Politics, society and Faith from a Christian liberal prospective. We believe that we can all accomplish great things in the world if we can just get past the lust of the powerful and the fear of the comfortable.
After reading the above article I'm really uncomfortable with this whole thing. Sounds, too, much like the Patriot Act, Iraq War, VISA, Homeland Security, every war supplemental, Patriot Act II and now this. They want us to bail them out with how much money? 600 billion to a trillion? with no strings attached? to the people who pretended to oversee this mess?
Doom and gloom or we all die economic collapse. Haven't we all heard this before. Disaster! Disaster! You must act quick! You must give us control! Trust us, we mean you no harm. Disaster! Disaster!
I don't trust them at all but even more so when they play the fear card. My faith in the Democratic leadership isn't very high either because of all the many times they have caved to the Republicans.
. 1 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and who write oppressive decrees, 2 Depriving the needy of judgment and robbing my people's poor of their rights, Making widows their plunder, and orphans their prey! 3 What will you do on the day of punishment, when ruin comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth Isaiah Chapter 10
Progressives from the time of Teddy Roosevelt have always known we work best when we pitch in as a nation to solve these problems together. That way the places in our nation of large areas of poverty are able to be helped. The radical conservative scheme would only mean a lot sicker under nourished people many of whom will end up on the street.
I suppose the conservatives would just end up passing laws to outlaw the poor homeless then put them in a jail-type setting so they are no longer visible. If they are not visible they will be able to claim success. Remember the truth doesn’t matter to this current bunch of conservatives. All that matters is creating a perception of success to placate their supporters and those under their thumb.
Thom Hartmann - Profits over Humanity? . The safety net is full of holes and requires better stewardship from our nation’s leaders. I suppose the best net menders have always been Democrats. The country needs quite a few more in the Senate and executive branch (Barack Obama) to begin that mending job.
many more things in addition that my feeble memory isn't able to recall right now although, I think I did pretty good for the morning after. But, this is an American debate where the facts, truth and lies don't matter. Only form does.
I don't remember which newspaper, station or BLOG I read this ,but, the McCain campaign staff wanted to hold the canceled debate when the vice presidential debate was to be held then schedule that on some other occasion. Yea right, this may have been an attempt to not only free McCain from answering questions about championing bank and investment de-regulation or his abundant flip-flops but to also remove the catastrophic threat of a Palin debate appearance.
Below is an example of why they would be so uncomfortable with Palin in front of a national audience.
McCain's flip flops aren't of the run of the mill variety, as demonstrated by most politicians who change their minds on a subject, or have it changed for them by their constituency, no, his are abundant, obvious, and perplexing.
. Timeline . A huge bail-out for those who not only were irresponsible and crooked but also looked down on the American citizens, seeing them only as a means to fabulous wealth, while it may end up being necessary in some fashion, is shameful. I'm going to steal this phrase from a caller on the Stephanie Miller Show, "They've become the blame Americans first crowd".
Their greed and irresponsible devotion to a flawed conservative economic ideology ' of a totally free market 'let us do whatever we want' system has risked the well-being of our nation. In the last 71/2 years they have wrecked our standing in the world, run our military into the ground, rekindled the cold war, and damaged the laws of our land, it's constitution and bill of rights.
The Republican party has welcomed radical evangelical fundamentalists (theocrats) and fascists-like Neoconservatives, into their ranks, who have brought destruction and ruin in their wake just as they have everywhere they have existed.
Being well accomplished at propaganda, they're trying to lay this whole mess at the feet of the bad judgment of the people. Oh, it's true there were those who were talked into loans they couldn't afford.
We were tempted into one ourselves but I didn't want to be tied down to a mortgage. My wife and I have a bit of a traveling bug, although kids and MS have provided a pretty good cure for that. They won't take NO for an answer. Constant calls and mail trying to convince you of all the reasons home ownership is best for everyone. Constantly fishing for a weak moment. That's how credit cards and payday loans work, too. They are all looking for that moment of vulnerability when credit looks like the answer to a worried person's current situation.
These people are vicious predators preying on the vulnerable to supply their opulent lifestyle. Blaming the victim for their desperation or ignorance is no better than a thief blaming the person robbed for not locking their door.
Poverty is tough, especially to those who are new victims to it's grip, as is, a job loss or medical emergency. Preying on the sick I find especially loathsome. I remember watching Senator Wellstone, during the bankruptcy bill, argue enthusiastically for those people who have undergone medical situations, such as cancer, to be able to declare bankruptcy. This was something, that had previously been allowed, in order to help them through this trying time. There was no pity from the Republicans even for a family with a member dying of cancer, the amendment was not even allowed to be considered.
In fact there has been little love our pity coming from the GOP for...
our children in school, from the little ones needing preschool to the big ones needing college;
for our workers, whether they be minimum wage or skilled losing their jobs to out-sourcing;
for our troops, even the injured ones or the elderly from past conflicts;
for the constitution of our land and it's cherished Bill of Rights;
for it's minorities, whether they be new, naturalized or born and raised;
for the sick and disabled;
for the environment of our world;
for the world's animals, even our own;
for the victims of 9-11, neither for truth, justice or a proper memorial;
and on and on and on and on.
And now they want us to bail them out with how much money? 600 billion to a trillion? with no strings attached? to the people who pretended to oversee this mess?
Doom and gloom or we all die economic collapse. Havn't we all heard this before. Disaster! Disaster! You must act quick! You must give us control! Trust us, we mean you no harm. Disaster! Disaster!
Yea, this is a serious mess where their deregulate everything, private ownership, take advantage of the American people, flawed ideals have led us.
Jon Stewart: Bush Bailout Speech Just Like Iraq Speech
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"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power." Benito Mussolini . "We stand for the maintenance of private property... We shall protect free enterprise as the most expedient, or rather the sole possible economic order." Adolph Hitler
“The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to the point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power. "
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Penalties must be paid--the American tax payer must have a stake in these companies, and all oversight and regulations be fully applied I also think that the Treasury Secretary Henry Paulsonshould offer his resignation because of a job not well done. Democrats Set Terms as Bailout Debate Begins
Personally, I like the idea of using these billions of dollars to set up an insurance pool for all the smaller affected banks and businesses to borrow from, which will be paid back as they recover. Penalties for all the orchestrators and willing participants.
Obama has a great plan that should get enormous attention from the Senate, the House and Main Street...
. . The modern Republican party has been taken over by the extreme right-wing during the past several years. They no longer have the interests of the United States at heart; not for it's people or it's entrepreneurs. Loyalty to large corporations has replaced it's loyalty to the citizens of this nation.
The corporate mind is concerned with it's own survival and profitability like a giant amoeba gobbling up all around it without conscience, only concerned with winning the competition for it's own best interests.
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Government is needed to keep this sprawling entity within bounds acceptable to all those sharing the same global community.
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History is full of examples of corporation excesses being detrimental to society. A little well placed regulation removes these negative aspects for the better well being and protection to both society and the environment.
These corrections to corporate power were really begun in earnest, in the U.S. under, ole rough and tumble, rough- riding Teddy Roosevelt (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-8429/Theodore-Roosevelt), our nations first prominent progressive and a proud Republican.
some examples of his successes for all Americans... making the Sherman Anti-trust act work;
protecting public lands from exploitation;
standing by the miners of Pennsylvania against the 'wooded headed gentry' that owned and operated the mines;
created the Department of Commerce and Labor;
the Meat Inspection Act of 1906;
and much more among the planted seeds of good fruit to come.
The conservatives often mention the name of 'Great Depression beating-WWII winning FDR' with a mouthful of spit and dream of rolling back all he accomplished but it's not just progressive reforms back to the time of Franklin Roosevelt that they would like to destroy but reforms for the good of the American people all the way back to the time of Teddy and his 'square deal' reforms.
Congress has a low approval rating because Conservatives will never approve of a Democratically controlled Senate but also because they aren't getting their way on issues near and dear to them such as abortion, immigration and taxes. Progressive aren't happy because we fully expected to be on our way out of Iraq, that impeachment would be on the table and that the Democratic leadership would stop sacrificing our principals by continuously rolling over to Republican intimidation.
The blue dogs vote with the GOP on issues that fit the conservative nature of their constituents. But, the House, with the exception of the much needed impeachment issue, isn't that much of a problem. The people's business does get accomplished despite endlessly tiresome maneuvers by the Republican leadership in order to only stretch out legislative goals from being carried out or to draw attention to themselves for the local news crowd at home.
The Senate Republicans, forever loyal to all things Bush, are the fly in the ointment. They have blocked/filibustered every single thing that has come before the Senate that doesn't survive their inquisition. The, up or down vote crowd, has used this method of killing Senatorial business more than it's combined use through out it's history.
This maneuver goes something like this.
Let's say there is a bill that has swept through the House with broad bi-partisan approval such as, a needed improvement in prenatal and natal care through the WICK program.
Conservatives in the Senate, the Administration and those who influence them find objection to not only 'robbing the tax payer to help irresponsible women', but it became noticeable that the bill contained a provision for regulating the baby food industry in order to insure the high quality of their product, not only domestically but international sales as well.
Both sides jaw about the pros and cons of the bill when it finally comes time for someone to invoke cloture. Cloture means it's time to stop talking about the bill, set time for final debate then vote. It takes sixty votes to stop debate (cloture). The Republicans have more than enough votes, even with a few honorable defections, to block every vote in the Senate and they have used it without mercy or pity.
I'm so tired of hearing all the right-wing goofiness coming from the falling over their own and everyone else's feet Republicans. It is so nice to hear a voice of common sense and reason flavored with a generous smattering of intelligence. Yes, there are doable well-formed plans here and... 'Yes We Can!!!' . Joe Biden on Economic Crisis . Olbermann: McCain Economic Policy Shaped by Bank Lobbyist . Amid McCain's new status, old scandals stir .
Barack Obama speaks to Women about the Economic Crisis
I haven't done anything on human trafficking, more correctly called slavery and it's close cousin, sweat shops along with abuses to farm workers. Iraq occupation, torture, illegal detentions, constitutional order and the election occupy a good portion of what I've spent my time on.
I don't hear much about it on progressive radio. When Al Franken was on Air America he used to bring up the subject of Saipan frequently. Impoverished women looking for a better way, conservatives would say trying to pick themselves up by their bootstraps, are lured to this US Commonwealth island, believing they'll have American freedom, only to find themselves in bondage to the sweat shop industry, forced abortions and lives imprisoned as sex slaves.
an excellent article from MS Magazine (a good must read)...
"When one of my closest and dearest friends, Jack Abramoff, your most able representative in Washington, D.C., invited me to the islands, I wanted to see firsthand the free-market success and the progress and reform you have made.” At a New Year’s Eve dinner on Saipan, DeLay lavishly praised the governor—in a moment caught on camera and later shown by ABC’s 20/20—“You are a shining light for what is happening in the Republican Party, and you represent everything that is good about what we’re trying to do in America, in leading the world in the free-market system.” more...
I know a hard-volunteering elderly gentleman from the Catholic faith who said his most important issue was freedom because without that you have nothing. I fully expected him to say abortion. My answer would be clearly pro-life, but to the consternation of those who pretend to be pro-life among the conservative religious right the whole spectrum of social justice applies.
As far as the issue of human trafficking is concerned it's not just un-ethical, cheap-skate contractors who are to blame. It's anyone who purchases sweat shop products, there's a matter of sin for those who knowingly do so, those who take sex vacations or those who view pornography performed by sex slaves, and those who intentionally hide there heads in the sand refusing to see the guilt and shame of their own politicians and government policies.
Since I've written the RNC about war and torture I've ended up on their mailing list. They asked me about what I thought of Sarah Palin, so I told them...
The choice of Sarah Palin is very upsetting to the future of our nation. I originally thought she was just a bone thrown to the evangelical right, who was expected only to attend funerals and dinners, without much expected of her beyond that. If the occasion arose for her to take the reigns of the executive branch the Neoconservatives would be pulling her strings. After hearing as much of her acceptance speech as I could stand it's not hard to realize that she has another asset; Palin can deliver fighting words just as well as our current president Bush. Elect McCain and we have another puppet prepared Bush-like personality for the fascist-leaning Neocons to exploit, should that unfortunate situation arise.
She and her husband have also expressed hatred for the United States through the Alaska Independence Party.
Being able to see Russia from some parts of Alaska does not qualify a person to deal with foreign policy any more than I'm qualified to run NASA because I can see the Moon from my home.
She doesn't know what the Bush doctrine is.
She believes the false assertion that Russia invaded Georgia un-provoked.
She's a book banner that doesn't believe in science.
McCain picked a trophy wife type partner. It wouldn't be the first time. Sadly, when you sit down and think about all the reasons, she doesn't measure up, to all the many, many, exceptionally qualified battle-harden women in the GOP; it's hard to come to any other conclusion than he wanted only to use her to look good.
It's quite shameful when you think about it.
Her right-wing identity and closeness to the top office along with McCain's medically complicated age make her a dangerous choice for VP. If the country were to be foolish enough to put McCain into office and something were to happen to him she would have no choice but to trust her, already ever present in the McCain campaign, Neocon handlers in running the country.
She would be another Bush-like character close to the oil companies with even less experience running the nation into the ground.
I worry that what we see as such an obviously shallow choice will be welcomed by the reality show obsessed Fox-accepting crowd as a good idea with no solid reason why they believe so.
Thanks to the Daily Show and Colbert we have an opportunity to laugh a little at all this nonsense which is in reality, frightening.
Sarah Palin Won't Blink . I know many on the left don't like hearing that McCain is soft on abortion, but from the perspective of the right he is, because of his stance on stem cells, and exceptions for rape and incest. I know he will put conservative judges on the bench but for similar reasons as Bush in order to consolidate power into the arms of the Executive branch and large corporations. It causes me to wonder that if he were to become elected the rabid evangelical fundamentalist right will be praying for his untimely demise so they can have their Sarah in office.
This is an insidious lie; using the troops in order to give her an illusion of having more foreign policy credentials than just being able to see Russia from some parts of Alaska.
Do they really know how ridiculous this sounds?
But this is what we're battling. A group so vulnerable that they don't care about lies or are, too, ignorant to be able to discern anything close to the truth.
Quoting fascist at your acceptance speech should draw attention from the media. But it should also draw attention from the old guard Republican faithful, if such a thing exists anymore. Judging by the acceptance of Palin's words coupled with the tolerance of past fascist moves by this administration the old loyal opposition Republican has gone the way of the dodo bird. Governor Palin's Reading List
from an earlier post that still holds true...
Bush-hugging McCain has made fear of terror and nation-building occupation and still more war as the center of his run for the presidency.
As is typical he and the other so called conservatives (fascist) like to claim that the liberals are to blame for the problems in Iraq.
Complete nonsense.
The Republicans were in charge;
when warnings about terrorism were ignored before 9/11,
when Afghanistan and the battle against the Taliban and Al Qaeda was abandoned,
when a war of choice against a country that was not an imminent threat was begun,
when a war in Iraq was begun based on lies,
when this ill-advised war was begun without a cultural understanding of the people,
when far too few troops were used for that illegal action in Iraq,
when lawlessness and looting were tolerated,
when the Iraq army was disbanded,
when troop armor and gear were kept sup-par for the mission,
when a forced vote was held too early before Sunni concerns were addressed,
when torture was allowed to become administration policy,
when illegal detentions became administration policy,
when spying on Americans became administration policy,
when support for war profiteers became administration policy,
when habeas corpus became something not available to all,
when posse comitatus became abandoned,
when spying on American citizens became an okay thing to do,
when a culture of corruption was allowed to flourish at home,
when congressional oversight was abandoned,
when doing the same failed thing over and over without success became the plan,
when our war dead became something to hide in shame,
when the injured military and their families were treated without proper care or respect,
when terrorism was allowed to grow world wide while claiming success,
when fear became a weapon of propaganda against the American people,
when failure became always someone else’s fault,
and when lies and propaganda became an acceptable substitute for truth when dealing with the public,
when obscene debt, weak dollar, $100+ a barrel of oil, inflation and recession have appeared.
For these reasons and many more Iraq has become the volatile mess it now is.
For these reasons and many more impeachment is well deserved for the Bush/Cheney cabal.
For these reasons and many more McCain does not deserve the presidency.
Remember that this current group of Conservatives, especially the Neo-kind, have a distorted view of spiritualality.
They worship at the Alter of Commerce in the Church of Supremacy. Their dungeons are full of skeletons and sinister secrets. Half truths, self- aggrandizement and trepidation are the subjects of their sermons. The virtues they cherish are greed, pride, gluttony and tyranny. The fruit they bare is misery, death and devastation. Darkness follows in their wake; And ruin is their toll.
The Sarah Palin Church Video Part One . The Sarah Palin Church Video Part Two .
“In Germany, they first came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist....
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.....
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist....
Then they came for the Catholics
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Catholic....
Then they came for me –
and by that time there was nobody left to speak up.”.....
Martin Niemoller
