Republican Hypocrisy

In 2005 GWB was President and the Republican party controlled the Senate. When Democratic Senators used their rights to block Bush nominees with procedure, the Right threatened to shut down the entire government.  Their threatened "nuclear option" was only averted by the "The Gang of 14"  which negotiated an agreement requiring "up or down" votes on high level judicial nominations except in cases of "extraordinary circumstances". (At that time, I thought that the Democrats should have allowed the Republican party to act on their threats and show the world what they really were, but that is neither here nor there. )

Now that there is a Democratic President and a Democratically controlled Senate, the Republicans party sees things quite differently.  Suddenly anything they stall using procedure is suddenly "extraordinary". Today's blocked confirmation of Caitlin Halligan is yet another example of the Rights's arrogance and utter disregard for the people of this country.

While the many logjams in Washington are incredibly discouraging, the time has come to stop negotiating with the right. At some point their abusive behavior must stop. Any short term pain is infinitely better than allowing the right to destroy this country.

nuf said

So this must be what they mean by "christlike," charitable and honest.


First:

"Pastor Apologizes to His Denomination for Role in Sandy Hook Interfaith Service"


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/nyregion/lutheran-pastor-explains-role-in-sandy-hook-interfaith-service.html?_r=0

The lutheran church instructed its membership to accept Rev. Rob Morris's apology for participating in an interfaith service following the Sandy Hook shooting. Morris explained in and open letter that he had spent hours education his congregation about the differences between lutheranism and "the teachings of false religions such as Islam or Baha'i." 

Basically, the lutheran business model is so strict that its salesmen are banned from participating in trade shows with competitors? (But if such an event occurs, the salesman can use a get out of jail free card by explaining that he has previously trashed the competition's product.




Second:

Parking attendant, Freweyni Mebrahtu, who admitted in court Friday to stealing $895,000 (yeah, the number is correct). Official estimates of the loss were greater but the "prosecutors accepted her assertion that she did not steal during the Muslim holy days of Ramadan, and revised the loss attributable to Mebrahtu to $895,000."   I hate to quote fox news, but you can read all about it here:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/08/smithsonian-parking-lot-thefts-in-virginia-exceeded-1million/

nuf said

Okay, enough, please.

Organized religion is nonsense, it is ridiculous, it is just plain bad for humanity.

Following the end of the Alabama bunker hostage event and the rescue of a 5 year old boy, I heard countless interviews where god was praised as the force behind the rescue, where god was thanked for "looking out for the boy", that the boy was saved because of god's care, and on and on and on. Does that mean that the same "god" did not care about the 60 year old bus driver who was killed, did this same god only slightly care for the boy or why else would god not have prevented the event in the first place. Was this god to busy to look out for the other children killed in accidents or crimes in the past few days. Don't waste my time the "mysteries of god" crap, god is a construct of man, man is NOT a construct of god.

nuf said

People proudly say "I am a college graduate." Once a graduate always a graduate, the same is true with Boy Scouts. Once an Eagle Scout always an Eagle Scout. Sort of.

Following the Supreme Court's 2000 ruling allowing bigotry by the Boy Scouts of America,  I returned my Eagle award, pin and other paraphernalia to the national organization along with a letter explaining my belief that the organization did not practice the values it claims to hold. At that time, I  renounced my support of the organization and renounced any history I might have had with the association. I received a pathetic form reply offering no defense of their bias.  Last week I began to hope that my, and many others, efforts might have begun to sink in. I hoped that the BSA was coming to see the light, not that they were just responding to pressure from financial supporters. Today's (non)action by the organization shows exactly how the BSA works, they do not act based on moral right and wrong, Rather they seem to make all of their decisions based on what is only in their best financial interests.

So, once a college graduate, always a college graduate. But I am proud to say that I was, but am no longer, an Eagle Scout.

nuf said

I gotta start watching better TV channels.

Please explain to me why if one believed in "god" and further believed that this "almighty being" had a "match for you"why would this "god" need christianmingle.com advertising on cable channels for him/her/it.

Seriously, somebody please explain.

I sit here just days away from the end of the year, a time of the year full of celebrations and holidays and I cannot believe how sad and disgusted I am with today's NRA press conference and last night's radical right obstruction of government.

 These 2 events are so clearly tied together. How have we come to the point in our society that a small fringe element can control and harm all of us. How can a tiny section of Washington be so powerful and rabid that their renegade behavior is in opposition to even their own party. And then, in both cases the victim is blamed. The Republican party now tries to claim that it will be the White House's fault if no agreement is reached and the NRA claims that had there been MORE guns the hands of the public,  the many recent mass shootings would not have occurred.

Does any rational person believe that the solution to violent gun crime is to arm principals and teachers?   Does anyone out there really think that we should put an armed guard in every school. Should every theater usher have a gun? How about every fast food cashier, there have been mass shootings in movie theaters and fast food joints.

Does anyone out there think that with our current deficit, raising taxes on those earning more than $1 million dollars a year is a bad thing? First $250,000 would not fly, then $400,000. Now the Republican party feels the need to protect those taking home more than an even cool million per year. Their argument that greater tax of these high earners will harm the economy is nonsense. Every single non-partisan unbiased look at the deficit agrees that a blend of higher taxes and lower spending is the only solution.

How long will Americans continue to tolerate such behaviors in the public or private sectors?

not enough said

An open message to John Boehner. FUCK YOU

clearly not enough has been said (oh wait, it has been said by the people over and over and over and yet Boehner does not hear it)