Month: July 2010

Gays In The Military: Why Is Pentagon Asking Opinions On Subject? :(

Ronald Leave a comment

When President Harry Truman decided on integration of the military in 1948, troops were not asked for their views on the subject! It is certain that many would have been opposed to blacks and whites working and living together, but it was done!

When women were integrated into the military academies in 1976, those at West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, New London, and Kings Point were not asked to fill out a survey! Again, many might have been opposed, but who cared?

So why now does the Pentagon feel the need to ask people in the military how they feel about showering with gays and lesbians, or sharing living quarters and a commissary with them on the bases?

And also asked is the effect that having gays and lesbians serving openly would have on retention, unit cohesion, military family life, and privacy!

Why is this such a big issue when so many European countries and Israel have long had openly gay service members, and have found no complications that developed?

Are we to let some people’s prejudices and biases to determine who can serve, when we are already having trouble with recruitment and retention?

The Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, usually right on most issues, is absolutely wrong on this issue, and it is time that progress be made on the final end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and that human dignity become part of military culture!

And if there are people in the military who cannot accept the changes that are coming, the answer is to say: “Goodbye, and good riddance!” 🙁

Lies And Fabrications In Arizona About Illegal Immigration: Governor Jan Brewer A Disgrace! :(

Ronald 21 Comments

With the Arizona Immigration law being challenged in court by the Obama Administration, less than a month before it is supposed to go into effect, the supporters of this discriminatory law are hard at work promoting fear and hysteria through the use of lies and fabrications about the effects of illegal immigration on the state!

The leading proponent of deception is the disgraceful Governor Jan Brewer, who sees it as a method to win reelection this fall, and could not see the truth if it stared her in the face! 🙁

Investigation of numerous accusations about illegal immigrants shows the following realities:

1. Bodies have been beheaded and left in the deserts of the state–NOT TRUE!
2. Border violence is on the rise–NOT TRUE!
3. Phoenix has become the Number Two Kidnapping location in the world–NOT TRUE!
4. Illegal immigrants are responsible for the deaths of most law enforcement officers–NOT TRUE!
5. Most illegal immigrants crossing the border are involved in drug dealing–NOT TRUE!

The Arizona Republic newspaper and the FBI statistics show all of the above are fabrications, and that crime has not increased, and in many areas has declined in recent years!

But Jan Brewer and Senator John McCain are utilizing these lies to promote fear among Arizona citizens to win reelection, without any concern for the truth!

Both should be ashamed of their fear mongering, which is now also leading to a new movement–to deny birthright citizenship to children born in this country of illegal immigrants, a move which would be unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution! 🙁

But then, does the Constitution really matter, if one does not agree with it? It is amazing how people manipulate the Constitution for their own benefit and claim to be respectful of that sacred document, but only when it benefits their prejudices! 🙁

How The Wealthy Stay Wealthy: Default On Mortgages Without Guilt! :(

Ronald Leave a comment

The news has emerged that wealthy people are defaulting on their mortgages at a faster rate than average Americans, proving that the condemnation of people for taking on mortgages they can ill afford has been improperly exaggerated!

Conservatives love to blame poor people and middle class people for irresponsibility, when the indications are that it is rich people who are exploiting the system of mortgages, and greatly contributing to the rapidly growing housing market crisis!

More than one in seven home owners with a mortgage over one million dollars has defaulted, while the rate for those with lower mortgages is one out of twelve!

These wealthy people are ruthless, and have no conscience, as the burden on the economy can be borne by the average person, in their mind! These people have no shame and do not care about the effect their actions have on their communities!

Consider the fact that wealthy people in this country, the top one percent, have 17 percent of all assets and income in this country AFTER payment of all taxes! Is this not an indication of the maldistribution of wealth, and shows how these people have no patriotism or civic concern, as long as they can hoard their money and pass on their massive assets to offspring who will never learn what it is like to face the problems of everyday average people? 🙁

Barack Obama: From “Yes, We Can!” to “Yes, We Did!”

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Barack Obama is beginning an aggressive campaign in the midterm elections, attacking the Republicans as the Party of NO, which they certainly have been!

Instead of being the “gentleman” who is criticized as unwilling to go after the critics of the administration, Obama is showing the courage to hold the GOP accountable for its record, and to go after Republican candidates who, in many cases, if elected, would be worse than those now in office in Washington, DC! 🙁

The slogan during the Presidential campaign was “Yes, We Can!”, and now the new slogan in the midterm campaign is “Yes, We Did!”

This is a well reasoned but easy message to voters: Barack Obama and his administration have accomplished more in domestic policy changes and foreign policy initiatives than any Democratic President since Lyndon B. Johnson and any Republican President since Ronald Reagan!

And realize that there are still 30 months left in this term, with only 18 months finished, so it is obvious many more of the pledges he made during the 2008 campaign will be fulfilled!

People rightfully can be angry and insecure about the future, but if anyone rationally looks at the record of Obama as against what the GOP promises, or what they fail to make specific that they plan to do, how can anyone not see that real progress has been made in what is, unfortunately, a long road to economic recovery?

Common sense is, hopefully, going to rise to the surface between now and November 2!

Obama Appointment Of Medicare-Medicaid Administrator By Recess Appointment Totally Justified!

Ronald 1 Comment

President Obama has appointed Donald Berwick as the head of the Center For Medicare and Medicaid Services as a means to move ahead on the reforms brought about in the Health Care Reform legislation signed into law in March!

The Republicans in the Senate were intending to block the appointment by use of the filibuster, as they have done on many judicial nominees! Their intention has been to do everything to prevent enforcement and establishment of the changes required by the law, as a first step to what they hope is repeal of the legislation!

So Obama is playing “hardball”, not bending anymore to the GOP opposition! By doing this, he may alienate the Republicans, but what is new, as they have shown no intention to cooperate!

Also, recess appointments are nothing new, as past Presidents, and particularly President George W. Bush, utilized this tactic on a regular basis!

Even though there may be some animus created, it is important for President Obama to show that he is not going to be “pushed around” and blocked from doing what is necessary to accomplish his goals in office!

A Conservative Schism Developing Over Afghanistan: An Opening For Obama To Change Policy!

Ronald 1 Comment

Amazingly, Republican National Chairman Michael Steele’s comment last week, that Afghanistan was an unwinnable war, and that history tells us it is a place that was the graveyard for many military forces in the past, has led to an open conservative schism over support of President Obama’s Afghan War strategy!

This offers the President the option to reconsider policy, and change it over the next year, as now we have people on the Right, as well as the Left, who are openly opposed to escalation of the war in Afghanistan!

Among those who criticized Steele were Republican Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney; and Bill Kristol, publisher of The Weekly Standard, and Fox News contributor and commentator; and even Independent Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut!

But at the same time, Ann Coulter, the conservative ideologue, has condemned the war and agreed with Steele! Also, George Will (commentator on ABC News This Week and syndicated columnist); Joe Scarborough (former Florida Congressman and host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe); Pat Buchanan (MSNBC commentator and two time candidate for the GOP Presidential nomination); Tony Blankley (former spokesman for House Speaker Newt Gingrich and commentator); Ron Paul (Texas Congressman, libertarian, and candidate for the GOP Presidential nomination in 2008); and his son, Rand Paul (GOP and Tea Party Movement nominee for Kentucky Senator this fall) all have denounced the war as “Obama’s War” as Michael Steele has done!

This split may seem to be unbelievable, and the author does not wish to try to connect himself to any of these people directly! 🙂 LOL BUT it clearly offers the President the opportunity to say that he tried the “Neoconservative” strategy, and now has come to the conclusion that the conservative opponents of the “neocons” are correct, along with many liberals, and that he has decided to cut our losses, save billions upon billions of dollars in the process, and spend money on the restoration of the American economy and the reinforcement of American security internally against terrorism!

Were he to announce this, with the reality that a majority of Americans are opposed to the Afghanistan war effort as it is, he would restore faith in his administration and improve his odds of being reelected in 2012!

And as far as the “neocons” are concerned, they have had too much dominance under George W. Bush, and it is time to “send them packing”, something that should have been done before they ever had the detrimental impact and influence that they have had over the past decade!

This would be a final repudiation of Dick Cheney as well, and none too soon! 🙁

Glenn Beck University: Propaganda For Fools And The Gullible! :(

Ronald 1 Comment

It is not a new concept to have online education, and online universities!

There are plenty of them, what are called “for profit” universities, and they have come under a lot of suspicion for promising more than they can deliver, charging tremendous levels of tuition and fees, and saddling gullible students into tremendous financial burdens they can ill afford to repay, without being able to open up job opportunities for those who have been promised what cannot be accomplished! 🙁

But now, a new idea has developed, a new manner of “making money” by exploiting gullible and foolish people! Glenn Beck, the radio and Fox News talk show host, has started “Beck University”!

Realize that Glenn Beck never attended college, although he received an honorary doctorate from Liberty University, and can now, therefore, call himself Dr. Beck! He has described himself as primarily an entertainer!

He is, however, also a conspiracy theorist and propagandist par excellence, and he has spread the belief that Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt were dangerous progressives who undermined the United States, both in domestic and foreign policy! He has promoted a very distorted view of American history, and now will have the opportunity to spread the propaganda further, with large amounts of money being gained in the process! 🙁

What qualifies Glenn Beck to start a university? Is this the trend of the future, to have propagandists start online universities and take advantage of gullible, foolish people who will believe that everything taught by the so called “professors” who teach online is accurate and reliable? 🙁

Face the facts: What Glenn Beck is doing is no different than what led to the financial crisis in 2008, that has caused this Great Recession we are living through right now! He is a manipulative, deceitful man, no better than any of the Wall Street crowd who had no shame as they went about their business of enriching themselves, without giving a damn for the effects on average citizens! 🙁

Don’t be surprised if one sees sometime soon a “Sean Hannity University”, a “Rush Limbaugh University”, a “Michelle Bachmann University”, or even a “Sarah Palin University”!

Realize this is all entertainment, pleasing a fawning audience which has no rational thought, but just BELIEVES! 🙁

Will 2010 Be Another 1934? More Likely Than Imagined Today!

Ronald Leave a comment

Only twice has the party in the White House won seats in the midterm elections–1934 and 2002!

2002 was right after the attacks of September 11 the year before, and there was still great support for George W. Bush, so the GOP gained a few seats in 2002–four in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate!

In 1934, the Democrats under Franklin D. Roosevelt gained nine seats in the House and nine in the Senate, an amazing reality considering the unemployment rate was 21.7 percent, down from 24.9, but still unbelievably high!

In 1936, when FDR ran for reelection and swept all but Maine and Vermont, the unemployment rate was still 17.0 percent; and in 1940, it was still 14.6 percent!

FDR was constantly attacked by the Republican opposition, and by demagogues on radio, called a socialist and a communist by many! But still, the American people saw that the President was concerned about them, and was doing everything possible to work on the economic mess, while the opposition was only negative and critical, and had no real alternative to what the Democrats offered!

So while there is a 9.5 percent unemployment rate in early July, 2010, it has not risen to the Reagan high of 10.8 in 1982, having peaked at 10.2 percent months ago!

No one is saying that anyone is happy about the economic situation that exists, but don’t be so sure that the Republican and conservative attacks are really going to have the effect that many believe!

The more the GOP candidates for office speak and comment, and the more research that is done by the Democrats on their backgrounds and records, the more the chance grows that the Democrats will have only small losses in Congress, and with some luck, maybe even some slight gains in one or both houses of Congress!

It is not time in July, 2010, to give up on the Democratic party, which has brought about fundamental change under President Obama, similar to what happened under President Roosevelt almost eighty years ago!

A New Rush Limbaugh Outrage: When Will Republicans Condemn Him? :(

Ronald Leave a comment

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh is infamous for his outrageous statements and signs of prejudice and racism, but now he is, even for him, beyond the pale, in his latest accusation against the Obama Administration!

Rush claims on his radio show that President Obama has purposely put America into an economic downturn because he is black, and wants to wreak revenge on America for the institution of slavery! 🙁

So the President put us into an economic downturn, heh? Apparently, Rush has conveniently forgotten that the economic collapse began under Republican President George W. Bush and Republican Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson!

And does Rush really believe that Obama could imagine that putting us into a deep recession is an appropriate “payback” that he could win support on, and keep his party in control?

Is the President capable of political suicide, willing to self destruct because of resentment over discrimination and racism? Is this really a conspiracy of minorities against the white majority?

If one believes what Rush believes on this issue, then he or she is as paranoid and delusional as Rush is!

But the question is does Rush really believe this, or is this just a way to get attention and make money and divide people?

Face the facts: Rush Limbaugh is a demagogue, who cares for no one except himself, and enriches himself on the stupidity and loony nature of his followers, who in many cases are certifiable!

It is time for Republican leaders to denounce him, as he harms the image of their party with his ranting and raving! 🙁

Delusions Of Grandeur: Michael Steele And Sarah Palin! :(

Ronald Leave a comment

Two of the best known faces in the Republican party are Michael Steele, the controversial and embattled Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the GOP Vice Presidential nominee in 2008!

Michael Steele has been under constant scrutiny for his outrageous and controversial statements as RNC Chair, including his most recent comment which called Afghanistan “Obama”s War”, said it was unwinnable, and that history was the guide of why the war was a lost cause! For that comment, Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, Liz Cheney (daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney), and Bill Kristol (publisher of The Weekly Standard), called for his resignation, even though the last two points Steele made were absolutely correct!

Despite all the controversy surrounding Steele, he has ignored requests to resign, and will apparently survive to finish his two year term to next winter. But now the rumors are that he plans to utilize the news coverage he has gained as RNC Chairman to seek the GOP Presidential nomination in 2012! Is this not delusions of grandeur? It is argued that he has charisma, but the question is does he have the intelligence, the capabilities, to run for President?

Sure, Steele was Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and ran a losing race for Senator from that state. But what makes this man think he is qualified to be what some have said is the “Republican Barack Obama”?

At the same time, there are rumors flying that Sarah Palin may seek to become RNC Chair to succeed Steele! But why would she want to do this?

Supposedly, it would give her more publicity (as if she needed it), having received plenty of such, plus an estimated $12 million for her memoirs and speeches. But IF she was RNC Chair, she would not have the freedom to make the kind of income she has made, and she would not be free, in the way she is now, to use Twitter freely and back and campaign for selected candidates, and on specific issues!

More importantly, how could she become RNC Chair in the beginning of 2011 and also be able, if she desired, to be a GOP candidate for President of the United States in 2012?

Beyond all this, Palin has the tendency to be controversial, even more so than Steele! Is this what the Republican Party needs: Palin as RNC Chair, and Steele as a candidate for President?

Would either development advance the GOP cause for 2012? To the author, that seems highly doubtful! 🙁