Tom Ridge has admitted that the Bush Regime forced him to raise the terror alerts prior to the '04 election. Fear mongering was the Bush political strategy that year as it was the political strategy the last election. It worked in '04, but failed in '08 simply because by then the voting public had realized its mistake.
The terror alerts prior to the '04 election were so obviously politically motivated. There were constant notifications that became more "serious" and more numerous as the election neared. Funny thing, though, those alerts came to a complete halt the day after the election. No more alerts. Some of us saw through it, but little was ever made of it. The media ignored it, because at that time the fear mongering was so great and nationalism so out of control that anyone who questioned the Bush motives was often ostracized to the point of ruin.
Finally, as time has gone by, the insiders like Ridge have begun to speak out. In time all of these politically motivated actions will become public knowledge. The outing of Valerie Plame, the terror alerts, the manipulation of intelligence to justify an unjustifiable war, the use of federal prosecutors to take political revenge, Cheney's dark secrets; all of the sewerage from the worst Administration in the history of the country will eventually float clearly to the top for the U.S. citizenry to see and smell.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Are the Lies Taking Hold?
The President's approval rating has dropped some, not unexpected after the euphoria of being rid of Bush and Cheney. Reality is setting in as it normally does. President's always make a lot promises. Few of them try to accomplish what they promised as quickly as this President has done. He has hit a stumbling block in the form of health care reform, one of the promises that he made quite clear during his campaign.
On the other hand the Republicans ramped up their "swiftboating" with outrageous lies. Even the ordinarily sane Republicans, and there are or were a few, picked up the torch and spread the lies. The ignorant, racist, and some elderly quickly latched onto the "death panels" as gospel. Socialized medicine and NAZI have also become the bywords of the Republican campaign. Exactly how NAZI and Hitler could be injected into this discussion is not clear. The carrying of guns, death threats, and screaming, drooling mobs is incredible.
The President would like to provide those who do not have health care an affordable option so they can provide themselves and their families with much needed medical coverage. If others want it, they can enroll also. How this translates into Hitler mustaches, assault rifles slung over shoulders and handguns on hips, screaming and frothing at the mouth, and death threats is beyond me.
Mobs have been used effectively throughout history to influence public opinion. Sam Adams used them in the early days of the American Revolution. I suppose the Republicans saw that their "tea bagger" mobs were well received by the base with the help of FOX News, so why not try it with health care? Sure enough, FOX News jumped on the bandwagon to assist, along with Limbaugh and the right wing radio hacks. With Sarah "leave my family out of this" Palin trotting out one of her kids and making the "death panel" comment, they saw an opening to bring the ignorant and elderly along. The GOP conveniently ignored the fact that it proposed and voted for "death panels" in 2003. After that it was "Katy bar the door." Once the mob gets going, it assumes a life of its own. The racist comments, guns, and Hitler were sure to follow, given the intellectual level of many of the base.
I hope the President continues forward. Hopefully, good will come from some kind of reform, with a public option for those who daily lose their health care. The Republicans, obviously, do not care about these people. They only want power. If we can get more people back in the health care system, maybe this country can move forward. The GOP continues to ignore the statistics and tout the U.S. as having the "best health care in the world." That is not close to the truth. We have some of the best facilities and health care professionals, but we rank far behind in providing that care to all of our people.
I find it very amusing that some of these screamers say they are afraid that changes in the system will hurt their Medicare. Duh! Medicare is the feared government health care option. They want it, but they do not want anyone else to have access to something similar. I would bet that if a public option becomes available these screamers will flock to it, if it turns out to be better or cheaper than their current option. They will definitely be standing at the door, if they lose their current insurance.
Time will tell us whether this effort will fail as previous efforts have done. I pronounced it dead a couple of posts prior, but I keep hoping that something good will pass. If so, it will shut up the critics and put the Republicans back under their rocks where they belong. People may be dissatisfied with the President at the moment, but they darn sure do not want the GOP back in power. I'm not sure the Repubs understand that fact.
On the other hand the Republicans ramped up their "swiftboating" with outrageous lies. Even the ordinarily sane Republicans, and there are or were a few, picked up the torch and spread the lies. The ignorant, racist, and some elderly quickly latched onto the "death panels" as gospel. Socialized medicine and NAZI have also become the bywords of the Republican campaign. Exactly how NAZI and Hitler could be injected into this discussion is not clear. The carrying of guns, death threats, and screaming, drooling mobs is incredible.
The President would like to provide those who do not have health care an affordable option so they can provide themselves and their families with much needed medical coverage. If others want it, they can enroll also. How this translates into Hitler mustaches, assault rifles slung over shoulders and handguns on hips, screaming and frothing at the mouth, and death threats is beyond me.
Mobs have been used effectively throughout history to influence public opinion. Sam Adams used them in the early days of the American Revolution. I suppose the Republicans saw that their "tea bagger" mobs were well received by the base with the help of FOX News, so why not try it with health care? Sure enough, FOX News jumped on the bandwagon to assist, along with Limbaugh and the right wing radio hacks. With Sarah "leave my family out of this" Palin trotting out one of her kids and making the "death panel" comment, they saw an opening to bring the ignorant and elderly along. The GOP conveniently ignored the fact that it proposed and voted for "death panels" in 2003. After that it was "Katy bar the door." Once the mob gets going, it assumes a life of its own. The racist comments, guns, and Hitler were sure to follow, given the intellectual level of many of the base.
I hope the President continues forward. Hopefully, good will come from some kind of reform, with a public option for those who daily lose their health care. The Republicans, obviously, do not care about these people. They only want power. If we can get more people back in the health care system, maybe this country can move forward. The GOP continues to ignore the statistics and tout the U.S. as having the "best health care in the world." That is not close to the truth. We have some of the best facilities and health care professionals, but we rank far behind in providing that care to all of our people.
I find it very amusing that some of these screamers say they are afraid that changes in the system will hurt their Medicare. Duh! Medicare is the feared government health care option. They want it, but they do not want anyone else to have access to something similar. I would bet that if a public option becomes available these screamers will flock to it, if it turns out to be better or cheaper than their current option. They will definitely be standing at the door, if they lose their current insurance.
Time will tell us whether this effort will fail as previous efforts have done. I pronounced it dead a couple of posts prior, but I keep hoping that something good will pass. If so, it will shut up the critics and put the Republicans back under their rocks where they belong. People may be dissatisfied with the President at the moment, but they darn sure do not want the GOP back in power. I'm not sure the Repubs understand that fact.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
FOX , The New Liberal Media
Check it out:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| ||||
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
We've Turned the Corner on Constitutional Rights
For eight long years we saw our constitution regularly brushed aside by the Bush Regime. Innocent private citizens were spied upon by government agents. People were harassed for doing nothing more than checking out a book or discussing a subject of "national security." There were those who attended Bush rallies wearing t-shirts, with nothing more than Bush with a line through it printed upon them, who were harassed and arrested by the Secret Service.
Remember the Dixie Chicks, who were ostracized for saying they were ashamed of the President? Very, very minor comment. Now, people like Limbaugh and Gingrich and others regularly refer to the President as racist, Socialist, NAZI, and Hitler. There is little backlash. Well, Beck has lost his sponsors because of his stupid rantings, but, then, his elevator has never quite stopped on the correct floor. We are turning the corner.
In the last week we have seen people with assault rifles and hand guns standing outside venues where the President was speaking. They were allowed to openly display their lack of good sense for the world to see. People were outraged, but these nutcases were able to exercise their constitutional right to possess a firearm without being harassed or arrested. A far cry from an arrest over a t-shirt. Quite a change, wouldn't you say?
Remember the Dixie Chicks, who were ostracized for saying they were ashamed of the President? Very, very minor comment. Now, people like Limbaugh and Gingrich and others regularly refer to the President as racist, Socialist, NAZI, and Hitler. There is little backlash. Well, Beck has lost his sponsors because of his stupid rantings, but, then, his elevator has never quite stopped on the correct floor. We are turning the corner.
In the last week we have seen people with assault rifles and hand guns standing outside venues where the President was speaking. They were allowed to openly display their lack of good sense for the world to see. People were outraged, but these nutcases were able to exercise their constitutional right to possess a firearm without being harassed or arrested. A far cry from an arrest over a t-shirt. Quite a change, wouldn't you say?
Monday, August 17, 2009
As We Often Say in the South, It's All Over but the Shouting
I admire President Obama for attempting to bring about reform of our poor health insurance system. It can be a political killer and it has taken its toll on him early in his presidency. I deplore the Republicans for their unwillingness to enter into a reasonable debate on the real issues. Instead they took their usual low road of "swiftboating" the plan. I deplore the Democrats for their caving in to both the Republicans and the health care industry with its large sums of bribery monies.
It seemed like such a great idea. Unfortunately, organized gun toting, screaming mobs were unexpected and have taken their toll on those with some sense. Other mainstream countries have adopted a universal system that serves them well, regardless of what the mobs say. However, this country is so backward thinking and so afraid of change that we will continue to fall further behind. More and more of us will lose our health insurance, and, thus, our health care in the next few years.
Frankly, at this point I do not know what it will take for us to come to our senses as a country and organize to do something about the mess that we find ourselves in now. Obviously, we cannot do it as long as the Republicans have their mouthpieces on talk radio and FOX News to influence the apparently large numbers of very ignorant people. People who will sacrifice their health insurance and, thus, their lives for their beloved right wing pols.
About the only good thing that has come out of this so far, has been the daily announcements from most of the major sponsors of the Glen Beck "show" that they are pulling out. I hope that sponsors of other right wing blowhards such as O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and Hannity realize the damage that these people are doing to the civilized nature of this country and begin to pull their support. Getting them off the mainstream broadcasts would do a world of good.
Having said all of this, I now pronounce true, effective health care reform officially dead. May it rest in peace until someone else has the courage to attempt it. May they be more successful than President Obama.
It seemed like such a great idea. Unfortunately, organized gun toting, screaming mobs were unexpected and have taken their toll on those with some sense. Other mainstream countries have adopted a universal system that serves them well, regardless of what the mobs say. However, this country is so backward thinking and so afraid of change that we will continue to fall further behind. More and more of us will lose our health insurance, and, thus, our health care in the next few years.
Frankly, at this point I do not know what it will take for us to come to our senses as a country and organize to do something about the mess that we find ourselves in now. Obviously, we cannot do it as long as the Republicans have their mouthpieces on talk radio and FOX News to influence the apparently large numbers of very ignorant people. People who will sacrifice their health insurance and, thus, their lives for their beloved right wing pols.
About the only good thing that has come out of this so far, has been the daily announcements from most of the major sponsors of the Glen Beck "show" that they are pulling out. I hope that sponsors of other right wing blowhards such as O'Reilly, Limbaugh, and Hannity realize the damage that these people are doing to the civilized nature of this country and begin to pull their support. Getting them off the mainstream broadcasts would do a world of good.
Having said all of this, I now pronounce true, effective health care reform officially dead. May it rest in peace until someone else has the courage to attempt it. May they be more successful than President Obama.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Stupid is as Stupid Does - Forrest Gump
Sarah Palin, Chuck Grassley, Johnny Isakson and many other Republicans have in the past voted or approved of end of life counseling, now projected by them as "death panels." An obvious lie. Their ignorant followers and their mobs have injected themselves into the so-called debate on national health care parroting their diatribes, threatening the president's life, while wearing Confederate flag t-shirts, carrying guns to town hall meetings, and generally making complete idiots of themselves.
I saw a lady on the news last night, who said that she did not want the government coming between her doctor and herself. I suppose it is alright for her current insurance to come between the two of them as it does on a regular basis. Another said that all of the doctors would quit. Say what? They haven't quit because of the uncaring insurance companies. I've heard the mess about socialized medicine, which is also a lie. In socialized medicine, the doctors are employed by the government. For some stupid reason I have heard the president referred to as a NAZI and seen pictures of him with a Hitler mustache. What the NAZI Party has to do with a "debate" on health care besides the complete ignorance of those who injected it I do not know.
Death threats because of health care reform? I would like some of those, who endorse the mob behavior, to explain it all to me. The government would basically like to offer Medicare to those who would like to have it. That is what it is all about. If you would like to drop your current health insurance and join a form of Medicare you may do so. If you do not have health insurance, it is a great option This results in death threats, gun toting to meetings, stupid posters calling the President a NAZI and screaming mobs?
I do not know how to describe these ignorant, screaming, red faced morons. I think we all realize that many of them are racists and they will not disgrace themselves further by using the "N" word, so NAZI, Socialist, and other names replace it. But what of the others, who rant about doctors and socialized medicine? How is their behavior explained beyond the fact that they watch the Republican mouthpiece, FOX News? Well, "Stupid is as stupid does."
I saw a lady on the news last night, who said that she did not want the government coming between her doctor and herself. I suppose it is alright for her current insurance to come between the two of them as it does on a regular basis. Another said that all of the doctors would quit. Say what? They haven't quit because of the uncaring insurance companies. I've heard the mess about socialized medicine, which is also a lie. In socialized medicine, the doctors are employed by the government. For some stupid reason I have heard the president referred to as a NAZI and seen pictures of him with a Hitler mustache. What the NAZI Party has to do with a "debate" on health care besides the complete ignorance of those who injected it I do not know.
Death threats because of health care reform? I would like some of those, who endorse the mob behavior, to explain it all to me. The government would basically like to offer Medicare to those who would like to have it. That is what it is all about. If you would like to drop your current health insurance and join a form of Medicare you may do so. If you do not have health insurance, it is a great option This results in death threats, gun toting to meetings, stupid posters calling the President a NAZI and screaming mobs?
I do not know how to describe these ignorant, screaming, red faced morons. I think we all realize that many of them are racists and they will not disgrace themselves further by using the "N" word, so NAZI, Socialist, and other names replace it. But what of the others, who rant about doctors and socialized medicine? How is their behavior explained beyond the fact that they watch the Republican mouthpiece, FOX News? Well, "Stupid is as stupid does."
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