness over Liberal Wordiness” (Conciseness? What have I been telling you?... haven’t I stated that there are a lot of conservative morons out there? This seems to validate it…. Don’t want too many WORDS in the Bible. Might confuse the idiots. Did I mention I’m not making this up?). How’s this? “Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story” (now they have us here… apparently there are Biblical Scholars out there that do in fact believe this was added after the original. It’s in the Gospel of John by the way. And they think it was added sometime in the 12th century! Oh, those medieval liberals. Even THEN they were making trouble!).
By the way, all those clumsily worded sentences up there are theirs, not mine. Yes, I know… their writing technique is a little fractured. Just the people we want editing a text that’s been around for close to 2000 years. “And on day one, God lit it up… the world that is… in a concise, conservative, masculine way”. Has a nice ring to it.
Now, I have to ask, isn’t the Bible a pretty conservative text as is? I mean, I’ve NEVER seen a photo of the Pope “getting down with his good thang”, have you? It’s one thing to take a liberal or conservative interpretation home with you. But to rewrite the book? Is the Bible really viewed as a manual for liberal living by these dolts? Does this mean that they can just rewrite anything they take issue with? Are they completely detached from reality? Are they saying they have been using this book as a blueprint for their lives and all this time it’s been wrong? Just to be clear, I don’t like the verbiage of “Gone With The Wind” so it’s perfectly OK if I form some kind of “dim bulb” society and rewrite it in comic book form? Can they even do that with the Bible? Isn’t it some kind of sacred text? Is it copywrited? When these nut cases are done will they go after the Talmud and the Koran? And just to prove I’m not making this up (and I’m not) here’s a link. Check it out for yourselves. This is what you get when you vote Republican.
http://conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project
Here’s the next thing for today. Have you heard of the “American Family Association”? I think they are just barely above the Ku Klux Klan on the tolerance scale. You can check them out here….
http://action.afa.net/
See the big morphing banner at the top of the page? If you watch it long enough it will ask you to sign the pledge to boycott Pepsi products. Why? Because they support the homosexual agenda (I told you they were near the KKK in tolerance). This is another thing you get when you vote Republican. Just peruse the website and it’s numerous references to “Obamacare” , mudslinging at the Nobel win, the argument for prayer in schools, etc. Wing-nuts. They’re everywhere.
So, what can we do about these wing-nuts. If you have ever tried to carry on an intelligent debate with one you are very much aware that there really isn’t much we can do at all. It’s like talking to a wall. If you even hint at anything of substance they revert to robotic talking points that are unrelated to the topic and make very little sense. Take Kirk Cameron of “Family Ties” fame. He’s on a mission to get the public schools to teach creationism. Evolution is just plain wrong. Darwin had no idea what he was talking about and fossils are just a couple of thousand years old. His arguments are very compelling… if you are a moron. Google him and be amazed. But getting back to what we can do… These web pages don’t offer a “contact us” drop down. I’m guessing it’s because they have been FLOODED with declarations of just how stupid they really are and can’t take it anymore. But I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to try to buy “Pepsico”. It’s not just Pepsi they own you know. They do Tropicana, Quaker Oats, and a myriad of other products. Surely something to please everyone. So I’m asking a favor. Go out and buy as much Pepsico product as you can afford. Maybe if these dimwits see a reverse effect to their efforts they will go away quietly.
And then ignore them.
Peace,
Common Sense
The first one is a doozy. The Conservative Bible Project. Heard of it? See the title of this blog post? It's coming soon to a Bible near you. This group of right wing lunatics have taken it upon themselves to rewrite the Bible. Yes, that Bible. The one that has apparently been subjected to an incredible amount of “liberal bias” in its historical translations. These people want to do things like “provide a strong framework that provides a thought for thought translation without corruption of liberal bias” (no, I’m not making this up). “Avoid unisex ‘gender inclusive’ language” which they feel somehow “emasculates” the writings (I swear, I’m not making this up). Express “free market “parables explaining the many economic parables and their full free market meanings” (please believe me when I say I’m not making this up). “Utilize powerful conservative terms as they develop”. Apparently “defective translations” use the word comrade three times more often than the word volunteer (I was unaware they had the same meaning. Isn’t a comrade a friend or companion while a volunteer is someone who willfully agrees to do something? I know you think I’m making this up… I’m not). This is a good one…. “Prefer conciseness over Liberal Wordiness” (Conciseness? What have I been telling you?... haven’t I stated that there are a lot of conservative morons out there? This seems to validate it…. Don’t want too many WORDS in the Bible. Might confuse the idiots. Did I mention I’m not making this up?). How’s this? “Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story” (now they have us here… apparently there are Biblical Scholars out there that do in fact believe this was added after the original. It’s in the Gospel of John by the way. And they think it was added sometime in the 12th century! Oh, those medieval liberals. Even THEN they were making trouble!).
By the way, all those clumsily worded sentences up there are theirs, not mine. Yes, I know… their writing technique is a little fractured. Just the people we want editing a text that’s been around for close to 2000 years. “And on day one, God lit it up… the world that is… in a concise, conservative, masculine way”. Has a nice ring to it.
Now, I have to ask, isn’t the Bible a pretty conservative text as is? I mean, I’ve NEVER seen a photo of the Pope “getting down with his good thang”, have you? It’s one thing to take a liberal or conservative interpretation home with you. But to rewrite the book? Is the Bible really viewed as a manual for liberal living by these dolts? Does this mean that they can just rewrite anything they take issue with? Are they completely detached from reality? Are they saying they have been using this book as a blueprint for their lives and all this time it’s been wrong? Just to be clear, I don’t like the verbiage of “Gone With The Wind” so it’s perfectly OK if I form some kind of “dim bulb” society and rewrite it in comic book form? Can they even do that with the Bible? Isn’t it some kind of sacred text? Is it copywrited? When these nut cases are done will they go after the Talmud and the Koran? And just to prove I’m not making this up (and I’m not) here’s a link. Check it out for yourselves. This is what you get when you vote Republican.
http://conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project
Here’s the next thing for today. Have you heard of the “American Family Association”? I think they are just barely above the Ku Klux Klan on the tolerance scale. You can check them out here….
http://action.afa.net/
See the big morphing banner at the top of the page? If you watch it long enough it will ask you to sign the pledge to boycott Pepsi products. Why? Because they support the homosexual agenda (I told you they were near the KKK in tolerance). This is another thing you get when you vote Republican. Just peruse the website and it’s numerous references to “Obamacare” , mudslinging at the Nobel win, the argument for prayer in schools, etc. Wing-nuts. They’re everywhere.
So, what can we do about these wing-nuts. If you have ever tried to carry on an intelligent debate with one you are very much aware that there really isn’t much we can do at all. It’s like talking to a wall. If you even hint at anything of substance they revert to robotic talking points that are unrelated to the topic and make very little sense. Take Kirk Cameron of “Family Ties” fame. He’s on a mission to get the public schools to teach creationism. Evolution is just plain wrong. Darwin had no idea what he was talking about and fossils are just a couple of thousand years old. His arguments are very compelling… if you are a moron. Google him and be amazed. But getting back to what we can do… These web pages don’t offer a “contact us” drop down. I’m guessing it’s because they have been FLOODED with declarations of just how stupid they really are and can’t take it anymore. But I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to try to buy “Pepsico”. It’s not just Pepsi they own you know. They do Tropicana, Quaker Oats, and a myriad of other products. Surely something to please everyone. So I’m asking a favor. Go out and buy as much Pepsico product as you can afford. Maybe if these dimwits see a reverse effect to their efforts they will go away quietly.
And then ignore them.
Peace,
Common Sense
Friday, October 9, 2009
I'm Mad as Hell.......
Wow. The Nobel Peace Prize. Where did that come from? Out of the blue, the President, OUR President, gets the Nobel Peace Prize. And here’s the sad thing. The denizens of the right immediately come out and denigrate the honor as proof of our president’s anti American policies. It makes me want to puke. Seriously. How much more disgusting can it get than this. Wouldn’t you think America… ALL of America… would rally around an honor like this? Wouldn’t you think it might instill SOME sense of national pride?
But no. The assholes on the far right have to piss on it. When 9/11 happened everyone rallied around THE MORON. Turned out to be a big fucking mistake but we did it never the less. But when something GOOD happens, the far right has to immediately discredit it. The President of the United States is, after all, the President of the United States! Not the President of the Democratic Party. Whether you like him or not, he is the leader of the country. And as citizens of that country shouldn’t we all take a moment to reflect on just one more thing that makes our country great? Think about it. When the MORON was in power we had become one of the most despised nations on earth. At the very least, our popularity took a HUGE hit don’t you think? People all over the world recognized the fact that we were being led by a functional illiterate and had basically entered a period of “fuck the world, we’re going to do whatever we want”. Then, less than ten months later, our leader is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize! What a turn around!
You would think the Democratic Party chooses the recipient of this honor the way these worthless piles of shit are reacting. These right wing monstrosities are nothing less than treasonous bastards. If you are a true patriot, you take pride in the accomplishments of the country. The Nobel Peace Prize may be awarded to an individual, but this particular individual represents so much of what is great about America. From modest roots a man studies hard, works hard, busts his ass. And he does it all without ever thinking he might be President of the United States. I mean those of us who went to college, raise your hand if you knew anybody whose goal was to become President of the United States? Better yet, a black man with that goal. It was unthinkable really. There is no way he could have known. He lifted himself by his own boot straps to become a man qualified to teach constitutional law, the only reward being pride, knowledge, and perhaps the benefit of a decent income. Then the unthinkable happens. He gets into politics and in the blink of an eye he’s the leader of the free world. Whether you like him or not, agree with him or not, it’s an amazing story. And it happened here, in America. We should, as a nation, be proud as hell!
Just chalk it up as another reason to despise the right. These ignorant, narrow minded, dicks can’t even rally around this. There is NOTHING Obama, or the liberal arm of America, can do that will garner praise from these sons of bitches. If a liberal found a cure for cancer these people would find a way to discredit him. The only way they will ever be satisfied is if we all just give up and accept their ideology unconditionally. And they have the unmitigated gall to link Barack Obama to Communism? They make references to Hitler? Fascists? Isn’t this refusal to accept anything other than your own vision what makes the Hitlers of the world? The refusal to allow debate? The refusal to reach compromise? The refusal to accept people for what they are, whether black, white, gay, straight, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT? These right wing assholes are a cancer on society (gee, am I getting pissed or what?). What do we do? What CAN we do? The only thing we really can do is vote. And vote in mass. Vote these people out of office. Maybe a little less “voice of reason” and a little more “punch Rush Limbaugh’s fat fucking face” would be appropriate?
Peace (my ass),
Common Sense
But no. The assholes on the far right have to piss on it. When 9/11 happened everyone rallied around THE MORON. Turned out to be a big fucking mistake but we did it never the less. But when something GOOD happens, the far right has to immediately discredit it. The President of the United States is, after all, the President of the United States! Not the President of the Democratic Party. Whether you like him or not, he is the leader of the country. And as citizens of that country shouldn’t we all take a moment to reflect on just one more thing that makes our country great? Think about it. When the MORON was in power we had become one of the most despised nations on earth. At the very least, our popularity took a HUGE hit don’t you think? People all over the world recognized the fact that we were being led by a functional illiterate and had basically entered a period of “fuck the world, we’re going to do whatever we want”. Then, less than ten months later, our leader is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize! What a turn around!
You would think the Democratic Party chooses the recipient of this honor the way these worthless piles of shit are reacting. These right wing monstrosities are nothing less than treasonous bastards. If you are a true patriot, you take pride in the accomplishments of the country. The Nobel Peace Prize may be awarded to an individual, but this particular individual represents so much of what is great about America. From modest roots a man studies hard, works hard, busts his ass. And he does it all without ever thinking he might be President of the United States. I mean those of us who went to college, raise your hand if you knew anybody whose goal was to become President of the United States? Better yet, a black man with that goal. It was unthinkable really. There is no way he could have known. He lifted himself by his own boot straps to become a man qualified to teach constitutional law, the only reward being pride, knowledge, and perhaps the benefit of a decent income. Then the unthinkable happens. He gets into politics and in the blink of an eye he’s the leader of the free world. Whether you like him or not, agree with him or not, it’s an amazing story. And it happened here, in America. We should, as a nation, be proud as hell!
Just chalk it up as another reason to despise the right. These ignorant, narrow minded, dicks can’t even rally around this. There is NOTHING Obama, or the liberal arm of America, can do that will garner praise from these sons of bitches. If a liberal found a cure for cancer these people would find a way to discredit him. The only way they will ever be satisfied is if we all just give up and accept their ideology unconditionally. And they have the unmitigated gall to link Barack Obama to Communism? They make references to Hitler? Fascists? Isn’t this refusal to accept anything other than your own vision what makes the Hitlers of the world? The refusal to allow debate? The refusal to reach compromise? The refusal to accept people for what they are, whether black, white, gay, straight, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT? These right wing assholes are a cancer on society (gee, am I getting pissed or what?). What do we do? What CAN we do? The only thing we really can do is vote. And vote in mass. Vote these people out of office. Maybe a little less “voice of reason” and a little more “punch Rush Limbaugh’s fat fucking face” would be appropriate?
Peace (my ass),
Common Sense
Thursday, October 8, 2009
More on... "Those Lying Sacks Of Shit"
Wow! My last blog got some immediate attention. I started to write answers to each and realized it would be more efficient to just blog again!
Thanks to “The Collector” who pointed out that both McCain and Chuck Hagel were quick to jump out in condemnation of the ad in question. I appreciate the fact that they are both willing to lay it on the line at the risk of angering the more militant in their party. McCain, I’m sure, would always come out in the defense of fellow veterans who served honorably. I don’t know if I have mentioned this or not but John McCain very well might have gotten my vote. In fact, during the primaries he was probably my #2 choice behind Hillary (again, I’m not as liberal as you think). He weakened during the debates (especially when he insisted he knew how to get Bin Laden… I mean WTF? Was he keeping it a secret or holding it hostage until he became elected?) but his choice of Sarah Palin sank it for him. That was a horrible decision that eliminated him from contention in my mind. I’ve also always had a degree of respect for Chuck Hagel. He has demonstrated complete willingness to speak his mind and vote his conscience. The Republican Party would have done themselves a huge favor if they had paid more attention to his condemnations of the conflict in Iraq. Certainly the families of those killed wish he's been listened to more closely.
RW states that nobody put up Cleland’s photo alongside Bin Laden and Hussein. I watched the ad and RW is right. But RW is also full of shit. The obvious intent of the ad was to ASSOCIATE Cleland with the images of “Binny” and Saddam. The ad LEADS with images of “Binny” and Saddam. Any praise Saxby made of Cleland’s service was after the damage had already been done. Besides, Saxby has come out in defense of that ad after the fact as well so any “praise” he may have showered on Cleland is moot. And no, there is nothing wrong with listing a voting record. And I will scream about this on both sides of the fence. If you are going to show a record, show it all. Yes, the Dems do it too and I don’t like it. But the topic wasn’t whether or not to show voting records as much as it was associating a candidates image with terrorists and dictators. The ad certainly didn’t point out that Max Cleland voted in FAVOR of granting THE MORON the power to invade Iraq did it? So it was an incomplete picture.
Presiditioned said I should do a little research before I start spouting. He points me to an article in the “National Review” (certainly among my first choices when it comes to non-partisan publications… he said… tongue in cheek…) in which the author paints Cleland as a “liberal victim”. It’s an editorial. What a surprise… a conservative editor of a conservative periodical sees nothing wrong with an attack on a liberal candidate. Golly, I’m shocked. That's not research. That's desperate fishing for like minded people who share your opinions. Don’t send me links to crap. I don’t quote the “Huffington Post” and don’t want to hear garbage from the right side's equally partisan toilet paper rags.
This “below the belt” politicking is really pretty reprehensible regardless of whether it comes from the left or the right. The reality, and a major source of my “anti-right” stance, is that so much more of it comes from the right. I have thrown out the challenge before and probably will again. Show me an email painting John McCain as a war crazed neo Nazi maniac. Show me an email that implies Sarah Palin was an Anchorage prostitute before she got into politics. Show me an email that claims Ann Coulter is a communist operative whose mission is to disrupt the flow of democracy. They aren’t out there. But if I ask you to show me an email that says Obama is a Muslim…..
Peace,
Common Sense
Thanks to “The Collector” who pointed out that both McCain and Chuck Hagel were quick to jump out in condemnation of the ad in question. I appreciate the fact that they are both willing to lay it on the line at the risk of angering the more militant in their party. McCain, I’m sure, would always come out in the defense of fellow veterans who served honorably. I don’t know if I have mentioned this or not but John McCain very well might have gotten my vote. In fact, during the primaries he was probably my #2 choice behind Hillary (again, I’m not as liberal as you think). He weakened during the debates (especially when he insisted he knew how to get Bin Laden… I mean WTF? Was he keeping it a secret or holding it hostage until he became elected?) but his choice of Sarah Palin sank it for him. That was a horrible decision that eliminated him from contention in my mind. I’ve also always had a degree of respect for Chuck Hagel. He has demonstrated complete willingness to speak his mind and vote his conscience. The Republican Party would have done themselves a huge favor if they had paid more attention to his condemnations of the conflict in Iraq. Certainly the families of those killed wish he's been listened to more closely.
RW states that nobody put up Cleland’s photo alongside Bin Laden and Hussein. I watched the ad and RW is right. But RW is also full of shit. The obvious intent of the ad was to ASSOCIATE Cleland with the images of “Binny” and Saddam. The ad LEADS with images of “Binny” and Saddam. Any praise Saxby made of Cleland’s service was after the damage had already been done. Besides, Saxby has come out in defense of that ad after the fact as well so any “praise” he may have showered on Cleland is moot. And no, there is nothing wrong with listing a voting record. And I will scream about this on both sides of the fence. If you are going to show a record, show it all. Yes, the Dems do it too and I don’t like it. But the topic wasn’t whether or not to show voting records as much as it was associating a candidates image with terrorists and dictators. The ad certainly didn’t point out that Max Cleland voted in FAVOR of granting THE MORON the power to invade Iraq did it? So it was an incomplete picture.
Presiditioned said I should do a little research before I start spouting. He points me to an article in the “National Review” (certainly among my first choices when it comes to non-partisan publications… he said… tongue in cheek…) in which the author paints Cleland as a “liberal victim”. It’s an editorial. What a surprise… a conservative editor of a conservative periodical sees nothing wrong with an attack on a liberal candidate. Golly, I’m shocked. That's not research. That's desperate fishing for like minded people who share your opinions. Don’t send me links to crap. I don’t quote the “Huffington Post” and don’t want to hear garbage from the right side's equally partisan toilet paper rags.
This “below the belt” politicking is really pretty reprehensible regardless of whether it comes from the left or the right. The reality, and a major source of my “anti-right” stance, is that so much more of it comes from the right. I have thrown out the challenge before and probably will again. Show me an email painting John McCain as a war crazed neo Nazi maniac. Show me an email that implies Sarah Palin was an Anchorage prostitute before she got into politics. Show me an email that claims Ann Coulter is a communist operative whose mission is to disrupt the flow of democracy. They aren’t out there. But if I ask you to show me an email that says Obama is a Muslim…..
Peace,
Common Sense
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Those Lying Sacks of Shit.....
I have taken some grief from my conservative friends for being too liberal. I am not. What I am is “anti-right”. Big difference. There are a myriad of tests and quizzes you can take online that place you in a category on the political spectrum. I recommend them because they are fun, and they help you to see yourself in what might be a new light. Every test I have taken puts me in the “centrist” category. Now, it also puts me on the left side (sometimes the left edge) of Centrist. So I certainly lean in that direction. But this assumption that I am a radical lefty is erroneous. I believe that radicals on either side of the political fence are at best, blind to reality and at worst, on the insane side of the sanity spectrum.
There is currently an ad being run by “Move On”, a somewhat radical organization of democrats that I believe rose out of the furor caused by the Bush administration. They are running a series of ads against targeted Republicans. One of these Republicans is Dave Reichert, a senator from Washington where I live. It claims that Mr. Reichert accepted over $100,000 dollars in special interest money (health Insurers) and then voted with those special interests against health care reform. I looked into Mr. Reichert’s campaign finances and was unable to find over $100,000 of those dollars. I did find approximately $40-50,000.
Now, I won’t crucify Mr. Reichert (yet) for accepting that money. I might crucify him if it influences his voting record though (and I'm still looking into that). And I will crucify Move On if they intentionally fabricated, or in some other way “creatively enhanced” the dollar amount to justify their rants. Blatant lying for the purpose of forwarding a political agenda should be illegal. It is beyond me why we allow politicians and the parties they belong to to get away with it.
Which leads me to my real rant. Once again, the political right has been exposed as the despicable, rotten, lying, immoral, scum bags (for lack of a better term) that they are. Max Cleland’s book, "The HEart Of A Patriot" has been getting some press over the last few days. Max was a Senator from the state of Georgia. He lost his seat in 2002 to his Republican challenger Saxby Chambliss. As he puts it, the “Karl Rove political machine” ran a smear campaign putting his picture up next to Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Called him unpatriotic. Listed his voting record on Homeland Security. But here’s the rub. Max voted in favor of THE MORON being able to put us into Iraq. Max is also a Viet Nam veteran who lost his right arm and both legs to a grenade explosion. He enlisted to go serve his country. Was NOT drafted. When he got home and fought through his post traumatic stress, he decided public service was the way to go. There is an interview with him on NPR here...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113497762
Throw this in with the Swift Boat campaign against Kerry. How anyone with any moral character can stand with a party that would intentionally call into question the patriotism of an honorable war veteran is beyond me. Showing his picture with the two most notorious “villains” at the time is just fucking heinous. The entire party should be ashamed of themselves. I didn’t care for John McCain. I especially didn’t care for him after he picked that bimbo as his running mate. But I would never, under any circumstances, question his patriotism or he dedication to this country. Why? Because I’m not a despicable, rotten, lying, immoral, scum bag.
Peace,
Common Sense
There is currently an ad being run by “Move On”, a somewhat radical organization of democrats that I believe rose out of the furor caused by the Bush administration. They are running a series of ads against targeted Republicans. One of these Republicans is Dave Reichert, a senator from Washington where I live. It claims that Mr. Reichert accepted over $100,000 dollars in special interest money (health Insurers) and then voted with those special interests against health care reform. I looked into Mr. Reichert’s campaign finances and was unable to find over $100,000 of those dollars. I did find approximately $40-50,000.
Now, I won’t crucify Mr. Reichert (yet) for accepting that money. I might crucify him if it influences his voting record though (and I'm still looking into that). And I will crucify Move On if they intentionally fabricated, or in some other way “creatively enhanced” the dollar amount to justify their rants. Blatant lying for the purpose of forwarding a political agenda should be illegal. It is beyond me why we allow politicians and the parties they belong to to get away with it.
Which leads me to my real rant. Once again, the political right has been exposed as the despicable, rotten, lying, immoral, scum bags (for lack of a better term) that they are. Max Cleland’s book, "The HEart Of A Patriot" has been getting some press over the last few days. Max was a Senator from the state of Georgia. He lost his seat in 2002 to his Republican challenger Saxby Chambliss. As he puts it, the “Karl Rove political machine” ran a smear campaign putting his picture up next to Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Called him unpatriotic. Listed his voting record on Homeland Security. But here’s the rub. Max voted in favor of THE MORON being able to put us into Iraq. Max is also a Viet Nam veteran who lost his right arm and both legs to a grenade explosion. He enlisted to go serve his country. Was NOT drafted. When he got home and fought through his post traumatic stress, he decided public service was the way to go. There is an interview with him on NPR here...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113497762
Throw this in with the Swift Boat campaign against Kerry. How anyone with any moral character can stand with a party that would intentionally call into question the patriotism of an honorable war veteran is beyond me. Showing his picture with the two most notorious “villains” at the time is just fucking heinous. The entire party should be ashamed of themselves. I didn’t care for John McCain. I especially didn’t care for him after he picked that bimbo as his running mate. But I would never, under any circumstances, question his patriotism or he dedication to this country. Why? Because I’m not a despicable, rotten, lying, immoral, scum bag.
Peace,
Common Sense
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