**** If you haven't figured out what the Republican Tea Party wants for this country, you must be living under a rock. The Republicans and their goofy Tea Party members are on the verge of creating chaos in this country. Frankly, I'm tired of outspoken, right wing wackos who think abandoning our elderly, the poor are things, and destroying public education are things that Americans do. Shame on all the Republicans who have become the party of greedy, Ayn Rand worshipping, self-centered morons. In the next election, we need to have everyone show up and vote against the Republicans and their immature additions, the tea partiers.
>>>>> Jeff Long has an accurate description of Gov. John Kasich in an opinion piece published in The Other Paper:
....See, the thing about John Kasich is, he's a dick. Concepts like grace or humility-class, you might say-are no part of his makeup. And there's no mistaking it. Jon Stewart asked, after showing the clip of Kasich calling that cop an idiot, "Do I detect a hint of dickishness?"
That paragraph says is all. Please read the entire article at The Other Paper because it will confirm why you need to vote to repeal SB 5.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
They Said It Best
The Chicago Sun Times had information about Tea Party favorite, Republican Rep. Joe Walsh's, latest problem.
SunTimes:
Freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, a tax-bashing Tea Party champion who sharply lectures President Barack Obama and other Democrats on fiscal responsibility, owes more than $100,000 in child support to his ex-wife and three children, according to documents his ex-wife filed in their divorce case in December.....
When you run for Congress on a platform of fiscal responsibility, then make your name proclaiming that the government has to pay its debts and not burden the children and grandchildren with future economic impact, you would think that you at least keep your own home in order.
Not so much for Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh. The Tea Party freshman, who considers himself a watchdog for government spending, is being sued for almost $120,000 worth of child support over almost a decade....
SunTimes:
Freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, a tax-bashing Tea Party champion who sharply lectures President Barack Obama and other Democrats on fiscal responsibility, owes more than $100,000 in child support to his ex-wife and three children, according to documents his ex-wife filed in their divorce case in December.....
....In court documents, after his ex-wife, Laura Walsh, asked a judge to suspend his driver’s license until he paid his child support, Joe Walsh asks his ex-wife’s lawyer: “Have you no decency?”
Joe Walsh’s attorney, R. Steven Polachek, called the claim of a $117,437 debt “unfounded.”
Whoa! $117,437 in back child support???? OMG!
Care2.com had this to say about this latest development on Walsh:
Not so much for Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh. The Tea Party freshman, who considers himself a watchdog for government spending, is being sued for almost $120,000 worth of child support over almost a decade....
Boehner losing his caucus????
The fighting and bickering inside the Republicans caucus in the House of Representatives have worn out the members. It appears that Speaker of the House John Boehner is unable to get any cooperation from his Tea Party members who'd rather destroy the country rather than even vote for Boehner's bill. Have the Republicans succumbed to the most extreme members in their party? Have the Tea Party Republicans taken the country hostage in their effort to destroy Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education, Pell grants, etc.?????
If nothing is passed and signed, will you lose your Social Security check, or your paycheck if you work for the federal government? If you want to know what Republican Rep. Steve Stivers and Republican Rep. Eric Cantor want you to do without any money for food, gasoline, or rent, call them at (202) 224-3121.
Time:
....President Barack Obama declared "we're almost out of time" in a wrenching political standoff that has heightened fears of a market-rattling government default. "The power to solve this is in our hands on a day when we've been reminded how fragile the economy already is," the president said from the White House as U.S. fell in response to a sour report on economic growth and widespread uncertainty over the Washington debt stalemate. "This is one burden we can lift ourselves. We can end it with a simple vote." A simple vote was hard to come by, just a few days before Tuesday's debt-limit deadline.....
If nothing is passed and signed, will you lose your Social Security check, or your paycheck if you work for the federal government? If you want to know what Republican Rep. Steve Stivers and Republican Rep. Eric Cantor want you to do without any money for food, gasoline, or rent, call them at (202) 224-3121.
Time:
....President Barack Obama declared "we're almost out of time" in a wrenching political standoff that has heightened fears of a market-rattling government default. "The power to solve this is in our hands on a day when we've been reminded how fragile the economy already is," the president said from the White House as U.S. fell in response to a sour report on economic growth and widespread uncertainty over the Washington debt stalemate. "This is one burden we can lift ourselves. We can end it with a simple vote." A simple vote was hard to come by, just a few days before Tuesday's debt-limit deadline.....
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
What is your tax rate?
Here is a real eye opener.
Forbes:
The 400 richest Americans used to pay 30% of their income on the average to Uncle Sam. Today, they pay 18% on the average, according to Steve Rattner, a Wall Street financier, who just presented these figures on Mornings With Joe,MSNBC.
The main reason for the drop in their tax rate of some 40% is the tax cuts by George Bush in 2003, taking the rate paid on dividends and capital gains down to 15%. This reduction in the investment class’s taxes powered the bull market in stocks from the fall of 2003 until the fall of 2007.....
OMG.
*** There is an interesting bit of news from Politico about outspoken Republican from Illinois, Joe Walsh:
The Chicago Sun-Times breaks the story:
But court documents examined this week by the Sun-Times during research for
a profile on the increasingly visible congressman showed his financial issues
also included a nine-years-long child support battle with his ex-wife, Laura Walsh....
How can Walsh make such disgusting remarks about everyone when he doesn't have his own business in order?
> I can't wait to see how this story turns out----
BusinessWeek:
Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel says he has discovered more than $377 million in state bank deposits that are at risk due to past administrative errors, a claim disputed by KeyBank, which holds the bulk of the money......
.....KeyBank spokeswoman Laura Mimura says the state's holdings were never at risk. She says the Federal Reserve Bank fully collateralizes all its assets nightly.
Forbes:
The 400 richest Americans used to pay 30% of their income on the average to Uncle Sam. Today, they pay 18% on the average, according to Steve Rattner, a Wall Street financier, who just presented these figures on Mornings With Joe,MSNBC.
The main reason for the drop in their tax rate of some 40% is the tax cuts by George Bush in 2003, taking the rate paid on dividends and capital gains down to 15%. This reduction in the investment class’s taxes powered the bull market in stocks from the fall of 2003 until the fall of 2007.....
OMG.
*** There is an interesting bit of news from Politico about outspoken Republican from Illinois, Joe Walsh:
Walsh's ex seeking $117K in child support
Tough-talking Illinois freshman Joe Walsh owes $117,437 in child support, according to court documents filed by his ex-wife....The Chicago Sun-Times breaks the story:
Walsh admits he is not wealthy. Some of his financial problems — including losing his Evanston condo to foreclosure — were documented before his out-of-nowhere victory in Chicago’s north suburbs last fall.
a profile on the increasingly visible congressman showed his financial issues
also included a nine-years-long child support battle with his ex-wife, Laura Walsh....
How can Walsh make such disgusting remarks about everyone when he doesn't have his own business in order?
> I can't wait to see how this story turns out----
BusinessWeek:
Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel says he has discovered more than $377 million in state bank deposits that are at risk due to past administrative errors, a claim disputed by KeyBank, which holds the bulk of the money......
.....KeyBank spokeswoman Laura Mimura says the state's holdings were never at risk. She says the Federal Reserve Bank fully collateralizes all its assets nightly.
Republicans Wasting Time: No Jobs Bills, No Debt Ceiling Votes
***** Do you remember during the campaign of 2010 when the Republicans said they were going to get people back to work? So far, the radical Republicans, with their extreme radical Tea Party members have yet to create one job bill.
While the nation watches for a vote on the debt ceiling, the Republican agenda today has votes on bills to roll back environmental regulations.
(Note: Live now on CSPAN, Republican Rep. Don Young wants to repeal boat inspections of private boat on the Yukon River. Give me a f*#@*&%$ break!!!! Don Young says this is a states rights issue. Seriously. This Yukon River gets federal funds.)
Examiner:
Only one week left until the Nation officially defaults on its debts. The House of Representatives is reviewing legislation to repeal environmental regulations and thwarting conservation efforts.
Republicans are actively working on thwarting efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency and obstructing White House initiatives including EPA’s regulations on the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Republican’s are busily creating policy riders that are being added to the fiscal year 2012 spending bill......
As an example of how politicized everything has become under the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, just look at how the Republicans have used their ideology in creating their bills.
Thomas: H.RES.26
Latest Title: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2) to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 9) instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law; and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Dreier, David [CA-26] (introduced 1/6/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Thomas: H.R.1076
Latest Title: To prohibit Federal funding of National Public Radio and the use of Federal funds to acquire radio content.
Sponsor: Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] (introduced 3/15/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Thomas: H.R.1213
Latest Title: To repeal mandatory funding provided to States in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to establish American Health Benefit Exchanges.
Sponsor: Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] (introduced 3/29/2011) Cosponsors (2)
Thomas: H.RES.203
Latest Title: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 910) to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] (introduced 4/5/2011) Cosponsors (None)
The infamous Paul Ryan budget---
Thomas: H.CON.RES.34
Latest Title: Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2012 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2021.
Sponsor: Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] (introduced 4/11/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Related Bills: H.CON.RES.37, H.RES.223, S.CON.RES.18, S.CON.RES.19, S.CON.RES.20, S.CON.RES.21
* For analysis of the Paul Ryan budget plan, see Veterans Today.
* DailyKos has info on how Paul Ryan "....admits GOP has been lying about its budget plan."
>>>>>> Kathy Gill at the Moderate Voice has a post which shows that Republicans have voted in the past to increase the debt ceiling. ModerateVoice:
Since 2009, after Barack Obama was inaugurated as President, Republican Senators have stood steadfastly against raising the debt ceiling: in 2009, two supported H.R. 1 and one supported H.R. 4314. None supported the 2010 vote on H.J. Res. 45.
But has this always been the case?
In January 2010, Donny Shaw calculated the vote tally since 1997 on bills that included provisions to raise the debt ceiling. It may surprise you. Or not, if you’re cynical.....
The Republicans in the House of Representatives have become obstructionists and have done nothing to get people back to work.
While the nation watches for a vote on the debt ceiling, the Republican agenda today has votes on bills to roll back environmental regulations.
(Note: Live now on CSPAN, Republican Rep. Don Young wants to repeal boat inspections of private boat on the Yukon River. Give me a f*#@*&%$ break!!!! Don Young says this is a states rights issue. Seriously. This Yukon River gets federal funds.)
Examiner:
Only one week left until the Nation officially defaults on its debts. The House of Representatives is reviewing legislation to repeal environmental regulations and thwarting conservation efforts.
Republicans are actively working on thwarting efforts by the Environmental Protection Agency and obstructing White House initiatives including EPA’s regulations on the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Republican’s are busily creating policy riders that are being added to the fiscal year 2012 spending bill......
As an example of how politicized everything has become under the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, just look at how the Republicans have used their ideology in creating their bills.
Thomas: H.RES.26
Latest Title: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2) to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 9) instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law; and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Dreier, David [CA-26] (introduced 1/6/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Thomas: H.R.1076
Latest Title: To prohibit Federal funding of National Public Radio and the use of Federal funds to acquire radio content.
Sponsor: Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] (introduced 3/15/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Thomas: H.R.1213
Latest Title: To repeal mandatory funding provided to States in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to establish American Health Benefit Exchanges.
Sponsor: Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] (introduced 3/29/2011) Cosponsors (2)
Thomas: H.RES.203
Latest Title: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 910) to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] (introduced 4/5/2011) Cosponsors (None)
The infamous Paul Ryan budget---
Thomas: H.CON.RES.34
Latest Title: Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2012 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2021.
Sponsor: Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] (introduced 4/11/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Related Bills: H.CON.RES.37, H.RES.223, S.CON.RES.18, S.CON.RES.19, S.CON.RES.20, S.CON.RES.21
* For analysis of the Paul Ryan budget plan, see Veterans Today.
* DailyKos has info on how Paul Ryan "....admits GOP has been lying about its budget plan."
>>>>>> Kathy Gill at the Moderate Voice has a post which shows that Republicans have voted in the past to increase the debt ceiling. ModerateVoice:
Since 2009, after Barack Obama was inaugurated as President, Republican Senators have stood steadfastly against raising the debt ceiling: in 2009, two supported H.R. 1 and one supported H.R. 4314. None supported the 2010 vote on H.J. Res. 45.
But has this always been the case?
In January 2010, Donny Shaw calculated the vote tally since 1997 on bills that included provisions to raise the debt ceiling. It may surprise you. Or not, if you’re cynical.....
The Republicans in the House of Representatives have become obstructionists and have done nothing to get people back to work.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Stand with President Obama
If you still cannot get through by email to your member of Congress, try this number---
House of Representatives switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15), a former bank lobbyist, had his website down as did several of the Republicans this morning. Even though he'll vote with his fellow Tea Party Republicans, call his office and let the staff hear how you feel about Boehner's plan to cut and gut Social Security, Medicare, etc.
District of Columbia 20515-3515
Phone: (202) 225-2015
Fax: (202) 225-3529
Hilliard office: (614) 771-4968
***** I like what Rep. Bernie Sanders had to say.
Raw Story:
...Sanders said he thought the president’s speech was good, but probably should have been given “six or seven months ago.”
Thank you, Bernie Sanders!
House of Representatives switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Republican Rep. Steve Stivers (OH-15), a former bank lobbyist, had his website down as did several of the Republicans this morning. Even though he'll vote with his fellow Tea Party Republicans, call his office and let the staff hear how you feel about Boehner's plan to cut and gut Social Security, Medicare, etc.
Washington, D.C. Office:
1007 Longworth House Office Building,District of Columbia 20515-3515
Phone: (202) 225-2015
Fax: (202) 225-3529
***** I like what Rep. Bernie Sanders had to say.
Raw Story:
...Sanders said he thought the president’s speech was good, but probably should have been given “six or seven months ago.”
“I think the plan of the Republicans is pretty clear,” he added. “What they want to do is everything they can to protect the wealthiest people in this country.”
Monday, July 25, 2011
Contact Your Member of Congress
Let your member of Congress know that you support the President and Democratic solution to the debt crisis. Tell them you are not for the cuts to Social Security and Medicare that are proposed by the Republicans. You can get a list of Representatives at the following address:
Chris Matthews just said that there was no bipartisan legislation passed this week and that Boehner's statement is wrong.
You can call the office of Eric Cantor at (202) 225-4000 or
the House of Representatives switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Chris Matthews just said that there was no bipartisan legislation passed this week and that Boehner's statement is wrong.
Problems with Indiana Turnpike
Although Ohio Gov. John Kasich keeps talking about selling/leasing the Ohio Turnpike, the Indiana Turnpike privatization of a few years ago is looking like a huge mess for drivers and the investors.
TollRoadNews:
Debtwire, a London Financial Times wire service claims the Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) is in danger of defaulting on its debt as early as the first months of next year (2012). The wire says ITRCC has been rapidly "burning through" an interest reserve account which threatens to put it out of compliance with reserve provisions of its $4.1b in bonds.
The principal lender to ITRCC is the Royal Bank of Scotland which Debtwire says has assigned the loan to its "workout" department. The wire report says the interest reserve account could be depleted by the end of 2011.....
....Traffic and revenue have been well below expectation since the 75 year concession was signed with the state of Indiana at the height of the boom in June 2006. Toll revenues in 2010 were $164.2m versus interest expense on debt of $268m....
There are plenty of details and numbers on how the Indiana Toll Road has been a complete disaster for the investors in the TollRoadsNews.com issue. This fact alone may make a sale/lease of the Ohio Turnpike a losing proposition for an investment firm or new private owner.
Drivers on the Indiana toll road have faced an increase in tolls. Some truckers are avoiding the Indiana road entirely.
TollRoadNews:
Debtwire, a London Financial Times wire service claims the Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) is in danger of defaulting on its debt as early as the first months of next year (2012). The wire says ITRCC has been rapidly "burning through" an interest reserve account which threatens to put it out of compliance with reserve provisions of its $4.1b in bonds.
The principal lender to ITRCC is the Royal Bank of Scotland which Debtwire says has assigned the loan to its "workout" department. The wire report says the interest reserve account could be depleted by the end of 2011.....
....Traffic and revenue have been well below expectation since the 75 year concession was signed with the state of Indiana at the height of the boom in June 2006. Toll revenues in 2010 were $164.2m versus interest expense on debt of $268m....
There are plenty of details and numbers on how the Indiana Toll Road has been a complete disaster for the investors in the TollRoadsNews.com issue. This fact alone may make a sale/lease of the Ohio Turnpike a losing proposition for an investment firm or new private owner.
Drivers on the Indiana toll road have faced an increase in tolls. Some truckers are avoiding the Indiana road entirely.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Romney's Businesses Made Profits and Fired People
It appears that Mitt Romney is telling people at his rallies that he knows all about business. That might be true. He has made millions of dollars for himself by buying and selling businesses. In order to increase his profit margin, he would fire people when he took over a company. Romney owned Bain Capital. The LA Times:
Here is even more from DemocracyNow on Romney's Bain Capital business:
And still more on Romney's Bain Capital from ThinkProgress:
How does Romney measure success? Is it better to make millions of dollars for yourself, while you layoff thousands of workers?
...Bain Capital had bought a controlling interest in a paper products company called Ampad for $5 million in 1992. Two years later, after Ampad bought a factory in Marion, Ind., the new management team dismissed about 200 workers, slashed salaries and benefits, and hired strikebreakers after the union called a walkout.
"We were just fired," Randy Johnson, a former worker and union officer at the Marion plant, recalled in a telephone interview. "They came in and said, 'You're all fired. If you want to work for us, here's an application.' We had insurance until the end of the week. That was it. It was brutal."
In October 1994, Johnson and other striking workers drove to Massachusetts to protest Romney's Senate campaign. "We chased him everywhere," Johnson recalled. "He took good jobs with benefits, and created low-wage, part-time, no-benefit jobs. That's what he was creating with his investments."
Here is even more from DemocracyNow on Romney's Bain Capital business:
During his campaign, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has preached a message of economic populism by vowing to fight to keep jobs in America. We take a look at Romney’s days heading up the buyout firm Bain Capital with Los Angeles Times reporter, Bob Drogin. He writes, "From 1984 until 1999, Romney led Bain Capital, a Boston-based private equity group that earned jaw-dropping profits through leveraged buyouts, debt hedge funds, offshore tax havens and other financial strategies. In some cases, Romney’s team closed U.S. factories, causing hundreds of layoffs, or pocketed huge fees shortly before companies collapsed."
And still more on Romney's Bain Capital from ThinkProgress:
– Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs bought Dade International for about $450 million in 1994. The firm quickly fired or relocated at least 900 workers. Over the next several years, it sunk increasingly into debt and laid off 1,000 workers. In 2002 — after Romney had left Bain — it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
– A 1997 buyout of LIVE Entertainment for $150 million resulted in 40 layoffs, roughly one in four of the company’s 166 workers. The job cuts affected all aspects of the company, from production and acquisition to legal and public relations.
– In 1997, Bain bought a stake in DDI Corp., a maker of electronic circuit boards. Three years later, Bain took the company public and collected a $36 million payout. But by August 2003, the company filed for bankruptcy protection, laying off more than 2,100 workers....
How does Romney measure success? Is it better to make millions of dollars for yourself, while you layoff thousands of workers?
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday---
>>>>> If Gov. John Kasich is such a genius (only in his own mind!), then why has Ohio's unemployment gone up? Plunderbund has the details.
* If you are familiar with Ohio politics, then you'll remember Republican Rep. Don "Buz" Lukens. TPM has uncovered some absolutely disgusting behavior that Lukens was involved with during his careeer:
....It was 1990. Lukens was in his second term in Congress. The year before, the 58-year-old congressman had been caught on a television network's hidden camera in a McDonald's restaurant speaking with the mother of a 16-year-old girl he was allegedly sleeping with.
Lukens was soon convicted of paying the teen $40 to have sex with him and wound up serving nine days in prison and paying a $500 fine. That would be his first of two stays in prison, and his second of three sex offense allegations.....
.....His FBI file also notes a 1954 arrest for "investigation of molesting." Lukens had just graduated and was working at Procter & Gamble when he allegedly went to an ex-girlfriend's home while she wasn't there. Her two small children were, however, and he was detained the next day. All charges were dropped eight hours later, after cops found "no case."...
Read the entire posting at TPM.
There is more info on the domestic violence incident at the home of Republican State Sen. Kris Jordan @ ColumbusLocalNews.
...How awkward for Kasich that one year later, his hired guns are using parts of it to draw down federal dollars that will save Ohio money. They are also using it as a tool, according to Affordable Care Act proponents, to better coordinate care and make Ohio's Medicaid program a smoother-running, less-expensive program that provides better health outcomes for Ohio folk.
Obamacare is a hero that you're never going to hear about or understand. And with Frances Strickland gone, there will be no folk songs written about it. Or put another way, the storied ACA will never get the credit it deserves in the "Kasich reforms Ohio" narrative, according to Cathy Levine, director of the Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio, because the governor instead would prefer to bash it with the rest of his party.....
.....................
* If you are familiar with Ohio politics, then you'll remember Republican Rep. Don "Buz" Lukens. TPM has uncovered some absolutely disgusting behavior that Lukens was involved with during his careeer:
....It was 1990. Lukens was in his second term in Congress. The year before, the 58-year-old congressman had been caught on a television network's hidden camera in a McDonald's restaurant speaking with the mother of a 16-year-old girl he was allegedly sleeping with.
Lukens was soon convicted of paying the teen $40 to have sex with him and wound up serving nine days in prison and paying a $500 fine. That would be his first of two stays in prison, and his second of three sex offense allegations.....
.....His FBI file also notes a 1954 arrest for "investigation of molesting." Lukens had just graduated and was working at Procter & Gamble when he allegedly went to an ex-girlfriend's home while she wasn't there. Her two small children were, however, and he was detained the next day. All charges were dropped eight hours later, after cops found "no case."...
Read the entire posting at TPM.
______
There is more info on the domestic violence incident at the home of Republican State Sen. Kris Jordan @ ColumbusLocalNews.
******************
Ohio Republicans would never admit it, but President Obama's healthcare legislation, the Affordable Care Act, has saved them big, big money.
Obamacare is a hero that you're never going to hear about or understand. And with Frances Strickland gone, there will be no folk songs written about it. Or put another way, the storied ACA will never get the credit it deserves in the "Kasich reforms Ohio" narrative, according to Cathy Levine, director of the Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio, because the governor instead would prefer to bash it with the rest of his party.....
You'll never see Kasich thanking anyone but himself. It is amazing that the rest of us can actually fit inside the state of Ohio, given Kasich's huge ego.
Why the rich should pay higher taxes---
Think Progress has a video that will get you thinking about why tax rates for the rich should be raised.
Think Progress:
As the government moves into the final days of negotiations over the debt ceiling — negotiations most likely to be concluded by a budget deal that will do significant harm to the poor, the working class and middle class Americans throughout the country — it seemed worthwhile to revisit the bizarreness of the Republicans’ refusal to consider tax hikes on the wealthy of any sort, while the accumulation of wealth at the very top of America’s economic ladder continues to reach staggering levels.
Forbes Magazine’s annual listing of the 400 richest Americans, as well as the news that student loans in this country are likely to total $1 trillion this year, gave ThinkProgress a practical example on which to base an animated infographic...
YouTube
Call/email you member of Congress and tell them it is time the rich paid more in taxes.
Think Progress:
As the government moves into the final days of negotiations over the debt ceiling — negotiations most likely to be concluded by a budget deal that will do significant harm to the poor, the working class and middle class Americans throughout the country — it seemed worthwhile to revisit the bizarreness of the Republicans’ refusal to consider tax hikes on the wealthy of any sort, while the accumulation of wealth at the very top of America’s economic ladder continues to reach staggering levels.
Forbes Magazine’s annual listing of the 400 richest Americans, as well as the news that student loans in this country are likely to total $1 trillion this year, gave ThinkProgress a practical example on which to base an animated infographic...
YouTube
Call/email you member of Congress and tell them it is time the rich paid more in taxes.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Watch What They Say
>>> Beware of Republican Josh Mandel! The brand new Ohio Treasurer, Josh Mandel, has only been in office since January. However, Mandel is ready to move on and run for U.S. Senate. The prospect of a "Senator" Josh Mandel should scare the living daylights out of every working person, every senior citizen, and every person in Ohio. Mandel is too far right.
- Mandel supports SB 5, the anti-collective bargaining legislation promoted by Kasich and the Ohio GOP.
- Mandel is a big enthusiastic supporter of the Paul Ryan plan to kill Medicare.
- Mandel also believes that there should be some adjustments made to Social Security.
The good people over at Plunderbund have even more about Josh Mandel:
This has to be one of the more brazen displays of lunacy yet from Josh Mandel’s non-campaign for senate. In a letter of endorsement from fellow wacko Sen. Jim DeMint, Mandel went on the record supporting the move to not raise the nation’s debt limit. This is from the letter of endorsement from the Senate Conservative Fund, a PAC run my Senator DeMint to help raise money for people who are clearly too out-of-touch to find a job elsewhere....
...Besides the tremendous impact defaulting will have on markets around the world, and the economy here at home, millions of Ohioans who rely on medicare and social security will see their payments vanish. I’m going to turn this over to Justin Barasky, Spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party:
Is Mandel able to think through what a default would do to our people? If senior citizens are unable to pay their rent, buy medicine, or pay for food because Mandel thinks it is okay if the U.S. defaults on its debt, will Josh Mandel and his right wing loon friends care. Not a chance!
* What is a family? Sen. Al Franken explains to some right winger from Focus on the Family the true definition of a nuclear family, in this video posted at DailyKos and orignally from ThinkProgress and featured on YouTube:
I just love Al Franken. He continues to stand up for every American, every family, and every person. A child in a loving family will be able to grow, mature, learn, and become a contributing member of his/her community.
Why are Republicans and far right religious people so full of hatred?
- Mandel supports SB 5, the anti-collective bargaining legislation promoted by Kasich and the Ohio GOP.
- Mandel is a big enthusiastic supporter of the Paul Ryan plan to kill Medicare.
- Mandel also believes that there should be some adjustments made to Social Security.
The good people over at Plunderbund have even more about Josh Mandel:
This has to be one of the more brazen displays of lunacy yet from Josh Mandel’s non-campaign for senate. In a letter of endorsement from fellow wacko Sen. Jim DeMint, Mandel went on the record supporting the move to not raise the nation’s debt limit. This is from the letter of endorsement from the Senate Conservative Fund, a PAC run my Senator DeMint to help raise money for people who are clearly too out-of-touch to find a job elsewhere....
...Besides the tremendous impact defaulting will have on markets around the world, and the economy here at home, millions of Ohioans who rely on medicare and social security will see their payments vanish. I’m going to turn this over to Justin Barasky, Spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party:
“Josh Mandel’s decision to support the United States going into default shows a startling disinterest in the repercussions for millions of Ohio seniors who will be left to twist in the wind if Medicare and Social Security benefits are delayed because of default,” said Ohio Democratic Party Press Secretary Justin Barasky. “It’s one thing not to care about the job you promised voters you would fulfill, it’s another not to care about how those very people are going to pay their bills, buy food, and pay for healthcare.”
Is Mandel able to think through what a default would do to our people? If senior citizens are unable to pay their rent, buy medicine, or pay for food because Mandel thinks it is okay if the U.S. defaults on its debt, will Josh Mandel and his right wing loon friends care. Not a chance!
***********************************
* What is a family? Sen. Al Franken explains to some right winger from Focus on the Family the true definition of a nuclear family, in this video posted at DailyKos and orignally from ThinkProgress and featured on YouTube:
I just love Al Franken. He continues to stand up for every American, every family, and every person. A child in a loving family will be able to grow, mature, learn, and become a contributing member of his/her community.
Why are Republicans and far right religious people so full of hatred?
Adding Up the Ohio GOP Mistakes
Now that we know that Gov. John Kasich's approval rating (see Qunnipiac) has slipped down even more, you wonder how he has the arrogance to continue to push his agenda. According to the just released Quinnipiac Poll, Kasich has a disapproval rate of 50% and an approval of just 35%.
Of course, Kasich will continue to say that he doesn't look at polls and he really doesn't care what they say. However, despite his mantra that polls don't matter to him, there has to be some sort of resentment on his part that the people of Ohio are not sharing his vision.
With Kasich's ties to Fox and Rupert Murdoch, any further revelations about phone hacking in the U.S. might allow the Kasich poll numbers to sink even more.
CBS Moneywatch:
...Murdoch gave $1 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and $1.25 million to the RGA, saying later that he hoped it would help Republican John Kasich, a former commentator on News Corp.'s Fox News. Kasich is now Ohio's governor....
Of course, Kasich will continue to say that he doesn't look at polls and he really doesn't care what they say. However, despite his mantra that polls don't matter to him, there has to be some sort of resentment on his part that the people of Ohio are not sharing his vision.
With Kasich's ties to Fox and Rupert Murdoch, any further revelations about phone hacking in the U.S. might allow the Kasich poll numbers to sink even more.
CBS Moneywatch:
...Murdoch gave $1 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and $1.25 million to the RGA, saying later that he hoped it would help Republican John Kasich, a former commentator on News Corp.'s Fox News. Kasich is now Ohio's governor....
Monday, July 18, 2011
Happy Birthday, John Glenn!
Today is John Glenn's 90th birthday.
Philadelphia Inquirer:
He was a hero in two wars, then a fabled test pilot, a four-term senator, a presidential candidate, finally a party elder. But in mind's eye and in history, John Herschel Glenn Jr. is frozen in time.
.....John Glenn remains what he was when he became a staple of black-and-white television and the color pictures of Life magazine:
An American phenomenon - forever young, forever clad in the silvery Project Mercury space suit he wore when he sat above a smoking Atlas booster, forever the commander of Friendship 7, forever the first American to orbit Earth....
Life Magazine has released some pictures about John Glenn which you can see at Life Magazine. A film about his life is posted at the Ohio State University. John Glenn is an American hero.
FYI: In an article in the Columbus Dispatch, Republican Gov. John Kasich cut the entire budget at the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy which is located on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Philadelphia Inquirer:
He was a hero in two wars, then a fabled test pilot, a four-term senator, a presidential candidate, finally a party elder. But in mind's eye and in history, John Herschel Glenn Jr. is frozen in time.
.....John Glenn remains what he was when he became a staple of black-and-white television and the color pictures of Life magazine:
An American phenomenon - forever young, forever clad in the silvery Project Mercury space suit he wore when he sat above a smoking Atlas booster, forever the commander of Friendship 7, forever the first American to orbit Earth....
Life Magazine has released some pictures about John Glenn which you can see at Life Magazine. A film about his life is posted at the Ohio State University. John Glenn is an American hero.
FYI: In an article in the Columbus Dispatch, Republican Gov. John Kasich cut the entire budget at the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy which is located on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Blame Squarely Rests on Republicans
If the debt ceiling is not raised as it has been done in the past, the blame will be placed squarely on
Ohio Rep. Robert Mecklenborg, R-Green Township, resigned Sunday, more than two weeks after revelations he was arrested in April in Indiana for drunk driving.
Mecklenborg, a 59-year-old married father of three, had a young woman in his car when he was arrested April 23 in Lawrenceburg, court documents show.....
the Republicans.
If the Republicans are more interested in following the wishes of Grover Norquist, the Koch Brothers, Rush Limbaugh, and their rich contributors who want more tax breaks, then the American public will know that the Republican Party just doesn't care for regular, middle class Americans.
Where are the jobs bills the Republicans promised??????
**** Whoa! The Sarah Palin movie, The Undefeated (Undefeated???? She lost with McCain and she quit her term as governor!!!!), opened in some cities to scathing reviews. The best review I've read was one done by a student at the University of Indiana. You can read the hilarious review at the Indiana Daily Student.
* Wouldn't you love to know how the Republican battles are being fought between the tea party GOPers and the far right Republicans?
> Ohio Republican Robert Mecklenborg resigned. Remember his story?
Mecklenborg, a 59-year-old married father of three, had a young woman in his car when he was arrested April 23 in Lawrenceburg, court documents show.....
.....Police said they smelled alcohol on Mecklenborg's breath and noticed that his eyes were bloodshot. The lawmaker refused to take a Breathalyzer test, but failed three field sobriety tests and was arrested, court documents say.....
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Another Bizarre Move by Kasich
Gov. John Kasich's behavior, language, and agenda are all very troubling to me. The other day, on the spur of the moment, he pledged $2 million in state money to Nationwide Children's Hospital. Now we have word of another questionable move by Kasich.
According to Plunderbund Kasich gave a commencement speech to the 2000 students graduating from the ECOT public high school. However, he remarks were religious in nature and Plunderbund has the video:
YouTube
I find this totally inappropriate in an event for public school students. Is Kasich trying to win over the far right religious in the GOP?
Kasich has had some legislative proposals which should make many people uncomfortable.
On the Issues:
Then we have this---
Cleveland Jewish News (June 30, 2009):
....On social issues, Kasich said he supports teaching both evolution and “creation science” in Ohio biology classes.....
Kasich is the last person that Ohioans should look to concerning what is taught in biology classes, school prayers, and what to say in a commencement speech before public school students.
According to Plunderbund Kasich gave a commencement speech to the 2000 students graduating from the ECOT public high school. However, he remarks were religious in nature and Plunderbund has the video:
YouTube
I find this totally inappropriate in an event for public school students. Is Kasich trying to win over the far right religious in the GOP?
Kasich has had some legislative proposals which should make many people uncomfortable.
On the Issues:
- Voted YES on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer. (Mar 1994)
- Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer. (May 1997)
Then we have this---
Cleveland Jewish News (June 30, 2009):
....On social issues, Kasich said he supports teaching both evolution and “creation science” in Ohio biology classes.....
Kasich is the last person that Ohioans should look to concerning what is taught in biology classes, school prayers, and what to say in a commencement speech before public school students.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Make Them An Offer They Can't Refuse
President Obama needs to play hardball with the Republicans who refuse to contribute anything on the debt ceiling. Despite the fact that these same Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling under George W. Bush umpteen times, they refuse to budge today. I think that President Obama should do what Michael Corleone did in the Godfather II with Frankie Five Fingers.
See Spike for the video link if you need a reminder about the film clip.
Here are some of my suggestions:
For Republican Rep. Eric Cantor, the administration should bring in Jack Abramoff.
(Think Progress:
CONTRIBUTIONS — CANTOR RECEIVED $31,500 FROM ABRAMOFF, HIS PARTNERS, AND HIS CLIENTS: Cantor “received about $31,500 from Abramoff, his lobbying partners and tribal clients between 2001 and 2004.” In Jan. 2006, he announced he will give $10,000 of the money to charity. [AP, 11/17/05; Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1/4/06]
COUSHATTA CAMPAIGN — DELAY ORGANIZED HASTERT, BLUNT, AND CANTOR TO BACK ABRAMOFF EFFORT: One of Abramoff’s tribal clients, the Coushattas, “opposed a plan by the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians to open a casino at a non-reservation site, expected at the time to be outside Shreveport, La., not far from a casino owned by the Coushattas.” Abramoff lobbied DeLay’s office to organize a June 10, 2003, letter to Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton endorsing a view of gambling law benefiting the Coushattas. The letter was eventually co-signed by DeLay, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Deputy Whip Eric I. Cantor (R-VA), a “group of people, who do not normally weigh in on Indian issues.” Cantor received “roughly $4,500 [from Abramoff and his clients] in the period around which the letter was sent.” [Washington Post, 9/28/04; AP, 11/17/05])
President Obama could read aloud part of the article from the Nation which details Eric Cantor's conflict of interest. The Nation:
House Democrats are circulating a resolution accusing majority leader Eric Cantor of a salacious conflict of interest: he owns shares in a fund that takes a short position on long-dated government bonds, which in layman’s terms means Cantor stands to profit if the government defaults on its debt, and so probably shouldn’t be such a prominent negotiator in the ongoing debt ceiling talks.....
In order to get Speaker of the House John Boehner to "cooperate" with following what the American people want (no more tax cuts for rich people), President Obama should have his wife and his rumored alleged girlfriend sit next to each other in the room as Boehner sits down.
If the Republicans refuse to negotiate and continue to ask for more tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, the President should say that the Republicans are to blame for the economic failure of the United States.
See Spike for the video link if you need a reminder about the film clip.
The Godfather: Part II Senate Hearing
Get More: The Godfather: Part II Senate Hearing
Get More: The Godfather: Part II Senate Hearing
Here are some of my suggestions:
For Republican Rep. Eric Cantor, the administration should bring in Jack Abramoff.
(Think Progress:
CONTRIBUTIONS — CANTOR RECEIVED $31,500 FROM ABRAMOFF, HIS PARTNERS, AND HIS CLIENTS: Cantor “received about $31,500 from Abramoff, his lobbying partners and tribal clients between 2001 and 2004.” In Jan. 2006, he announced he will give $10,000 of the money to charity. [AP, 11/17/05; Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1/4/06]
COUSHATTA CAMPAIGN — DELAY ORGANIZED HASTERT, BLUNT, AND CANTOR TO BACK ABRAMOFF EFFORT: One of Abramoff’s tribal clients, the Coushattas, “opposed a plan by the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians to open a casino at a non-reservation site, expected at the time to be outside Shreveport, La., not far from a casino owned by the Coushattas.” Abramoff lobbied DeLay’s office to organize a June 10, 2003, letter to Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton endorsing a view of gambling law benefiting the Coushattas. The letter was eventually co-signed by DeLay, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Deputy Whip Eric I. Cantor (R-VA), a “group of people, who do not normally weigh in on Indian issues.” Cantor received “roughly $4,500 [from Abramoff and his clients] in the period around which the letter was sent.” [Washington Post, 9/28/04; AP, 11/17/05])
President Obama could read aloud part of the article from the Nation which details Eric Cantor's conflict of interest. The Nation:
House Democrats are circulating a resolution accusing majority leader Eric Cantor of a salacious conflict of interest: he owns shares in a fund that takes a short position on long-dated government bonds, which in layman’s terms means Cantor stands to profit if the government defaults on its debt, and so probably shouldn’t be such a prominent negotiator in the ongoing debt ceiling talks.....
In order to get Speaker of the House John Boehner to "cooperate" with following what the American people want (no more tax cuts for rich people), President Obama should have his wife and his rumored alleged girlfriend sit next to each other in the room as Boehner sits down.
If the Republicans refuse to negotiate and continue to ask for more tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, the President should say that the Republicans are to blame for the economic failure of the United States.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Oy vey! Bachmann is a shmendrik.
People should not use words they cannot pronounce.
NewYork CBS local captured Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann mispronouncing the word chutzpah:
(YouTube)
Click to listen to the pronunciation of chutzpah (from Macmillan Dictionary)
Once again Michele Bachmann has demonstrated her meshegas. Bachmann can try to schmooze people but we all know that spiel is nothing more than meshuga. Her anti-gay views are a shande.
NewYork CBS local captured Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann mispronouncing the word chutzpah:
(YouTube)
Click to listen to the pronunciation of chutzpah (from Macmillan Dictionary)Once again Michele Bachmann has demonstrated her meshegas. Bachmann can try to schmooze people but we all know that spiel is nothing more than meshuga. Her anti-gay views are a shande.
What is the middle class?
A letter to the editor in today's Columbus Dispatch says the following:
I have one question for Linda Lee Kennedy (letter, July 7) and all other opponents of Ohio Senate Bill 5: What makes them think they represent the middle class? Union workers comprise something like 12 percent of the work force. That means the other 88 percent of us represent the vast majority of middle-class workers in the U.S.
Unions, pensions and collective bargaining are relics of the past. In today's marketplace, good workers are any company's greatest asset and are compensated as such. Different people perform at different levels; why on earth should a lesser performer be paid as well as a better performer through something such as collective bargaining? It just doesn't make sense in a market economy.....
The writer of the letter just doesn't understand what constitutes the "middle class" in our country.
According to dictionary.reference.com, the middle class is defined as:
I have one question for Linda Lee Kennedy (letter, July 7) and all other opponents of Ohio Senate Bill 5: What makes them think they represent the middle class? Union workers comprise something like 12 percent of the work force. That means the other 88 percent of us represent the vast majority of middle-class workers in the U.S.
Unions, pensions and collective bargaining are relics of the past. In today's marketplace, good workers are any company's greatest asset and are compensated as such. Different people perform at different levels; why on earth should a lesser performer be paid as well as a better performer through something such as collective bargaining? It just doesn't make sense in a market economy.....
The writer of the letter just doesn't understand what constitutes the "middle class" in our country.
According to dictionary.reference.com, the middle class is defined as:
middle class
–noun
1. a class of people intermediate between the classes of higher and lower social rank or standing; the social, economic, cultural class, having approximately average status, income, education, tastes, and the like.
2. the class traditionally intermediate between the aristocratic class and the laboring class....
In an article at marketplace.nationalpublicradio, several economists were asked to define middle class. Below are the names of the economic experts and their quotes from NPR:
Gary Burtless of the Brookings Institute:
....He uses the term "middle income" rather than "middle class" and he bases his definition on the median household income -- which last year was $48,200.
Burtless says the middle can range from half of that to twice that number, so $24,000 to $96,000....
Frank Levy MIT economist stated:
I would say a reasonable range is about $30,000 to $90,000. Most of what we mean by middle class, I think, is how easy it is for you to afford the basic building blocks of a good life in America and that means can you afford a single-family house and can you afford a car and can you afford to heat the house and so on and so forth...
According to teacher-world.com, here is the list of average income for those involved in teaching in Ohio:
Average Beginning Teacher Salary: $31,753
Burtless says the middle can range from half of that to twice that number, so $24,000 to $96,000....
Frank Levy MIT economist stated:
I would say a reasonable range is about $30,000 to $90,000. Most of what we mean by middle class, I think, is how easy it is for you to afford the basic building blocks of a good life in America and that means can you afford a single-family house and can you afford a car and can you afford to heat the house and so on and so forth...
According to teacher-world.com, here is the list of average income for those involved in teaching in Ohio:
*Teacher Salary Information For 2008—2009
Average Beginning Teacher Salary: $31,753
Average Teacher Salary: $47,602
Average Administrator Salary: $77,740
Elementary School Principals: $82,414
Middle School Principals: $87,866
>>>> Indeed.com has the following income statistics for Ohio firefighters:
| Firefighter in Ohio.........................$52,000 | ||||||||
| Paramedic Firefighter in Ohio .....$49,000 | ||||||||
| Firefighter Paramedic in Ohio.....$44,000 | ||||||||
| Emergency Communications Technician in Ohio.....$37,000 | ||||||||
| Fire Protection Specialist in Ohio.....$63,000 | ||||||||
Ohio Labor Market Information reports that average income for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Ohio is--------------------- $53,310
The author of the letter to the editor doesn't understand that teachers, firefighters, and police officers are making incomes far below his own income. Does the author of the letter want the firefighters and police officers who risk their lives protecting his family to make far less? Does he think that their jobs are worth less than his own? Does he think that teachers that have educated his children, enabled them to go to college, are not worth their income even though they have bachelors and masters degrees?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Republicans Are Dinosaurs
* I just saw this twitter feed comment over at ohiocollegedems.org:
RT @firemanern: Kasich staffer taking job with Columbus chamber http://t.co/h8Q68Bm”the only jobs Kasich creates is for his staffers @KasichProject
** Have you seen the awesome website for WeAreOhio? You should also visit the WeAreOhio store and order some of their cool gear to show your support for Ohio's teachers, firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, nurses, and state employees. If you've ever had a teacher impact your life, you can honor them by supporting the repeal of SB 5.
**** Do you know which Ohio members of the U.S. House voted to bring back the old less efficient light bulbs?
You guessed it------ all of them. According to the website for the Clerk of the House of Representatives (Roll Call Vote 563), the following Ohio Republicans vote in favor of bringing back the old light bulbs:
Austria, Chabot, Gibbs, Johnson, Jordan, LaTourette, Latta, Renacci, Schmidt, Stivers, Tiberi, Turner (Boehner did not vote)
These Ohio Republicans have once again demonstrated their reluctance to reduce energy consumption, lower consumer electric bills, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The Ohio Republicans need a new symbol to describe their party. Here is my suggestion:
The Ohio GOP =
(from freeanimations)
RT @firemanern: Kasich staffer taking job with Columbus chamber http://t.co/h8Q68Bm”the only jobs Kasich creates is for his staffers @KasichProject
** Have you seen the awesome website for WeAreOhio? You should also visit the WeAreOhio store and order some of their cool gear to show your support for Ohio's teachers, firefighters, police officers, emergency workers, nurses, and state employees. If you've ever had a teacher impact your life, you can honor them by supporting the repeal of SB 5.
**** Do you know which Ohio members of the U.S. House voted to bring back the old less efficient light bulbs?
You guessed it------ all of them. According to the website for the Clerk of the House of Representatives (Roll Call Vote 563), the following Ohio Republicans vote in favor of bringing back the old light bulbs:
Austria, Chabot, Gibbs, Johnson, Jordan, LaTourette, Latta, Renacci, Schmidt, Stivers, Tiberi, Turner (Boehner did not vote)
These Ohio Republicans have once again demonstrated their reluctance to reduce energy consumption, lower consumer electric bills, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The Ohio Republicans need a new symbol to describe their party. Here is my suggestion:
The Ohio GOP =
(from freeanimations)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Yet Another Disturbing Bachmann Quote!
The StarOnline has some additional Michele Bachmann quotes from the past:
...Speaking at a national education conference in 2004, the Minnesota congresswoman (who was a state senator at the time) gave a lecture on the effects of same-sex marriage on education, stating:
“I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgendered. We need to have profound compassion for the people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life, and sexual identity disorders. This is a very real issue. It’s not funny, it’s sad. Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle—we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It’s part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It’s anything but gay.”
StarOnline also states that Michele Bachmann signed a conservative pledge that is against marriage equality. The original last line of the pledge was removed after, as StarOnline says, "...consideral public outrage.":
“Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.”
Those conservatives who crafted this "pledge" should be ashamed of themselves.
...Speaking at a national education conference in 2004, the Minnesota congresswoman (who was a state senator at the time) gave a lecture on the effects of same-sex marriage on education, stating:
“I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgendered. We need to have profound compassion for the people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life, and sexual identity disorders. This is a very real issue. It’s not funny, it’s sad. Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle—we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It’s part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It’s anything but gay.”
StarOnline also states that Michele Bachmann signed a conservative pledge that is against marriage equality. The original last line of the pledge was removed after, as StarOnline says, "...consideral public outrage.":
“Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President.”
Those conservatives who crafted this "pledge" should be ashamed of themselves.
What did he just say?
Every single time I see Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, I just want to puke. Now McConnell seems ready to hold the entire country hostage until President Obama leaves office.
CBS Political HotSheet:
Mitch McConnell's 2010 financial disclosure, as seen as a pdf at OpenSecrets, shows that he has over nine pages describing his investments. Politico puts McConnell's net worth at ".....minimum net worth is $9.9 million....." (Cry me a river!) How many of the rest of us Americans have anything remotely close to his wealth? Why is he such a pompous fool? What is the root of McConnell's rhetoric? Is it racism?
CBS Political HotSheet:
The Senate's top Republican said Tuesday that he did not see a way for Republicans and Democrats to come to agreement on meaningful deficit reduction as long as President Obama remains in office.
"After years of discussions and months of negotiations, I have little question that as long as this president is in the Oval Office, a real solution is probably unattainable," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor......
Mitch McConnell's 2010 financial disclosure, as seen as a pdf at OpenSecrets, shows that he has over nine pages describing his investments. Politico puts McConnell's net worth at ".....minimum net worth is $9.9 million....." (Cry me a river!) How many of the rest of us Americans have anything remotely close to his wealth? Why is he such a pompous fool? What is the root of McConnell's rhetoric? Is it racism?
The Bachmann Business
Michele Bachmann and her husband have a business that should make many people upset.
Check the video below:
Undercover video exposes Bachmann anti-gay therapy | Raw Replay
(RawReplay)
The LA Times has more:
....The ABC News report, which followed a similar story in The Nation, tracks the experience of another patient who went undercover at the Bachmann clinic in Lake Elmo, Minn. John Becker, a gay activist, writes that it became clear to him in several sessions that therapists at the clinic believe they can change a person’s sexual orientation.
Why are Republicans like Bachmann so concerned about people's private lives? If Bachmann and her ilk were really so religious they would not be so concerned with the sex lives of men and women!
Here in Ohio, Gov. Kasich and the Republicans have inserted themselves into the examining room with women and their gynecologists.
WBEZ:
....The Ohio effort is considered the most direct assault on the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion before a fetus is considered viable, or able to survive outside the womb.
Perhaps women should start questioning Republican legislators if they take Viagra or some other male enhancement drug. If the GOP is so concerned about our reproductive matters, shouldn't we start asking them about their actions and sexual activities too? A quick example is that of State Rep. Mecklenborg's and his anti-abortion rant just before he was caught driving under the influence with a woman who was not his wife, with an expired driver's license (see Jalopnik). In an article at Newsvine, Mecklenborg responds in this manner------
Check the video below:
Undercover video exposes Bachmann anti-gay therapy | Raw Replay
(RawReplay)
The LA Times has more:
....The ABC News report, which followed a similar story in The Nation, tracks the experience of another patient who went undercover at the Bachmann clinic in Lake Elmo, Minn. John Becker, a gay activist, writes that it became clear to him in several sessions that therapists at the clinic believe they can change a person’s sexual orientation.
“Based on my experiences at Bachmann & Associates, there can no longer be any doubt that Marcus Bachmann’s state- and federally-funded clinic endorses and practices reparative therapy aimed at changing a gay person’s sexual orientation, despite the fact that such “therapy” is widely discredited by the scientific and medical communities,” Becker wrote....
....In a different vein, the Wall Street Journal Monday took a look at Bachmann's oft-repeated assertion on the stump that she has worked as a tax attorney. Bachmann, the Journal states, in fact worked as counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and represented the government against taxpayers, something, the article notes, might not sit well with the tea-party faithful with whom Bachmann stands shoulder-to-Shoulder.....
Why are Republicans like Bachmann so concerned about people's private lives? If Bachmann and her ilk were really so religious they would not be so concerned with the sex lives of men and women!
Here in Ohio, Gov. Kasich and the Republicans have inserted themselves into the examining room with women and their gynecologists.
WBEZ:
....The Ohio effort is considered the most direct assault on the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion before a fetus is considered viable, or able to survive outside the womb.
The so-called "heartbeat bill" could ban abortions much earlier — as little as six weeks into a pregnancy, and before some women are even aware they've conceived, say supporters of legal abortion.....
Perhaps women should start questioning Republican legislators if they take Viagra or some other male enhancement drug. If the GOP is so concerned about our reproductive matters, shouldn't we start asking them about their actions and sexual activities too? A quick example is that of State Rep. Mecklenborg's and his anti-abortion rant just before he was caught driving under the influence with a woman who was not his wife, with an expired driver's license (see Jalopnik). In an article at Newsvine, Mecklenborg responds in this manner------
When asked about his young passenger, Mecklenborg said, "I understand the interest in the DUI part, I guess, but the rest is a personal matter."
....Pro-choice Americans have always argued that a woman's sex life is a personal matter, and that any decisions involving her body are her business. We understand only too well why Mecklenborg would rather we stop asking questions about his private life.
Unfortunately for Mecklenborg, he is an elected official who has hinged his political ambitions on making the private lives of women his business.....
Monday, July 11, 2011
What is really happening?
Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner seems to be having some difficulty holding together the Republicans. With the extreme Tea Party members refusing to budge on anything, you have to wonder how wild those private discussions are behind the closed doors. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the Republicans have not passed one jobs creation bill. Are the spending too much time fighting and not enough time crafting legislation?
What have they done except try to roll back the consumer protection laws that were passed by the last Congress that hold bankers accountable? Where are the jobs, Republicans?????
**** DailyKos has something about an investigation of Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt (OH-2):
• OH-02: The House Ethics Committee announced that it's investigating GOP Rep. Jean Schmidt for improperly accepting thousands of dollars worth of free legal services from an organization called the Turkish Coalition of America, a group which lobbies American politicians to encourage them to deny the Armenian genocide. There's an interesting backstory to all this (after all, why is Schmidt mixed up with free Turkish legal aid?), which you can find at the link (Cincinnati.com).
DailyKos also has some info on the Ohio Treasurer, Josh Mandel:
• OH-Sen: Josh Mandel, whose nominal day job is state Treasurer but who spends most of his time pretending he's not running for Senate, sat down for his first formal TV interview since getting elected last fall. The host asked Mandel about his pledge to "definitely" serve out his full term. Mandel, of course, had no answer, but tried to blame the other guy, saying: "I've developed this great concern about where Sherrod Brown will take this country."
The Plain Dealer has discovered a video of Josh Mandel clearly clapping and cheering for the Democratic candidate for President in 2000, Al Gore:
YouTube
Josh Mandel also seemed to be very excited about Al Gore's visit to the Ohio State campus.
The Lantern (2/1/2000):
On January 31, 2000, the Lantern published this about Al Gore's visit to the Ohio State campus:
.....Various OSU representatives were excited to hear about Gore’s visit, including Undergraduate Student Government President Josh Mandel.
To some Republicans, any hint that Mandel supported Al Gore might make him off limits for the GOP.
What have they done except try to roll back the consumer protection laws that were passed by the last Congress that hold bankers accountable? Where are the jobs, Republicans?????
**** DailyKos has something about an investigation of Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt (OH-2):
• OH-02: The House Ethics Committee announced that it's investigating GOP Rep. Jean Schmidt for improperly accepting thousands of dollars worth of free legal services from an organization called the Turkish Coalition of America, a group which lobbies American politicians to encourage them to deny the Armenian genocide. There's an interesting backstory to all this (after all, why is Schmidt mixed up with free Turkish legal aid?), which you can find at the link (Cincinnati.com).
DailyKos also has some info on the Ohio Treasurer, Josh Mandel:
• OH-Sen: Josh Mandel, whose nominal day job is state Treasurer but who spends most of his time pretending he's not running for Senate, sat down for his first formal TV interview since getting elected last fall. The host asked Mandel about his pledge to "definitely" serve out his full term. Mandel, of course, had no answer, but tried to blame the other guy, saying: "I've developed this great concern about where Sherrod Brown will take this country."
The Plain Dealer has discovered a video of Josh Mandel clearly clapping and cheering for the Democratic candidate for President in 2000, Al Gore:
YouTube
Josh Mandel also seemed to be very excited about Al Gore's visit to the Ohio State campus.
The Lantern (2/1/2000):
After today’s New Hampshire primary, Vice President Al Gore will be blazing a campaign trail to Ohio State. The Democratic presidential candidate will present his views on higher education and education reform at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Ohio Union Ballrooms.
“The excitement on campus over the past day has been incredible,” said Undergraduate Student Government President Josh Mandel......
On January 31, 2000, the Lantern published this about Al Gore's visit to the Ohio State campus:
.....Various OSU representatives were excited to hear about Gore’s visit, including Undergraduate Student Government President Josh Mandel.
“This visit definitely represents Vice President Gore’s commitment to students, higher education and the State of Ohio,” Mandel said....
“This event is a great opportunity for students to hear firsthand from a presidential candidate. His coming to Ohio State underscores the importance of Ohio in presidential politics,” Mandel said.....
To some Republicans, any hint that Mandel supported Al Gore might make him off limits for the GOP.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
McConnell's Objective Revealed
With budget talks going on in Washington, D.C., citizens are interested in what are the guiding principles of some of the Republicans. Unfortunately, Sen. Mitch McConnell's goals do not include job growth, a thriving economy, or anything that would help get people out of a financial crisis.
Raw Story:
If McConnell would go to any length to make sure that a Republican candidate wins the next presidential election, does it mean McConnell would rather see the country default than make a deal on the debt ceiling?
Raw Story:
"The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told National Journal's Major Garrett in October.
Fox News' Bret Baier asked McConnell Sunday if that was still his major objective.
"Well, that is true," McConnell replied. "That's my single most important political goal, along with every active Republican in the country."
If McConnell would go to any length to make sure that a Republican candidate wins the next presidential election, does it mean McConnell would rather see the country default than make a deal on the debt ceiling?
Friday, July 08, 2011
Bachmann
You've got to give it to Republican Michele Bachmann for just being completely crazy.
Daily Kos has a clip of Bachmann saying that she hopes that unemployment goes up:
YouTube
Michele Bachmann hopes that you lose your job to improve her prospects of becoming President. OMG!
* Here is a small sampling of Michele Bachmann's crazytalk:
YouTube
Wow! Do her supporters have to wear tin foil hats while they listen to her?
Daily Kos has a clip of Bachmann saying that she hopes that unemployment goes up:
YouTube
Michele Bachmann hopes that you lose your job to improve her prospects of becoming President. OMG!
* Here is a small sampling of Michele Bachmann's crazytalk:
YouTube
Wow! Do her supporters have to wear tin foil hats while they listen to her?
Thursday, July 07, 2011
My Goodness!
With people like Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, and Mitt Romney running as Republican candidates, some late night TV comedians don't need many comedy writers.
The Philadelphiaweekly noticed Santorum's stupidity:
YouTube:
Then, the PhiladelphiaWeekly also refers to this by Think Progress:
....The entire American civilian labor force is about 153 million people. There are currently 13.9 million people unemployed. If the Obama administration had created 240 to 280 million jobs, the unemployment crisis would have been solved several times over, and America would have so many jobs that it would need to start employing workers from all over the world just to fill all the available positions.....
Santorum just needs to go home to wherever he lives, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Mars.
>>>>>> Michele Bachmann's craziness is well known. Here is just one of her statements as provided by Buzzfeed:
Oh, yes. Bachmann is correct. If there was no minimum wage, it is conceivable that employers could offer workers jobs at $1/hr or 50 cents/hr. Of course, that would allow employers to be like lords and workers to be their serfs. Does Bachmann wants to return to feudalism?
Michele Bachmann also says a woman must be submissive to her husband (see HuffingtonPost). That will not go over well with the typical woman of 2011.
Bachmann and her husband Marcus have expressed well-know anti-gay comments that most people find hateful.
>>>> Mitt Romney, another Republican candidate and noted dog abuser (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) has made so many flip flops (like his health care flip flops) he might be able to enter into a gymnastics competition. The website, mittromneyflipflops.com, has only a few of Romney's flip flops:
Where does Romney stand on any issue?
The Philadelphiaweekly noticed Santorum's stupidity:
Rick Santorum is always getting in trouble for saying stuff. Usually, that stuff can’t be proven right or wrong. It’s just sort of insane, bigoted, batshit that’s just like, his opinion, man.
That ended this morning when he tried to do math on CNN. What followed was the claim that the Obama Administration created “only 240 million jobs” – which he calls a loss – through the stimulus. The number is actually 2.4 million jobs and either way, that is a net gain of jobs.....
YouTube:
Then, the PhiladelphiaWeekly also refers to this by Think Progress:
....The entire American civilian labor force is about 153 million people. There are currently 13.9 million people unemployed. If the Obama administration had created 240 to 280 million jobs, the unemployment crisis would have been solved several times over, and America would have so many jobs that it would need to start employing workers from all over the world just to fill all the available positions.....
>>>>>> Michele Bachmann's craziness is well known. Here is just one of her statements as provided by Buzzfeed:
Oh, yes. Bachmann is correct. If there was no minimum wage, it is conceivable that employers could offer workers jobs at $1/hr or 50 cents/hr. Of course, that would allow employers to be like lords and workers to be their serfs. Does Bachmann wants to return to feudalism?
Michele Bachmann also says a woman must be submissive to her husband (see HuffingtonPost). That will not go over well with the typical woman of 2011.
Bachmann and her husband Marcus have expressed well-know anti-gay comments that most people find hateful.
>>>> Mitt Romney, another Republican candidate and noted dog abuser (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) has made so many flip flops (like his health care flip flops) he might be able to enter into a gymnastics competition. The website, mittromneyflipflops.com, has only a few of Romney's flip flops:
WHICH MITT ROMNEY ARE WE GETTING THIS YEAR?
'This is a completely airtight kennel mounted on the top of our car.' [1]
'They're not happy that my dog loves fresh air.' [2]
WHICH MITT ROMNEY ARE WE GETTING THIS YEAR?
'I've been a hunter pretty much all my life.' [1]
'Any description of my being a hunter is an overstatement of capability.' [2]
WHICH MITT ROMNEY ARE WE GETTING THIS YEAR?
'...the costs of health care will be reduced.' [1]
'We were unable to deal with... health care costs in Massachusetts.' [2]
Where does Romney stand on any issue?
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