I heard a great line today.....

George W. Bush sold his share in the Texas Rangers 12 years ago.  Does that mean we need 12 years to succeed after he ran this government for 8 years?  BTW... they really haven't even succeeded yet.  GO GIANTS!

Joy Behar ON POINT

Sharron Angle is a little off kilter to keep something so pathetic alive.  Joy will win.  So will Harry.  Take a look: Joy and Sharron

Blocking progressive sites to the military in Iraq but not conservative?

This was just a blurb when I read it but my impression is DADT and other progressive sites are blocked to our service people but Tea Party and conservative websites aren't.  Odd..... Heading to dinner and will follow up later with further opinion....... The Hill 

From my friend Chris...

A friend of mine sent this to me in Facebook email.  I think it is really wonderfully written and makes many incredible points...... Thanks, Chris!


Reasons why I am voting for the Democratic Party Tuesday for Mid-term. The Republicans want to do the following:

-Stop all financing on the Health Care Reform even for those children and adults with pre-existing conditions and for the 30 million Americans who don’t have health insurance. Move backward, not forward as if it’s 2002. Throwaway the idea that kids can stay on their parents coverage until age 26. (The majority of Americans voted for Obama. The majority of Americans wanted Health Care overhauled. It still needs the Public Option. The success just wasn’t marketed according to the BIG F-IN DEAL Biden proclaimed it to be.)

- They are all for fixing health care issues when they are out of power. When they are in power, they do nothing about it. Even the former President stated that everyone has Health Care, they can just go to the Emergency Room.

-Eliminate the regulation of banks

-Eliminate the safety regulations on coal mines

- Eliminate the regulations on the entire oil industry

- Continue to not regulate any aspect of natural gas exploration that can accidentally drill into your water wells

- Abolish the $7.25 minimum wage

- The GOP’s motto is how are you going to pay for it just when they lost power. Now they are concerned about debt.

- Raise the National Debt by maintaining Bush tax cuts for persons making over $250K a year at a cost of $700 Billion over the next 10 years. (How are you going to pay for it?) Tax cuts for the self-absorbed wealthy re-invest it for then it doesn’t trickle down. Otherwise the middle class would have actually gained in salary during the Bush years. The middle class lost. Returning to the Clinton tax ratio helps the middle class and reduces the debt.

- If they could, we’d be in Iraq and Afghanistan for the next 50 years nation building, but we cannot afford it. (How are you going to pay for it?)

- End unemployment benefits during a recession (that they created)

- Phase out Social Security benefits for future Seniors by privatizing it. It needs tweaking not put under Banking control.

- Eliminate Medicare benefits for Seniors and the Disabled

- Repeal the 14th Amendment that states if you are born in America, you are automatically a citizen. Well, the y cherish the Constitution as to what we should stick to once they are done amending it.

- They want to perform every investigation on the President at their disposal to make his life a living hell starting with investigating his birth certificate.

- Continue not to fund 8% College Stafford Loans so students can afford college

- Want to create a state established religion

- “That corporations should have zero taxes. Zero. If it’s programs for people, they are against it. If it’s programs for corporations, they are for it. It’s We The People, Not We The Corporations.”

- Grew the debt under Bush from 4.5 trillion to 11 trillion

Against car company bailouts yet they strangely save American jobs, create American jobs and save an American industry.

All for creating American jobs while also for outsourcing American jobs overseas by giving those companies tax breaks. That seems contradictory.

For Freddie Mae bonuses but against bonuses for Iraq veterans

Clean Energy - Not when you are supported by Big Oil. 

Global Warming - Just a false claim when you are supported by Big Oil and who cares about our grandchildren. They won’t have any national debt, but they won’t be able to leave the house in the summer. 

Cap and Trade? Tax corps that create more pollution. How absurd is that?

They created a near Depression. Obama and the Dems avoided the Depression and a Double Dip Recession. He saved our 401Ks and other savings and investments.

Remember what the Republican/Christian Right/Tea Party members actually think of a Democratically elected President. In a “Harris Poll” from mid-2009, these are the percentages of GOP beliefs about Pres. Obama:

He’s a Socialist 67%
He’s a Muslim 57%
Not Born in the U.S. 45%
Doing things Hitler did 38%
“May be the Antichrist” 24%

Boehner’s recent PLEDGE FOR AMERICA was virtually verbatim in Newt’s CONTRACT FOR AMERICA 16 years ago. Nothing new to offer despite a totally revamped economy.

That’s about all for right now. We are recovering slowly from a near Great Depression. I totally support the idea of not returning to the Party that brought us to the brink in the first place.

In conclusion, I always enjoyed the following exchange between a retired British Lord of Parliament and Michale Moore…

BL = British Lord
MM = Michael Moore

BL I think democracy is the most revolutionary thing in the world. Far more revolutionary than say socialist ideas or any other ideas.

If you have power, you use it to meet the needs of you and your community. This idea of choice, which capital talks about all the time, that you’ve gotta have choice, choice depends on a freedom to choose. And if you’re shackled in debt, you don’t have the freedom to choose.

MM It seems it benefits the system if the avg working person is shackled in debt.

BL If people in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote, then what do you have. If the poor in Britain and the United States, turned out, and voted for people who represented their interests than I think you would have a real democratic revolution.
So they don’t want it to happen, so keeping people hopeless and pessimistic...
See I think there are two ways that people are controlled. First of all, frighten people. Secondly, demoralize them.
An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern. And I think there is an element in the thinking of some people that we don’t want people to be educated, healthy and confident because they would get out of control. (He laughs) The top one percent of the world’s population own 80 percent of the world’s wealth. It’s incredible that people put up with it. BUT, they are poor, they are demoralized, their frightened and therefore they think, perhaps, the safest thing to do is to take orders and hope for the best.

Appropriate Communication?

I am pro choice. My dad, as I learned after many conversations while my mom was recovering from her heart attack is even more liberal than I am. He is completely the most amazing man in the world. At least to me. I would love to see his reaction if he had received a letter from this principal after this woman's bad judgement in forcing her beliefs on FIRST GRADERS: The Bad Part of the Right Wing

A Friend From the Past

My friend Andrea sent something to me on Facebook today and I really appreciated it.  It's a very funny rebuttal to the shock jock Laura Schlesinger.  She's off the air or going off soon for being so bigoted.  Thank goodness.

There was a scene in the West Wing where Aaron Sorkin decided to mock her.  It's a brilliant scene and Martin Sheen plays it well.  Rob Lowe and the crab puff is probably the best line of the scene.  The others are just reminders that people are very misguided.

Jenna Jacobs

The books are coming.... The books are coming!

It's been a while, but both President Bush and Vice President Cheney are releasing books in the next few weeks.  Here's an interesting read on VP Cheney. Latimer on Cheney

Here are the impacts if the House changes parties

It's a very sad state of affairs if the right regains control of the House.

The House Appropriations Committee would be run by Jerry Lewis.  (No, not the comedian so popular in France, the bad one.)  His legacy is earmarks and according to the Public Campaign Action Fund has been the recipient of $888,000 over the years.  Clearly not someone that will curtail spending.  Although the right has no reputation for curtailing spending as evidenced by the previous administration.

The Ways and Means Committee would be run by Dave Camp.  This is the group that would have the power to derail health care reform.  He has taken $3 million from the health care industry.  Hmmmm.... bought and paid for.

Spencer Bachus would lead the financial services committee.  Securities and investment firms have given him more than $1million dollars.

Howard Buck McKeon would lead the armed services committee.  Military contractors have given him a career total of $842,000.

Lastly, from my former home state former Senator Norm Coleman runs the American Action Network.  This organization has had ads pulled from FOX because they have simply lied.  They have stated there is a jail time punishment if citizens don't cover themselves with healthcare and they state the healthcare reform provides Viagra to sex offenders.  I am so very happy this man is out of the senate.

Killer Calendar for 2011

Rodney pointed this out to me today. I think this is hilarious! We're printing it for both homes: Red Meat

This is a homophobe and very un-Christian woman

Thank you to my friend Michael for pointing this out.  Rodney and I drive through Wisconsin when we come up to the lake.  I need to think about what kind of bumper sticker we need to have on the car to protest this woman and her horrific beliefs. Read about the bigot. 

This is simply sad.

A big shout out to Shawn and Michael for bringing this to my attention:  Reading about this gentleman has given me cause to think about his children.  Perhaps I am the luckiest person I know because I have great parents that are kind, thoughtful and accepting.  Oh, and they love me with all their beings.  I give it right back to them.  Unfortunately here's a school board member and whack job that has been breeding and infecting this world: The Advocate 

Turnabout..... Fair Play???

After the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Kathleen Harris in Florida and handed W the election in 2000 I got over it.  Right wingers are now complaining about a union that is against Sharron Angle (Yes, the complete whack job racist) repairing voting machines.  Although I believe Harry will keep his job (and all aspects of it) I find it disheartening that so many under educated and radical people are supporting a person like Ms. Angle.  Check it out: Supporters of Reid Fixing Voting Machines

Why we need serious campaign finance reform

This is a great article following the money.  It's a quick and informative read.  OK, it's NPR so it's not THAT quick. NPR Article

Ron Silver on the West Wing

Only late in the series did Ron get to portray his true self as right wing.  In his first foray into the show he was more liberal than my dad.  (REALLY liberal.)  This is one of my favorite scenes.  I'm guessing it was written by Aaron Sorkin. Bruno standing up for liberal ideals.

A Right Wing Friend

There is a friend I have on Facebook that posts extremist videos promoting fear and hate and racism.  I didn't respond on Facebook because I didn't want the fight.  I will say, that after watching this video with Christiane Amanpour, one of today's most highly respected journalists, that this video is very educational.  It is showing there are extremists and there are moderates.  It seemed actually skewed toward the moderate side.  My friend posted this to incite racism and fear just as the right wing loves to do! Christiane Amanpour

Thank God I don't go to political rallies!

Rand Paul's team is out to get us.  If we don't believe in them they will CRUSH YOUR HEAD! I Crush Your Head  

If you're proud of being Republican here's something to boost your image!

Sharron Angle is a nut job.  We all know that.  Even my conservative friends know that......Sharron Angle being herself

Mitch McConnell, I have a question for you:

What is your single biggest political goal?  "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president."  (From the National Journal)  His office walked that statement back even though they said that was their top 'political' goal even though the Minority Leader in the Senate gave the same source this quote: "Our single biggest political goal is to give our nominee for president the maximum opportunity to be successful."

The Republican party wants the country to fail for the next two years.  Imagine.  We were destroyed under the last eight years so this seems to fit with the Republican agenda.

Regarding Spending

I have no problem with candidates spending on their campaigns but I find the spending going on outside the campaigns suspect.  I have a friend on Facebook that is a diehard conservative.  Actually tonight she called herself a 'Constitutionalist.'  I find that hysterical because she clearly hasn't read the Constitution.  But I digress.  Here's an article on spending that I thought appropriate.  Turns out the Dems HAVE outspent the Reps in real money.  It's the money like the Koch brothers provide that doesn't get counted.  Thank you Justice Roberts. Spending

So Nixon Became a Diplomat

But he was seriously compromised prior to that by illegal acts. Here's an article that is very interesting by comparing what he did and how the new laws for financing campaigns. NYTimes Jill Abramson

My Friend Jess

Well, I can't give you everything you want.  Here's something I've started on and I may have more for you in the future.  This website shows everything that is required to be disclosed.  This website is also non-partisan which is what I prefer.  It shows the Democratic party is not elite.  Although SMART rich people are liberal elite.  (I put that in there for my BF..... he loves being one of the liberal elite.... LOL) Open Secrets   I know this doesn't give you everything, however, it does create a starting point about where money is flowing and where we should be concerned.

OMG! I love that I have this blog!

I grew up in the state of Minnesota.  The land of Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale.  I remember Vice President Humphrey, actually Senator at that point, giving his all until he passed and Muriel Humphrey Brown taking over his seat.  I regret this state has taken an odd view of their neighbors and friends.  Tim Pawlenty is an odd choice, Tom Emmer seems to be suspicious in his race for the governorship and now the bankrupt StarTribune bringing this in as a columnist is odd.  I despise anyone on any side of the aisle (or isle for AHO) not referring to the sitting president as President.  I've never done that with President Bush nor would I expect it from some conservative editorialist.  Unfortunately manners don't matter in politics.  Katherine Kersten is simply wrong.  This is a good and funny read......Katherine Kersten  

Mrs. Thomas -- Maureen Dowd

Maureen Dowd had some interesting things to say about Justice Thomas' wife. It's a good read: Maureen Dowd on Mrs. Thomas

Why Do The 2010 Midterms Matter More Than Most?

There's a very real issue this year that makes these midterms very important.  Remember that little census that we participated in this year?  Take a look at this: Why This Year Matters

Republican Funding

I railed against the Chamber of Commerce in a post on Facebook but here is a great look at where right wing funding is sourced.   Republican Funding

Interesting Interview with Christine O'Donnell

The Tea Party is strong in this one. Read the article and watch the videos in the link and see what you think. I found this very informative. She doesn't watch the news. Doesn't that seem a bit odd? Doesn't watch the news and is running for Senate. We had a President for eight years that didn't watch the news and look where that got us. President Obama needs our support to undo the damage that eight years of W made. Eighteen months isn't enough. Christine O'Donnell on CBN

What is the Tea Party?

Unfortunately when I think of the Tea Party I think of Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, Christine O'Donnell and Joe Miller.  My perception of these people is one of mediocrity.  Christine O'Donnell's, "I'm not a witch...... I'm you." Makes me want to shout, "No you're not!"  Or Sarah Palin and her, "How's that hopey, changey workin' out for you????"  She makes it seem she's connecting with the little people.  (I have seriously been part of a conversation before the 2008 election with someone that stated, "I'm voting for Sarah Palin.... because she talks like me."  Sad.  I don't understand.  They find unengaged and uninformed to be some sort of goal.  It's really sad that our political landscape has turned to this.  Sincerely, I thought this was what the Tea Party was all about.

Based on what I've read today, these people aren't at all what it's about.  Aside from two well-funded factions of the Tea Party there are many disparate factions.  Most not engaging on social issues, only on fiscal issues.  Our country is about more than just the cyclical trend of the economy.  It is about leading the world.  It is about ideas.  It is about its people.  It is NOT about building fences and having more than your neighbor.  People that are driven by money only (I admit I like having money....) and equate giving those less fortunate a flat screen tv just like we're giving them healthcare (yes, someone really used that argument with me) makes me really look inside myself to think about how I'm behaving in this election cycle.  This article in the Washington Post provides some much needed insight to a movement that is really not moving all that quickly......The Washington Post 

My Favorite Speaker

Nancy Pelosi is someone I really admire.  Frankly, she's the third most powerful person in America and that's pretty intimidating.  Now in reality, she's the first most vilified women in America, but this woman can stand the heat.  That's why she's in the kitchen.  Here is a great article and interview: Politics Daily

Our Congressional Members at Work

Integrity is something that Americans value.  Please help me understand why it's OK to say one thing yet expect another?  I understand that the money belongs to everyone, but to do this in such a secretive way and yet use it as a blatant publicity stunt is beyond me. The Center for Public Integrity

An Assistant Attorney General?

Being the first post of this blog it's oddly not fitting with the premise.  This doesn't have anything to do with the midterms nor the Tea Party, however, it is so beyond my comprehension I had to share.  It seems Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell is attacking Chris Armstrong.  Take a look at this link: Assistant Attorney General

Let me know what you think.  Personally, I don't even get the motivation to attack someone because they're gay.  Well, I may have a stake in that statement.