The Social Security "problem."

Commander Codpiece says that Social Security, the most successful program for helping seniors and more in the history of civilization, needs changing. Do the research and you will find that the problems facing Social Security beginning about 30-40 years out, are real but hardly insurmountable. Here are a few rhetorical examples to use the next time you find a conservative lout mouthing the GOPig talking points regarding Social Security.

The Bush Plan for changing Social Security would be like:

Buying a new lawn mower because it has a bad sparkplug.

Buying a new refrigerator because the light bulb burned out.

Buying a new car because it has a flat tire.

Buying a new cellphone because the battery died.

You get the picture. Remember this, the republican party has been against FDR's greatest program for bringing values into American society (as regards seniors, etc.) since before it was enacted and every single day since. We cannot let the loutish, selfish, venal and self serving barbarians on the right destroy Social Security.

Now, everyone, have a safe and Merry Christmas ( Ho, ho, ho!) and we will be back after the new year.

Rumsfeld, the GI and the lack of armor.

By now, everyone has heard of the arrogant ass' (Rumsfeld) experience with the GI in Kuwait who asked about the missing armor plate for trucks and other non-combat vehicles. What you may not have heard is that the cretins on the right in the republican party, you know, the moronic twits like "freepers" and the like, are ready to blame the GIs and reporter who talked with them beforehand.

The reporter was an embed from a Tennessee newspaper in a unit of Tennessee National Guard responsible for moving supplies from Kuwait into Iraq, so it would appear he had every right to discuss the Rumsfeld Q&A with the GIs of the unit and even suggest some questions for those who started this unnecessary war with such little thought or planning. No matter, those brain dead psychos on the right are screaming for his scalp. As to the GIs, well they are calling for courts martial and firing squads.

That tells you much about the republican party these days, the uber patriots, basically cowards all, would have no place for dissent even when the situation cries for it. They would have you believe that they support freedom everywhere, but they in fact wish to suppress it here at home. No crticisms are allowed for Bush and his band of thugs and criminals, if these latter day brown shirts have any say.

Suffice it to say that their actions are not new to the world, they are merely the latest of a long line from NAZI brownshirts to East German STASZI all of whom wished to stop honest dissent and discourse. They are disgrace to our great nation and to the principles of liberty for which it stands. Their brand of "patriotism" is bringing our nation to a looming crisis, a crisis where the meaning of words are turned inside out and liberty is turned into jackbooted fascism. To paraphrase a classic from pre WW2, the lights are going out all over America.

We will not even get into the habit of the utter disgrace of this person occupying the White House and his immature craving for gathering in the company of real heros, and wearing his make believe military get up much like a little momma's boy who never grew out of playing soldier. Unfortunately, when this sorry excuse for a man plays soldier, many good, brave American men and women pay the price. Men and women whose boots the cowardly C-plus Augustus could not carry, or have ever carried, on the best day of his worthless life.

Ukraine Judicial Integrity

The Supreme Court of the Ukraine ruled today that the recent election, filled with fraud, miscounts and voter intimidation, must be done anew. Isn't it nice to see a judicial system with honor, ethics and integrity actually following the law of the land? Our own system could learn much in the example set forth in the Ukraine. It could, if the members of our judiciary had a fraction of the honor of those Ukraine jurists, but quite simply, they do not.

Our media is also covering itself with shame with the stories of two elections, both of which had exit polls point to someone other than the one who "won" the election. In the case of the Ukraine, with only a decade or so experience with polls and free elections our press screams about the exit polls prove there was something foul going on in the election and make demands for a new election. In the case of our election, with many more years of experience with both exit polling and "free" elections, the press screams that the exit polls were wrong and anyone casting doubt on the election based on such is a conspiracy nut, in the same category as those wearing tinfoil hats.

Exit polling, after having proven to be consistently accurate for some thirty years, suddenly "lost" its reliability in the 2000 election and it continued to be so in the elections of 2002 and 2004. Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture?

I do and it smells an awful lot like a coup d'etat rat by those who would bring fascism or worse to our republic.

Scandal

The UN Oil For Food scandal? That is bad, to be sure, but what of the "Haliburton Missing Equipment" scandal? The "Missing Billions" scandal in the Coalition Provisional Authority under Paul Bremer?

What passes for media in America today is a joke, it makes Pravda and Tass of the old USSR look like paragons of honest journalism in comparison. Where were the calls for investigating the scandals, that occured under our authority, in Iraq? Could it be that once again the thugs and criminals of the republican party, in ignoring those events, are merely demonstrating the modus operendi of placing party above everything? That was a rhetorical question, of course.

For a good reprise of the lapses of the CPA under Bremer, see this article from August, 2004:

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/19620/

Such stories will never be seen on CNN, MSNBC or Republican TV, Fox News and that my friends is why America is going the way of Italy and Germany in the 1930s.

Security?

With all that happened on 9/11 and all the chest pounding over 9/11 and the 9/11 Commission, one would think that the republicans would be eager to pass the recommendations of the commission regarding security. One would think that but one would be wrong.

When will the people learn that with the band of thugs now controlling the republican party, nothing will get done that will not bring in the majority of the party into play. Dennis Hastert has said that he would not offer the bill up because too many democrats would vote for it and, in fact, would be required in order to pass the measure. To be sure he did not use those exact words but can anyone doubt that was his meaning in saying that he will not bring to a vote anything that republicans cannot pass on their own?

So the measure languishes in the bowels of the speaker's office, never meant to see the light of day. Once again the republicans show their disdain for those who lost family and friends on that fateful day, and that they are not impressed with the need for making us more secure. They are, as always, concerned first and formost with the party and in that, they are acting like fascists and despotic regimes throughout history. With them party trumps everything. Friends, family, country, everything!

What I do not understand, however, is why the democrats don't use a discharge petition to force the security bill to a vote in the House. This would place both republicans and democrats on the record as to where they stand concerning security. This would also send the signal that the democrats will no longer roll over and play nice while being mugged by republican thugs.

How about it democrats?

Eternal truth

Conservatives were the Loyalists in 1776.
They were wrong then.
They are wrong now.
Liberals won our freedom from the tryanny of King George in 1776.
They can win it back from the tyranny of Gerge W. Bush and the right wing now.

Vote Democrat.

Say What???

Colin Powell, on the recent election in Ukraine, says the United States does not accept the results and will not accept them until the many reports of fraudulent counts and voter intimidation are addressed by an international investigative body. Were there a just God, Powell would have been smoked by the biggest lightening bolt ever seen.

There is no confirmation that the Ukraine government, in response to Powell's assertions, reportedly said, "We were having the same thoughts about YOUR election!

Unpatriotic?

Perhaps the case was best made by a Republican president -- Theodore Roosevelt -- who said, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official."

Roosevelt expanded on that theme when he wrote in an editorial for the "Kansas City Star" newspaper on May 7, 1918 -- while World War I raged -- that:

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile.

To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.

Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."

What he said!

"If by 'Liberal' they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a 'Liberal,' then I am proud to say I'm a 'Liberal.'"

John F. Kennedy, Democrat.

Democrats

Do Americans know, or care, how the 40 hour work week came about?
Do Americans know, or care, how the Social Security safety net came about?
Do Americans know, or care, how workplace safety standards came about?
Do Americans know, or care, how child labor laws came about?
Do Americans know, or care, how the middle class grew so rapidly?
Do Americans know, or care, how every beneficial act and program for the people came about?

Given the result of the late election, it would seem not. For those who would like to know the answers, the republican party in general and conservatives, in particular, had virtually nothing to do with it. Go to a library, get on the internet and read the history of the gains made in America, for the people, during the 20th century. When you finish, read the manifesto of the conservative republican and decide for yourself whether they are trying to repeal everything that liberals/progressives, Democrats, brought into being for the people's benefit during the last century. I suspect you will agree that theirs is a desire to go back to the "golden"days of the robber barons of the late 19th century.

The "values" of the "Christian" right are another source of amazement. To listen to the likes of Falwell and Robertson, Jesus didn't say "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" but rather, "Give me a few big ones so I can kill the sinner." They are adept at picking and choosing which parts of scripture with which to sway their followers. Perhaps that what is meant by, "The devil can quote scripture..."

When the draft is reinstituted, as it will be, I will not abide anyone who voted for "values" decrying that their son or daughter will be drafted. I will not offer sympathy when they are sent off to Iraq, or Iran, or Syria, or Korea, I shall merely remind them that they have no room to complain because they are getting the values they voted for. It is sad to consider that 57% of the people think America is headed in the wrong direction and then those people go and vote for the "leadership" that is taking us toward the brick wall because of "values" and morals.

Much more to come later but for now, it is time to reflect just how far down the rabbit hole most Americans seem to have gone.

Moral Majority?

Is anyone truly surprised over Oklahoma's Republican Rep. Istook inserting a last minute, stealth amendment into the omnibus spending bill that was to be passed yesterday? The Istook Amendment was worded as follows:

"Hereinafter, notwithstanding any other provision of law governing the disclosure of income tax returns or return information, upon written request of the Chairman of the House or Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service shall allow agents designated by such Chairman access to Internal Revenue Service facilities and any tax returns or return information contained therein."

This wouldn't have anything to do with Texas D.A. Ronnie Earl who is currently prosecuting three of Tom DeLay's cronies for their part in the Texas redistricting debacle, would it? Neither would the republican caucus voice vote to rescind the long standing measure that forced indicted house members to give up their leadership positions, right? Remember that these were the same measures that were passed by the republicans in the wake of Dan Rostenkowski being indicted before he voluntarily stepped down as the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee after being asked by democrats to do so in 1994. The republicans wanted to show how much more moral they were by making it mandatory for their leadership and they played it up mightily during the off year elections in November of that year.

What will we tell the children?

I suspect that DeLay is obviously worried that one of the Texas Three will decide to flip on him and bring his filthy, corrupt house of cards down around his head. One can only hope to see that sorry example of humanity making his "perp walk" in the very near future.

Once again the republicans prove themselves to be the party of hypocrisy. Moral majority my arse!

What have we become?

So now we are attacking hospitals first, because "the insurgents treat their wounded there." Are we to accept that medical facilities are no longer off limits as targets for our, increasingly Wafen SS like, military? What will be our response when the insurgents target our medical personnel in retaliation? Will we decry the "barbarism" of the insurgency, or will we look into the mirror and, at long last, recognize what we have become under this filthy, criminal and anti-american regime?

Does the rationalization over the video taping of a Marine shooting the captured and wounded prisoner in the mosque in Falujah change our perception of what the Wafen SS did to our troops at Malmedy, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge, December 17, 1944? It should, for if it was somehow OK for the young Marine to kill a wounded, unarmed prisoner then it was fine for our prisoners (some wounded) to have been summarily executed by the Germans 60 years ago.

Is this the kind of country we have become, to act like the monsters of the NAZI regime? Are these the "moral values" that the CINO (Christians In Name Only) bandied about during the last election? What will it take for these people, as well as the rest of America, to wake up and understand what is happening here.

I recently spoke with a gentleman who was a teenager in Germany during the war and he asked me why the American people cannot recognize that what happened to his native land (he lives here since 1948 and is a naturalized citizen) under Hilter and the NAZIs is happening here and now under Bush and the ultra right wing Neocons? I had no answer for him.

Do you?

Salem witch trials ahead?

Last week, on ABC News This Week with George Stephanopoulos, James Dobson was asked about his comment to an Oklahoma City newspaper that "Patrick Leahy is a 'God's people-hater.' I don't know if he hates God, but he hates God's people," when Stephanopoulos remarked that it seemingly was not a Christian thing to say about the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Dobson questioned whether Stephanopoulos should "lecture me on what a Christian is all about?"

It is fairly obvious that someone needs to lecture Dobson on what it means to be a Christian, for it is more than obvious that, if he ever knew what it meant, his recent words and deeds indicate he has lost the knowledge. They shall have much to answer for when they stand before the Lord on judgment day and I, for one, would not wish to be in their shoes.

While the Christian in me hopes that those on the right, who proclaim a belief in Christ, yet ignore his teachings with their words and deeds, will mend their ways before it is too late, the realist in me senses that these people are no more Christian than The Renegade, my pet cat.
They are CINOs, Christian In Name Only.

We have John Ashcroft prancing around saying that judges, and everyone else, should not take issue with any decisions made by C-plus Augustus because in doing so, one detracts from the "war" on terror and, in fact aids and abets terrorism. My God, where do these people come from? How can people so ignorant of the basic tenets of our republic ever ascend to high office? Have the American people become so disinterested in facts, that they willingly believe conjecture, innuendo and outright lies told to them by men in power?

The sad truth is that if the people of this once great nation don't soon wake up, come to their senses and realize what is happening to our republic, it will be too late to stop the slide into fascism that is currently taking place.

Dissent

Seems the Kerry/Edwards tour has republican demonstrators railing against them at every stop.

Seems we don't hear of them being either carted off to "First Amendment Zones", detained or escorted from the area by police and/or the secret service, commonplace actions against those who would demonstrate against the unelected squatter in the people's house. Are we to take it that only C-plus Augustus is allowed to not have any dissent within sight or earshot?

What's wrong with this picture?

Polls

Once again the media spins the numbers. Kerry has 50% (ABC) yet he is characterized as not getting a "bump" after the convention. Simply amazing! Meanwhile, in the same poll, some 53% think Kerry would do a better job than Commander Codpiece, yet the news networks seem not to have picked it up. Simply amazing.