Labor

Bobby Jindal Tells Republicans To Stop Being “Stupid” Party! But Is That Possible?

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Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared that the Republican Party has to stop acting “stupid”, and must stop backing no increase in taxes on the wealthy, and insulting the intelligence of voters by crazy statements and viewpoints.

This all sounds very good in theory, but is what Jindal suggests really possible?

The answer is NO, as the following evidence demonstrates:

1, The Republican Party insulted their own history by having loony, nutty, whacky candidates in the race for the Presidency, including Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum. And Santorum made it clear that the Republican Party would never get the backing of intelligent, educated, smart people, which is absolutely the case right now

2. The Republicans settled on Mitt Romney, who looked reasonable in 2011, but in order to win the nomination of his party, totally transformed himself into a mean, nasty, hard hearted candidate who was willing to lie, to deceive, to change his views daily, deny his whole political heritage, and came across ultimately as totally insincere and untrustworthy. Many people found Mitt Romney obnoxious, feeling privileged and entitled, extremely phony to the core, and just wanting the campaign to end so that they no longer had to see his face and hear his voice!

3. Mitt Romney proceeded to pick an absolutely horrible Vice Presidential running mate, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, who came across as totally ideological, and alienated senior citizens and others with his call for privatizing Medicare and Social Security, and his extreme right wing agenda to cut the budget ruthlessly, without ever raising any taxes on the wealthy, who have had a ten year break from reasonable taxation, because of the Bush tax cuts. Ryan helped Romney to lose the “battleground” states, and his appointment showed poor judgment by Romney.

4. The Republican Party declared “war” on women, Hispanics and Latinos, young people wanting to get an education, senior citizens concerned about Social Security and Medicare, the disabled concerned about Medicaid, those who cared about the environment and consumer rights, those who support labor rights, African Americans who saw racism in the GOP message, and many others who were totally turned off to the party message.

5. The conservative media are like poison to the Republican Party, as are the social conservatives who want to interfere with people’s private lives based on promoting theocracy in America, and the Grover Norquist promotion of never, under any circumstances, raising taxes—all of this makes the Republican Party totally toxic to most voters. And of course, the decision to repudiate science in favor of religion shows how backward the party has become.

6. To believe that the Republican Party will change under these circumstances is to be naive, and any change would seem to be phony and just looking for votes, not a sincere reform or conversion.

1912–Triumph Of Progressivism! 2012–Triumph Of Progressivism!

Ronald 2 Comments

A century apart, America veered to the left, and we had a triumph of progressivism both in 1912 and 2012!

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Eugene Debs, and even, to some extent, William Howard Taft, promoted an agenda that would set the standard for the future New Deal and Great Society and ObamaCare.

Now, in 2012, we have institutionalized the New Deal, Great Society, and ObamaCare for the future; and we have seen more women elected to the House and Senate than ever before; we have seen openly gay candidates win in the Senate and House and in local races; we have seen the first Buddhist Senator and Hindu House member from Hawaii elected; we have seen labor help elect a whole group of progressive Democratic Senators across the nation; we have seen Hispanics and Latinos play a major role in politics; we have seen a more progressive House and Senate emerge; we have seen Barack Obama given political capital to bring about greater change in his second term; we have seen the Supreme Court preserved as a balanced body for the long term; we have seen the progressive vision of TR, Wilson, FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, even Nixon and Ford, Carter, and Clinton preserved and enhanced; and we have seen a repudiation of an interventionist foreign policy , as under the neoconservative influence during the Presidency of George W. Bush.

America is moving forward into the 21st century, just as in 1912, we moved forward into the 20th century. We have repudiated, in 1912 and 2012, returning to the 19th century!

The Republican Jewish Coalition, Israel, And Barack Obama: A Total Failure To Change The Jewish Vote

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The Republican Jewish Coalition made every effort to defeat President Barack Obama, but failed miserably!

In 2008, 78 percent of American Jews voted for the Democratic nominee; in 2012, after spreading lies and mistruths about Obama and Israel, the end result was that Obama received 70 percent of the vote, a total smack to the deception practiced by the RJC!

Why did 7 out 10 Jews remain loyal to Obama and the Democrats? The answer is that they knew that Obama had given more aid to Israel than any other President, including the IRON DOME missile system; that the Democrats were the party of social justice, as shown through Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and ObamaCare, along with civil rights legislation, environmental legislation, and stood for women’s rights; and also that the Republican Party wished to cut back on all these accomplishments, including wiping out ObamaCare.

Additionally, many American Jews do not trust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and it is now known that even people within his own government and military feel Netanyahu is too trigger happy, wanting to start a war with Iran before diplomacy has played its course, and that Netanyahu favored the Republicans and Mitt Romney from the beginning. So the question was: Should our President have to bow to every demand and detail that Netanyahu insists upon? Is he our President, instead of Barack Obama? And is it not true that Defense Minister Ehud Barak (former Prime Minister) and President Shimon Peres have raved about the support of Israel by our President?

Face the facts: The RJC was more concerned about preserving the wealth of Boca Raton Jewish residents and others elsewhere who are extremely wealthy, and do not wish to pay their fair share of taxes, as evidenced by the meeting in Florida of wealthy Jews where Mitt Romney said his famous “47 Percent” statement that harmed him greatly in the end result!

Also, Orthodox Jews as a group have a problem with socially tolerant views of abortion and gay rights, and are not seen as great advocates of civil rights for other minorities, other than themselves, sad to say!

And it is not just the RJC that was disgraceful!

It was also House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, the only Jewish Republican on Capitol Hill, who has made it his mission to destroy ObamaCare and privatize Medicare, and is very mean spirited in his relations with the President, and is also well known for his attempts to undermine House Speaker John Boehner, who he would love to replace!

And also, House Republican candidate Adam Hasner of Boca Raton, who lost to Lois Frankel, has the same agenda as Cantor. And Josh Mandel, the GOP nominee who lost to Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, ran a nasty, undignified campaign, and made clear that his goal was to promote the Tea Party radicalism of his party, rather than be part of the great majority who see their faith as connected to social justice!

Fortunately, both Hasner and Mandel lost handily, and it would be no loss to the nation if neither ever runs again, with their agenda to help the rich and powerful, and ignore the needs and wants of women, labor, minorities, gays, and senior citizens!

Theodore Roosevelt’s 154th Birthday: He Would Mourn What His Republican Party Has Become!

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Today is the 154th Anniversary of President Theodore Roosevelt’s birth.

TR is one of the most acclaimed Presidents, often listed as high as 4th all time, just below Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George Washington.

TR is certainly regarded as the second greatest Republican President of all time, behind only Lincoln, unless one chooses to believe the lunacy of conservative propagandist Glenn Beck, who constantly denounces TR, and would put Ronald Reagan higher than TR, and who also has reservations about Lincoln, because correspondence between Lincoln and Karl Marx has been uncovered, which makes some right wing nuts think Lincoln “might” have been a “Socialist”, or a “Communist”, or even the word “Progressive”, which is considered the same thing by Beck, Florida Congressman Allen West, and other right wing lunatics!

TR was a “Progressive” who promoted conservation and the environment; promoted the advance of labor rights; believed in regulation of big business; created the Food and Drug Administration to monitor safety of what Americans consume; and believed later in his life, when he ran as the Progressive Party nominee for President in 1912 that there was a need for health care and labor laws and other aspects of a social safety net. This made TR the forerunner of Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama in advocating more government, more regulation, more social safety net, and concern about the environment.

None of the above is now believed by the Republican Party of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, who wish to repeal everything TR and his successors of both parties believed in!

So it is clear that TR, certainly not perfect but still exceptional in so many ways, would NOT be a Republican today!

But then Abraham Lincoln would not be a Republican today.

Neither would Dwight D. Eisenhower or even Richard Nixon or Gerald Ford, who were condemning the religious extremism of their party in their later years.

And right now, former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee, and former South Dakota Senator Larry Pressler have endorsed President Barack Obama.

And under the surface, not willing to speak up, but clearly uncomfortable with the GOP of 2012, are many other former Republican Governors, Senators, and Congressmen who feel that their party has been “hijacked” by an evil, selfish, greedy, nasty group of weirdos who wish to take away rights from women, labor, minorities, the disabled, the poor, and the middle class, and are refusing to come out openly and endorse Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

The party of Theodore Roosevelt and his “progressivism” and reform is long gone, and sadly, may never return!

If Obama Loses, We Lose MUCH More Than He Loses!

Ronald 4 Comments

President Obama has made the statement that were he to lose the Presidential Election Of 2012, he and Michelle would do just fine, and that is certainly true.

After all, he has been President, will go down in history as a President who had some positive effects on the nation, and will be able to spend the rest of his life with great earnings potential, and rising popularity over time, and would be mourned when he dies, with a state funeral, and always be part of the story of American history.

Being a one term President, he would be likely to have a lower ranking in the list of Presidents, as Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush have had, along with William Howard Taft, Herbert Hoover, and Gerald Ford, the five Presidents of the 20th century who lost reelection.

Obama has had a record deserving of being listed higher, but he needs a second term to reach the ranks of the more outstanding Presidents.

But, ultimately, the biggest loser if Obama is not reelected, are:

Women–who will see their movement toward equality and dignity stalled or reversed in massive ways.

Gay men and women–who will likely lose the advancements on gay rights and gay marriage, and true equality in all ways.

Hispanics and Latinos–who will see more anti immigrant backlash, and will lose the advancements for young Immigrants under the proposed DREAM Act.

African Americans—who will see greater racism and discrimination, and setbacks in the promotion of equality and fairness of treatment.

Labor–who will see more attacks on workers rights, favoritism toward corporate employers, loss of collective bargaining rights, and setbacks in the lives of ordinary, struggling Americans who have no union representation.

Environmentalists–who will see more oil drilling, air pollution, refusal to understand the dangers of climate change, and allow economic development that endangers the health of millions of Americans, all for the motivation of profit over health concerns.

The poor–who have rough lives, will see a lack of concern or action to deal with the reality of child poverty, homelessness, hunger, the lives of single mothers, and further condemnation of the poor, reminding us of the Gilded Age and Social Darwinism.

The Middle Class–who will suffer further degradation, loss of opportunity to advance, and the potential for their children to succeed being lessened dramatically.

Young People–who will have fewer opportunities to advance in education and work, and will be embittered and disillusioned about the American Dream, which will be unfulfilled for millions.

Senior Citizens–who will have to live in fear of dangers to Social Security and Medicare, and will lose the sense of security and contentment in their older years.

The Disabled—whether young, middle aged, or old, who will see a loss of concern and support, as through Medicaid and other government programs.

Civil Libertarians–who will see further erosion of the Bill of Rights, and the promotion of narrow minded views of Muslims and Hispanics-Latinos by government policy.

The Peace activists–who will see America engaged in more wars, because of the power of Neoconservatives who will promote further foreign adventures.

Military Personnel and Veterans–who will see more soldiers killed in the future, and more ignoring of the needs of veterans who are fortunate enough to come home alive.

Educators and Intellectuals–who will be less appreciated and admired, and will be labeled “Communists, Socialists, Terrorists” by people in the Republican Party, who will do everything they can to attack education and freedom of thought, and call critics “unpatriotic”.

So Barack Obama will do just fine if he loses, but we, the American people, will lose so much, and it will transform our lives in so many negative ways that most people cannot conceptualize or imagine!

The Most Crucial Day In the Presidential Election Of 2012!

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Tonight’s debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, is a most crucial day in this election cycle, as it could be the decisive day in deciding who is our next President!

With many public opinion polls showing a Romney “bump” as a result of the first debate two weeks ago, Barack Obama MUST put on a much better performance, and be declared a clear winner!

He must be more assertive and aggressive, without appearing to be arrogant.

He must show that Mitt Romney is deceptive, untrustworthy, and is inconsistent in his views, and how a Romney victory would transform America in ways that many people seem not to be thinking about.

Obama must make it clear of what the dangers are to women, Hispanics and Latinos, African Americans, labor, college students, senior citizens, the environment, and other groups that would suffer under a Romney Presidency.

Obama must explain how the Supreme Court and lower federal courts would be transformed for another generation, setting back the progress of the past 50 years.

Obama must warn America against bold military adventures similar to what happened in Iraq, and how the war there and in Afghanistan have bankrupted the nation.

Obama must show confidence, courage, leadership, and emphasize that things are getting better, and will continue in a second Obama term.

Ultimately, Obama must look the questioners at the debate in the eyes, and at us on television, and tell us that he has our back in planning a bright future, and that we should have his back!

Good luck tonight, Mr. President!

Delusional Derangement Syndrome: A New Conspiracy Theory Being Formulated When Barack Obama Wins A Second Term!

Ronald 6 Comments

Republicans, and conservative talk radio and Fox News Channel, have developed a Delusional Derangement Syndrome—a new conspiracy theory to make a second term of Barack Obama in the Presidency illegitimate.

The “conspiracy” is that the public opinion polls are in the “pocket” of Barack Obama, are being paid off by him to disillusion Mitt Romney voters, so that they do not vote, and therefore, set up the reelection of Barack Obama to a second term in the Presidency. But the shortcoming in this conspiracy theory is that hate motivates those who want Obama to lose, and it will not stop them from voting!

So Obama had no right to be President the first time because he was born in Kenya, and manipulated the people through a conspiracy that elected him by a ten million vote margin, and now he is solidifying his power by manipulating the people to think he cannot lose!

It is obvious that the forces opposed to Obama seriously need medication and psychiatric and psychological counseling, as their hate of the first African American President is so intense that they must conjure up conspiracy theories to explain how he is winning the backing of the American people. Could it just be that Obama understands and cares about the American people, and has been working night and day for four years to do his best to clean up the mess the Republicans created? According to these people, of course not, but they are illegitimate in their crazy thoughts!

The fact that Mitt Romney has shown his true colors, and how he does not give a damn about anyone but the rich, is not considered to be a reason for Obama winning.

The fact that the Republicans are out to destroy Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security is not considered to be a reason for Obama winning.

The fact that the Republicans are working against the interests of women, Latinos and Hispanics, African Americans, labor, environmentalists, senior citizens college students, gays and lesbians, and poor children is not considered to be a reason for Barack Obama winning.

The fact that conservatives are ready to take us into more wars; that they refuse to consider the need for tax increases on the wealthy; that they are very willing to allow religious influence in public policy making; and that they are supportive of preventing any job creation or economic growth in order to defeat Barack Obama, is not seen as reasons for Barack Obama winning.

Conservatives and Republicans, including talk show hosts and Fox News Channel, live in their own parallel universe, but they exude their total hatred and disgust with 99 percent of the American people!

That is why they are going to lose the Presidency and control of Congress in six weeks, because they DESERVE to lose, and to be forced to reorganize, get rid of the loonies and crazies of the Tea Party Movement, or else become part of the dustbin of history, and be replaced by a reasonable, mainstream alternative that the nation can be proud of!

The Growing Possibility Of An Electoral College Landslide For Barack Obama!

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With the “47 Percent” statement of Mitt Romney plaguing him, and causing many Republican candidates to repudiate his assertions, as an attempt to save their own skins, and with polls showing a growing lead for Obama in all of the “swing states” except North Carolina, some observers are starting to wonder if we are at the beginning of an electoral vote landslide in 46 days!

Barack Obama won 28 states in 2008, and is now favored to win all of them except Indiana and North Carolina, but both of those states are now seen as possibly going his way, as they did in 2008.

Additionally, four states—Missouri, Arizona, Montana and Georgia—are thought to be prime Democratic territory in future Presidential elections, as their mix of population favors them turning “blue”, but some wonder if they could be swayed by Romney’s statement–alienating young people, senior citizens, women, labor, veterans, and African American and Hispanic-Latino voters– to come out in droves and turn those states prematurely Democratic.

All this–the potential for 32 states and the District of Columbia to vote for Obama–has already been stated by this author as conceivable, if not likely.

But now, the thought even goes further, as a contribution by someone on this blog believes it is possible to have an even greater landslide, with the potential, in this person’s mind, for Obama to win 44 states as the 44th President, matching electoral landslides for Presidents including Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan!

This person feels only six states are safe for Romney–Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.

This author feels that this belief is too optimistic, and would add West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska , Kansas and Alaska to this list—making only 13 states truly safe now for Romney!

So this author would say that 37 states are possible–adding South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, North Dakota, and South Dakota to the potential list, due to the events of the Presidential campaign!

So were Obama to win all but the 13 states mentioned above, he would have a grand total of
462 electoral votes to 76 for Mitt Romney!

This is not likely, but it is possible, so stay tuned!

The Long Range Direction Of American Presidential Politics: Democratic Party Ascendancy!

Ronald 1 Comment

When one examines the move of the Republican Party toward the far Right, under the control of extremist elements, and only attracting white males in large numbers, whether wealthy or working class, a strange alliance to say the least, one realizes that the future direction of the nation, particularly on the Presidential level, is toward Democratic Party ascendancy in future Presidential elections.

Barack Obama is well on his way to a second term, as explained by the Electoral College math, and will win somewhere between 288 at the least, and 398 at the most, in electoral votes. He will win between 23 and 32 states, plus the District of Columbia.

With the Hispanic and Latino population growing by leaps and bounds, and continuing in that trend over the next decade, five states that conceivably could go to Obama in 2012, but probably won’t, will become more likely “blue” by 2016 and 2020—Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Arizona and Georgia.

But even those states that have a high unemployment rate now, which means they might go to Mitt Romney—Florida, North Carolina, Colorado and Nevada—will most likely go Democratic in the future, due to their growing Hispanic and Latino population.

The four states that have lower than average unemployment rates and are seen as likely to go to President Obama—New Hampshire, Virginia, Ohio, and Iowa—are also likely to go Democratic in future Presidential campaigns, with the higher Hispanic and Latino population there too!

So even if Obama cannot win the maximum of 32 states, future Democratic nominees for President have a good chance of winning that number of states, and therefore win overwhelmingly in the Electoral College!

And added to this is the state of Texas, which by 2020, if not 2016, could revert back to the Democratic Party because of the rapidly growing Hispanic and Latino population, making for a maximum potential of 33 states, plus the District of Columbia, and a potential grand total of 436 electoral votes out of 538, leaving only 102 electoral votes for the Republicans from 17 states—South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Alaska!

Of course, the person who is the nominee, and the events at the time, will decide if the Democrats really can win all but 17 states, and all but 102 electoral votes,so nothing is guaranteed.

But if the Republican Party continues to alienate the Hispanic and Latino population, plus African Americans, women, young people who are socially liberal, senior citizens who are fearful of the GOP plans on Social Security and Medicare, environmentalists, labor supporters, gays and lesbians, and those against foreign interventions on a regular basis, then indeed the Democrats could become a majority in Presidential races, and have a greater chance of controlling Congress and many state legislatures in future decades!

Joe Biden: The Major Jewel And Treasure Of The Obama Re-Election Campaign!

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Vice President Joe Biden is a true jewel, a true treasure, for the Barack Obama re-election campaign, and insures that we will have a second Obama term in the Presidency!

Critics point out that Joe Biden sometimes “puts his foot in his mouth” and makes comments that are embarrassing or awkward. The answer of this blogger is “so what?” as no one is perfect, and Biden has never harmed anyone, including Barack Obama, by his blunders, only at times embarrassing himself!

Joe Biden is a dedicated, highly experienced public official, who now has FORTY years in government, 36 as an outstanding Democratic Party United States Senator, and now four years as Vice President!

He knows foreign policy and constitutional matters in a way few do, as he was intimately involved as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee at crucial times in the past four decades.

He has been a very dedicated Vice President, very close to the President, and Obama himself has stated that Biden helped get the economic recovery program begun, and also helped to bring about the logistics to end the war in Iraq. He has given more advice to Obama than just these areas, has not always carried the day, but is highly valued for his expertise and wisdom.

Biden has added distinction and decency to the Vice Presidency, after the arrogant and scandalous Vice Presidency of Dick Cheney!

One could make the case that Biden has been more significant in a positive way to Barack Obama than any Vice President, and competes for influence with Al Gore under Bill Clinton and Walter Mondale under Jimmy Carter. Obama and Biden have great respect and affection for each other, which is also very important!

Biden gave a rousing, fantastic speech for the President at the Democratic National Convention, and he will matter more than anyone in the re-election campaign, as he has the ability to appeal to white blue collar workers, Catholics, labor, and women, due to his close association with these groups during his years in the Senate, and the reality that he is a rare politician, a truly genuine, sincere spokesmen for those who are not wealthy, and just want a fair shake in life!

The upcoming Biden-Paul Ryan Vice Presidential debate on October 11 will give the nation a clear cut image of a fighting Vice President who is nearing 70 years of age, but is still vital and alert and brilliant in his oratory and commitment, against a young 42 year old ideologue, who probably will come into the debate with a cockiness and arrogance and assumption that he will “win” the debate, despite his constant lying about his record on so many issues. Biden will teach Ryan to “respect his elders”, and show how dangerous it would be for the Wisconsin Republican Congressman to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency!

And yes, Joe Biden is interested in seeking the Presidency in 2016, when he would hit the age of 74, and although there will be a long list of potential Democratic nominees a generation or more younger, don’t ever underestimate Joe Biden and his future, as he has often shown the ability to surprise people with his ability to overcome adversity in his life!