Abortion

Senior Citizens And The Romney-Ryan Threat To Social Security, Medicare, And Medicaid

Ronald 2 Comments

For a long time, it has been believed that senior citizens have been more likely to vote Republican than any other age group in the 2012 Presidential campaign!

Senior citizens as a group are seen as less likely to support abortion, gay rights and gay marriage, and sadly, some have a problem with having an African American President as well. Also, religious beliefs are often more important to many senior citizens, so that makes a majority of them likely to be conservative and vote Republican.

But forgotten is that these senior citizens have greatly benefited from “liberal” Democratic programs such as Social Security under Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, and Medicare and Medicaid under Lyndon B. Johnson and the Great Society,, and with their longevity, they are really gaining a lot more than probably future generations will benefit from these prograrms.

And many senior citizens sense that what Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan represent is a threat to them, even though there are claims that it will not affect anyone on these programs, or within ten years of going on these programs.

But then, many of these senior citizens also are concerned that their children under 55 will be forced onto a voucher program under the Paul Ryan plan on Medicare, and that Medicaid will be cut, and that Social Security could be privatized as well for the future, endangering what they and their children have contributed to for generations.

So now, the belief is developing that it is possible that senior citizens may be reconsidering their support of Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, as, after all, they are a combination of an extremely wealthy former Governor, who has never had to struggle, and a young Congressman who has inherited millions from his in laws, and has done very well on his own for a man of 42 years of age!

In other words, are these candidates able to understand the hopes and fears of average people, both senior citizens and their children who are under 55, but have paid into Medicare and Social Security for decades?

The answer is clearly NO!

The Capture Of The Republican Party By Right Wing Zealots: A Threat To America’s Future!

Ronald 2 Comments

Sadly, as has been stated in many posts on this blog, the Republican Party of Lincoln, TR, Ike, and even Ford, Reagan, and the Bushes, has been taken captive by right wing zealots, who have managed to make Mitt Romney follow their lead, and add ideologue Paul Ryan to his Presidential ticket for 2012.

The fact that Romney and Ryan are peddling propaganda, lies, and myths at an extraordinary rate, and managing to fool millions of Americans to think that the party represents their interests, is mind boggling.

This week, at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, we have an opportunity to explode the myths that have been built up by the GOP, and to show just how dangerous the party has become, as it has left the mainstream and become a party no one with intelligence and a sense of history could possibly endorse.

There is a need to purge the evil elements of the party, in order to save it for the future competition for power, or else a new party will have to replace it sometime soon!

When a party can allow religious conservatives to control a woman’s future even on the subject of rape as suggested by Missouri Congressman Todd Akin, and to demand vaginal probes before an abortion will be allowed, as Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia promoted, then we know that the party has been seized by the extremism of Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council.

And the Family Research Council, judged a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its extreme promotion of hatred toward LGBT people, and lacking concern for teenagers harassed for their sexuality to the point of suicide, adds concern for the future of tolerance and open mindedness in America.

The growing influence of a supposed historian, David Barton, who is rewriting the history of America as a “Christian” nation, and has been denounced by reputable historians for his distorted views of all kinds of personalities and issues, is having an effect on the Texas schoolbook adoption of standards of what is taught, which affects the whole nation. Barton has no credentials to be called an “expert” on the truth and reality of American history, but carries a lot of weight in GOP circles, nevertheless.

Meanwhile, Kris Kobach, the Kansas Secretary of State, has gained a lot of influence in promotion of anti immigrant legislation, including the laws in Arizona and Alabama. He has also been a leader in voter suppression activities, action against gay rights, support of no limits on guns, and has also promoted hysteria against so called “Sharia” or Muslim religious laws, which actually have no effect or impact, but are talked about to stir up insecure citizens to think we are about to be taken over by Muslims.

Additionally, Dick Armey, former GOP House Majority Leader in the 1990s, has worked to promote Tea Party takeover in the House and Senate, and is actively involved now in the races that led to Richard Mourdock, Debbie Fischer, and Ted Cruz winning Senate nominations in Indiana, Nebraska, and Texas.

Additionally, the no tax increase crowd, no matter what the circumstances, continues to hold sway with the power and influence of Grover Norquist of Americans For Tax Reform, as his group is called.

The dangers represented by what Bob McDonnell, Todd Akin, Tony Perkins, David Barton, Kris Kobach, Dick Armey, and Grover Norquist promote is massive, and Americans need to understand the threat to our social, economic and political future represented by the right wing zealots in the Republican party that has fallen on difficult times, and needs to be cleansed!

Romney And Ryan: Spreading Lies And Myths Unashamedly!

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Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are setting a record for spreading the most lies and myths of any Presidential campaign team in American history!

Apparently, it does not matter that even Fox News Channel and the Wall Street Journal are calling them out for making their own facts, along with other news media!

What are the lies and myths?

Barack Obama is cutting Medicare benefits for recipients, when Paul Ryan’s plan is to make Medicare a voucher system and raise the age for eligibility for future recipients from 65 to 67.

Barack Obama is to blame for the downgrading of America’s credit rating, when it was the GOP Congressional leadership that refused to raise the debt limit before the deadline, and everyone knows that to be the fact.

Barack Obama has added more to the national debt than all Presidents before him, while in reality the Republican Presidents are responsible for more debt than Democratic Presidents, and much of the debt increase is due to Bush policies, including war spending, the unpaid for prescription drug plan, the Great Recession that occurred under George W. Bush, and the constantly growing interest on the national debt, no matter who is the President.

Barack Obama is ending the work requirement under welfare, while in fact that is not the case, and many GOP Governors have asked for the right to use different plans on welfare that change the requirements under the Bill Clinton welfare to work plan.

The Janesville, Wisconsin auto plant, in Ryan’s home district, was shut down by Barack Obama, while it was actually ordered to close in 2008 during the Bush Administration, and Obama worked to save the auto industry in the Midwest successfully, once he came to office, and Mitt Romney wanted the industry to go bankrupt.

The Republicans want to protect the poor and the sick, when in actual fact, they wish to cut food stamps, Pell Grants, and other assistance to the poor, including a drastic cut in Medicaid, under the Ryan budget plan.

Barack Obama raised taxes on the middle class, when in actuality, he LOWERED taxes for the middle class.

Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney are against the statements of Todd Akin about rape and abortion, when in reality Ryan sponsored legislation on the matter with Akin, and both Ryan and Romney had no problem with the party plank on abortion, which opposed abortion on any grounds whatsoever.

Higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations harm economic growth, when pursuing exactly that policy spurred the greatest economic growth in American history under Bill Clinton in the 1990s.

Barack Obama has created no job growth, when he has, in reality, presided over greater job growth in the past three and a half years than eight years under George W. Bush.

Barack Obama has been involved in his administration in an “apology tour”, and has favored Muslim nations, when in fact he has never “apologized” for America, and has been aggressive in pursuit of Muslim terrorists in Al Qaeda and the Taliban, killing more terrorists than anyone could ever have imagined, and also was able to get rid of Osama Bin Laden and Moammar Gaddafi.

Both Romney and Ryan and other Republicans wanted Obama to succeed, when there is no doubt that all Republicans made it their mission to insure that Obama would be a one term President with no accomplishments, which they well know has not been the case, as he has accomplished more in one term than any President since Lyndon B. Johnson domestically, has changed the image of America to a positive one in the world, and has made as much progress in the worst times of an economic downturn as Franklin D. Roosevelt did in his first term during the Great Depression, similarly making progress against difficult economic times, but not resolving the crisis in one term, but being attacked as Socialist, Communist, radical, Fascist by right wing critics!

The lies and myths will not carry the day, and Barack Obama will be reelected as FDR was in 1936, although not by the massive landslide of FDR!

Actor And Director Clint Eastwood: Not Really A Republican In 2012

Ronald 1 Comment

Actor and director Clint Eastwood made a fool of himself last night with his rambling, weird speech at the Republican National Convention, and it was plain strange that he even was speaking at the convention

Eastwood has voted for Democrats before, and while calling himself a Republican, he does not fit in well with the 2012 GOP.

Why is this so?

Well, Eastwood is pro choice on abortion.

He is pro gay rights and supports same sex marriage.

He believes in global warming and climate change as real.

He was against our involvement in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, and believes America should not be involved in foreign interventions, and avoid being a global policeman.

Is this a Republican in 2012? The answer is NO!

What The Republican Party Used To Be And No Longer Is–Rest In Peace!

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The Republican Party of the past stood against slavery and slavery expansion, and for racial equality and civil rights, in the age of Abraham Lincoln.

The Republican Party of the past stood for progressive reform in the Progressive Era of Theodore Roosevelt, for conservation of natural resources, labor rights, and the rights of women.

The Republican Party of the 1960s and 1970s used the words “moderate” and “progressive” in its party platforms, and backed wage and price controls under Richard Nixon; support for an equal rights amendment for women; called for help for minority groups; federal funding for mass transit projects; advocated voting rights for Washington, DC in the House of Representatives and US Senate; promoted environmental standards; supported civil rights protesters; backed immigration and rights of workers in a broad context; supported expansion of Social Security; called for campaign finance reform to overcome the power and influence of political action committees; and avoided a stand on abortion rights, acknowledging the controversy over it after Roe V. Wade in 1973, but not condemning abortion until 1980.

The Republican Party of past eras—Lincoln, TR, and the 1960s and 1970s—was a moderate, mainstream party, and could work and negotiate with Democrats.

That is no longer true in the age of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, where even a “moderate” Republican in Massachusetts ten years ago is now selling his soul to the emergent right wing of the party, against all of the principles of the historic Republican Party!

One could say that the GOP is in a state where it could be declared RIP–Rest in Peace!

Two Weeks In: Is Paul Ryan A Positive For Mitt Romney?

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Tomorrow morning, it will have been two weeks since Paul Ryan was selected as the GOP Vice Presidential nominee.

The question is whether or not it has been a positive for Mitt Romney and the Republican Party.

The answer is both yes and no, but with the no side more obvious!

In a positive way, Paul Ryan has come across as a photogenic candidate, a man who is intelligent, bright, and an outstanding speaker at political events, and in the latter area, far outdistancing Mitt Romney, his running mate.

But on the negative side, the political focus has been on issues that harm him and the Republican Party, going into their convention in Tampa next Monday to Thursday.

The first week was dominated by his proposal to make Medicare a voucher program for future Medicare recipients, and while many observers give Ryan credit for his courage in pushing the idea in his Ryan budget, it is clearly a negative on the campaign trail, scaring many seniors who, theoretically, will not be affected by the plan, since it only affects those under 55. It also antagonizes many who are a bit younger than 55, and do not appreciate that what they are paying for in payroll taxes may lead to a system far less supportive of them when they are seniors, than their older brothers and sisters or parents are entitled to.

The fact that Paul Ryan supported every spending program of the Bush Administration, and wishes to avoid any spending cuts for defense, although he originally supported such cuts, also hurts.

As bad as the Medicare and spending issues have been, the abortion, rape and Todd Akin controversy this past week has done a tremendous amount of damage among a majority of women, particularly since Ryan had the same view on the subject as Akin, while the GOP was throwing Akin “under the bus”, so to speak. And since Akin refused to leave the Missouri Senate race, he is an albatross around Ryan’s and Romney’s neck for the remainder of the campaign.

So in antagonizing senior citizens, and those near senior citizen status, in the not so distant future, and women who have a sense of dignity and pride about the control of their own bodies, Paul Ryan has been much more a negative factor than a positive one.

And the ultimate irony is that he has provided, basically, no “bump” for Mitt Romney, far less than Sarah Palin did in the beginning for John McCain four years ago!

“Emperor” Mitt Romney Refuses To Answer Questions Of Reporters: A Sign Of Trouble In The Future Of A Secretive Presidency If Romney Wins!

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Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has decided that he will not permit some reporters the right to ask questions about topics he does not like, such as Todd Akin and Abortion. He did so with a local Colorado reporter.

Mitt Romney is acting like an Emperor, decreeing what may be asked of him! Does he intend to do that in the Presidential debates in October? It is reported that he was furious and livid at the choice of the four debate moderators, and was considering refusing to attend.

Well, Mitt, go ahead—don’t answer questions of reporters you don’t want to answer! Act like you are a dictator in a third world nation! Act worse than even Richard Nixon in your attitude toward the press! Refuse to attend the Presidential debates! Go ahead, act like you are privileged, since you obviously think you are entitled to follow your own rules! Let the American people see you for the arrogant, nasty individual you really are!

Let the American people be fully aware of who you are, so that they can reject you, realizing that the likelihood of antagonism toward the press leads to secrecy in government, and corruption resulting, and the odds are very high that this will occur.

Mitt Romney has become the most insufferable candidate we have ever seen asking for support of the American people!

In 75 days, Mitt Romney can go back to private life, and be an arrogant prima donna, and we will not miss you!

Republican Party Platform So Far To The Right Politically That It Cannot Appeal To Moderates And Independents!

Ronald 1 Comment

The Republican Party is formulating its platform a week before the Republican National Convention in Tampa next week, and it is so far to the Right politically, that it will have the effect of alienating to moderates and Independents!

The platform denies any abortions, no matter whether due to rape, incest, or life of the mother.

The platform takes a harsh stand on immigration, in line with the Arizona and Alabama laws now being sued in federal court by the Justice Department.

The platform supports strict ID voters laws, designed to suppress the votes of the young, the elderly, the poor, and minorities.

The platform supports the Ryan budget, including the privatization of Medicare and the massive tax cuts for the wealthy, while cutting Food Stamps, Pell Grants, and other programs for the middle class and the poor.

The platform refuses to accept gay rights, including gay marriage, but also rejects any recognition of civil unions, keeping gay Americans second class citizens!

These are just some of the outrageous planks in the GOP platform, and it is impossible to imagine that sane people will wish to support such a vindictive, extremist platform that would be designed to undermine the rights, freedoms, and privileges of millions of Americans!

Moderate Republicans will flee from a party they no longer recognize, and Independents will, by large margins, swing over to the Democrats, because there will be no alternative choice that is rational and reasonable!

The Republican “War On Women” Continues: The Blunt Amendment Revived, And The War On Planned Parenthood!

Ronald 2 Comments

Missouri Republican Senator Roy Blunt has become infamous for promoting an amendment to the health care law, which would allow employers to decide what kinds of health care their employees should be denied, based on their own completely arbitrary definition of what is “immoral”! The Blunt Amendment was defeated in the Senate, but has now been revived in the House Appropriations Committee. It is, without question, part of a “War On Women”, as well as a war on health care for all employees, both female and male!

The war on Planned Parenthood, which utilizes only three percent of its funding for abortion services, continues, as the desire to redefine rape, and to fight to prevent contraception, continues, The fact is that contraception helps to avoid pregnancies for women who do not want more children, and will be impoverished by such pregnancies, and could prevent abortions altogether if contraception was not being utilized as a political “football” by the Republicans, including the Republican women in Congress, who as stated in earlier entries on this blog, seem to be an alien force from outer space!

It is beyond normal behavior to understand why the Republican Party has chosen to continue the “War On Women”, when it can only further alienate the female population, already a majority Democratic. And the fact that the men, and even the women in the party apparatus, both in Congress and the state legislatures, are willing to attack the rights of their mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters is beyond comprehension!

Is Mitt Romney A Pathological Liar?

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential nominee, is looking worse every day he is on the campaign trail.

Romney is demonstrating to millions of Americans that he has, sadly, what seems like a pathological liar syndrome!

He has “flip flopped” on every issue he has ever taken a stand on, since he first ran for public office in 1994 against Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts, when he said he would be to the left of Kennedy on abortion and gay rights!

He told us “RomneyCare” was good for Massachusetts, but now wishes to obliterate “ObamaCare”, despite the fact that the Supreme Court has upheld it, and it has brought great benefits to millions of Americans, who would now lose those benefits!

Romney has refused to release any tax returns except for 2010, and has delayed submitting his 2011 taxes, even though his father, George Romney, had released 12 years of tax returns back in the 1960s, and EVERY other candidate for the Presidency, including recent GOP nominees John McCain and George W. Bush did so, and even potential running mate Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota Governor, did a complete vetting when considered for Vice President with John McCain in 2008!

Romney has sent a large portion of his massive fortune to accounts in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda (rather than the mistake of the author, who had previously said the Bahamas), and Switzerland, and refuses to release any information about those accounts

Romney refuses also to give more details about his years at Bain Capital, about his governorship in Massachusetts, and even denies remembering the bullying of a schoolmate in high school that others remember vividly! And he also thinks that putting a dog on the roof of an automobile for many hours while on a vacation trip is something that a dog, or any pet, would automatically love!

Romney’s body language reveals so much about him, and his failure to look people or the camera directly in the eye, also reveals that he is constantly lying!

Now there are reports, not yet proven, that he and his son Tagg MIGHT have been involved in a Ponzi scheme, which, even if not proved true, cannot surprise anyone who has watched him dart back and forth when answering questions, or making daily changes in his stand on issues!

One has to say: Is this what the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln, TR, and Ike wants as the inheritor of their traditions and beliefs, which made the party a great institution historically?

Is this what the American people deserve–a conniving, open faced liar, who seems not even to know he is lying and covering up, since it seems pathological in nature?

One would have to worry about high level corruption under a Romney Presidency, since the top one percent would have a “field day”, with secretiveness, paranoia, and personal insecurity returning to the White House!

If this sounds like Richard Nixon returning, in many ways it would be, EXCEPT that Nixon, believe it or not, also had real PRINCIPLES mixed in with his faults and shortcomings,while Romney is just a very wealthy guy who wants power for power’s sake and to enrich his friends and his own pockets!

Now some might say, come on, ALL politicians are crooks, are self servers, are liars!

To which the answer is YES, MANY are, although not all! But there are levels of lying, and being self serving, and Mitt Romney is the true champion on the top of the heap in that regard!

America deserves better and can do better than Mitt Romney!