The Bible says, “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.” Right now John McCain is discovering just what this means.
The vitriolic campaign that he has been waging has resulted in a hatred that has taken us back 50 years to a time when segregation was the law and those who were “different” were deemed inferior.
The man who promised to set the bar high for the contest for president of the United States of America has instead played a game of limbo with his standards so that we wonder just how low he can go.
By accusing Barack Obama of “pallin’ around with terrorists” and questioning his patriotism – as well as that of his supporters – John McCain has become Dr. Frankenstein and created a monster that he can no longer control, as evidenced by the angry crowd who booed him when he tried to stop the madness. He seemed surprised that his town halls have deteriorated into something that resembles the mob scenes in a monster movie. You could almost see the villagers storming the castle with pitch forks in hand.
Sen. McCain should have remembered that not so long ago he was on the receiving end of these dirty campaign tactics. I truly believe that he is beginning to regret his new image: an old man who is so greedy for glory that he has become like the snake that tries to swallow its own tail.
If his goal was to make people hate Barack Obama, he has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. And like many who, when their dreams are realized, come to find out that this isn’t exactly what they wanted, he (at least it appears so) is now scrambling to try to undo some of the damage. I only hope and pray that for all our sakes it’s not too late.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
An Open Letter to Supporters of Hillary Clinton
I understand your anger and frustration at having come so close to the goal and seeing another pass you by. But in the political arena, we cannot afford to take personally the fact that our candidate did not finish first. Many people have threatened – and sincerely mean it – to stay home or, even worse, vote for John McCain in November. But before you take such a drastic step, stop and think about it. How many times in your life did you vote for a candidate that you were luke warm about? Our problem this year was that we had so many excellent candidates running on the Democratic side, that we bonded with them and now can't seem to bring ourselves to vote for the person we see as the nemesis of our candidate.
I beg of you to reconsider. There is too much at stake in this election to risk letting the Republicans steal the White House from us again. Think of the price:
· How many more of our young people will be killed or maimed in Iraq and possibly Iran?
· What will our quality of life be like when gasoline prices continue to skyrocket while our incomes stagnate?
· How many will die or become chronically ill because they were unable to afford to get medical care or insurance to treat a disease or injury?
· How many more families will lose their homes because unscrupulous loan companies have free rein to charge outrageous rates?
· How many senior citizens will have to choose between their medicine and food? And that's assuming they can, in fact, afford one of them.
· How many of our children and grandchildren will be "processed" through schools that cannot give them a decent education? How many more of them who have the impetus to go on will be denied a higher education because there is no way they can pay the tuition?
· What kinds of changes will our planet undergo because Republicans will not permit regulating companies that pollute our environment?
· Where will the additional money to finance Bush's and McCain's wars come from? China? We already owe them so much that if they decided to call in the loan, they could take over our entire country!
· What will be the next country to inherit the jobs and the companies that helped build our nation? And will they make sure that the products they ship to us will not make our pets and children sick or possibly even kill them?
This is truly a matter of life and death! Some of the above scenarios may not affect you but at least one of them will impact on you personally! Meanwhile, Republicans get stressed out about gay marriage, illegal aliens, the big government of "tax-and-spend liberals" (they'll have a tough time with this one), and not being allowed to buy several guns in one day. Ask yourself: Can you in all good conscience vote for someone who holds dear these values?
Yes, I was an Obama supporter from early on. But I switched to John Edwards then back to Obama again. Was I disappointed about Edwards? Of course, but because we had such great candidates from which to choose, I went back to Obama.
The next question to ask yourself is this: Would Hillary Clinton be happy to know that because of her those things above came to pass? You know she wouldn't be. At the risk of sounding trite, don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
I beg of you to reconsider. There is too much at stake in this election to risk letting the Republicans steal the White House from us again. Think of the price:
· How many more of our young people will be killed or maimed in Iraq and possibly Iran?
· What will our quality of life be like when gasoline prices continue to skyrocket while our incomes stagnate?
· How many will die or become chronically ill because they were unable to afford to get medical care or insurance to treat a disease or injury?
· How many more families will lose their homes because unscrupulous loan companies have free rein to charge outrageous rates?
· How many senior citizens will have to choose between their medicine and food? And that's assuming they can, in fact, afford one of them.
· How many of our children and grandchildren will be "processed" through schools that cannot give them a decent education? How many more of them who have the impetus to go on will be denied a higher education because there is no way they can pay the tuition?
· What kinds of changes will our planet undergo because Republicans will not permit regulating companies that pollute our environment?
· Where will the additional money to finance Bush's and McCain's wars come from? China? We already owe them so much that if they decided to call in the loan, they could take over our entire country!
· What will be the next country to inherit the jobs and the companies that helped build our nation? And will they make sure that the products they ship to us will not make our pets and children sick or possibly even kill them?
This is truly a matter of life and death! Some of the above scenarios may not affect you but at least one of them will impact on you personally! Meanwhile, Republicans get stressed out about gay marriage, illegal aliens, the big government of "tax-and-spend liberals" (they'll have a tough time with this one), and not being allowed to buy several guns in one day. Ask yourself: Can you in all good conscience vote for someone who holds dear these values?
Yes, I was an Obama supporter from early on. But I switched to John Edwards then back to Obama again. Was I disappointed about Edwards? Of course, but because we had such great candidates from which to choose, I went back to Obama.
The next question to ask yourself is this: Would Hillary Clinton be happy to know that because of her those things above came to pass? You know she wouldn't be. At the risk of sounding trite, don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
When Children Cry
Just when you think the Bush Administration couldn’t get any lower, they dig a little deeper. This time the President himself had a press conference to announce his opposition to Congress’ version of the SCHIP bill. Charles Dickens must be spinning in his grave!
It’s one thing to oppose this program, but to go so far as to LIE TO MAKE YOUR REASONS SOUND PALATABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!
It’s not news that this Administration is built on lies. There has been absolutely nothing, NOTHING!, about this Presidency that can stand the scrutiny of the light of day. From the election of 2000 on, it’s just been one falsehood after another. But back to the case at hand:
Here is a quote from FactCheck.org (http://www.factcheck.org/ ), the non-partisan website run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania that strives to set the record straight, regardless of whether you’re a Republican or Democrat:
“President Bush gave a false description of proposed legislation to expand the 10-year-old federal program to provide health insurance for children in low-income working families…Bush has threatened a veto. In explaining his opposition to Congress' plans, however, he falsely characterized the bill in one instance and was misleading in others…He said it ‘would result’ in covering children in families with incomes up to $83,000 per year, which isn't true…Bush said, ‘The legislation would raise taxes on working people.’ Actually, what SCHIP would do is increase the federal tobacco excise tax on all tobacco products.”
I could go on, but you can read FactCheck.org’s report in its entirety on their website. I’m here to rant about this new outrage. First of all, note that this program was put in place before the Bush fiasco.
What exactly does this president think his legacy is going to be? He has said that history will judge. Well I don’t think we need to wait 30 or 40 years to figure it out. President Bush would much rather send people not much older than those who are to be covered in this bill to a country half-way around the world to fight in a war that he lied us into, than give them medical care. And if he has his way, some of those that would be covered under this plan would be sent to Iraq because we would be there long enough!
Mr. President, what exactly do you consider a moral imperative? If it’s not the truth, if it’s not upholding the Constitution, if it’s not caring for our wounded vets when they come home from fighting your immoral war, if it’s not being good stewards of our environment, if it’s not even helping under-privileged children, then what in God’s name is it?
It’s one thing to oppose this program, but to go so far as to LIE TO MAKE YOUR REASONS SOUND PALATABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!
It’s not news that this Administration is built on lies. There has been absolutely nothing, NOTHING!, about this Presidency that can stand the scrutiny of the light of day. From the election of 2000 on, it’s just been one falsehood after another. But back to the case at hand:
Here is a quote from FactCheck.org (http://www.factcheck.org/ ), the non-partisan website run by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania that strives to set the record straight, regardless of whether you’re a Republican or Democrat:
“President Bush gave a false description of proposed legislation to expand the 10-year-old federal program to provide health insurance for children in low-income working families…Bush has threatened a veto. In explaining his opposition to Congress' plans, however, he falsely characterized the bill in one instance and was misleading in others…He said it ‘would result’ in covering children in families with incomes up to $83,000 per year, which isn't true…Bush said, ‘The legislation would raise taxes on working people.’ Actually, what SCHIP would do is increase the federal tobacco excise tax on all tobacco products.”
I could go on, but you can read FactCheck.org’s report in its entirety on their website. I’m here to rant about this new outrage. First of all, note that this program was put in place before the Bush fiasco.
What exactly does this president think his legacy is going to be? He has said that history will judge. Well I don’t think we need to wait 30 or 40 years to figure it out. President Bush would much rather send people not much older than those who are to be covered in this bill to a country half-way around the world to fight in a war that he lied us into, than give them medical care. And if he has his way, some of those that would be covered under this plan would be sent to Iraq because we would be there long enough!
Mr. President, what exactly do you consider a moral imperative? If it’s not the truth, if it’s not upholding the Constitution, if it’s not caring for our wounded vets when they come home from fighting your immoral war, if it’s not being good stewards of our environment, if it’s not even helping under-privileged children, then what in God’s name is it?
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Throwing Good Money After Bad
I remember the summer of ’66. I went to the county fair with my boyfriend. He decided to try his luck at a roulette game and had, unfortunately, brought with him all the money he had saved up to buy his class ring. He started out small, but he kept losing until he had lost all his money. Then I put in my summer savings (to go towards a new stereo) and lost that, too.
What reminded me of this painful experience? George Bush’s plan to ask for $50 billion more for his war in Iraq. The total spent so far, according to the Pentagon, exceeds $400 billion. And every time Bush runs out of money, he goes to Congress and tells them that this time the money they give him will make a difference. This time the troops will be able to make progress. This time they will win! Sounds the same as that barker who kept two gullible kids betting on a number that never came up.
What’s more, Bush is pretty sure that Congress will go along with it. After all, they’ve been giving him everything he asked for so far. Some of the Dems are meekly asking to bring home some troops, but they are hesitant to cut off funding. Woe to them who are blamed for putting our troops in harms way. But who actually put our troops in harms way to begin with? That’s right – George!
We can only hope that by the time we get around to bringing home our troops, there will be money to do so and in an orderly, planned manner – quite the opposite of the way we went in.
Until then, Bush (with the blessing of Congress) will just keep throwing good money after bad, promising that this time it will be different.
What reminded me of this painful experience? George Bush’s plan to ask for $50 billion more for his war in Iraq. The total spent so far, according to the Pentagon, exceeds $400 billion. And every time Bush runs out of money, he goes to Congress and tells them that this time the money they give him will make a difference. This time the troops will be able to make progress. This time they will win! Sounds the same as that barker who kept two gullible kids betting on a number that never came up.
What’s more, Bush is pretty sure that Congress will go along with it. After all, they’ve been giving him everything he asked for so far. Some of the Dems are meekly asking to bring home some troops, but they are hesitant to cut off funding. Woe to them who are blamed for putting our troops in harms way. But who actually put our troops in harms way to begin with? That’s right – George!
We can only hope that by the time we get around to bringing home our troops, there will be money to do so and in an orderly, planned manner – quite the opposite of the way we went in.
Until then, Bush (with the blessing of Congress) will just keep throwing good money after bad, promising that this time it will be different.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Just who is trying to take over our country?
In case you missed it, right wing weirdo Melanie Morgan made a comment on Hardball recently that just shows the idiocy of her fellow freaks. Responding (or ranting) at Naomi Wolf, Morgan shrilled (I know it's not a verb, but it fits), "Keep attacking, keep attacking Naomi, because you’re going to look great in a burka. You’re going to look super in a burka."
I am not as worried about Islamic fundamentalists taking over our country as I am of the right wing radicals like Morgan. How many of us would sit by and let terrorists take over without dying for our freedom? I don't own a gun, but I would sure as hell get one if this happened -- and a lot of ammo, too!
And yet we just wait for Jauary, 2009, hoping for a change that will swing the pendulum back the other way. But that's over a year away. Until then we're stuck with Bush. He still has the power. He never used the veto (signing statements, excluded) when the Rs were there to feed him their pablum. But anything, ANYTHING the Dems try to put through is vetoed. And many of our Dems are not standing up for us. They've become "Blue Dogs" and side with the right.
What truly troubles me is that we are in more danger of being taken over from insde by well meaning albeit non-thinking Americans. Morgan and her ilk fail to see how the Bush administration is changing our country from a republic to a dictatorship, or, if you prefer, a kingdom. When one man or one branch of government is given power that goes unchecked, we no longer have a means of reining him in.
When the Senate and the House were controlled by the Rs, they rubber stamped everything Bush sent their way. Now the Dems are taking their tablespoons and trying to empty the ocean of inappropriate actions this administration has heaped upon us. There has been a lot of criticisn of the Dems for not being more effective, but as far as I'm concerned, they can only do so much. It started the week after the new Congress was installed. Questions started surfacing about why the Dems hadn't ended the war yet. How absurd can you get!
But what can you expect when the righties have nothing left to counter with, except "You're going to look great in a burka." Let the fear mongering continue.
I am not as worried about Islamic fundamentalists taking over our country as I am of the right wing radicals like Morgan. How many of us would sit by and let terrorists take over without dying for our freedom? I don't own a gun, but I would sure as hell get one if this happened -- and a lot of ammo, too!
And yet we just wait for Jauary, 2009, hoping for a change that will swing the pendulum back the other way. But that's over a year away. Until then we're stuck with Bush. He still has the power. He never used the veto (signing statements, excluded) when the Rs were there to feed him their pablum. But anything, ANYTHING the Dems try to put through is vetoed. And many of our Dems are not standing up for us. They've become "Blue Dogs" and side with the right.
What truly troubles me is that we are in more danger of being taken over from insde by well meaning albeit non-thinking Americans. Morgan and her ilk fail to see how the Bush administration is changing our country from a republic to a dictatorship, or, if you prefer, a kingdom. When one man or one branch of government is given power that goes unchecked, we no longer have a means of reining him in.
When the Senate and the House were controlled by the Rs, they rubber stamped everything Bush sent their way. Now the Dems are taking their tablespoons and trying to empty the ocean of inappropriate actions this administration has heaped upon us. There has been a lot of criticisn of the Dems for not being more effective, but as far as I'm concerned, they can only do so much. It started the week after the new Congress was installed. Questions started surfacing about why the Dems hadn't ended the war yet. How absurd can you get!
But what can you expect when the righties have nothing left to counter with, except "You're going to look great in a burka." Let the fear mongering continue.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Another Freedom Bites the Dust
One by one the Bush Administration has stripped American citizens of the rights that the Constitution has guaranteed. Habeas Corpus was revoked. Warrantless wiretapping has been practiced with abandon. And now the President has issued an Executive Order that is titled: “Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq, Message to the Congress of the United States Regarding International Emergency Economic Powers Act”. Follow this link to read the entire order.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-3.html
If the objective of this administration is to instill fear in the people of this country, they have finally succeeded! However, it’s not fear of a terrorist attack that scares me; it’s the fear that my own government can take me away to a secret prison for writing this and not let me have a lawyer or tell my daughter that her mother is being held for doing what I am doing right now. It’s a fear that I may have to go live in Canada like I’ve been threatening to do ever since Bush was elected. I’d certainly be better off. At least I’d have better access to health care. But that’s another blog.
We have heard time and time again that those of us who speak out against the War in Iraq are traitors. Those of us who want to bring home our sons and daughters are accused of wanting to cut and run. We who question the planning or lack thereof of this Administration and the Pentagon are called traitors. We have been posed the question, “Do you think it would be better if Saddam Hussein were still in power?” To this I have found the answer. YES!!!!! Furthermore, I believe that if you ask that question of the people of Iraq, they would loudly echo that answer. If you asked that question of the families of innocent Iraqis who have been killed and maimed if it was worth losing their loved ones for a democracy that they never asked for, I think they would look at you like you were speaking gibberish. No one bothered to ask them before we invaded this sovereign nation if they wanted to have a democracy.
Someone in the White House must stay awake at night trying to think up ways to rescind the freedoms that we have cherished since the founding of our nation. Perhaps what we need is another Revolution, one that would free us from the current King George. I can only repeat what I’ve heard so many people quote – of all things, a cartoon: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” I’m not half as afraid of being targeted by a terrorist as I am by George W. Bush.
Actually I don’t really believe he’s like a king…I think he’s more like a dictator. When Hussein was toppled as dictator of Iraq, Bush took over as dictator of the United States of America.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-3.html
If the objective of this administration is to instill fear in the people of this country, they have finally succeeded! However, it’s not fear of a terrorist attack that scares me; it’s the fear that my own government can take me away to a secret prison for writing this and not let me have a lawyer or tell my daughter that her mother is being held for doing what I am doing right now. It’s a fear that I may have to go live in Canada like I’ve been threatening to do ever since Bush was elected. I’d certainly be better off. At least I’d have better access to health care. But that’s another blog.
We have heard time and time again that those of us who speak out against the War in Iraq are traitors. Those of us who want to bring home our sons and daughters are accused of wanting to cut and run. We who question the planning or lack thereof of this Administration and the Pentagon are called traitors. We have been posed the question, “Do you think it would be better if Saddam Hussein were still in power?” To this I have found the answer. YES!!!!! Furthermore, I believe that if you ask that question of the people of Iraq, they would loudly echo that answer. If you asked that question of the families of innocent Iraqis who have been killed and maimed if it was worth losing their loved ones for a democracy that they never asked for, I think they would look at you like you were speaking gibberish. No one bothered to ask them before we invaded this sovereign nation if they wanted to have a democracy.
Someone in the White House must stay awake at night trying to think up ways to rescind the freedoms that we have cherished since the founding of our nation. Perhaps what we need is another Revolution, one that would free us from the current King George. I can only repeat what I’ve heard so many people quote – of all things, a cartoon: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” I’m not half as afraid of being targeted by a terrorist as I am by George W. Bush.
Actually I don’t really believe he’s like a king…I think he’s more like a dictator. When Hussein was toppled as dictator of Iraq, Bush took over as dictator of the United States of America.
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