Bush tax cuts present big problem for Demos Deseret News (Salt Lake City) Newspaper Find Articles at BNET
In the back of every Washington politician's mind is this sobering fact: Unless Congress acts, the temporary tax cuts it passed when George W. Bush was president will expire at the end of next year.
If the Democrats who control Congress do nothing and let the tax rates on the highest income brackets return to their pre-2001 levels, their Republican rivals and many Americans will slam them as tax hikers.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Facts and figures, myths and mantras - The Boston Globe
Facts and figures, myths and mantras - The Boston Globe
There is a sense that we don’t need science or editing or fact-checking as long as we have crowd-sourcing. We don’t have to build opinions on facts; we can build facts on opinions.
This is not just common on blogs but on right-wing talk shows where hosts have gone rogue. What price exactly has Glenn Beck paid for playing loose with facts? Did only Jon Stewart catch Sean Hannity using video from one (large) teabag rally to illustrate another (small) rally?
This fact-free standard is held up (or down) by politicians who follow their lead. Former House majority leader Dick Armey, for example, isn’t about to challenge those “death panel’’ believers who rally to his FreedomWorks flag: “If people want to believe that . . . it’s OK with me.’’ Whatever.
I’m not suggesting that newspapers - once defined as the first rough draft of history - are without errors. But there are prices to pay and corrections to be made and standards to be met. When was the last time an Internet birther ran a correction or lost his job?
There is a sense that we don’t need science or editing or fact-checking as long as we have crowd-sourcing. We don’t have to build opinions on facts; we can build facts on opinions.
This is not just common on blogs but on right-wing talk shows where hosts have gone rogue. What price exactly has Glenn Beck paid for playing loose with facts? Did only Jon Stewart catch Sean Hannity using video from one (large) teabag rally to illustrate another (small) rally?
This fact-free standard is held up (or down) by politicians who follow their lead. Former House majority leader Dick Armey, for example, isn’t about to challenge those “death panel’’ believers who rally to his FreedomWorks flag: “If people want to believe that . . . it’s OK with me.’’ Whatever.
I’m not suggesting that newspapers - once defined as the first rough draft of history - are without errors. But there are prices to pay and corrections to be made and standards to be met. When was the last time an Internet birther ran a correction or lost his job?
Op-Ed Columnist - The Copenhagen That Matters - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Columnist - The Copenhagen That Matters - NYTimes.com
But I didn’t. How long are we Americans going to go on thinking that we can thrive in the 21st century when doing the optimal things — whether for energy, health care, education or the deficit — are “off the table.” They’ve been banished by an ad hoc coalition of lobbyists loaded with money, loud-mouth talk-show hosts who will flame anyone who crosses them, political consultants who warn that asking Americans to do anything important but hard makes one unelectable and a citizenry that doesn’t even ask for optimal anymore because it believes that optimal is impossible.
Sorry, but there are no good ideas proven to work in other democratic/capitalist societies that we can afford to shove off our table — not when we need to build a knowledge economy with good jobs and everyone else is trying to do the same.
But I didn’t. How long are we Americans going to go on thinking that we can thrive in the 21st century when doing the optimal things — whether for energy, health care, education or the deficit — are “off the table.” They’ve been banished by an ad hoc coalition of lobbyists loaded with money, loud-mouth talk-show hosts who will flame anyone who crosses them, political consultants who warn that asking Americans to do anything important but hard makes one unelectable and a citizenry that doesn’t even ask for optimal anymore because it believes that optimal is impossible.
Sorry, but there are no good ideas proven to work in other democratic/capitalist societies that we can afford to shove off our table — not when we need to build a knowledge economy with good jobs and everyone else is trying to do the same.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
We can still afford to act like America - Leonard Pitts Jr. - MiamiHerald.com
We can still afford to act like America - Leonard Pitts Jr. - MiamiHerald.com
That feeling is arguably the most significant casualty of Sept. 11. On that day, we elevated a mob of stateless criminals, a mafia in cleric's clothing, to the exalted level of rogue nation. But they were never that, never a threat to our national existence, lacked the forces to take even one square inch of American soil. What they could threaten -- and take -- was our sense of ourselves as a brave, reasonable and civilized people, inhabiting a nation of laws. They beckoned us into the mud with them, and we leapt.
It's not the first time. Periodically, we have shed the burden of bravery, reason, civilization, laws. Always, it happens in moments of national stress, moments of overwhelming confusion, anger or fear, moments that make us prey to demons of expedience and moral compromise. Moments when we wonder if we can still afford to act like America.
But we face a band of bloodthirsty hoodlums whose dearest wish is to make us just like them. So maybe the better question is this:
Can we afford not to?
That feeling is arguably the most significant casualty of Sept. 11. On that day, we elevated a mob of stateless criminals, a mafia in cleric's clothing, to the exalted level of rogue nation. But they were never that, never a threat to our national existence, lacked the forces to take even one square inch of American soil. What they could threaten -- and take -- was our sense of ourselves as a brave, reasonable and civilized people, inhabiting a nation of laws. They beckoned us into the mud with them, and we leapt.
It's not the first time. Periodically, we have shed the burden of bravery, reason, civilization, laws. Always, it happens in moments of national stress, moments of overwhelming confusion, anger or fear, moments that make us prey to demons of expedience and moral compromise. Moments when we wonder if we can still afford to act like America.
But we face a band of bloodthirsty hoodlums whose dearest wish is to make us just like them. So maybe the better question is this:
Can we afford not to?
Can We Save Social Security | Parade.com
Can We Save Social Security Parade.com
Any Social Security reform package is likely to contain some or all of these ideas. And it had better happen soon. Experts agree that the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be to solve the system’s financial ills. David M. Certner of the AARP believes that talk of a Social Security crisis is overblown. Still, he agrees that changes to the system are inevitable and says they should come sooner rather than later. “The sooner you make them,” he says, “the more modest the changes that are needed.”
Any Social Security reform package is likely to contain some or all of these ideas. And it had better happen soon. Experts agree that the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be to solve the system’s financial ills. David M. Certner of the AARP believes that talk of a Social Security crisis is overblown. Still, he agrees that changes to the system are inevitable and says they should come sooner rather than later. “The sooner you make them,” he says, “the more modest the changes that are needed.”
Fighting Terrorism With Schools | Parade.com
Fighting Terrorism With Schools Parade.com
Young women are the developing world’s greatest agents of progress. Just one year of schooling will dramatically raise a girl’s later economic prospects, and where girls get to fifth grade, birth rates and infant mortality plunge. Teaching girls to read and write reduces the ignorance and poverty that fuel religious extremism and lays a groundwork for prosperity and peace. In military parlance, educating girls is a “force multiplier.” Thus, the flame that burns at the center of my work, the heat around which I cup my hands, are the stories of girls whose lives have been changed by education.
Young women are the developing world’s greatest agents of progress. Just one year of schooling will dramatically raise a girl’s later economic prospects, and where girls get to fifth grade, birth rates and infant mortality plunge. Teaching girls to read and write reduces the ignorance and poverty that fuel religious extremism and lays a groundwork for prosperity and peace. In military parlance, educating girls is a “force multiplier.” Thus, the flame that burns at the center of my work, the heat around which I cup my hands, are the stories of girls whose lives have been changed by education.
Friday, November 20, 2009
China’s Holdings of U.S. Securities:Implications for the U.S - SusanThur - Open Salon
China’s Holdings of U.S. Securities:Implications for the U.S - SusanThur - Open Salon
Given its relatively low savings rate, the U.S. economy depends heavily on foreign capital
inflows from countries with high savings rates (such as China) to help promote growth and to
fund the federal budget deficit. China has intervened heavily in currency markets to limit the
appreciation of its currency, especially against the dollar. As a result, China has become the
world’s largest and fastest growing holder of foreign exchange reserves (FER). China has
invested a large share of its FER in U.S. securities, which, as of June 2008, totaled $1.2 trillion,
making China the second largest foreign holder of U.S. securities (after Japan). These securities
include long-term (LT) Treasury debt, LT U.S. agency debt, LT U.S. corporate debt, LT U.S.
equities, and short-term debt. It is likely that China became the largest foreign holder of U.S.
securities by the end of 2008. From June 2002 to June 2008, China’s holdings of U.S. securities
increased by over $1 trillion—far more than that of any other nation.
U.S. Treasury securities are issued to finance the federal budget deficit. Of the public debt that is
privately held, a little more than half is held by foreigners. As of May 2009, China’s Treasury
securities holdings were $802 billion, accounting for 24.3% of total foreign ownership of U.S.
Treasury securities, making it the largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries (it replaced Japan as
the largest foreign holder in September 2008).
The current global financial crisis has raised considerable conce
Given its relatively low savings rate, the U.S. economy depends heavily on foreign capital
inflows from countries with high savings rates (such as China) to help promote growth and to
fund the federal budget deficit. China has intervened heavily in currency markets to limit the
appreciation of its currency, especially against the dollar. As a result, China has become the
world’s largest and fastest growing holder of foreign exchange reserves (FER). China has
invested a large share of its FER in U.S. securities, which, as of June 2008, totaled $1.2 trillion,
making China the second largest foreign holder of U.S. securities (after Japan). These securities
include long-term (LT) Treasury debt, LT U.S. agency debt, LT U.S. corporate debt, LT U.S.
equities, and short-term debt. It is likely that China became the largest foreign holder of U.S.
securities by the end of 2008. From June 2002 to June 2008, China’s holdings of U.S. securities
increased by over $1 trillion—far more than that of any other nation.
U.S. Treasury securities are issued to finance the federal budget deficit. Of the public debt that is
privately held, a little more than half is held by foreigners. As of May 2009, China’s Treasury
securities holdings were $802 billion, accounting for 24.3% of total foreign ownership of U.S.
Treasury securities, making it the largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries (it replaced Japan as
the largest foreign holder in September 2008).
The current global financial crisis has raised considerable conce
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
House health bill includes Medicaid relief for states - washingtonpost.com
House health bill includes Medicaid relief for states - washingtonpost.com
Wedged in the House health-care bill is $23.5 billion that looks a lot more like new federal stimulus spending than anything to do with national health-care reform.
The barely debated pot of money would allow Congress to continue pumping billions in new short-term aid to states to cover Medicaid costs that have increased with rising unemployment in the past year.
The potential impact of the new spending became clear last week when giddy state budget officials in capitals from Annapolis to Sacramento penciled in the revenue, hoping that if health-care legislation survives in the Senate, the states' bonus might squeak through.
Wedged in the House health-care bill is $23.5 billion that looks a lot more like new federal stimulus spending than anything to do with national health-care reform.
The barely debated pot of money would allow Congress to continue pumping billions in new short-term aid to states to cover Medicaid costs that have increased with rising unemployment in the past year.
The potential impact of the new spending became clear last week when giddy state budget officials in capitals from Annapolis to Sacramento penciled in the revenue, hoping that if health-care legislation survives in the Senate, the states' bonus might squeak through.
Obama: Aim is to put U.S. on path to end Afghan war - USATODAY.com
Obama: Aim is to put U.S. on path to end Afghan war - USATODAY.com
BEIJING (AP) — President Obama said Wednesday his upcoming strategy in Afghanistan will "put us on a path towards ending the war" and that his goal is not to pass the conflict on to the next president.
Obama also declined to say he trusted Afghan President Hamid Karzai, offering praise to Karzai for holding his country together but saying: "He has some strengths, but he has some weaknesses."
"I'm less concerned about any individual than I am with a government as a whole that is having difficulty providing basic services to its people," Obama said in his latest blunt assessment of the Karzai government, whose competence is an essential part of a U.S. war effort now in its ninth year.
Obama is expected soon to announce a revamping of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is likely to send thousands more troops into Afghanistan to stabilize the deteriorating security there.
BEIJING (AP) — President Obama said Wednesday his upcoming strategy in Afghanistan will "put us on a path towards ending the war" and that his goal is not to pass the conflict on to the next president.
Obama also declined to say he trusted Afghan President Hamid Karzai, offering praise to Karzai for holding his country together but saying: "He has some strengths, but he has some weaknesses."
"I'm less concerned about any individual than I am with a government as a whole that is having difficulty providing basic services to its people," Obama said in his latest blunt assessment of the Karzai government, whose competence is an essential part of a U.S. war effort now in its ninth year.
Obama is expected soon to announce a revamping of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is likely to send thousands more troops into Afghanistan to stabilize the deteriorating security there.
Friday, November 13, 2009
RNC health insurance plan covers abortions
The Republican National Committee's health insurance plan covers elective abortions for its employees, an option Republicans strongly oppose in health overhaul legislation that Democrats are trying to push through Congress.
Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele learned of the policy's abortion coverage Thursday through a news report and immediately instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that the RNC wanted to opt out of elective abortion coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said.
"Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled."
Gitcho said the policy has been in effect since 1991.
This story continues below
http://www.examiner.com/a-2318118~RNC_health_insurance_plan_covers_abortions.html?cid=rss-Most_Popular
Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele learned of the policy's abortion coverage Thursday through a news report and immediately instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that the RNC wanted to opt out of elective abortion coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said.
"Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled."
Gitcho said the policy has been in effect since 1991.
This story continues below
http://www.examiner.com/a-2318118~RNC_health_insurance_plan_covers_abortions.html?cid=rss-Most_Popular
Increasing Medicare Tax on High-Wage Earners Could Help Pay for Health Reform and Strengthen Medicare’s Finances — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Increasing Medicare Tax on High-Wage Earners Could Help Pay for Health Reform and Strengthen Medicare’s Finances — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Increasing the Medicare payroll tax on high-wage earners would represent a sound and well-targeted way of paying for health reform. It would also improve the solvency of Medicare’s Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund and thereby strengthen this critical program, which provides health coverage for 46 million seniors and persons with disabilities.
Hospital Insurance benefits in Medicare are funded primarily by payroll taxes on wages and self-employment income. Workers and employers each pay a flat 1.45 percent of wages, for a total of 2.9 percent. Unlike Social Security taxes, which are not imposed on earnings above a set level, Medicare taxes are collected on workers’ entire earnings. Although half of the tax is nominally paid by employers, most economists believe that employees ultimately pay the employer share as well through lower wages than they otherwise would receive. Self-employed workers pay the entire 2.9 percent tax but are allowed to deduct half of this amount for income tax purposes.
Increasing the Medicare payroll tax on high-wage earners would represent a sound and well-targeted way of paying for health reform. It would also improve the solvency of Medicare’s Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund and thereby strengthen this critical program, which provides health coverage for 46 million seniors and persons with disabilities.
Hospital Insurance benefits in Medicare are funded primarily by payroll taxes on wages and self-employment income. Workers and employers each pay a flat 1.45 percent of wages, for a total of 2.9 percent. Unlike Social Security taxes, which are not imposed on earnings above a set level, Medicare taxes are collected on workers’ entire earnings. Although half of the tax is nominally paid by employers, most economists believe that employees ultimately pay the employer share as well through lower wages than they otherwise would receive. Self-employed workers pay the entire 2.9 percent tax but are allowed to deduct half of this amount for income tax purposes.
We need a history lesson about Nazis - Leonard Pitts on Obama - MiamiHerald.com
We need a history lesson about Nazis - Leonard Pitts on Obama - MiamiHerald.com
See, we'll be talking about Nazis, something many of us are doing lately. Indeed, just this week a fellow named Joseph emailed me about a caller he heard on a radio show. The man, vexed over health care reform, likened President Obama to Adolf Hitler. Asked why, he said, "Hitler took over the car companies, then health care and then he killed the Jews.''
Said Joseph: "I almost swerved my vehicle off the road when I heard that.''
But the caller is hardly unique. Google "Obama + Nazis'' and you get almost 7 million hits. Nor is the phenomenon new. Substitute President Bush's name and you get nearly 2.8 million.
See, we'll be talking about Nazis, something many of us are doing lately. Indeed, just this week a fellow named Joseph emailed me about a caller he heard on a radio show. The man, vexed over health care reform, likened President Obama to Adolf Hitler. Asked why, he said, "Hitler took over the car companies, then health care and then he killed the Jews.''
Said Joseph: "I almost swerved my vehicle off the road when I heard that.''
But the caller is hardly unique. Google "Obama + Nazis'' and you get almost 7 million hits. Nor is the phenomenon new. Substitute President Bush's name and you get nearly 2.8 million.
Clergy issues call for civility - NOLA.com
Clergy issues call for civility - NOLA.com
Thursday, November 12, 2009 By Bruce NolanStaff writerIt's gotten ugly out there in the pubic square -- on television, at public meetings, on the Internet. Whether it's health care reform specifically or politics generally, people seem to demonize each other, shout each other down and gleefully circulate vicious e-mail messages distorting the other side.
So much so that in East Jefferson, Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergy recently have found common ground about one, clear thing. They've decided to give their congregations a message:
Get hold of yourself!
Thursday, November 12, 2009 By Bruce NolanStaff writerIt's gotten ugly out there in the pubic square -- on television, at public meetings, on the Internet. Whether it's health care reform specifically or politics generally, people seem to demonize each other, shout each other down and gleefully circulate vicious e-mail messages distorting the other side.
So much so that in East Jefferson, Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergy recently have found common ground about one, clear thing. They've decided to give their congregations a message:
Get hold of yourself!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Missy Meets President Obama Town Hall Meeting in New Orleans
Missy the little stuff dog meets President Obama in New Orleans October 2009 for a Town Hall Meeting. She went all the way to Washington D.C. in January to try to see him and here he is in her own back yard. Her Washington D.C. trip is filmed also on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtWLB7LzZvA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtWLB7LzZvA
President Obama visit to New Orleans for Town Hall Meeting 2009
YouTube Video I made when President Obama came to New Orleans for a Town Hall Meeting October 2009. I won the Ticket lottery for two tickets.
This is a homemade film. Yes, with all the motions of the camera shaking, fast movements, people in the way. But it will give the viewer a good sense of the excitement of the day, by me the camera person and by everyone there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTX__7XYSg4
This is a homemade film. Yes, with all the motions of the camera shaking, fast movements, people in the way. But it will give the viewer a good sense of the excitement of the day, by me the camera person and by everyone there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTX__7XYSg4
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Going to see President Obama!!
The White House Called! I GOT TICKETS! Going to Town Hall Meeting to see President Obama Tomorrow/Thursday/10-15-09 in New Orleans. I am so Excited-Going Early to get good seats.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Tough-Love Dictator of My Dreams
The Tough-Love Dictator of My Dreams
Very funny Article.
Social change may happen fast, but no one stops polluting unless an Indian cries on TV. My point isn't that activists and advocates don't shift the way we think; public opinion shifts in various ways, the prolonged explanation of each of which has made Malcolm Gladwell millions of dollars. My point is simply that, everything being equal, a dictator can make an Indian cry fastest.
And people love a good dictator — or at least get over their hatred of one pretty quickly — provided that the dictator doesn't put up too many pictures of himself. We instinctively object to new forms of paternalism, but we also quickly accept them: laws requiring seat belts and motorcycle helmets, forced retirement savings through Social Security, waiting periods for marriage and gun licenses.
Very funny Article.
Social change may happen fast, but no one stops polluting unless an Indian cries on TV. My point isn't that activists and advocates don't shift the way we think; public opinion shifts in various ways, the prolonged explanation of each of which has made Malcolm Gladwell millions of dollars. My point is simply that, everything being equal, a dictator can make an Indian cry fastest.
And people love a good dictator — or at least get over their hatred of one pretty quickly — provided that the dictator doesn't put up too many pictures of himself. We instinctively object to new forms of paternalism, but we also quickly accept them: laws requiring seat belts and motorcycle helmets, forced retirement savings through Social Security, waiting periods for marriage and gun licenses.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
How Moses Shaped America
How Moses Shaped America
We are in the presence of a lot of Moseses," Barack Obama said on March 4, 2007, three weeks after announcing his candidacy for President. He was speaking in Selma, Ala., surrounded by civil rights pioneers. Obama cast his run for the White House as a fulfillment of the Moses tradition of leading people out of bondage into freedom. "I thank the Moses generation, but we've got to remember that Joshua still had a job to do. As great as Moses was ... he didn't cross over the river to see the promised land."Eight months into his presidency, Obama might want to give Moses a second look. On issues from health care to Afghanistan, the President faces doubts and rebellions, from an entrenched pharaonic establishment on one hand and restless, stiff-necked followers on the other. There's good reason, then, for Obama to heed the leadership lessons of history's greatest leader.
We are in the presence of a lot of Moseses," Barack Obama said on March 4, 2007, three weeks after announcing his candidacy for President. He was speaking in Selma, Ala., surrounded by civil rights pioneers. Obama cast his run for the White House as a fulfillment of the Moses tradition of leading people out of bondage into freedom. "I thank the Moses generation, but we've got to remember that Joshua still had a job to do. As great as Moses was ... he didn't cross over the river to see the promised land."Eight months into his presidency, Obama might want to give Moses a second look. On issues from health care to Afghanistan, the President faces doubts and rebellions, from an entrenched pharaonic establishment on one hand and restless, stiff-necked followers on the other. There's good reason, then, for Obama to heed the leadership lessons of history's greatest leader.
A Window On the War in Afghanistan
A Window On the War in Afghanistan
The war in Afghanistan is at a crossroads. President Obama will soon decide whether to commit more U.S. troops to a conflict that's already on the verge of becoming the longest military action in American history--or perhaps begin to dial back our commitment there. It's been more than eight years since the war began, and for much of that time, it was a conflict that took place at the margins of our awareness. First the quick fall of the Taliban regime made Afghanistan seem like a problem largely solved. Then the extended agony of the Iraq war drew all eyes in that direction. But the problem wasn't solved, the Taliban insurgency sprang back to life, and now Afghanistan is a military and political conundrum: Is it in our national interest to double down, or is the conflict an impossible one that will only come to grief?
The war in Afghanistan is at a crossroads. President Obama will soon decide whether to commit more U.S. troops to a conflict that's already on the verge of becoming the longest military action in American history--or perhaps begin to dial back our commitment there. It's been more than eight years since the war began, and for much of that time, it was a conflict that took place at the margins of our awareness. First the quick fall of the Taliban regime made Afghanistan seem like a problem largely solved. Then the extended agony of the Iraq war drew all eyes in that direction. But the problem wasn't solved, the Taliban insurgency sprang back to life, and now Afghanistan is a military and political conundrum: Is it in our national interest to double down, or is the conflict an impossible one that will only come to grief?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Does The U.N. Serve American Interests?
This Administration views the U.N., despite its flaws, as a useful vehicle in many instances to advance our interests,” Rice says. There are two diplomatic principles in that sentence: one, an acknowledgement of the U.N.’s weaknesses; the other, an assertion that the international organization is not irrelevant, as its critics insist.
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/10/04-does-the-un-serve-america-interests.html#
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/10/04-does-the-un-serve-america-interests.html#
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Poisonous Politics /Where did'We' Go? by T.Friedman
Excerpts:I hate to write about this, but I have actually been to this play before and it is really disturbing.
The American political system was, as the saying goes, “designed by geniuses so it could be run by idiots.” But a cocktail of political and technological trends have converged in the last decade that are making it possible for the idiots of all political stripes to overwhelm and paralyze the genius of our system.
Those factors are: the wild excess of money in politics; the gerrymandering of political districts, making them permanently Republican or Democratic and erasing the political middle; a 24/7 cable news cycle that makes all politics a daily battle of tactics that overwhelm strategic thinking; and a blogosphere that at its best enriches our debates, adding new checks on the establishment, and at its worst coarsens our debates to a whole new level, giving a new power to anonymous slanderers to send lies around the world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/opinion/30friedman.html
The American political system was, as the saying goes, “designed by geniuses so it could be run by idiots.” But a cocktail of political and technological trends have converged in the last decade that are making it possible for the idiots of all political stripes to overwhelm and paralyze the genius of our system.
Those factors are: the wild excess of money in politics; the gerrymandering of political districts, making them permanently Republican or Democratic and erasing the political middle; a 24/7 cable news cycle that makes all politics a daily battle of tactics that overwhelm strategic thinking; and a blogosphere that at its best enriches our debates, adding new checks on the establishment, and at its worst coarsens our debates to a whole new level, giving a new power to anonymous slanderers to send lies around the world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/opinion/30friedman.html
List of Contractors That Could be Defunded as a Result of Anti-ACORN Bill
1 Oct 2009 // Last week, the House inadvertently took a large step forward in protecting taxpayers from misbehaving contractors. The House passed the "Student Aid" bill (H.R. 3221) that also included a ban on entities receiving any federal contracts or grants if they have "filed a fraudulent form with any Federal or State regulatory agency." Although intended to restrict ACORN, a nationwide community support organization, the language could be interpreted to cover all federal contractors and grantees.POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database compiles instances of misconduct for the top contractors that have together received over $260 billion in FY 2007. Those same contractors have racked up over 750 instances of misconduct and paid over $27 billion in fines or penalties since 1995. A survey of that data shows that 62 federal contractors (listed below) have been involved in instances that might prohibit them from receiving future federal funds if the "Defund ACORN Act" becomes law.
See listhttp://www.citizensforethics.org/node/42579#
See listhttp://www.citizensforethics.org/node/42579#
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday School Lessons/Calling liars to account/God's Politics
Excerpt: For the record and for the umpteenth time: No version of healthcare reform being contemplated by Congress mandates death for the old, the disabled or the infirm. That's a canard. It is mendacity, prevarication, a bald-faced lie.
In other words, politics.
The art of the untruth is, after all, the life's blood of governance. As a brief spin through PolitiFact.com, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact checking website will attest, no party, ideology or politician has a monopoly on lying. Lying is as bipartisan as it gets.
And yet, the lies that have characterized the debate over healthcare are in a class all their own -- not simply because they are outrageous, but because they are designed specifically to inflame and terrorize. As such, those lies are deserving of special rebuke. Last week, they got it.
Sojourners, which calls itself the nation's largest network of progressive Christians, says its members sent out thousands of e-mails to five of the biggest offenders: Beck, his fellow Fox personalities Sean Hannity, Steve Doocy and Bill O'Reilly, and radio host Rush Limbaugh. Each e-mail said the same thing in essence: stop lying.
Wallis, a celebrated theologian and author of The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America, says Sojourners is trying to redeem things people ``really should've learned in Sunday school.
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/leonard-pitts/story/1246797.html
In other words, politics.
The art of the untruth is, after all, the life's blood of governance. As a brief spin through PolitiFact.com, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact checking website will attest, no party, ideology or politician has a monopoly on lying. Lying is as bipartisan as it gets.
And yet, the lies that have characterized the debate over healthcare are in a class all their own -- not simply because they are outrageous, but because they are designed specifically to inflame and terrorize. As such, those lies are deserving of special rebuke. Last week, they got it.
Sojourners, which calls itself the nation's largest network of progressive Christians, says its members sent out thousands of e-mails to five of the biggest offenders: Beck, his fellow Fox personalities Sean Hannity, Steve Doocy and Bill O'Reilly, and radio host Rush Limbaugh. Each e-mail said the same thing in essence: stop lying.
Wallis, a celebrated theologian and author of The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America, says Sojourners is trying to redeem things people ``really should've learned in Sunday school.
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/leonard-pitts/story/1246797.html
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What is Custer Battles / Info Search / SourceWatch/Iraq
Custer Battles, LLC is a security company based in McLean, Virginia, that promotes its services as including "security services", "litigation support", "global risk consulting", "training" and "business intelligence".
The company's founders are Scott Custer, a former US Army officer and defense consultant, and former CIA officer Michael Battles, who ran for Congress in Rhode Island in 2002 and was defeated in the Republican primary. Battles is a Fox News Channel commentator. Both Custer and Battles are often described in the media as "former US Army Rangers." In fact, they are both mere graduates of the US Army Ranger course, a nine week US Army leadership school, and not former members of the US Army Ranger Regiment. Custer Battles was a newly formed company with no experience in the security industry
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Custer_Battles
The company's founders are Scott Custer, a former US Army officer and defense consultant, and former CIA officer Michael Battles, who ran for Congress in Rhode Island in 2002 and was defeated in the Republican primary. Battles is a Fox News Channel commentator. Both Custer and Battles are often described in the media as "former US Army Rangers." In fact, they are both mere graduates of the US Army Ranger course, a nine week US Army leadership school, and not former members of the US Army Ranger Regiment. Custer Battles was a newly formed company with no experience in the security industry
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Custer_Battles
ISS - SPECIAL REPORT: How is Obama doing on Gulf Coast recovery?
ISS - SPECIAL REPORT: How is Obama doing on Gulf Coast recovery?
For many people in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, the election of President Barack Obama to the White House last November brought a sense of renewed hope -- or at least an opportunity to change the course of the region's stalled Katrina recovery.
For many people in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, the election of President Barack Obama to the White House last November brought a sense of renewed hope -- or at least an opportunity to change the course of the region's stalled Katrina recovery.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Look -- conservatives who believe in global warming!
When eminent scientists, elected officials and diplomats of all political persuasions gather in Copenhagen in December to renew the worldwide effort against catastrophic climate change, there will be at least one discordant voice in the house. Sen. James Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who has called global warming "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated," has vowed to bring the conservative message… » Full Story on Salon.com
http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:saloncom914:6175d6fa0ede4ab46713933f496cb04a/Look-conservatives-who-believe-in-global-warming?fru=1
http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:saloncom914:6175d6fa0ede4ab46713933f496cb04a/Look-conservatives-who-believe-in-global-warming?fru=1
ISS - A Portrait of Louisiana: Study shines light on post-Katrina racial, economic disparities
ISS - A Portrait of Louisiana: Study shines light on post-Katrina racial, economic disparities
A new study uses post-Katrina data to examine the wide and stark disparities in the life expectancy, educational attainment, and incomes of African Americans and whites in Louisiana. The report reveals that Louisiana, which ranks 49th among U.S. states on the American Human Development Index, has a population that experiences health, education, and income levels that the rest of the country surpassed three to five decades ago.
A new study uses post-Katrina data to examine the wide and stark disparities in the life expectancy, educational attainment, and incomes of African Americans and whites in Louisiana. The report reveals that Louisiana, which ranks 49th among U.S. states on the American Human Development Index, has a population that experiences health, education, and income levels that the rest of the country surpassed three to five decades ago.
ISS - ACORN, Blackwater and the accountability disparity
ISS - ACORN, Blackwater and the accountability disparity
The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to cut off federal funds to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now or ACORN, a national grassroots group that advocates for poor and modest-income families. The House vote of 345 to 75 came three days after the Senate cut off Housing and Urban Development funding to the group. But some of the same members of Congress who were quick to take action against ACORN have not been as responsive when other federal contractors have engaged in wrongdoing -- like Blackwater, the North Carolina-based private military company now known as Xe.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted yesterday to cut off federal funds to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now or ACORN, a national grassroots group that advocates for poor and modest-income families. The House vote of 345 to 75 came three days after the Senate cut off Housing and Urban Development funding to the group. But some of the same members of Congress who were quick to take action against ACORN have not been as responsive when other federal contractors have engaged in wrongdoing -- like Blackwater, the North Carolina-based private military company now known as Xe.
Where Is the Defund Blackwater Act?
Democrats joined Republicans in voting to "Defund ACORN," yet have done nothing to stop Blackwater’s ongoing taxpayer funded crusade in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Republican Congressional leaders are continuing their witch-hunt against ACORN, the grassroots community group dedicated to helping poor and working class people. This campaign now unfortunately has gained bi-partisan legislative support in the form of the Defund ACORN Act of 2009 which has now passed the House and Senate. As Ryan Grim at Huffington Post has pointed out, the legislation "could plausibly defund the entire military-industrial complex:"
http://www.truthout.org/092409S?n
Republican Congressional leaders are continuing their witch-hunt against ACORN, the grassroots community group dedicated to helping poor and working class people. This campaign now unfortunately has gained bi-partisan legislative support in the form of the Defund ACORN Act of 2009 which has now passed the House and Senate. As Ryan Grim at Huffington Post has pointed out, the legislation "could plausibly defund the entire military-industrial complex:"
http://www.truthout.org/092409S?n
This Week's Mediscare | The New Republic
This Week's Mediscare | The New Republic
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As you may have heard or read by now, the Republicans are angry over proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage, the private insurance alternative to traditional Medicare. The insurers who offer Medicare Advantage plans receive a flat fee for every senior that signs up. But virtually every independent expert who has studied the program has concluded that those fees are way too high--that, in effect, the government is getting a lousy deal
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As you may have heard or read by now, the Republicans are angry over proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage, the private insurance alternative to traditional Medicare. The insurers who offer Medicare Advantage plans receive a flat fee for every senior that signs up. But virtually every independent expert who has studied the program has concluded that those fees are way too high--that, in effect, the government is getting a lousy deal
If you thought ACORN was bad ...
If you thought ACORN was bad ...
We've all heard plenty about a private U.S. government contractor whose employees were caught behaving unspeakably and which now faces the swift and brutal withdrawal of taxpayer dollars by a Congress demanding accountability.
That was ACORN, of course, which surely will miss the government cash spigot that has irrigated its coffers to the tune of $53 million since 1994. As we've written, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now deserved what it got.
But if you thought ACORN was bad, meet ArmorGroup North America. It's the private U.S. government security contractor whose employees at the American embassy in Kabul were photographed in drunken revels that included urinating on and sexually molesting each other. It also has been alleged by whistle-blowing employees that ArmorGroup cut corners on security hiring, leaving our embassy personnel vulnerable.
We've all heard plenty about a private U.S. government contractor whose employees were caught behaving unspeakably and which now faces the swift and brutal withdrawal of taxpayer dollars by a Congress demanding accountability.
That was ACORN, of course, which surely will miss the government cash spigot that has irrigated its coffers to the tune of $53 million since 1994. As we've written, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now deserved what it got.
But if you thought ACORN was bad, meet ArmorGroup North America. It's the private U.S. government security contractor whose employees at the American embassy in Kabul were photographed in drunken revels that included urinating on and sexually molesting each other. It also has been alleged by whistle-blowing employees that ArmorGroup cut corners on security hiring, leaving our embassy personnel vulnerable.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Mad Man: Is Glenn Beck Bad for America?
Mad Man: Is Glenn Beck Bad for America?
For Glenn Beck-Mad Man-Rubbing the sore has become a lucrative business, extremes draws crowds,fattens wallets at bookstores, cablenews and radio.
Mad Men on Cable News--And if the time comes when every audience is screaming, who, in the end, is left to listen?
For Glenn Beck-Mad Man-Rubbing the sore has become a lucrative business, extremes draws crowds,fattens wallets at bookstores, cablenews and radio.
Mad Men on Cable News--And if the time comes when every audience is screaming, who, in the end, is left to listen?
Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Delivery Pains at the Post Office
Delivery Pains at the Post Office 2008 Bush admin.
The Postal Service—a self-sustaining organization that receives no financial support from the government—is mounting an effort to get itself back into the black. But Corbett argues that he is hampered by an uneven playing field because the Postal Service is burdened with requirements not imposed on other government agencies or private companies.
For example, a major component of the turnaround plan is the Postal Service’s attempt to win some leeway on the big payments it’s required to make each year for retiree healthcare. This year it is due to pay $7.5 billion for retiree healthcare, $5.5 billion of which goes to a trust to fund future benefits. No other government organization is required to pre-fund retiree healthcare, Corbett notes, and only about a third of corporations do any pre-funding.
Posted using ShareThis
The Postal Service—a self-sustaining organization that receives no financial support from the government—is mounting an effort to get itself back into the black. But Corbett argues that he is hampered by an uneven playing field because the Postal Service is burdened with requirements not imposed on other government agencies or private companies.
For example, a major component of the turnaround plan is the Postal Service’s attempt to win some leeway on the big payments it’s required to make each year for retiree healthcare. This year it is due to pay $7.5 billion for retiree healthcare, $5.5 billion of which goes to a trust to fund future benefits. No other government organization is required to pre-fund retiree healthcare, Corbett notes, and only about a third of corporations do any pre-funding.
Posted using ShareThis
Here's a different slant on the healthcare debate/Christian-Healthcare
A message to Christians who oppose Public Health Care, from a fellow Christian: Read more Bible. Watch less Fox News.
Yes, that was the starter. Can you see that I was drawn to it immediately? It is simply unlike anything I’ve ever seen at the site, and makes me think I am not the only one who disagrees with much of what gets posted there
http://www.lockergnome.com/theoracle/2009/09/15/a-different-slant-on-healthcare/#respond
Yes, that was the starter. Can you see that I was drawn to it immediately? It is simply unlike anything I’ve ever seen at the site, and makes me think I am not the only one who disagrees with much of what gets posted there
http://www.lockergnome.com/theoracle/2009/09/15/a-different-slant-on-healthcare/#respond
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Size Matters; So Do Lies
Size Matters; So Do Lies
Shared via AddThis
Back in April, when there was a round of several hundred "tea party" protests across the country to coincide with Tax Day, I devoted significant attention to figuring out how many people had actually attended the rallies. The best figure I could come up with was at least 300,000 -- "at least" being an important caveat because there were dozens of smaller tea party protests for which no reliable crowd size estimates were available. The real number was probably something between 350,000 and 400,000.
Shared via AddThis
Back in April, when there was a round of several hundred "tea party" protests across the country to coincide with Tax Day, I devoted significant attention to figuring out how many people had actually attended the rallies. The best figure I could come up with was at least 300,000 -- "at least" being an important caveat because there were dozens of smaller tea party protests for which no reliable crowd size estimates were available. The real number was probably something between 350,000 and 400,000.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Going to Extremes
Going to Extremes
There is much to fear in the right's comfort with radicalism, but little to envy.
by Michelle Goldberg
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=going_to_extremes
There is much to fear in the right's comfort with radicalism, but little to envy.
by Michelle Goldberg
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=going_to_extremes
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
America and Its Deficits: Are We Broke Yet?
America and Its Deficits: Are We Broke Yet?
It was one of Dick Cheney's more memorable lines. "Deficits don't matter," he told Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill in 2002. Later, after O'Neill made the conversation public, Cheney elaborated that he meant this "in a political context," not an economic one. But for most of Cheney's time as Vice President, the claim held up pretty well in both contexts. Over O'Neill's objections — he'd be gone soon anyway — the Bush Administration and Congress abandoned a bipartisan commitment to fiscal prudence that had held sway since the early 1990s and went back to running chronic deficits. The result was a growing economy and a second term for George W. Bush. (See George W. Bush's biggest economic mistakes.)
It was one of Dick Cheney's more memorable lines. "Deficits don't matter," he told Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill in 2002. Later, after O'Neill made the conversation public, Cheney elaborated that he meant this "in a political context," not an economic one. But for most of Cheney's time as Vice President, the claim held up pretty well in both contexts. Over O'Neill's objections — he'd be gone soon anyway — the Bush Administration and Congress abandoned a bipartisan commitment to fiscal prudence that had held sway since the early 1990s and went back to running chronic deficits. The result was a growing economy and a second term for George W. Bush. (See George W. Bush's biggest economic mistakes.)
Monday, September 7, 2009
campaign finance limits for corporations/SupremeCourt/Bill Moyers/Video
campaign finance limits for corporations/SupremeCourt/Bill Moyers/Video
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09042009/watch2.html
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09042009/watch2.html
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
How to Win a Culture War
JULY 24, 2009 1:43PM
How to Win a Culture War
Rate: 0
Email saloncom914:http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=267923 -->
God's Politics Blog:
Excerpts: Want to know how to win a culture war? Don’t fight one. The soul of our nation has been marred from a perpetual state of culture war. In an Orwellian twist, each camp relies on conflict with their supposed enemies for the perpetuation of their own existence. The culture warrior’s clout, influence, fundraising, and organizing is based upon real or perceived attacks from the other side. These “threats” and boogeymen are their oxygen, and without them, they die.
Tim Ryan and Rosa DeLauro are wise public servants who are trying to unite us around the new common ground of abortion reduction, a place that people on both sides of the debate can agree to. Helping young people to delay sexual activity, preventing the pregnancies that people don’t want, economically supporting low-income women to give them real choices about having a child, and encouraging adoption all will reduce abortion in America. Who could be against any of that?
We have a great opportunity to advance our shared values and common goals at a crucial moment in our country’s history. Sojourners and I strongly support this good and wise piece of legislation and applaud the creative solutions it offers for real action.
http://blog.sojo.net/2009/07/23/how-to-win-a-culture-war/
How to Win a Culture War
Rate: 0
Email saloncom914:http://open.salon.com/content.php?cid=267923 -->
God's Politics Blog:
Excerpts: Want to know how to win a culture war? Don’t fight one. The soul of our nation has been marred from a perpetual state of culture war. In an Orwellian twist, each camp relies on conflict with their supposed enemies for the perpetuation of their own existence. The culture warrior’s clout, influence, fundraising, and organizing is based upon real or perceived attacks from the other side. These “threats” and boogeymen are their oxygen, and without them, they die.
Tim Ryan and Rosa DeLauro are wise public servants who are trying to unite us around the new common ground of abortion reduction, a place that people on both sides of the debate can agree to. Helping young people to delay sexual activity, preventing the pregnancies that people don’t want, economically supporting low-income women to give them real choices about having a child, and encouraging adoption all will reduce abortion in America. Who could be against any of that?
We have a great opportunity to advance our shared values and common goals at a crucial moment in our country’s history. Sojourners and I strongly support this good and wise piece of legislation and applaud the creative solutions it offers for real action.
http://blog.sojo.net/2009/07/23/how-to-win-a-culture-war/
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Golden Rule and Fair Minded Words
The Golden Rule and Fair Minded Words
It is good to have someone remind us.
Why do we write, why do we blog? An audience----an audience for our words, our visions, for our truths, that's all any of us want, is it not? The chance to tell what we feel, what we believe, what reality looks like to us.
Yes, the world is made up of Earth, Pain, Conflict and Death.
Pain reminds us there is life full of conflict. Conflict challenges us to be better than we are. And death, well death gives us the chance to sum up all the good we have done or left and done in life.
It is a painful world. And in this painful world we need people with a good heart and common sense. And because we need people such as this, we need to fight for them, not for their sake, but for ours.
We need the visionaries, religious leaders, statesmen and saints to show us, make us look at that pain, to describe it and give it shape so we can understand. ~Author Unknown
It is good to have someone remind us.
And because of this, I am blogging the Election of 2008. These are my words, my, visions, my truths. I have taken that chance and the opportunity to tell what I feel, what I believe, what my reality looks like. This is my own take on the world. The Political and Religious World.
If you are an American voter and citizen who finally wants to get beyond the hot button battles and solve today’s real problems, Obama is the man to vote for.
Obama once said about his beliefs, “I didn’t have an epiphany. What I really did was to take a set of values and ideals that were first instilled in me from my mother, who was, as I have called her in my book, the last of the secular humanists—you know, belief in kindness and empathy and discipline, responsibility—those kinds of values".
His belief is a moderate, intellectual Christianity and I like that, in fact I love that. It is a belief that is courteous and smiling and with no sudden moves, which I mean by that, emotions that are balanced, decent, filled with common sense and reasonable. People such as this, we need to fight for, not for their sake, but for ours.
It is good to have someone remind us.
I believe American Christianity has lost its way, taken a turn down a dark path of meanness and disrespectfulness in its pursuit for righteous, political power. People are forgotten and trampled upon by others who are blinded by political ideology and dogma who are intellectually dishonest and philosophically inconsistent.
How can Christianity survive when the Golden Rule is not practiced and forgotten too?
It is good to have someone remind us.
It is a painful world and in this painful world we need people with a good heart, decency and common sense. We need the visionaries, religious leaders, statesmen and saints to show us, make us look at that pain, to describe it and give it shape so we can understand.
It is good to have someone remind us.
Even after we are reminded, we may resist. The uncomfortable bile of conflict rises within us adding pain. But conflict challenges us to be better than we are. The Golden Rule, an essential belief of our Common Humanity's history challenges us to be better than we are too. The pain of failing the Golden Rule reminds us there is still more to be done in life.
Here before us is a statesman by his action, his courteous and smiling and with no sudden moves, with his deep sense of respectfulness reminds us of using "Fair Minded Words".
It is good to have someone remind us.
In fact, it is necessary, when the world is changing rapidly and the true meaning of Christianity is becoming more distant, losing to disrespectfulness and pettiness. Maintaining balance and perspective with our human emotions is very difficult for many of us. And I believe America having a President-a leader, be a Republican, Democrat, white, or black, who is fair minded, calm, intelligent, respectful, packaging it all up in one word---Balanced, is a good thing. Thank goodness for people like this to help us, the ones that are always searching for some balance and some decency by continually remind us not to give up, to keep trying to do better.
It is good to have someone remind us.
When Americans spiritually thirst for a reawakening of the Golden Rule and the much needed practice of Fair Minded Words it is always a good thing to be reminded. And because we need people such as this, we need to fight for them, not for their sake, but for ours. We may in fact have found such a person.
It is good to have someone remind us.
And so for America's sake and my own, I will take up the challenge, not for a person but an idea, a belief, if you will. The same idea, belief and an inspiration that we all fight, strive and struggle for. When Christianity and all Universal religions live up to the teaching of its founder, it becomes a better world. For thousand of years we are taught by our spiritual institutions decency and respect for one another is well worth the fight, well worth the struggle. This belief is not new but a tradition that has always been the central principle of all world religions. This history and life is well worth living in a the world made up of Earth, Pain, Conflict and Death when we are diligently reminded to use Fair Minded Words and given the chance to mature in spirit within the belief of the Golden Rule.
It is good to have someone remind us.
Imagine a world without the pain and conflict of common humanity striving for and struggling in support of the grandest idea of the Golden Rule. "Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you." It does make us look at the pain, describes it and gives it shape so we can understand. It is a painful world without understanding, without respect, without critical intelligence infused by a sense of human caring and without reason balanced by compassion and empathy. Just imagine a world where the human community has no desire to do better.
It is good to have someone remind us.
That is why I blog, that is why I write, in the process of writing, I remind myself the necessity of "trying", to not to give up on doing better and writing about wanting better for our country. Each day is a new day to try again because I do struggle daily with the challenges of living a life according to the Golden Rule and failing miserable many times over which then presents itself into my own self-imposed conflict and pain. As I live within the knowledge of my one life on this earth followed by a full awareness of death does give me the need to take the chance to tell what I feel, what I believe and what reality looks like to me.
It is good to have someone remind us.
A home for our words, our visions, for our truths, that's all any of us want, is it not? A place to go to deal with life's conflicts and pain when we fail to do better. These are my words, my visions, my truths. This is my own take on the world, as I view it. This is my Place, my Home for my words, visions, truths, pain and conflicts on this painful but awe inspiring earth. This is my one small voice reaching out, to be heard, to be understood, to be known that I was, here.
That's all any of us want and why we blog, is it not? A home, a place, an audience, for each of our one small voice to be heard, to be known that we were, here. To let it be known what we desire for ourselves and our country. To remind and to be reminded what our country stands for, inclusion. Established to be a nation for all people with an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, and a responsibility to ensure justice for others.
This Golden Rule echoes throughout the land. If we forget what our country stands for and we loose our possibility of compassion and respect as a nation, we run the risk of loosing our nation. Because of our failures and shortness of memory, we need the visionaries, religious leaders, and statesmen to show us, to remind us of our history, our traditions and our creed as a nation.
To be reminded to use "Fair Minded Words" is a good thing.
It is good to have someone remind us.
Susan Thur
Militant Christianity v The Great Command(The Golden Rule) http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/mediaculture/1556/%22go_and_do_likewise%22%3A_militant_christianity_v_the_great_command
It is good to have someone remind us.
Why do we write, why do we blog? An audience----an audience for our words, our visions, for our truths, that's all any of us want, is it not? The chance to tell what we feel, what we believe, what reality looks like to us.
Yes, the world is made up of Earth, Pain, Conflict and Death.
Pain reminds us there is life full of conflict. Conflict challenges us to be better than we are. And death, well death gives us the chance to sum up all the good we have done or left and done in life.
It is a painful world. And in this painful world we need people with a good heart and common sense. And because we need people such as this, we need to fight for them, not for their sake, but for ours.
We need the visionaries, religious leaders, statesmen and saints to show us, make us look at that pain, to describe it and give it shape so we can understand. ~Author Unknown
It is good to have someone remind us.
And because of this, I am blogging the Election of 2008. These are my words, my, visions, my truths. I have taken that chance and the opportunity to tell what I feel, what I believe, what my reality looks like. This is my own take on the world. The Political and Religious World.
If you are an American voter and citizen who finally wants to get beyond the hot button battles and solve today’s real problems, Obama is the man to vote for.
Obama once said about his beliefs, “I didn’t have an epiphany. What I really did was to take a set of values and ideals that were first instilled in me from my mother, who was, as I have called her in my book, the last of the secular humanists—you know, belief in kindness and empathy and discipline, responsibility—those kinds of values".
His belief is a moderate, intellectual Christianity and I like that, in fact I love that. It is a belief that is courteous and smiling and with no sudden moves, which I mean by that, emotions that are balanced, decent, filled with common sense and reasonable. People such as this, we need to fight for, not for their sake, but for ours.
It is good to have someone remind us.
I believe American Christianity has lost its way, taken a turn down a dark path of meanness and disrespectfulness in its pursuit for righteous, political power. People are forgotten and trampled upon by others who are blinded by political ideology and dogma who are intellectually dishonest and philosophically inconsistent.
How can Christianity survive when the Golden Rule is not practiced and forgotten too?
It is good to have someone remind us.
It is a painful world and in this painful world we need people with a good heart, decency and common sense. We need the visionaries, religious leaders, statesmen and saints to show us, make us look at that pain, to describe it and give it shape so we can understand.
It is good to have someone remind us.
Even after we are reminded, we may resist. The uncomfortable bile of conflict rises within us adding pain. But conflict challenges us to be better than we are. The Golden Rule, an essential belief of our Common Humanity's history challenges us to be better than we are too. The pain of failing the Golden Rule reminds us there is still more to be done in life.
Here before us is a statesman by his action, his courteous and smiling and with no sudden moves, with his deep sense of respectfulness reminds us of using "Fair Minded Words".
It is good to have someone remind us.
In fact, it is necessary, when the world is changing rapidly and the true meaning of Christianity is becoming more distant, losing to disrespectfulness and pettiness. Maintaining balance and perspective with our human emotions is very difficult for many of us. And I believe America having a President-a leader, be a Republican, Democrat, white, or black, who is fair minded, calm, intelligent, respectful, packaging it all up in one word---Balanced, is a good thing. Thank goodness for people like this to help us, the ones that are always searching for some balance and some decency by continually remind us not to give up, to keep trying to do better.
It is good to have someone remind us.
When Americans spiritually thirst for a reawakening of the Golden Rule and the much needed practice of Fair Minded Words it is always a good thing to be reminded. And because we need people such as this, we need to fight for them, not for their sake, but for ours. We may in fact have found such a person.
It is good to have someone remind us.
And so for America's sake and my own, I will take up the challenge, not for a person but an idea, a belief, if you will. The same idea, belief and an inspiration that we all fight, strive and struggle for. When Christianity and all Universal religions live up to the teaching of its founder, it becomes a better world. For thousand of years we are taught by our spiritual institutions decency and respect for one another is well worth the fight, well worth the struggle. This belief is not new but a tradition that has always been the central principle of all world religions. This history and life is well worth living in a the world made up of Earth, Pain, Conflict and Death when we are diligently reminded to use Fair Minded Words and given the chance to mature in spirit within the belief of the Golden Rule.
It is good to have someone remind us.
Imagine a world without the pain and conflict of common humanity striving for and struggling in support of the grandest idea of the Golden Rule. "Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you." It does make us look at the pain, describes it and gives it shape so we can understand. It is a painful world without understanding, without respect, without critical intelligence infused by a sense of human caring and without reason balanced by compassion and empathy. Just imagine a world where the human community has no desire to do better.
It is good to have someone remind us.
That is why I blog, that is why I write, in the process of writing, I remind myself the necessity of "trying", to not to give up on doing better and writing about wanting better for our country. Each day is a new day to try again because I do struggle daily with the challenges of living a life according to the Golden Rule and failing miserable many times over which then presents itself into my own self-imposed conflict and pain. As I live within the knowledge of my one life on this earth followed by a full awareness of death does give me the need to take the chance to tell what I feel, what I believe and what reality looks like to me.
It is good to have someone remind us.
A home for our words, our visions, for our truths, that's all any of us want, is it not? A place to go to deal with life's conflicts and pain when we fail to do better. These are my words, my visions, my truths. This is my own take on the world, as I view it. This is my Place, my Home for my words, visions, truths, pain and conflicts on this painful but awe inspiring earth. This is my one small voice reaching out, to be heard, to be understood, to be known that I was, here.
That's all any of us want and why we blog, is it not? A home, a place, an audience, for each of our one small voice to be heard, to be known that we were, here. To let it be known what we desire for ourselves and our country. To remind and to be reminded what our country stands for, inclusion. Established to be a nation for all people with an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, and a responsibility to ensure justice for others.
This Golden Rule echoes throughout the land. If we forget what our country stands for and we loose our possibility of compassion and respect as a nation, we run the risk of loosing our nation. Because of our failures and shortness of memory, we need the visionaries, religious leaders, and statesmen to show us, to remind us of our history, our traditions and our creed as a nation.
To be reminded to use "Fair Minded Words" is a good thing.
It is good to have someone remind us.
Susan Thur
Militant Christianity v The Great Command(The Golden Rule) http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/mediaculture/1556/%22go_and_do_likewise%22%3A_militant_christianity_v_the_great_command
Saturday, June 13, 2009
What Socialism Looks Like
The hot-pink portion of this pie chart is the percentage of listed American business assets that have recently been nationalized by the American government (ie, General Motors). Obama's version of socialism is so sneaky you can hardly see it! (And there is some reason to think this actually overstates the portion of the corporate landscape that's been nationalized, but more on that at the end of the post.*)
There is a serious discussion to be had here, and I think Jon Henke is having it: Socialism, like farenheit, comes in degrees. Sure, a government that nationalizes GM is "more socialist" than one that does not, even if it doesn't mean we're living "under socialism." But differences of degree shouldn't obscure differences of kind, and as Tim Fernholz says, "it's clear that putting the government in charge of private production is not the Obama administration's guiding philosophy." If it were, 99.79% of the American corporate assets that existed at the start of the Obama administration would not remain in private hands. The differences of degree are so small that they aren't worth mentioning. And yet, somehow, they keep getting mentioned.
See Chart:http://digg.com/d1ssBR
There is a serious discussion to be had here, and I think Jon Henke is having it: Socialism, like farenheit, comes in degrees. Sure, a government that nationalizes GM is "more socialist" than one that does not, even if it doesn't mean we're living "under socialism." But differences of degree shouldn't obscure differences of kind, and as Tim Fernholz says, "it's clear that putting the government in charge of private production is not the Obama administration's guiding philosophy." If it were, 99.79% of the American corporate assets that existed at the start of the Obama administration would not remain in private hands. The differences of degree are so small that they aren't worth mentioning. And yet, somehow, they keep getting mentioned.
See Chart:http://digg.com/d1ssBR
Friday, June 12, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
America’s Changing Moral Universe
Excerpt: Put aside that pollsters of various ideological stripes subsequently decided that the exit-poll question was flawed. In 2004, so many on all sides just knew that cultural and moral issues were the wave of the future.
But a funny thing happened on the road to the revival tent. The crash of the economy has concentrated the minds of Americans on other things. Moral conflict just isn’t what it used to be.
We know this thanks to an extremely useful exercise by the Pew Research Center that has not received enough attention. In a survey released in late May, Pew offered respondents the list of issues that appeared on the 2004 exit poll and asked them which one would matter most if they had to vote for president now.
The proportion responding with “moral values” fell by more than half—from 22 percent in the exit poll (and 27 percent in Pew’s own post-2004 election survey) to a mere 10 percent. Concern over the economy and jobs more than doubled, from 20 percent in the 2004 exit poll to 50 percent in the new survey. The other issues that gained substantial ground were health care and education
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090531_americas_changing_moral_universe/
But a funny thing happened on the road to the revival tent. The crash of the economy has concentrated the minds of Americans on other things. Moral conflict just isn’t what it used to be.
We know this thanks to an extremely useful exercise by the Pew Research Center that has not received enough attention. In a survey released in late May, Pew offered respondents the list of issues that appeared on the 2004 exit poll and asked them which one would matter most if they had to vote for president now.
The proportion responding with “moral values” fell by more than half—from 22 percent in the exit poll (and 27 percent in Pew’s own post-2004 election survey) to a mere 10 percent. Concern over the economy and jobs more than doubled, from 20 percent in the 2004 exit poll to 50 percent in the new survey. The other issues that gained substantial ground were health care and education
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090531_americas_changing_moral_universe/
War is Sin by Chris Hedges
Excerpt:
War is always about betrayal. It is about betrayal of the young by the old, of cynics by idealists, and of soldiers and Marines by politicians. Society’s institutions, including our religious institutions, which mold us into compliant citizens, are unmasked. This betrayal is so deep that many never find their way back to faith in the nation or in any god. They nurse a self-destructive anger and resentment, understandable and justified, but also crippling. Ask a combat veteran struggling to piece his or her life together about God and watch the raw vitriol and pain pour out. They have seen into the corrupt heart of America, into the emptiness of its most sacred institutions, into our staggering hypocrisy, and those of us who refuse to heed their words become complicit in the evil they denounce.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090601_war_is_sin/
War is always about betrayal. It is about betrayal of the young by the old, of cynics by idealists, and of soldiers and Marines by politicians. Society’s institutions, including our religious institutions, which mold us into compliant citizens, are unmasked. This betrayal is so deep that many never find their way back to faith in the nation or in any god. They nurse a self-destructive anger and resentment, understandable and justified, but also crippling. Ask a combat veteran struggling to piece his or her life together about God and watch the raw vitriol and pain pour out. They have seen into the corrupt heart of America, into the emptiness of its most sacred institutions, into our staggering hypocrisy, and those of us who refuse to heed their words become complicit in the evil they denounce.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090601_war_is_sin/
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
We Only Waterboard Muslims
Jesse Ventura takes Elizabeth Hasselbeck apart on torture: Why is this dumb bitch still on TV?
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Fox News Boycott » Janeane Garafalo Handles Fox News Ambush
Coming out of Starbucks, minding her own business, Janeane Garafalo was ambushed with with questions about her comments regarding the Tea Party protesters being “racist rednecks.” She handled herself well and turned the table by pointing out some of the offensive signs and asking, several times, “Why were they not protesting for the last 8 yrs?"
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Monday, May 4, 2009
If GOP Abandoned Christian Right, Their Party Would Crumble
Democratic strategist James Carville warned on Monday that if the Republican Party were to abandon its decades-old alliance with the Christian Right, it would only cement major losses in party identification and vote totals for the GOP.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
We Didn’t Have to Lose Arlen Specter By Olympia Snowe
Excerpts: Republicans turned a blind eye to the iceberg under the surface, failing to undertake the re-evaluation of our inclusiveness as a party that could have forestalled many of the losses we have suffered.
It is true that being a Republican moderate sometimes feels like being a cast member of “Survivor” — you are presented with multiple challenges, and you often get the distinct feeling that you’re no longer welcome in the tribe. But it is truly a dangerous signal that a Republican senator of nearly three decades no longer felt able to remain in the party
Senator Specter indicated that his decision was based on the political situation in Pennsylvania, where he faced a tough primary battle. In my view, the political environment that has made it inhospitable for a moderate Republican in Pennsylvania is a microcosm of a deeper, more pervasive problem that places our party in jeopardy nationwide.
It is for this reason that we should heed the words of President Ronald Reagan, who urged, “We should emphasize the things that unite us and make these the only ‘litmus test’ of what constitutes a Republican: our belief in restraining government spending, pro-growth policies, tax reduction, sound national defense, and maximum individual liberty.” He continued, “As to the other issues that draw on the deep springs of morality and emotion, let us decide that we can disagree among ourselves as Republicans and tolerate the disagreement.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/opinion/29snowe.html?_r=1
It is true that being a Republican moderate sometimes feels like being a cast member of “Survivor” — you are presented with multiple challenges, and you often get the distinct feeling that you’re no longer welcome in the tribe. But it is truly a dangerous signal that a Republican senator of nearly three decades no longer felt able to remain in the party
Senator Specter indicated that his decision was based on the political situation in Pennsylvania, where he faced a tough primary battle. In my view, the political environment that has made it inhospitable for a moderate Republican in Pennsylvania is a microcosm of a deeper, more pervasive problem that places our party in jeopardy nationwide.
It is for this reason that we should heed the words of President Ronald Reagan, who urged, “We should emphasize the things that unite us and make these the only ‘litmus test’ of what constitutes a Republican: our belief in restraining government spending, pro-growth policies, tax reduction, sound national defense, and maximum individual liberty.” He continued, “As to the other issues that draw on the deep springs of morality and emotion, let us decide that we can disagree among ourselves as Republicans and tolerate the disagreement.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/opinion/29snowe.html?_r=1
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Ironies of 'a Devout Non-Ideologue'
The most intriguing aspect of his presidency has been how he combines intelligence and intellect.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Without Superfund Tax, Stimulus Aids Cleanups
The Superfund program, established nearly 30 years ago to clean up the nation’s most contaminated industrial sites, has been underfinanced since a tax expired in 1995.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Real Criminals; Neither Lynndie England nor the AIG Traders
The intellectual forefathers and mothers of the insane conservative economic policies that have brought us to where we are include Ludwig Von Mises, Freidrich Von Hayeck, Milton Friedman, Alan Greenspan, Tom Freidman, Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, and Ayn Rand. Phil and Wendy Gramm pushed through the Gramm/Leach/Bliley Act [...]
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Faith, Hope and Brain Waves
Research on the neurological basis of religion and the power of spirituality.The enemy is not religion," writes Newberg, "the enemy is anger, hostility, intolerance, separatism, extreme idealism, and prejudicial fear -- be it secular, religious, or political."
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Right On Red/Media Matters/Fox News/Media Bias
Right On Red November 07, 2008 On Thursday, 20 or so fundraisers, grassroots organizers and political strategists met in Virginia to discuss the future of the conservative movement, soon to be in exile from the federal government. Ross Douthat, senior editor at The Atlantic and author of Grand New Party, says a split is emerging in the center-right mediasphere over what to do next.
Excerpts:
sort of their infrastructure building mostly through D.C. think tanks which conservatives had long dominated. And on the liberal side and the progressive side, there wasn't really anything.
BOB GARFIELD: But the right would say that the left has always had that infrastructure, called “the media.” [LAUGHS]
ERIC BOEHLERT: Right, and then that’s certainly been sort of the talking point and the propaganda from the right for almost four decades. But I would just go ask any veterans from the Clinton Administration if they thought for eight years the D.C. press was sort of on their side, as they chased down Whitewater [BOB LAUGHS] and impeachment and Travelgate.
BOB GARFIELD: Yeah.
ERIC BOEHLERT: I mean, they were at war with the press for eight years.
More Excerpts:
BOB GARFIELD: Well, what role do you suppose that they will have in the reconstitution of the conservative movement?
ROSS DOUTHAT: Kind of the same role that you've seen on the left, actually, during the Bush years, whether it’s this leftward turn that MSNBC has taken or the exploding left wing blogosphere - the Netroots, Daily Kos and so on. These are not hard-hitting intellectual places. They are sources of left wing populist anger against the excesses of the Bush Administration.
Talk radio and Fox News and so on will become sort of a focus for rock-ribbed Republican partisan mobilization. You know, the genius of the Obama campaign was that it managed to piggyback on that kind of angry left wing grass roots, but he himself projected a unifying post-partisan image and message to the rest of the country. And that’s what the Republicans will have to do. It’s very hard to pull off, and it’s very easy to see that kind of anger pulling the party downward into a permanent minority status. But it could go either way.
BOB GARFIELD: Well, that’s what I'm so fascinated in is this question of anger pulling the party downward.
ROSS DOUTHAT: There’s definitely a sense in which partisan media creates a sort of cocoon. For years, conservatives always talked about the liberal cocoon and they would say liberals who just read The New York Times and The New Yorker, and so on, never really understood that there was a world beyond those institutions. And so, you have the film critic Pauline Kael’s famous line about, you know, how could Nixon win? I didn't know anybody who voted for him, right?
BOB GARFIELD: Hmm.
ROSS DOUTHAT: But as conservatives have built up their own infrastructure, they've also built up their own cocoon. And you've seen this over the last four to six years, where for a long time, in the midst of the Iraq War, if you turned on Fox News and listened to talk radio, all you heard was that things were going well and the liberal media wouldn't report the good news. That kind of cocooning, I think, is usually the source of political defeat.
BOB GARFIELD: Ross, thank you very much for joining us.
ROSS DOUTHAT: Hey, it was a pleasure. Thanks so much for having me.
BOB GARFIELD: Ross Douthat is a senior editor at The Atlantic and coauthor of Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream.
http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2008/11/07/06
Comment by Susanthur:
I enjoyed this article because it explained and cleared up some things for me. I live in Louisiana, the deep, deep south and just about everyone is Republican. After 5 years of Political Study, I found myself voting Democrat in this election on the anti-war issue after my husband's many Military deployments. No one here can understand my position and some are very angry because of my vote. I hear from so many that I do not know what is going on and my vote is very wrong and very, very mistaken. These statements are from people that are big Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Hannity fans. I on the other hand get my info from various locations. I love Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers, Gwen Ifill/Washington Week, Meet the Press,McClatchy Newpaper, New York Times, Times Picayune, Time and US News Report Magazine,FactCheck.com, American Prospect, Council on Foreign Relations, Washington Post---I could go on and on. I seem to not get enough info -not enough hours in the day.
So, this concept of building up a sort of Cocoon was fascinating.
But my question is ---who is in the cocoon?
Me or everyone else here in Louisiana? And if I am in my own self made Infastructure/Cocoon/Bubble and really do not know anything about what is really going on ---where do I go for some truth?
I really am beginning to believe---NO ONE really knows anything what is really going on.
I did see trust was a very big issue for me these past few years. I was fed-up with Bush and Cheney and I had no trust for the people that was in power.
I like what I see in Obama--his decency, the calm and adult behavior, his respectful attitude. Some of my trust is back even though I know all politicians lie. As a matter of fact, if you are human--you lie. All humans and governments, lie. Not a judgment ---just a basic fact. And because of this basic fact, I will keep my Independent Voting Status.
I do know one thing for sure as of right now.
I have hope for America again and I am happy. I would never want to go back to what we had the last eight years. The last five for me as a military family member was pure---HELL.
Excerpts:
sort of their infrastructure building mostly through D.C. think tanks which conservatives had long dominated. And on the liberal side and the progressive side, there wasn't really anything.
BOB GARFIELD: But the right would say that the left has always had that infrastructure, called “the media.” [LAUGHS]
ERIC BOEHLERT: Right, and then that’s certainly been sort of the talking point and the propaganda from the right for almost four decades. But I would just go ask any veterans from the Clinton Administration if they thought for eight years the D.C. press was sort of on their side, as they chased down Whitewater [BOB LAUGHS] and impeachment and Travelgate.
BOB GARFIELD: Yeah.
ERIC BOEHLERT: I mean, they were at war with the press for eight years.
More Excerpts:
BOB GARFIELD: Well, what role do you suppose that they will have in the reconstitution of the conservative movement?
ROSS DOUTHAT: Kind of the same role that you've seen on the left, actually, during the Bush years, whether it’s this leftward turn that MSNBC has taken or the exploding left wing blogosphere - the Netroots, Daily Kos and so on. These are not hard-hitting intellectual places. They are sources of left wing populist anger against the excesses of the Bush Administration.
Talk radio and Fox News and so on will become sort of a focus for rock-ribbed Republican partisan mobilization. You know, the genius of the Obama campaign was that it managed to piggyback on that kind of angry left wing grass roots, but he himself projected a unifying post-partisan image and message to the rest of the country. And that’s what the Republicans will have to do. It’s very hard to pull off, and it’s very easy to see that kind of anger pulling the party downward into a permanent minority status. But it could go either way.
BOB GARFIELD: Well, that’s what I'm so fascinated in is this question of anger pulling the party downward.
ROSS DOUTHAT: There’s definitely a sense in which partisan media creates a sort of cocoon. For years, conservatives always talked about the liberal cocoon and they would say liberals who just read The New York Times and The New Yorker, and so on, never really understood that there was a world beyond those institutions. And so, you have the film critic Pauline Kael’s famous line about, you know, how could Nixon win? I didn't know anybody who voted for him, right?
BOB GARFIELD: Hmm.
ROSS DOUTHAT: But as conservatives have built up their own infrastructure, they've also built up their own cocoon. And you've seen this over the last four to six years, where for a long time, in the midst of the Iraq War, if you turned on Fox News and listened to talk radio, all you heard was that things were going well and the liberal media wouldn't report the good news. That kind of cocooning, I think, is usually the source of political defeat.
BOB GARFIELD: Ross, thank you very much for joining us.
ROSS DOUTHAT: Hey, it was a pleasure. Thanks so much for having me.
BOB GARFIELD: Ross Douthat is a senior editor at The Atlantic and coauthor of Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream.
http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2008/11/07/06
Comment by Susanthur:
I enjoyed this article because it explained and cleared up some things for me. I live in Louisiana, the deep, deep south and just about everyone is Republican. After 5 years of Political Study, I found myself voting Democrat in this election on the anti-war issue after my husband's many Military deployments. No one here can understand my position and some are very angry because of my vote. I hear from so many that I do not know what is going on and my vote is very wrong and very, very mistaken. These statements are from people that are big Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Hannity fans. I on the other hand get my info from various locations. I love Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers, Gwen Ifill/Washington Week, Meet the Press,McClatchy Newpaper, New York Times, Times Picayune, Time and US News Report Magazine,FactCheck.com, American Prospect, Council on Foreign Relations, Washington Post---I could go on and on. I seem to not get enough info -not enough hours in the day.
So, this concept of building up a sort of Cocoon was fascinating.
But my question is ---who is in the cocoon?
Me or everyone else here in Louisiana? And if I am in my own self made Infastructure/Cocoon/Bubble and really do not know anything about what is really going on ---where do I go for some truth?
I really am beginning to believe---NO ONE really knows anything what is really going on.
I did see trust was a very big issue for me these past few years. I was fed-up with Bush and Cheney and I had no trust for the people that was in power.
I like what I see in Obama--his decency, the calm and adult behavior, his respectful attitude. Some of my trust is back even though I know all politicians lie. As a matter of fact, if you are human--you lie. All humans and governments, lie. Not a judgment ---just a basic fact. And because of this basic fact, I will keep my Independent Voting Status.
I do know one thing for sure as of right now.
I have hope for America again and I am happy. I would never want to go back to what we had the last eight years. The last five for me as a military family member was pure---HELL.
Politics and Good Friday
Excerpt: But the last thing I want to do is to fight the "Christian Right" with a "Christian Left" that equally seeks to dress up it secular preferences in religious garb and claim the Kingdom for itself. Where does that leave this Christian? Well, for one thing, it makes me strongly support the separation of church and state on religious grounds, which used to be a pretty common attitude among Protestants in this country. And it also tends to make me a "liberal" in the American meaning of that word, if only because political principles like diversity or equality should come naturally for Christians, and also because "conservatism" has too often involved the tendency to semi-divinize too many things of this world, from race, class and country to The Market. That may just be a prejudice, and I may be wrong about all sorts of individual political judgments I make, just like anyone else. That's why we have political debate and political parties and elections. But please don't tell me that God demands that I vote for your candidate or support your "Christian" political cause. Unless you are willing to claim the role of Prophet, with the spiritual dangers that involves, you shouldn't even go there. If these ruminations offend any readers, or seem a ridiculous extrapolation from a meditation of the crucifixion or Good Friday, I apologize. But when I survey the wondrous cross, I see a world that has killed the living Word, and does so every day, and that can only be redeemed spiritually, not by those carrying crosses who confuse Christ's resurrection with the appropriation of divine power to their own earthly causes, however well-meaning. And this Holy Week is as good a time as any for Christians active in politics to seriously reflect on how Christ seeks to shapes our activism with His loving hand--even as we nail it to a cross. http://blog.beliefnet.com/progressiverevival/2009/04/politics-and-good-friday.html
The Tensions between Politics and Religion?
The ordinary resources of empirical observation and ordinary human knowledge give us no warrant for supposing that all good things are reconcilable with each other.--Isaiah Berlin
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/linker/archive/2009/04/12/all-good-things.aspx
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/linker/archive/2009/04/12/all-good-things.aspx
Rush Builds A Revolution
Thank You,Comrade Rush!
How Rush Limbaugh and other right wingers are building socialism in America
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041402556.html?wpisrc=newsletter
How Rush Limbaugh and other right wingers are building socialism in America
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041402556.html?wpisrc=newsletter
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Palin's New Disaster - The Daily Beast
The governor is reeling after nominating for attorney general a man who allegedly defended the right of men to rape their wives. Now, Max Blumenthal reports, she may dump him to save herself.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
At What Point Did Republicans Become the Party of Hysterics?
Looking around the wingnutosphere today, I can't help but notice that it's SUCH A SCARY TERRIFYING WORLD.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Naomi Klein Interview | The Progressive
Naomi Klein InterviewBy Matthew Rothschild, February 2009 Issue“We don’t have a right to be disappointed” by Obama, says the author of The Shock Doctrine.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Friday, April 3, 2009
Rumsfeld's Dr. Strangelove
Excerpts: Committee voted to repeal a 10-year ban on the research and development of "low-yield" nuclear weapons—defined as nukes having an explosive power smaller than 5 kilotons. (The House committee will take up the measure this week.) The Bush administration has lobbied heavily for the repeal. Democrats oppose the idea on the grounds that "mini-nukes"—by blurring the distinction between nuclear and non-nuclear weapons—make nuclear war more thinkable and, therefore, in the minds of some, more doable.
Some in the Bush administration are living proof of this objection. They want to demystify nuclear weapons, strip away the taboo against their use, and insinuate them into the arsenal of U.S. war-fighting tools. A key figure in this effort is Keith Payne.
Note the phrasing. It's startling enough that Payne suggests attacking (even non-nuclear) mobile missiles with nukes. But he goes further, suggesting that we attack whole "areas" where mobile missiles are merely "suspected" to be deployed. And he suggests attacking these with "multiple" nuclear weapons. Payne also argues that nuclear weapons might be needed to destroy "deeply buried facilities … such as underground biological weapons facilities." He leaves unanswered why simply disabling such a facility—which he admits can be done with conventional weapons—wouldn't be good enough. He then says the need to destroy these sorts of targets means we cannot afford to make deep cuts in our nuclear arsenal but should instead continue to build new types of nuclear weapons.
http://www.slate.com/id/2082846/
Some in the Bush administration are living proof of this objection. They want to demystify nuclear weapons, strip away the taboo against their use, and insinuate them into the arsenal of U.S. war-fighting tools. A key figure in this effort is Keith Payne.
Note the phrasing. It's startling enough that Payne suggests attacking (even non-nuclear) mobile missiles with nukes. But he goes further, suggesting that we attack whole "areas" where mobile missiles are merely "suspected" to be deployed. And he suggests attacking these with "multiple" nuclear weapons. Payne also argues that nuclear weapons might be needed to destroy "deeply buried facilities … such as underground biological weapons facilities." He leaves unanswered why simply disabling such a facility—which he admits can be done with conventional weapons—wouldn't be good enough. He then says the need to destroy these sorts of targets means we cannot afford to make deep cuts in our nuclear arsenal but should instead continue to build new types of nuclear weapons.
http://www.slate.com/id/2082846/
The Big Takeover: we're officially, royally screwed
The global economic crisis isn't about money - it's about power. How Wall Street insiders are using the bailout to stage a revolution
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Obama, Rush Limbaugh and Fox News: A Look at Media in 2009
Excerpt: Ask just about any public interest advocate concerned about the dismal state of media and journalism, and they will tell you that Obama's media policy platform is excellent: the beginning of what could be the most public interest friendly administration in presidential history. Part of this optimism stems from Obama's understanding that Internet and technology are the cornerstone of a 21st century economy and society. Another part comes from the competence and integrity of the media and telecom advisors working on his transition team. And another comes from his direct experience.
Obama-the-candidate commented several times that voters' false views of him -- that he's a Muslim, a socialist and unpatriotic -- were fed and spread by Fox News and their cohorts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham in the far-right media. Obama understands that they are the special sauce in Karl Rove's toxic recipe to discredit progressive policies and politicians, and divide Americans with wedge issues.And Obama understands that pushing back against guys like Limbaugh - who this week blamed the president-elect for the financial crisis, calling it "Obama's recession" - requires a bold policy agenda that uses the Internet to pry media distribution monopolies away from the largest media companies. Though often underreported, Obama spoke frequently about his commitment to blocking further media consolidation, fostering more independent and diverse media, ensuring universal high-speed Internet access, and "taking a back seat to no one" in passing "Net Neutrality" laws to prevent Internet providers like Comcast and AT&T from creating fast and slow lanes on the Internet.
http://www.freepress.net/node/46085
Obama-the-candidate commented several times that voters' false views of him -- that he's a Muslim, a socialist and unpatriotic -- were fed and spread by Fox News and their cohorts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham in the far-right media. Obama understands that they are the special sauce in Karl Rove's toxic recipe to discredit progressive policies and politicians, and divide Americans with wedge issues.And Obama understands that pushing back against guys like Limbaugh - who this week blamed the president-elect for the financial crisis, calling it "Obama's recession" - requires a bold policy agenda that uses the Internet to pry media distribution monopolies away from the largest media companies. Though often underreported, Obama spoke frequently about his commitment to blocking further media consolidation, fostering more independent and diverse media, ensuring universal high-speed Internet access, and "taking a back seat to no one" in passing "Net Neutrality" laws to prevent Internet providers like Comcast and AT&T from creating fast and slow lanes on the Internet.
http://www.freepress.net/node/46085
Bush negotiated $40 billion + bonus contracts
A Wall Street Journal article about Tim Geithner and his aides' involvement in decisions about AIG's bonus payments did not note that it was the Bush administration that negotiated a November 2008 stock purchase agreement with AIG through which the Bush Treasury Department injected $40 billion into the company without requiring that the bonus contr
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Saturday, March 21, 2009
How to actually talk to an athiest
One HELL of a long read but completely worth it for people on both sides of the argument. Open your minds. Open your eyes and read
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Colin Powell’s former chief of staff: Cheney is "EVIL"
Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell’s former chief of staff who left the Bush administration in protest, wrote an essay on the Washington Note last evening slamming Cheney’s fearmongering. Wilkerson calls Cheney “evil” and says his detainee policies were only “assisting” terrorists:
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Outrageous Offenses Against Richard Cheney
TV journalists protest the insufficiently reverent commentary directed at "the former Vice President of the United States."
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Barack Obama is an evil human-race-enslaving robot
New Deal critic Amity Shlaes compares the president's healthcare plan to "The Matrix",or to put it otherwise,the republican lunacy gets worse by the minute.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
What If Jon Stewart had Interviewed Dick Cheney
Each time John King let Cheney get away with spouting gross inaccuracies and revisionist history, I kept thinking how different things would have been had Stewart been asking the questions. Stewart without the comedy and without the outrage -- just armed with the facts and the willingness to ask tough questions.
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Wake-up call for organized religion
That, with apologies to R.E.M., is the startling conclusion of a new study, the American Religious Identification Survey, conducted by researchers at Trinity College of Hartford, Conn. The poll of over 54,000 American adults found a sharp erosion in the number of people claiming religious affiliation.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Michael Shermer » God is Only a Theory
I have given much thought to the creationists’ demand that evolution be stricken from public school science classes, or that it be taught side-by-side with creationism because “evolution is only a theory” and since “no one was there to witness the creation” we cannot say for sure what really happened.
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GOP love means saying you're sorry
People keep asking, in the wake of two consecutive shellackings at the voting booth, what is wrong with the GOP.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
End in Sight for Army Wife with Obama-Iraq War
When the Iraq war broke out my husband who is in the Army Reserve was sent to Germany for 8 months, then to Iraq twice. After much thought and studying of this war and of my situation I finally viewed my position this way:
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Bending the Trajectory Left
Obama is determined to shift our whole political spectrum to the left, redraw the boundaries of our politics and expand the realm of the possible. He senses that the nation is already moving in his direction, well ahead of its political leadership.
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Friday, February 27, 2009
The myth of Republican fiscal Conservatism - debunked.
Contrary to the lie perpetuated by Repubs (and bought into by the media) NONE of the past three GOP presidents - Reagan, Bush I or Bush II - were fiscal conservatives. In fact, their hero Reagan not only didn't care about the deficit, he exploded government spending with a military spending free for all that lasted nearly a decade. [-ukit]
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Thursday, February 26, 2009
FactCheck.org: GOP Stimulus Myths
Many claims of Democrats slipping in earmarks for frivolous projects aren't true.
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read more | digg story
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