GIVE A REPUBLICAN A TYPEWRITER

I've always said that if you give a monkey a typewriter, eventually it will type something coherent. This is also true of republicans. Just not as often as with monkeys.






After watching details emerge from the latest attempted terrorist attack, it got me to thinking how many freaking security agencies do we have?



We have the FBI. CIA. NSA. TSA. Army and Navy Intelligence. I could go on and on. But the question is how many of these agencies with their own bureaucracies do we need. I don't question that we need all the people gathering and interpreting intelligence. Just how many masters do they need.






I've observed politics and politicians for years. An easy reply to any and all problems they encounter is to create a committee or a commission. After the 911 Attacks, Bush created the Department of Homeland Security. This of course led to turf battles and confusion among subordinates as to who was in charge. Who's job was what. Who gets the credit or blame. The blame came in handy for several clowns because they had yet another department to blame failures on.





In this latest incident, agencies are saying they didn't know about the terrorist who tried to blow up the plane because nobody told them. President Obama said that was "unacceptable." One of the most overused words in the political spectrum. It covers much but it really is nothing more than a good word to cover one's ass when shit is hitting the fan and no reasonable excuse or explanation can be thought of.






I don't know what to do about the penchant for creating a new agency or department to handle issues that existing departments and agencies should already be handling. Perhaps we should appoint a commission to study this.

THIS THING IS F' ING GOLDEN!

A big reason I never became more than a small time political hack was my unvarnished honesty and commitment to being fair and balanced. These traits have caused many on both sides of the aisle aggravation at times. Closed minded righties hate me for honestly exposing the folly of their deluded ideas. Even open minded lefties have taken me to task at times for not being liberal enough or having righties on my link list.




That brings me to disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich. In the anals (Yes. That's how I meant to spell it) of politics, Rod is perhaps as big a dickhead as I've ever met. My problems with this asshole are twofold. He neither cared about good government or the Democratic Party. His agenda was promoting himself and screwing anyone that didn't kiss his ass. His ego, or just arrogant stupidity caused him to say some really dumb things when you know you're probably being watched. Among these was his now infamous statement "This thing is fucking golden" when referring to his ability to appoint the next U.S. Senator from Illinois.







Senators lined up to condemn Blago for his statement. So did anyone else who could get in front of a camera. And every one of them is full of shit. Every one of them would love to have the opportunity to appoint a senator. Every one of them would have expected big things in return. That's the way it is. Politics is a slimy business. And the ones that bring home the most bacon are considered the best.




We're all pissed at Nelson and others for getting some pork put into the health care bill for their votes. Don't worry. As my right leaning friend and sometimes nemesis, Rational Nation, pointed out on the last post, both parties do it. Before it's over your legislator will have some goodies in there. Votes will be traded so it will pass one way or another. Party loyalty goes out the window if you can bring a 100 million or so to your district.






So the next time one of our legislators acts indignant at another's unscrupulous acts, tell him to shut the fuck up and get us a new bridge or something. We aren't going to elect anyone honest anyway.

DIRTY OLD REPUBLICANS SNEAK STEROIDS AND HGH FOR PENIS ENLARGEMENT INTO HEALTH CARE BILL

Those rascally old republican men are at it again. Sensing their inevitable defeat over the health insurance reform, they've taken to their old trick of putting stuff into bills that will benefit their impotent, yet still lusty constituency of old white men.




This time Viagra wasn't enough. Their old male benefactors demand bigger penises. As one lusty old republican said, "If we're going to be screwing America, we might as well do it with a big penis." All the other old white males at the Heritage Foundation agreed with that sentiment. Plus, production of HGH and steroids could be a tremendously profitable industry provided it's all done in China or India according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.




Sources tell us that Senator Larry Craig did object to this amendment as wasteful. "More than a mouthful is a waste" he was reported to have told his fellow lawmakers.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Now that the Senate has just passed it's version of health insurance reform, I need to address the many on my side that are pissed off at the compromises that had to be made to get this done.


I don't like it either. I wish they could have just rammed through either a single payer system or a Swiss Style system that TAO advocates. But it doesn't work that way.




We Democrats and Progressives do have things going our way now. The right is divided. Here in our blogging community we see many sharp right leaning members that won't describe themselves as "republicans" anymore. The rise of the tea party movement is not being filled with pissed off Democrats. It's pissed off former republicans that are filling much of it's rolls.







And just as the right is divided, and just as the right has used division to win elections and slow or stop government programs that would benefit all and not just the wealthy, we Progressives, Moderates and Libs that make up the Democratic Party must stand together and use their division to make America better.






If we stay divided on the health insurance reform bill and it gets killed, that's two huge victories for the right.




The battle to reform health care won't be won with this vote. But to lose now would set it back God knows how far. There is no Atom Bomb to drop that will achieve victory in one fell swoop. This battle for not just health insurance, but other important issues will take a long time. We have to make America an even more perfect union one fight at a time. I'd much rather have my candidates campaigning on policy victories than just holding their heads high and claiming "they fought the good fight."






The battle is for what our Nation will look like years from now. We allow ourselves to be divided and conquered, we not only lose in 2010 and 2012. But years from now our Nation will still look like it did when Bush II was in charge. Unless you're in the top two percent, that's a loss we may never get over.

HOLD YOUR NOSE AND DIG IN

There is much ado about cloture and filibusters going on now. We have to remember that Democrats have had to use the filibuster, or threat, to keep many wacko Bush appointees from becoming judges. So it ain't all bad.



It's similar to the situation we (The Good Guys) face with the health insurance reform bill. We're all pissed it doesn't have many reforms that would make it a truly great bill. And even though this may look to many of us like Congress baked us a shit pie, we're just going to have to put some Cool Whip on it and move on. As TomCat has been telling us, it's a start.

THE NEANDERTHALS NEVER EVEN HEARD OF JESUS

40,000 years ago a band of Neanderthals gave a touching burial to a crippled, old member of their group.

From what we know about them, life was short and harsh. Yet, they found it in their hearts to care for an old cripple who was of no use to the group as a whole and give him a decent burial.



Eons later a man and women who was going to soon give birth traveled to Bethlehem. Anyone could plainly see she needed a safe place to have her baby yet nobody had "room at the inn." She ended up having her baby in a stable.





2,000 years later the self proclaimed "Greatest Nation on Earth" has millions of people that still don't believe health care is a right that all our brothers and sisters deserve. They hear the words of the Dickens character Scrooge "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?" And stop watching after that. That said it all for millions of arrogant, faux Christians. No need to hear anymore. Scrooge said it all right there.






The health insurance bill has some good,some bad and some ugly. But just like 2,000 years ago, the wealthy got the rooms. The poor got the shaft.




Some will say it's a start to a better system. It's about time. The system a group of Cavemen had 40,000 years ago sounded a lot more humane than Scroogian views of so many in America today.

WHO THE HELL PUT THESE ASSHOLES IN CHARGE?

Watching the political situation unfold on every level, it's pretty clear who's in charge these days. The tea baggers.




Republicans and Democrats alike are now tripping all over themselves to please these jokers by whining about spending and deficits. But the sad fact is both parties are pandering not to conscientious citizens who actually care about the size and cost of government, but to a hoard of nuts that fit Johnny Rotten's self description of "anarchist" almost to a tee.



Talk to these deluded fools at and tea party and you get the same meaningless catch phrases from each one about taxes and spending. Ask them to explain where they stand and what they want and you get blank stares or rambling bullshit at best.



As Johnny kind of said "They don't know what they want. But they know how to get it."
What they have is two political parties sucking up to them like they really have answers. The republicans must because anyone with half a brain has left their party to keep their self respect. The Democrats think they must because they are proving themselves to be spineless jellyfish. Incapable of transferring the message of hope and change to anything meaningful. Now major leaders of the Democratic Party are telling us to get whatever health care reform bill we can so we can claim victory no matter how shallow.





All that has been accomplished by their efforts is infighting among Democrats. Embarrassing hypocrisy among republicans. And government on every level now dysfunctional for fear that some asshole will make a sign in his garage to carry at the next tea party.






On CNN today Jack Cafferty asked a loaded question about government and spending because the budget had increases for Veterans benefits and law enforcement. Of course the nutjobs will scream less spending. Even though they will support every bill to spend another 100 billion on the occupations. Even though they all raised hell about Walter Reed.





A popular phrase among the right and left now is "We want our Country back." Well, I want my government back from the influence of these anarchist nutjob tea baggers.

2010: JUST VOTE AND WIPE YOUR ASS AFTERWARD

While there is no doubt about the discord among Democrats concerning some of President Obama's actions. And while republicans are gleeful about their obstruction and our anger, the real fact is that it's the republicans who are in trouble.



For all their joy at tea baggers whining about made up crap. For all their joy at defense contractors being able to further suck dollars from taxpayers because of the unending occupations, their base is in reality nothing but blind, deluded fools now.




Look at the blogs on my link list. I have several right leaning thinkers. All are gifted bloggers of conviction and rational thought. I don't think any of them describe themselves as "republican" anymore. Some say they are "independent libertarians." Or perhaps they describe themselves as true conservatives the republicans have abandoned. Both descriptions are accurate. And it does give me comfort that there are people on the right who see the republican party for what it has become. Just an obstructionist assortment of bitter old white guys and their mouthpieces.



Many on my side are worried about 2010 just as many on the right think the republicans will make a comeback. They won't. True conservative idealists will opt either for an independent or just refuse to vote. Their patriotism will compel them to cast an empty ballot. Because they vote their consciences, the right's vote will be split making Democrat victory a certainty.




So in the end, despite the failures of Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress to get us out of the two occupations and get a meaningful health insurance reform bill, they will still come out on top in 2010 and 2012 as well.



Sadly for America, it won't be because of great ideas and policy initiatives that make our Nation better and stronger. It will be because the "Party of No" is just plain screwed up.

REVEALED! CHARLES MANSON RUNNING DEPARTMENT OF RIGHT WING TALKING POINTS!

Undercover sources have confirmed a shadow agency of right wingers, founded by Dick Cheney has been charged with inventing new right wing talking points. The words "kill, killer, slash, death, pain, suffering, misery, terrorist, al queda, hate, deficit" and other scary terms must be included on all right wing memos and releases.



Cheney has appointed Charles Manson as chief of the Department of Right Wing Talking Points. Cheney said "Charlie is the only man we can trust with the important mission of lying and scaring the shit out of our fellow Americans. If he could delude a bunch of people into having sex with him and murdering for him, imagine what he could delude America into believing."

FATCAT BANKERS TO GET THEIR COMEUPPANCE FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA!

President Obama is getting ready to tell those greedy, evil fatcat bankers a thing or two today. I only wish I were a fly on the wall so I could listen to him tell those bastards who's in charge. Just like he told the republicans to take a flying leap. We won't let those obstructionist pricks hold up national health care!

Just like he told off General McChrystal for going public with his plans to increase Troop levels in Afghanistan before asking the Commander in Chief. That's the way Mr. President. You showed that insubordinate chump who was boss. Only gave him 3/4 of what he wanted. My Granddaughter is crying. I think I'll give her 3/4 of a bottle to show her who the boss is.



One of my favorite scenes from the great movie "Shaft" was when one of Bumpy's thugs told Shaft that they were gonna tangle. Shaft said "You ain't gonna do shit."

It's past time for President Obama to stop acting like Bumpy's thug and start acting like Shaft. I want my President to be a "Baaaaaadddd, mother fu###$%R"!

BUD: THE REPUBLICAN JESUS

I told myself last year I wouldn't blog about local stuff but this is a special occasion.



The republicans en masse voted against Wall Street regulations that would save our Nation from another financial meltdown. And the inspiration for this action was none other than my old friend and local republican hero, Melvin "Bud" Niekamp.




Bud has been on our local School Board and County Board twenty years or so. And although he does have a good grasp of issues and can speak with authority, when it's time for a vote, Bud votes "no."




This has worked well for Bud because he's always the leading vote getter in every election despite the fact that he has never offered any alternatives to whatever he votes "no."





We have several on our County Board and two city aldermen that have adopted Bud's philosophy. And now, as a matter of local pride, it's cool to see Congressional republicans following Bud's lead. Offer nothing but a no vote.





There are those that have called my hometown of Quincy Illinois "Forgottonia." That is changing. Republicans everywhere are hearing the Word of Bud. And that Word is "No."




Good job Bud. It's about time you got the credit you deserved.

WHAT THE HELL?

Religious zealots are all over the news lately. For the most part they are full of shit as far as I'm concerned.



While I can respect a good knowledge of The Bible, one must also understand that since the time It's Books were written, or orally handed down, the stories have been told and retold millions of times. Who really knows what actually is God's Word and what are merely the words of some misogynist asshole with slaves?




I have no problem with God. And if Reverend Warren thinks I'm going to hell because I don't worship in his church. Or that I'm not a good Christian because I think Ugandans wanting to put Gays to death for being gay is despicable, and I will not be reticent in saying so like Reverend Warren is, then... Hell. I don't care what he or any other self righteous dickhead says.





That being said, many on the non religious side need to lighten up. There will always be some idiot that thinks posting a picture or statue of The Ten Commandments will make us better or get them a ticket to Heaven. A Christmas tree can either be a symbol of the season or just a tree made to look pretty with lights and stuff.

I'm not offended by a Menorah or a Mosque. If we can all support and encourage others to share their beliefs and cultures, who doesn't appreciate Native American culture? How many cities have districts dedicated to ethnic heritage. Could be a German Village. French Quarter. Nobody is asking you to convert to Chinese when you visit Chinatown. If some judgemental moron wants to think you're going to hell because you don't show proper reverence to his Cross or other display, he's the one with the problem. Relax. If God had meant for life to not be a pain in the ass sometimes, he would have smited these self righteous assholes long ago.

A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS

Although many are tired of flogging the dead horse known as Sarah Palin, her story tells a tale of Americana.











It's not about heroism or greatness. It's about people's need for heroes. There's no doubt this woman is of limited intellectual capacity. Yet she has been elevated to an almost "Joan of Arc" status by many desperate for a modern day right wing hero. These deluded fools have created an image of the down to earth, common sense loving American Mom that will save us all from pinkos like Truth 101.










None of them can come up with a real reason or substantial position Palin has on any issue. They just say "she's real." Or "she's one of us." I guess the one of us means she's an idiot living in a fantasy world of Sunday family picnics and boys and girls saving themselves for marriage. Just like them.










Many of the people that were deified by the hero worship culture were very humble. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley were just two guys doing their jobs. Even Reagan seemed to understand it was all an act on his part. But Sarah Palin has embraced her status as right wing hero and savior. And her ego is leading to jealous hatred among the right. Dan Quayle asks "why her and not me?" The picture at the top should make that answer obvious.







But that's another dirty little republican secret. Look good. Say what the Cheney Cabal tells you to say and wear a dress. While you and abortion are distracting the idiots that want to screw you, we'll keep screwing America.

JUST EXACTLY WHEN WAS OUR NATION "INNOCENT"?

You can't watch the History Channel or listen to some do gooder without hearing the phrase "loss of innocence."

Just when exactly were we or anyone else "innocent"?

Our Nation lost it's innocence in every war it ever fought. The Kaiser took our innocence. Hitler took it. The Gay Nineties was a fun time for many but it also entailed a loss of innocence. The World's Fair that introduced A1 Steak Sauce, Hot Dogs and ice cream proved another innocence losing affair.

Some real robbers of innocence include Hitler, Hirohito and Manson. But it also was robbed by mundane things like game show scandals. Ooohh! They gave a guy the answers to the $64,000 question and our Nation was rocked and lost it's innocence. Big freaking deal.

Gay marriage and Tiger Woods (There's a shock. A young male celebrity having sex with multiple women. Who would have thought?) are hot innocence stealing topics today. One would think the moralists on the right would at least give grudging praise to Tiger for choosing to have sex with females but in their cloistered world sex doesn't exist. Look to their ignoring of John Ensign and his peccadillo's.

At least once a week some concerned parent complains about a school board decision and that it will rob children of their innocence.

Life has taught me that innocence ain't all it's cracked up to be. It's over rated. But it does give people that want to complain but can't think of why they're complaining a topic. It reminds me of when I started blogging. One of the first trolls that left a comment complained that I was foul mouthed and of perverted logic and morals. My presence on the web cost it it's "innocence."

THESE REPUBLICANS COULD SELL CRAP TO AN AVON LADY

Having spent half of my working life as a commission salesperson, I can appreciate the sales ability of the republicans.

The republican agenda benefits perhaps two percent of America. Yet millions of people vote against their own interests because some guy with a radio show convinced them that tax cuts for the wealthiest is good for them. That trillions in debt will "starve the beast" and lead to freedom. These morons then complain to anyone with a microphone that their freedom is being suppressed while they're freely assembling on public property during a tea party.

The latest rehash of republican chicanery and salesmanship is the estate tax. Or as the chief jive turkey republicans call it, the "death tax."

Republican senators have been decrying this as a tax on the dead. The idiots that bought into their tea party crap are buying this nonsense hook, line and sinker also. If the dead guy was so worried about his heirs then he would have estate planning, trusts and life insurance plans in place. If not then he probably thinks the people that want his money are unworthy idiots. Or he is just an asshole.

No doubt, there is an idiot like Joe the faux plumber someplace waiting to tell another idiot with a microphone that he doesn't want to inherit anything because the government will tax it away from him. Even though at least 98% of us will never have to deal with estate taxes because the estate has to be worth at least 3.5 million dollars.

In case any righties are reading, please think about this. None of you are worth 3.5 million dollars. You are once again being duped into supporting policies that only benefit the most privileged among us. And not even the people that worked for the money but those that would get it not because of their hard work. But because the hardest work they ever did was when half their chromosomes were in a sperm that was the fastest and luckiest sperm to the egg. And for that the republicans have millions of deluded, tea bagging fools that the luckiest sperm deserves millions tax free.

HAVE WIT AND WISDOM. WILL TRAVEL

All the topics of interest this weekend seem to have been covered by the outstanding bloggers on my link list. I have left comments worthy of Lord Byron and Oscar Wilde on them for your education and pleasure my friends. Please visit these blogs and may God bless America.

REPUBLICANS LIKE THEIR SURGES LARGE AND LONG

Normally I find double entendres irritating but this latest republican one I have to admit is quite clever.






For two years republicans talked of a "surge". They got it in Iraq and shouted in orgasmic glee. Senator John Ensign has an affair and they all give him high fives for his "man surge" directed at his aides wife. "Give a surge for Ronald Reagan" they said. Ensign said he gave her all the "supply side" she could handle.





Yet, for all their love of surging, they complain about Obama's Afghanistan surge. Their biggest complaint is it's not LARGE ENOUGH OR LONG ENOUGH.





Get it now folks?




Those dirty republican perverts!

GENERALLY SPEAKING, JOHN McCAIN IS AN IDIOT

I made the comment in the previous post taking issue with our current crop of generals. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, each time a commander was changed he was gushed all over as the next "Patton" or something. Eight years of occupation with no progress, and don't tell me 75 civilian deaths instead of the usual 98 a month is progress, should be enough time to tell us these generals are at best a mediocre crop of buffoons in cool uniforms.




A good general will trade lives for land and victory. What the generals and the two idiots giving them orders for eight years, Bush and Cheney, did was trade lives for time. They were hoping that by just sacrificing the lives of our fine Soldiers that perhaps terrorists and insurgents would get tired and go away. Of course in their ignorance, they just kept creating more terrorists and insurgents. But their lives for time strategy also benefited Halliburton and other defense contractors so perhaps there was a method to their madness.






John McCain is also an idiot. To argue against a time limit shows him to be the sheltered and blind fool he is to his life and the right wing.





The time limit President Obama gave the Afghans last night sends them the right message. There is nothing wrong with telling a deadbeat to get his shit together. To do so without a deadline makes it meaningless. All McCain's way of thinking would mean to Karzai and his band of merry clowns is that in a a few months they will be told to get their shit together. In the meantime more terrorists and insurgents will be created and we will look weak, stupid and dishonest for propping up scumbags.







President Obama aid out the plan he had to lay out in order to keep a campaign promise. I'd much rather he give the order and bring our Troops home today. But we can't always get what we want. And President Obama also showed us that he will do what he thinks is right and not be afraid to stand before America and tell us why. Thank you Mr. President.

PRISONER OF PROMISES

Most of my left leaning blogging friends are angry over President Obama's decision to send 30 thousand more Troops to Afghanistan. I don't like it either.

There lies the rub. A main talking point of President Obama's campaign was getting out of Iraq, which I wish he would hurry up and do, and putting the focus on Afghanistan.

My first thought about this was that it was a cowardly pander to the republicans. Just as far too many Democrats caved during the lead up to the Iraq invasion. None of them wanted to be branded as "soft on terror." Perhaps President Obama didn't want to have the same label.

But the more I thought about it today, it is a bold decision politically because this is pleasing to a group that isn't going to vote for him no matter what he does. And his supporters during the election stand a good chance of abandoning him in 2012 if this doesn't work quickly.

Strategically, I disagree with this decision. I don't have much faith in the generals since 2003.

But Obama is keeping his word to put the focus on Afghanistan. That in itself is refreshing. That a President is keeping his word. Please remember this in 2012 my left leaning Brothers and Sisters. We've seen the alternatives the republicans offer.

LET'S MAKE TIGER WOODS AND THE REST OF THE RICH PAY FOR HAVING BETTER STUFF

Now that we're all getting a lesson about rich guys like Tiger Woods having a better legal and health care system than the rest of us, let's turn our outrage into action! Let's tax these greedy rich bastards and all their goodies to teach them a lesson!

You greedy selfish rich bastards get the hot blond Swedish trophy wives. You get free dinners and clothes. You get to run over trees and fire hydrants with impunity. And you fuckers get all the great tax cuts and deductions!

Then you hire lobbyists and marketing reps to tell us that shitty health and legal systems for the rest of us is a great exercise in freedom and Americanism. You fuckers buy Congressmen to vote for your tax breaks and deregulations while the rest of us have to make up for it with higher taxes and fees on everything we buy.

You creeps think you're all so special with your gated communities. Your sending a servant to the grocery store to buy a pie to donate to the Salvation Army. Yeah. That made a real difference. Some homeless guy has another fucking cavity thanks to your generosity. Try donating some shit without looking for the tax deduction or round of golf with Tiger Woods you greedy bastards. "Ohh! Look at the poor kids playing on the practice green. Let's all smile at them." Okay. The camera is off. You rich bastards can start ignoring them again and telling the Congressmen you bought you need another tax cut so your shit can trickle down.

Yeah Babies. It's trickling down and now even the blind poor and middle class fools are starting to see the light of your greedy, selfish ways.

TIGER WOODS AND RIGHT WING PARANOIA

Unless you've been in a coma the last few days you have heard about Tiger Woods running over a fire hydrant outside his home at 2:30AM.

I don't really care about his private life. I think he's one of the two best golfers ever and enjoy watching him play. That's where my interest ends in Tiger Woods.

But his saga goes to show how wealth and celebrity indeed make life easier. Tiger Woods probably never has to buy dinner. Nike or some rabid fan buys it for him. His clothes are given to him. His cars. His golf clubs. The man is worth a billions to himself and others and never has to pay for anything. Even now.

This is not an indictment of Tiger Woods. If I could play golf like him I would also demand the world kiss my ass. Just like the wealthiest right wingers among us. They demand tax cuts. Gated communities. Invasions and occupations to make them billions at taxpayer expense. A legal system skewed in their favor.

Tiger has not submitted to police interviews yet despite destroying a fire hydrant. Don't even know if he took a breathalyzer or blood test. He will when he is ready I suppose. That's the benefit of wealth. You do unpleasant things, or more likely have someone do them for you when you feel like it.

It also shows that no matter what, the wealthy will always have better stuff than the rest of us. And they will make sure of it no matter how many lobbyists and Congressmen they have to buy.

THE RIGHT IS PROGRESSIVELY SHIFTING THE TAX BURDEN TO THE POOR

As a student of politics, sometimes I just have to sit back in awe at the right's propaganda machine. Joe Goebbels and Baghdad Bob are children compared to these guys.

A particularly impressive con job the right has pulled is in the issue of taxes and income redistribution.

The right has convinced millions that the wealthy need tax breaks and to pay for them we'll cut taxes. Anything else to them is commie pinko wealth redistribution. Of course it isn't but the left either can't come up with any cool things to call the right's programs. What the progressive tax system does is it makes the people that benefit the most from our system contribute the most to it's operation. But to some deluded fool watching Glen Beck, the words "commie" and "socialist" resonate far more than "benefit" and "fair."

But what the right has really succeed in doing with this Reaganomics bullshit is to REDISTRIBUTE a good percentage of the tax burden to the poor and middle class without them even knowing they were being had.

Income taxes will never be lowered enough for people to actually realize a difference in their lives. Even the wealthiest among us, if one of them gets a tax cut of a million dollars it won't make any difference in how he lives. But because of these tax cuts, revenue has to be replaced. And guess who makes it up. The poor and middle class. The income tax is shifted to other taxes. Like alcohol. Big tax on soda and candy now. Fees go up every year for licences and other government stuff. Park fees go up. Cell phones get the hell taxed out of them. Internet access is taxed. There are a million other things that are taxed because the right has successfully shifted the burden from the wealthy to the poor and middle class.

A great irony of this shifting of the burden is that when a wealthy guy decides to buy a boat or vacation home with the tax money he's saved, the bastard will demand a tax break on them.

I'VE GOT PLENTY TO BE THANKFUL FOR

Millions are still without health insurance. At one of these ridiculous town hall meetings a poor lady was heckled by a bunch of assholes when she told of her loved ones dying because they didn't have health insurance.

When I was young I remember the Vietnam peace talks. For months negotiators argued over the size and shape of the conference table. Apparently egos were more important than lives.

Congress fights over health insurance reform. Republicans obstruct and offer nothing. Democrats chip away at the bill to make it palatable to republicans that aren't going to vote for it anyway. In the end, who knows if a health insurance bill will pass or fail. But one thing for sure. Both sides will claim victory and egos will be stroked. Then as now, egos are more important than lives.

40 MILLION REPUBLICANS AND TRUTH 101 STILL HAS TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE

I admit the only reason I grudgingly support the health insurance reform act going through Congress now is that I hope it leads to single payer, or the Swiss system TAO has explained eventually. As far as bills go, this thing is a freaking ridiculous.











Only God and Harry Reid know how much in pork bribes went out to get the 60 votes just to bring it to the floor for debate. Only God knows how much more in pork bribery will be promised just to get the votes for a watered down, 2,100 page roll of toilet paper this will end up as. (I know my right leaning friends think it already is a 2,100 page roll of toilet paper.)











We're talking about making sure our own Citizens have access and are able to pay for quality health care and the only argument the right can make is to call it socialism. The only thing they argue for is malpractice reform. Even though they all agree that health care and health insurance costs are too freaking high and something needs to be done about it.











The republicans, every one of them even admitted government had an important role in getting flu vaccine to the American People. But not health care in general?











Now listen up you inconsistent hypocrites. Put your alternative bill up alongside the monstrosity going up now. You only need a few things:










Carriers allowed to sell across state lines.







Guaranteed acceptance.








One set of rules that all must follow.








Related groups of people allowed to form as a group for group coverage, like credit unions.









An arbitration committee appointed by the President and the leader of the party in Congress of a different political party. This would decide coverage disputes and merit of malpractice suits. Not judgement of them.










Now I admit that this isn't as easy or as fun as just calling us socialists. But as a fan of Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, I thought I owed it to their legacy to offer something to their party instead of the lunacy and vitriol it offers America.

LAW AND ORDER TEACHER and TRUTH 101 SPONSOR THE FIRST LEFT/RIGHT HEALTH CARE SYMPOSIUM

At the urging of one of the Right's most respected bloggers, Law and Order Teacher,

http://lawandorderteacher.blogspot.com/, we're having a health care symposium.


TAO has allowed me to post his thoughts at the top. I'll go next in the comment section. LaOT and I hope this can lead to real discussion. Thank you for your participation.


From TAO:





I think we are going about healthcare reform all the wrong way: The reality is we are trying to reform something that is wedged between too many special interests.


Currently the government provides healthcare to the poor, the young, the elderly, and our veterans; and no one has raised one issue with this. Not the communists, not the socialists, not the democrats, not the liberals, not the republicans, and not the conservatives.


Thus, it appears that we all do agree that society has an obligation to provide healthcare to certain members of our society but does that mean we believe that universal healthcare is not a societal obligation?



Since we as a society, through our democratic form of government currently pay over 46% of all medical expenses incurred in a year and as the balance of the expenses are either paid by us as employees, employers, or individuals through our premiums for health insurance and this means we also end up paying for those without insurance who seek medical treatment then the only group left uncovered are those who are recently unemployed, those who elect not to have insurance and have no need for medical treatment, and those who do not have access to health insurance either through their employer or on an individual basis.



The reality is WE pay for all medical treatment provided in this country either directly via our insurance premiums, or indirectly via taxes, via underwriting by insurance carriers, and or via cost pass throughs by healthcare providers.



Thus by default, we have socialized medicine and universal coverage.



If we accepted this reality then we could devise a more realistic and cost reducing healthcare reform package that would be innovative and futuristic without looking like a hodge podge of 'gifts' to special interests like the current package before Congress.



First we would start with a bare bones preventative care package, that would cover just basic office visits, drugs, and outpatient proceedures. This would be offered AT COST to all Americans via for profit insurance carriers with a nominal fee of 3% for administration and profit. If you are young, or living under the poverty level, elderly or disable the government would pay the full costs of this package.



Then private insurance companies could provide a 'step up' or lets call it a 'basics plus' package that would include more services, surgery, and other more expensive services that could be sold as an additional add on package to the basic core plan. This add on package would be priced at cost plus a 10% fee for administration and profit and this would be something an individual could purchase on their own or the government could subsidize the cost of for those who are young, poor, elderly, or our veterans.



From there, the insurance carriers could devise all sorts of healthcare insurance add ons that they could sell at whatever price and with whatever profit margins the market will bear. The government would not subsidize the cost of these for anyone.



This would allow us to provide a basic level of care to all citizens and allow for free market capitalism to create opportunities for more and better healthcare products.



Our military turns away quite a few applicants because of health issues and this would improve the quality of applicants entering the military. By ensuring everyone regular access to healthcare over the course of their whole life we will eventually see a drop in the expenses incurred due to the fact that right now most of our costs go to extreme and emergency care rather than preventative care.



We also need to accept the fact that under the basic or core plan an elderly person would eventually exhaust their insurance coverage, if that is all they had, and treatment would be terminated. But, the reality is that we spend way to much of our GDP on medical expenses incurred in the last two years of an individuals life and unless that individual has bought additional coverage exaclty what is our obligation, as a society, to the elderly when we have so many working age citizens without adequate healthcare?



Pre existing conditions would no longer matter because everyone would always have insurance but maximum policy benefits, or lifetime benefits would still be an issue for those who do not buy an upgrade from the basic policy. To deal with people who would naturally seek insurance upgrades when they became aware of a need then you could make everyone have a policy inforce for six months before any services would be covered.



This is the SWISS PLAN in a nutshell!



It guarantees everyone a basic level of healthcare and subsidizes the cost of this plan when an individual cannot afford the premiums or falls into a certain class of citizen (elderly, poor, young, veterans, or disabled). It takes health insurance decisions away from businesses/employers and makes it a personal/employee decision. It is not socialism because it works within the framework of private, for profit insurance carriers and it allows these carriers to create and market additional products to supplement the basic or core policy. You could see abortion riders, plastic surgery riders, I want to live forever riders, experimental treatment riders, only namebrand drug riders, rehab riders, and all sorts of innovative ideas spring forth.
It basically allows for society to provide a basic level of care as a benefit of citizenship and it also allows for capitalism to create opportunities for companies to develop and profit from meeting certain demands of the marketplace.



It would also limit the existing strain on medicare and medicad that we will see with higher unemployment, greater drug dependency, and the eventual retirement of the baby boomers. It focuses more on adequate coverage, and basic coverage rather than brow beating providers for discounts.



All the way around it is more logical, more cost effective, and more in line with the values that this country holds dear. Oh, and yes there would need to be tort reform and the issue about portability across state lines would no longer be an issue due to the fact that this would be a FEDERAL law.


Posted by TAO of RADICAL PERSPECTIVE http://radicalpersective.blogspot.com/

TRUTH 101. THIS WEEK'S GUEST ON "THE L COMMENT"

It is an honor to be this week's guest on The Law's innovative and enlightening blog. The L Comment's radio show

http://thelcomment.blogspot.com/


We had a great conversation and I encourage everyone no matter what your views to check out TL's site and even be a guest on his program.




Best wishes for a great weekend everyone.

GO AHEAD. MAKE A RIGHT WINGER'S DAY.

We've all seen this movie a thousand times. The bad guy brutalizes some poor soul in the opening. A liberal judge and greedy lawyer get the creep off on a technicality. Then Dirty Harry comes in. Tortures and shoots the bad guy and all is once again right in the world.

As we leave the theater, most of us understand it was just a movie designed to get us on an emotional roller coaster and leave it at that. It was a couple hours of entertainment.

That leaves the rest of the audience though. About 25 to 30% that think this stuff is real and without Dirty Harry, criminals would run amok and destroy the fabric of our society. These people are also the target demographic of republican propaganda.

The republicans have built their propaganda machine around Dirty Harry movie plots. Whatever the issue, terror trials in New York. Health care. Abortion. School prayer. It's always intertwined with somehow not being on the republican side is destroying America. Emboldening terrorists. Or bringing us closer to a socialist state. One of their current favorite phrases is to call everything a "job killer." These republicans are a violent lot.

I use the 25 to 30% figure because polls tell us that that is how many people think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president. Idiots like these are exactly the type of moron that would buy into nonsense about socialism and those without health insurance exercising their freedom to not have health insurance.

Further evidence of how this phenomena has taken hold not only of the lowest tiers of the republican supporters, but among their most elite was in the last presidential primary. When the group of republican contenders stood up at their first debate and the question was asked what they would do in case of a terrorist attack, one of these idiots said "I'd be looking for Jack Bauer." The rest of them applauded as if this nutcase, I think it was Tancredo, had the answer to terrorism.

This is what the republican party, the party of Eisenhower and Teddy Roosevelt, has devolved into. A group of idiots that think movie and television show plots are sound policy basis.

And they still wonder why I deride them. They wonder why so many people that once were proud to call themselves republicans, now run away from that label like the plague. Even the word "conservative" is becoming more of a derogatory term now. By the next election most righties of reasonable intelligence will go to describing themselves as "Libertarian." The smart ones are doing that already.

ATLAS SHRUGGED. THEN HE GOT AN ERECTION

An important lesson learned by the right since Ayn Rand was their darling, was the public wants it's darlings to be hot.

Face it. We live in sexist society. The right is not encumbered by any morals or guilt. They want want their message of greed and corporate welfare to heard by everyone. And if they need a major news network to hire the hottest babes it can find to deliver their message, too bad for the politically correct crowd.

Ayn Rand videos on You-Tube get some decent traffic, sure. But for the most part people click to something else after a few seconds of watching them. Part of it is they are boring and silly. But Ayn is a plain looking woman at best. Not even the most diehard rightie is going to spend much time watching Ayn Rand when Madonna's nipple is just a click away.

This need for beauty permeates both genders of righties. In the case of the right wing ladies, they all have to have hot chick profile pictures. They rarely if ever say anything that hasn't been said by Limbaugh or Beck. But they get lots of attention for repeating it and all the right wing guys think they might get a kiss or something if they comment on how wise the right wing ladies are.

I visited Pam Gellar's blog, Atlas Shrugged, once. She is a fine looking lady. In fact, for the most part, that's almost a requirement these days to be a mouthpiece for the Republicans. For all her goofiness, Michelle Bachman ain't bad dudes. And she gets paraded out every night at some right wing party.

Sarah Palin road her good looks to the republican nomination for vice president.

Don't think for a second John McCain didn't know Palin was an intellectual lightweight who happened to be in the right place at the right time during Alaska's governor's race. But Jesus. Look at those legs. And she's not afraid to bait her own hook.

There is a field of candidates lining up to run for president on the republican side in 2012. They are wasting their time. Unless Sarah Palin gains a ton of weight or a hotter republican lady comes along, it's Palin in 2012.

REPUBLICANS REVEAL THEIR INNER SISSY

The sissy Illinois GOP is trying to prevent the opening of a prison here that would bring jobs and the pride of knowing thugs are being punished right here at home. They say it's a safety issue but the reality is that Republicans are sissies.

This isn't a particularly new development. Republicans have a history, especially since the Bush years for sissy behavior. While they loved to waterboard, let's get real. On the torture scale that's not nearly as impressive as the rack or thumb screws. The sissy republicans outsourced the badass torture to Egypt and Syria.

Republicans will try and look tough sometimes by taking credit for the abuses heaped on the prisoners at Abu Grahb, but that was done by rogues with no party affiliation. The republicans were caught in their pretense of trying to look tough and decided to save face they would send terror suspects and nasty dudes to Guantanamo in Cuba. While they played loud music and made guys stand up for a long time, the republicans were hoping Castro would offer to help in a new diplomatic initiative. Castro wasn't taking the bait though. He was not going to do the dirty work of torturing guys and let republicans take the credit.

Republicans show their sissiness in other ways also. They're fear of raising taxes to pay for their occupations and invasions of countries that were no threat like Iraq, (Another example of sissiness. Like Iraq was going to be able to fight back) shows the republican sissy aversion to sacrifice for a greater cause.

The republican party is indeed the party of greed and sissiness. They show their greed and selfishness by running up debt and never asking Americans to sacrifice a few more dollars in taxes to pay for their shit. Their corporate benefactors take government bailouts and largess in the billions of dollars, yet they fight minimum wage and union organizing efforts that would raise the standard of living for Working Americans. That would anger their corporate benefactors that take bailouts and government largess.

These sissy republicans fight national health care by trying to convince the masses not having health insurance is somehow an exercise in freedom. A few of the deluded among us buy into this horse shit and go to tea parties. But the silent majority realize that the rich republicans that control the party and the message are selfishly trying to protect their place in line at health care providers. If someone has to suffer that's too bad. And their suffering isn't that bad in the mind of the sissy republican, Dick Cheney elite. No worse than waterboarding anyway.

PRESIDENT OBAMA LISTENS TO TRUTH 101. SO SHOULD DAN PROFT

As honored as I am that President Obama is taking my advice and bringing Gitmo prisoners to one of our empty Illinois prisons because our freaking legislators suck up to republicans and won't raise the taxes to pay for their opening, I am also bemused by the latest Illinois republican to say something totally ignorant about this.




Republican candidate for governor, Dan Proft, was outraged that Gitmo prisoners could be coming to Illinois. He railed that it would be unsafe. The man is a freaking idiot.






What makes Proft's stupidity even more outrageous is that Governor Quinn is about to release thousands of prisoners early because the state can't afford to keep them in prison. But this Proft moron doesn't think that's unsafe?





Of course this idiot and the chorus of other republican gubernatorial candidates promise not to raise taxes. I think the Democrats do also but their stupidity and cowardly pandering to tea baggers and the like will be ripped at another time.





Why don't these republicans think we can't guard dangerous assholes and dispense justice on American Soil? Why do they proclaim "Liberty and Justice for all" when they mean only a few? They have no problem creating jobs for Blackwater and Haliburton. Why aren't the rest of the American Workers as important to them?




I think we all know the answer. Building prisons brings in big donations from contractors. Running them doesn't.

SNEAKY RIGHTIES DOUBLECROSSED THEMSELVES ON NATIONAL HEALTHCARE

As welfare loving Democrat I've always admired the republicans for their ability to get billions more in government dollars and assistance for their cronies than we could for ours. Big tax cuts and incentives for off shoring corporate headquarters. There isn't a business built or added on to in America today that hasn't gotten some tax increment financing or a government grant or zoning variance. Hell. The government even pays tobacco farmers not to grow tobacco. God forbid the price of tobacco collapse and we have cheap cigarettes everywhere. Plus, government needs the price of tobacco high so it can tax the shit out of the poor that use it to make up for all the tax breaks the rich get.

As clever as these neocon shysters are at getting government largess, for some reason their aversion to national health insurance is mind boggling. These jokers love that government has two occupations going to keep defense contractors busy making government money.. A huge deficit that keeps the Fed from raising interest rates so money is cheap. A Congress over a barrel because they know the economy could collapse without it's injection of billions into the lending system.

For all the government largess they get, imagine how much more they could get if government took over health care and removed that burden from employers. If some health insurance companies go out of business I doubt the righties would lose any sleep because none of them seem to feel any remorse at shipping jobs to China. If you guys think you will miss a few of your buddies at the club, give them jobs as waiters and bathroom attendants to sooth your consciences.

It's always been a sort of joke that "righties hate the poor." But their hatred of national health insurance validates this. They would rather keep the burden of health insurance on employers than see it shifted and all people contribute to and benefit from a national health insurance system. Even though this would be in the best interests of American Business.

Perhaps the wealthy are jealous of social programs that aid the poor. So they use government as a giant social program to aid the rich. Or they're afraid a poor person might get as good a health care as they get. Don't worry my wealthy fellow Americans. Your stuff will always better than the rest of ours.

CAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY IS

They asked Jesse James why he robbed banks. He said "Because that's where the money is."

The latest duo to capitalize on this theme are Sarah Palin and Carrie Prejean. Both beloved by dirty old deluded right wing fools all across our great Nation for their wholesomeness and willingness to repeat right wing moral majority bullshit.

The first to really capitalize on the right wingers penchant for buying books written by cheap looking broads was Ann Coulter. Admittedly, she is a pretty sad looking woman as far as women go. You could put a wig on a cane, tell a dirty old right winger it's a pro life, low tax woman and he would get an erection. At least if he had some government health insurance paid for Viagra handy. But to her credit, she found a willing market that would enable her to sell millions of books and get gigs on talk shows where she could further spew some right wing nonsense and cause more Viagra supported boners among idiots that will never have sex with her and most likely no other woman. But they do have the internet and posters.

Sarah Palin is also capitalizing on this phenomena of dirty old right wingers buying crap from women that tell them what they want to hear. While normal men like myself are unselfish and empathetic( we only want to hear our ladies moans of ecstasy) dirty old, selfish right wing males long to hear their female, (and male as long as nobody finds out) partners shout out things like "Lower my taxes!" Or, "Damn that pinko commie liberal Truth 101!" Once they hear this, the checkbooks are open and the credit card is put to use.

Palin's book is chock full of stuff guaranteed to titillate even the most stubborn rightie. It may even turn a few of the rightie ladies into lesbians if they don't get a hold of themselves. (So there may be some redeeming feature in Palin's book after all.)

Carrie Prejean is going to take this phenomena even further. I did a speak a long time ago about how Republicans can forgive fellow republicans for anything as long as they obediently return to saying republican stuff. Well Ms. Prejean has already apologised for her sex tape and all is forgiven. Her next move is to make another sex tape only this time, instead of moaning "oohs" and "ahhs" she will be moaning "Let's fight them over there instead of here." "Keep government out of my wholesome naughty stuff." "Dick Cheney did it for America."

For a long time righties either were, or chose to be duped into thinking these right wing commentators actually cared about America and the views they spouted. When Ms. Prejean goes into her act, I don't think they will care.

TEA BAGGING, DIRTY OLD MEN DEMAND GOVERNMENT KEEP IT'S HANDS OFF THEIR VIAGRA

Being renowned throughout Blogland for my open mind and empathetic nature, I can certainly understand pro lifers being against government health insurance paying for abortion. At least abortions that are performed not for health issues, but as a means of birth control.

But these same dirty old Congressmen are sure to include Viagra in the list of covered prescriptions. But by doing so, these dirty old Congressmen are getting poor, easily influenced and nubile young ladies into situations where they may think they need an abortion. Of course, dirty old Congressmen can afford to pay for their nubile young concubine's abortion so perhaps in their own moral la la land, they think it's okay. Wouldn't want to disgrace the institution of Congress you know.

REPUBLICAN'S BELIEVE THE BEATLES TO BE JUST AS EVIL AS MUSLIMS.

Michelle Bachman and the rest of the looney right wing announced the Beatles are just as evil as Muslims.

Bachman said that the Beatle's song "Helter Skelter" which inspired Charles Manson, was just as satanic as the satanic Koran and should be banned, burned and the ashes blown up. Then gathered up and sent into space on the Space Shuttle as a last mission for NASA which she would cut funding from because she's tired of people thinking rocket scientists are smart and she is stupid.

Bachman further added that "She Loves You" and "Love Me Do" had subliminal messages which made young people want LSD and choose to become gay. The song "I Dig a Pony" promoted bestiality which was okay with her because she could understand a euphoric sexual attraction to the GOP Elephant which Bachman says she has experienced herself despite being Koran, LSD and Beatle music free since 1971. So that must be God's will.

SCREWING FELLOW AMERICANS HAS SAVED MARRIAGE?

It looks like we can all rest easy folks. The Tony Perkins and family values crowd has once again successfully put the bone to gay Americans. California got it a while back. This time, decent, God fearing Americans stuck it to their fellow Americans in Maine by voting against same sex marriage there as well.

No doubt these backward thinking, deluded fools think they've struck a great blow for wholesomeness and Christian values. They also think young people will not have sex if nobody is allowed to talk to young people about sex. God forbid that gets them thinking about it. I'll bet Tony Perkins and Dick Armey thought penises and vaginas were for urination purposes only until their parents had a talk with them the day before their weddings.

These assholes and several million like them think by saying they're for "civil unions" but not same sex marriage is a slap at the Constitution as well as a slap in the face of the entire Gay community. "Separate, but Equal" was bullshit then and it's bullshit now.

Many of these jokers think they're protecting the "sanctity" of marriage, by denying Americans of a different sexual orientation the right. They really mean but won't admit it's the sanctity of their own bigoted, ignorant mindsets they want to protect.

To the assholes like Tony Perkins and others who are afraid of Gays I say don't worry. By virtue of your stupidity and closed minded religious views, I don't think many Gays want much to do with you either.