liberals

Rick Santorum The Promoter of Class Warfare, Not Barack Obama!

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Republicans have, on a regular basis, accused President Barack Obama of promoting “class warfare”, because he promotes the concept that the wealthy have been very fortunate, with the biggest tax cuts in history during the Bush and early Obama years, and must start to pay their fair share of taxes to help support the national commitments and responsibilities.

But actually, it is Rick Santorum, above all, who is promoting class warfare, by advocating an anti elitist view about the news media, colleges and universities, and liberals, blaming them for reporting what is going on, and promoting investigation of the mess created by the Bush Administration and the Republican Party during the years they controlled the national government, and advocating open inquiry and analysis and thinking, rather than accepting what we are told is the ultimate truth from a man who advocates religion in government, rather than separation of church and state.

Santorum is trying to organize blue collar whites who are not educated beyond high school and have a much higher unemployment rate against white collar workers and college educated people who have a much lower unemployment rate.

Instead of seeing that education is the road to success and the stable middle class, and despite the fact that Santorum himself has three college and university degrees and will certainly hope his own children will get a college education to advance themselves economically over a lifetime, Santorum calls educated people snobs, and Obama is blamed for promoting a better life for the future generation!

This campaign pitch of Santorum is promotion of resentment, anger, and against the role of education in attainment of life’s goals. It is sick, insane, destructive of social mobility for the future of the nation, and Santorum needs to be repudiated in a massive way by his party, but they seem unwilling to take him on, and they are therefore promoting further degradation of the middle and working classes by NOT advocating what Obama says is necessary for success–as much education as any young person can handle, rather than a drive to the bottom!

If the blue collar whites of the Midwest back Rick Santorum, they are guaranteeing their continued decline into poverty and degradation!

Santorum’s pitch is the closest to that of Pat Buchanan in 1992 and George Wallace in 1968, but he is more of a threat to be the standard bearer of a major political party, and this could, therefore, be a calamity in the making!

Rick Santorum Declares War On Two Democratic Presidents: John F. Kennedy And Barack Obama!

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum continues to rampage in his “cultural war” against liberals, progressives, and the Democratic Party.

He seems not to understand that what he is doing is political suicide, and if he is selected as the Republican nominee for President, a disaster awaits the party.

Establishment Republicans realize this, and can only hope that Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor, can stop Santorum’s ascent in the 14 primaries coming up in the next eight days.

Santorum is stopping at nothing, not only attacking President Barack Obama, but also President John F. Kennedy.

Santorum continued his attack this past weekend on Barack Obama as an elitist, and a snob, for promoting higher education for all young people, continuing to assert that Obama is trying to poison the minds of young people, making them liberal and hating religion, and promoting indoctrination.

And he has attacked Kennedy’s declaration of the absolute separation of church and state that Kennedy uttered during the Presidential campaign of 1960, stating that religion should be part of government as the Founding Fathers intended, except for the fact that they were very clear in agreeing with Kennedy’s statement that religion and politics should not mix.

Santorum seems to be totally out of control, and one can wonder whether he has ever been able to accept those who disagree with him, as he still does not have even one US Senator and only three House members from Pennsylvania willing to endorse him.

The theocracy he is promoting will not be accepted by the American people, and hopefully, Republican primary voters will realize the dangers he presents and repudiate him finally, and send him back to Pennsylvania, where he should be, helping his poor wife and older children take care of his very sick three year old daughter, instead of pontificating on what he calls the “truth”, which is totally false!

The “family values” candidate needs to focus on his own family, and stop pursuing his ego that he is qualified and acceptable to be the President of the United States, which he most certainly is not. There is no way that he could ever unite the American people in any fashion!

The Clash Of The Future Now: Arizona As Ground Zero

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The state of Arizona is a perfect example of a right wing state clashing with the future, and it is now Ground Zero.

This is the state of Governor Jan Brewer, just about the most despicable woman politician, not an easy thing to say when one thinks of Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, but she fits the bill with her words and actions, including her disrespect shown to the President Barack Obama by pointing her finger at him, and lying about it and many other things.

This is the state of Senator Jon Kyl, thankfully retiring at the end of this year, with his former respectable image destroyed by evidence of bias, prejudice, and loads of stupid statements in the past few years.

This is the state of Senator John McCain, once respectable and moderate, but now old and grouchy and ready to take America into another Middle Eastern war anytime.

This is the state of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, being investigated on charges of violating the rights of prisoners and mistreatment of Hispanics, whether legal or illegal, and not caring about image or violations and abuses, as he promotes a “tough guy” image embarrassing to his state.

This was the state of Russell Pearce, who thankfully was recalled by the voters of his state senate district, but was infamous for anti immigrant and pro gun legislation seen as very extreme.

This is the state of Paul Babeu, Pinal County Sheriff, another “tough guy” and hardline against illegal immigration, who is now shown to have had a sexual relationship with an Hispanic male, which has now become a scandal and will hamper his attempt to serve as a Republican in the next Congress.

This is the state which has a state senate which has banned ethnic studies courses for Hispanics as undermining their “Americanism”, and a state legislature which passed the infamous SB 1070 immigration bill now being challenged by the US government in court.

This is the state which has been judged by NATIONAL JOURNAL to have the second most conservative House of Representatives delegation, only behind, regrettably, my resident state of Florida. Notice that I say “resident”, as this author and blogger still identifies as a New Yorker, the state he lived in, went to school in, and worked in, until moving to Florida in 1989. The fact that New York’s House delegation is rated seventh most liberal, behind only Hawaii and five New England states makes this author proud!

Getting back to Arizona, the state, despite these disgraceful “public servants” and legislative record of discrimination and prejudice, is rapidly changing demographically, and can best be described as having two groups migrating to the state over time—older white retirees, and young Hispanics and Latinos, which guarantees continued clashes, but with young Hispanics and Latinos having the advantage for the future.

Thirty percent of Arizona is now Hispanic, compared to 58 percent white, and over the next decade, it is possible that whites will become less than the majority of Arizonans, and this will affect its politics dramatically.

Some think Arizona could go to Barack Obama, in the Presidential Election of 2012, although that still seems unlikely. But by 2020 and after, the Democrats will have a great advantage, as will be the case in Texas as well.

So the white population is facing a future in which it will NOT control the agenda, the state legislature, or the House delegation or the Senate seats. This is the clash of the future, already displaying itself now, as Arizona is becoming Ground Zero in the recognition of the transformation of America that will be national in the next generation!

Bill Clinton PBS Documentary Reminds Us Of What We Wished To Forget: The Depth Of Republican And Conservative Venom Of Twenty Years Ago Which Remains Today!

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Last night, and continuing tonight, PBS is presenting another part of its great AMERICAN EXPERIENCE series on the Presidency, finally doing a four hour analysis of Bill Clinton, the man and the President.

As always, PBS does an excellent job, and so far, it brings back memories of the times of the 42nd President of the United States, the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, and the faces and memories that many of the American people would like to forget–the ugliness and nastiness of the right wing, led by Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, and even the mean Bob Dole and others, who set out to destroy the Presidency of Bill Clinton, failed in many ways, but crippled his ability to get things done, with him assisting them by his reckless personal behavior.

We have seen a sanitizing and whitewash of Bill Clinton, trying to idealize how great his times were. While the economy did soar, the partisanship on every bill reminds us very much of the times of Barack Obama, and actually, in many ways, the times of Jimmy Carter as well, in the late 1970s.

The idea that bipartisanship disappeared suddenly with the ascension of Barack Obama is refuted by the reality that conservatives and Republicans are really no different than they were under Carter and Clinton. It is just that with the new media and internet potential, much greater than under Carter and Clinton, the vicious attacks and obstructionism can be ever the greater.

It is amazing how human beings look back and glorify and romanticize the past, trying to forget the evil, divisive, obstructive behavior of those in opposition. But the difficult times we are going through now are really just more of the same, and the only answer is, unfortunately, that liberals and progressives must be as aggressive and activist in opposing the right wing media and the Republican Party, as they are truly the enemy of making America a better place for those who are not fortunate enough to have the power and wealth of the elite in our society.

If we act gentlemanly and ladylike, the result will be defeat and retreat. If we are going to see change and reform to better the vast majority of the American people, we will have to use, sadly, the tactics used by the other side.

This disturbs those who want a truce and a centrist response, but that will only help the right wing to accomplish its goals which are a danger to the American future!

The Worst Possible News For Mitt Romney: A Donald Trump Endorsement!

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, still reeling from criticism for his remark yesterday about the “very poor”, getting it from all sides including conservative commentators who are furious that Romney “let the cat out of the bag” that they and Republicans don’t give a damn about the poor, now has what can be regarded as the worst possible news imaginable: an endorsement from builder Donald Trump, the total egotist, narcissist, and overall obnoxious businessman, who always is looking for a camera and says things that most normal people would be embarrassed to say publicly!

A wealthy man being endorsed by a much wealthier man, who Romney probably envies, because of his overly materialistic nature and envy of those wealthier than himself, is a total nightmare that will haunt Romney and the Republican Party!

Romney would be better off to repudiate support from Trump, but must fear that Trump might run as an independent if such an event occurred. But the truth about how Romney feels about Trump is that he was the one GOP candidate visiting Trump last year who sneaked in and out of the session, avoiding journalists and cameras completely.

It is not clear why Trump is endorsing Romney, since Trump seemed to have a closer friendship or association with Newt Gingrich, a fellow egotist, narcissist, and overall obnoxious, embarrassing public presence similar to Trump!

Will Trump help Romney in any way by endorsing him? NO, and it will boomerang on Romney, Republicans and conservatives, and maybe finally, intelligent voters will realize that the GOP and conservative talk show hosts, all are very selfish, self centered, greedy, uncaring about anything but their MONEY. As said in an earlier post, the Republicans and conservatives only care about PROPERTY, while Democrats and progressives and liberals care about PEOPLE!

Coming off his Florida victory, Mitt Romney has now has the two WORST days of his quest for the Presidency, and it is NOT going to get better. His candidacy is DOOMED and cannot be recovered, but the GOP has no better alternative unless they become so divided that the Republican National Convention in Tampa in late August chooses to nominate someone who did not compete in the caucuses and primaries, a highly doubtful scenario!

Are Progressives Going To, For A Fourth Time, Harm The Democratic Party Out Of Dissatisfaction With Imperfections Of Their Leadership?

Ronald 4 Comments

Progressives and liberals have often, by their expectations of perfection from Democratic Party leadership, brought about a result far worse–a conservative Republican takeover!

This occurred in 1968, when discontent over the war in Vietnam convinced many on the Left to bad mouth and abandon Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and the result was President Richard Nixon!

In 1980, discontent with President Jimmy Carter led to abandonment by many progressives, and the result was President Ronald Reagan!

In 2000, dissatisfaction with the imperfections of Vice President Al Gore led to the election of President George W. Bush!

Of course, Barack Obama has not followed through on all his promises and pledges in 2008. He has disillusioned many progressives and liberals who believed he would accomplish everything he spoke about in the campaign.

But that is totally unrealistic, and the fear is that if there is an abandonment of the President, we could end up with President Mitt Romney or President Newt Gingrich, the two most likely choices at this point, at least, in the Republican nomination race. Of course, anyone else except Jon Huntsman would be even worse!

When, oh when, are those on the Left going to understand, finally, that there is no perfection, but that Barack Obama is far preferable to anyone the Republican Party might run!

it is time for the discontented to get on the ship, and be thankful for what Barack Obama has managed to achieve, the most since the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s!

Newt Gingrich, The Hypocrite: The Nerve To Condemn “Occupy Wall Street” As People Who “Need To Bathe And Get A Job”

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Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, and front runner for the GOP nomination in many polls, has often said he regrets actions and statements he has made in his past.

Well known for his lack of ethics and no morals at all, Gingrich claimed by becoming a Catholic that he had reformed, and that has turned out to be a lie!

Gingrich, now that he is surging in the polls, is showing his ugly, hypocritical side again and again, reminding us that a “leopard does not change its spots!”

He says liberals, progressives and the left have lost their “moral compass”, an ironic thing for a man to say who has been an adulterer multiple times, and has been shown to have been involved in ethical violations in the House of Representatives leadership, and to have lied incessantly!

He also, as stated earlier in another entry, suggests that young children who are poor should clean their schools, in place of janitors, advocating a return to child labor.

And he has the nerve to state that the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstrators in New York City and elsewhere “need a bath and to get a job”, as if these people are not facing the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, and the fact that there are not anywhere near enough jobs with millions of layoffs since 2008!

This man sounds like Scrooge in A CHRISTMAS CAROL, but even more hardhearted and nasty and mean and vindictive!

The nerve of Newt Gingrich who has lived off the public dole as a government employee for so long, and then as a lobbyist and propagandist ever since, to condemn principled people who are being labeled as “losers” by the privileged and those fortunate enough not to face the horrors of long term unemployment!

Even if one is NOT religious, one should never forget the saying” “There but for the grace of God go I!”

The Re-emergence Of Newt Gingrich: A Nightmare Scenario!

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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich of Georgia has suddenly catapulted into a front runner status in some polls for the Republican Presidential nomination.

This comes after the various “flavors of the month”, Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Herman Cain, have all imploded after a flirtation with front runner status.

The polls this last six months have been notorious for proving absolutely nothing, except the clear cut desire of Republicans NOT to nominate Mitt Romney!

Gingrich has a lot of “baggage” in his background. Has there been a Congressional leader since World War II quite as controversial and divisive as Newt Gingrich was in the 1980s and 1990s, even before his four tumultuous years as Speaker?

Has anyone else left an image of poor ethics and morality as much as Newt Gingrich with his three marriages and two divorces, and pontificating on morality when Bill Clinton was facing impeachment?

It is often forgotten that Newt Gingrich was facing ethics charges as Speaker in 1998, after seeing his party margin in the House of Representatives dwindle dramatically, and that he was forced out as Speaker by his own party!

It is forgotten that Newt Gingrich has benefited from government, and has always utilized his fame to sell books and DVDs, get high lecture fees, and be a lobbyist for various organizations while denying that, and yet he denounces government as evil!

Can anyone believe ANYTHING coming out of Newt Gingrich’s mouth? He has been very inconsistent and often reckless in his rhetoric and behavior, and has been willing to utter ridiculous character assassination charges at Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and anyone who challenges his veracity or honesty in the news media, as he has no principles that he will not change for his maniacal ambition to be President!

Gingrich has the advantage of being more knowledgeable and informed than most of his GOP opponents, but the thought of a Gingrich Presidency is enough to vomit over, as it would be easily the most divisive Presidency since Richard Nixon declared “war” on liberals and the news media and promoted “law and order”, while presiding over the most unethical administration in American history!

MASSIVE Victory For Workers’ Rights, Women’s Rights, And Voting Rights!

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A massive victory for Democrats, progressives and liberals, and the American people, occurred tonight on the 2011 Election Day, and it augurs a progressive victory in 2012!

In three states, particularly, conservative Republican and Tea Party forces were set back in their power grab to take away basic rights of workers, women, and voters!

Ohio rejected the anti public union bill passed by the Republican legislature with the backing of Governor John Kasich by a vote margin of about 60-40, therefore restoring collective bargaining rights for police, firefighters, teachers and other public employees. This is a warning to Scott Walker in Wisconsin, Rick Snyder in Michigan, Rick Scott in Florida, and Paul LePage in Maine, who also have been working against the rights of public employees, that the people will NOT tolerate the loss of labor rights won over the years, which have helped to grow and sustain the middle class! It also shows that conservative talk radio, Fox News Channel, and even the Koch brothers and other greedy, selfish, self centered billionaires are not going to be allowed to shape the country in their image. The Republican Party in Washington, DC should see this as a warning that if they continue to refuse to help job creation and just set out to defeat Barack Obama, they will pay the price in next year’s election!

At the same time in the conservative state of Mississippi, the proposed “personhood” amendment that would define a fertilized egg as a person was also soundly defeated by about 57-43 percent, a tremendous victory for women’s rights and Roe V Wade, and a strike against the extreme anti abortion fanatics who have no concern for the health and well being of women, and wish to take away their privacy rights!

And in Maine, we saw the defeat of legislation that ended the practice of allowing registration on the day of the election, a move being copied in other states to cut back voter registration and participation. This is another Republican and conservative attempt to cut back on voting rights with the false claim of massive voter fraud, which has never occurred anywhere in reality!

So it is clear that the conservative and Republican victories in 2010 and their abuse of power in the months since has been rejected. So in a way, it was necessary to have this occur to wake people up as to the need to be involved, to participate, to pay attention, to organize, and to realize that if one does not work at protecting their basic human rights, those rights can be taken away from them!

It is certain that the 2010 Republican victories will be overcome by a tremendous counter reaction in 2012, with 2011 being the first strikes against the right wing!

The Total Hypocrisy Of Evangelical Christian Minister Pat Robertson: Divorce Mate If He Or She Has Alzheimers Disease!

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Evangelical Christian Minister Pat Robertson has long been a leader in the Christian Right Movement, having been involved in the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition groups in the 1980s and 1990s. along with others, including the late Jerry Falwell.

Robertson has long been controversial for his statements and actions, regarding liberals, environmentalists, feminists, gays and other groups. And he also ran for President in the Republican primaries of 1988, claiming that God was behind him.

He has always emphasized “family values” on his Christian Broadcasting Network, and continues to have millions of followers, despite his controversial stands on many issues.

Now 81, he made the controversial statement after the Mid Atlantic Earthquake in August that it was caused by people who “act gay”. He had earlier blamed September 11 on the various groups mentioned above.

He has been known for statements far greater in number than the above, all of which would make anyone wonder about his sanity and his ethics!

But now, in the latest controversy, he suggests that IF a person has a mate who has Alzheimers Disease, it is proper to divorce and find someone else!

Imagine that: forget the vows one takes in marriage regarding being there in sickness and in health, till death do us part. Instead, pursue one’s own selfish interests, and give up all morals and ethics, as long as you put yourself first!

What kind of a religious leader would preach such outrageous ideas to his followers, many of whom are young, and already live in a society where marriage is not valued, and divorce is looked at as something to be expected?

Pat Robertson should give up his ministry and his television network and stop speaking out, as everything he professes is simply poison, hate, and insanity!

And one has to wonder if he has the early signs of Alzheimers Disease himself! What a disgraceful “good Christian” this man is, an embarrassment to the concept of Jesus Christ and religion!