Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Republican Messages

John Boehner has yet to get the country back to work! 

The Republicans will lead the House of Representatives and they are already working hard on their promise to extend the Bush tax cuts for millionaires.  It must be really tough for millionaires and billionaires.  I'm sure they've had to cut their spending allowances because of their smaller returns on their taxes.  How many jobs did these millionaires and billionaires create during the Bush years with all their extra money?  Only one million new jobs were created during the Bush years.  We lost more jobs than were created.  This is proof that the tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires did not help make things better for anyone except those who are wealthy.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Did you hear? The Ohio State Buckeyes beat the U of M wolverines yet again. It makes seven years in a row that the Buckeyes have won the all important Big Game.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tax Cuts for Themselves?

*  I think that all the fuss about the new safety measures at airports is just too much.  Why are some people reluctant to go through a body scan?  If people refuse the body scan, then they get the "pat down" by a TSA employee.  So what?  Just do it for the safety of everyone!

In the 1990's, I flew internationally.  On one particular day, all the members of our group were subjected to pat downs by the airport security.  Later, we found out that there had been some threats made and the airport was taking extra security measures. 


* If you're waiting for the incoming Republicans and Tea Party members of Congress to decline health care, don't hold your breath.  Seems like the GOP and Teas are interested in restricting YOUR access to health care, but not their own.

* Republican Rep. Bob Latta certainly has a lot of time on his hands to be able to use Twitter and other social network websites.

* In case you are interested, the Center for Responsive Politics (OpenSecrets) has posted the personal finances for members of Congress.  You might not believe how rich some politicians are because they always claim that they are just like us.

Here are some example from OpenSecrets:

(For 2009, filed in 2010) Open Secrets for Rep. Bob Latta (OH-5th):
Net Worth From $1,223,034 to $2,921,000 

(For 2009, filed in 2010) Open Secrets for Rep. John Boehner (OH-8th):
Net Worth From $1,801,094 to $5,340,000 

(For 2009, filed in 2010) Open Secrets for Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12th):
Net Worth From $502,025 to $1,714,998 

These Republicans want to continue the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.  We can see that they really want to continue the Bush tax cuts for themselves.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Why?

Why is it that Republican candidates who are in their 30's, 40's, and 50's can be labeled as "Young Guns" even though we all know it isn't true?  Just because the Republican Party says something DOES NOT MAKE IT A FACT.

In today's news, Republican Governors Association welcomed what they called "New Faces" - John Kasich (59), Tom Corbett (61), Brian Sandoval (47), Susana Martinez (51), Nikki Haley (38) - at their meeting that introduced recently elected Republican governors.    Face it.  There is nothing new about any of these people except they are new to their elected office.  No one could call Kasich "a new face" by any stretch of the imagination.
-     -     -     -     -

*  Haley Barbour may run for President.  Apparently some Republicans are hoping he stays out of it because of his alleged corruption problems and his revisionist views about slavery and civil rights.  Of course, Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Eugene Robinson, said it best in the Washington Post:


....In a recent interview with Human Events, a conservative magazine and Web site, Barbour gave his version of how the South, once a Democratic stronghold, became a Republican bastion. The 62-year-old Barbour claimed that it was "my generation" that led the switch: "my generation, who went to integrated schools. I went to integrated college -- never thought twice about it." The "old Democrats" fought integration tooth and nail, Barbour said, but "by my time, people realized that was the past, it was indefensible, it wasn't gonna be that way anymore. And so the people who really changed the South from Democrat to Republican was a different generation from those who fought integration." 

Not a word of this is true. 

Barbour did not attend "integrated schools," if he's referring to his primary and secondary education. Mississippi ignored the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that was meant to end separate-but-unequal school systems. Eventually, officials implemented a "freedom of choice" desegregation plan -- but black parents who tried to send their children to white schools were threatened and intimidated, including by cross-burnings. Finally, in 1969, the Supreme Court ordered Mississippi to integrate its schools immediately. The long-stalled change took place in 1970.... 

 Read the entire article because, unfortunately, Haley Barbour will be continuing to revise history and his part in it.
 
 

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Mitch McConnell and the Republicans

*  I can imagine that Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY-R) has a list of his goals for the upcoming new Congress.  Do you think McConnell's list looks like this???????

My Goals and Goals of the Republican Party 
by Mitch McConnell

5. Get people back to work -   Involves too much work by me

4. Improve education -  Nah!

3. End the wars -    what wars?

2. Write a book! -   NO! no. no. no.

1. Make Obama a one term President.     

If you are looking for McConnell and his party to do anything to help regular men, women, and children, you can forget about it.  McConnell's major goal is to make President Obama a one term President.  I guess the country's ills will not be solved and then McConnell will blame everything on Obama.  Obviously, McConnell and Boehner will not work to move the country forward.  What did you expect?


* I want to see that movie about Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson.  We know that her undercover identity was released by one or more people involved in the previous administration, and I'd like to learn more.  Everything I've read indicates there is plenty of political intrigue. Both lead actors, Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, are receiving rave reviews from people who have seen the movie.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Honoring Our Men and Women in Our Military

Back in August 2007, I wrote a little piece about the Sullivan Brothers:

Have you ever heard of the Sullivan Brothers? Their lives were given in service to their country in World War II. Albert, Francis, George, Joseph, and Madison all served together on the same Navy ship (USS Juneau). They were all killed. You can find out about the Sullivan Brothers at a Navy history site.

The Sullivan Brothers (pictured left) were real American heroes.





Here is what Wikipedia has on the Sullivan Brothers:

....The brothers' parents were notified of their deaths on January 12, 1943. That morning, the boys' father, Thomas, was preparing to go to work when three men in uniform, a lieutenant commander, a doctor and a chief petty officer, approached his front door. "I have some news for you about your boys," the naval officer said. 

"Which one?" asked Thomas. "I'm sorry," the officer replied. "All five."[2]
The brothers left a sister, Genevieve. Albert was survived by a wife and son. The “Fighting Sullivan Brothers” were national heroes. President Franklin RooseveltPope Pius XII sent a silver religious medal and rosary with his message of regret. The Iowa Senate and House adopted a formal resolution of tribute to the Sullivan brothers. sent a letter of condolence to Tom and Alleta.

Thomas and Alleta Sullivan made speaking appearances at war plants and shipyards on behalf of the war effort. Later, Alleta participated in the launching of a destroyer USS The Sullivans, named after her sons...[3]



Many of us have relatives and friends in the current wars or those who served in  previous wars.  My Mother's brother was a radio man in a B-17 bomber in World War II.  His entire crew was killed over Germany.  He was just a young man in his early twenties.

While my daughters were teenagers, the Ohio State University Airport had a display of restored  B-17's open to the public.  We were able to tour one of the planes and I saw a  small desk similar to where my uncle worked and typed out the codes.  The interior of the plane was so small, we were all amazed by the amount of personnel that fit inside the plane.  It was something that I cannot forget.

Last week, we honored our veterans with a special day.  We need to acknowledge our men and women in uniform and their families every single day.  If you see someone in a military uniform, offer them a smile, a handshake, and a thank you.  It will go a long way.

Still Hopeful

No matter what happened in the election, I'm still hopeful.   

I know that the Republicans won the election but, well, here is how they govern. (This is a long video from the Judiciary Committee which was then chaired by Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner.  The Democrats wanted to discuss the Patriot Act, but Sensenbrenner had other ideas.  At 3:51 minutes into the video and again at 5:08 Sensensbrenner and the GOP thugs demonstrate their lack of civility.) 

Youtube video:





Republicans can win elections, but they lack knowledge about what real people need.

****  Here is another Youtube video from This Week, April 19, 2009:

You'll become aware that Boehner was not a science major.




Fixing the environment will not raise taxes.  By the way, the only plan that Boehner and his crew submitted over and over and over again involves tax cuts for the rich.  Tax cuts for the wealthy are the reason we have a massive debt. 

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Just thinking.....

You've heard about that large cruise ship that has been unable to make it back to land under its own power.  With tug boats pulling it, and no electricity on board, the vacationers on the ship must be roughing it.  According to sfgate.com, SPAM will be dropped on the ship for the passengers dining needs.  Ohhhhhhhhh............   I think I might choose to drop a few pounds instead.


*  I have a conspiracy theory for you.  Did you ever think that the Bush daughter was hired by NBC's Today Show so that when former President George W. Bush wrote his book that NBC would have the inside track to getting an exclusive interview?  Of course, the Bush interview has been a ratings bust, from everything I've read.  The country has had enough of George W. and the entire Bush clan.


* Republican climate change deniers will be in charge of the committees in the House of Representatives.  Democrats and Progressives may not have won the majority, but we know that we are right about climate change.  While the GOP climate deniers call forward their idiots to testify against any legislation that would reduce carbon emissions, the world will be watching the Republicans.  The Republicans will be labeled complete idiots by the worldwide scientific community and intelligent people around the world.  For more insight, check out GRIST's article.

Tossed

* The Republicans used Sarah Palin to drum up support for their candidates, but now the GOP seems to have little use for Palin.  With recent criticism of Palin by some right wing pundits and Republican leaders, it aappears that some Republicans are not interested in Palin's ideas or possible campaign for President.

*  Which members of Congress have promised to support Social Security?  Even though some of the names listed will not be part of Congress in 2011, it is worth noting that there are many members that have signed statements showing their dedication and support for Social Security.  For example, here in Ohio's 15th congressional district, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy lost the election to Republican Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist.  Stivers refused to sign the pledge to protect Social Security. You can check out your member's stance at  OurFuture.

Monday, November 08, 2010

Will the real nincompoop please stand!!!

*  Well, that didn't take long.

The Republicans have started to look for someone to blame because they didn't win control of the U.S. Senate.  Some members of the GOP are pointing fingers at half-Gov. Sarah Palin and the group of candidates that she endorsed.   

The First Post (from the United Kingdom) has some of the bickering:

...Reagan's former speechwriter Peggy Noonan took umbrage with Palin's description of Reagan as "an actor" and described her as a "nincompoop" for the comments made during a Fox News appearance. 

Palin was defending her new TV show, Sarah Palin's Alaska, which debuts on The Learning Channel next week, when she said: "Wasn't Ronald Reagan an actor? Wasn't he in Bedtimes for Bonzo, bozo or something? Ronald Reagan was an actor." 

However, her off-hand characterisation has infuriated Noonan, who was special assistant to Reagan and wrote many of his most famous speeches during his time in the White House. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Noonan described the comment as "ignorant even for Mrs Palin" and said it illustrated one of the fundamental problems with the Tea Party movement, which needs to field candidates with "dignity and stature".

Don't you just love it????? 

* If your state needs an extra $400 million for a rail project, you might want to check with the new Ohio Governor in January.  John Kasich, who will become governor in January, has decided not to go ahead with a rail project that would create thousands of jobs in Ohio. Even though Kasich wanted Gov. Strickland to stop the project now, Strickland won't budge.

Cleveland.com:
Gov.-elect John Kasich is imploring outgoing Gov. Ted Strickland to halt spending on a passenger train project that Kasich said he will kill when he takes the governor's seat. 

Kasich is also asking President Barack Obama if the $400 million in federal stimulus money for the Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati passenger rail can be used for other infrastructure needs....

Here was the reply from the office of Gov. Ted Strickland:

"If governor-elect Kasich wants to return the funds for rail startup and send 16,000 jobs to another state, that will be his decision to make when he becomes governor," said Strickland spokeswoman Amanda Wurst....

Kasich is already killing jobs and he hasn't even been sworn in yet.


* This morning when I noticed that George W. Bush was going to be interviewed on the Today Show, I had to change the channel.  It was just too much to watch.  I guess I had forgotten that the big interview was going to be on this morning.

Friday, November 05, 2010

Bold, Ignorant, Arrogant Republicans

For the next week, TV news shows will be focusing on the new book by former President George W. Bush.  NBC News will have Matt Lauer interviewing the former President.  When I saw the ads for the special, which is on Monday, I couldn't even stand to watch the promos.  I changed the channel.  Needless to say, I won't be watching the interview.

Sen. Mitch McConnell has big plans.  His goal is to keep President Obama limited to one term.  Isn't just like a Senator from the South to try to stop someone like Obama?  (By the way, what is wrong with McConnell's face?)

*  At Politico, McConnell said that he might not be able to repeal the health care law immediately.  The problem that McConnell will have is that people will become accustomed to certain medical treatment that will have to be covered by insurance.  Women would lose certain types of coverages if the law is repealed.  Then again, when have the Republicans ever cared about the rights of women?


Looking for something to throw in the face of those righties you know?
See below.
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(Warning! Some people might be offended by the language of the title of the website.)

http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/?q=30

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Important Rule

If you are a millionaire or billionaire, you should never, ever spend your money trying to "buy" an election.  In the end, you'll probably lose the election, and lose a lot of money.

Washington Post:

Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina and Linda McMahon had a lot in common.  


All sharp, successful businesswomen who made millions as executives in the private sector, they identified 2010 as an apt historical moment for a Republican candidate with no political experience to break into politics. In pursuit of higher office, each committed considerable resources - more than $200 million combined - to challenge seemingly vulnerable Democrats...

Just because a person is wealthy, or made big money in business, does not necessarily mean that they can convince people to give him/her their vote. In the case of these three rich women who've had success in business, they could not relate to the electorate.

There are other factors that may have contributed to their losses, such as hiring an undocumented person to work in their home, promoting a sport that used violence and disrespected women, and not being able to communicate their message to regular men and women.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Get Out There and Vote!!!

Before you vote, you should read a post over at the Pullins Report which is called "Kasich is simply a nasty, nasty little man."

(http://pullinsreport.com/2010/10/31/john-kasich-is-simply-a-nasty-nasty-little-man.aspx )

Do you need a reminder why you should vote?  Here it is - - - 

YouTube





If you don't vote, you can only blame yourself.


Monday, November 01, 2010

Trust Strickland

What kind of a governor would Kasich be?
Here is some evidence about Kasich and his inability to care about people:

>  When John Kasich served in the Ohio Senate, Kasich tried to legislate his own feelings about abortions when he made it more difficult for women to have reproductive freedom.  (Youngstown Vindicator-November 20, 1981: Abortion Advice Bill Advanced)

>   In 1996, when officials from New York complained that Congressman Kasich's cuts made it more difficult to help the poor in their state (which is mandated by their state constitution), Kasich said, (NYTimes: Aug.2, 1996) ".....to stop bellyaching..."  Here is more of what Kasich said (NYTimes):

...Mr. Kasich, an Ohio Republican, said states like New York, whose Constitution requires the government to care for the needy, should consider changing their laws.... 

This is another example of Kasich's lack of empathy for the poor.  He just doesn't care.

>  The Dispatch listed some of the things that Kasich had done when he was in the House of Representatives:

• Voted against raising the minimum wage, and his budget plan would have slashed food stamps and children's nutrition programs.
• "Fought to reduce the Earned Income Tax Credit ...a tax rebate for people who punch in, work hard and don't hide their assets in tax shelters and offshore accounts."
• Supported a 1990s "tax loophole that allowed American billionaires and other really wealthy people to evade taxes by renouncing their American citizenship."
• "Voted repeatedly to increase the cost of college loans ... He wanted to gut the Small Business Administration, with his budget seeking billions in cuts to programs that help fuel the growth and job creation of small businesses."
• Proposed cutting $7 billion from veterans programs, quadrupling veterans' prescription costs, and "cutting benefits for veterans who suffered head wounds and mental traumas and could no longer care for themselves independently."

Does Kasich have compassion? 
>  I haven't seen it yet in all the years that I've lived in Ohio.

Does Kasich have a group of advisers from all ethnic and racial backgrounds that help him see the ramifications of his proposals?
>  No.  Kasich's advisers are primarily white men, and some of them have followed him from Lehman Brothers.

>  We know that cuts will need to be made in Ohio's budget.  I'd rather have Strickland overseeing those cuts, because I know that he'll be fair.  Kasich, on the other hand, cannot be trusted.  Remember - pushed Ohio's public pension funds to lose over $400 million when he introduced them to Lehman Brothers.