National politics

AZ Senator John Kyl: Republican Charlatan

2010-11-24T15:22:00.000-08:00

You have to hand it to Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, he is a man of guts, and no integrity. He is a Neocon charlatan, and smirks for his repulsive behavior. Oh yes, he is a hypocrite.

It seems that three (3) days after the Senate voted to ban Earmarks, Senator Kyl was capable of getting $200, 000,000 dollars (Two hundred million) for his pet Arizona project. In doing so, Senator Kyl told America, he was beyond the Earmark ban. He is just another Neocon saying "Screw you" to the American taxpayers.

Incidentally, it does not matter what the money was for, it is the principle that matters: that we have the Number two Republican acting like a charlatan and having his own willful rogue way.
So, why doesn't Senator John McCain flap his fat lips. Probably because he is a rogue too. Forget that maverick shit!

Hypocrisy: GOP Style.

2010-11-22T15:05:00.000-08:00

The GOP wants the Obama Administration to extend the Bush Tax cuts indefinitely for their business friends with deep pockets. They do this while crying, "We cannot afford to spend more money, government is spending way too much money now. We have to lower the deficit."

If Congress does extend the Bush Tax cuts, then the Obama Administration will have to go hand in mouth to China to borrow another 600 billion dollars to pay for the Bush Tax cuts for the wealthy. The Republican's offer no plans to pay for them. And, it increases the deficit subtaintually, almost doubling it's present size.

However, if the Bush Tax cuts are allowed to expire, or Obama vetos them, we save enough funds to almnost but not quite enough to eliminate the deficit.

Now get this America, the GOP is willing to increase, almost doubling the deficit, however, they will not extend the unemployment for three month because it will cost too much, and run up the deficit.The Republicans again are showing they do not give a shit about America's working class, and are steadily pushing it into the ranks of the poor.

Anyone out there seeing a GOP hypocrisy here?

Rand Paul: Political Jekyll and Hyde.

2010-11-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

While Rand Paul was running for the Senate, he promised not to take earmarks, but to work on banning them. But, now that he has been elected to the Senate, he flip/flops and agrees not to ban them, but to fight for them.

Come on Rand, this crap has a stink to it, your word isn't for shit. Just another lying Republican trying to get elected to the Senate. Well, I suspect he will shortly run lock-step with the Republicans when they start waving their leadership on juicy committees. What lies will he tell the Tea Party folks back on the farm who voted for him?

Democrats: Repeal DADT, It's Un-American and Stupid.

2010-11-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

Ok Democrats, it's time to 'strap on your balls' and stand for something vital to this nation. Repeal DADT! It's time is over. It was a damn un-American law to begin with, the idea of practically asking people to testify against themselves based on their lifestyle. A person should have the right to live in their own lifestyle. DADT eliminates that right to service people. We have got to stop being so damn homophobic. It is insulting.

I was in the Korean War, and I didn't give a crap if the guy in the bunker with me was gay or not. As long as he had courage, and could fire his gun when needed, that's all I cared about. Or, when the nurse taking care me in the hospital after I was wounded, as long as her hands were taking care of me, changing my bandages, I didn't care who they caressed.

Most of the troops in a war zone feel the same way. So Democratic boys and girls in congress, be brave once, have some balls, or strap some on, and do the right thing for our warriors, they are doing the right thing for you. Repeal DADT!

"No Compromise!" Says the Republican Party of 'No.'

2010-11-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

So What Is New?
It is an old story heard repeatedly to prevent legislative bills from being passed. So what the hell is new here!

Ideology Dysfunction.
The Neocon Republicans have forced the GOP legislators into a lockstep 'no vote for the last two years. Any one differing can expect a severe reprimand by the GOP hierarchy. Can we expect anything less from them on the issues of debt, spending, and judicious governance. We will get convoluted logic, lies and worthless promises. What can we expect is our nation caught in ideology dysfunction, and polarized thinking. In addition, we, the American people the the royal screwing.

Myopic Vision.
While the Neocon Republicans with their myopic vision are holding the GOP hostage as a functional arm of government, Eric Cantor and John Boehner said as reported in Huffington Reports favors extending the Bush tax cuts indefinitly No compromise there. The Neocon Republicans know they cannot have their way with Obama in office. So Mitch McConnell has made getting the Democratic Obama Administration out of office his priority. With so much to be done to move the nation forward, it is disrespectful myopic vision that tells people they have nothing coming from the Republican Party.

Step Up and Be Counted.
There may be some newly elected Republicans that don't want to use their office as a political vendetta, and want to put America first by trying to build a sensible consensus. If anything is to be done they will have to act quickly, defy the Neocons, and incur their threats and wrath. They should 'step up and be counted' for their nation needs them, before gridlock sets in.

Democrats: You Missed A Golden Opportunity.

2010-11-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

With the country having high unemployment and out of work, but still a viable work force ready and able to to work, the Democrats missed a golden opportunity to put America back to work andcleaqn up the nation's outdated, decaying, and rusting infrastructure. It was an opportunity begging to happen...and fell with a thud to the political wayside by Democrats without vision. We did it in the 1930's with the WPA and CCC.

Can this opportunity to restructure our roads, highways and bridges be regained? Who among the Democrats raised a voice to become stewards of this nation's treasures like our National Parks?

The jobs we lost to foreign nations by American businesses seeking the almighty profit will not be coming back soon, if ever. So why not take advantage of the American work force who wants to work, and let them clean up a decaying America. Don't we deserve it.

Democrats Cut Their Own Throats!

2010-11-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Democrats were brought into power with Obama's promise for change in the country. They were afforded a perfect time for two years to get something done for the people of America. It is unfortunate they could not govern, and they did not know how to govern. Most importantly, the Democrats in Congress did not know how to come together to work within the party to gain ideologly goals. Most of them acted as if they did not know the Democratic ideology.

They deserved the beating they took, and work hard (doing little) to get the beating! They let President Obama down time after time, and let the Neocons define who they were supposed to be. They were fortunate to have saved their majority in the Senate.

They squabbled, fought and often bucking their own party and the President. They were not aggressive but self-protective, individuals, they were not a coheisive group, but timid individuals fighting for personal recognition. It was a pathetic bunch of elected people. They did not think in terms of real compromise, but capitulation to Neocon Republican' who voted 'no' en masse at legislation attempts.

By their actions, they simply stepped forward and handed the Republicans the sharpe knife to cut their throats. And, elected to office the same people who brought us the 'Great Recession.' How stupid can we get!!!

Our Democracy is Dead!!

2010-10-30T17:06:00.000-07:00

The American Democracy lies in its death throes. It is being viciously stabbed in the back by the votes and mouths of the GOP's Neocon Republicans. It took them over eight years of George Bush to do it, but, they brought the American Democracy to its knees, waiting the final Coupe de Grace from this November 2010 election. they want to finish the assassination of our way of life and culture.

World Domination of Big Business.
Americans should not be fooled by the slick, even folksy rhetoric of lies, distortions, misinformation and character assassination from the lips of the GOP, it is their stock and trade. They do not discuss issues. They will look America straight in the face and lie to us. They push a veiled, deep-rooted, unwavering power and control ideology of this country for big business. They will do anything, say anything to regain power and control of America's direction to global dominance, and the annihilation of our fragile middle class. Nothing else matters.

Are We Stupid?
They crave a Republican Pantheon with a furtive desire of a New World Order with businessmen and women running the country. If they have their way, there will no longer be states electing a Congressional Representative or Senator representing the citizens. It will be a Senator from Monsanto, or Congresswoman from General Motors or Ford., or other big business will be represented. The American middle class no longer exists, but is being absorbed into the new poor class of the country.

Corportations to Congress
Based on an unquenching financial greed, big business and multi-national corporations will run the country. Not for the good of the people, but the dollar. The lobbyists who assisted with a floodgate of money for this coupe will be negated because they are not needed. Corporations control the country, so what is their need to contaminate and corrupt an already corrupt country. The President will not be a Republican or Democrat, but from the New World Order Party, and may be from Halliburton or a European country represented by Mercedes-Dalmier. The Neocon Republicans have and ideology of global domination by Multi-national businesses. Our Democracy has stood in their way...until now!

Think about the Neocon Republican agenda in today's firestorm of politics with the dimwit politicians running. After their ouster in 2008, they have done nothing for this country except obfuscate, and vote 'no' on important legislation and deceive the people that they are doing something about the deficit, when it was on their watch we accumulated record deficits. How can we trust the same people who spent eight years arrogantly dismantling the country, and now are begging for the opportunity to finish the job. Are we stupid to let this bullshit happen and turn this nation over to these greedy bastards with their secret agendas?

The Rich Will Get Richer.
The wealth of America will be concentrated in fewer corporations and people, and making them more wealthy than before. While behind our back, they are buying politicians and selling our Democratic Capitalism to the highest bidder., until it simply no longer exists. We will have the best government bought and run by corporations.

Secret Funds.
There will be hundreds of millions of secret dollars pouring into political races in a attempt to place and win corporate approved candidates for state and national elections. We will never know where the money came from, thanks and credit to the Supreme Court's horrible decision in Citizen's vs the Federal Election Commission that opened the proverbial flood gates for non-disclosure of the source of election funds.

The Constitution as Useful Tool.
The Neocons say they won't compromise, and they haven't. They are obstructionists in Congress with their 'no' votes and threatened filibusters. There are Democrats there too, standing with them. They should be gone from public service, not re-elected for they play into the Neocon's hands and perpetuate the 'gotcha' game with President Obama. The Neocons tout they are Constitution Conservatives, however, that is only true as long as it serves their ideology. They have no faith, or belief in the Constitution of this nation.

Strategy: Get Obama Out of Office.
The Neocons have several stratagies to acheive their ideology of global domination by business and multi-nationals. President Obama is doing the right things to clean up their mess they left him. They cannot afford to have him in office, so they have to make him a one-term president.
They will use anything available, lies, and misinformation to discredit him, anything negative that will stick in the minds of the people. Even questioning his birth location.

When we think about the election, we should remember which party gave us the 'Great Recession' why, and how they did it. Most of all, which corporations benefited, and quickly became profitable.

Remember: People will believe a simple lie far easier than a complex truth. Don't believe a word any Republican tells you, they are all simple liars.

Why Does America Kiss Israel's Ass

2010-03-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Israel is acting arrogant again to the point of US provocation. It was recently done when Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's regime announced they are going forth with some 1,600 settlements around East Jerusalem. The US strictly opposes any new settlements, especially around Jerusalem.

This announcement came when Vice President Biden was visiting in Israel. Of course, Bibi feigned shock and said he knew nothing about it. When Vice President Biden called him on pushing for the settlement, and Secretary of State Clinton spent 43 three minutes upbraiding Netanyahu for pursuing the construction of the settlements. He apologized profusely, (for being caught) however, the Israeli government is proceeding with the construction of the settlements of Jewish homes. In fact, the Israeli press announced it would be 50,000 Jewish homes constructed in the area. Bibi plays a dangerous game of" hide and go seek" in the area.

Now, Israel is asking Secretary Clinton to defuse the tensions with the US that the Israeli's created, and made no mention of canceling the settlement's construction. Screw them!

The Israeli government has a long history of not honoring treaties, (except when it meets their needs) from Jimmy Carter's watch until present. They keep saying they want peace with Palestine and in the region, however, their actions are arrogant and provocative. Clearly not the actions of a nation who desires peace. Israel will negotiate, and even sign treaties, and when their actions are required they find some reason like the new settlements, using them to wriggle out of any meaningful political negotiations. We need a partner we can trust to do what they say they will, and not act as a rogue nation

Perhaps, it is time for Israel to stand alone, and take the consequences of their outrageous behaviors. The US should no longer tolerate a partner who uses us as their 'Whipping boy' to get their own way. Maybe it is now time to stop the 3.1 billion dollar subsidy we give Israel. We can certainly use the money at home.

Why Tiger: When You Had So Much?

2010-02-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

Let me say that Tiger Woods with his alleged affairs has broken no laws, but, has behaved in a very immoral manner for an athlete role model. It is clear Tiger has many distorted, or mistaken beliefs, and acts out on them because he deeply believes he deserves them as rewards for his outstanding golf performance, and will not be caught in his unsavory behavior.

Poor Tiger Woods, the narcissistic man surly appears to be a control freak, evidenced by the setting up of a public apolpgy that aired nation wide. Once again, Tiger was going to have it his way. And the media once again were gleefully sucked into his game plan. Is this really national news? It is doubtful if Tiger Woods is really sorry, except that his wife caught him cheating on her, confronted him, and the media unraveled his sordid lifestyle publicly.

He has spent a very short time in therapy, being a quick learner, he was there just long enough to learn the vernacular of therapy with impact words and terms like: "responsible, sorry, hurt my family, contrition and change."

Tiger Woods claims his affairs is a problem between he and his wife, and he is probably right, it is a family matter. However, why is he apologizing to the world with a publicity stunt on national television?

The problem is, Tiger Woods is sorry that he has been exposed for the immoral person he is, and his sordid behavior has been made known to the masses. All this hype is for two reasons. What Tiger Woods really wants is to play competitive golf again, and to regain his sponsors (the money factor).

The way he set up his bland apology on national television, seems to indicate he is still a controlling person. He believes he is a victim, and not another immoral and dysfunctional athlete who is exposed. If he desires to maintain this charade, perhaps Tiger should have acting lesson on his agenda.

Yet, every man is fully entitled to change, however to do it, core beliefs that led to dysfunctional behaviors must be exposed and challenged. This is not easy to do. It is a journey that takes courage and hard introspection. We wish him well on his journey. He is the world's greatest golfer.

How Can We Have A Free Market Economy If We Subsidize Industries

2010-02-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

The US Government uses taxpayers money to subsidize and incredible number of industries like: Petroleum, Insurance, Tobacco, and Financial industries. Not to mention the Farm and Lumber industries. If it is an American industry, it is subsidized somewhere along the line and their competitive edge and the desire to excel is taken from them with free government money. And, there is a well heeled army of lobbyist at work in Washington making sure corruption occurs.

We support a drug industry to help sell narcotics addicting our people on a drug, (Nicotine) for a lifetime of addiction. Yet, we have laws against selling marijuana in every state of the union. Then in crease the prices of a pack of cigarettes hoping to stop the addiction. Why are we subsidizing this industry? It makes no sense. However, it is a huge industry, big business, and their lobbyist control the legislation with their money, power, and corruption. That is why!

How can we have the morals to do this, how can we claim we have a free market exchange when the competitive field is not level, because some industries receive a an unfair advantage by lucrative government subsidizes. And most legislators do not have the guts to make selling a narcotic like nicotine, or its use against the law no matter what the delivering mechanism.

We will not have a "free market economy" as long as subsidies are offered to favored industries and pushed by their lobbyist, Senators and Representatives in their states. Intill subsidies are not given by the government, the talk of a "free market economy" is just bullshit in a nice wrapping of pure rhetoric.

Wake Up America: Democracy Does Not Live In Washington

2010-02-11T14:27:00.001-08:00

Wake up America, President Obama is stuck with Republicans who do not want any part of 'Bipartisanship'. He is also saddled with a group of Democrats who think and believe their constituents have sent them to Washington to vote their conscience and personal ideology. They do not care what the people want. They vote with the lobbyist who will grease their palm with cash, and more cash. And forget the common man or woman.

When we have votes in the Senate, the Republicans vote in lockstep against the bill. Not a single Republican Senator will defect, and vote for Democratic bills like Health Care or the President's Jobs program. It is a despicable political action. They do not do your work but the lobbyists.

Don't Wast Your Time
It is a waste of time Mr. President to attempt any wooing, or political conversion of any Republican attention to the real needs of this Nation and its people. They are idealogues who succor on greed, lies, power, deception and corruption from the special interest business groups. They can care less about our country, they have an agenda and goal of a world dominated by business. In the process, they are doing away with democracy and the Middle Class of this Nation. We will have only the rich and the poor. And they have been at it for the last ten years right under our trusting noses.

The Constitution Is Not Their Paradigm
The Republicans talk at great length about the Constitution and Conservatism in the same breath. Their mouths are foul and filled with tainted, deceptive and untrue rhetoric. They speak one way and vote another. Who was in power to run this nation into the brink of financial ruin and collapse? They use the Constitution only when it is convenient to further their cause as the Supreme Court did when they recently voted 5-4 to allow corporations unlimited funding for political candidates they pick and are of like persuasion and ideology. That ruling gave corporations the same voice as individuals, as you and I, but louder and and unlimited bankroll to buy and sell any Republican to their cause. Pathetic!

Wake up America, hold your polititicans accountable for your values, not their conscience or ideologies. Hold them to what you want done in Congress for the good of the Nation, and not Wall Street, or Insurance Companies. If they do not do the will of the people, then get them out of office. Those politicians are charming, slippery weasels, they will lie straight faced to you, and give their allegiance, and their vote for sale to the highest bidder. They are manipulators for big business. It is time we took our country back from the charming weasel mouthed bastards! Vote the out!

They are sent to Washington to vote for what you, the people want done, not Wall
Street, Insurance companies, or Mortgage firms or Financial intitutions. Watch them, Republican or Democrat. Hold them accountable to do what is best for the nation...and not themselves. They are not smarter than you, they just think they are.

Is Abortion A Woman's Right?

2010-01-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

Let me put another way. Does a woman have the right to kill her unborn child? Does she have the right to murder her unborn child, for any reason? It is a thorny question about a woman having the right to do what she will with her body. There are no laws against the systematic planning of killing an unborn child. the Supreme Court of the land says it is just fine, and it is a woman's right to due murder of an unborn child, but the second the child comes from the mother's womb, and breathes air it is another question!

What About the Father's Wishes
It takes two to normally make a child, what about the role of the father of the child? There are some men who want the child. We only hear of the one's who do not. Suppose he says : "No abortion, I want my son or daughter."

Why does the woman exclusively have his right, and the man does not? We know he does not have a prayer to claim and raise the child. Is this only a woman's issue? It seems 'Baby making' is generally a equal opportunity playground, and both sides get to play. Shouldn't both sides be responsible?

Is it Constitutional
Tell me, where it is written in the Constitution a woman has the right to kill her unborn children? The privacy issue does not cut it. If it did, why do we still have laws against prostitution? It is simply a woman doing with her body what she wants. I admit, it is a long leap from prostitution to murder, however, there are laws in each State of the Union against prostitution, and for abortion.

A Moral Problem
Perhaps we might be wise in saying that a woman has the right to do what she wants with her body until she is impregnated. Then the moral virtue kicks in. It is the life of the child and has to be considered and protected. It is on the woman and man to take care of the child, considering the child's future. There are many routes this can take, adoption is one. But abortion, the taking of a human life is off the table. and any one involved with it should be prosecuted. Oh that is right, there is no law against. I do not think our founding fathers when writing our Constitution considered privacy as a matter of murder.

Open letter to the President:

2009-11-21T12:16:00.001-08:00

Why are we fighting in Afghanistan?

The recent pseudo-election of the Karzai government has indicated how grossly unstable that government really is. It is an unworthy partner, there is corruption on every level that makes the idea of doing business with them a joke.There are no control over the corruption going on in either the government or Taliban. The country is one of the world's largest drug suppliers and we are fighting to save their asses. Incredible!

Is this what we are all about? Is this what we are sacrificing our youth and treasure for? Are we that stupid we will fight a war because of the clash of culture and their differences? The American people do not want us in Afghanistan. You know it, listen to the distress in the people's voices.

Inherited a weak nation and economy!

Mr. President, you inherited a dying, anaemic country. Our nation was collapsing from within, spurred on by big business, the Neocons and the decimation of the financial and home markets. We have the highest unemployment rate since the great depression. It took eight years of Republican Neocon treachery and two wars to get us in this depression. We will recover, but it is a slow process and will take more than a year. You cannot be expected to be a miracle worker. The problem will not be solved in a year, or probably in a single term.

Americans are war weary.

Americans are weary of war. They yearn for peace. They think in terms of peace. What does it take to secure peace? Our military thinks in terms of fighting and winning. It is their mantra. They can only think of winning, it is ingrained in their training and psyche. War and winning is what they have been trained to do, it is their road to glory. They must not be allowed to prevail and drag us deeper into a war in Afghanistan. You Mr. President, can stop them and their war making philosophies.

The enemy is al Qaeda, not the Taliban.

The Taliban is not our enemy. We are in Afghanistan to find Bin Laden. However, we have invaded their country, looked at disdain on their culture because it is not like ours, and started acting as occupiers. Wouldn't we fight back if someone invaded our country, and didn't we after 9/11 ? But, we went after the wrong people when we invaded Iraq, didn't we? We know it was al Qaeda that was responsible for the 9/11 atrocious killing 3,000 people, not the Taliban! What is our policy that gives us the right to invade Afghanistan, a sovereign nation with a tremendous force under the guise of capturing al Qaeda, who uses terrorism as a weapon world wide. With this act of revenge, we opened a can of worms that will take bold moves to extricate ourselves.

The American policy of going after al Qaeda should b just that. We do not need to send more of our youth and treasure to a General's self styled war. That is reckless behavior.

Bring our people home.

If we want to commit to capturing al Qaeda, do it with Special Ops units, that their type of mission. We need to bring our troops home, not put more with targets on their backs. Bring them home and get them out of harms way. Mr. President, if you want to fight al Qaeda, then be prepared to fight world wide because they are a world wide organization. The Fort Hood incident should give you pause to think how good is our human intelligence right under our noses..

You know what has to be done Mr. President. No more troops to Afghanistan and bring home the troops currently serving there. Recently we found out that it will cost us one million dollars per man to fight in Afghanistan. And for every soldier we deploy, there is a contractor in support. Can we afford the price tag on a war we cannot win. Have we learned nothing from the Russians?

Which CIA Lies To Congress, And to Speaker Pelosi, The Bush CIA, That's Who!

2009-05-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

There is a great deal of rhetoric about the CIA lying in their testimony about water-boarding and enhanced torture, and it is specifically aimed at Speaker Pleosi. It is a lot of bull shit. Typical Republican garbage.

Wasn't the Bush administration in power and control of the government for the last eight years, including the CIA. Was it on their watch we got 9/11, the Iraq and Afganistan wars, the deep recession sitting on the edge of a depression, the housing failures, and the financial failures on Wall Street, the Big Three automobile failures

There is no reason why Leon Panetta would lie about something he had nothing to do with. He was not even in as CIA Director until President Obama was in the White House. Come on folks you ought to see past this stupid charade. We should be pissed to the gills, at this Republican crap of trying to pull Director Panetta in to this mess, shoving their dirty work on him.

So he had to dig out reconds from the Bush gaggle of misfits, and some good people muzzled. Would the CIA under Goss or General Hayden fudge, misappropriate and lose the records? In a heart beat!

So, we are not talking about Leon Panetta, We are talking about people in the Bush administration in the CIA or silenced. (Remember Valerie Pflamm?) and watch over by VP Dick Cheney who used the spy-school for his own personal games, and who had many visits to Langley to confer with his partners in deception.

The Republicans have no shame in their game! Excuse me, perhaps I preach to the choir.

Enough Already: Seat Al Franken In The Senate

2009-02-07T14:12:00.000-08:00

America has enough of the Republican nonsense over who gets the Minnesota Senator's seat. The Republican's never cease to be obstructionists, and don't give a damn about the people. Al Franken has been clearly declared the winner. However, it is a Republican ploy to keep Franken from taking his rightful place in the Senate.

Franken is the key to 60 votes on the Democratic side and the Republican's know it . They can not afford to to seat him because he is a swing vote for the Democrats. Consequently, they use every whine in the Republican playbook to keep Al Franken in a limbo state.

Let Franken Be Seated In The Senate
Let the Senate have some "balls" and seat Franken. The senate has already locked Coleman's office doors and the Senate rules committee has declared his term "expired" and dropped his name from the Senate phone book. The Republicans will puff, scream and challenge,but let the Senate act responsibly and seat Al Franken. It is the right thing to do. The Republicans are always sore losers when they don't get what they want. They simply use obstructionist delaying tactics.

At Last A President Who Rolls Up His Shirt Sleeves And Works For The Nation

2009-02-05T20:38:00.000-08:00

The Bush dress code in the Oval Office was all show and no substance. Andrew Card, former Chief of Staff to Bush took aim at President Obama, chastizing him because he works with his coat off and in his shirt sleeves . Card voices his opinion vociferously. Is this something we should be concerned about in our president, or even commenting on? Is this the best the Republicans can do?

Now Card is presumably the Fashion Police of the White House and tries to set the dress code in Obama's White House through innunedos. Card twists this respect shit all out of place. So George Bush wore a suit and tie in respect for the office. However, did not respect the office and the people who sent him there issuing dangerous world policies and led us into two wars. The American economy is in shambles and we are in a major fight a to survive the onslaught of a Republican based depression. Where is the respect for the Oval Office from Bush since he brought all this "doom and gloom" on the American people, and old Andy Card dressed to the hilt was standing right beside George Bush. Such hypocracy!

So what, if Obama takes off his jacket and works in his shirt sleeves. Isn't that the type of President we want. Forget the dress code, it is pure snob bullshit anyway. It's nice to see our president hard at work and is comfortable doing it. Andrew Card take your out of place, unsavory comments and shove them. We have a working president...not a fashion plate in the Oval Office. A jacket cannot cover a multitude of political mistakes in the Oval Office.

Bailouts: Stupid Is As Stupid Does!

2009-01-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

The American people knew it was down right stupid for Congress allocate $700 billion (TARP) of their taxpayer money to bailout the failed financial, insurance and mortgage institutions.

They knew it was more than stupid to give Henry Paulsen, Secretary of the Treasurary the lone person to administer the funds, using ability to blindly spend half the money, ($350 billion) where he wanted, without any oversight, at his descretion and his spending cannot be challenged. A sane person has to ask, "Why did congress give this power to one man who came from the same financial industry that he's trying to bailout?" Because he is a loyal Republican and a member of the Bush cabinet?

Are there any reports advising the citizens how much good the money had done? I have not heard any. Those prized institutions on Wall Street are still having problems. Now that Obama is president, the Republicans are fighting not to release the balance of the $350 billion (TARP) funds. Good luck, Obama will get thebalance of the funds and put to good work helping the middle class saving their homes and mortgages. But after the Republicans have done their bloody damage.

Incidently, those institutions that did receive some of the $350 billion did not put them into the economic system. They were very busy putting the money in uncheckable off shore tax havens. Not to mention, the very nicely paid CEO's and CFO's who brought us this crisis were given $18 billion and some chump change as bonuses for a job well done. It is shameful to reward such failure with huge multi-million dollar bonuses for a job well done.

Now who is stupid?

Republicans Tell Americans: "Go to Hell," With Their "O" Votes For Stimulus Package.

2009-01-30T09:17:00.000-08:00

It was a clear message Republicans sent America when they voted 244-188 in the House. They did it in party lockstep against President Obama's stimulus package for American recovery. Not a single one had the insight and gumption to vote for America and dissent with their party ideology. In fact the GOP leadership was elated with their Hooverite vote. While it simply infurites the American people.

Ideological, Intellectually and Morally Corrupt
They wear grim faces and talk about bipartisian action. They lie to us, it is just the same bullshit rhetoric from the people who got us in this depression. (It is not a recession any more, that was last year.) Fortunately the Democrates have the votes in the House to pass this program and send it to the Senate. Moreover, the passing gave the Republicans a bitter defeat in the house. The vote allowed the Republicans to show their true color of yellow running down their backs, and just how arrogant cowards can be.

Obviously, the Republicans did not hear, or pay any attention to the people's voice in the recent elections. They do not care what the people think or say. They are decietful men and women who are intellectually, ideology and morally bankrupt and like a child, simply want their own way. They are shameless in their feckless behaviors and thinking. They consistently set themselves and big business ahead of the nation without impunity.

These Republicans are the same folks who begged and voted for a $700 billion bailout for the collapsed financial and mortgage industries. An industry collapse they and the Bush Administration are directly responsible for by their lack of leadership, insight. and oversight of deregulation. They approved the $700 billion to get their friends, lobbyist, and contributors out of financial forfeit. But will not support the rebuilding of America and the middle class lifestyle. However, the pendulum of time and truth is swinging back against them, and it is razor sharp.

Not A single Republican Voted For The Stimulus Package
Now the Democrats under President Obama have a program that will kick start all levels of the American economy and put our feet on the path to recovery. Not a single Republican in the House voted for it. Not one had the courage to do the right thing. Zip, Zero! It is amazing not one, mind you, not a single Republican can think for themselves. They are like lemmings on the edge of a cliff. Bipartisianship is not alive in the American Congress. The Republicans had it their way for the last eight years and still expect to get it. They will not! They do not have the votes for it! They are on the wrong side of the nation's recovery. Still they die hard, and will use the tactic of being the obstructionist and call it loyal opposition. Is this hypocracy to be rewarded

Political Obstructionist
The Republican idea of being a political obstructonist is based on; "If I cannot get what I want, then I will stop you for getting what you want." It is a childish game! Their game plan is to protect their cronies in the financial and business world with a "O" vote! They complain there is too much spending. This is the logic of people who brought us record deficits and trillions in national debt!

How many billions did they spend on their trumped up Iraq war? Can anyone please explain the benefits to the country, or the ravaged middle class for the little six-year fiasco? The Republican mantra was to spend, spend, spend on their pet projects and Americans can go to hell if they don't like. And we did, our economy is paying the price for their Republican gamesmanship! Now we are fighting for recover from the Republican lies and horrific leadership blunders. The Republicans had the votes in Congress to block any good Democratic ideas. Now they do not have those vital votes

How does the old saying go ... "Screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me." Change is here, and so is the screwing cycle!

Is the Congress Out Of Their Minds: Bailed Out Financial Firms Take The Money And Run

2009-01-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

It was a forgone conclusion for most Americans, the people in charge of the $700 billion bail out were of the same ilk, crooked and greedy people that brought down the financial institutions on Wall Street. The American people understood they would do all in their power to bail out their unscrupulous associates in crime to become their money saviors and save their own petty asses in the bargain. The likes of their fellow conspiritors are: AIG, Lehman, Bear/Stearns Citigroup Inc, JPMorganChase &Co., and Bank of America. Of course, there are some heavy hitters like Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae going unscathed and taking little responsibility in the financial and mortgage debacle. Plenty of money flowed from the corporate Board rooms into Republican coffers. The fix was definitely in.

No Controls, No Oversight.
Henry Paulsen, Secretary of the Treasuary wanted no controls on bail out spending, and would offer no oversight to as to how these funds are to be spent during the financial bail out's process. He was literally given free reign to decide on who got the money, how much, and how it was spent. His decisions could not be challenged. The American people looked for leadership and footed the bill is left screwed, and thanked with a typical one finger salute.

Take The Money And Run
Sadly each of these financial firms simply took the bail out money and ran to their nearest off shore tax haven. They all have them waiting for a cash infux. AIG received the greatest amount of funding with $150 billion. No investigations were made on the status and depth of the financial firm's off shore accounts because they are untouchable! We simply have no idea how much money is sequestered in these legal off shore tax havens. None!

Congress is Fearful To Do The Right Thing
Congress was afraid to let the kingpin financial institutions fail and fall on their fat butts causing financial chaos on Wall Street since the Great Depression of the 1930's. The Republicans fought tooth and nail for their business buddies and got their way.

The Democrats weaseled and caved in as the Republicans threatened a fraudulent doomsday scenario while postering as saviors. The Democrats in their usual frenzy to help, and do some good could not typically get their heads out of their asses to see any truth and daylight. Congress voted to throw $350 billion down a financial rat hole for big business bail outs. The Republicans had the votes to have their way.

The American taxpayers got their salute as a paultry thank you, and everything was hushed up...until Barack Obama was elected as a new Democratic President.

Obama Is Applalled
President-elect Barack Obama is appalled at the insane congressional antics of bailing out the financial and mortgage firms while doing nothing for the middle classes. Once he is president, he vows insight, strict oversight controls, and will use the remaining $350 billion to help the middle classes who are incredibly hurt by financial and mortgage institution's colossal failure and greed. The clock is ticking. The Republicans are posturing as obstructionists and protectionists again. But, this time they do not have the votes.

Let the Big Three Fall: They Broke Detroit, Let Them Fix It!

2008-12-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

First, the Big Three in the American auto industry wanted $25 billion. Now they raise the 'anti' to $34 billion, stressing this price tag may not be enough money to bailout the American auto industry. Clearly, it will not!

Are We Fools?
Just how far will congress go to save an industry that continuously shoots itself in the financial foot through ignorance is questionable? If they listen to the American people, over 60% are not in favor of the bailout. We simply cannot afford the price tag. Detroit is on its own.

It does not take Quantum physics to figure the final bill for saving the American Big Three auto makers may tally at around $100 billion. We simply cannot afford it!

The question is:
Are we going to give the money to the same people who without shame broke the industry? Bailing out CEO's who ignored the coming crisis, ignored the call for 'green' cars, the same people who refuse to assemble an industry task force of labor, management and suppliers from all three companies to develop objectives, strategies and tactics in a plan committed to solving this crisis.

Will we cast off the deceitful people who believe the government is obligated to bail them out, and will sullenly forgo their millions of dollars in salaries and benefits , probably to to collect them later in outrageous bonuses?

Are we going to keep the same people in charge of rebuilding Detroit ...that broke it? Silly us if we do! And stupid congress if they do!

The Real Problem
Each car builder is out to protect their own company...industry be damned. They haven't figured the problem out yet. The American people are not gullible fools, they can see through this petty charade and choose not to play. They know very well it is not a Chrysler, Ford or GM problem. It is endemic to the auto industry, it is their problem. However, they broke Detroit and they have to fix it!

Get Rid Of The Dead Wood Causing The Problem
To solve the problem takes drastic action. Cleaning house is in order, get rid of the 'good ole boys'. Replace the CEO's. Chairmen, CFO's Directors and the recalcitrant UAW officials who lack foresight. Replace them with fresh minds who think outside the Detroit box. Men and women capable of insight and vision. People who can act swiftly and assemble a task force from all parts of the industry to make decisions based on economic forecasts and trends. They must prepare a simple plan of action to be solvent and survive. Detroit has failed to present or implement, and plan any way out of the crisis. Silly them! They haven't done this because the want us to bail them out of their responsibilities.

Let Detroit Fail...and Fall
If they do not make severe, drastic changes and rely on the old way of business as usual, the industry is doomed. Let us understand, the people who helped bring on this crisis are the same people in bed with the auto industry...the proverbial oil industry with inflated gasoline and oil prices. Let them contribute to the survival of their chief consumers demise. They have been making record profits for years and surviving quite admirably. Consider they have an industry to lose as well.

Think about this, if the Big Three fails and falls, what will happen? Do we think China would pass up the opportunity to buy an established industry in the American market? In addition, what about India's TATA Motors, they already are making affordable cars with high MPG read for our market. And perhaps, some of the European car makers with their 'Smart' cars are interested in jumping into the American market, as the Asians did several years ago. Asian car makers are successfully competing because of their vision and keen ears to the market. Remember, the parts, assembly plants and distribution are already established and just waiting.

There is the question about the taxpayers footing the bill for a bailout. What is the plan to repay them, or will the Big Three simply take the money as a gift, and run. Congress has the job of watching out for the taxpayers and repayment!

Why cannot Americans, who invented the automobile and the assembly line, get it right? The Detroit pompous asses deserve to fail. Let them file for Chapter 11 and restructure under the watchful eye of the Congress. Let them fall!

Let The Big Three Auto Makers Sink or Swim: No Bailout!

2008-11-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

Let me see, am I stupid, or are the Big Three American auto manufacturers trying to put some well-oiled crap over on the American people on this bailout bullshit. Are they such incompetent industrial whores they do not care where the money comes from as long as they get it. Have they no scrupples? No sense of responsibility? I guess not!!

Since when did it become the government's responsibility to use the taxpayers hard-earned money to bail out the capitalistic, free enterprise system of the auto industry with loans of $25 billion. Where will it stop?

At recent congressional hearings, an arrogant, GM executive blatantly testified GM spends $5 billion a month to operate. Probably, Ford and Chrysler can claim the same expenditures to operate their organizations. At that rate, one should question, "Just how damn far and long will the $25 billion go? "

Probably not far or long. Let us say two months, and those slick, good old rich executives in their private jets will bed back in Washing panhandleling for more money.

There will be strident requests to provide more fund down a rat hole headed by men who cannot see past coming trends predicting their industry's fate, and still dumb enough to push on people cars and trucks we did not want or cannot afford. Why in hell should we pay attention for their request for a gift of any funds? We are not fools! The Big Three Auto executives simply expect to receive $25 billion with no strings attached. They offer no plans for growth or funds payback, no plans for new 'green' cars that can get 60-70 MPG. The only thing they offer is their hand for the money. No thank you!

While they were in the thick of making profits in the billions from world wide sales, along came two key national crisis: high gas prices and the credit crunch brought on by the collapse of the American Wall Street financial institutions. Events that brought them to their knees. No Mia Culpas here! Where was the high priced vision of the future by those high level executives? It was greedy business as usual!

Now the Big Three are begging for our help, asking for our money to bail them out. They waited until the crisis is so bad they thought we could not afford to give them the money for the familiar rat hole, taxpayer money to save a very sloppy run, non-competitive slick and sick automotive industry. This industry got into the crisis by their greedy doing, let them get out on their positive actions to succeed.

Sadly, it is time to stop the stupid process of industry bail outs in a free market economy. Remember folks, this is your money they are trying to get.

It is their industry, their companies, their products, their sales force and distribution chains, their ignorance of trends and their stupid executives wh are fighting for an undemanding job. Where were the stockholders and the unions voice? Silent as long as profits were coming in. They could not see the handwriting on the wall? Sorry, you are on your own boys, just like the rest of us. No money, not on penny. Nada.

The Republicans Shamefully Repudiated In A Landslide Victory For America

2008-11-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

The election is over and historic in precedence. It was an election strongly motivating people of this country to reclaim their nation, and doing it by the stroke of their own hand. Their reclaimation sent a powerful message they will fight the elitist Washington establishment with some new blood and trusted old blood. This election, the people made their voice soundly heard with resounding crescendos. They did it with their vote in the greatest election turn out in the nation's history. By a silent junta, the power is back to the people.

The Democrats heard the message of the people's pain and anguish and spread the word. The days of the Washington establishment is no longer tolorated. The Republicans will not be in power to work their devious greedy agendas over the American people, while they suck up to the lobbyist from Corporations who drive the Washington inner circle with secret, outlandish sums of money.

All over this country, people sensed and smelled change in the wind. They inhaled it, and wanted the change en masse. Eighteen months ago, a subtle fire of the Democratic movement by several visible candidates; foremost Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Barack Obama called on Americans to take back their nation. Their voices ignited a smoldering America and was fueled by the people's anger at the Bush administration...the firestorm of change was underway.

The Republican Ways: Lies, Fear, Deception and Deceit.

America was appalled as John McCain, his trophy wife Cindy and Sarah Palin, used the Karl Rove Republican handbook to deceive their way across country with great intensity, in an attempt to foil reason and common sense. Their theme was "Straight Talk," however, it was anything but straight talk.

They used turncoat surrogates like Joe Lieberman and the FOX media Neocons to make their case with blistering false attacks, character assassination and incendiary lies. They only wound up as dispicable people who freely abandoned their principles in an attempt for power and enhanced reputation. In the end lost it all.

The American people saw through their childish temper tantrums, lies, distortions and deceptions as attempts to manipulate their minds, and soundly resisted it. Some sadly, were fooled by their scorching rhetoric. Americans perceived McCain as an angry old man, using everyone in his reach to get what he wants: personal power backed by a nation in angst. He used fear as a principle motivator, which may have some short term affect, but is quickly seen by the media and the American people as derisive fear mongering and exploitive racism.

Sarah Palin, the Alaskan Govenor was his brash, young woman star, tapped in a Hail Mary act of desperation as VP candidate. Palin had no skill, or aptitude to be a VP , and certainly no knowledge of the critical aspects of world affairs as well as American affairs

McCain dressed her on the taxpayers booty, put her out as an attack dog to scream and screech her venom of his lies and deceptions. In the end, she denounces the McCain campaign as 'jerks and cowardly,' and appeared to be grudging and pitiful...as some would say stupid. Now, she praises saying, "God bless Barack Obama." What a suck up Sarah!

By a huge majority, the American people saw through this deception. Using their vote they spoke in a stinging repudiation of the worn out Republican Neocon Karl Rove tactics, and for life enhancing freedom of Democratic changes. Now, watch the Republicans start sucking up after offering their traitor's kiss.

McCain Lies About His Veteran's Support

2008-10-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2008, John McCain said the following:

"I know veterans, I know them well, and I know that they know that I'll take care of them, and I have been proud of their support and their recognition of my service to the veterans, and I love them, and I'll take care of them and they know I'll take care of them."

That statement was in a national debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, and infuriated veterans across America. It was a political lie by John McCain in lieu of his horrible support of veteran's issues. It is bullshit, and the veterans know it, and are pissed about being used as his political pawn.

Here is McCain's record on Troop and Veterans Issues

Veterans groups give McCain failing grades McCain received a 20% rating on his voting record on veteran's issues.
Voted against increased funding for veteran's health care .(3.29.07)
Voted 28 times against veteran's benefits, including health care benefits.
Voted against giving automatic cost-of-living adjustments to veteran's.(11.20.91)
Voted to underfund Department of Veteran's Affairs.(9.27.95)
Voted against $13 billion increase in funding for veterans programs. (5.16.96)
Voted against 47 billion increase for veteran's programs. (10.15.99)
Voted against $51 billion in veteran's funding. (11.8 01 & 8.02.01)
Voted against 122 billion for Department of veteran's affairs. (11.12.03)
Voted against $500 million for counseling services for veteran's mental health disorders.(11.17.05)
Voted against an assure funding stream for veterans health care. he opposed it taking into account annual changes in veterans population and inflation. (3.16.06)
Voted against an assured funding stream of veteran's health care. McCain was one of 13 Republicans to vote against providing and additional 430 million to the Department of Veteran's Affairs for outpatient care. (4.26.06)
Supported outsourcing VA jobs, many held by blue-collar veterans. (9.6.07)
Voted against the 21st Century GI Bill, saying it was too generous. (5.22.08)
McCain co-sponsored the "Use of Force Authorization" to invade Iraq. (10.3.02)
Voted against increased spending on TRICARE and giving greater access to National Guard and Reservist. (3.25.03)
Voted against holding Bush accountable for the Iraq war. (7.16.03)
Voted against establishment of $1 billion Trust Fund for military health facilities.(2.2.06)
Voted against the ending of over-extension of the military (mandatory down time between tours of duty.) (7.11.07)
McCain argued Saddam was a "threat of the first order." 2.13.03)
Said the US would be in Iraq for a short time and "win easily." (MSNBC 1.22.03)

Clearly John McCain is a military man who is eager for war, and does not support the warriors who fight it. He considers them as fodder in his egomanic desire to win his last hurrah. He does not support the troops with anything...and that includes money. If he did, he would never have advocated for this insane war and send our troops in harms way for an unjust cause. He would use his stature as a senator to take care of our warriors and their families. He does not!!

When McCain talks about how he supports the veterans, he is a political liar, lying through this teeth to curry the veteran's vote. His votes and opposition in the Senate prove he is a liar.

John McCain and Sarah Palin: The duo falters and screams like children

2008-10-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

Winning At Any Cost
John McCain the elitist, is clearly an empty old man, acting as a Republican bully. His face and body language shows discontent and anger welling up in his baggy body. He is out of touch with his constituents, society, America and the world at large.

He and his running mate, Sarah Palin flagrantly show their disdain for the American people. Their affected behaviors and thinking indicate exactly what type of perverse administration they would have. They place their integrity, (McCain does not have any left,) truth, and honesty on the line, resorting to outright lying, deception, deceit, name-calling, innuendo, and using vile sleaze tactics that do not ingratiate the to the voters...except the choir. This duo falters and screams like children throwing a temper tantrum. It is classic Republican bullshit and the voters searching for 'how to" information and positions from the candidates know it. However, they speak to the delight to the Washington Neocons!

Palin is Dumb, But She is Mine
John McCain is pleased to allow Sarah Palin's shrill voice to do his dirty work. She does it willingly. He uses her for his agenda, not caring an iota if she gathers tarnish as an egomaniac airhead. The folksy 'babe,' the media claims, does not have a functioning brain in her skull.

She is ignorant of governmental and international facts. She could not track intelligent conversations and queries from Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson. She gets perplexed when the media asks questions that she does not have a clue what they are talking about, (EG: the Bush Doctrine) but, makes up childish, jibberish responses, or simply avoids answering the question. Poor Thing! While her mouth moves, she does not have a hint of what she is saying or it's impact. However, she winks as if she knows. It is her flirty affect to distract the audience and the media. But she likes the the low ball, no brainer, no substance questions from the FOX Neocon henchmen.

Power Trip
In a few short weeks in the limelight's glow, Palin has morphed into a Dick Cheney wantabee. Like Cheney, she is mystified with the trappings of VP power. This contrary little miss advocates and supports Alaska's secession from the US, will pursue and usurp more power for herself and be further corrupted in the process.

McCain of the Past is Not the Same Today
The John McCain of the past was a honorable man with marginal scrupples. Today, John McCain us a scared, lackluster man with a violent temper and devoid of conscious or restraint. He has stooped to new lows by running a dishonorable campaign. He is the proverbial attack dog focused on the willful character assassination of Barack Obama. He has little substance in his proffered programs. McCain claims he has a congressional record the media can check. However, it too is a record of deception, voting one way for a bill and voting against the bill when it comes to the Senate floor. It is a serious record of flip-flopping and voting for his lobbyist friends agenda. In addition, of course, there is the famous S&L fiasco about the Keating 5 with McCain getting a free pass from any prosecution. He escaped with a Senate censure, and is the only one involved in the Keating 5 scandal to avoid Federal prosecution and prison time.

Hero Or Turncoat
Instead of being a hero, perhaps McCain is showing the face of a coward under the campaign's rigorous fire. This begs the question of his heroism: was McCain a real hero, or a turncoat to the Vietmanese for special treatment, and his obvious embracing sponsoring of Viet Nam government officials, including the disgusting cover-up of American MIA's. True heros do not laude themselves for their service or political advantage. They simply do it and not talk about it. Ask Senators John Kerry and Chuck Hagel. McCain uses his POW time as PR capitol. Does being a POW justify McCain as being a war hero and the president, or just another POW survivor from the rigors of war. There are enough of these unfortunates to go around to go around.

Boomerang Effect
John McCain and Sarah Palin's attack antics and staying off issues during the Republican presidential campaign are not going well with the voters (and the media.) Their consisent aggression is having a boomerang effect that haunts them, and turning the voter off.
Their sleazy, low moral tactics will insure an Obama landslide in November. The American people cannot be fooled by rhetoric with no substance.

What ever happened to the civilized campaign John McCain promised the American voters he would conduct? Once again, McCain lies.

Hypocrite John McCain's Two Faces Are Showing... Again

2008-08-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

Russia invaded the country of Georgia. It is definitely an undesired act against humanity with repercussions felt around the world.

All week long old John McCain has been clamoring for Russian prime Minister Vladimir Putin to stop the Russian invasion of Georgia, a democratic and pro-Western sovereign nation. It makes good election year rhetoric from the Karl Rove Republican playbook. But it cannot pass the smell test of American hypocrisy. Today, August 13, 2008, as reported in the media, John McCain stated:

"In the 21st Century nations don't invade other nations."

Now wait a minute folks! Is this the same John McCain, who is for a lethal, preemptive strike on any sovereign nation he considers is a danger to the US? Remember his little ditty, "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran?" Is this the same John McCain , war hawk extraodinaire on Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan? Is it an arrogant statement that is a classic McCain blunder, who seems to forget what is going on in the world? Did he forget the US is now occupying two sovereign nations in the Middle East?

Are not Iraq and Afghanistan sovereign nations? We invaded Iraq under false pretenses, flat out lies perpetrated by the Bush Administration...and McCain signed off on those deceptions. tell me, what is the difference here? Ask old John McCain, why does Bush have a right to invade a sovereign nation and Putin does not?

Now Bush is posturing as a cowboy again, rounding up his friends in the G-8 and attempting to throw Russia out of the G-8. Does either of these guys think straight?

Enron Loophole: By Eliminating It, Oil Prices Can Be Cut 50 Percent In Thirty Days.

2008-08-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Oregon US Representative Peter DeFazio in his recent report: “Special Report on Energy Solutions” indicates there are three ways we can quickly reduce gas prices. A primary way to have quick results is to close the Enron Loophole.

What is the Enron Loophole?
Back in 2000, Congress passed and Bill Clinton signed into law the “Commodities Future Modernization Act of 2000 [CFMA]. This bill has direct impact because it limits the transparency of speculators and hedge funds operators. These investors can hide in the financial shadows and do business under cover.

It is a Republican effort to manipulate oil prices. Oil, natural gas and other commodity markets deregulated by the Republican led Congress to the benefit of vast corporations like Enron.

How it happened
While Ken Lay, Enron CEO was convicted of massive corporate fraud, and his company went bankrupt, the “Enron Loophole” a provision that was slipped into the bill in the dead of night at the behest of McCain’s buddy, Senator Phil Gramm [R-TX], exempts from regulation energy trading on electronic platforms. This bill lives on, and under the protection of John McCain and his Republican cohorts covering for his speculator and hedge fund friends. John McCain shifts his emphasis for reducing gas prices by shifting and consistently talking about drilling for oil offshore and ANWAR. It is a political ploy and deception to divert from the truth of the catastrophic Enron Loophole and its Republican protection for the oil industry.

Speculators unchallenged by federal regulations
As a result, $260 billion of speculative money has flowed into the commodity markets in the last five years, unnecessarily driving up the price of nearly everything. The speculators and hedge fund investors go unregulated by the federal government. It is rumored, one Wall Street brokerage firm controls more oil and gas in the current marketplace through speculation contracts than Exxon/Mobile, the largest US oil company.

1. Closing the loophole means big savings at the pump

According to testimony before Congress, in June from three Wall Street analysts, oil prices could be cut up to 50 percent by elimination price manipulation in the oil market, this means closing the Enron Loophole. Barack Obama said, “As president he would strengthen government oversight of energy traders he blames in a large part for the skyrocketing price of oil.” Obama particularly cited the ‘Enron Loophole’ as allowing speculators to run up the cost of fuel by operating outside federal regulation.

First steps in closing the loophole
According to Representative DeFazio, the House recently took the first step in closing the loophole by passing H.R. 6377, Energy Markets Emergency Act that will direct the Commodity Futures Trade Commission (CTFC) to uses its full authority to curtail speculation and other practices distorting the energy market. The Senate has yet to act on this legislation.

Congress needs to pass comprehensive to stop price manipulation. Representative Peter DeFazio is the original co-sponsor for H.R. 6330. The 2008 Prevent Unfair Manipulation of Prices (PUMP) Act, it is a comprehensive bill aimed at closing several loopholes allowing price manipulation.

2. Oil leases: Use them, or lose them

Representative DeFazio says Republican’s in Congress claim prices would fall if we sell more leases for drilling offshore and in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This argument completely ignores the fact that oil companies currently hold over 10,000 leases they are not drilling. In addition, these unused leases they can access 80 percent of the available oil and gas reserves. If we are to reduce our dependency on foreign in the next few years, Congress must force the oil industry to producing more domestic gas and oil in the next few years.

To expedite development Representative DeFazio co-sponsored H.R. 6251, the Use It or Lose It Act, a common sense bill requiring the oil industry to use the leases they already have, or risk losing the right to bid on future leases.

Alaska is open and sanctioned for drilling
More than 91 million acres in Alaska are open for drilling. The single proven biggest pool of oil is in the United States is not under ANWAR, but next door in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA), which has at least 10.6 billion barrels of recoverable oil. The reserve is open for business with billions of barrels of oil for the taking, but is disregarded by the oil industry. With high gas prices at the pump and record profits, they are clearly saving their assets in the ground.

3. End OPEC stranglehold price fixing

The world demand for oil has escalated at an alarming rate , but the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has conspired to decrease production. In 2007, the Middle East’s six largest oil exporters-Saudia Arabia, United Arab Emiratres, Iran, Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar- reduced their exports by 862,000 barrels a day. OPEC’s oil production peaked in 2005 and has been capped or cut ever since. The amount of crude oil exported by the world’s top oil producers was reduced 2.5 last year, despite a 57 percent increase in prices.

Legally challenge OPEC for violating WTO rules
Last month, Bush-for the second time this year pleaded with the Saudis to increase their oil production. His pleas were unsuccessful. Representative DeFazio has called on the administration to file a trade complaint against OPEC for violating WTO rules. There is strong legal basis for the US to pursue this trade complaint because colluding to set production levels violates WTO rules, specifically Article Xl.

The US government has filed a number of cases with the WTO on behalf of large multinational corporations. It is about time the administration file a complaint to break the pricing stranglehold of the OPEC cartel.

Domestic Energy Supplies

The US uses about 25 percent of the world's oil production, but holds only three percent of the world oil reserves. We simply cannot drill our way out of this crisis over the long term, but we can moderate he current price spike with domestic production. The Bush Administration and big oil are perpetuating a great myth; drilling restrictions are blocking supply and driving up the price of oil. However, according to the Department of the Interior, 82 percent of the natural gas deposits and 79 percent of the oil deposits thought to exist in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is located in areas currently leased and fully accessible.

Republicans mislead and lie to confuse
Republicans in Congress claim that 85 percent of the OCS is blocked from oil and gas drilling is a misleading statistic that refers to acrage, not actual oil and gas deposits. When it comes to boosting supply, available deposits matter, acres do not. The vast majority of viable oil and deposits are already available for development and are sitting idle. John McCain knows this, still he cries the mantra about off shore drilling, a bullshit cry to irritate and confuse Americans with a deceptive a message, he whines it with a straight face and dishonest mouth.

The fact is 79 percent of the oil potentially available on the OCS is already open for leasing, however the oil companies have not made it any priority to drill there. These untapped resources equal more than 14 years of the current US oil consumption.

Offshore Drilling: A Republican Ploy to Give The Oil Industry A Future Boost While Americans Think They Are Getting A Quick Fix

2008-08-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

Now the Republican John McCain wants to alleviate the financial pressure at the gas pumps by allowing the oil companies to drill offshore on the continental shelf. He wants you to believe by doing it: we will gain a quick fix and immediate gratification by lower prices at the pumps. it is a classic smoke and mirrors game my friends, as John McCain says, pure smoke and mirrors. American is buying into this bullshit out of desperation.

But, while it is rhetoric sounding like John McCain is doing something good-it has no substance for immediate relief for the American taxpayer. Understand it will take a minimum of 7 to 10 years for the oil from these rigs to reach the American gas pumps. Seven to ten years is not immediate gratification, is it?

Hell, it is not any form of instant pump and price gratification to the public. The oil companies love it because they will still be relying on foreign oil, and the oil companies have a new source of domestic product for the future and add their complex profits oil stranglehold on the American public.

In the US, there are close to 70 million acres of public land leased by oil companies and held in reservation available for oil exploration by the nation's oil companies. They lease the land for $3.00 an acre per year, locking the land for possible future exploration. No one else can drill or explore on it while they claim the leases as assets. Eighty percent of the oil leases are going unused. No plans are presently underway to drill for this oil and bring it into production. The oil companies do not lease land unless they know there is oil in it. It simply lies in the ground, a huge oil bank waiting exploration and profits. Why are we not using this land for oil drilling instead of looking to the controversial off shore drilling?

Meanwhile, the oil companies are not hurting. Oh no, Mobile/Exxon made almost 12 billion in profits, (that is with a "b") for the second quarter of this year. Wall Street is surprised the profits were lower than expected. People should wonder with record profits from Mobile/Exxon, why they refuse to build new refineries to replace the old fun down ones in the US?

Barack Obama: You need Hillary as Vice President!

2008-08-02T18:06:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama, you know it and the American people, and Democrats know and want Hillary on your ticket. Between the two of you, 36,000,000 people voted for your policies and programs. More over, those policies and programs were not very far apart. You need the strength of her voice to take on the lying McCain, and the votes she can deliver.

Right now, John McCain is busy being the Republican political mouthpeice, defining Barack Obama straight from the Karl Rove Republican playbook of character assassination based on attack, attack and attack everything Obama does and says. Obama defends himself when he should be talking about what he wants to do for America, and counteract this slide to depression.

Hillary Clinton said this would happen six months ago, and she was right on target. Hillary knows how to fight the Republican sleaze machine. She knows how to slug it out toe-to-toe with the Republicans and the nasty, mean-spirited way they do political business. She is a fighter, and Obama has the wounds to prove it. In addition, she is very effective and skilled at doing it. She knows John McCain and his political weaknesses and can attack the antiquated pro-business Republican policies and programs which are so radically different from the Democrats.

Obama should select Hillary as his running mate right now. Let her take on the Republicans and nail their petty, self serving butts to the wall on the issues and assassination plots they raise. Obama can get on with pressing their policies and programs for America. Who else does Obama have as running mate, next best is Joe Biden, but who else is like Hillary? She can fight, raise money and garner votes.

Why are you waiting, precious time is wasting. Hillary thinks like you and is tough in the trenches. Obama, do not be Bush stubborn!

John McCain: Presidential Cry Baby

2008-07-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

Old John McCain goaded Barack Obama into going to the Middle East and Europe to see the lay of the land, talk to world leaders, and visit our troop and commanders. McCain stressed it has been some time since Obama visited Iraq and should return (in lieu of the surge) for a visit and field assessment with the commanders. Obama had already planned a tour to visit with world leaders. It is a trip that backfired on John McCain and put a positive spotlight on Barack Obama.

McCain had his time in the sun with the world leaders including Canada, Mexico and Columbia when he made his world trip a few short weeks ago. His visits resulted in stilted meetings with heads of state, filled with photo ops, lackluster Bush intensity deficient of important news and directions. His meetings were filled with angry, meaningless rhetoric about Obama, lacking spontaneity and appeal. Consequently, the news coverage was dull and uneventful. It was a painfully boring trip to reach out and shore up world support. It did not work.

Nevertheless, the lifeless Republicans lied through their gnarling teeth as they touted McCain's trip as looking presidential, It was not a successful endeavor, nor was it presidential..

Unfortunately, there were leaders McCain did not visit, but should have, the old maverick played it safe. He did not appear presidential, or even senatorial but a tottering old man supported by his surrogate Joe Leiberman. to keep his facts straight. The media and networks shunned his trip for its predictable boring essence of goodwill and substance. McCain communicated very little of his goals and policies for America with the exceptions that surge he profoundly claims is working and we are winning the war in Iraq. It became a litnay of which policies he really stands: winning an unpopular and unwinnable war. On that account he is clearly a "johnny-on-note," far out of tune with American citizens. McCain is a military man with a small margin for success. He does not understand the political aspects. His incredible lack of political understanding makes him dangerous as an American president.

Barack Obama Wows The World

On the other hand, this past week (7.20-7.27.2008) traveling the world stge was a triumph for presidential candidate Barack Obama. He visited Europe, middle East and Iraq. The world welcomed him as he gave eloquent visions of America, cooperation with allies and stressed the time for worldwide change. The week was full of flawless magnatism and adulation for Obama.

In the US, the stunned Republicans watched with angst and envy as Obama stole the stage and media from John McCain by acting personable, knowledgeable and presidential. A sullen McCain could only wish he has accomplished the task as well as Obama. McCain complained bitterly how Obama is acting as if he has already won the presidency. McCain would loved to have the roles reversed. The media covered Obama extensively, hanging on his words and actions. They like Obama and the message of hope and change he brings to the world stage. He made news simply by being there. The people love his charisma. he garnered a crowd of 200,000 in Berlin. He found agreement form the Iraq Prime Minister Maliki for troop withdrawals from Iraq in 16 months. Something McCain has been fighting for several years. Republicans hung on Obama's every word to dissect and use for a political faux paux. They found very little to use but twisted the truth.

John McCain sunk to the epitome of his sleaze referring to Obama as "Willing to lose the war, to win the presidency." Clearly a stupid, spiteful remark that becomes McCain's whining image for which he was soundly repudiated by the press as being over the top, beneath his dignity as a candidate, tactless and lacking in substance.

This candid remark indicates the appalling Republican desperation, and the type of politics McCain will use in his "any means justifies the end" race, and will do and say anything to win. He apparently looks at the presidential race a a full out war. Is winning and pushing the archaic Republican agenda the only focus for McCain? Is this the voice of a maverick, or an angry old man? How can a country trust a man with this little integrity, who is constantly in a political sulk? It is clear by his actions, his thinking and his beliefs are irrational and obsolete.

McCain: The Surge is Political, Understand It Stupid

John McCain accuses Barack Obama of making he surge a political solution. and frankly, it is based on political solutions of established benchmarks by George Bush. It is true there is less violencee in Iraq. There are reasons for it, however none has to do with the surge. It has to do with the basic understanding of the basic premise of the surge is to give the fighting pause for a political, you heard right, a political solution by the Iraqi government. It is a tool and process to buy time for a political solution, not win a war which is an unreal concept and nothing to do with the surge. Nothing!

John McCain can attach any sigfnificance to the surge and winning he desires, it won't make it true. The surge is and always has been based on Iraqi political solutions. If he does not see that aspect, he is way out of touch with the surge policy he voted. But then, John McCain changes his mind when it is expedient to him.

So, why does John McCain keep talking about a military solution and not a political one. All the comanders in the field and Secretary of Defense Gates agree the war cannot be won militarily, and agree peace has to be won via a political solution in the Iraqi political arena, but John McCain doggly postures for a military win. He is obtainate, and will not face the facts. The two concepts are polorized effects.

Al Sadr's Cease Fire Gives Time for the Surge To Work

For well over a year, the most powerful Cleric in Iraq, Motaqada al-Sadr's caustic anti-american rhetoric has been quiet and his Medhi Army, (a force of 100,000 insurgent Shia fighters) have been standing down in al-Sadr's imposed cease fire. This means US troops do not have to combat the 100,000 counter insurgent troops of the Medhi Army. They have faded into the Iraqi sands to re-build, re-organize and re-group.

If we do not have 100,000 Shia insurgents attacking our troops that is very significant, and the violence and casualties are bound to decrease. This is why John McCain claims the surge is working. However, it has very little to do with the surge. Al-Sadr's stand down has a great deal to do with quelling violence in Iraq. The field commanders and General Petraeus in Iraq are aware of the reason, and have testified to the affect before congressional hearings.

Geoge Bush approved the surge force of 20,000 additional combat troops and approximately another 20,000 support troops into Iraq. Since al-Sadr's cease fire which is in effect at the time of this writing, these surge troops incur no major insurgent forces to combat except for Al Qaeda and Sunni insurgent forces. John McCain voted with Bush on the surge forces.

This lull in violence is desire so the Iraqi government and Prime Minister Maliki can reach a political solution to the reunification of Iraq. In the time the surge has been in effect the Maliki government has reached little, or few of the Bush established benchmarks for a political solution. This is the main reason the surge has been a dismal failure.

John McCain's bombastic claims the surge is working because a reduction in violence and casualties is convoluted and is making up a scenario to fit his way of thinking. It is pure McCain bullshit rheftoric, and indicates he does not comprehend why there was a surge in the first place. Agree, we have fewer casualties in Iraq, but the 20,000 additional boots on the ground has gained next to no Iraqi political solution, which is the original intent, or premise for the surge. It is by all ways of thinking a failure!

John McCain: "I Know How to Fight A War And Win!"

These words have been repeatedly spoken by John McCain in his Town Hall meetings on the presidential campaign. Let me ask, just which war has he recently fought and won. He was never a strategic planner or a tactician to fight any war? Hell, this ridiculous rhetoric running from the mouth of a man who over Vietnam could not keep his fighter jet in the air, and from being shot down.

Sanitizing the Iraq War: How the media and Bush keep Americans from knowing its true horrors!

2008-04-04T18:10:00.001-07:00

The painful conflicts of World War II, Korea and Vietnam certainly have been brought to the forefront in the minds of the American people by daring journalists and photo-journalists risking their lives to bring us the truth about war.

Watching the graphic pictures from Vietnam brought the war home, upfront and personal. Americans became inexorably drawn nightly into the wars anguish and realism through the realm of photographs and television reflecting the true madness of the war in real time.

In those days, there were few restrictions on the journalist and media. They honored the full measure sacrifices of our sons and daughters by not showing their ashen dead faces in death. However, that is where it stopped. We were observers of the incredible tragedies of war. The astonishing reporting of the news, photos and film from the field imprinted on us the cold understanding war' starkness and futility. No one watching could miss the sordid details of inflicted suffering. Vietnam was a war seriously dividing our nation. The field photographs and cogent reporting did a great deal to inspire that division.

We are not the witnesses to the Iraq War:
In the Iraq war, we do not witness the tragedy of our dead in body bags, the walking wounded in country, the wounded in hospitals , or their aftercare in stateside rehabilitation hospitals. We are not asked to understand the details of what happens to the psyche after three or four tours in Iraq. It is only real to the families who have service members serving in Iraq that know personally the details of tragedy and fear.

Sanitizing the war cheats us of truth:
Because of the shallow media reporting, Americans do not have a deep, stinging emotional national involvement. Our people are cheated from knowing the squalid, filth of war. We do not witness the callous acts on both sides...except when Bush finds it to his advantage to pump up our righteous anger win inflammatory rhetoric. We do not see what war does to warriors and civilians on both sides of battle. Americans are cheated and indignant because we are in disgusting war most of the nation does not want.

Narrow myopic scope:
Americans cannot be allowed to see the big picture of war, but have to view a narrow myopic scope of it. Bush has ordered his field generals to keep their mouths shut, saying nothing negative to the press.. He has made sure the the press uses sanitized military information. The journalists are provided military guardians to the site of interest, and their reports are previewed and censored by their military guides to make sure no truths leak to their American audiences. Those are the military ground rules, and most of the media accedes to them, with the exception of independent journalist for other nations of the world and region.

Sanitizing the war by the media:
The press and journalists are the voice for the people, they are a portal of viewing the war by the public; they are our window of truth! The American public and the world has a right to know how horrible a war is on people and the land. They need to be told and graphically shown what is going on in battles and vicious firefights. They need to know what war is like, understand the fear and smells of the battlefield, its wounded and death's stench.

It is up to the journalist in country to bring home the wars shocking and outrageous insights. But, what happens when the journalists are prevented from allowing the citizens empathy to the hurt inside along with the pain of our troops? What happens when they are prevented for telling and showing the truth? Unfortunately, the public cannot relate to the war, become immune to its horrors, its day-to-day miseries. and the ambiance of waiting death.

There can only be a singular, succinct reason the media and journalists omit and sanitize vital information, events and squeamish images in their war coverage. Orders from the administration's highest level is not to incite the public outcry against the war. Such images conceivably could collapse the desperate control ridden Bush administration. This is censorship from the office of the president and secretary of defense, and has been occurring since the Gulf war.

The field generals break the silence code:
Only after they retire do the field commanders and generals feel safe and dare speak, provide their real assessments of the Iraq war, and it is only verbal. They are addressing Iraq mistakes, blunders and the administration's naive stupidly and insolence, the ever changing policies, and what we are doing to our sons and daughters with multiple tours of duty. They are no longer muzzled by the fear and threats of their careers,

Photos banned by Bush:
In another disservice to Americans, Bush has ordered a ban on photographing our fallen warriors caskets as they arrive at the US National Mortuary in Dover, and all military funerals at Arlington national cemetery. A few pictures have been surreptitiously taken by courageous photo-journalist and published in newspapers that consider the public has a right to see them. However, there was resentment by some media, and hard felt repercussions of government harassment.

Why give Bush a platform to lie and distort truth:
Bush can do and say anything he wants to control the creative and genuine flow of ideas to the free press. Why do they print his diatribe of lies and bullshit. Most Americans know he is not truthful, and do not trust his word. So why does the press print his lies and inflammatory rhetoric.

In doing so, Americans can see their weakness, and that they take party sides. they can see the press has lot its objectivity and have become bias. They have become unbelievable as reporters of news, they became sycophants to Bush's political and very personal war. It might be a change if the White House called a press conference and no media attended except Fox News.

Bush considers the American people gullible and like the proverbial mushrooms, keep us in the dark, give us a little water, sprinkle us with some shit and we will keep growing.

Democrats want to end the war, but do not have the numbers...yet:
To their credit, Democrats have brought up bill after bill for a vote in the Senate; to not fund the war, establishing benchmarks for Iraqi government performance, opposing the surge, and timetables to start withdrawing our troops. The Republicans have managed to thwart almost every vote on Democratic sponsored bills, and negate the vote because of the close party parity of Senate Republicans and Democrat members. The president vetoes Democrat sponsored bills he does not want. Until Democrats get the numbers to override his vetoes, their bills are in a wasteland of Republican ideology.

It will take a new Democratic president to end the Iraq war. Bush will never end the war, it is his quest and legacy, and John McCain has said he will not!

When will the free press stop being a tool of Republican administrations? When will it regain the title of "Free Press?" When will they live up to their inheritance of commitment for presenting the truth to the American people and stop sanitizing news?

Democrats: Stay on issues and attack John McCain!

2008-03-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Democrats have to stop attacking each other , stay on the top four issues and attack John McCain and his Bush policies. After many debates and personal coverage, the American public knows what Hillary and Barack stand for as candidates. They have very little differences between their policies and what needs to be done. They differ greatly from John McCain's failed Bush policies. And Americans should know those differences beat daily in the media. American Democrats accept either Obama or Clinton . One or both can be in the White House for as many as sixteen years... Both can have their time as president if, they learn to lose their egos, they stop attacking each other, and go after McCain. Doing it in tandem takes away his advantage of no one opposing him until November.

Let the process play out:
We have to allow the citizens to give their votes in the remaining states. Urging one to drop out is not the American democratic way. Every State has a right for citizens to vote and have their vote count. This includes Michigan and Florida. So, let the system play out. It is going to be decided at the Democratic Convention in June by the delegates. Neither Hillary or Barack will probably garner ample winning votes. Remember, contrary to what the medial pundits say, this is not a a democratic mess, it is about two powerful candidates running even. Both have the same message, but different styles of delivering that message.

Let the delegates shut up:
We have heard certain senators who are delegates open their mouths supporting their own personal point of view and candidate. They do no good with this sordid rhetoric and betrays their position as a delegate. It really clouds the issues in the 10 states yet to vote. Let them shut the hell up, until it is time at the convention for their input.

Let the surrogates shut off the infighting and attack McCain and his policies:
The candidates should force their surrogates to shut off the infighting and focus on the policy larder of McCain. The exception to this would be Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton, who as spouses have an vested interest in the race.

Don't give the media ammunition for the Republican playbook:
The media works on contrasts and sensationalism. The Republicans love to see the Democrats squabble and so does the media. They make Democrats appear disjointed and not fostering the same policies together. The media likes this because it gives them a day in the office, a reason for being. They love to second guess the American people but, they are not good at it. It's their day job! Do not give them ammunition by playing their game!! They are way out of line by calling for either Hillary or Barack to step aside, they love to make it a frenzy.

By focusing on McCain's tired policies, Hillary and Barack can work as a team to take apart his stale rhetoric on the Bush failed policies, and by comparison show the difference in the Democrat policies.

Know that one will/can be the vice president and will eventually be the president:
Hillary and Barack are both young enough to be the president in waiting. One will probably with the agreement from the DNC and delegates have to agree on the vice president's position. That is a solid one-two punch for the next sixteen years. It also keeps the Independents with the Democrats. However, fractured egos in this situation can defeat the race for the prize.

Keep your eyes on the prize:
Agree this is a possibility and agree to give accommodations to the office and the party. Keep your eyes on the prize. Do not give it away for the sake of pride. Above all, the candidates should be smart. Both are acceptable and will make excellent presidents. This does not have to be a winner take all situation, Both candidates can share their abilities, political skills, fighting capacity and knowledge. They can both be historic winners, and so can this country. Bush will leave this nation in such shambles it may take both of them to clean it up.

Why won't the US arm the Iraqi army?

2008-03-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Iraqi army has one important component to fight a war...manpower!

They do not have the field equipment, training, general officer corps with strategic planning ability, or the heart to fight the war. Yes, they have the troops in numbers individually equipped by the US government.

The US is willing to provide individual and personal equipment to wage battle; uniforms, ammunition, guns, helmets, but, even flack jackets for the Iraqis are questionable. They do not have the support equipment needed to sustain a battle. If ole George gets his way, they aren't going to get it for a long time.

This Iraqi army has had difficulty after their five year struggle to "stand up." Even now, in 2008 they have difficult time of mustering troops for battle and standing up without the US involvement in support. The fighting in Basra against al-Sadr's Mahdi army has shown they need the US support.

No, this is not a standing army poised to win a war with tanks, long range artillery, heavy duty mortar, or armored carriers for troops. This is a barely trained army going into the breach of battle with a gun and bullets. There is not even a good sustaining medical system for the wounded.

The Iraqi Air Force is almost non-existent, except for a few prop driven fighter aircraft, light aircraft, a dismal amount of helicopters and transport planes. So, officers cannot call for any of their own air support, only what the Americans are willing to provide. There is no navy to consider. Is this how we spend a huge amount of treasure, five precious years and over 4,000 lives of our sons and daughters to equip and sustain an army supposed to be on our side? Is this how the surge is working, and we are preparing Iraq to stand alone? The Bush administration is tied to the Iraqi government like an dead Albatross around Bush's neck.

What is missing in this equation?

An idea for consideration, and may not be far fetched to the open mind. Maybe, ole George does not want to win the war in Iraq. Perhaps, just perhaps, Bush/McCain wants the Iraqis dependent on us. Then we can control their oil. and contain flair-ups in the region? Are we fearful to arm the Iraqi troops into a well trained fighting force with equipment that would make a difference in battle? It appears so! Does McCain's statement about a hundred years ring a bell?

Think abstractly now. Do we want to give force like al-Sadr the possibility of obtaining serious equipment that can be used against us and may make a difference in the battles. Are so joined with Israel at the hip that when the say"crap" we ask them to tell us what color they would like. Suppose the Iraqi army was well trained with a decent officer corps, well equipped to do battle on a winning basis and decided to support Palestine with a preemptive strike against the Israelis?

Tell me, what do the Israelis bring to the American table, that we should have to be in lockstep in every move with them? Well, perhaps because they do our dirty work in the Middle East.

No, the possibilities are too great, old George will not successfully train and arm the Iraqi army, he cannot afford it. they will just have to struggle along being fifth class army. But inquiring minds may ask, what happens if there is a political revolt in Iraq and al-Sadr (who is very popular religious cleric) over-throws Maliki and becomes the Prime Minister of Iraq. Iran's influence and arms will be and has been no different than ours with Israel.

Why are we arming the Sunnis in a foreign sovereign nation, and complain when Iran does it with the Shiites?

No earmarks for McCain. Does Arizona suffer from his irrational beliefs?

2008-03-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

John McCain, Republican presidential candidate takes a point of pride in touting to the American people and the Republican Party that in his 21 years as a US Senator from Arizona, he has never requested a penny in government earmarks for his home state for their worthy projects. His Democratic counterparts have requested millions in needed earmark funds for their represented states. Most have been for good, valuable causes.

Consequently, Arizona received no funds from John McCain's office. One can suppose he feels there are no veteran's needs, hospitals, schools, highways, law enforcement civic needs, or Border projects for men and equipment that can use government funds to assist them in fighting the illegal border crossing McCain is so fond of flaunting the need for help.

So Arizona, your senator has let your down. Are you are satisfied with his attitude and irrational beliefs.? But, are they missing out, and not getting the financial support from your senator.

John McCain: Anti-American with cold heart and forked tongue

2008-03-27T13:04:00.001-07:00

It is quite evident Republican presidential candidate John McCain does not really care about putting Americans back to work, or even keeping American jobs in this country. He may talk a good game, but his arrogant actions prove him as one candidate who does not tell the truth to the American people, and does not take the side of the American worker.

The military procurement system is notoriously flawed and corrupt. It certainly has its favorites for the lucrative defense contracts. A watch-dog or oversight mentality is one thing to be on guard against this fraud and corruption. However, it is something else for McCain to use his senatorial influence to tilt the scales away from American contractors, ignoring the basic requirements of "Buy American", and keep the work at home for Americans to do. After all, we are the people who pay the taxes to get the defense work accomplished... right?

More rhetoric and actions from McCain's cold heart and forked tongue cuts the political air. It is hard to say if he is just dumb, or does not know any better. One thing is clear, the American people have to be protected from Bush ideology with a Democratic vote. It is obvious he does not have much of a conscience for the plight of the American economy and worker.

And it is very perceptive, his Republican backers are amazed at his lack of common sense not to award an American defense contract to an American company like Boeing. McCain has repeatedly voted against legislation encouraging defense contracts be awarded to American companies. He even voted against an amendment requiring defense contractors to indicate on their contracts what percentage of the contract would be manufactured in the US.

Does Republican presidential candidate McCain understand we do not have a world order of imperialism. Does he realize he is representing the United States, and its 300 million people?

His latest escapade is his involvement and tacit intervention in the Air Force Tanker contract that pushed the contract to be awarded it to European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) the parent company of Airbus. This award was over the American based competitor Boeing's bid.

Think of it my friends, McCain is instrumental in out-sourcing this defense contract to a European company, when its Euro is weakening the American dollar in the world market. What is the sense, especially when people are crying for jobs in the American economy. How will this act boost the failing Bush economy now in a full blown recession?

This is a typical Bush tactic to cultivate friends who can be a friend of John McCain for the Bush/McCain third term.

Now please understand, McCain is using American taxpayer funds to support the purchase of the new Air Force tankers from EADS over Boeing, and at the cost of 44,000 new and existing American jobs. Military analysts indicate the most we can expect is no more than 2,000 jobs from EADS. Who knows how many jobs this will mean and their impact on the European economy.

How about the truth from your cold heart and forked tongue, Senator McCain?

A narcissistic megalomanic in the White House!

2008-02-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

Americans have had enough time in the past seven years to observe and learn from George Bush's outlandish behaviors and insensitive words spewing from his smirking mouth. We have witnessed his incredible lack of conscience and caring. He is a narcissist and sociopath, a leader that does not take responsibility for his decisions and actions. He never says, "I'm sorry," or "I was wrong." George Bush views these words as a sign of weakness.

When George Bush was asked to name any mistakes he made since becoming president, he said he could not remember any. Does this sound familiar?

While Bush does not reflect having a superior intellect, he simply does not recognize its abstract qualities and tends to dismiss it entirely, unless his intellectual sycophants suck up to him in agreement or provide demanded attention. Bush yearns for flattery that reinforces his image of grandiosity. He is a skillful social player and is quite aware his greatest positive trait is being congenial, utilizing this trait at very in appropriated times and places to the point embarrassment of a faux pas. He does these unfortunate behaviors because he is not intellectually sound, and wants to make everyone into a "buddy" giving him a false sense of security. He considers them cute and affable.

Psychiatrist Jerrold Post, M.D., founder of the CIA's Center of the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior states, "The leader who cannot adapt to external realities because he adheres to an internally programmed life script...has displaced his private needs upon the state."

Applied psychoanalysis is a tool and discipline used by intelligence agencies to identify personally distortions and predict political behavior through development of sophisticated psychological profiles on world leaders.

Sounds like George Bush is a rather predictable fellow, his behaviors bear it out. And people, especially other world leaders have a detailed psychological file on him and his history. They know his predictability and how to use it.

Although lacking the data and direct doctor-patient interaction, such as analysis, Dr. Justin Frank, Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, George Washington University, has applied the dicipline's methods of of observation, body language, behaviors and statements to identify some personality distortions as attributed to George W. Bush.

A lifelong "sense of entitlement" has been exhibited by Bush, described by Washington psychoanalyst Justin Frank, M.D. Specifically, Bush feels and acts entitled to disregard the laws, rules and expectations governing ordinary people. He believes he is above it.

Bush is an obsessive, rogue president with a national outlaw ethic, as seen in his flagrant disrespect of US signed treaties on global warming and nuclear proliferation. He refuses to support any efforts for an International Court. While this behavior fits his romanticized American outlaw image, it is an adolescent response in need of intellectual complex adult solutions.

Bush has legendary difficulties with language to avoid meaningful communications, he clouds or defuses meanings for tactical concealment. Since he is unable to communicate in normal ways, hewill use language as a manipulative tool--to attack, discredit, dismiss, distract and control, rather than communicate.

Dr Frank observes, "He may seem decisive, but his behavior represents the fall-back position of someone trying to manage the anxiety and not being able to think clearly."

Many observers have witnessed him violating a common principle to all societies, he feels entitled to lie without guilt or impunity. He claims exemption from the laws of personal responsibility. "I don't feel I owe anybody an explanation," he told journalist Bob Woodward.

Bush's smirk--one of his key characteristic expressions concerns his political handlers and observers is an indication of pervasive sadism. This smirk reveals a perverted pleasure in inflicting pain or defeat in others while attempting to suppress an overt expression of his internal pleasure.

George Bush is a profoundly angry, destructive man who in Dr. Frank's words, "needs to break things." Breaking a nation is not beyond his realm of distorted thinking.

"The evidence suggests that behind Bush's exterior operates a powerful, but obscure delusional system that drives his behavior," concludes Dr. Frank. Bush's grandiosity has been projected on our nation. His megalomaniac narcissism and lack of ego boundaries translates into a vision of imposing "Freedom" throughout the world, desired or not! Anyone opposing his childish motives is considered the enemy. Remember when Bush said,"If you are not with us, you are against us!"

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the Washington Neocons, as Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Feith, Perls, and Abrams resurrected the 19th Century's grandiose concepts of the right of America to impose ourselves and policies on others. they will use any perceived or manufactured threat such as terror as a rallying point. This criteria meets and fits well within Bush's megalomania.

In Dr. Frank's judgment, "The enterprise he is poised to add to his history of failures is the future of our nation. Our collective denial helped put him in that position. Our sole treatment option--for his benefit and outs is to remove him from office...before it is too late."

We cannot un-ring the bell. it is too late. We are now stuck with damage control! For the past seven years, our politicians have let this nation down by the lack of a serious effort for Bush and Cheney impeachment. Shame on you Washington Republicans and Democrats! Most of you do not deserve the loyalty and power the American people have given you. Precious few had the courage to talk about impeachment. Those of you in Washington who did not act, are as guilty as George Bush for the conditions of our country, and its reputation with foreign leaders. Why did you do nothing and allow the status quo?

Shame!

For additional detailed information on Bush's mental health by two noted psychiatrists check

http://www.squadron13.com/JackDresser/psychoanalysis.htm

George Bush's: Politics of fear!

2008-02-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

Remember seven years ago, when presidential candidate George W. Bush offered his appealing promises? He will change Washington, make it a transparent government with no cover-ups, eliminate cronyism, return honesty to government, have an administration based on moral values and stop the secrecy. Sounded good, and many people bought it hook, line and sinker. The enamored media gave George a pass, didn't even vet him, hoping the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Old George, the Texas prevaricator was elected. The 9/11 attack happened, and the politics of fear emerged as George Bush's voice.

For the past seven years, whatever the Bush administration wants to accomplish, old George and his Neocon surrogates get on national TV, lies and fear mongers his doomsday rhetoric to us. Few in the media and Washington Republicans seem to fault his judgment. George Bush's rhetoric and behavior sets the American people up with his "good ole boy" shucking shoulders, chuckles, smirks and mouth spitting outright lies with a smile of a great deceiver.

We would think by his outrageous untruths and body language, the American people can see they are being set up. Many have seen past the veneer of his opaque distortions of reality, and do not like, or buy it. Bush is like the proverbial child who wants his own way, and throws a temper tantrum, shouting threats of fear, "You will be sorry," to get his way. He is amply shrewd to know people will believe a big, simple lie, rather than the complex truth. Ole George does it with a bobbing head and grin.

The politics of fear can be very powerful, but has short impact. To consistently use it against the people a president has sworn to protect, telling us it is for our nation's benefit is dishonorable, pathetic and despicable.

America deserves better, more astute leaders doing the will of the people. We deserve people in government who do not have hidden agendas, lie or threaten us for their own perverted power and gain. We deserve a better government scenario than fear and doomsday rhetoric. We want changes, we want leaders of truth. We can take it! Change permeates the political scene. As one respected democrat said in the 1930's, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself." But then, he never met George W. Bush.

Democrats can have their political cake and eat it to...if they do not let egos get in the way.

2008-02-15T17:26:00.000-08:00

The Democrats are fortunate, they have two historical presidential candidates that are acceptable by the majority of the party. Hillary Clinton, a woman, and Barack Obama, an African -American, have the support from most of the Democratic voters and leaders. They will accept either one as President and/or Vice President. They make a good tandem for change in Washington and the world. They have strong vision and convictions on how to accomplish that change. We need them both and their intensity. We need Hillary's knowledge, and Barack's fire.

The race for president is very close, it should probably be played out by votes before the convention. However, the Democratic leadership and super delegates know what exactly is at stake. The Democrats are in a position to have eight years , or sixteen years in the White House. The Democrats cannot afford to be their own worst enemy and pass this chance.

When Bush leaves the White House on January 20, 2009, he will leave a garbage dump of national and international problems. It appears no one will know just how deep the mess is until they walk through the front door. Suspicion is that is will take two to four years of intensive cleaning to rid the Republican stench of Bush's eight years in office and set the nation on a course of peace, prosperity and civil rights.

The question is, will their egos allow for them to work as a team in tandem for the good of the Party and Nation. As President, Hillary Clinton is better structured with the "know how" to clean up the Bush Neocon mess. She knows what it takes and how to fight powerful insurance and drug corporations to set the Nation on a strong with vital programs she a Barack Obama agree.

As Vice President, Barack Obama is the logical Democratic heir apparent for transition to the presidency if something happens to Hillary and of course , following completion of her presidency. He has the fire in the belly, the charisma to help ignite take the point and follow through on the many programs they were elected to implement. It will provide time to mentor Barack on the world stage with leaders of the world, in the subtle aspect of US foreign policy.

Will America have two Democratic, historical, people in power, or will the egos stand in the way of having a dynamic duo in the White house?

Then, there is John McCain and his vice presidential mate.

Was it the surge....or has Moqtada al-Sadr's six month cease-fire quelled the violence in Iraq.

2008-02-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

There is a restless quiet in Baghdad. Many say it is because of the 20,000 American troops Bush inserted in Iraq as the surge. John McCain, George Bush and Defense Secretary Gates agree. Or, is Iraq quieter because for the last six months a formidable enemy has refused to fight and faded into the sand.

Still, in parts of Baghdad, violence continues in the ancient back alleys. Fierce battles with Sunni insurgents take their violent toll, as their victims send messages of desperation for help to the Medhi Army. Normally, the Medhi Army, the most powerful arm of Shia Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rushed to give aid to those involved in these treacherous fire fights.

For the past six months, their frantic calls have fallen on deaf ears. Local Medhi Army commanders have been turning down these desperate calls. They can do nothing because they are under strict orders from al-Sadr not to break a brokered cease-fire.

Declared on August 29, last year by firebrand Moqtada al-Sadr is a six month cease-fire in Iraq. His Medhi Army has the strength of 100,000 men, are a well trained, dedicated, formidable force. Various reasons are given for the Sadrist cease-fire and stand down. One stated is to purge and vet the ranks of unwanted criminal elements.

One reason not stated, is the cease-fire offers Moqtada al-Sadr the opportunity to regroup, retrain, and and rearm with weapons from his ally Iran. The Sadrist ability to inforce the cease-fire is quite impressive considering they still control half of Baghdad, and at least 80 percent of the Shia areas. However, al-Sadr's rhetoric, is still crusty anti-American. Even from Iran, he has not been marginalized.

Whatever the reason, the stand down of the Medhi Army is a 100.000 man insurgent force General Petraeus did not have to deal with during the past six months. He knows it, and applauds Moqtada al-Sadr's efforts to maintain the cease-fire. It has unquestionably reduced violence by 60 percent.

While politicans like John McCain, Joe Leiberman, and Neocon Bushites are touting how well the surge is working, General Petraeus is well aware the dynamic reduction in violence and deaths is because of Moqtada al-Sadr's cease-fire. He won't say it because the Bush administration wants Americans to believe it the surge that has quelled the violence. It is not!

To think an insertion of 20,000 American troops for a short term surge, would quell the violence baffles the mind. The question begging is; "Why didn't we do it five years ago?"

Unfortunately, the al-Sadr cease-fire is due to end shortly at the end of February. No one has any idea which way it will go. No one knows what al-Sadr will decide. Even his closest commanders will not hazard a guess. We may be able to count on it as long as al-Sadr decides the cease-fire is to his movements benefit.

The Sadrist have other agendas. They are in reality the only mass movement with strong Shia cultural and social networks that provides assistance to the estimated 43 percent of Iraqi poor who cannot feed their families.

The wait for hostilities continues, we cannot fight any enemy that fades into the sand.

John McCain: Republican hip shooter with a forked tongue!

2008-02-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

Senator John McCain use to be a decent senator from Arizona. He was likable, until he started shooting from the hip, and speaking with a forked tongue. The trouble with hip shooters is they leave ridiculous messes behind to be cleaned up by others. A forked tongue is one that cannot be trusted with truth.

The Republicans say McCain is a political maverick. Political mavericks are generally political independents. He is not an Independent or maverick! He is a divisive, opportunistic politico who will do and say whatever it takes to get elected. He claims to be a straight talker. However, he adroitly picks and chooses politically what he talks straight about. When his campaign was at death's door, he started kissing and kissing the right wing Conservatives and Evangelicals. They saw through his puckered lips and in the recent Super Tuesday, he was rightly snubbed. They gave their votes to Huckabee. McCain would not make a pimple on an Independents arse.

Now John McCain has to start kissing right wingers all over again. But, the Conservatives and particularly Evangelicals have long memories of betrayal. They remember the the betrayal from another kiss.

John McCain co-sponsored the "Use of Force Authorization" giving Bush a go-ahead green light and a blank check for invading Iraq. [SJ Res 46,10.3.02] He used many of the inflammatory, weightless fear arguments Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush used to advocate war. His political reputation as an senator and Iraq war hawk hangs with this sad, pathetic trio, and his vote to rush to their much wanted war.

He thinks, and vehemently states the Iraq surge is working and preaches; winning, winning, winning. But, he does not say or acknowledge the military people agree it is a war we "cannot" win. He will not talk in any detail about why the surge was done; that is to buy time for Iraq's parliament to form a constitutionally, functional government. This can only be done through a political solution.

He continuously preaches winning in Iraq while demonizing those who want to find a responsible way out of Iraq. It is a wildly false perception. McCain says, "I believe to set a date for withdrawal is to set a date for surrender." Saying he is willing to stay as occupiers for a hundred years. "It would be just fine with me." He calls his colleagues who opposed the resolution for troop surge as "intellectually dishonest."[Associated Press 2.4.2007]

He jumps from issue to issue like a cat prancing on a Arizona hot tin roof. He opposed the creation of an independent commission to investigate the errant development and use of intelligence manufactured to lead us to war. In essence, John McCain voted against holding Bush accountable for his actions in the war. His straight-talk, is typical McCain shooting from the hip. It is far from what American Conservatives, or Liberals consider as straight talk.

McCain is one of only thirteen senators to vote against adding $430 million for inpatient/outpatient care for veterans. [S Admt 3642 to HR 4939 , Vote 98, 4.26.06]

He voted against mandatory minimum downtime between tours of duty for troops serving in Iraq. So much for caring for our "brave sons and daughters" serving our nation.

He is a Bush war hawk, a war mongerer, but openly wanted to get rid of Rumsfeld. However, on 5.12.2004 McCain said about Rumsfeld's continuing as an effective secretary of defense. "Yes , I do and I believe he's done a fine job. He's an honorable man. " Why the flip-flop on the war directions?

John McCain is not a good conservative Republican package with wide appeal. Beneath his rancorous facade, he really offers no consistent, suitable, acceptable programs or policies or the good of the nation. He is for continuing the Iraq war, but thinks government has too much deficit spending. How can McCain be for both?

He is non-definitive, not a conservative or liberal. He is a seventy-one year old man whose time has not come, but is over. He is an often out of control abusive, angry man with a quick hair-trigger temper he often unleashes disrespectfully aimed at his critics or Republican colleagues, calling them vile, guttural names. Is this the temperament we want in a president?

McCain consistently champions and co-sponsors bills, then votes against them. He voted against the Bush tax cut saying the money should go to the lower and middle classes who need it and can rapidly feed it into our economy. Now, he is for making the tax cuts permanent. Does he need the influx of campaign funds from those wealthy people and Wall Street corporations? Probably!

For three years, McCain championed the highly controversial Immigration Reform efforts for a viable solution to our immigration problems. It was a good idea that dealt with a serious problem. Many Democrats were with him, but, it infuriated the Conservatives. When asked recently if as president would he sign the bill into law? He responded with a taciturn. "No, I would not because we know what the situation is today." The situation is political, as McCain is now the presidential Republican front-runner. He continues jumping issues like the cat on the hot tin roof.

Senator McCain ignored the recent Senate stimulus vote on whether to make 20 million seniors and 250,000 disabled veterans eligible for rebate checks as part of the package. The vote was within one, his vote could have made a difference. But, by not standing for the deciding vote, he once again showed he did not have the political guts to support his fellow seniors and veterans as part of the stimulus package. There is a huge chasm between his rhetoric and action.

The conservatives do not like him or his values, they are polarized. But quietly, they are afraid of losing the White House for at least eight years to the Democrats. He has rubbed their face in the dirt with his provocative rhetoric and votes. The liberals do not want him for the same reasons...John McCain cannot be trusted in the White House to do the will, and work of the people. He shoots from the hip and speaks with a forked tongue. Go figure!

The Stimulus: A political "feel good "game!

2008-02-08T09:26:00.000-08:00

What does our government not know about how to stimulate the economy? Move quickly and provide stimulus to the sectors and people who need it, and can inject it immediately into our economy...and keep doing it for at least a year. One shot is not enough.

A political feel good package is not the answer, but, seems to be the norm for this Neocom bunch that can't think their way out of a paper bag, and work for the good of the nation! The American people witness this fiasco, and are disgusted with Republican hidden agendas and their war on the lower and middle classes.

The senate passed a stimulus package today (2.7.2008) that is nothing more than a band aide on a gushing financial and economic wound slowly bleeding our nation of its life. It is a "feel good" package , a political game to give the Republican rich and famous corporations meat and potatoes while the people who really need a meal get crumbs. Missing are several key Democratic recommendations.

The idea of giving a one-time rebate to people who make $150-$300 thousand a year is baffling. To consider they will immediately put it into the economy is wishful thinking. It would be good if higher rebates could go to the middle class who will immediately put it into the economy. Remember these checks will not be available until around April or May. We may be looking at July before the money starts to trickle into our economy. just in time for another shot of empty rhetoric. So much for immediate stimulus. By initially taking so long they may have defeated the purpose of the stimulus.

The final vote 58-41 was just short of the required number to move the bill forward to the final vote. Eight Republicans joined the Democrats against Republican leaders and Bush over their vocifeous objections to what they refer to a costly "add-0ns" in the package.

The Democrat senators skillfully painted the Republicans into a box with a take or leave it proposal. They summoned senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to Washington for the vote, showing solidarity behind their proposed plan. Senator John McCain was in Washington, but did not vote in support of veterans and seniors , which he is both. We clearly know where his heart lies, or is it that he lies from the heart.

The Republicans blocked the vote by one, but, it opened a fissure in the party indicating something is going to give. It is a fearful message to the Neocons. They might actually have to do a little something to benefit the country (instead of holding to their agenda of wealthy and corporations first) with rebates for a larger amount of the lower and middle class, seniors , disabled veterans, heating aid for the poor, food stamps and extended unemployment benefits. They must have choked at the thought.

However, Republican leaders were greatly concerned about defections, and exerted massive pressure on Republican senators not to support the Democratic plan. Typical bipartisian crap!

Stay tuned there will be more on this recession the Imperial Bush spins as an economic downturn.

Why must America win militarily in Iraq?

2008-02-04T13:19:00.001-08:00

Is the concept of winning so important to Americans we cannot see the moral delemma it places us? Why must winning always be achieved ahead of a solution that does the right thing? Do we confuse winning with doing the right thing?

I am thinking about Iraq, and the reasons we are in the war. We have heard them a hundred times and they have been changed several times to suit the Republican Neocon needs. I have have never heard any involving attaining the peace with Middle East players in negotiations. We are in a war a very few people wanted, and for their own agendas. They gave us unpolished rhetoric of fear about why we should invade a sovereign nation with a premptive strike. Fear is always a good, short term tactic, but we can tire of living with it. Topping the list was our "national security or our national interests,"which equates to just one word...OIL! What other interests do we have there!

We did not invade Iraq because they were behind 9/11, that case has been proven untrue. We didn't invaded Iraq to get their WMD's, that case is false . We didn't invade Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, he was never a threat to us. In fact, at one time he was an American ally, we gave him chemical weapons to use in his fight against Iran. So, forget that one. We didn't go to war to free an Islamic society by giving them democracy. They do not want it and resent us for pushing it on them.

The Iraq Islamic fundamentalists are satisfied with who they are. We are not! They have had internal strife with religious, tribal frictions and a government that refuses to work with a cohesiveness that makes a sovereign nation function. The Middle East has been working, fighting together in some sort of toleration for two thousand years or more. Why do we not let well enough alone, and allow them solve their own problems without our interference! By stepping in, we insert our country into the familiar situation of what happens when a person intervenes in an argument between a husband and wife. They both gang up on the interfering person.

Most of all, let us remember we did not invade Iraq to pursue peace. our sheer American presence on their soil prevents that from happening. Occupiers are never welcome. They resent us because they consider us infidels on their sacred land. They know we want their oil. To accomplish that we have to win militarily. This is insane especially when everyone agrees no peace can be achieved by a military force. Only by a political solution can peace come about. We cannot control their oil politically. Part of the political equation we do not seem to understand is the the Iraqi's want the American presence out of their country. Period!

We have achieved all the stated reasons Bush said he went to war, now he is simply finding new ones for us to stay there. Today, the rhetoric is of winning the surge and future bases of operations in Iraq. We have overtaxed our troops with multiple rotations, we have decimated Iraq so badly we are now in a nation building posture. Putting our treasure into Iraq when these resource should be going to solve our own country's problems. The American people are sick of that attitude. They want a change!

So what are we winning? As Senator McCain intimates we will be there as long as it takes, even if it is a hundred years. (Does guarding oil wells mean anything?) As a military man he thinks in terms of winning, not in terms of a political peace. That idea is very worrisome, especially for a politician to speak of military might equating to meaning "right."

However, the military people in Baghdad do not believe we can win with a military occupation, the Iraq problem can only be solved politically. The surge is an effort to buy the Iraq government time to reach a political solution. In almost a year they have not done so. It is not realistic to say the surge, as intended is remotely working. We do not have the political guts to pressure the Iraq government to a political reconstruction solution. In five years they have refused to coalesce, knowing the Bush administration and our troops will be there to bail them out, and do their fighting, trying to win a war we cannot win. Iraq has no time ultimatum. It is open ended. We have put no pressure to Iraq's government. A little goes a very long way with Bush.

The Bush administration really does not want a political solution in Iraq. We want their oil! Perhaps that is why winning is so important that we will stay and fight to get it. It's matter of occupation, and manipulation of a sovereign nation and its people. It is a Republican Neocom game with extremely high stakes.

What happens when we can't trust our leaders to tell the truth?

2008-02-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

It's a serious question!

Hillary Clinton and other members of congress did not give George Bush the tacit approval, or their vote to wage war on Iraq. Though it is referred to as the "Iraq War Resolution." She and other Democrats thought the idea of a war with Iraq was replusive, insane and dead against it. There were few in congress who did not trust Bush and refused to give their sanctions. Praise to them. For those who gave their vote for the resolution, Bush could not be trusted, he purposfully misled them. That vote was their mistake, and their trust was very human.

They gave Bush their vote, with UN sanctions to pursue inspections in Iraq for concealed weapons of mass destruction. She and the other Democrats gave Bush the approval to send inspectors into Iraq searching for the controversial charge of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, This was the purpose of the resolution, the White House said they would not deviate from this cited position. Senator Chuck Hagel who helped draft the resolution said, "It was not a vote for war." Bush arrogantly abused their sanctions given in good faith for inspectors, and adamatly claimed it was a vote for him to go to war. He did what he wanted, and thumbed his nose at us defiantly.

Colin Powell, a usually tranquil voice in the State Department told us weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq in his fateful UN and on national TV. The suppositions and leap of reality were so incredulous a child could see through them. He did not make the case for Americans.

Hillary gave Bush this vote or sanction because she trusted him to do what he said and given his word to her privately. She and the other Democrats are not naive, far from it. However now, she does not trust George Bush to live up to his word. He lied to Hillary Clinton and the Democrats who gave their sanction.

Not only did Bush lie to the Democrats and congress, he seduced and pressured a good, respected man, Colin Powell to make an audacious presentation for the war nationally. Colin Powell has not recouped his prestige from his Neocon seduction. He resented being used and consequently resigned his cabinet post as Secretary of State. Bush quickly appointed the pliable Condoleezza Rice to succeed him.

Bush on national TV lied to the nation, and took us to a Rumsfeld/Cheney preplanned war under false pretexts and colours. There is no shame in his game. He will say anything: use anyone to get what he wants.

What is really painful is our Republican leaders go lock step with the Bush war concept and lie to us without impunity or conscience. They use Federal Departments like the CIA and Pentagon to cherry pick and create information, carefully crafting it to suit their needs.

Remember Vice President Dick Cheney told "I know for certain Iraq was behind the 9/11 attack." He also told us he knew exactly where the weapons of mass destruction were located in Iraq. Why didn't he tell the inspectors? Both comments proved to be untrue and set us up for the invasion of Iraq, which is exactly what the Neocons were planning.

We believe them because we want to believe our leaders word. We like to think their "word" is held as a sacred trust. Would they lie or be untruthful? Yes, as we have seen, in a heartbeat. When they do, President or Vice President, we will see through it, and if we are smart, we will never trust them again. Shame on us for taking seven years to figure it out. However, that is what an Imperial president does. He fools, threats, misleads and cajoles the people with his megalomaniac power and control. Our crippled nation is seeing the results.

When we cannot trust our leaders to have a transparent government, do the work of the people, it is time to dramatically throw them out of office with our vote, and hold the accountable with impeachment. It may be rough and painful to our nation, but is is the only message of responsibility they understand. And, it demonstrates to the world, we will only tolorate leaders of quality in a transparent government who do the people's will and work. Otherwise, we get the government we deserve.

The Republican administration plundered our youth and treasure, gave us a recession, and now they want to make nice!

2008-01-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Get serious America! How long do the Republicans think they can rape our minds and national treasure before in bites them in the proverbial arse?

It appears seven years is the magic Neocon number of total Republican government ineptness and arrogance towards the American people. will be tolerated. These are the insolent people who declared war on the middle class, promptly forgetting them while giving the biggest tax break in history to the wealthy and corporations.

These are the Washington Neocons who bled this nation's treasure and our youth with an unwanted, mindless war in Iraq, and have not provided sensible/workable policies to resolve the catastrophic immigration problem. These are the audacious people who continuously put our nation, and our children's future up for hock by borrowing incredible sums of money from other nations like China and Saudi Arabia. They have made us a serious debtor nation!

They secretly promoted torture, like water-boarding, gave us Gitmo, Abu Ghrab, and secret black opp prisons outside the US for torturing so called enemies. Then claim is is a figment our our imagination and do not exist. Remember they said: "America does not torture!." The photos prove that is a lie. Recently, the CIA was directed to erase video tapes of interrogations where water-boarding torture is being performed.

These are the folks who for their convenience suspended out the Constitution, threw out Habeas Corpus, warrantless wire taps, and established the right to open US Mail. they are responsible for the incredible abuse of help and abandonment of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, their Homeland Security fiasco, the exorbitant civilian contractors and the aggressive Blackwater cowboys in Iraq. And remember how with baseless , untrue oratory, they tried to frighten our people with continuous fear rants and conceited threats of preemptive war strikes to Iran ( a sovereign nation) over their nuclear programs. Even had their presidential candidate, a laughing John McCain worked up singing, "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran!" on national TV to the old Beach boys tune of Barbara Ann.

Don't let your memories be so short, these are the people in power who brought us the stonewalling of Don Rumsfeld, Scooter Libby and Alberto Gonzales, and then shoved them down our throats until we gagged.

These are the power brokers who instituted outrageous public policies bringing our country the crushing economic and financial crisis in the housing market with the tentacles of a global recession emanating from our shores.

When you buy $3.00 a gallon gas, guess who brought you those wonderful record prices? When Clinton left office, gas was about $1.25 a gallon.

The Republicans refused to regulate institutions and critical markets that fostered deficit spending, bringing us to our insolvent knees forcing us with an unsustainable $13 trillion dollar economy.

These are the people who for the sake of a personal Neocon ideology broke this rich nation. And now, they want the Democrats to reach across the aisle and make nice with a $145 billion bailout package. A package that will do very little for our hemorrhaging economy brought about by the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market and Wall Street capitalists.

It is a Republican administration fraught with a litany of remarkable failures and lies from their first day in office. Remember what the Neocons have done to this country instituting reckless, irresponsible fiscal policies of the past seven years, leading to a trade deficit of over $6 trillion contributing to the worldwide plunge in the value of the US dollar.

Their bailout package is hardly a cure-all for our recession. It may ease the pain of some with the one time tax rebate. When those funds are spent are shortly spent by the consumers. What happens next, a stern request for additional funds? Their proposed $145 billion is money we do not have. It will be a short term band aid for a gaping wound causing deeper gashes in our financial and economic injuries. The Republican Neocons are not about to belly up, be responsible for their enormous collapse of a broken government.

And now, the Republicans want to make nice and act fast to cover their devious tracks. America, do not buy into it! If anything, it will be late spring before checks are in the mail. And then, it may be of little help.

They will sucker the Democrats in the House to do their pathetic pandering across the aisle to develop a bipartisan Republican bailout program that will do little to prevent , much less or even ride out the recession. This bailout in the House will have little imprint from the Democrats, the Republicans know they have the votes to block anything they want. They are not about to give the Democrats anything of real value.

America do not buy it! Let the Republicans be responsible. We should allow them to solve the mess they made and saddled us with on their tenure. Unfortunately, if we did, they would exacerbate the problem, fanning the fires of Republican failures. Giving tax rebates to the high income families from $150 to $300 thousand a year income is Republican ploy, when the money is really needed by the lower and middle class who can immediately put it into our economy. Our precious nation is caught between a political rock and a hard place!

However, there is hope the Senate Democrats will balk, want to develop and produce a realistic stimulus policy and programs structured to the lower and middle class, senior citizens, food stamps, and extended unemployment, programs with meat that immediately attacks the problem, cutting deep into solving this country's repulsive financial ills. Hopefully, it will be programs taking the job far beyond being a stupid Republican band aid for a mortal wound.

It has reached the point when the dogs of anger are barring their teeth and ready to bite. Bare up Neocons. Your time has come.

Immigration: Why are Republicans afraid to do the right thing.

2008-01-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

We have a severe problem in our country with immigration. It is a festering open wound tearing our nation apart. It hangs like a dark pall over our country. Our Republican leaders acknowledge it is a major problem, but ignore the problem. They have consistently used their votes in congress to block any proposed Democratic solutions.

In our history with immigration, America can never be accused of doing the right thing for immigrants arriving in our country through Ellis Island. We observed quotas, to be sure. But that is where the responsibility of government stopped. We changed people's names. split families, even sent families back to their native soil. All done in the name of our immigration policies and convenience.

Once immigrants were passed through Ellis Island, our government forgot about our descendant's, our great grand-parents, our mothers and fathers. They were on their own, a hardy class settling in ethnic friendly ghettos to make their way and earn a living. The Irish, Germans, Italians, Greeks, Poles, Dutch, Chinese and Russians kept their religions, language and cultures in ethnic societies. Our nation is enriched by it. Most were treated with prejudice as second class people even preyed upon by the established American citizens defending society from who they considered immigrant riff-raff.

They endured difficult time, making their way in this rough country, yet they persevered. Most of us know their stories passed down from generations. They came to this country for a better life, for freedom and work. Few were welcome, except by their ethnic groups. They took menial jobs, worked hard, lived hand to mouth, were frugal and saved for the future. They opened businesses, retails shops, and farms. Most raised their children, educated their families and survived. Over generations they assimilated into our society as good citizens. Our government let them alone and they generally prospered.

Today, in many major cities, they represent a centralized cultural destination point, as Chinatown in San Francisco

So now, we are in a so called immigration crisis. based on Republican politico's intolerance and fear mongering they call a crisis of undocumented immigrants, focusing particularly on the undocumented migrant workers, whom they demonize by calling them "illegal aliens." We have all heard these slurs before, vicious names gutturally coined for a specific ethnic group.

We know who they are specifically talking about when they refer to the term "illegal aliens." It is the Mexicans and South American immigrants who have taken risks and illegally crossed the border for precious jobs, working for money to raise their families, and the freedom to work those jobs. They have the same idea as our descendants. Many have been working paying taxes for generations. Like our forefathers they have absorbed the pattern of survival, doing menial work, picking our vegetables and fruit, cutting our lawns, cleaning our hotel rooms, serving our meals. The have endured, raised and educated their families, gone into business and served our nation in war.

Today, it is the Republican politicos who simply do not want these immigrants here because they are undocumented, and have broken our law by coming here. It is a ploy, a political expedient mantra to emotionally work us to a frenzy of anger, prey on our psyche and gain your vote. They spread fear of undocumented immigrants and their families taking over our country with fears of impacting our health care, education and low labor costs. Now, their rhetoric is broken borders and national security beating the tired angry drum.

Republican politicos estimate we have at least twelve million undocumented immigrants in our country. Some research indicates it is higher. Six an a half million are undocumented workers. According to the New York Times, they contributed seven billion dollars into the Social Security system last year, receiving no benefits. This tax contribution represents about 10 percent of the current Social Security surplus. And, the Social security Administration estimated that three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security tax. For the taxes they pay, we can buy a lot of health care and education with seven billion dollars.

Consider these immigrants numbers as a whole country or state of people our Republican politicians cavalierly dismiss as 'unwanted," preach loudly about rounding them up and sending them home, or forcing them and their families to return to their native country by intimidating businesses to take the work from them. If the work is withdrawn, several industries like agriculture and hospitality may suffer economic instability. And, what happens if the native countries denies this influx of twelve million access to the country, simply refusing to let them in. That is another can of worms ill considered. Does the term "refugee camps" ring a bell?

The truth is, we have an estimated twelve million or more undocumented people living in this country that are politically unwanted. While the Republican politicos like to rant and rage how they broke the law crossing our borders, the reality is, they are here, and they simply do not know what to do with them, or any idea they can agree to solving the problem. Their rhetoric is a cover-up for their inaction to resolve the problem. Every day, the situation becomes thornier. The Republicans are not part of the solution. They are the problem. Their feverish rhetoric has attempted to whip American citizens into an angry lather against the undocumented immigrants, stressing they broke the law and should be punished for doing it. Many have bought this insipid rhetoric. However the politicos offer no sensible, tolerable, workable solutions, just angry rhetoric, rhetoric, rhetoric!

John McCain on "Meet the Press" 1.27.2008 says we have two million immigrants incarcerated in our prison system. This sounds like a highly inflated number, but let's use it. They are Senator McCain's numbers. Senator McCain agrees they should b e sent back to their native country, and they should!

Why haven't they done it? Why over the past seven years have the Republicans in power put the financial burden of warehousing these prisoners on the American people and our states? What is the cost of housing two million prisoners at $25,000 each per year? We can buy some decent education and health care for those funds!

Why haven't they been returned to their native country and relieve our prison system of this financial burden? There are laws on the books to accommodate this action. Many are incarcerated in private prisons...which are businesses and low paying local jobs.

The freedom spoiled Republican politicos do not seem to realize freedom is such a precious way of life people will do just about anything to gain it, and will fight to keep it. They will live in fear and hiding for years to keep it. Ask the people about freedom who risked their lives to get past the Berlin Wall how precious freedom is.

Now, we are clamoring for a wall, it's not a fence, but a high wall, electronic devices, increased border personnel and aircraft to survey our broken borders with Mexico. Why has this not been done over the past seven years? The technology has been there...the Republican will has not!

When will the Republicans get an infusion memory and humanity in their conservative blood?
Most of them have forefathers that paid a high price for their freedom to run at the mouth about the laws and degrade the status of other people. In their spectacle of the adulation of business and wealth, have they forgotten where they came from and how the way was paid for them?

The Republican charge we have to secure the border first. OK, that is sound, but can't they do multi-tasking , do more than one thing at a time. Why has the border not been secured in the past seven years of the current all Republican administration if it was so critical? It could have been don, but the time was squandered by congressional inaction. Why?

Americans talk about how they like to do the right thing. When you settle back and relax over a drink in your home, ask yourself: "Why are we afraid to do the right thing? Where are our arms reaching out to embrace these culturally rich people in the American tradition of our forefathers?"

It's A Recession, Stupid!

2008-01-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

Candidate Bush, told the American people he wanted to bring the Nation together, he wanted a transparent government, and that he was a uniter, protector of the people. We trusted him to live up to his promises. As President, Bush promptly forgot his mantra when elected, had his way stringently supported by the Republicans to get his way, and do what he wants. Our Nation is economically crippled and paying the price for his folly as President.

Federal Reserve Chairman , Ben Bernake appeared before a congressional hearing recently discussing the need for a stimulus package to forestall the financial tail spin of the American Economy. The Bush Republican government believes the economy is very sound. Yet, he is very busy avoiding, and in some instances denying what the American people have known for the past few months. The nation is in a recession. Bush calls it a down-turn. Face it Mr. President, we are not heading for one, our economy is in a recession. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake advises the stimulus has to be done quickly, or it will be counter productive.

None of this hubbub over the economy comes as any surprise to the suffering middle class, who have been living it for a long time, bearing the brunt of this governments stupidity: the failing economy, the result of excessive unchecked government spending and borrowing , the mortgage crisis with its earth shattering amount of foreclosures of homes especially in the Midwest and heartland, tightening credit, the stock market out of control, not to mention the unsound fiscal polices of the Bush administration with their borrowing to finance the the unwanted Iraq war. And the relentless assault on what Bush considers his private bank, our Social Security funds.

President Bush on a recent television appearance indicated we are not recession bound, but we need to take precautions with a 150 billion dollar "growth" package. This is no growth package, even a stimulus package but a bail out. Pure and simple. Who is going to pay for it...China! On which planet do you live, Mr. President!

Now Bush is practically begging for his growth package, asking both sides of the aisle to to co-operate on a bipartisan basis. This is an empty gesture coming from the boys and girls who worked diligently over the past seven years to bring us to this situation. They have made it a bragging point not to cooperate with the Democrats, blocking most all of the bills the Democrats have proposed., especially on funding and ending the Iraq war. Republicans do not care one iota about the middle class. Who they really care about are the fat cats on Wall Street who brought about the mortgage crisis, and do not want to be held accountable to the incredible breech of faith with home owners they seduced and gouged only satisfy their own financial greed.

The Democratic presidential candidates know the frustration and feelings of the people. They hear their voices loud and clear every town hall they speak, all over the country. The front runners are establishing help to pained Americans whose government has let them down in their time of need. They know something must be done. Before this crisis took life, Hillary Clinton saw the problem, took the lead. She didn't wait, she offered an emergency 70 billion dollar stimulus package to boost the economy. In it was recommendation to freeze the mortgages for the next 90 days to give time to the homeowners to work their situations out with lenders and put the onus on the lenders ot solve the problem. She acted with her package much before Bush even talked about his "growth" package. The Democrats know what has to be done and will make the ideological arguments and fights. They have to stand for the middle class who is struggling to keep their lives afloat and pay their bills. Certainly the government is not held to this standard.

Democrats on Capitol Hill are very suspicious of the President's proposal. Many are indignant and upset because the Bush proposals do not include relief for the lower level income and the middle class.

Whether the Republicans do hear the people is hard to say, with the exception of Ron Paul who has been preaching about the Bush errant fiscal policies for the past seven years.

Ron Paul: Thorn In The Republican's Side.

2008-01-14T10:32:00.001-08:00

For years Representative Ron Paul, Republican presidential candidate has been outspoken about the problems, and direction of the country. Ron Paul speaks with dedicated passion and fervor about identifying and solving America's ills. He has been a painful thorn in the side of the Neocon Bush Republicans who consider themselves as ultra Conservatives. Ron Paul considers himself a Conservative and a Constitutionalists, his views and questions show it. They do not like his consistent responses and discussions he provides about Republican so called Conservative politicians not respecting Conservatism, or the Constitution.

In a recent debate, I watched as the Neocon FOX reporters baited Paul with questions. He gave them answers the clearly did not like or appreciate. but the people in the audience did judging by the vociferous audience response. Here is some Ron Paul answers Republicans clearly do not want to hear.

Do away with the income tax, get rid of CIA and NSA, stop spying on the citizens. Return American's their civil liberties, get out of Iraq, we do not have the right to invade a sovereign country, so stop the invasions of them and stop the fanatic war rhetoric about Iran. Stop raiding Social Security and keep it solvent. Balance the budget, and above all, cut the outrageous Neocon spending and borrowing from nations that has made us toothless tigers and put America on the brink of insolvency, becoming a severe debtor nation in the eyes of the world. Why the price of oil is teetering on $100 a barrel, and what will be its impact on our economy? He would like to see Congress curtail and control imports from China without any check and product safeguards . Ron Paul would like us to adhere to the Constitution and it principals. Sounds like things Americans would like to have done.

The FOX panel of questioners appeared perplexed, and quickly cut him off by switching to another candidate.

Ron Paul asks important questions all Americans want to know the answers. Why we have a broken Mexican Border? How did it get broken? Why the Republican Neocon's in control of Congress have done nothing about securing the border in the past seven years? The Republicans agree that Washington is broken. However, Neocon Conservatives have no claim to breaking Washington. They did little, and let it fall apart. In fact, few Republicans take any accountability for the woeful state of America. they will never admit the government became broken on their watch because they were seduced by their own importance of political power and control.

Sadly, we will never hear the media political observers ask these questions of the Republican candidates. However, listen to the Democrat candidates, they ask the questions all the time, and have put forth solution not simply empty rhetoric.

Why should Americans elect, and re-elect people to Congress who have done their utmost to weaken and destroy our country? Think about it Representative Paul, maybe, just maybe you might be in the wrong party!

Senator John McCain: One Liners With No Substance

2008-01-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

Senator John McCain certainly does deserve our respect. He is a war hero and spent many years in the Senate as a Republican from Arizona. His name is on some fine across the aisle legislation and bills. And McCain has served on some good committees.

He was against Don Rumsfeld 's war behaviors as Secretary of Defense, calling for his resignation. But who was not? He had his moments. But as a Republican Senator, he has failed his state and country.

Senator John McCain says he tells it like it is, with his burley "Straight Talk." He can be a likable, funny guy. On his campaign trail Senator McCain delivers little stories and one liners to communicate to people. They are folksy and he adds cute little twists.

However, Senator McCain is dead serious. I watched him deliver a speech in Detroit. He started with his cute rhetoric, got laughs and proceeds to tell his audience nothing! Oh, he boasts about how he can do things, and how he knows what to do. He speaks in high generalities, rarely giving details of how he is going to do a program and where he is going to get the money to do it. Platitudes!

He is talking to people who have lost their jobs, have the highest unemployment rate in the country, many have lost their homes from the mortgage crunch. These are people hanging on by a thin thread of humanity, many on the edge of survival. They are looking for solutions to their problems auto industry woes, of health insurance, immigration, education for their kids, and jobs shipped out of the country and the mortgage crisis. McCain calls them "My friends," they are looking to him as some possible savior. They come to hear McCain give them answers... and get cutesy rhetoric.

Senator McCain talked about the issue of making the broken Mexican Borders secure. Well, McCain has been a Senator from Arizona for some years, and in the Senate all the while Bush was the president for the past seven years. The Mexican border may have been broken for that period of time, even longer. The Republicans have been in control of the congress until last year, and now, they want to fix a broken Mexican border?

Why didn't the Republicans who were in charge, want to fix the border sometime in the last seven years? Now, they cry it a National Security problem. That is always a good gimmick, especially after the Republicans permitted 9/11 to occur by fifteen Saudis, and then pandered their fear mongering rhetoric as National Security on every thing they touched. They are aware the Mexican Border would be a thorny subject to Americans struggling for survival. So National Security is a good pretext.

The American people are not stupid. The Republicans only think they are. They can see through the Republican the ruse of political games of lies and distortions used to get their agenda filled. I cannot imagine how many Mexicans are illegally coming to this country in search of jobs and a better way of life, are really coming here to do us harm. I am sure I can count it on one hand.

Senator McCain offered a retraining program for unemployed Michigan workers, training at places like the Community Colleges to prepare them for new jobs they can do. Which new jobs Senator? From what sectors of business and industry? How will you fund this money for this project and for how long? Where are the details of your program Senator?

In your speech you told the Michigan people to trust you to do what is right. What is right for you, may not be right for me. Senator, I do not trust any one who asks for their trust to do what is right for me. give me the details of what you will do, how long it will take, expected results, how you will fund it and the impact on our economy and lifestyle.

Don't get folksy and cutesy Senator. This is serious business. We do not need a comedian with a mouthful of one liners. Give us some substance, something to chew on, or get out of the way!

If McCain does get the nod as the presidential candidate for the Republican party, look for him to select the guy he has been cozying up with these days as vice president...Democrat turned Independent Senator Joe Lieberman!

Political Observers Interpetations Lose The People's Trust.

2008-01-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

If you have watched the political arena unfolding over the past several months, and how can you get away from them? The media reporters are eagerly trying to be strategists and and Sooth-Sayers for the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates.

All to often, they have been wrong in their sooth-saying and appear to really know very little of the candidates inside strategy. The media reporters like us to believe they have have an inside track on the candidates, their thinking, behaviors, and feelings. They do not! It is clear the voting in New Hampshire showed reporters and political observers were caught up in their own rationalization, and severely lacked professional insight and knowledge, even the ability to keep their mouths shut when they don't know, but are guessing.

I witnessed one respected commentator on MSNBC lecturing to his panel of experts on what Hillary Clinton should be doing, and what her problems are, and how to be more likable. I frankly never knew, or considered Hillery was not electable or likable, until the reporters and political observers started saying it. Then, I was sure she was electable and likable.

One reporter for CNN recently questioned Hillary's moment of humanity when she talked to the people as being contrived. Any person with the smallest amount of understanding could see, it was a sensitive moment when Hillary Clinton showed she was a fatigued, vulnerable human being in a personal moment relating to her audience. The interview with the people was shown over and over again labeled as: "Hillary's Emotional Breakdown!" A sad commentary on that particular network.

We should remember, these candidates Democrats and Republicans are people with all the humanity of people. Several of them are on a grinding schedule that would give mental pause for the most courageous of us. We do not have to agree with them but, give them tribute for their tiring effort. Listen with an open mind to what they say, do they have viable programs contributing to solving America's economy crisis, immigration, health care, Privacy issues, civil liberties, Iraq War, mortgage crisis, education of our people, Iran, Social Security and Medicare. What do they think about our being either in, or on the brink of a recession? What is their position on the Constitution as a governing document? Do the candidates provide the cogent details of what they offer, and how they will get the money to pay for it.

Many politicians like to talk in generalities of what they say, they will do, or actions we need to take. Listen to hear if they are talking to you, or courting a base. If they can't give you details of their plans and solutions, they aren't risking anything. It is all rhetoric to suck us in emotionally, but no answers. Above all, we know the media's political bias. So what, they are the talking "Yes people" of the base, and often are wrong. Listen to the candidates, and do not allow reporters to interpret what the candidates say using their particular spin.

The American people had seven years of a president and his rogue Neocon administrations not hearing the voice of the people, and doing what they want. The American people do not want the experience again.

Let the candidates speak for themselves. We can hear, think and see behaviors for our self. We should not require anyone to interpret for us, especially the failed sooth-Sayers of the media.

Media Greed Allows The Political Deceptions

2008-01-12T07:55:00.000-08:00

In the past, when our advertising agency placed national advertising with the networks, every television commercial and print ad submitted had to be reviewed by the networks and publication for truth. The agency had to prove what we claimed in the commercials and print ads were accurate and true before the commercials went on the air or in print. This is a good concept. Truth in advertising keeps the marketing agencies honest (No unsubstantiated claims) and the networks and publications fair minded, and watching out for the consumer.

Then came the the local and national political candidates, campaigns, and their humongous media budgets, followed by the pandering media, dollar signs bulging in their eyes. feeding their insatiable greed. The media is well aware political advertising kicks in very high dollars nationwide. It comes from mega-millions of dollars from the Democrats and Republicans spend on fueling their campaigns. The media wants their share, they have the only game in town, so what if they have to make some ethics adjustments to allow for distortions of information and truth to be broadcast over the airwaves by ambiguous statements, even character assassination by lies and innuendos. They get their share of the political coffers...and it is all CASH. Politicians cannot buy on credit as GE or General Motors. it is cash up front...or no playtime. The media is not going to be stuck for the money of a failed politician's program. They love them, but not that much.

When it comes to the political campaigns, the media threw out the truth in advertising concept. The politicos unfortunately, can say, and do anything they want. There is a hypocritical aspect of the media jaded for the sake of greed, that equates to big dollars. When it comes to political advertising, the consumer has no protection. They are alone, the have to see and review the advertising in their own minds. They have to ferret through the slick grinning candidates faces telling outright lies, distortions and innuendos the politicians spew over the airwaves in their commercial advertising. They have to find truth. One aspect of political campaigns the media, the candidates, their strategists should remember, "The politicians need the media as a communications tool to the reach masses nationally, regionally and locally. They have the prized demographics to deliver the message. " Why can't they hold the candidates to honest and truthful messages as they do American's corporations in their advertising.

But wait a minute here, aren't we talking about distorted information being sent to the minds of our people? Where is the media's professional integrity? Why does the media not care about the political corruption of our minds, and the deliberate, and willing agreement to tacitly allow it to occur? What happened to the the truth in advertising concept? Why shouldn't the media hold the politicos to higher standards as they do Chrysler, General Mills, or Monsanto?

Is greed and profits so prevalent, the media mimics other businesses that do not care about the quality and competitive nature of their product? Has their greed out ranked their responsibility to manage their product with integrity? Has greed seduced the media so badly, they have lost their ethics of business practices.? When will the media say; "Enough is enough, we have professional integrity, responsibility to our viewers and readers. Truth means more than profits."

Of course, it will happen after the election frenzy is over, and the big political dollars have dried up. The media will return to truth in advertising and business as usual. But, wouldn't it be refreshing if the political candidates were held to telling the truth, shunning the lies, deceptions, distortions of their accomplishments, and the incessant character assassinations.

Democrats: Keep your Eyes On The Prize

2008-01-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

When the Democrats are jockeying for position as to who will be the party nominee, they should all not forget to keep their eye on the prize...The White House!

All the Democratic candidates have strengths and weaknesses. It does the candidates no good to fight among themselves, squabbling with mean spirited name calling.rhetoric. They should be above that and take the high road, respecting the others perspectives They all agree this country desperately needs major changes in direction. Each candidate brings excellent ideas and programs on how to do make those changes.

John Edwards offers a clear personal passion for the middle class. He has fervor and compassion from this well remembered roots. John has the ability to fight for people. He has taken on corporate America like Insurance and Pharmaceutical companies, doing it all his adult life, and has been quite successful. He knows the law and how to use it. John Edwards knows the plight of the middle class and understands it. Has served as a Senator, and knows his way around the halls of Congress.

Hillary Clinton is the first woman running for president, a national phenom in that sense. She has been a first lady in the White House, and a well respected Senator from New York. Hillary has been an effective fighter for many causes since she graduated from law school . She is skilled, has the ability and know-how to get things accomplished by reaching out crossing the aisle to the Republicans. Many consider Hillary an Washington insider, it can be a mistake, she has the knowledge, but not the moral destitute of an insider. She is a very strong, popular Senator from New York.

Barack Obama is the first black man to run for president, he has the fire and the language to move people. His use of language is engaging, often stunning. He offers programs similar to the other candidates. He motivates young people to rise to the cause. He has passion and wants change so bad he can taste it. Barack is the voice of change, He is a first term Senator from Illinois. Barack would be doing the Democratic party and himself a great good if he provided more information about how he would accomplish his programs.

The Democrats have astute and well qualified candidates, anyone of them would be an excellent president, many superior in cabinet positions.. The goal is not to beat up on each other with cynical vilification and pettiness. We are beyond these tawdry exercises. I ask the candidates to bring out what they will do for America and how will do it? What type of people they will have as vice president and cabinet members. After all, we are electing a political culture with policies and procedures to run this country. Let us see your choices.of people. Stop beating up on each other. Keep your eyes on the prize...the White House! It is yours to lose.

Romney and Bush Breed The Same Ideology

2008-01-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

If you listen to Mitt Romney and listen to George Bush, you hear the preacher preaching to the choir. For all his rhetoric the two are born of the same ideology. Romney defends the Bush policies like a mother defends a her child. He was pretty irate with Governor Mike Huckabee when he said Bush had a bunker mentality. I listened to Romney's rebuttal and heard nothing new except the same old Republican patronizing gibberish. There wasn't even a new twist.

While Mitt Romney makes and attractive package, once we get the wrapping off and see inside the box, we find he offers no workable solutions to our country's current ills in Iraq, no real answers for the immigration problem, (Send them all back; out of sight, out of mind), certainly no substantial program for a National Heath Care. He likes to call the Democratic health care solutions "socialized medicine" to demonize the concept. The Republicans are quite good at demonizing programs they don't like, and trying to redefine Democratic programs according to the Republican's distorted thinking.

American has had laws on the books for years structured to punish companies and corporations that use undocumented workers (the Republicans like to call them "illegal aliens" to demean them.) Why haven't these laws been enforced? Why haven't an estimated two million undocumented aliens with criminal records residing in our prisons and jails been sent back to their home country by our government's Immigration Services? Why hasn't our government fined the corporations and businesses hiring undocumented workers to work their fields, factories, hotels, resorts and other places undocumented workers take needed jobs.

The laws have been there, but the Republicans only like to talk about doing something. Rarely in the past seven years has the Bush administration taken any action to resolve these problems. Republican rhetoric is very big, unfortunately, their solutions are nil, after all, they have big business to protect.

There is one thing to be said, about Mitt Romney . He is very slick package, and his slickness is what he used to flip from one position to another. He tells the people he a right to change his mind, perhaps, but only when it solidifies his position to court the Evangelicals, while not offering other candidates the same right without his taciturn criticism.

When Mitt Romney enters Michigan to campaigne against his bitter rival, Senator John McCain, he will be entering a part of our country that is hard hit economically and has severe job depression status. It is an area where health care, jobs being moved to China and India are important, as well as immigration and the constant drain on our treasure by the Iraq war and the status of the state of our economy are all critical problems.

Romney will try to live on his father's image and coat-tails, (former Michigan govenor). It may pull him along for a bit. He will eventually have to rise to the occasion. He will have to offer substance in viable solutions to the economic problems of Michigan, particularly Detroit. Romney, says he is for change, but still holds on to failed Bush policies, which in the eyes of many makes him a failure too. He may have a voice, but he doesn't have an ear for the people. The only change he is for, is the right to change his mind when it is very convenient.

Listen closely to Mitt Romney's rhetoric, hear what he really says. He criticizes others with great fanfare, however he offers very little except an infectious smile and the adulation for continuation of the abysmal Bush policies. Mitt Romney is a Bush clone. A vote for him, is a vote for continuation of the unctuous Bush Imperial presidency. The Republican Neocons know it, and are counting on it. Hasn't the American people had enough of playing political charades with our country's future?

Washington Republicans Raid Social Security Funds

2008-01-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

President Bill Clinton left office and Social Security was in fine shape. He considered it the American worker's money and had a reverence towards it.

Fast forward: Remember during the debates, when George Bush promised Al Gore, and all Americans he would consider Social Security a locked box, and would not touch a penny of it for any reason.

Well, he lied about that, he lied to all Americans on national television. He had no intention of leaving those funds alone. George did not care one bit for future generations if they had the money as intended when the funds were set aside. American workers paid their hard earned money to a government they trusted for safe keeping. It is money they set aside in Social Security for their future. They never intended it to be a gigantic slush fund for Bush's financing of his personal projects, like the Iraq war.

Well, Bush lied to us! He and his Washington cabal of crony's literally took money he agreed not to take, and spent it for a war in Iraq he wanted , planned for, and lied to the American people about the contrived reasons for invading Iraq. He mongered on fear to cajole us. We were fooled because we trusted him.

Who holds this Imperial President and his Republican cronys, the Cheneys, Libbys, Rice, Rumsfeld, and all the President's people accountable for this horrendous debacle? Where are the voices of the Republicans in charge for the past seven years, and the minority Democrat leaders? Where is the blustering chatter of questions from the media? Where is their patriotic posturing of outcries for the literal theft of funds from future generations of Americans.

When will we hold these people accountable for what they have done to our country and our people. If we do nothing, shame on us, from our passive silence, we get what we deserve!