Day: July 24, 2012

Bill Clinton And Mitt Romney: Two “Draft Dodgers”, But With A Difference!

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In 1992, Presidential nominee Bill Clinton was constantly attacked for having avoided the draft during the Vietnam War, using his talents to evade service. Clinton, however, demonstrated against the war, so was principled about his opposition to the conflict that he avoid serving in.

But then there is the case of Mitt Romney, who also evaded the war, got draft deferments, and instead, used the excuse of being a Mormon missionary in France in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

But the difference is that Mitt Romney publicly expressed support of the war, held signs supporting the war, and advocated others joining the war!

Which is more to be condemned? The man who evades service on principle, or the man who evades service while supporting the war and the draft of OTHERS, but not his privileged self?

The author thinks you know the answer!

Victims Of Aurora, Colorado Massacre Also Unable To Afford Life Insurance Or Health Care Coverage In Many Cases, So Victimized In A Different Way!

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Twelve people died in Aurora, Colorado, due to the insanity of James Holmes.

It is certain that many did not have life insurance, being young and not concerned about such things, and also unable to afford it, and now their funerals are a financial burden on their families.

Also, 58 people were wounded, many seriously, and it is certain that very few had health care coverage, so for those with severe wounds and lifetime disabilities, they will face a medical bill for life of millions of dollars, not able to be paid by them as things stand, but ruining their credit for life!

We have millions of Americans who mourn what happened in Colorado, but will we see the wealthiest among us volunteer, including Mitt Romney, to contribute to the health care costs and funeral costs of the victims?

The answer is most certainly NO, as those who are fortunate among us have no concern for anything but their mounting wealth, and to avoid taxes!

Why should they contribute to help the needy, when the Republican philosophy is to have no concern for those less fortunate?

This is the biggest scandal of all about this tragedy, and is another argument for the idea that ALL Americans should be entitled to health care, no matter what the cost, as health care should be an entitlement, not a privilege, for all!

The Voter ID Laws: Based On Lies And A Denial Of The Voting Rights Act Of 1965!

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Many states, all controlled by Republican Governors and legislatures, are systematically violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in an attempt to fix the Presidential Election of 2012 in favor of GOP candidate Mitt Romney!

After having manipulated the results in the Presidential Election of 2000, with the help of the partisan Republican Supreme Court, now strict photo ID laws are being imposed to cripple the ability of the elderly, the poor, the young, and minorities to vote, knowing full well that these groups would be likely to vote Democratic for Barack Obama!

Claiming that there has been voter fraud in the past, when there are almost no such examples, now the state of Pennsylvania has openly admitted there is NO evidence of such fraud, but still they want to disenfranchise people, a violation of the civil rights laws, and a disgrace to the idea of democracy!

So the Republican Party is saying that the only way they can win is by denying people the right to vote, and also spending inordinate amounts of money to “buy” the election!

What a disgrace for a political party to be stifling the will of the people!

Some Facts About Guns In America: The Toll They Take!

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Every day in America, 87 Americans are killed by gun violence, close to four per hour!

Every day in America, 183 Americans are wounded by gun violence, close to eight per hour!

Every year in America, about 1,000 young people under the age of 21 are shot, about three per day!

Gun violence cost annually is about $100 billion, which could be used for health care or education, instead of the cost of the suffering that guns produce!

One would think such statistics would be more than enough reason for sane, rational people to say it is time for gun regulations to prevent acquisition of large amounts of ammunition, and to ban totally any possibility of assault weapons.

But of course, there is too much profit in gun sales, and the National Rifle Association enriches itself and its leadership, by stirring its members into a frenzy that legitimate purchase and use of guns would ever be totally banned!

Two Distinguished Women Set Records: Hillary Clinton And Susan Collins

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America is fortunate to have some women leaders in government who make us proud!

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently visited her 100th nation in her role as our chief foreign policy expert in the past three and a half years, surpassing the first woman Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in that regard!

And Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, just about the ONLY Republican to applaud in the US Senate after the retirement this year of her colleague, Olympia Snowe, and Indiana Republican Richard Lugar, set an amazing record.

Since she came to the Senate in 1997, she has never missed a roll call vote, and just cast her 5,000th vote, quire an achievement.

So in the midst of cynicism about politics, let us salute Clinton and Collins for a job well done, and wish for more such cases among both women and men in our government!

Mitt Romney And Foreign Policy: What Foreign Policy?

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee, spoke before the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention today, and attacked President Barack Obama on his foreign policy.

Romney said that Obama has apologized for America overseas, and has said that Obama does not believe in American exceptionalism, both assertions totally fabricated.

Romney said that Obama has not stood fully behind Israel, when despite some differences personally between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , Obama has fully backed Israel’s security.

Romney failed to mention Obama’s role in fighting terrorism and eliminating Osama Bin Laden, and his role in helping to push Moammar Gaddafi out of power in Libya, for obvious reasons.

Romney in reality has NO foreign policy, except to threaten an immediate war on Iran, allowing the neoconservatives who took us into unnecessary war in Iraq, to have growing influence.

Romney is a man without “cajones”, as he allows right wing evangelical Christians and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform to push him into support, even though his previous record would show he has taken a different stand in the past.

This is a man without conviction or principles, and has ZERO foreign policy experience!

Some might say that Barack Obama had the same situation, but actually, as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for four years, he dealt with foreign policy more than Romney has ever done!

Romney’s total foreign policy background is serving as a Mormon missionary trying to convert people in France to avoid military service; taking vacations overseas with his family; and doing business dealings with Israeli Prime Minister Behjamin Netanyahu back in the 1970s.

Mitt Romney has no clue on foreign policy, and would allow himself to be manipulated by the warmonger neoconservatives.

Foreign policy is Barack Obama’s strongest stand, and this is not the time to experiment on such a crucial area as foreign policy!