Who Hates America?

Everyone has by now been indoctrinated by the Right Wing media and know that liberals hate America. They are destroying America. That’s what we were told when we questioned Bush and Cheney on their pack of lies for war in Iraq. That is what we are told when we dare support Obama. That is what we are told even if we don’t support Obama, because of his habit of appeasing the corporatist Right.

It is no secret except to the willfully uninformed or willingly duped that the Republicans are imposing a blockade on our federal government. Their obstruction will lead to lockdown. Why? Because the goal of the Guardians Of Plutocracy is to insure Obama fails at everything, including, and most importantly, his reelection. Mitch McConnell said, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president."

Their priority is clear, and it is not the interests of 98 percent of the American people. They work exclusively for the economic elite.

Not only are all domestic policies obstructed, even ones previously supported by Republicans until Obama agreed to them, but foreign policy is now held hostage. I’m not talking about unending war. That’s about the only area where the Reich Wingers will offer their “cooperation”. Of course, along with a national security surveillance state, that’s their agenda to begin with.

They no doubt love Obama’s defense of Bush’s un-constitutional “unitary executive” measures with the all time favorite justification used by totalitarians. “State secrets” is now our standard operating rationale for abuse of power during our national “state of emergency”. The same manure the Nazis used has now fertilized the ground for the growth of American fascism. Hitler was very anti-terrorist. And of course, terrorists were whoever he said were terrorists. He invoked state secrets and declared a state if emergency to protect the people. Just like Bush, and now Obama, has done.

So we see what matters most for bipartisanship is national security, despite its destruction of our freedoms. One may believe Republicans would be interested in protecting America from nuclear weapons. They must surely want to cooperate in restricting WMD’s from falling into hands of terrorists. Turns out they don’t care. At least they don’t care enough to support Obama’s efforts in negotiating a strategic arms treaty. No, it’s more important for Republicans to see Obama fail...at everything.

As Paul Krugman wrote this week:

These days, national security experts are tearing their hair out over the decision of Senate Republicans to block a desperately needed new strategic arms treaty. And everyone knows that these Republicans oppose the treaty, not because of legitimate objections, but simply because it’s an Obama administration initiative; if sabotaging the president endangers the nation, so be it.

It’s pretty obvious that the Republican Party would prefer America fails at everything as long as they can take down Obama. Why do Republicans hate America? Well, maybe they don’t hate America. Republicans just love power and wealth so much, and hate Obama so deeply; they really don’t care about the consequences for the rest of us.

They may as well hate America. Obama needs to find a spine like FDR and “welcome their hatred”. For the love of America.

Don't Stomp On Me

We remember Rand Paul’s thug Tim Profit was caught on video, stomping a woman’s head to a curb for disagreeing with his politics. It turns out the thug, like most typical bullies, is a crybaby as well. Here’s an exchange between Profit and Dea Riley, the woman running for Lt. Governor of Kentucky.

Thanks to Liberal In Kentucky.

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Dea Riley November 15 at 11:27am Reply

Report I received this from Tim Profit today via FB message – Please see below my response.

Dea,

Not sure who you may know but there are a lot of details about my case that is unknown. Ms. Valle from moveon.org has said on msnbc I kicked her in the head and that what I did was premeditated which are both false. She has also stated the reason I attacked her was because we disagree on the issues. That is also false. She doesn't know where I stand on the issues.

1-I think Marijuana should be legalized and controlled.

2-I am against the patriot act.

3-I think the war is unconstitutional.

I would bet we agree on other issues as well. They don't know me but have portrayed me as something I am not.The real reason of what happened was she went after Rand like a crazed person who I felt was a threat to his safety.I am sorry all this happened but there are many other circumstances involved here I cant talk about. I have lived in ky all my life and never been in trouble with the law in this way. 31 years with at&t and bellsouth and not 1 complaint. She broke at least 3 laws and did not get charged. I just don't understand why Ray Larson is doing this to me.

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Tim,

I'm not one to mince words. I know that you have been a supporter of this campaign, but I feel I should express myself. I don't know you well, but I've met you on a few occasions and I would agree that you're not a bad person as you have described in your message. I also will acknowledge my interaction with you has always been cordial and you have seemed respectful of me in every regard.

I'm not sure my words will help you but I do want you to know that I am expressing myself in the hope that you will embark upon a self evaluation. Frankly Tim, I don't think where you stand on any of the issues is relevant to what occurred. It has been widely accounted that Ms. Valle was spoken to prior to the incident whereas SHE made clear her purpose for attending. One witness on scene told me that many of the Rand supporters where planning on "getting her" when they saw her make her move. I don't understand why it is you kicked her at all in that she was on the ground, but whether she was or not does not justify her being kicked. I don't approve. She was alone and undefended. I think you were caught up in a moment and that moment was recorded on film. As to "they" portraying you as something other than what you are - it is you who committed that act that likely will define you for sometime to come. I cannot offer you assistance. I think Ray should throw the damn book at you and if I know anything about Ray Larson that is exactly what is about to happen.

I think this attitude that she was of threat to Rand Paul is ridiculous but mostly convenient. She had every right to be there and every right to make an effort to capture a photograph and accomplish her mission - as Moveon.org has done so many times before. In these United States Individuals are not required to agree with or behave in any manner as imposed by those of differing opinion. Our liberties extend themselves equally to all. There is no "exception" to this rule. There is no doubt in my mind that the reason she was subdued was to prevent her not from harming Rand Paul but rather to prevent her from accomplishing her political stunt. I don't care if she was paid - again the excuses are irrelevant to the outcome. It's politics - get over it. Your cause is NOT important enough to justify what occurred.

This type of hysterical overly exaggerated expression is nothing more than mob riot. Rand Paul should have returned your campaign contributions as I would have done - immediately. You have served to point out the severity and potential danger of this extreme movement that is enjoys protection under the umbrella of "Tea Party" but I'm certain that is not what was intended by those who organized the initial grass roots effort.

On a personal note if you had kicked me you would have been faced with a far different reaction than the submissive and refrained demeanor of Ms. Valle. I would have done all I could do to beat your ass into the ground with everything I had in me. Guarantee it. I'm afraid I stand with Ms. Valle and wish I had been there to defend her - which is what I would have done and am doing now.

You don't put your hands on women - EVER!

May I suggest the following:

1. Stop defending your behavior there isn't any defense.

2. Apologize to Ms. Valle as well as all those countless thousands who have witnessed your video.

3. Seek counseling and learn to discern between inappropriate and appropriate behavior in expressing your views.

4. Volunteer to serve in a women's abuse shelter, rape crisis center or home for abused children. Then and only then will you understand why it is our society is so repulsed by your behavior and what it leads to.

5. Next time you give money to a cause, contribute to one of the above organizations that benefits those who are truly victimized and truly in danger of having their lives harmed or jeopardized by someone "crazy".

6. Reevaluate who it is you support for office - may I suggest you support someone such as myself who isn't willing to tell you what it is you want to hear to get your vote.

Dea Riley

Insanity On The Ballot

Just as this election may not result in the worst possible outcome, there is really no best possible outcome, just bad to worst possible outcomes.

Good Outcome: Republicans LOSE seats.
Bad Outcome: Democrats keep the same disfunctional "majority".
Worse Outcome: Republicans gain seats.
Worst Possible Outcome: Republicans take both houses.

Under Obama and the Democratic majority we have suffered over the past two years; suffered the devastating effects of Republican "trickle up" economics, off-shoring jobs, endless wars, corporate entitlements to personhood and unlimited "free speech" through bribery, and obstruction of ALL efforts at reducing the suffering. Unfortunately suffering can breed insanity, and cruel exploitation by soulless amoral powers. The suffering will continue.

If you think the past two years were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Since one of the two major political parties in the country is run by a "news" network, we'll be seeing FOX (R) set the agenda for our total collapse. President Palin, or one of their other employees, will surely finish the job. Soon these will be the missed and yearned-for “good old days”.

The propaganda is working. "Obamacare" is death panels. (To FOX (R) viewers.)The Stimulus failed. (Except when used as a GOP photo-op with a big check. And $288 billion out of the $800 billion cost of the recovery act was composed entirely of tax cuts. Yes, tax cuts! And according to factcheck.org. “In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the stimulus increased employment by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million people, compared with what employment would have been otherwise. Observers may differ on whether that’s a reasonable return on investment, but it’s not accurate to say that the stimulus harmed employment or that it didn’t help.”)

Obama is spending us towards doom. (Never mind President Obama and the congressional Democrats cut the deficit. Oh, yes, not that it matters. The first Obama budget was billions less than the final Bush budget.)

The truth does not matter. We can try to tell the truth but it will be rejected if it does not fit the belief system nurtured and fertilized by the Right. FOX (R) manufactures "fair and balanced" propaganda. Fair for the GOP, and balanced against Dems.

Americans have been indoctrinated into wanting to give more power to Republicans. Yes, with their record, we know for certain they'll fix everything...in favor of the economic elites, as usual.

Failure will once again be embraced. But that's OK. Liberals will still get the blame. FOX (R) will tell us so, and have they ever been wrong?

Now that they have bought the government, it is only a matter of time for all the wealth to “trickle up”. Neo-feudalism, here we come. It was the “divine right of kings” that assured the lock on power in medieval feudalism; it is the “divine right of wealth” that assures power now.
The "Fair and balanced" kool-ade cult has been pouring for a long time. Millions have been indoctrinated to believe Obama is a Marxist Muslim.

This cult is nothing short of a Fourth Reich, strangling our democracy by seizing near total control of highest bidder elections, and three corrupted branches of government. This will not be pretty. They will hurt people...again.

The American Fourth Reich is still destroying our freedom and democracy from within. We must fight them by calling them what they are, fascists. My American Heritage Dictionary says: Fascism n. A philosophy or system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of belligerent nationalism.

USA 2010: Democracy is dead. Reason is dead. Truth is dead. Fascism is winning. Insanity rules. We will expect different results from the same crew that always works against the interests of 98 percent of Americans. That is the definition of Insanity.

Tax The Rich. Rebuild America.

Why does nobody speak out for the most oppressed minority in America, especially you bleeding heart liberals? Where is your compassion?

Let us take pity on the poor rich, for mercy’s sake! Yes our persecuted minority of economic elites are unhappy with their “rich man's burden”. That would be taxes. Next to financial regulation and enduring a Democrat in the White House, taxes are the most terrible persecution for our pampered Plutocrats. Take the sad tale of Steve Schwarzman of the Blackstone Group. Perhaps persecution is too mild a term for this poor man’s plight. Americans put out of their jobs by his fellow economic royalists know little of the real pain Mr. Schwarzman suffers. When Obama suggested closing a tax loophole allowing him to pay only a 15 percent tax on his meager income, instead of the 35 percent the rest of us pay, he knew just what to compare his situation to. Schwarman declared it was like “when Hitler invaded Poland”. Ach, Gotterdammerung!

We hear the rage of the Tea Cult. We hear the rage of Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity and Savage. But their rage and suffering must pale in comparison to the injuries endured by exponentially wealthier hedge fund managers and major Wall Street swindlers. Thank Mammon at least our Right Wing propaganda machine feels their pain.

But wait. What’s this little peep I thought I heard about some wealthy person who thinks the super rich can afford to pay higher taxes? Can this be real? Surely not in the US of Republistan?

Hold on to your seat. There was an article in the LA Times last month called I’m Rich; Tax Me More. It was written by Garrett Gruener, the founder of Ask.com, chief executive of Nanomix, the co-founder and director of the venture capital firm Alta Partners and a member of the advisory board at NDN, a center-left think tank in Washington. Ah, I was right. He is, of course, no Republican.

He said, “Congress should let the Bush tax cuts expire for the wealthiest Americans and use the additional tax revenues that are generated to invest in infrastructure and research.”

How radical! He sounds like me. He also reveals the truth that no Republican wants you to know;

For nearly the last decade, I've paid income taxes at the lowest rates of my professional career. Before that, I paid at higher rates. And if you want the simple, honest truth, from my perspective as an entrepreneur, the fluctuation didn't affect what I did with my money. None of my investments has ever been motivated by the rate at which I would have to pay personal income tax.

And for some reason the corporate media never seem to tell us:

As history demonstrates, modest changes in the tax rate for wealthy taxpayers don't make much of a difference if the goal is to build new companies, drive technological development and stimulate new industries. Almost a decade ago, President George W. Bush and his Republican colleagues in Congress pushed through a massive reduction in marginal tax rates, a reduction that benefitted the wealthy far more than other taxpayers.

We were told the cuts would accelerate business growth and create jobs. Instead, we got nearly a decade of anemic job growth, stagnating wages, declining incomes and high inequality.

The supply-side, trickle-down economic policies of the last decade benefitted people like me, but the wealth didn't trickle down. So while we did quite well, people who live from paycheck to paycheck didn't.

What? Can it possibly be true that the sacred prophecy of Saint Reagan was wrong? And even more astonishing, can there be someone like FDR, a “traitor to his class”, who actually cares about the country that provided the environment that nurtured his prosperity? Amazingly, we hear from a rich man, through corporate media, telling us Republicans are wrong and shared prosperity is, in fact, desirable.

What American businesspeople know, and have known since Henry Ford insisted that his employees be able to afford to buy the cars they made, is that a thriving economy doesn't just need investors; it needs people who can buy the goods and services businesses create. For the overall economy to do well, everyday Americans have to do well.

Now that the Bush tax cuts are about to expire, Republicans are again arguing that taxes should remain low for the wealthy. The idea is that this will spur people like me to put more capital to work and start more ventures, which will create new jobs, power the economy and ultimately produce more tax revenues. It's a beguiling theory, but it's one that hasn't worked before and won't work now.

Thank you, Mr Gruener. You inspire more hope with your wisdom and honesty than we shall ever see from Washington DC.

Angry Voters

The news is out. As the corporate media relentlessly inform us, this election the politicians are facing the wrath of the “angry voter”.

We’ve seen the angry town hall shouters screaming their rage against the machine; I mean “death panels”. We’ve seen the teabaggers howling about Obama’s non-existent tax hikes. The right wing pundits and propagandists are one-upping each other in spewing feverish foolishness about Obama the Socialist/Fascist/Communist/Muslim/foreigner who wants to destroy America. THEY certainly sound angry, don’t they? Of course they do, it’s their job. They are out to make their listeners angry, so they have to be extra furious.

The “not just no, but Hell no!” rhetoric of the radical right wing obstructionist Republicans rings across Foxland. Even Carl Paladino, the “family values” Republican father of an extra-marital child is airing ads telling us he’s “Mad as hell and not going to take it anymore”.

Wow. That’s a lot of anger out there. What ARE they so angry about, anyway? There are no death panels, no taxes raised, nobody started a new war to sent their kids off to kill and be killed. But, dammit! I think I might be getting angry too! I think it’s contagious.

So what am I getting angry about? I don’t want to waste all that emotion on Republicans. They’re just doing what they always do. They lie, cheat, steal and kill to get their way. They started wars that don’t end. They built an American police state. They are partners with big business in ripping off the citizens of not just the US, but practically the entire world.

But that doesn’t make me angry anymore. It’s just business as usual.

How about that teabagger cult? That circus of fools should be enough to piss me off. But that’s just what they are, fools. They are simply a bunch of misled dupes of Fox, big money and Republican organizers. I almost pity them. No they don’t make me angry, either.

Ah, that leaves the Democrats and Obama. Yes, they’re a marvelous lot, aren’t they? They talk about helping the regular guy yet give more money to Wall Street while pumping more of our cash into insurance companies. They talk about taking the country in a different direction while they renew the Patriot Act and embrace the Bush Administration’s “state secrets” to defend their crimes. They cower from Republican filibuster threats and accomplish next to nothing.

Well, that is starting to really annoy me.

I think if we couple the Democrats and Republicans, we have two self-reinforcing problems that should piss us all off to no end.

I am very angry that we have practically no choice in OUR elections than to vote for, or against, Democrats and Republicans. I’m sick of them all and I hate to always have to choose the lesser of evils.

I’m angry because we have no choice... but to suffer these stooges. Time to change the channel.

Say, who’s left on “Survivor”?

There, I feel better now.

Mini Rants

I’ll bet you’re not alone. You are not the only one noticing that in the broad scope of national discourse, the left is marginalized by corporate media, the radical Right, and the White House. And this exclusion would go far in explaining why things are going to hell so fast for the US. This really annoys me. In fact it makes me want to SCREAM! I have assembled a few "mini rants" I wish I could scream loud enough for the nation and world to hear. Corporate media will not convey this for us. Maybe all we need for a decent start are a few million bumper stickers and a few thousand billboards.... Along with perhaps some very loud assertions.

Since change starts from the bottom, we at the bottom need to send clear and simple messages. The messages need to resonate with the public, and maybe even with the least bought off corporatist Dems. Let’s send a signal to the rest of the country. So, here they are in no particular order. I have tried to keep them small enough to fit on a bumper sticker, or at least short enough to speak with one breath.

Corporations are NOT persons.
Money is NOT free speech.
Too big to fail is too big
Tax the rich. Rebuild America.
War makes us LESS safe.
War destroys our economy
War destroys freedom.
Creeping Fascism is the enemy.
A Constitutional Republic cannot survive permanent war.
Jesus was NOT a gun-carrying white Republican.

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Obama and the Democrats do not know which side they're on. They need to choose between appeasing the right and preserving the status quo, or representing the majority of Americans who voted them into office. They try to do both, and that cannot be done.

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One for the Gipper: The most frightening words in the English language are: “I’m from the US Chamber of Commerce and I’m here to help…elect Republicans, …deregulate everything,…build the surveillance state,…perpetuate war for obscene profits,…destroy democracy.”

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Journalism died after the Right neutered it with their "Liberal Media" lie.

Corporate power and Right Wing media have always valued dishonesty, and will continue to, because it is necessary for their political dominance.

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Republican American "conservatism" is no different from a cult. The authoritarian leaders have indoctrinated their followers just as thoroughly as Moonies. It is a fearful, paranoid, and hateful stew of pseudo-Christian religious exclusivity, racism, reverence of wealth, and militarism.

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Mixing religion with politics allows all hell to break loose.

Change has come. This is Obama's America. Now only blacks are racists. Just ask the Tea Party, FOX, Breitbart, Beck and Limbaugh. Curiously everyone they call racist happens to be black.

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We have arrived at the nexus of the economic elite and the authoritarian minority. The 20 some percent of the population that are authoritarian personalities by nature are the Brown Shirts of the Aristocracy. Their propaganda network of Fox and Talk radio is what keeps them united in their antagonism towards democracy. They reject the government voted in by a majority of voters, and do everything in their power to destroy it. They are fascists, not the “real Americans” the Twit of the Tundra, Sarah Palin, calls them.

It's not enough for the Reich Wingers to feed into class and ideological warfare, they want to provoke a race war as well. Van Jones, Shirley Sherrod and ACORN have all been systematically media-lynched by the radical Right. Now we see FOX and “Fiends” are hard at work demonizing Muslims. They want not only class war and race war; they’re crusading for an all out religious holy war.

Republicans ARE extremists, for God's sake! Look what the GOP (Guardians Of Plutocracy) has done. In a supposed free democratic republic, unprovoked war, warrantless domestic surveillance, imprisonment without counsel or charges, torture, and rigged voting machines are EXTREME and illegal acts. This ain't America anymore, it's Republistan.

The Radical Right Republicans are fascists to a far greater degree than Obama could ever approach being a socialist.

The economic elite and their Republican Party want nothing short of neo-feudalism, where they are the lords and the rest of us are serfs.

Bottom line: For the Republicans to succeed, the American working class must lose.

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I'm afraid my prejudice has been confirmed. Homo sapiens is a herd species. FOX moos and we listen. O"baa"ama speaks, and we hope.

Constitutional Amendment

It’s a common frustration with many of us. Why is it that only we the little guys are supposed to follow the rules and the law? Apart from our inclinations to do the right thing, the answer is we simply cannot afford to break the laws and violate the rules. It costs a lot of money for that luxury.

A friend sent along a different kind of forwarded message. This was not the usual Republican/racist anti Obama disinformation. It was riding the wave of discontent over health care reform somewhat, but seemed less overtly partisan than most. Why don’t we amend the Constitution to include Congress in following the law? Good idea, eh? Well, that’s sort of what the Supreme Court’s job is.

Of course, like many, or all, forwarded messages much of it was not true.

As Snopes.com said, “...The supporting arguments it puts forward are all false.”

My sympathies were aroused anyway, and I decided to share my thoughts with the rest of the recipients of this message:

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Proposed 28th :

Governors of 35 states have already filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention. This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on. An idea whose time has come!

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest was to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform....in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law.

I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop. A Constitutional Convention - this is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come. I'm asking each addressee to forward this Email to a minimum of twenty people on their Address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States .."

***

So I responded to everyone in the group who received this:

What, equality under the law in America? That almost sounds radical to me. But then, I may be a bit radical myself.

It’s a nice sentiment, but there’s a glaring omission or two. Shouldn’t we include the president as one also subject to the law? Bush violated the Constitution repeatedly without accountability. People who denounce Obama for wrongdoing only sound like ignorant hypocrites if they let Bush off with his crimes.

How about we include corporations like BP, Blackwater, KBR and Halliburton as well. They have all the rights of legal “personhood” but none of the accountability. If they did, someone would be doing time for the deaths of 11 Deepwater Horizon workers and the spill that followed. Somebody from Blackwater would be locked up, fined or executed for the slaughter of 17 unarmed Iraqis. Who’s been accountable for the KBR-built showers electrocuting our troops in Iraq? The list goes on...

And what about the FBI, CIA and NSA? Shouldn’t they be under legal guidelines? Maybe they should be made to follow the law too. (That includes any government agent who might be reading this.)

And while we’re at it, let’s include those governors. I bet more than a couple of them are guilty of imposing unlawful burdens too. I seem to remember a former half term governor of Alaska who was found to have been guilty of “abuse of power” by a bipartisan panel after harassing a state trooper, who happened to be her ex brother-in-law, and intimidating his boss to fire him.

Yes, equality under the law sounds like a good idea. Maybe America should try it sometime.