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Open Secrets, Money, Politics and Body Scanners, Oh My!

  • Posted on December 5, 2010 at 12:40 am

Don't you wonder what that technician is being exposed to day after day?

Dave Levinthal from Open Secrets was on CSPAN this morning and I must say it was a very interesting show.  If you are not familiar with the Open Secrets blog it shows how much money is in politics.  You can look up your own congress people and see their net worth.  He said that while a little bit less than 1% of the American people are millionaires between 40-50% of congress are millionaires.  We are not being represented by our peers, not by a long shot.  With the money that is being spent on our elections, this trend will probably continue.  Dave Levinthal wants people to simply be informed.  He thinks we should be aware about the money and politics.  On this page you can look up the richest and the poorest members of Congress as well as their average wealth.  http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php?type=W&year=2009

This website deserves some perusing as it is very interesting.  I’ve been going here for the last couple of years and there is always more to learn.  I highly recommend people to check it out.  These are the main companies that many have invested in.  http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/overview.php?type=P&year=2009

I know some of you may have invested in some of these companies as well.  However, you probably don’t hold a government office that awards contracts and monies to companies.  I think it is no wonder that our government seems more and more corrupt as time goes on and it doesn’t seem to matter which party you are in.

The discussion also centered on the Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission case that allowed untold money to be spent by corporations, non-profits and trade unions in our elections.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._Federal_Election_Commission

Much was also discussed about how our congress people got their money and what lobbyists are pushing for and who benefits from that push.  Shouldn’t we all know which special interests and which politicians benefit from the laws that get made and tarp monies that have been paid out to them?

We have to watch our political leaders to see where they are investing their money.  Does it surprise anyone that some politicians have invested in the company that does the body scans at the airport?  Some are small investments while John Kerry’s is quite large.  http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/11/several-federal-lawmakers-invested.html

Does anyone really believe a machine that scans the body like this could possibly be safe for long term use?  Technicians and doctors don’t expose their bodies to the many types of imaging equipment utilized in hospitals and dental offices for a reason.  Those foot scanners that people used years ago in the shoe stores were outlawed for a reason.  These machines cannot possibly be safe in the long term.  There will probably be increased cancer cases in the years to come all supposedly to “protect” us.  Isn’t it interesting to see how these types of companies are awarded funds from the government by the very people that are invested in them?

This short post today is just to wake you up from your slumber.  If you haven’t been thinking about the money in politics, you should be.

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The Loss of Innocence

  • Posted on November 29, 2010 at 9:52 pm

An Innocent Kid Named Katie

I have come to realize that growing up in my family I lived a fairly sheltered life.  Even though I grew up with those ten brothers, I really wasn’t exposed to anything too shocking as a young kid.  I grew up protected from most of the foul things that happen in the world.  I didn’t know about perverts back then.  I wouldn’t have even understood the word as a kid.  I had the freedom to ride my bike around town and didn’t have to worry about much of anything except getting my chores done and doing my homework.  I always felt like I really was emotionally immature when I went to college as the lessons I learned during college went far beyond the walls of a classroom.

I went to Michigan State University in the fall of 1973.  Life for me at MSU was idyllic.  When I was a senior I remember thinking that my life at MSU was like living under a glass bubble.  Of course I was oblivious to the serial rapist and killer that were stalking students because MSU didn’t want the bad press.  Regardless of that issue of safety, I always felt like college life was some kind of utopia.

While at MSU, I was introduced to so many different people from all over the world.  I worked at the International Center in the cafeteria, so I really enjoyed all of the different people I met.  In the two towns that I lived when I was in elementary and high school, I never really came in contact with anyone unusual but a few exchange students.  It was rare to come across anyone of color.  We were all white.  I remember when I was in seventh grade a black girl came to our school.  I remember people said she was “Mulato” which was supposed to mean she was of mixed race, black and white.  However, back then no one would have used the term “black”.  In my memory I thought the girl was beautiful as she was so pretty.  I never spoke to her.  I just remember this weird thought about that beautiful girl and find it interesting by the lack of exposure I had as a kid.

In my world I lived in the greatest country in the world because I had been told that ever since I could remember.  We all have been told that for as long as I can remember.  My parents were FDR democrats that loved President Kennedy, the first Catholic president.  We were Catholic, so of course we loved Kennedy!  I briefly remember my world being shattered when Kennedy was assassinated.  I remember sitting in my third grade classroom when I found out the news.  It was traumatic but even then I was still innocent to what I believed in our government.

In high school I really loved politics.  I came from a family that talked about politics a lot!  It was during the Nixon years and all of that corruption was fascinating to me.  You might think I could have lost my innocence then, you know when Nixon really was a “crook” even though he said he wasn’t!  His Vice President had to resign because he was corrupt.  He pled “no contest” with the condition that he resigns from office!  Do you all remember Spiro T. Agnew?  That was a juicy time for politics with everything going on with Watergate and the ending of the Vietnam War.  You would think my innocence would have been lost during that time but it wasn’t.  I always thought we were the best, bravest, smartest country in the world.

Oh, yes, I fell for every propaganda piece I was raised with from the celebration of “Columbus Day” to “Thanksgiving” to periods in our history that are really highly tainted with our land grab from the Indians!  I loved the fact; yes I said, “Fact” that we always were there to “help” other countries, especially those “developing” countries.  You know the ones that have unclaimed minerals we might want some day!  I really thought we were always working for the greater good of the world.  I never thought we might be working for the greater good of corporations.

I lived like this for years in blissful ignorance.  I thought of only the good that we do as a country.  I never thought of it any other way because we are the best.  Our country was always showcased in my mind as the place everyone else wanted to come to and live.  Everyone wanted to come to America because we’re so wonderful.  The “big daddy” type government was fine with me.  In that government the President was like a “daddy” that wanted only the best for HIS children.  (Yes, you could say I’m still angry that we don’t have a woman president and who knows if we will ever get one.)  All of this thinking about the past is just simple, honest reflection about how stupid I was and how stupid most Americans are when it comes to their government.

I think I began to lose my true innocence over the last ten years.  It began with the 2000 election that was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court.  That was just wrong.  The state should have just counted the votes and recounted just like they have done every other race before and after.  I don’t see the Supreme Court running into Alaska to settle the senate race or into Minnesota a few years ago for that senate race.  They should have stayed out and that was the beginning of the loss of my true innocence.  I realized that my vote really didn’t count.  In fact, no votes really mattered because the decision took away everyone’s vote in the country.  Bush had an argument that it would do some kind of irreparable harm to the country.  The harm actually came from the decision the Supreme Court made.  Prior to this I had nothing but respect for the court system, especially the Supreme Court.  I wasn’t happy years before during the Clarence Thomas hearings, but once he was sworn in, it really didn’t matter.  I respected the court.  I didn’t have to like him or his rulings but I could still respect the court.  I have lost that respect because of at least two decisions, if not more.  The Bush vs. Gore decision was the first and the other case was the 5 to 4 vote that gave corporations some kind of “personhood” where they can spend unlimited money for campaigns.  Essentially corporations are more important than people!

After Bush got into office we had September 11th which was another time in our history which comes up with mixed reviews.  Many people wanted to do something for the victims and their families.  I can remember a fund raiser we did at our middle school.  Those fund raisers took place all over the country and even the world.  Everyone wanted to help.  However some of that charity money wasn’t put to good use.  After September 11th President Bush could have done so much for our country.  Instead we were told to go shopping and later we found out that little secret that Bush and Condi Rice had known a terrorist attack was eminent all along and didn’t do a thing about it.  So what does President Bush do after all of this?  He takes us into an illegal war; wire tapping, Guantanamo Bay, torture everything he could think of in the name of “Homeland Security” to keep us safe and terrified.  Oh, and yes, he gave us a tax cut!  I never thought our country would ever do many of the things that I now know we have done.  Innocence is a precious thing.  I don’t know that it was all that terrible that I was so gung ho on our country and that I believed in the good of our country.  I call that innocence because I only saw the good side of who we are as a nation.  Now that my innocence has been shattered, I see many blemishes and warts.  The Prince Charming that I thought our country was is really a toad.

It doesn’t stop here.  I could blame all the badness on those Republicans but it just isn’t so.  On May 31st, 2008 I discovered that my precious Democratic Party could actually steal my primary vote just like the Supreme Court stole all of our votes in 2000.  My innocence was really shattered because now I didn’t even have a party to believe in any more.  Before I always had hoped that the Democrats would save us from all of the crazy things that had been happening over the last decade.  Torture, Guantanamo, illegal searches, wire tapping, it would all be gone!  It turns out, I was wrong.  The Democrats aren’t any different than the Republicans.  The new boss looks just like the old boss!  I thought we had two parties but we really just have one.  The Republican side is the real conservatives and the Democratic side is conservative.  That’s not a real choice for those of us that are more liberal in our thinking.

The loss of my innocence came when I was not a child but a grown woman.  You might think I should have known better but truthfully I really didn’t want to think that our government could be that corrupt.  Now I come to the Wikeleaks and boy is that interesting.  Joe Scarborough wants to send a message and nail Bradley Manning.  He wants to send that kid to prison for 25 years.  I wonder what happened to innocent until proven guilty.  I personally find it hard to believe that some lowly private did this entire computer hacking on his own.  Wikileaks revealed the little toad with all the warts that lives in the body of the prince.  Our country has some scary things going on.  The revelations continue to come out and they don’t make me proud of my country.  They also rip off that mask of innocence that I have been hiding under all of these years.  I am now the supreme skeptic.  I don’t trust much of anything our government does any more.  If it’s good for the corporations, our country will probably fight some war, bomb some country or assassinate some foreign leader.  Nothing surprises me any more.  Innocence may be overrated unless you are some poor kid named Bradley Manning sitting in some jail wondering what’s going to happen to you.  I will survive the loss of my innocence but will my country survive the loss of its innocence?

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Delusional Politics

  • Posted on November 28, 2010 at 1:28 pm

Foxy Loxy, ever the politician!

I’ve been busy working on the two courses I’m taking, so I haven’t been able to spend any time on my blog and whatever is on my mind has had to wait.  However, this morning I caught David Stockman, Reagan’s budget director, on Fareed Zakaria’s GPS show.  I know I’m supposed to be cleaning my house, but I’m not highly motivated to do so.  David made me think about “Chicken Little”.  You know the “sky is falling” Chicken Little.  What’s interesting about David Stockman is the fact that it was his policy choices as Reagan’s budget director that probably helped push us down the road to doom and gloom.

Like a born again Christian David has seen the light.  Now we have to change our ways and repent.  He is frustrated with the Republicans pushing those tax cuts and he seems to be even more frustrated by our current leader, President Obama’s lack of fight on this issue.  He says we can’t wait two more years by kicking this tax cut issue down the road.  We are on the road to “Armageddon” according to David.  He wants those tax cuts for the top 2% to just run out and not be extended.  He also wants budget cuts in defense spending and he mentioned Social Security.  He thinks we need strong leadership at this time and we aren’t getting it.  I’ve heard David many times recently and he is given a lot of “talk” time on this issue.  Here is David in his own words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkQXWw3jL_w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKkdlnwajf8&feature=related

Since I was thinking about Chicken Little I decided to look up the cartoon on You Tube.  I am so glad I did.  As a kid I don’t remember all of the political under tones of Chicken Little.  If you haven’t watched this cartoon, do so.  It is hilarious because it is very political.

Foxy Loxy is a fox that wants to get into a well protected chicken coop.  He has to find a way in so he can get his dinner.  He decides to consult a psychology book for this endeavor.  Cocky Locky is the head rooster and he is the leader of all these chickens.  He’s well respected and everyone looks up to him.  Chicken Little is a feather brain, playboy.  Hennie Penny is the supreme gossiper.  With all of these characters Foxy Loxy manages to use psychology to trick them.  The funny part is the four things he uses are pretty much like the way political campaigns are run.

Here are the four things Foxy Loxy read that helped him get into the heads of the MASSES!

1)      To Influence the masses, aim first at the least intelligent.  (Oh my head is already spinning considering the last election!)

2)      If you tell them a lie, don’t tell a little one, tell them a big one!  (There are too many to mention here.  What is the truth any more?)

3)      Undermine the faith of the masses in their leader!  (Well, by now we all know that Obama is a SOCIALIST!)

4)      By the use of flattery insignificant people can be made to look upon themselves as born leaders!  (Strangely enough I could put both Obama and Palin in this category.)

Now you have to watch the cartoon but think about politics as you’re watching it!  The video cannot be embedded so you must click on the link to watch it!

Chicken Little

Now that you’ve had a good laugh, we must get serious.  We all know that our country is going to hell in a hand basket.  It’s pretty obvious that we aren’t making much any more.  We buy lots of junk from China and too many people are UNEMPLOYED!  Obviously, those tax cuts didn’t do much good for our economy.  President Bush wanted us to spend money after September 11th.  That’s the way we could be patriotic!  Perhaps we did that but during that time, we didn’t pay for these two wars and now we are having some buyer’s remorse.

Anyone that has had to tighten their financial belt knows that something has to give.  That give should come from the top 2%.  That 98% pays for a lot more than even they realize.  The wealthy get by with small taxes really in proportion to what they make.  In our state governments the 98% are continually paying “fees” that we don’t actually think about as being “taxes”.  We have fees for different licenses that we get from hunting to teaching, to substitute teaching, to automobile, even fishing.  Most of you could probably think of a lot more.  We have to pay fees continually to do just about anything that you can think of from selling our homes to buying our cars.  Those fees are nothing, no big deal, for the wealthy but they can be a hardship for the 98%.  That 98% often times has to even dish out money for special clothes for work like hard boots, and even t-shirts.  None of this is figured in to the cost of their taxes.  Here in Michigan we even have “driver responsibility fees” and those can be devastating for low income drivers.  Those fees aren’t just for drinking and driving either so don’t start thinking they deserve what they get.  Those fees are very high and often times people end up not being able to pay them and pay for their auto insurance.  The point I’m trying to make is don’t feel sorry for the wealthy 2%.  The 98% pay far more than most of them can afford in so many other fees from sales taxes to everything else I have mentioned.

Here's John giving the "thumbs up" and looking so much like Foxy Loxy!

Congress needs to let the tax cuts for the 2% expire for the good of our country.  President Obama needs to lead.  So far in my humble opinion he hasn’t lead anything.  We, as a people, are looking for leadership.  How else can you explain the Tea Party?  We want strong leadership or we will be taken over by the likes of Foxy Loxy, who will tell us some big lie and we will be too stupid to understand the truth!  In the end Chicken Little is too stupid to see the truth and he, being the feather brain that he was, leads the other chickens to their ruin.  We must not fall for the Foxy Loxy types.  Foxy Loxy reminds me of John Boehner.  They both have that same sinister smile and I know John is more interested in his golf game than the 98%.  John wants to sell us all on this tax cut for the 2% but don’t fall for it.  He’s as cunning just like Foxy Loxy and doesn’t deserve loyalty from the 98%.

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Unemployment Vote….Don’t Ask…Don’t Tell

  • Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:23 pm

This is just a quick post to let people know that more of nothing is going on in Congress.  So if you are unemployed and getting unemployment compensation, you may be interested in the most recent vote on extensions.  The current unemployment is set to expire on November 30th just before the holidays.  Don’t ask for an extension to the unemployment compensation and absolutely don’t tell anyone about the congress people that care more about anything else but helping unemployed people.  Okay, so do tell on them.  That’s why I’m posting their votes here!

Republicans will vote for every war or tax cut for the wealthy and not worry about where the money comes from, but if it’s for some out of work not so rich person, well, forget it!  They will not pass this unless they know how to pay for it.  I know how to pay for it.  Why don’t we just stop these two wars and take care of our own for once?  Just asking and thinking out loud.   I also thought we got rid of many of those Blue Dog Democrats but unfortunately there must be at least 11 left to vote with the Republicans and I would like to add shame on those congress people that didn’t even bother to show up to vote!

Here is a link to the voting record for today.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll579.xml

Here is an article on this as well.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-18/jobless-benefits-extension-blocked-in-house-as-republicans-balk-over-cost.html

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Bush Nightmare Ensuing: Jeb Bush 2012

  • Posted on November 15, 2010 at 10:24 pm

Jeb Bush, the All American Boy

I’ve had this weird feeling that we are being prepared for another Bush presidency.  The signs are all there.  After two years out of the limelight, President Bush comes out with his book, Decision Points, to a fanfare of unbelievable kindness.  Even though he took us into a war of choice which left countless families broken and busted, he admitted to torture, he was virtually inept with his dealings in New Orleans and he has left our country literally on the brink of financial disaster; some people act like he was and is some kind of unsung hero!

I don’t know if I have been living in some kind of strange time warp or if I’ve missed some great trip these pundits are on that are treating him with such kid gloves!  What it makes me really think is that we are going to see another Bush run for the presidency, as though that is what our country needs.  Yes, I know, Jeb is supposed to be the good one, the smart one, he’s not like his brother at all.

I always find it interesting when certain families think they have to run everything.  Is our country of 310 million or so people really that poor at education that we have to stick with the same political families to run our government?  We deserve the government that we elect and I just want to say if that is what we keep electing, what is wrong with us?

I find it interesting that GW’s most hurtful moment was when Kanye West accused him of being a racist.  This is interesting as I feel he’s reaching out for those black votes for his brother.  It’s kind of like Tricky Dick saying he’s not a crook.  If GW had cared about New Orleans, he would have moved mountains to get some help over there.  Rest assured if the same problems had happened in Texas or Florida, those mountains would have been moved for sure.  It was pretty political over all and every move he made in office was political as well, just as it is now.

If I was a conspiracy nut, I would be wondering if the Obama presidency was a setup to get us ready for Jeb.  Obama was selected to be the Democratic nominee through the corrupted Democratic Primary just as surely as Bush was appointed the presidency by the Supreme Court.  Obama has essentially kept all of the Bush policies in play from the two wars, to FISA, to education and to even the financial bailout.  Even the health care bill was a boost to the corporations and not to the people in so many ways.  So, is Obama just keeping the seat warm on the presidency for another Bush term?  Who would have ever thought that GW would have lasted 8 years, but he did.  It seems like I’m not the only one having these thoughts.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/node/34857

Of course Jeb is not planning on running, as you can see in most articles about him, but the most important article is the one where Jeb says, never say never!  What could that mean?  Here he is sounding very political criticizing Obama. Don’t you think it interesting that he would also support Sarah Palin? It’s a little early for talking about supporting Sarah.  That’s right Jeb get those Tea Party voters lined so they will actually vote for you!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/15/jeb-says-never-say-never-to-white-house-bid/

It feels like President Obama better start leading like a Democrat or he will be replaced by the real Republican!  Most people like real better than fake.  Why vote for a fake Republican, when you can have a real one?  We should all be very afraid.  Yesterday I read that Obama should be one and done and today I’m thinking that might be part of the overall plan!  Maybe it won’t matter as we all know the end of the world is coming in 2012.  I’m laughing as I write this.  Last week I posted on never being politically represented in my whole 55 years of life.   I guess the longer I live, the longer that will be true.

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Sarah Palin’s Alaska

  • Posted on November 14, 2010 at 11:02 pm

Sarah Palin on TLC's "Sarah Palin's Alaska." (Credit: TLC/Gilles Mingasson)

So I was flipping through the channels last night looking for something to watch.  I watched the last few minutes of the Pistons but Sunday night television isn’t very good in my opinion.  I had already seen the Law and Order on USA and low and behold there was Sarah Palin’s Alaska.  This is the first show.  I decided to check it out, more out of simple curiosity than anything else.

The star of the show is beautiful Alaska.  I have several brothers that live in Alaska.  I’ve been there twice, but I confess I haven’t been there in about twenty five years!  The views are breath taking and the two brown bears fighting were exciting as well.  As far as Sarah goes, the show opens up with her in the kitchen with Piper making cupcakes with a niece.  Piper refers to her mom as “Sarah”.  Sarah explains that Piper does that when she wants attention because there are four people there calling her “mom” and Piper feels ignored.  I came from a family of 14 kids that often were ignored and I can tell you no one would have called my mom “Evelyn” or dad, “Bill”.  I thought it was odd.

Sarah leaves the kitchen to go outside to read by the lake.  She complains about her neighbor watching her as she appears to be “watching” him.  I find that a bit like the pot calling the kettle “black”.  She points out a 14 foot fence that Todd erected to block out the nosy neighbor that is supposedly writing an unflattering book about Sarah.  Later in the show TLC films the man sitting on his balcony again and Sarah makes some remark about him maybe he filming them.  As much as she complains about this man watching her, she is doing her fair share of watching him as well!

Todd, Sarah, Piper and the niece fly off for a salmon fishing excursion.  The most exciting thing that happens there is the up close and personal attention from a family of bears.  This scene is really nice because of the nature.  They leave when a bear seems to scare them off.  Todd caught a fish but it was slim pickings on the fishing.  She makes some crack about a poor day fishing is better than any day working or some such thing.  Sarah talks non stop which is kind of annoying.  It is not natural talk, but talk meant to capture simple politics like the reference to the brown bears as being like grizzly bears and wouldn’t it be nice if people were more like grizzly bears.  I think she meant that in reference to protecting their children.

However, her small child, Trig, was no where to be seen.  In the three days they filmed, she told the girls to wave at him through the window once.  He was with a gray haired lady.  I never saw any interaction with mom.  In fact that was the most striking feature of the show.  Sarah Palin talks family values but her time is spent doing this show, constantly on her Blackberry, working at a computer or doing her Fox show out in her studio.  Her “Fox” spot is filmed from Alaska evidently.  It’s hard for me to understand how a small child doesn’t figure into your so called daily life.  Trig was nothing more than a simple prop that showed up twice.  I know people will say she was protecting him but what I find strange is the time away from him to do all of the filming.  He didn’t go with them at all.  When I was doing my art shows in Oklahoma and Josh was small I took a baby sitter with me so I could still see him.  It seems like someone else is raising Trig and it isn’t Sarah.  Maybe that’s what happens when you get wealth, you turn your parenting over to some paid surrogate!

Some boy was over to see Willow, her teenage daughter.  She told him he had to stay downstairs.  I don’t know if the TLC camera crew told him to go upstairs but of course he did.  She called her daughter on the phone and told her to come down.  This was such fake crap.  Nobody is like that.  It was rude for Willow to leave her friend hanging downstairs in the first place but Sarah, ever busy on her computer, could hardly have an interaction with either of them.  This show is simply not real.  It’s fake but the scenery is beautiful!

Later in the show Sarah and Todd go mountain climbing with a guide.  They land a plane on a glacier and you see views that few ever have the opportunity to see.  That is the saving grace of the show.  This show will probably help Sarah Palin’s popularity because they show her to be a woman that is willing to try anything.  She can mountain climb, fish, hunt, you name it.  If a man can do it, so can Sarah and that includes being president.  If you think Sarah isn’t running for something, think again.  Something is up with this show and it isn’t about Alaska, as beautiful as it is, it’s about keeping Sarah out in the real world where people can see her week after week.  She will let you in to see a fake glimpse of her life.  If you buy what she is selling, she may be the next president.  She calls Todd her “help mate” and she is constantly cheering him on when he catches a fish or scratches his leg.  Okay, I’m being a tad facetious.  I just find the way she speaks in the show so unnatural that I can barely stand it.  However, it is probably no different than any other reality show.  The only difference is this one has the potential to change the political scene!  I don’t know what a Sarah Palin presidency would look like, I just am not so sure that I want to find out!  I used to like some things about this woman, until I read her book and realized that Ronald Reagan is like a saint to her.  That in itself is enough of a turn off for me not to see any real potential in a Palin presidency.  However, there are a lot of people out there that have fond memories of Reagan.  I’ll never figure that one out but that makes it clear to me that just as they loved Ronnie, they could easily love Sarah!  Time will tell but this show is political reality and the reality could be nightmare politics!

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Thoughts on “One and Done”

  • Posted on November 14, 2010 at 2:20 pm

President Barack Obama with Chinese President Hu Jintao

I am surprised at how quickly President Obama’s loyal followers have turned on him.  In the Washington Post editorial, “One and Done” today by Douglas E. Schoen and Patrick H. Cadell, two Democratic pollsters, President Obama is pressed hard to declare he will not run in 2012.  They think this will take away the pressure of the political parties and create an atmosphere where something can get done.  I personally think they’re dreaming!

Here is a section directly from their article:

Obama owes his election in large measure to the fact that he rejected this approach during his historic campaign. Indeed, we were among those millions of Democrats, Republicans and independents who were genuinely moved by his rhetoric and purpose. Now, the only way he can make real progress is to return to those values and to say that for the good of the country, he will not be a candidate in 2012.

They believe for the good of our country President Obama needs to move back to the values he ran on in the election of 2008.  They feel he needs to step down to take away the politics.  I find all of this amazing.  I cannot remember any president having this suggestion made to them before and especially in such an open format.  Personally, I don’t think it would make any difference.  So what happens if he steps down?  Will anything change in the House and Senate?  It would just mean both parties would be in a frenzy to get their candidates ready for the 2012 election.  There would probably be much posturing in the Senate with big speeches by potential candidates for the presidency.

Many people online, including myself, would really like to see Hillary Clinton as president, but I think this is crazy talk and I find it interesting that there is even any discussion about it at all.  I first learned about this opinion piece in the Washington Post on CNN today which tells me that there must be much talk of it in political circles.  Just as Nancy Pelosi is being pressured to step down it appears that President Obama is getting the same treatment.

Of course he brought a lot of this on himself.  If you listen to the pundits, he went too far to the left.  I find that amusing.  What did he go left on?  We are still involved in two wars.  Guantanamo Bay is still going strong and he even put a “hit” on an American citizen.  Gays still cannot openly serve in the military.  He passed health “insurance” reform, not health care reform.  He kept many of President Bush’s people and policies in place.  He governed more like the last president than any president from the “left”.  The biggest complaint seems to be about the stimulus money and the bank bailout.  The bailout was started by Bush and continued by Obama and the stimulus from the left’s point of view was too small.

I find all of this even more interesting because of the last president and his divisive policies.  The period under President Bush was extremely divisive.  He started his presidency by a vote from the Supreme Court.  That alone made his presidency tarnished with a sense of corruption because his brother was the governor of Florida.  He started out on a rocky road.  Many Democrats could hardly say the words, “Our president!”  Many thought he wasn’t “their” president.  Just before September 11th he had many warnings about terrorist attacks and these were ignored.  Low and behold September 11th happens.  President Bush is in some classroom in Florida reading about a pet goat.  Time goes by with no action.  He was flown all over the country, not knowing what to do and he put the VP in charge.  Some how after all of that President Bush emerged with the fireman at the World Trade Center, or Ground Zero, as it has become known, and suddenly he became our national hero and leader!  He could have gotten the country to do much at that time because he had our attention and devoted patriotism.  His answer was for us to go “shopping” and to give tax breaks to us.  After two unfunded wars we are in a heap of trouble financially.  In walks President Obama, who seems to think what President Bush was doing isn’t so bad, so he continues with those same policies.

Suddenly, we have a problem with this president.  To me he is a lot like the old president.  I don’t see many things that have changed.  Maybe it takes time for them to show up and maybe we as a country haven’t given him enough time.  I’m not sure.  However, I find it offensive how the Democratic Party people appear to eat their own.  The Republicans stand firm with their people, well, with one exception, Christine O’Donnell, didn’t get much support from the likes of Karl Rove and gang.  If you think about it Senator David Vitter who was going to prostitutes and wearing diapers is still going to be a senator in January.  He wasn’t pushed out by his party.  Democrats are supposed to be the “big tent” Democrats that take in all people with all ideas.  It’s interesting to see these two pollsters pushing for Obama, the first black president, to step down for 2012.

Obviously, a lot can happen in two years.  Who would have thought that in 2010 President Obama would be treated with such disrespect by people from his own party and even from the Republican Party?  Did you see where Representative Eric Cantor met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu?  He promised that his party would be a “check” on the Obama administration.  I cannot believe that he did this.  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140624

It looks to me like maybe he should be charged with a felony.  According to the Logan Act unauthorized citizens cannot negotiate with foreign governments.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act

Like him or not, President Obama, is the president and as president he deserves to be treated with a form of respect.  To do anything but that undermines our country.  It doesn’t mean we cannot discuss him and his policies on blogs like mine or yours.  However, it does mean that we don’t do anything that might have the potential to harm our country!  Most of us wouldn’t be in a position to negotiate with a foreign country.  Representative Eric Cantor should know the law better.  Since he is in a position of power in the Republican Party he should be held to a higher standard as well.  I don’t see anyone holding his feet to the fire, but they should!

President Obama still could turn things around and gain the support of the Democratic Party.  He just has to quit governing like a Republican.  I think we’ll know what kind of leader he really is when we see what he does with the Bush tax cuts.  I’m beginning to think they should just let all of them go, even my tax cut.  I would like to see the tax cuts kept in place for the 98%, but not at the expense of our country and infrastructure.  We have been living on borrowed money for far too long.  The politicians are trying to get us to accept those tax cuts for the wealthy which I think is just a tad ridiculous.  The divide between the poor and the rich just keeps growing.  It’s time we figured out how to help the poor and the middle class.  The 98% should not be held hostage to the other 2%.  If President Obama steps up and leads this country, then things will turn around for him politically.  If he continues to vacation like President Bush and govern like him as well, 2012 won’t come soon enough!

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Rape Victim, Bullying and Suicide….Tales from Michigan

  • Posted on November 13, 2010 at 5:16 pm

Samantha Kelly

Wayne County prosecutor, Kym Worthy said, “Due to the tragic and untimely death of our 14- year old victim we did not have sufficient evidence of a crime that we could present to the court today.  As a result we had to move to dismiss the case.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family.”

These are hollow words when you find out the whole story of young Samantha Kelly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrIG08hVX1c

This is the law in Michigan as it pertains to Third Degree Sexual Conduct which Joseph Tarnopolski, 18, was accused of committing.

Third Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct – Section 750.520d (a) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if the person engages in sexual penetration with another person and if any of the following circumstances exists:
That other person is at least 13 years of age and under 16 years of age
Force or coercion is used to accomplish the sexual penetration. Force or coercion includes but is not limited to any of the circumstances listed in section 520b(1)(f)(i) to (v)
The actor knows or has reason to know that the victim is mentally incapable, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.


(2) Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree is a felony punishable b imprisonment for not more than 15 years.

Here is a good article about it.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/se_mich/girl-who-reported-being-raped-hangs-herself

It was quite fortunate and lucky for Joe that his teen victim was tormented by his friends and sister to the extent that she saw no other alternative than to commit suicide.  Something is really wrong with this picture.  It’s unfortunate that this girl wasn’t given the counseling and help that she obviously needed but it is more unfortunate that the bullying was allowed that eventually caused her suicide.  What I find interesting about this case is it seems to have gone unnoticed by most of the big media.  This girl seems to be unimportant.  She didn’t attend Princeton.  She wasn’t from a wealthy family.  She’s pretty much a “nobody” and nobody seems to really care.  Her poor mom wants justice for her child but she isn’t going to get it as her daughter didn’t live long enough to testify in court.  There has to be something wrong with an 18 year old having sex with a fourteen year old

This young man seems to get around as he has another allegation of rape against him.

http://wwj.cbslocal.com/tag/joseph-tarnopolski/

The video at this sight is really interesting and well worth watching.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/11/joseph_tarnopolski_investigate.html

This is the ninth student in Michigan that committed suicide after being bullied in school.

http://michiganmessenger.com/43294/another-bullying-related-suicide-in-michigan

Obviously, something more has to be done to stop students from taunting each other.

From my point of view I find it alarming how many bully cases seem to be happening in recent times.  Many that we hear about are escalated cases that lead to a suicide.  Children today are growing up fast, faster than I remember as a kid.  I think the issue of bullying is far more pronounced in these modern times as there are so many new outlets for students to utilize for bullying.  When I was in high school back in the seventies we all knew about girls that were “easy” and guys that you didn’t want to date.  Today it really is different.  With all of the social connections students can make online and with text messaging, it isn’t really surprising that these same tech tools are being used to cause much pain.  Schools have to be diligent in addressing the problems that bullying creates in our modern society.  Most people wouldn’t think this type of harassment could lead to a suicide but teens are at a fragile time in their lives.  This is a time when their peers mean so much more to them than the adults in their life.  When those same peers turn on them, I’m sure students must feel hopeless.  We as teachers and adults must do everything we can to educate students about what it means to be bullied.  Most kids don’t see themselves as bullies so it is easy for them to fall into a “pack” mentality when picking on other students.  Students need to be called out on their behavior no matter who they are trying to bully.

I’ve had students try to bully classmates but I have also had student try to bully me.  I will not tolerate any of this in my classroom.  Students have to be told when they are being offensive to another person.  Young teens don’t always know how their behavior is offensive.  Since their prefrontal cortex is not fully developed they lack some of that obvious decision making process that most adults have acquired.

Bullying has been around a long time.  I remember my first term at Michigan State University.  I was bullied because I was forced to be the third person in a room with two students that chose to be roommates.  There was over crowding that year so I had to wait for a room to become available the second trimester.  The girls came from Birmingham, Michigan and later I learned that most people considered them “Birmingham Bitches”.  They were horrible to me and I generally don’t ever think about them.  The one girl was the leader and the other one was just her patsy.  The whole floor couldn’t stand them and their treatment of me.  I was a very shy girl that came from a small town and I didn’t stand up for myself like I would today.  In my case the RA met with these girls about their treatment of me.  I hadn’t complained but other people couldn’t stand the way these girls were treating me.  I was use to abuse as I grew up with ten brothers.  I didn’t fight back.  However, after that meeting, the two girls were worse!  I finally got some peace when I was able to move to another room.  That was then and this is now.  That floor filled with other students stepped up and tried to get something done.  Today it seems like most students would join the bullies.  We have to do everything we can to make young people understand that their behavior has consequences.

It’s tough being a teen today.  They are bombarded with all kinds of images that show them what is expected of them.  However, most of those images seem to lack any kind of moral center.  If we want our young teen to grow up to be adults that we can be proud of we must do everything we can to fight for justice.  We cannot let teens think they can get by with bullying without any form of consequences.  This young teen rape victim didn’t see a clear alternative for herself.  We must make sure that our young people are brought up with a sure identity of who they are so they don’t feel like all is hopeless when confronted with a difficult situation.

As far as the young man, Joe, is concerned he may end up in court for another case.  I don’t know why they cannot prosecute him.  I don’t even know if he understands that having sex with a fourteen year old is dead wrong.  Some day he will have to realize that he contributed to this young girl’s death.  That can be a lot to live with.  Some may think he doesn’t care and maybe he doesn’t but surely her face has to stay in his memory for years to come!

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I’m Patriotic, I’m a Republican, Oh the Nonsense We Tell Our Children

  • Posted on November 12, 2010 at 6:32 pm

To me this looks a lot like child abuse. What parent would want their child involved in a political rally this way?

My students have just finished making a six page art journal.  I was busy grading them today when I came across a sixth grade boy’s journal that made me laugh.  The art journals are meant to be personal and tell something about the person creating it.  On one page this sixth grade boy drew an American flag, stated he is a patriot and then stated he is a Republican.  This made me crack up because for years the Republicans have always made that “patriot” label seem like it belongs to them.

After September 11th the Democrats resented the fact that Republicans thought of themselves as being “more” patriotic.  All the politicians had to run out and buy flag pins to prove they are patriots.  It is rare these days to catch a politician without their little pin that supposedly confirms they are a patriot.  I thought it was funny that this boy called himself a patriot and a Republican.  I was raised by two strong Democrats.  I don’t remember being that aware of politics when I was in sixth grade.  I was more into kickball, reading and the Monkees.  I really got into politics when I began high school.  However, the thing that I find most interesting is this idea that a patriot is a Republican.

I think Republicans must be starting out quite young indoctrinating their children.  Democrats and liberals probably have that “open minded” thing that gets in the way of indoctrination.  As a liberal person I know I wanted my son to be a “free thinker”.  I may be paying for that now as my son doesn’t always do everything the way I would like him to do things.  However, I know in my heart I feel it is best to teach in a non judgmental way and he is an adult now and free to live the kind of life he chooses.  Free thinking and that open minded thing can sometimes appear like a person can be easily swayed to a compromise.  Republicans tend to think they are right and anyone that doesn’t think like they do is wrong.  I know this because I have a lot of Republican relatives!

With all of this in mind, I think it’s interesting to think about the make up of the new congress in January.  Already President Obama is talking about compromise.  Standing firm doesn’t seem to enter into any of the Democrats lingo.  There is a famous quote by Alexander Hamilton, “”Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.”   If you think about it, the current Democrats haven’t really shown us what they stand for, so I will not be surprised if they fall for whatever the Republicans want.  They have two strikes against them.  The first is that fact that most of them were raised to have an open mind and listen to the other side.  Second, most don’t seem to have strong convictions.  Yes, I know there is always Representative Dennis Kucinich, but he’s a rarity in this Democratic Party.

I’ve always considered President Obama to really be a Republican anyway, so I don’t expect that he will hold out for much.  Senator Kennedy is dead, so a lot of the blow back we would usually feel when these discussions get heated just won’t happen.  There is no one left like Teddy Kennedy that will show their outrage at anything.  Oh, Republicans you think we need to change Social Security and give those tax breaks to the wealthy?  No problem.  We just want to get along!

This morning on “Morning Joe” I had to listen to Joe tell me that the American people really get it.  They know that we have to have the tax cuts kept in place for the wealthy to grow our economy.  I’m lucky I didn’t spit out my coffee.  The American people don’t know any such thing.  They are currently being indoctrinated by the media which includes Joe to think this is the right thing to do.  However, it doesn’t make any sense.  If those so called tax breaks were so great, then why are we in so much trouble?  Those tax breaks have lead to our giant deficit.  If the Republicans get their tax break rest assured, they will have to cut something.  Just do the math!  Logic tells me there is an imbalance.  We can’t keep running into the red, so they will make cuts.  They will cut everything they can for the little guys, but they won’t touch the wealthy or big business.  I don’t know where you are on this scale but I can tell you most of you are part of the 98%.  The Republicans will pass that pain to all of us and save the wealthy 2 % from the pain the rest of us will feel.  Those Republicans will expect us to be “patriotic” and indoctrinate us to suffer our own losses in silence.

Right now the media is also indoctrinating us about those crazy Europeans that are protesting everything from the rising retirement age to the cost of college tripling.  We have been told that Americans don’t act like those socialists!  Americans wouldn’t take to the street like that and smash windows and cause chaos because they want to prove a point.  However, they forgot about our own history.  The real question is how much will the American people put up with from these corrupt Republicans and Democrats that continue to do the bidding of big business and the wealthy?  Will we ever get really mad and take to the streets or are we lulled into a false reality that we have no choice but to live with whatever our representatives decide to throw our way?  Democrats and Republicans are labels that don’t seem to really fit any more.  What are they?  What do either party stand for?

The Republicans used to stand for a smaller governmental footprint and states rights, and a form of conservative governing.  They certainly wouldn’t be out “saving” the world and policing it.  However, President Bush changed all of that.  Under the last administration government grew and grew to the point that Republicans can no longer claim to be conservative.  Oh, they can say it, but they certainly don’t live it!  Democrats used to be different than the Republicans.   We could always count on the Democrats to stand up for the rights of people.  Those personal issues of freedom were always really important.  Helping people get a hand up was also important.  We could easily say, “Don’t leave anyone behind.”  It’s kind of like the motto from the military of “Leave No Man Behind”.  However, in recent times the Democrats have left us all behind.  They haven’t stood up for the little guy, the working stiff, the laborer.  They’ve talked about it, but they haven’t walked the walk!

Neither party stands for much of anything any more except for taking care of business.  They take care of the lobbyists and then when they’re out of office they continue to take care of themselves.  Hell, when they’re in office they take care of themselves.  Wouldn’t you love to name your own raise?  I’m taking a class right now because I want to get a raise.  I don’t think the politicians are required to do much of anything to get their raises but they sure do get them.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm

All of these politicians want the American people to think they are politicians because they are such great patriots!  The truth is we are all patriots.  Being patriotic might mean taking to the streets to protest just as much as wearing a pin and proclaiming your patriotism.  Being patriotic is more than waving a flag and blindly supporting war, any war.  Being a patriot means that you love your country enough to question the politicians.   It might mean working hard at holding their feet to the fire to get them to get something done.  We are all patriots, Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, Green Party, Tea Party, Coffee Party, Independent or whatever party we come from.  Patriots aren’t just Republicans.  In fact patriots can even be gay and lesbians and that just makes those Republicans crazy!

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I’m a humanist! What are the Democrats and Republicans? Oh, yeah Corporatist!

  • Posted on November 10, 2010 at 9:26 pm

Most wars look a lot like this to me! If it isn't religion, it's oil or some other mineral.

It’s a week after the midterm elections and after hearing all of the Monday morning quarterbacks tell us play by play how the Democrats got it wrong and some how magically the Republicans got it right, I feel a need to express myself.  I heard for the umpteenth time today Joe Scarborough proclaim on “Morning Joe” that we are a center, right nation and Barack Obama doesn’t understand that.  He went on and on today about how so many Democratic senators have come to him and expressed their displeasure with Barack Obama.  The part that I am frustrated about is that center, right nation proclamation.  I, for one, have never had any real political representation in my entire life.  That’s hard to believe since I am fifty five years old, but it is true!  I have never had the real opportunity to vote in any election other than a primary for the person that I truly think will best represent me, my beliefs and values and, who for that matter, be best for the country.

I think conservatives have been over represented all of my life and in recent years the far right has had the ability to control much that goes on in politics.  I’m tired of the politics of fear and control.  I’m tired of politicians that talk about gays and lesbian as though they are some crazy creature from some netherworld.  I’m tired of politicians that talk religion and spew all kinds of morality issues and then run off to Argentina to have an affair like Governor Mark Sanford.  I’m tired of politicians that claim to follow the constitution but do everything they can to inhibit it by stomping on the rights of others.

I used to say I am a yellow dog Democrat.  I have also said I’m liberal.  However I am liberal only to a point, as I am liberal on issues but personally quite conservative.  These are labels that we assign to ourselves.  I really think I’m what I would refer to as a humanist.  I really believe in an education for everyone that includes free college to all that qualify and want to go.  I believe in the humanities and an approach in life that includes studying the human condition and the arts.  I am a woman and because of it I feel woefully underrepresented in politics.  We, as women, are a bit more than half of the population but we virtually run nothing when it comes to our national politics.  I am religious, but I don’t want religion to be mixed with politics.  I don’t believe in my tax dollars going to “faith” based initiatives.  I don’t believe in my tax dollars going to any form of private education either.  I definitely want less money going to defense and more money going to education.  I believe that in the pursuit of happiness we all should have health care, not health insurance, but health care.  No one should lose their home over an illness.  I believe in the common good of all, not the common good of the corporations or the rich and powerful.  I believe if you are at the top you owe it to your country to put your hand out and lift up those that are at the bottom!

Some may think I am an idealist but I am not.  I am a realist that believes in humans, not things!  I believe in kindness, not hatred.  I believe in the power of love and what it can do to transform people and even a nation.  It seems to me that there isn’t much real love going on in Washington D.C.  The two parties cannot even have a civil discussion unless it’s after hours.  From all appearances they don’t look like they care too much for each other.  However, I think that is a scam played out on the American people, so they don’t have to really get much done.  They can scream and holler and roll their eyes at each other for the cameras and never accomplish much of anything for the people.  It’s exhausting how little for the people, the masses, is really accomplished by either party.

I do understand the frustration people have and the many reasons they don’t vote.  Many don’t feel it really matters.  I’m starting to feel much the same way.  Why does it matter who we vote for when the new stuff smells and looks a lot like the old stuff?

As I said the new boss is much like the old boss.  President Obama decided to pursue much of the same policies of President Bush which is kind of mind boggling.  We are still involved in two wars, one of which was totally a war of choice and there will be no way we will pursue anyone in the past administration for any kind of crime or misconduct.  Oh, no we’re better than that.  Hearing President Bush recently explaining himself has left me breathless.  I feel like Ricky Ricardo when he’d say to Lucy, “Lucy, you got a lot explaining to do!”  President Bush continues to spread his lies about the war and he is treated with such respect about it all that it’s hard to understand where that line is between Democrats and Republicans and truth telling and lies.  The American people are expected to listen to his lies and take them as truth.  This is his truth which is water boarding is okay because some lawyer told him it was okay.  Could this have been his appointed friend, John Ashcroft?

http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/torture/jash20102ltr.html

In this letter I find an awful lot of that squirm test.  We will wiggle here and there and frankly do whatever the hell we want to do because we are the United States of America.  We aren’t bound by any Geneva Convention are we?  Aren’t we better than this?  Aren’t we part of the human race?  What about President Obama?  He ignores all of this.  Even though the Republicans will be dragging out a daily hearing on everything from Obama’s birth certificate to Nancy’s plane, rest assured he will do nothing.

However, he has brought out his “Deficit Panel” and surprise, surprise, the cuts are coming and their not for the wealthy!  Could this be the “Death” panel Sarah Palin kept talking about?  Oh, dear me, they will cut social security, Medicare, Pentagon (which has so much waste who cares) and Middle-class tax breaks.  Imagine that!  You know when Obama appointed Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson as co-chairmen on the deficit commission we shouldn’t be surprised.  Here is a direct quote from Simpson, “And yes, I’ve made some plenty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. You know ’em too. It’s the same with any system in America. We’ve reached a point now where it’s like a milk cow with 310 million tits! Call when you get honest work!” His response was to a Huffington Post blogger.  This was made this August.  Personally, I don’t think this man should have anything to do with the future of Social Security.  President Obama let him stay on because this is part of the plan.

Remember when Representative Alan Grayson said that Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick?  That was his response to the health care debate.  It seems like the same thing could be said of social security.  They want you to pay into it all of your life and die before you can use it!  None of this will concern the wealthy.  They don’t even need Social Security.  However, most people in the United States count on their Social Security.  For some people, that is all they have to look forward to with low paying jobs.

I said earlier that I have never truly been represented in my entire life by any politician.  The truth is that none of us have been represented.  Lobbyists and corporations are the only ones that get representation.  Back in the seventies when I was a young woman I really thought we had come a long way, but of course now I know that was all bullshit.  We are like an under developed nation when it comes to women in politics at the national level.  We may have some women governors and their may be state representatives but anyone would be hard pressed to name ten women at the national level in politics.  That is just unbelievable.  We have made a giant leap backwards with politics in its current state.  Women have suffered the most losses but the American people are the real losers.  We have no choice in our politics and we are told constantly what we believe.  However, the media doesn’t know me or you.  They feed us the lines they want us to talk to our friends about.  We are played constantly and most people are too stupid to even feel that voice of propaganda.  Our election system is messed up with these two corrupt parties and it looks like I’ll never get the representation I desire and deserve and you won’t either!

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