Sunday, March 27, 2011
I have moved!!!!
So, my project is actually up faster than I thought it would be!! Come check me out at www.progressivemuckraker.com and there you will see my blogs. Also, use the "Contact" page, if you would like to blog for the site, let me know and I'll get you hooked up! There is a forum page called Random Thoughts where you can post your thoughts and all kinds of cool stuff!! Go check it out! I will be blogging from there exclusively, so be sure to follow me there using the Goggle Friends Connect on the first page, about mid-way down. Thanks for everyone support and I hope to see you over there!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Gov. Scott Walker's Emails: Considers Tantrum-Like Solutions
Being a mother of a 2 1/2 year old and an 18 month old, I know tantrums, and even for my kids, I can't help but chuckle when I watch my son, oh so carefully lay himself on the floor making sure he doesn't hurt himself, while whining because his sister is playing with a toy that he wants to play with, or because I said "no" to any more girl scout cookies. It seriously makes me crack up and wish I could get it on video sometime. Even though it is developmentally normal for toddlers to throw tantrums when they do not get their way, at what age do they just become unacceptable? Surely it is before ten years old. I have a step daughter who is eleven, and for some unknown reason, she too can throw tantrums just as bad as my toddlers, and at that age it is very unbecoming of her and quite immature and most of all below her age group. If it is acceptable for a two year old to throw tantrums, but unacceptable for a ten year old, does it then become acceptable when we hit middle age, or is this just a new thing for the Republicans and tea partiers of today?
We all remember the "fit heard around the world", Congressman Joe Wilson screaming out "You Lie" while President Obama was addressing congress. Besides the pre-election tantrums that we saw from Sarah Palin and John McCain, this was almost the start of the Party of Temper Tantrums.
In the most recent days, the emails from Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin were released to The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and from the looks of it, along with the prank phone call from David Koch, Walker was very annoyed with the protesters and the negative publicity he was receiving. During this time, according to polls, the majority of Americans opposed his union-busting tactics. So what's a Governor to do? Well, as far as we know right now, he considered putting in trouble making plants into the protests to try and discredit the people of Wisconsin. Then in an email, sent from an Indiana deputy prosecutor, Carlos F. Lam, suggested that Walker employ someone to "pretend to be sympathetic to the unions’ cause to physically attack you (or even use a firearm against you), you could discredit the unions,”. Mr Lam earlier today (3/24/2011) admitted to writing the email and promptly resigned. Wow, talk about horrible things to do, just because your not getting your way. Here's a copy of the email courtesy of wisconsinwatch.org:
Along with Carlos Lam's notice of resignation:
Why on earth, someone would suggest to stage a "Reagan-Like" shoot-me-in-the-leg attempt, just to get people to go along with what you say, is absolutely beyond comprehension for me. My question is, if you have to contemplate putting trouble makers into a crowd of people that oppose you or stage an attack on yourself, would that not tell you that what you are doing, may just not be the right thing? If what you are trying to do, is sparking a middle class movement against you and your party, and energizing and organizing your opposing party, would that not be something to think about and maybe want to save yourself from a possible recall? I don't know, maybe it's just me, but it would get me to reconsider what I was doing.
The emails also show that his amount of support was 2-1, however one-third of his supporters were from out of state. So that tells me, in order for you to have the majority of people support what your doing in your own state, you have to have support outside of your state from people that will not be affected by your legislation.
Besides Gov. Scott Walker, who else has thrown tantrums?
Michele "Mystery" Bachmann ~ Calling the Obama administration a "gangster government"
Sarah "Sister" Palin ~ There are too many of her tantrums to name, but most of them consist of basically saying "I know you are but what am I?" to the "media" that she forgets, she gets paid from a main stream media corporation: Fox News. But as long as we don't create a "blood libel", we're good right?
Glenn "Gold" Beck ~ Getting his panties in a twist because Chris Mathews corrected Bachmann about slavery. Then I'm sure we've all heard the crazy rant on his radio show about health care.
Ann "Jews Should Be Perfect" Coulter ~ Storms off of the set because apparently Hannity is being too nice to a liberal.
My personal favorite: Bill O'Reilly throwing the tantrums of all tantrums back in the day of Inside Edition. Personally in my opinion, not much has changed about him, except for the network he works for:
Am I the only one that sees that these people have no other reason to be mad other than the fact that President Obama is actually doing a better job than they would have done? Possibly also, because he's not the huge failure that people had wanted him to be *hem hem Rush hem hem* and that he has actually been quite a success at being President of the United States of America?
I mean, what else is a pissed off republican supposed to do? Now that we're getting close to another election year, they are again trying to pull out all stops, and bring out the birthers again with Huckabee's and Trump's recent comments. Then with the recent one year anniversary of the Affordable Health Care Act, they just flat out lied about how it has destroyed jobs and made premiums rise. Just blatant lies.. starting all over again. These next two years, I should have tons to write about that's for sure!
Every time I see my kids throw a tantrum, I can for the most part get them out of it by trying to reason with them and talk to them. More so my daughter than my son, as she comprehends a little more than he does. I just find it somewhat funny how, if you try to reason with the above mentioned people, their only response is to get loud, call names, and just go completely hay wire. How can my two year old have more reasoning skills and common sense than these middle aged, so-called Christians, that are oh so patriotic?
While we sit here, and have a few chuckles over these people acting like children, the true sad part is, these people either have the power to implement bills into our country, or have a huge influence on what people think and believe. Their viewers and voters come to believe that this type of behavior is acceptable, as shown in a previous blog, and it is most definitely not. If I don't tolerate it from my toddlers, I sure as hell do not want to see my government officials doing so.
Remember...
If you are thinking, you are winning...
 |
| Rep. Joe "You Lie" Wilson |
We all remember the "fit heard around the world", Congressman Joe Wilson screaming out "You Lie" while President Obama was addressing congress. Besides the pre-election tantrums that we saw from Sarah Palin and John McCain, this was almost the start of the Party of Temper Tantrums.
In the most recent days, the emails from Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin were released to The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and from the looks of it, along with the prank phone call from David Koch, Walker was very annoyed with the protesters and the negative publicity he was receiving. During this time, according to polls, the majority of Americans opposed his union-busting tactics. So what's a Governor to do? Well, as far as we know right now, he considered putting in trouble making plants into the protests to try and discredit the people of Wisconsin. Then in an email, sent from an Indiana deputy prosecutor, Carlos F. Lam, suggested that Walker employ someone to "pretend to be sympathetic to the unions’ cause to physically attack you (or even use a firearm against you), you could discredit the unions,”. Mr Lam earlier today (3/24/2011) admitted to writing the email and promptly resigned. Wow, talk about horrible things to do, just because your not getting your way. Here's a copy of the email courtesy of wisconsinwatch.org:
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| Click on Image to Enlarge |
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| Click on Image to Enlarge |
Why on earth, someone would suggest to stage a "Reagan-Like" shoot-me-in-the-leg attempt, just to get people to go along with what you say, is absolutely beyond comprehension for me. My question is, if you have to contemplate putting trouble makers into a crowd of people that oppose you or stage an attack on yourself, would that not tell you that what you are doing, may just not be the right thing? If what you are trying to do, is sparking a middle class movement against you and your party, and energizing and organizing your opposing party, would that not be something to think about and maybe want to save yourself from a possible recall? I don't know, maybe it's just me, but it would get me to reconsider what I was doing.
The emails also show that his amount of support was 2-1, however one-third of his supporters were from out of state. So that tells me, in order for you to have the majority of people support what your doing in your own state, you have to have support outside of your state from people that will not be affected by your legislation.
Besides Gov. Scott Walker, who else has thrown tantrums?
Michele "Mystery" Bachmann ~ Calling the Obama administration a "gangster government"
Sarah "Sister" Palin ~ There are too many of her tantrums to name, but most of them consist of basically saying "I know you are but what am I?" to the "media" that she forgets, she gets paid from a main stream media corporation: Fox News. But as long as we don't create a "blood libel", we're good right?
Glenn "Gold" Beck ~ Getting his panties in a twist because Chris Mathews corrected Bachmann about slavery. Then I'm sure we've all heard the crazy rant on his radio show about health care.
Ann "Jews Should Be Perfect" Coulter ~ Storms off of the set because apparently Hannity is being too nice to a liberal.
My personal favorite: Bill O'Reilly throwing the tantrums of all tantrums back in the day of Inside Edition. Personally in my opinion, not much has changed about him, except for the network he works for:
Am I the only one that sees that these people have no other reason to be mad other than the fact that President Obama is actually doing a better job than they would have done? Possibly also, because he's not the huge failure that people had wanted him to be *hem hem Rush hem hem* and that he has actually been quite a success at being President of the United States of America?
I mean, what else is a pissed off republican supposed to do? Now that we're getting close to another election year, they are again trying to pull out all stops, and bring out the birthers again with Huckabee's and Trump's recent comments. Then with the recent one year anniversary of the Affordable Health Care Act, they just flat out lied about how it has destroyed jobs and made premiums rise. Just blatant lies.. starting all over again. These next two years, I should have tons to write about that's for sure!
Every time I see my kids throw a tantrum, I can for the most part get them out of it by trying to reason with them and talk to them. More so my daughter than my son, as she comprehends a little more than he does. I just find it somewhat funny how, if you try to reason with the above mentioned people, their only response is to get loud, call names, and just go completely hay wire. How can my two year old have more reasoning skills and common sense than these middle aged, so-called Christians, that are oh so patriotic?
While we sit here, and have a few chuckles over these people acting like children, the true sad part is, these people either have the power to implement bills into our country, or have a huge influence on what people think and believe. Their viewers and voters come to believe that this type of behavior is acceptable, as shown in a previous blog, and it is most definitely not. If I don't tolerate it from my toddlers, I sure as hell do not want to see my government officials doing so.
Remember...
If you are thinking, you are winning...
A New Project of Mine
I just wanted to formally announce a new project of mine. In the next couple of months, I will be working on a blog website of my own. It will be at http://www.progressivemuckraker.com/ and it will consist of my blogs, and a bunch of other really neat stuff and interacting availabilities. I don't exactly have a launch date, but once I can have a rough time-frame, I will be sure to announce. Right now, if you were to go there, it would just have my current blog here posted. But I promise you, when it's all up and running it will be really really awesome! My husband works as a computer programmer, and one of his good friends works with him and he's a website designer. I will be utilizing their expertiese to make a super kick ass site. As I was talking with my husband about what I wanted to do, all he could do was sigh, and say, "Yeah, that can be done.. yes baby, I can do that for you" LoL!! I love my husband. No body else would put up with me being a pain in the arse!! He thinks that it will take about 2-3 months to have everything coded, designed, and able to launch, but I will keep everyone updated on the progress with screenshot and all that good stuff.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
So, I Can Admit, I May Be Wrong, Are We At War?
There's one thing about me you can count on. If anything that I say is wrong, and or my mind has been changed about a particular subject, I will more than likely, admit it. Being a female, that is a hard task for me and I assure you my husband would agree.
I wrote a blog a couple days ago, about how we are not at war with Libya. After 5 days since our involvement, and what has been told to us, is merely a "support" to international interventions, I think my mind is starting to change. At first we were told that we were going in to prevent Gaddafi from killing his own people. For humanitarian help, and then leave the rebels to build themselves back up. We would only be there a couple days, and since it's been a couple days, there has yet to be any sort of exit strategy or a foresight of if or when we will actually declare war. So which one is it? There has been conflicting "goals" as to what to do, and no one seems to know the right answer. All I know, is that if we cannot afford to support NPR, or even Planned Parenthood (which does way more than just provide abortions. They provide health and cancer screenings to low income woman and men), we sure as hell cannot afford another war. I would support being there temporarily, for humanitarian help, as long as the Europeans keep doing 99.9% of the work, but for how long do we have to be there in order to cross that line of just support to war?
Keith Olbermann provided a "Special Comment" from his blog FOKNewsChannel.com today on the subject, and he seems to believe it correlates to the 5 second rule, and just listening to this, my mind is now changing. Thank a look/listen for yourself:
Hot damn, it's good to see Keith! One good way to tell if a journalist/reporter is not a corporate hag, is if they act and say the same things when they are getting paid by the corporations or not. Keith Olbermann, is truly what he says to be.
So, until President Obama fully decides and makes it known to us, what exactly his plans are, and what exactly we are doing in Libya, we are there, far longer than I even thought we would. Also we are doing far more "support", than I thought we were. So, yes, I might be wrong. We may in fact be at war with Libya, and if we are, when will we be told what we already know. If we're not, then why the hell are we still there? If we are only there for mere support, then our part is done. Let the Europeans' take it from here and we get back to our domestic issues. We still have the attacks on Unions and the middle class, and the GOP trying to undercut Roe Vs. Wade, and make it legal for someone to murder an abortion doctor. Along with many, many more issues, here.
Where is our humanitarian help? As it is right now, the GOP is trying to make us into a Libyan country, where all our actions are construed to what they believe they should be. So Mr. President Sir (say it like Keith's "sir"), when will you become more focused on our domestic issues that are tearing our own country apart?
That's all for now. I'm sure I'll update this as more news comes in...
If you are thinking, you are winning!
I wrote a blog a couple days ago, about how we are not at war with Libya. After 5 days since our involvement, and what has been told to us, is merely a "support" to international interventions, I think my mind is starting to change. At first we were told that we were going in to prevent Gaddafi from killing his own people. For humanitarian help, and then leave the rebels to build themselves back up. We would only be there a couple days, and since it's been a couple days, there has yet to be any sort of exit strategy or a foresight of if or when we will actually declare war. So which one is it? There has been conflicting "goals" as to what to do, and no one seems to know the right answer. All I know, is that if we cannot afford to support NPR, or even Planned Parenthood (which does way more than just provide abortions. They provide health and cancer screenings to low income woman and men), we sure as hell cannot afford another war. I would support being there temporarily, for humanitarian help, as long as the Europeans keep doing 99.9% of the work, but for how long do we have to be there in order to cross that line of just support to war?
Keith Olbermann provided a "Special Comment" from his blog FOKNewsChannel.com today on the subject, and he seems to believe it correlates to the 5 second rule, and just listening to this, my mind is now changing. Thank a look/listen for yourself:
Hot damn, it's good to see Keith! One good way to tell if a journalist/reporter is not a corporate hag, is if they act and say the same things when they are getting paid by the corporations or not. Keith Olbermann, is truly what he says to be.
So, until President Obama fully decides and makes it known to us, what exactly his plans are, and what exactly we are doing in Libya, we are there, far longer than I even thought we would. Also we are doing far more "support", than I thought we were. So, yes, I might be wrong. We may in fact be at war with Libya, and if we are, when will we be told what we already know. If we're not, then why the hell are we still there? If we are only there for mere support, then our part is done. Let the Europeans' take it from here and we get back to our domestic issues. We still have the attacks on Unions and the middle class, and the GOP trying to undercut Roe Vs. Wade, and make it legal for someone to murder an abortion doctor. Along with many, many more issues, here.
Where is our humanitarian help? As it is right now, the GOP is trying to make us into a Libyan country, where all our actions are construed to what they believe they should be. So Mr. President Sir (say it like Keith's "sir"), when will you become more focused on our domestic issues that are tearing our own country apart?
That's all for now. I'm sure I'll update this as more news comes in...
If you are thinking, you are winning!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Breaking News: Another Republican Makes an Illegal Move
Gov. Chris Christie from New Jersey made illegal education cuts that violate the Abbott v. Burke: Education Justice For All .
A New Jersey Superior Court Judge found today, Christie's cuts to be illegal and unable to provide "thorough and efficient" education.
From NJ.Com, "Judge Peter Doyne, who was appointed as special master in the long-running Abbott vs. Burke school funding case, today issued an opinion that also found the reductions "fell more heavily upon our high risk districts and the children educated within those districts."
"Despite spending levels that meet or exceed virtually every state in the country, and that saw a significant increase in spending levels from 2000 to 2008, our 'at risk' children are now moving further from proficiency," he said."
Last year, Rep Christie slashed $820 million dollars from education and public schools. When are republicans going to realize that when you cut spending to education, that the ending result is this:
This is what not enough of the right education does to our society. It creates bored, uneducated people who are either drunk, pissed off, or both. Then they get shows, glorifying their awesome drunkeness, and you either hate them or love them, but you can't turn away from watching the oncoming train. Or, you get the tea party, who are both, drunk and pissed off. I have only ever watched one episode of The Jersey Shore. I just cannot stomach it. I just don't enjoy watching a show where it showcases people screwing up their lives instead of doing something positive with it. For that same reason, I cannot watch Intervention, Hoarders, or any of the sort of shows like that. Why do we like to watch shows that show people in worse off situations than us? I don't get it, but I'm getting off topic here.
What's with all the education cuts? I guess to the republicans, the dumber you are, the more likely you are to vote for them. That's just my opinion, but it also seems to be the general consensus. I am proud to be an educated "liberal elite". Yep I am!
If you are thinking, you are winning!
A New Jersey Superior Court Judge found today, Christie's cuts to be illegal and unable to provide "thorough and efficient" education.
From NJ.Com, "Judge Peter Doyne, who was appointed as special master in the long-running Abbott vs. Burke school funding case, today issued an opinion that also found the reductions "fell more heavily upon our high risk districts and the children educated within those districts."
"Despite spending levels that meet or exceed virtually every state in the country, and that saw a significant increase in spending levels from 2000 to 2008, our 'at risk' children are now moving further from proficiency," he said."
Last year, Rep Christie slashed $820 million dollars from education and public schools. When are republicans going to realize that when you cut spending to education, that the ending result is this:
 |
| Snookie from Jersey Shore |
This is what not enough of the right education does to our society. It creates bored, uneducated people who are either drunk, pissed off, or both. Then they get shows, glorifying their awesome drunkeness, and you either hate them or love them, but you can't turn away from watching the oncoming train. Or, you get the tea party, who are both, drunk and pissed off. I have only ever watched one episode of The Jersey Shore. I just cannot stomach it. I just don't enjoy watching a show where it showcases people screwing up their lives instead of doing something positive with it. For that same reason, I cannot watch Intervention, Hoarders, or any of the sort of shows like that. Why do we like to watch shows that show people in worse off situations than us? I don't get it, but I'm getting off topic here.
What's with all the education cuts? I guess to the republicans, the dumber you are, the more likely you are to vote for them. That's just my opinion, but it also seems to be the general consensus. I am proud to be an educated "liberal elite". Yep I am!
If you are thinking, you are winning!
The Tea Party Is Screwing Us
Can I go ahead and say it since very few are? The Tea Party, and their influence on our Democratic process and the very core values of our country, are seriously, screwing everything up!! Many don't want to come out and say this except for in their small groups of like-minded friends, but come on people, lets get the word out! First, let me ask one question to a "teabagger" (you should have really looked that term up in the urban dictionary before you self-proclaimed yourselves as "teabaggers". That alone shows how incapable you are of making sound decisions), name one, just one elected official that is considered a tea party member who introduced a sound and constitutional piece of legislation that does not infringe on anothers rights, whether your Christian values think that it's either wrong or right? Go ahead... I'll wait.....
Also, I would really like to know, what exactly is your point? I've heard many of things: Taxed Enough Already, Smaller Government, Fiscal Responsibility, Personal Responsibility, Get rid of the Fed, Lower Taxes, Get rid of the Health Care Reform Act (or as you may recognize it, Obamacare, which by the way, can also be called RomneyCare, of who is a Republican, also trying to run for President), uphold the Bill of Rights (of which no one, I repeat, not one person elected into office is trying to take away), against tyranny (tell me where it is please), communism, socialism (then by all means, please do not call your 911 operator if your house is on fire, you need an ambulance, or someone is breaking in your house. Also, if you are laid off, please don't collect unemployment along with the health benefits of being unemployed, do not utilize the medicaid option, and don't you dare collect your Social Security when you turn 65. Those all are socialist programs), and a whole host of other things. Can someone just tell me, what exactly is it that your against, because as actions speak louder than words, and none of you can keep your story straight, and ALL of you that do not make more than $250,000 a year, are all voting and railing against your own interests. So with all the inconsistencies of your stories and reason and your blatant blind follow (you were paid, and bussed to anti-protest the union protests in Wisconsin. You were used as peons for the corporations) my only conclusion is: since the vast majority of you are 55 years of age or older, white, and fundamental Christians, why do you have such an issue about a bi-racial man, with a higher IQ than you, who honestly, is trying to do great things for this country and take care of the other 98% of Americans that bust their ass's on a daily basis trying to keep afloat against the corporations who have bought your precious republican tea party elected officials, and are truly the one's turning this country into a fascist republic, with almost no democratic processes at all? Allow me to ask another question, if we were merely a republic, with no democracy, then how would the people who run our country get into office? I hear all the time from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and the ilk that we are no longer a democracy, that we are a republic. Well, if that is truly the case, then why have elections? Do they not realize that elections are a democratic process? Would the people who get into office just be "who has the most money"? If that's the case, than you can kiss the two party system goodbye, along with the three branches of government, and all the checks and balances that our Founding Fathers put in place so that there could never be a one party rule.
As I was looking up fascism in Google, I came across this definition from Wikipedia:
"Paxton sees fascism as "obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy and purity". In Paxton's interpretation, fascists are "committed nationalist militants", working uneasily alongside traditional elites and abandoning democratic liberties in pursuit of "internal cleansing" or territorial expansion.[28]
One common definition of fascism focuses on three groups of ideas: the Fascist Negations of anti-liberalism, anti-communism and anti-conservatism; nationalist, authoritarian goals for the creation of a regulated economic structure to transform social relations within a modern, self-determined culture; a political aesthetic using romantic symbolism, mass mobilisation, a positive view of violence, promotion of masculinity and youth and charismatic leadership"
When I hear "Faux News", or any other republican, conservative, tea partier, or whatever you want to call them, claim that liberals and democrats are trying to turn America into a fascists country, I cannot help but laugh because it is painfully obvious that these people have no clue what fascism is. None. Whatsoever.
Here is a perfect example of a typical "teabagger": Over the weekend, a teabagger was arrested for assult charging a speaker in Houston at a Pro-Union protest.
And they have the nerve to call us (liberals, democrats, free thinkers) thugs and violent and people looking for trouble because we're not getting our way.... haha!!
I then, came across this article out of Arizona where they are actually trying to pass legislation to give them the option to not recognize federal laws. Am I missing something, or is that completely illegal? Wouldn't they then have to secede themselves from the nation completely, exactly like what Sarah Palin supported in Alaska, and violently may I add? Then you have people like Glenn Beck who contemplate killing people with a shovel and lining them up and shooting them in the head. Also, his famous wanting to kill Micheal Moore. Sarah Palin calling for WikiLeaks founders murder. Sharon Angle's second amendment remedies, and so on and so on. I have two folders on my computer full of pictures from TeaPartyNation.Com of obvious racial remarks against President Obama, also calling John McCain a traitor for simply saying that his speech in Tuscon Arizona appropriate!
It's clear that no matter what the President does, these people will not be happy. It leaves a sensible person with common sense with only one conclusion about these people. They are racist Christian extremists. They want to rule this country by the Bible and their own convictions of what they believe to be right or wrong. And by doing so, these people are single-handedly destroying America and the principles she was originally founded upon. There is one thing that I do know, if in 2012, the republicans, and especially the tea party republicans have any control of the Government, America will fail. Undoubtedly. Most certainly. And it will be the fault of these people. With all this said, and if a "teabagger" has lasted this long reading this, please answer just one of my previous questions, just what exactly are you about? Because you and your ilk are making me become ashamed to be an American. The America that you want, is NOT the America that I want. I don't want an America that is run primarily off of a book that is increasingly becoming unpopular (the Bible incase you didn't figure that out) and I want my freedoms. My freedoms of choice. I want America to become "The Land of Opportunity" again, and you guys are making it become "The Land of The Rich, Who Control the Poor". Just so you know, I want it back, and there are many, many people like me, and we WILL take it back from you. One way or another. With that said.. goodnight, and remember
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Also, I would really like to know, what exactly is your point? I've heard many of things: Taxed Enough Already, Smaller Government, Fiscal Responsibility, Personal Responsibility, Get rid of the Fed, Lower Taxes, Get rid of the Health Care Reform Act (or as you may recognize it, Obamacare, which by the way, can also be called RomneyCare, of who is a Republican, also trying to run for President), uphold the Bill of Rights (of which no one, I repeat, not one person elected into office is trying to take away), against tyranny (tell me where it is please), communism, socialism (then by all means, please do not call your 911 operator if your house is on fire, you need an ambulance, or someone is breaking in your house. Also, if you are laid off, please don't collect unemployment along with the health benefits of being unemployed, do not utilize the medicaid option, and don't you dare collect your Social Security when you turn 65. Those all are socialist programs), and a whole host of other things. Can someone just tell me, what exactly is it that your against, because as actions speak louder than words, and none of you can keep your story straight, and ALL of you that do not make more than $250,000 a year, are all voting and railing against your own interests. So with all the inconsistencies of your stories and reason and your blatant blind follow (you were paid, and bussed to anti-protest the union protests in Wisconsin. You were used as peons for the corporations) my only conclusion is: since the vast majority of you are 55 years of age or older, white, and fundamental Christians, why do you have such an issue about a bi-racial man, with a higher IQ than you, who honestly, is trying to do great things for this country and take care of the other 98% of Americans that bust their ass's on a daily basis trying to keep afloat against the corporations who have bought your precious republican tea party elected officials, and are truly the one's turning this country into a fascist republic, with almost no democratic processes at all? Allow me to ask another question, if we were merely a republic, with no democracy, then how would the people who run our country get into office? I hear all the time from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and the ilk that we are no longer a democracy, that we are a republic. Well, if that is truly the case, then why have elections? Do they not realize that elections are a democratic process? Would the people who get into office just be "who has the most money"? If that's the case, than you can kiss the two party system goodbye, along with the three branches of government, and all the checks and balances that our Founding Fathers put in place so that there could never be a one party rule.
As I was looking up fascism in Google, I came across this definition from Wikipedia:
"Paxton sees fascism as "obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation or victimhood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy and purity". In Paxton's interpretation, fascists are "committed nationalist militants", working uneasily alongside traditional elites and abandoning democratic liberties in pursuit of "internal cleansing" or territorial expansion.[28]
One common definition of fascism focuses on three groups of ideas: the Fascist Negations of anti-liberalism, anti-communism and anti-conservatism; nationalist, authoritarian goals for the creation of a regulated economic structure to transform social relations within a modern, self-determined culture; a political aesthetic using romantic symbolism, mass mobilisation, a positive view of violence, promotion of masculinity and youth and charismatic leadership"
When I hear "Faux News", or any other republican, conservative, tea partier, or whatever you want to call them, claim that liberals and democrats are trying to turn America into a fascists country, I cannot help but laugh because it is painfully obvious that these people have no clue what fascism is. None. Whatsoever.
Here is a perfect example of a typical "teabagger": Over the weekend, a teabagger was arrested for assult charging a speaker in Houston at a Pro-Union protest.
And they have the nerve to call us (liberals, democrats, free thinkers) thugs and violent and people looking for trouble because we're not getting our way.... haha!!
I then, came across this article out of Arizona where they are actually trying to pass legislation to give them the option to not recognize federal laws. Am I missing something, or is that completely illegal? Wouldn't they then have to secede themselves from the nation completely, exactly like what Sarah Palin supported in Alaska, and violently may I add? Then you have people like Glenn Beck who contemplate killing people with a shovel and lining them up and shooting them in the head. Also, his famous wanting to kill Micheal Moore. Sarah Palin calling for WikiLeaks founders murder. Sharon Angle's second amendment remedies, and so on and so on. I have two folders on my computer full of pictures from TeaPartyNation.Com of obvious racial remarks against President Obama, also calling John McCain a traitor for simply saying that his speech in Tuscon Arizona appropriate!
It's clear that no matter what the President does, these people will not be happy. It leaves a sensible person with common sense with only one conclusion about these people. They are racist Christian extremists. They want to rule this country by the Bible and their own convictions of what they believe to be right or wrong. And by doing so, these people are single-handedly destroying America and the principles she was originally founded upon. There is one thing that I do know, if in 2012, the republicans, and especially the tea party republicans have any control of the Government, America will fail. Undoubtedly. Most certainly. And it will be the fault of these people. With all this said, and if a "teabagger" has lasted this long reading this, please answer just one of my previous questions, just what exactly are you about? Because you and your ilk are making me become ashamed to be an American. The America that you want, is NOT the America that I want. I don't want an America that is run primarily off of a book that is increasingly becoming unpopular (the Bible incase you didn't figure that out) and I want my freedoms. My freedoms of choice. I want America to become "The Land of Opportunity" again, and you guys are making it become "The Land of The Rich, Who Control the Poor". Just so you know, I want it back, and there are many, many people like me, and we WILL take it back from you. One way or another. With that said.. goodnight, and remember
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Georgia Rep. Bobby Franklin Wants 25% of Women Investigated for Murder
The title of this blog says it all. Georgia Rep. Bobby Franklin has proposed a bill to Georgia legislation that would bring upon investigations of, wait for it, miscarriages. What it actually says is this:
"'Prenatal murder' means the intentional removal of a fetus from a woman with an
115 intention other than to produce a live birth or to remove a dead fetus; provided, however,116 that if a physician makes a medically justified effort to save the lives of both the mother117 and the fetus and the fetus does not survive, such action shall not be prenatal murder.
118 Such term does not include a naturally occurring expulsion of a fetus known medically
119 as a 'spontaneous abortion' and popularly as a 'miscarriage' so long as there is no human120 involvement whatsoever in the causation of such event.
121 (c) The act of prenatal murder is contrary to the health and well-being of the citizens of
122 this state and to the state itself and is illegal in this state in all instances.
123 (d) Any person committing prenatal murder in this state shall be guilty of a felony and,
124 upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in subsection (d) of Code Section 16-5-1.
125 The license of any physician indicted for an alleged violation of this Code section shall be
126 suspended until resolution of the matter. The license of any physician convicted of a
127 violation of this Code section shall be permanently revoked. The provisions of this Code
128 section shall be in addition to any other provisions relating to the killing of a fetus or any
129 other person."
The entire bill can be viewed here.
Now, this issue is near and dear to my heart, except for the fact that I, thank God, do not live in Georgia or Utah.
Utah has already passed a similar bill and is awaiting the Governor's signature.
This sort of legislation holds so many questions that were and are left unanswered as they are being considered and passed in these two states. What if a woman finds out that she is genetically incapable of carrying a baby full term? Would she be held accountable? Or what if she becomes ill, and because of the illness, would her Dr be held accountable for not enough intervention to try and keep the fetus alive? What if the Dr misses a disease or condition, such as a clotting condition that causes numerous miscarriages, and the women don't even know about it until after their 3rd or 4th miscarriages and get tested for the clotting factors after the fact. Would the Dr be held accountable? What if the woman gets an infections, has to be treated with a certain antibiotic, and the risks out weight the benefits and possible dangers and the mother ends up losing the child any how. Who's at fault then, the mother, or the Dr?
That last scenario, I would personally like the answer of, as that is exactly what happened in my case. On November 11, 2010, I woke up that morning, not feeling all that right. I remember that feeling as I had the icky, light headed feeling right before I found out I was pregnant with both my daughter and my son. So, being the paranoid person I am, I always kept pregnancy tests for those months that I was a day or two late. Well, the 11th was the day I was supposed to start (you know, the girly thing that guys don't understand and hate to talk about). So, without thinking, I unwrapped the pee stick, peed on it, and went in the living room to grab my morning pop, and did my usual routine I did every morning. About two minutes later, I casually walked to the bathroom, looked at the stick and was dumbfounded. There were 2 pink lines. It clearly stated right on the stick II = Pregnant. Now, I already knew that's what it meant. I have 2 kids. I know how to read a pregnancy test, but I was none-the-less surprised as hell, happy, and scared all at the same time. I had my daughter in October of 2008, my son in September of 2009, and according to that stick, and the 20 Due Date Calculators I immediately did online, I was bound to have another one July of 2011. My husband and I had just recently talked about trying. Key word is talking. Nothing had been set in stone, but at the same time, no precautions were taken. It was a "if it happens, it happens" sort of deal. So, I call the Dr, make an appointment for about a month later. We went, they did an ultrasound, saw a heartbeat, everything looked absolutely normal. At that point, being 9 weeks pregnant, and seeing a heartbeat, the chances of miscarriage drops below 5%. So to us, there was nothing to worry about. We went through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. We had started telling everyone around the middle of December and were talking about names, and I would pick up a few little toys here and there.
Fast forward to our 2nd prenatal appointment. January 6th, 2011. I will never forget this day. My husband, my 2 kids, and I all went. We wanted to see the really good picture of the baby, and at 14 weeks, we would have seen hands and feet, and a mouth, and most importantly a heartbeat. While waiting for the Dr, my daughter (2 years old mind you) was just throwing massive fits, so I just told my husband to go to the car with her, and I should be down shortly. No big deal, I'll just show him the pictures. The Dr comes in, and we chit-chat and talk about the other 2 babies that he had delivered and you know, all the good stuff. He then does the ultrasound, and at first doesn't let me see the screen, of which then, I got a little suspicious. As he was looking, I saw a puzzled look on his face and the nurses face. He then said "Well, Cheri, there's something here that I see that makes me a little nervous" and then turns the screen to where I can see it. At first I see a baby. A head, arms, legs, then I notice it also, there's no heartbeat. He let it sit there for a couple of seconds just to make sure, and so that I can make sure myself that there was no mistaking it. My baby had not survived. I break. I absolutely lose it. At that point, the nurse asked if I wanted her to call my husband to come back up and I asked her please do. He came up, and I had to tell him, and they had to schedule the D&C as I knew, being that far along, I could not handle seeing my baby come out of me at home. The baby at that point was the size of a plum, according to what BabyCenter.com told me in my email subscriptions that displayed week-by-week developments of my baby.
We went home, and the whole way back, I did nothing by cry. When we got there, we put our 2 down for a nap, and we both were just absolutely heartbroken. We both cried. We both sobbed, and we both did not understand. At 9 weeks there was a heartbeat. At 14 weeks, there was none, and the baby had developed perfectly. There was nothing anatomically incorrect with the baby. A week before our 2nd prenatal appointment, I had gotten an infection on my face called MRSA. My son got it when he was 5 months old, had to be hospitalized and a drain put in surgically. It's a nasty little bacteria that only a certain type of antibiotics can take care of. It's resistant to the more commonly used antibiotics. So, the antibiotics that a Dr in the ER had given me was a heavy duty one. But he reassured me that it was "safe for baby". I trusted him. Of which I wish I hadn't. After we found out we lost the baby, I thought it was more than just a coincidence that the baby had died the week I was on the "safe for baby" antibiotics. I did a little research and found out that the medication that Dr had given me, was known to cause miscarriages. Imagine my pain, guilt, and hatred for the ER Dr that assured me at least 3 times that it was absolutely safe for me to take.
It's now been 2 months. We had special arrangements for our baby and we have their ashes here at home with us, instead of what the hospital does. They wait until they have 20-30 "miscarried" babies and then they cremate them all together and put them under a tree behind the hospital. My husband and I didn't feel like that would give enough recoginition for our baby. We knew this baby lived for 2 months. The heart starts to beat at 5-6 weeks and we lost him/her at 13 weeks. This baby knew what it felt like to be alive, and we understood that and we wanted to acknowledge and legitamize that for us. The pain is very real. This picture is the only picture that I have in memory of Riley.
Now back to Georgia's and Utah's laws. In my case, who would have been held responsible? Me, my Dr, or the ER Dr? Should anyone had been held responsible??
According to American Pregnancy "Studies reveal that anywhere from 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end in miscarriage." That means that up to 25% of all women in the state of Georgia and Utah will be under investigation for "Fetal Murder". They can also receive a harsher sentence if found guilty than a child molester. Am I the only one that thinks this is absolutely an attack on woman? These bills are brought up by old, Christen MEN, that obviously have no clue on the whole miscarriage issue. They don't understand that women going through a miscarriage already blames themselves enough. They wanted that baby and it was taken from them, and they had no power, no control, not even a chance to try and save the baby. I know I didn't. I should be 21 weeks pregnant. I should know whether Riley was a boy or girl, and I should be feeling him/her kicking in my belly. This goes through my mind everyday. Every day, at one point in the day I look at my children and I realize that what I lost, becomes one of them, and they too lost a brother or sister. Thank God they are too young to even know what happened. But if I had to be investigated for this, do you not think that my grieving would have been amplified? Do you really, really think that it is fair?
Personally, I am pro-choice. I however would never chose the option of an elective abortion for myself unless it was an extreme circumstance, such as my own life at risk, and even then, I would have to think about it. It wouldn't be a knee-jerk decision for me. However, I will in no way, shape, or form, tell another person what they feel is the right thing to do for themselves. That is why we have Roe V. Wade. To give that option to women, and you have the right to feel the way you do about abortion. I feel however, that until you personally are willing to care for any and all would-be-aborted babies and give a crap about their living conditions and health after they are born, until then, shut your mouth and dare not say what another woman does with her body is any of your business.
I had to have the same procedure that they perform on women who chose to have elective abortions. Even knowing that my baby was already gone, it was still very, very emotional, and not an easy choice to make. I could not imagine the pain and the guilt of having to make that decision for whatever reason knowing that my baby was still alive. Women who chose to do so, they do not make the choice lightly I assure you. It is not a snap decision, and they know, just as well as you do, that it is a baby and they know, without your help, what they are doing. To punish a woman, who has to make the hardest decision in her life, is inhumaine. Also, to punish a woman who wanted her baby, and for some unknown reason, the baby was taken from her, is even more so a crime against humanity. Every person that voted for that bill in Utah should be ashamed of themselves, and any and all person who support either of the bills have no souls. And that is just my opinion, but I guarentee you, I have more people agree with me than not. With that said, I bid you good night. Have a happy Monday, and remember,
If you are thinking, you are winning.
"'Prenatal murder' means the intentional removal of a fetus from a woman with an
115 intention other than to produce a live birth or to remove a dead fetus; provided, however,116 that if a physician makes a medically justified effort to save the lives of both the mother117 and the fetus and the fetus does not survive, such action shall not be prenatal murder.
118 Such term does not include a naturally occurring expulsion of a fetus known medically
119 as a 'spontaneous abortion' and popularly as a 'miscarriage' so long as there is no human120 involvement whatsoever in the causation of such event.
121 (c) The act of prenatal murder is contrary to the health and well-being of the citizens of
122 this state and to the state itself and is illegal in this state in all instances.
123 (d) Any person committing prenatal murder in this state shall be guilty of a felony and,
124 upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in subsection (d) of Code Section 16-5-1.
125 The license of any physician indicted for an alleged violation of this Code section shall be
126 suspended until resolution of the matter. The license of any physician convicted of a
127 violation of this Code section shall be permanently revoked. The provisions of this Code
128 section shall be in addition to any other provisions relating to the killing of a fetus or any
129 other person."
The entire bill can be viewed here.
Now, this issue is near and dear to my heart, except for the fact that I, thank God, do not live in Georgia or Utah.
Utah has already passed a similar bill and is awaiting the Governor's signature.
This sort of legislation holds so many questions that were and are left unanswered as they are being considered and passed in these two states. What if a woman finds out that she is genetically incapable of carrying a baby full term? Would she be held accountable? Or what if she becomes ill, and because of the illness, would her Dr be held accountable for not enough intervention to try and keep the fetus alive? What if the Dr misses a disease or condition, such as a clotting condition that causes numerous miscarriages, and the women don't even know about it until after their 3rd or 4th miscarriages and get tested for the clotting factors after the fact. Would the Dr be held accountable? What if the woman gets an infections, has to be treated with a certain antibiotic, and the risks out weight the benefits and possible dangers and the mother ends up losing the child any how. Who's at fault then, the mother, or the Dr?
That last scenario, I would personally like the answer of, as that is exactly what happened in my case. On November 11, 2010, I woke up that morning, not feeling all that right. I remember that feeling as I had the icky, light headed feeling right before I found out I was pregnant with both my daughter and my son. So, being the paranoid person I am, I always kept pregnancy tests for those months that I was a day or two late. Well, the 11th was the day I was supposed to start (you know, the girly thing that guys don't understand and hate to talk about). So, without thinking, I unwrapped the pee stick, peed on it, and went in the living room to grab my morning pop, and did my usual routine I did every morning. About two minutes later, I casually walked to the bathroom, looked at the stick and was dumbfounded. There were 2 pink lines. It clearly stated right on the stick II = Pregnant. Now, I already knew that's what it meant. I have 2 kids. I know how to read a pregnancy test, but I was none-the-less surprised as hell, happy, and scared all at the same time. I had my daughter in October of 2008, my son in September of 2009, and according to that stick, and the 20 Due Date Calculators I immediately did online, I was bound to have another one July of 2011. My husband and I had just recently talked about trying. Key word is talking. Nothing had been set in stone, but at the same time, no precautions were taken. It was a "if it happens, it happens" sort of deal. So, I call the Dr, make an appointment for about a month later. We went, they did an ultrasound, saw a heartbeat, everything looked absolutely normal. At that point, being 9 weeks pregnant, and seeing a heartbeat, the chances of miscarriage drops below 5%. So to us, there was nothing to worry about. We went through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. We had started telling everyone around the middle of December and were talking about names, and I would pick up a few little toys here and there.
Fast forward to our 2nd prenatal appointment. January 6th, 2011. I will never forget this day. My husband, my 2 kids, and I all went. We wanted to see the really good picture of the baby, and at 14 weeks, we would have seen hands and feet, and a mouth, and most importantly a heartbeat. While waiting for the Dr, my daughter (2 years old mind you) was just throwing massive fits, so I just told my husband to go to the car with her, and I should be down shortly. No big deal, I'll just show him the pictures. The Dr comes in, and we chit-chat and talk about the other 2 babies that he had delivered and you know, all the good stuff. He then does the ultrasound, and at first doesn't let me see the screen, of which then, I got a little suspicious. As he was looking, I saw a puzzled look on his face and the nurses face. He then said "Well, Cheri, there's something here that I see that makes me a little nervous" and then turns the screen to where I can see it. At first I see a baby. A head, arms, legs, then I notice it also, there's no heartbeat. He let it sit there for a couple of seconds just to make sure, and so that I can make sure myself that there was no mistaking it. My baby had not survived. I break. I absolutely lose it. At that point, the nurse asked if I wanted her to call my husband to come back up and I asked her please do. He came up, and I had to tell him, and they had to schedule the D&C as I knew, being that far along, I could not handle seeing my baby come out of me at home. The baby at that point was the size of a plum, according to what BabyCenter.com told me in my email subscriptions that displayed week-by-week developments of my baby.
We went home, and the whole way back, I did nothing by cry. When we got there, we put our 2 down for a nap, and we both were just absolutely heartbroken. We both cried. We both sobbed, and we both did not understand. At 9 weeks there was a heartbeat. At 14 weeks, there was none, and the baby had developed perfectly. There was nothing anatomically incorrect with the baby. A week before our 2nd prenatal appointment, I had gotten an infection on my face called MRSA. My son got it when he was 5 months old, had to be hospitalized and a drain put in surgically. It's a nasty little bacteria that only a certain type of antibiotics can take care of. It's resistant to the more commonly used antibiotics. So, the antibiotics that a Dr in the ER had given me was a heavy duty one. But he reassured me that it was "safe for baby". I trusted him. Of which I wish I hadn't. After we found out we lost the baby, I thought it was more than just a coincidence that the baby had died the week I was on the "safe for baby" antibiotics. I did a little research and found out that the medication that Dr had given me, was known to cause miscarriages. Imagine my pain, guilt, and hatred for the ER Dr that assured me at least 3 times that it was absolutely safe for me to take.
It's now been 2 months. We had special arrangements for our baby and we have their ashes here at home with us, instead of what the hospital does. They wait until they have 20-30 "miscarried" babies and then they cremate them all together and put them under a tree behind the hospital. My husband and I didn't feel like that would give enough recoginition for our baby. We knew this baby lived for 2 months. The heart starts to beat at 5-6 weeks and we lost him/her at 13 weeks. This baby knew what it felt like to be alive, and we understood that and we wanted to acknowledge and legitamize that for us. The pain is very real. This picture is the only picture that I have in memory of Riley.
Now back to Georgia's and Utah's laws. In my case, who would have been held responsible? Me, my Dr, or the ER Dr? Should anyone had been held responsible??
According to American Pregnancy "Studies reveal that anywhere from 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end in miscarriage." That means that up to 25% of all women in the state of Georgia and Utah will be under investigation for "Fetal Murder". They can also receive a harsher sentence if found guilty than a child molester. Am I the only one that thinks this is absolutely an attack on woman? These bills are brought up by old, Christen MEN, that obviously have no clue on the whole miscarriage issue. They don't understand that women going through a miscarriage already blames themselves enough. They wanted that baby and it was taken from them, and they had no power, no control, not even a chance to try and save the baby. I know I didn't. I should be 21 weeks pregnant. I should know whether Riley was a boy or girl, and I should be feeling him/her kicking in my belly. This goes through my mind everyday. Every day, at one point in the day I look at my children and I realize that what I lost, becomes one of them, and they too lost a brother or sister. Thank God they are too young to even know what happened. But if I had to be investigated for this, do you not think that my grieving would have been amplified? Do you really, really think that it is fair?
Personally, I am pro-choice. I however would never chose the option of an elective abortion for myself unless it was an extreme circumstance, such as my own life at risk, and even then, I would have to think about it. It wouldn't be a knee-jerk decision for me. However, I will in no way, shape, or form, tell another person what they feel is the right thing to do for themselves. That is why we have Roe V. Wade. To give that option to women, and you have the right to feel the way you do about abortion. I feel however, that until you personally are willing to care for any and all would-be-aborted babies and give a crap about their living conditions and health after they are born, until then, shut your mouth and dare not say what another woman does with her body is any of your business.
I had to have the same procedure that they perform on women who chose to have elective abortions. Even knowing that my baby was already gone, it was still very, very emotional, and not an easy choice to make. I could not imagine the pain and the guilt of having to make that decision for whatever reason knowing that my baby was still alive. Women who chose to do so, they do not make the choice lightly I assure you. It is not a snap decision, and they know, just as well as you do, that it is a baby and they know, without your help, what they are doing. To punish a woman, who has to make the hardest decision in her life, is inhumaine. Also, to punish a woman who wanted her baby, and for some unknown reason, the baby was taken from her, is even more so a crime against humanity. Every person that voted for that bill in Utah should be ashamed of themselves, and any and all person who support either of the bills have no souls. And that is just my opinion, but I guarentee you, I have more people agree with me than not. With that said, I bid you good night. Have a happy Monday, and remember,
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Japan, Libya, and The Middle East... Oh My...
Well, I have taken 2 days off as we were celebrating our 4 year anniversary, and I have apparently missed a lot in my little break from the jumble and confusion of the news. So lets just get to it shall we?
What happened in Japan is devastating. I truly feel for them, and my prayers and thoughts go out to every person there, as every person was in one way shape or form directly affected. I remember hearing about the earth quake, and being absolutely astounded that only a few people had died in one of the biggest earth quakes we have ever witnessed in any of our lifetimes. As I was watching CNN at 2am, I watched a flush of water sweep over lands and push cars and houses around like they were toys thrown in a creek. I remember hearing about the tsunami warnings for Hawaii, and having family there, I started to become freaked out. Just the absolute devastation that happened to Japan, what was to become of Hawaii raced through my mind. Thank God for them, not much damage was done, and in California, one man was washed out to sea. Nothing at all to the devastation of Japan. The last report I heard was over 7,000 people confirmed dead, and another 11,000 were still missing. Then, even with the heartache that the people of Japan are facing, I started hearing reports of things that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and people who consider themselves tea partiers had to say. I have officially re-declared these people "The Jackass's Of America".
Rush actually laughed, and was sarcastic. Absolutely NO empathy for the people. First he laughs... Then defends himself acting like a shmuck!! Seriously? Check out the clips for yourself, what has this man done, to where he cannot feel empathy for a country that has been completely devastated with death and destruction ambushed upon them in a matter of hours with virtually no warning, and no provoking....
Then we had Beck, of whom I guess can hear from God (as he has claimed so many times that God has told him Obama is a socialist/Marxist/communist and is trying to take your guns), that this was an act of God, then later denies that he said so!! At least Limbaugh had enough gahoonaz to stand by what he said!
BTW: I (heart) Media Matters :)
So, with those two "men", who have a huge (unfortunate) influence on how people view certain world views, and often time, adopting them for themselves, this is what I found on twitter. In the search box, just search for the hastag #pearlharbor, and you will be as appalled as I was.
Click on the image for a larger view:
I honestly have come to the conclusion that the tea partiers, Beckers, and Limbaugh's are insane. That is purely my opinion, but for someone to have such a huge "God Complex" with themselves, and feel superior to anyone who does not agree with them, what else can you say about them? Beck and Rush constantly showcase who and what they are 5 days a week. I have to wonder, just how tiring is it, to be that much of a jackass?? And then the teabaggers are just blind followers, that now have an outlet to let their real feelings show, because they have found a group amongst themselves who accept their hate, volatile, and often racist views. Like I explain in an earlier blog, "birds of a feather, flock together". I, personally, am glad that these people are now out in the open. I know who to stay away from, and sadly, have found out from friends that, unfortunately, they too have been drinking the kool-aid. The way I see it, no matter race, religion, creed, economic status, or global region, we are all part of the human race as a whole, and we should all strive to help everyone because well, that is what humanity is all about.
And now, what the hell is going on with Libya?! I have been out of the loop, per say, for the last two days, and apparently I have missed a lot! Last I heard, the U.N. was considering enforcing a no-fly-zone over Libya. I come back today, and there has been a plane shot down and all kinds of things. I need to do more catching up on what exactly is going on there, but there is one thing I wanted to clear up, for so many that just have the wrong idea about what is going on. Listen very, very closely:
We are not at war with Libya!
President Obama has not declared war with Libya. We are simply providing humanitarian help to the people in Libya who are being slaughtered by their unforgiving dictator. Hell, France (who stayed neutral with our wars) are way more involved into enforcing the no-fly-zone than we are, yet I read and hear of everyone saying we are at war with Libya. There's a difference. We are not invading, and setting up shop like we did in Iraq. Quite frankly, I would rather pull our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan completely and become more involved with Libya. I'm not going to be able to get into it as in depth as I would like, but I will in a future blog, possibly tomorrow. I just wanted to correct some few assumptions about it. Like I said, we are not at war. Also, as I have read in numerous blogs, articles, and comments, Libya is not a part of the Middle East!! I read a conservative blog today, ripping on Obama's decision to become involved in the liberation of Libya, and this blogger just had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Only one question/favor, can people seriously do a little more homework before they feel the need to write a blog/article and state opinions and/or flat out lies before publishing it? I personally spend about three hours on a blog, trying my damnedest to make sure what I say is true, and be sure to state where my opinion comes in. I have links out the wazoo, and double check my spelling. During my research for this blog in particular, you know what I confirmed? Libya is not a Middle Eastern country. Check it out for yourself!
Some of you may be asking, "So where is Libya in relation to the Middle East?" Here you go:
Well, with those two things cleared up, I am headed for bed. Tomorrow, I will go more in depth about Libya after I am able to check some more about what exactly is going on. I hope everyone has a good night and enjoyed the "SuperMoon"!!
If you are thinking, you are winning.
What happened in Japan is devastating. I truly feel for them, and my prayers and thoughts go out to every person there, as every person was in one way shape or form directly affected. I remember hearing about the earth quake, and being absolutely astounded that only a few people had died in one of the biggest earth quakes we have ever witnessed in any of our lifetimes. As I was watching CNN at 2am, I watched a flush of water sweep over lands and push cars and houses around like they were toys thrown in a creek. I remember hearing about the tsunami warnings for Hawaii, and having family there, I started to become freaked out. Just the absolute devastation that happened to Japan, what was to become of Hawaii raced through my mind. Thank God for them, not much damage was done, and in California, one man was washed out to sea. Nothing at all to the devastation of Japan. The last report I heard was over 7,000 people confirmed dead, and another 11,000 were still missing. Then, even with the heartache that the people of Japan are facing, I started hearing reports of things that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and people who consider themselves tea partiers had to say. I have officially re-declared these people "The Jackass's Of America".
Rush actually laughed, and was sarcastic. Absolutely NO empathy for the people. First he laughs... Then defends himself acting like a shmuck!! Seriously? Check out the clips for yourself, what has this man done, to where he cannot feel empathy for a country that has been completely devastated with death and destruction ambushed upon them in a matter of hours with virtually no warning, and no provoking....
Then we had Beck, of whom I guess can hear from God (as he has claimed so many times that God has told him Obama is a socialist/Marxist/communist and is trying to take your guns), that this was an act of God, then later denies that he said so!! At least Limbaugh had enough gahoonaz to stand by what he said!
BTW: I (heart) Media Matters :)
So, with those two "men", who have a huge (unfortunate) influence on how people view certain world views, and often time, adopting them for themselves, this is what I found on twitter. In the search box, just search for the hastag #pearlharbor, and you will be as appalled as I was.
Click on the image for a larger view:
I honestly have come to the conclusion that the tea partiers, Beckers, and Limbaugh's are insane. That is purely my opinion, but for someone to have such a huge "God Complex" with themselves, and feel superior to anyone who does not agree with them, what else can you say about them? Beck and Rush constantly showcase who and what they are 5 days a week. I have to wonder, just how tiring is it, to be that much of a jackass?? And then the teabaggers are just blind followers, that now have an outlet to let their real feelings show, because they have found a group amongst themselves who accept their hate, volatile, and often racist views. Like I explain in an earlier blog, "birds of a feather, flock together". I, personally, am glad that these people are now out in the open. I know who to stay away from, and sadly, have found out from friends that, unfortunately, they too have been drinking the kool-aid. The way I see it, no matter race, religion, creed, economic status, or global region, we are all part of the human race as a whole, and we should all strive to help everyone because well, that is what humanity is all about.
And now, what the hell is going on with Libya?! I have been out of the loop, per say, for the last two days, and apparently I have missed a lot! Last I heard, the U.N. was considering enforcing a no-fly-zone over Libya. I come back today, and there has been a plane shot down and all kinds of things. I need to do more catching up on what exactly is going on there, but there is one thing I wanted to clear up, for so many that just have the wrong idea about what is going on. Listen very, very closely:
We are not at war with Libya!
President Obama has not declared war with Libya. We are simply providing humanitarian help to the people in Libya who are being slaughtered by their unforgiving dictator. Hell, France (who stayed neutral with our wars) are way more involved into enforcing the no-fly-zone than we are, yet I read and hear of everyone saying we are at war with Libya. There's a difference. We are not invading, and setting up shop like we did in Iraq. Quite frankly, I would rather pull our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan completely and become more involved with Libya. I'm not going to be able to get into it as in depth as I would like, but I will in a future blog, possibly tomorrow. I just wanted to correct some few assumptions about it. Like I said, we are not at war. Also, as I have read in numerous blogs, articles, and comments, Libya is not a part of the Middle East!! I read a conservative blog today, ripping on Obama's decision to become involved in the liberation of Libya, and this blogger just had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Only one question/favor, can people seriously do a little more homework before they feel the need to write a blog/article and state opinions and/or flat out lies before publishing it? I personally spend about three hours on a blog, trying my damnedest to make sure what I say is true, and be sure to state where my opinion comes in. I have links out the wazoo, and double check my spelling. During my research for this blog in particular, you know what I confirmed? Libya is not a Middle Eastern country. Check it out for yourself!
Some of you may be asking, "So where is Libya in relation to the Middle East?" Here you go:
Well, with those two things cleared up, I am headed for bed. Tomorrow, I will go more in depth about Libya after I am able to check some more about what exactly is going on. I hope everyone has a good night and enjoyed the "SuperMoon"!!
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Because Health, Education, and Social Security Aren't As Important
According to Reuters two-thirds of states cut mental healthcare funds. As I was reading this article, I started to ask myself questions in my head, and having somewhat of a schizophrenic conversation with myself. If the wealthiest 400 people hold as much wealth as the bottom 150 million people in our country, and if the top 400 wealthiest pretty much control our government (or at the very least, have a bigger say so) what do they really worry about? What do the millionaires and billionaires worry about in life in general? They can afford the best health care, schools, and don't have to worry about safety nets such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or even Pensions. Then it dawned on me as to why it seems these rich bastards don't care about us small people.
Out of sight, out of mind.
They don't "hang" with people like you and I. They don't live in the neighborhoods where just a couple blocks down, someone tried to rob Speedway Gas Station. Hell, they pay someone to pump their gas. What is that saying: birds of a feather, flock together? Well, it is absolutely true. They are there, and we are here.
Now, back to my original question, just what on earth do they worry about? Then lets ask this question, what do the other 98% of American's worry about?
And then there's us. The "elite" 98% of the population. For the vast majority of us, the things that come out of the GOP's mouths, just do not make sense at all. It's as if they pulled it out of their other end. You ask any mother or father, of any race, religion, country, or what-have-you what are their concerns? I know for myself, it is my children's health (even above my own), being able to provide food and shelter for my kids, and being able to give them a worthwhile education. My children are only 1 and 2 years old, and I am worried that in order for my kids to have a decent education, I'm going to have to do it myself through homeschooling. What is going to be the quality of our educational system in 4 years when my oldest starts Kindergarten? It's frankly scares the bajeezus out of me. To top it off, we don't have health insurance. Which is sort of a better deal. Our Dr actually treats us like people instead of patients with a number. Also, if we were to get a private plan, we would be paying around $800 a month for a private plan for a family of 4. In the past 2 months, I have had to get 2 surgeries, multiple Dr visits, and just for kicks, lets add in the Dr visits of my kids into the equation, and all we've had to pay is $3000. I still saved on my health care just paying for it out right. I personally think this would be the way to fix the health care system. But that's just me. Some people like the security of safety nets, but at the same time sacrifice freedoms of making their own health care choices from the health insurance companies own "death panels". There's another "war" going on. It's between us and them. Up until now, we have been losing, but we're starting to push back, and the wealthy are getting scared. They are realizing there are way more of us fed up with their crap, and we're actually starting to say so.. so America.. keep saying so!
With all that said, and a mid-day blog interrupted by phone calls and toddlers, I'm sure I will write again later tonight.
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Out of sight, out of mind.
They don't "hang" with people like you and I. They don't live in the neighborhoods where just a couple blocks down, someone tried to rob Speedway Gas Station. Hell, they pay someone to pump their gas. What is that saying: birds of a feather, flock together? Well, it is absolutely true. They are there, and we are here.
Now, back to my original question, just what on earth do they worry about? Then lets ask this question, what do the other 98% of American's worry about?
- Health
- Education
- Social safety nets if need be
- Jobs/Finances
And then there's us. The "elite" 98% of the population. For the vast majority of us, the things that come out of the GOP's mouths, just do not make sense at all. It's as if they pulled it out of their other end. You ask any mother or father, of any race, religion, country, or what-have-you what are their concerns? I know for myself, it is my children's health (even above my own), being able to provide food and shelter for my kids, and being able to give them a worthwhile education. My children are only 1 and 2 years old, and I am worried that in order for my kids to have a decent education, I'm going to have to do it myself through homeschooling. What is going to be the quality of our educational system in 4 years when my oldest starts Kindergarten? It's frankly scares the bajeezus out of me. To top it off, we don't have health insurance. Which is sort of a better deal. Our Dr actually treats us like people instead of patients with a number. Also, if we were to get a private plan, we would be paying around $800 a month for a private plan for a family of 4. In the past 2 months, I have had to get 2 surgeries, multiple Dr visits, and just for kicks, lets add in the Dr visits of my kids into the equation, and all we've had to pay is $3000. I still saved on my health care just paying for it out right. I personally think this would be the way to fix the health care system. But that's just me. Some people like the security of safety nets, but at the same time sacrifice freedoms of making their own health care choices from the health insurance companies own "death panels". There's another "war" going on. It's between us and them. Up until now, we have been losing, but we're starting to push back, and the wealthy are getting scared. They are realizing there are way more of us fed up with their crap, and we're actually starting to say so.. so America.. keep saying so!
With all that said, and a mid-day blog interrupted by phone calls and toddlers, I'm sure I will write again later tonight.
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Introducing: America's Dark Ages; Brought to You By: The GOP
I would like to officially announce {enter dramatic scary music here} America is now, in her Dark Ages.
While YouTube-ing, I came across a video of Keith Olbermann, taped on his, now canceled, Countdown program on MSNBC. This was aired over a year ago. Before the 2010 mid-term elections. Before the protests. Before racial profiling of potential illegal immigrants, and before Peter King's hearings about (lets just be frank here), his fears of Islam. Before the Kock Brothers became a house hold name, and before people actually started to realize, just how much corporations had control of every bought politicians actions.
He had made chilling, and what seemed maybe Beck-ish like "prophesies". The obvious difference between the two is, that Keith Olbermann was absolutely correct. He was not vague in his predictions, nor was he outlandish. He did not speak in generalizations that could be taken one way or another, but for exactly what he had said. Let us take a count of how many have come true, and how many are currently a "work in progress":
So with all that said, along with Keith Olbermann's predictions, can anyone really defend the fact that the GOP are the ones destroying America and turning us into a fascists (I do not use that word lightly, but by all definition, it is accurate) corporate run, not even a nation or civilized country, but perhaps a business?
I fear, as this process continues, slavery will return. It will be the rich enslaving the poor. With the union busting and the corporate take over of our lawmakers, there is no one stopping them now from being held accountable. They will be able to pay lower wages, refuse to provide benefits and pensions, and who will we run to? Who will be our "go-to guy" to help us? To make sure we have just the slightest chance of living comfortably with a safe job, and healthy work conditions. Who?
So my question to you would be this, what are you going to do about it? If you are ok with this, then by all means, sit back and watch as those of us who are NOT ok with it, fight for YOU.
I encourage you to go back and re-watch Keith Olbermann's video until you decide that this is not what you want, and you do something about it.
Until next time, keep up the good fight America.
If you are thinking, you are winning.
While YouTube-ing, I came across a video of Keith Olbermann, taped on his, now canceled, Countdown program on MSNBC. This was aired over a year ago. Before the 2010 mid-term elections. Before the protests. Before racial profiling of potential illegal immigrants, and before Peter King's hearings about (lets just be frank here), his fears of Islam. Before the Kock Brothers became a house hold name, and before people actually started to realize, just how much corporations had control of every bought politicians actions.
He had made chilling, and what seemed maybe Beck-ish like "prophesies". The obvious difference between the two is, that Keith Olbermann was absolutely correct. He was not vague in his predictions, nor was he outlandish. He did not speak in generalizations that could be taken one way or another, but for exactly what he had said. Let us take a count of how many have come true, and how many are currently a "work in progress":
- Laws criminalizing or at least neutering unions Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, California, Iowa, etc..
- Reductions of taxes for the wealthy and or corporations
- Elimination of the social safety nets for everyone else Living here in Indiana, I already know that our Governor Mitch Daniels has recently made it known that he will be cutting medicaid and medicare, and especially dental and mental health services. There are also pending bills to cut unemployment benefits nation-wide, along with Rep. Michele Bachmann wants to cut the nation budget by cutting the VA and SSDI. Pretty much the only safety nets we have in this country.
- New wars sold as the new products How many times have you heard on "Faux News" that President Obama needed to send our troops to Egypt, Lybia, and any other countries that are currently fighting for democracy? Or how about the war between whether we are a "Republic" or a "Democracy"? "Capitalism" vs "Socialism"?
- Ban on same sex marriage/abortion/evolution being taught in schools and the lack of separation of church and state I clumped all these together because they all lay within the last part: "separation of church and state". Same sex marriage, abortion, evolution being the only theory taught in our public schools is really a push for religion to be incorporated into our government, education, laws, and more personally, our lives. Although the constitition forbids the majority to vote on the rights of a minority stated in Amendment XIV Section 1.
- Racial and Religious profiling This really fits both racial and religious profiling. Along with the Arizona's and Indiana's attempt to "fight illegal immigration".
- Teabaggers having a glorious few years as the front runners and having total control of our political system 2010 Mid-Term Elections.. Yep.. This happened too
- The end of all independent news organizations Does the, now found to be false, attack against NPR, ring a bell along with the attempted de-funding of both NPR and PBS??
- Kiss Net Neutrality Goodbye The GOP is after this one too.
So with all that said, along with Keith Olbermann's predictions, can anyone really defend the fact that the GOP are the ones destroying America and turning us into a fascists (I do not use that word lightly, but by all definition, it is accurate) corporate run, not even a nation or civilized country, but perhaps a business?
I fear, as this process continues, slavery will return. It will be the rich enslaving the poor. With the union busting and the corporate take over of our lawmakers, there is no one stopping them now from being held accountable. They will be able to pay lower wages, refuse to provide benefits and pensions, and who will we run to? Who will be our "go-to guy" to help us? To make sure we have just the slightest chance of living comfortably with a safe job, and healthy work conditions. Who?
So my question to you would be this, what are you going to do about it? If you are ok with this, then by all means, sit back and watch as those of us who are NOT ok with it, fight for YOU.
I encourage you to go back and re-watch Keith Olbermann's video until you decide that this is not what you want, and you do something about it.
Until next time, keep up the good fight America.
If you are thinking, you are winning.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
What Inspires Me
Inspiration comes in many forms in my life. It comes from my husband (i.e. for this blog), my children, my neighbors, friends, family, and the people we see in the newspapers and on TV. For the majority of my life, I can admit that I was not particularly concerned with the world outside of my own, as nothing truly affected me. That is when I was 20 years old. Now being 24, a mother of 2, married to someone who has kept up with the world and all the crazy-ness of it, inspired me to do so also. I have become a political activist out of my own home, and between my children, normal "motherly" duties, and wifely duties, the rest of my time is spent reading articles, interacting with others, and on occasion debates. My husband tells me time and time again, of which I agree with him, he has created a monster.
My interests started during the 2008 presidential campaign. I was absolutely astounded at the tricks the GOP pulled in trying to discredit, then Senator Obama, as a person. Not just as a politician, but as a human being. This may not have been such a surprise to many older people, as I'm sure these tactics were used in other campaigns, but I have to ask, was it ever that demeaning? I don't ever remember seeing pictures like to the right in a presidential campaign. I remember photos like this being used by radical racist groups, but it seems to be the "norm" of today and is accepted by some, and brushed off by many. I beg to question why? It is painfully clear exactly what the GOP and the rise of the "tea party" true convictions with President Obama are. This blatant message they are conveying is an inspiration to me. It is like taking something bad and turning it into good. I have a page on Facebook where I bring to light these issues in the hopes to have enough people rail against it, that these people that do this may, just maybe, realize what they are doing, and how outdated and dishonest their actions and thoughts are.The recent protests in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and all across the nation has probably been the biggest inspiration to me concerning politics. On March 11th, I attended the protest in Indianapolis and it was truly an awesome sight. After attending this protest, my drive to do more grew. With the pictures and video I took, along with some of the pictures and video from the Wisconsin and Ohio protests I put together this little video together that I encourage you to checkout.
The middle class of America is one lawmakers decision away from becoming enslaved to corporations. The lawmakers of our day (and that does, sadly, include President Obama) are already enslaved and hypnotized by the huge amounts of campaign money and kick backs they receive. It may be OK for them, and they may be so damn blinded by their wealth, that they forget about those of us that make less than millions, or hell, even hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. If we cannot depend on the people that are supposed to work for "We The People" then who can we count on? If we do not do something ourselves and push back this corporate take over of everything who will? It only takes one person, to tell another, then stand outside with a sign, and next thing you know, there is over a quarter of a million people standing in the streets in one small city in Middle America.
With that said, I hope I can inspire just one person, to look at their options and come to the same conclusion that I have.
I'm mad as hell and I won't take it anymore!
It's time America. We need to, for the sake of our children, fight for democracy. For the America that I, only 10 years ago as a freshman in high school, was taught about America, "The Land of the Great".
Monday, March 14, 2011
What's in a name?
In looking for a name for this blog site I wanted something that was unique and also captured the goals and high ideas I had for this site. Google searching Progressive I was led to the progressive era page on wiki and on that page I found my name. Muckraker.
[from wikipedia Muckraker page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muckraker]
"A muckraker is, primarily, a reporter or writer who investigates and publishes truthful reports involving a host of social issues, broadly including crime and corruption and often involving elected officials, political leaders and influential members of business and industry. The term is closely associated with a number of important writers who emerged in the 1890s through the 1930s, a period roughly concurrent with the Progressive Era in the United States.
These writers focused on a wide range of issues including the monopoly of Standard Oil; cattle processing and meat packing; patent medicines; child labor; and wages, labor, and working conditions in industry and agriculture. In a number of instances, the revelations of muckraking journalists led to public outcry, governmental and legal investigations, and, in some cases, legislation was enacted to address the issues the writers' identified, such as harmful social conditions; pollution; food and product safety standards; sexual harassment; unfair labor practices; fraud; and other matters. The work of the muckrakers in the early years, and those today, span a wide array of legal, social, ethical and public policy concerns."
Bingo!
[from wikipedia Muckraker page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muckraker]
"A muckraker is, primarily, a reporter or writer who investigates and publishes truthful reports involving a host of social issues, broadly including crime and corruption and often involving elected officials, political leaders and influential members of business and industry. The term is closely associated with a number of important writers who emerged in the 1890s through the 1930s, a period roughly concurrent with the Progressive Era in the United States.
These writers focused on a wide range of issues including the monopoly of Standard Oil; cattle processing and meat packing; patent medicines; child labor; and wages, labor, and working conditions in industry and agriculture. In a number of instances, the revelations of muckraking journalists led to public outcry, governmental and legal investigations, and, in some cases, legislation was enacted to address the issues the writers' identified, such as harmful social conditions; pollution; food and product safety standards; sexual harassment; unfair labor practices; fraud; and other matters. The work of the muckrakers in the early years, and those today, span a wide array of legal, social, ethical and public policy concerns."
Bingo!
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