Post #302 The Wage Of Jihad Is Death!

:D

Post #301 "It's class warfare..."

... said the rich man.

Yes, it is.

After 30 years of being trickled on, We the People want our country back from the political elite who rob from the poor and give to the rich. The difference between the "haves" and the "have nots" is greater now than anytime since the Great Depression started. It's pretty obvious who has been waging 'war' on whom, and now is the time for We the People to fight back.

Yes, 'class warfare' is on.

Let me be clear. The wealth gap doesn't bother me; the way the gap has widened does -- gifts to the rich and corporations and policies that ensure their gifts remain gifts with no strings attached. We the People don't want to punish those who have achieved the American dream and those who have achieved the American dream don't want to punish their fellow citizens. Stop trying to divide us, Mr. 'Class Warfare' Republican!

President Barack Obama has proposed to make sure those making more than $1 million a year pay at least the same rate as middle-income taxpayers -- Obama will call it the "Buffett Rule." Billionaire Warren Buffett said that the wealthy are sometimes effectively taxed at a lower rate than others -- investment income is taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income.

Duh. Income is income. Who's responsible for saying investment income is not 'real' income?

As I researched as to why Republicans were so upset by this leveling of the playing field -- I mean, beside the obvious of an uppity black man doing the proposing, a recurring theme was that this would hurt small businesses. So, I found on the FOX Business 'site interviews with small business owners as to how the "Buffett Rule" would effect them. All of the interviewees said that it would not effect them because they did not make more than $1 million a year.

And then it dawned on me: A business that makes more than $1 million a year is not exactly "small."

But... but... but... class warfare is bad. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, obviously hit hard by the recession [rolleyes] -- he now ranks 12th on the list of wealthiest Senators up from 38th at the beginning of the recession in 2008, said:

"We can't let the people who've been hit hardest by this recession and who we need to create the jobs that will get us out of it foot the bill for the Democrats' two-year adventure in expanded government."

Republican populism at its best! Concern and compassion for those who still can pay for their food, who still can live in comfort and luxury, who aren't losing their jobs and health insurance in great numbers, and who aren't living paycheck to paycheck.

Of course, too, McConnell forgets his own role in that runaway train of expanded government.

Mr. McConnell, you are on the losing side. We the People will see to it.

Post #300 05/08/12: A Day Of Infamy

"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."
-- Thomas Jefferson

A quote from ol' TJ is a good place to start any political discussion....

On May 8, 2012, North Carolina will be exposed as having as many bigots as Alabama, Mississippi or -- gasp! -- South Carolina for, on that day, North Carolinians will vote to oppress a minority by an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution that says that marriage rights, privileges and responsibilities shall be confined to couples consisting of one man and one woman, and that the state shall not recognize any other domestic partnership among consenting adults.

So, North Carolina will join the rest of the Southeast in having an 'anti-gay marriage' amendment in their state Constitution. Now, I've always known that North Carolina was full of bigots, but I enjoyed having a 'good no-nonsense' reputation. But that will change on May 8.

Yep, the Republican-controlled Legislature of North Carolina, with unemployment creeping above 10% in North Carolina, decided to call a special session -- at a cost of $150,000 -- to put this important issue on the primary ballot when Republicans can vote for Rick Perry in the Presidential primary. And how does this make 'em good stewards of our money!?!

All in the name of protecting marriage. It seems to me that the best way to protect marriage would be to outlaw divorce -- tho Newt Gingrich who is on wife #3 might object!

This means that unmarried couples - gay or straight - will be constitutionally barred from numerous benefits automatically given to married couples. No right to visit a loved one in the hospital, no right to make medical decisions on behalf of their incapacitated partners, no inheritance rights shall be extended to a boyfriend or girlfriend. Indeed, a boyfriend or girlfriend cannot make funeral and burial decisions or have access to Social Security and government medical care. Indeed, the General Accounting Office listed over 1000 federal benefits to married couples.

That is why I oppose all marriages -- straight, gay, or the marriage to your dog or your daughters: The government has no interest in promoting unions of any kind -- thro tax breaks or any incentives.

It can be argued that, during the 19th century, the government had an interest in promoting unions and therefore children. The country needed to be populated, and government codifying the value of religious marriage was the way to go. But that changed sometime during the 20th century.

However, the government does have an interest in promoting the establishments of homes to raise children as this would be cheaper than government-financed orphanages. Therefore, gay couples who want to raise children should get government benefits for doing so.

Please note that my argument as of today has nothing to do with religion -- neither for nor against a religious definition of marriage. This amendment is an intrusion by the government into the church's domain. I believe in the separation of church and state....

Post #299 Foaming-At-The-Mouth Insanity: A Personal Story, Pt. II

Again, Vice President Joe Biden did NOT "out" SEAL Team 6 nor did he disclose any operational details.

But, boy, you never would have known that by trudging thro many right-wing blogs -- as I did. In search for the truth, I checked out quite a few blogs that advertised themselves as being for truth, justice and the American way.

Uh-oh, I have long believed that, if somebody threatens you with the truth, you are about to hear spin. Well, these blogs spared no kind of personal insult to Biden and President Barack Obama while ignoring Admiral Edward Winters, the one who "outed" SEAL Team 6. When the truth hurts, just ignore it....

A side note about the right-wing universe: The e-mail I originally got -- "Biden Outs SEAL Team 6" -- was posted word-for-word at numerous blogs without attribution. Or the e-mail was copied from a blog without attribution. It seems like the vast right-wing conspiracy is alive and well. :p

The "Foaming-At-The-Mouth Insanity" charge comes because many of these same blogs, after that helicopter carrying SEALs went down, accused Biden and Obama of plotting and planning to kill SEAL Team 6. The theory: The Bin Laden raid was a hoax -- Bin Laden was already dead, and Team 6 members needed to be silenced.

Good Lord. I need a shower. It's frightening to me that peeps with the ability to connect to the 'net talk such garbage. We really should require a license to use the information highway.

Post #298 Foaming-At-The Mouth Insanity: A Personal Story

I got a "Fwd" e-mail the other day -- "Biden Outs SEAL Team 6." It was full of the same ol' same ol' -- "that dirty stinkin' Obama is a crooked no-good Muslim from Kenya." And since Biden is part of the Obama administration -- blah, blah, blah....

But the actual charge turned out to be true -- well, kind of. The e-mail quoted Secretary of Defense Bob Gates: "Frankly, a week ago Sunday, in the Situation Room, we all agreed that we would not release any operational details from the effort to take out Bin Laden -- [May 1]. That all fell apart on Monday, the next day [May 2]."

I did some research. That quote is true. What happened on May 2?

The current chief of the Navy SEALS, Rear Admiral. Edward Winters, at Naval Special Warfare Command in California, sent an email on May 2 congratulating his forces and cautioning them to keep their mouths shut. "Be extremely careful about operational security. The fight is not over."

Well, the news media -- including FOX News -- reported SEAL Team 6 as being the guys who killed Bin Laden and cited Winters' e-mail as government conformation. Let us point out that FOX News and other media had been speculating that it was the SEALs, but now the cat was out of the bag.

The next day, May 3, Vice President Joe Biden spoke at Washington's Ritz Carlton Hotel at a dinner event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Atlantic Council. "Let me briefly acknowledge tonight's distinguished honorees," he said. "Admiral James Stavridis is the real deal. He can tell you more about and understands the incredible, the phenomenal, the just almost unbelievable capacity of his Navy SEALs and what they did last Sunday."

So, Biden did NOT "out" SEAL Team 6 nor did he disclose any operational details.

The "Foaming-At-The-Mouth Insanity" comes next.

Post #297 9/04: A Day Of Infamy

President George W. Bush's Cabinet held its first meeting on the threat of Al-Qaeda on September 04, 2001. One week later, Bush got the word of the 9/11 attacks, stared like a deer caught in the headlights and pondered 'who could have done this?' Really? No idea, huh?

The CIA had been tracking Bin Laden for five years, and Bush had received 40 Presidential Daily Briefings concerning Bin Laden, and Bush was taken by surprise. [rolleyes]

I do not blame Bush for not connecting the dots; I do blame Bush for ignoring the dots. He did NOTHING -- no warnings, no follow-up questions. That's why I say, George W. Bush was derelict in his duty -- he willing refused to perform his duties of keeping Americans safe -- and should have been impeached.

I realize "impeachment" is a political trial, and, maybe, the outcome would have been to have left him in office -- a la Clinton. But, if his incompetence had of been laid out in a trial, maybe, we would not still be in Afghanistan and Iraq. * sigh *

Post #292 GWB's Pearl Harbor Speech

President George W. Bush strutted to the podium before Congress on December 8, 1941, and said:

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the darn tootin' Empire of Japan.

Remember the character of the onslaught against us, daggumit.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger, gosh darnit.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help me God.

I declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Here is what we gonna do:

I'm not gonna ask Congress to declare war against Japan, but I will ask Congress for an authorization to use military force against Mexico.

The leader of Mexico, Don Juan, is bad man. He invaded a neighbor ten years ago, and he tried to kill my Daddy. Also, British intelligence indicates that Don Juan is building submarine bases for use by the Germans.

See, it's as easy as 1 - 2 - 3. Get rid of Don Juan: Mexico falls, then Germany falls, finally Japan falls. That will teach 'em!

Now, y'all have a Merry Christmas. Go shopping. And God bless America!