No Laughing Matter

No Laughing Matter Headerby Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

It’s No Laughing Matter

Does anyone truly believe that John – “waterworks” – Boehner possess the testicular fortitude to even recognize a principled position… let alone hold on to one? The only thing that matters to John is what his father would think if only he could have seen his little Johnny grow up to become the Speaker of the House.

No Laughing Matter - Boehner's New Gavel

Boehner’s New Gavel

He is transparent as glass and that makes him easy to control. When Nancy Pelosi passed Johnny that over sized mallet – gavel – he started bawling and very nearly burst into a full blown crying and snotting fit. Yes, it means so much to him. It means so much that merely the threat of it being taken away causes him to panic and fall in line.

No Laughing Matter - Eric Cantor

Eric’s got plans…

The power and prestige have blinded him to the reality he’s already lost the speakership in all but name only. In just a short while, even that will be gone as well. Eric Cantor is grinning in his face and stabbing him in the back each and every chance he gets. Why you ask? Because Eric wants to be the first Jewish Speaker of the House.

You know? That whole being third in line of succession thing really goes to some people’s heads! What I find frightening is, anyone who will scheme, manipulate and commit what meets the very definition of treason, once they are third in line for succession… I believe they’d be capable of arranging the demise of the President and Vice President. Unbridled Ambition is a terrible thing.

Puppet Masters

No Laughing Matter - Lap Dogs

Attack Dogs? Lap Dogs?

We have been focusing our ire on the Republican front men who are doing little more than parroting talking points they’ve been given. Like well trained attack dogs, they will sit up, lay down, roll over and attack on their master’s command. There is no doubt that an attack dog bearing down on you will get your attention. Of course, that’s the point isn’t it? To get you to focus on and expend your energies fighting and trying to survive the dog instead of taking out its master.

No Laughing Matter - Attack DogIt is time we raised our sights. We need to target the men behind the curtain and stop watching the noise and light show. The Koch brothers and the other members of the billionaire’s boys club can purchase an endless supply of Republican zombies to keep us dazed and confused. They are quite alright with the possibility of America burning to the ground. Once the fire is fully engaged – it’s already been lit – they’ll simply hop on their private jets and head to one of their many villas in Europe and wait for the fire to burn down to ashes. At which point they’ll return offering themselves as saviors to rebuild America in their own image.

No Laughing Matter - Homeless FamilyAsk yourself, why should multi-billionaires give a damn about people making a living wage? Children receiving assistance that “Head Start” supplies? People being able to have affordable health care? Women having control over their own reproductive choices? The truth is, they don’t! These are merely incendiary devices they’re using to start their fire.

Instead of us putting that fire out, we’re busy dancing with their trained attack dogs. It is time we saw past the illusions of their smoke and mirrors. It is time we go after the masters of the dogs. The dogs are merely dumb brutes doing as their told. Other than the fact they were willing… no eager, to sell their souls for a morsel of porridge, it is not their fault. We can deal with them later. Perhaps force them to attend Sunday school all over again and learn the lessons they clearly missed out on. We need to shut off the water at the main. Once we do, the leaks will become easier to fix. When you look at the Koch brothers and others who seem to be laughing it up, remember, this really is no laughing matter!

 

Radical Republicans Carry On Osama’s Legacy

Radical Republicans Headerby Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

If you believe the official account of the events on September 11, 2001, Osama Bin Laden masterminded a plan to bring this nation to its knees. We lost 2,978 innocent civilians on that day by conservative estimates. Because of this, we launched two wars, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. We’ve spent trillions of dollars, ruined our economy and sacrificed 10’s of thousands of the treasure of this nation. Thanks to certain Radical Republicans, it turns out, Osama could have been more effective by simply donating to one of several Republican “Super-PACs.”

Radical Republicans

I am old enough to remember the political parties before the Republicans lost their damn minds. No, I’m not going to play the false equivalence game and pretend to be “fair and balanced” like FAUX News. Sometimes, one of the two sides in a dispute is clearly and unequivocally wrong! I can recall when the Republicans believed in fiscal responsibility. Now they merely pay lip service to it. Republicans used to believe in smaller government. Now, they’re fascist.

“Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.”
Benito Mussolini

They care more about the wishes of the corporations who own them than they do about the actual constituents they purport to represent. The Republicans I remember growing up, tended to be against wars and if anything leaned towards “isolationism.” The radical Republicans of today, haven’t seen a seen a war they’re not in favor of.

The only things they’re not in favor of are the very things that would make this nation stronger, energy independent and would boost the standard of living and quality of life for United States citizens.

Radical Republicans were against bailing out our automotive industry. Think about this for a moment. During WWII, it was our automotive industry that tooled up to produce tanks, firearms and many of the necessities that made it possible for us to prevail. Were it not for the manufacturing base provided by our automotive industries, we all might well be speaking German today. That is, those of us left alive to live under a totalitarian dictatorship.

Radical Republicans - Detroit

Not the Detroit I remember.

Even if we ignore the national security implications, think of all the jobs that would have been lost. Not just the direct jobs lost because of factory closings, but all the additional downstream jobs in the companies that produce the products the automotive industries require. Think of the small businesses that depend on the people in communities who are employed by the automotive industry. Mitt Romney’s Op-Ed entitled, “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt,” should be instructional. Detroit has indeed gone bankrupt. Look at Detroit. It is rapidly spiralling down into a “3rd World” experience. This began when the automotive industries began pulling out and relocating. Trouble is, many of these manufacturing plants are now in communities all around the nation. Possibly there are a few employing people in your community. Had we taken the advice of the radical Republicans, you might have been surprised to find your own community looking like Detroit.

Radical Republicans Or Closet Terrorists?

Radical Republicans - Pear Harbor AttackWhat if a foreign power attacked the United States and killed 45,000 of our citizens? Men, women and children? I want you to actually consider this for a moment. What would you think ought to be done? When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 killing 2,402 of our sailors and wounding 1,247, we dove into WWII which resulted in nuclear weapons being used for the first – and hopefully the last – time in recorded history. When we were attacked on September 11, 2001, we counted 2,978 fatalities. We went to war with two nations – one of which had absolutely nothing to do with the attack – and spent trillions of dollars.

Yet, each year, 45,000 of our brother and sister American citizens die because they have no health insurance. That’s over 15 times the number of people we lost in the September 11 attacks… each year! Do you think we ought to do something about it? How can anyone claim to be a patriot and profess a love for this nation, be against a law that will potentially save 45,000 American lives? Radical Republicans are.

Radical Republicans make Osama Bin Laden look like a piker! He only murdered 2,978 of our citizens. The policy the Radical Republicans are doggedly pursuing will murder 45,000 of our citizens each year. We sent Seal Team 6 to get Osama. Who are we sending after these terrorists?

Backstabbing Our Troops The Radical Republican Forte`

Radical Republicans - Wounded Warriors

What about them? Can they stand a Government shut down?

If you’re old enough, you will remember when the Republican Party didn’t merely pay lip service to being pro-military. They actually respected and honored those who had served out country in uniform. Being a veteran put you at the head of the line for a job when you returned to civilian life. During the Vietnam war when there was a draft, many times employers would hold your job for you upon your return. Not so now. The families of many active duty soldiers depend on “food stamps” to feed their families during their loved one’s absence.

Radical Republicans in their zeal to stomp on minorities and people of color, are doing all they can to defund and under fund our food stamp safety net. Because of their policies, according to the Department of Defense, some 5,000 families of active duty servicemen will have their food stamps cut. Imagine what that does to the man or woman fighting in the field. How can he or she concentrate on their job while worrying about whether or not their children are going to bed hungry.

While we’re on the subject of hunger in America, 52.32 million people – 1 in 6 – many of them children, are struggling with hunger right here in this country which likes to boast of its “exceptionalism.” When Russian President, Vladimir Putin said that America was not exceptional, many of these same Radical Republicans took offense. Well damnit! The truth hurts doesn’t it?  How the Hell are we exceptional when 52.32 million of our citizens are going to bed hungry just like people in 3rd World Nations?

Radical Republicans - Bridge Collapse Minneapolis

The entire span of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis.

Our infrastructure is collapsing around our ears. We’ve got bridges all across this nation that have been marked as unsafe and closed. Some have even fallen down costing lives. We’ve got thousands of veterans, both men and women returning from war in need of jobs. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives under the leadership(?) of John Boehner have refused to pass a single jobs bill. They’ve refused to pass a single bill that would help our returning troops. Oh, by the way, they have voted to repeal Obama Care 41 times. They have caused the United States credit rating to be downgraded. At the time of my writing this, we’re headed for another Government shut down. Did I mention we have troops who are currently fighting a war? Might be nice if we paid them.

Who needs terrorist when you’ve got Radical Republicans doing everything in their power to destroy America. I’m sure Osama Bin Laden is spinning at the bottom of the sea saying, “Damn! If I’d only known!”

Have Progressives Lost Their Damn Minds?

Have Progressives Lost Their Damn Minds?by Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

Bush Cheney Regime

America’s Disgrace

After surviving eight disastrous years of the Bush – Cheney Regime and the near apocalyptic consequences of that, the nation decided to do something different for a change. Instead of electing the next fool in line, we decided to actually put some thought into it. We went with a young African-American Senator. Some might say, he had “limited experience” but he was extremely gifted. He was highly educated. In touch with the youthful vitality of our nation. Full of infectious hope, he would bring new ideas to the table.

Walter Payton - Sweetness

No matter how great he is, he still needs blockers.

The weed of racism has deep roots in our American garden and we had to work mightily to overcome the choke hold of it’s grip on our politics. We refused to take “no” for an answer and beat back the doubters with the mantra of “yes we can.” And we did it! Then we all took a rest from our labors. It was almost as though we had passed our star “Running Back” the ball and we headed to the bench to watch the game. Politics like football is a team sport. No matter how gifted one might be, they cannot defeat the opposing team all by themselves. Did everyone really believe that the Republican opposition was going to join us on the benches and sit back and watch President Obama run up the score? Based on our actions, or more correctly inactions, that seems to be exactly what we thought.

Obstruct

The very night of President Obama’s first inauguration, while we wept, danced and celebrated, Republicans were behind closed doors plotting our downfall and destruction. Their primary objective as expressed by Mitch McConnell, “was to make President Obama a one term President.”  They purposefully decided not to govern and to obstruct any and everything President Obama has attempted to do.

Filibuster Graph

I’m beginning to suspect the real problem Republicans have is our President happens to be Black!

We have had a record number of filibusters since President Obama took office. They’re on track to shatter that record again this year. We’ve seen Republicans sponsor a bill, then when President Obama says “it’s a good idea” they’ve voted against and killed their own bill. Even bills that used to be proforma – no brainers – such as VAWA – The Violence Against Women Act – have met with stiff opposition. Whom in their right mind wouldn’t vote to pass the Violence Against Women Act? If you’re reading this, you’ve got a mother… guaranteed. That’s a bill you’d vote for if for no other reason than you’ve got a mother.

Racism Exposes Stupidity

Here’s the thing everyone needs to remember. The Republicans control the House of Representatives. Thus there is no need for even one filibuster in the Senate over a bill! If you need to, read that again. Before a bill ever makes it to the President’s desk for his signature, it must first make it through not one, but both Houses of Congress. Thus merely for the sake of seeming reasonable, why wouldn’t you let it pass the Senate with no opposition and let the Republican controlled House of Representatives take the hit for blocking it? Senate Republicans could act responsibly and give the impression that they were reasonable and above the fray. However their innate racism causes them to do things that simply make no common sense and ultimately, are bad strategically. I fully expect Mitch McConnell to lose to Ashley Judd in his next election and it will be his own fault. For those who need a refresher course on how our legislative process works, I present a classic “School House Rock.”

 Given that Republicans have all lined up to be fitted with their patriotic, red, white and blue straight jackets, you would think that the Democratic Progressives would be pressing their advantage and mopping the floor with a Republican party in full disarray… They are not!

Have Progressives Lost Their Damn Minds?

When your foe has shot himself in the foot, you don’t rush over and bandage his wounds, give him a shot of morphine and a crutch so he can continue the fight. You put him away… efficiently and with finality. This is not a sport. This is a fight for the future of our nation. If you have the strength of convictions in your political philosophy and ideologies, you have but one objective and that is to shape this nation in accordance with your principles. Make no mistake, the Republicans – if they were not busily engaged in cutting their own throats – would press their advantage without hesitation if the roles were reversed.

Harry Reid

Senate Majority Leader – Harry Reid

With the initiation of this most recent Congressional session, the Senate – under the control of the Democrats and Harry Reid – had the opportunity to change the rules and hamstring the rampant abuse of the filibuster process. No need to totally get rid of it. Just return it to the way it used to be. If you want to filibuster a Bill, hold the floor until you either cannot hold it any longer or until you persuade your fellow legislators to come over to your side. The way it currently is, a Senator can filibuster a Bill and the public might not even know which Senator had done this… or why! Have Progressives lost their damn minds? This one is a no-brainer!

The Subtle Bigotry Of Back Seat Driving

Ed Schultz

Ed Schultz

Have you noticed that there are an awful lot of Progressives offering free advice to President Obama via their talk shows? I’ve been paying attention to politics ever since the first Presidential election I was old enough to participate in. To be sure, there have been Presidents I have thought were excellent and Presidents with whom I had strong disagreements with… of both political parties.

To be sure, the media coverage fell along the lines you might expect. Pundits took issue and disagreed with Presidential positions and other Pundits defended those positions. What I have not noticed, up until now, has been every Tom, Dick and Harry with access to a television camera, telling the President of the United States how he ought to do his job. This is a new phenomenon. Yes, we’ve taken issue with a lot of the policies of nearly each and every President there has been. However, there was always the ever present, silent acknowledgement that the President had access to information that common people simply do not have access to.

Chris - I Voted For Bush - Matthews

Chris – I voted for Bush – Matthews

The game has changed with our first Black President. Progressives have now developed a cottage industry built around telling our President what he ought and ought not do. It is one thing to take issue with his decisions, it is quite another thing to proffer step by step instructions. I even heard Chris – yeah, I voted for Bush – Matthews saying that the President ought to have the Republicans over to the White House more for dinners and get-togethers. Really? Evidently he hasn’t been paying attention to the numerous times the President has done that very thing only to be rebuffed and snubbed by the likes of Boehner and McConnell.

How quickly we forget, the night before President Obama announced to the World the capture and execution of Osama Bin Laden, he was at the annual Press Club dinner, laughing and joking and being the butt of a joke about having forgotten all about Osama Bin Laden. While he laughed at the joke, he knew that an operation was under way to bring Osama to justice.

Moaning About Drones

Predator Drone Firing Missiles

Katt Williams

Katt Williams – Perhaps not as crazy as we think?

This issue is simply stunning in it’s insipid stupidity! When Anwar al-Aulaqi met his richly deserved fate, the first thing by way of an epitaph that popped into my mind were the words of that great philosopher and fount of all things wise – Comedian Katt Williams – “you shouldn’t of been talking shit!” Yes, Anwar al-Aulaqi was born in these United States. At one time he was a United States citizen with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. For the sake of this discussion, let us presume that he had at no time renounced his citizenship and was a citizen in good standing.

Anwar al-Aulaqi

Anwar al-Aulaqi gone to his own personal Jihad in the sky.

What seems to have gotten the Progressive panties in a knot is the fact that our government killed a United States citizen with “malice aforethought,” and without according to this citizen(?) the due process guaranteed under the United States Constitution. I hope you’ll find my summary of the issues satisfactory. Here’s the point. This happens every damn day in these United States, most often it happens to a Black or minority citizen. When a police officer – agent of the government – guns down an unarmed Black or minority person, that person is just as dead as Anwar al-Aulaqui! That person got just as much due process as Anwar al-Aulaqui. In almost every instance, there was far less justification for this murder at the hands of our Government than there was for the execution of Anwar al-Aulaqui.

I direct your attention to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Article 3 – The Judicial Branch
Section 3 – Treason

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The penalty for Treason is the death sentence. There is no doubt that the actions of Anwar al-Aulaqi met the formal definition of Treason. He was a member of Al’Qaeda. On 5 November 2009, Army Major Nidal Hasan murdered 13 people and wounded 30 at Ft. Hood. He had been in email communication with his personal Imam – Anwar al-Aulaqi.

I personally saw video tapes of Anwar al-Aulaqi calling for the overthrow of the United States and attempting to foment violent uprisings. This is beyond dispute. Had Anwar al-Aulaqi been on United States soil or in a nation with whom we have extradition treaties, he would have been brought to justice in one of our courts of law. He was in Yemen. Our relationship with the government of Yemen is strained to put it mildly. We couldn’t really pick up the phone and have him delivered to us.

Could we have sent in Seal Team 6 to retrieve him? Perhaps. However, that would have been extremely costly and risked not only the lives of some of our nation’s finest, it would have put a lot of civilian lives in peril. Could we have sent in an attack helicopter to take him out? Of course! But what’s the difference? The fact of the matter is, Mr. Al-Aulaqi was brought to justice, efficiently and with the least amount of collateral damage possible. We did not put the lives of our military personnel at risk and we did it for a fraction of the cost of putting boots on the ground. So what’s your complaint? Have Progressives lost their damn minds?

My Rights Are Better Than Your Rights

Rachel Maddow

Rachel Maddow

One of the most surrealistic examples of idiocy occurs five nights a week on MSNBC at 9 pm. eastern time. That is when “The Rachel Maddow” show airs. Ms. Maddow is unabashedly lesbian. She has a partner or wife or whatever they term their relationship to be, and has referenced this fact on her show… usually in passing. You can almost guarantee that a segment of her show each evening will be devoted to the struggle for “Gay Rights.” Usually it is either the first or second segment.

I get it! Rachel is a lesbian activist and the issues which impact her lifestyle are very important to her. She is a tireless campaigner for Gay equality. The right to marry, the right to adopt children, up until President Obama did away with DADT – Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – the right to serve openly in the military. These were issues that we’d hear night after night after night. All of it was under the aegis of the recognition of Rights and equal protection under the law.

The problem becomes apparent when the subject of firearms comes up. Rachel is as virulently anti-gun as she is pro-Gay rights. Although she is a Rhodes Scholar and has attended Oxford University on a full scholarship and holds the equivalent of at least one doctorate degree, possibly more, Rachel seems oblivious to the fact that if gun Rights are open for review and removal, so are Gay Rights. Rachel, if you cannot respect and support my Rights, why should I support and respect your Rights? The Second Amendment is not in the Bill of Privileges. It is in the Bill of Rights. Have Progressives lost their damn minds?

When Faking Ignorance Becomes Stupidity.

Lawrence O'Donnell

Lawrence O’Donnell

Lawrence O’Donnell is another blight on the ass of common sense. Although Mr. O’Donnell frequently gives the impression of being a lawyer – he references writing legislation for the Senate Finance Committee – it turns out he never actually went to Law School. Perhaps that might explain some of the cockamamie nonsense he spews when it comes to gun Rights and other legal matters.

On this evening’s show he was bawling yet again about guns. He recounted the story of a woman going through a divorce who was threatened by her husband. In particular, the husband told her that the did not want her new boyfriend anywhere near his young son. She ignored his advice. He subsequently showed up with one of his firearms and threatened her life. The police were called. He was arrested.

I sat in stunned amazement while Lawrence carped about the Police not removing this man’s firearms while he was under the protective order filed by his soon to be ex-wife. You do not have to be a lawyer to know, this isn’t the movie “Minority Report” we’re living in. We do not punish people for what they might do. Anyone can get a protective order. Here in Indiana, a protective order is filed as a matter of course whenever a divorce is filed for. Whether it is needed or not. As a matter of fact, in the right court, I could get a protective order against Lawrence O’Donnell. Chances are, he wouldn’t have to be present and may never even know I’d filed for one.

His guest attempted to allude to this fact, to wit: you cannot punish someone for something they haven’t done, but Lawrence soldiered on by pointing out that people have their passports taken even though they have not been convicted of a crime. Evidently Lawrence equates a criminal indictment with a request for an order of protection. It just occurred to me, perhaps Lawrence isn’t faking? Have Progressives lost their damn minds?

Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

The Republican party is in disarray. They have no real leader. The crazy wing has taken over the Republican party. Now is not the time to join them. Now is the time to press our advantage. The NRA is not the problem. Most people who have owned firearms for any length of time consider the NRA to be a toothless lion. We own firearms for various reasons. The protection of ourselves and our families being primary.

The dirty little secret is, citizens of these United States really take the whole “land of the free, home of the brave” thing seriously. It is not a Republican thing nor a Democrat thing, it’s an American thing. As Democrats we realize that Government does and should play a vital role in advancing the quality of life. However, when Government begins to flex it’s muscle and tell us what we can eat and drink – Michael Bloomberg – we begin to find this as repugnant as Republicans wanting to insert government into a woman’s womb. There is not a lot of difference.

Each piece you run on gun violence doesn’t say we need to be disarmed. If anything it proves how dangerous society has become and why we need to be armed! After eight years of the “Bungling Brothers Circus” there is a lot that needs fixing. We have a competent and capable President in the White House that needs our support on the things that matter. This faux issue ginned up by the Progressives – not the Republicans – over Drones, is a waste of time, a distraction and only serves to weaken our position. Instead of attempting to tell our President how to do his job, how about we get behind him and help him? Or have Progressives really lost their damn minds?

The Pain Of Republican Hypocrisy

Republican Hypocrisy Headerby Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

The Pain Of Republican Hypocrisy

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, an interesting phenomena has been observed. Something of a shark feeding frenzy has been occurring amongst Republicans.

Those Republicans who’s districts are located along the Atlantic seaboard, where hurricane Sandy did most of it’s devastation, are suddenly coming face to face with the consequences of their own policies and rhetoric. Who are they at war with? Interestingly enough, their fellow Republicans!

The TEA Party

If we’re going to be honest and objective, the Republican philosophy has been proven to be a farce for years now. It is one of the most dramatic examples of false advertising imaginable. What are the primary planks of the Republican platform? I’m sure you know them. These are the things that come immediately to mind when you think “Republican.”

  • Smaller Government.
  • Strong National Defence.
  • Lower Taxes.
  • Self-Reliance/Independence/Personal Liberty.

You might be able to add one or two more, however they’re going to be in this same vein. When you look at the history of Republican administrations from the 50’s to now, what you see is nothing of the sort. Consider the national debt. Does it go up or down under fiscally conservative Republican Administrations?

National Debt by President

The Inconvenient Truth

You might be surprised to know it goes up dramatically under the Republicans. While they are talking East, they’re walking West. How did Ronald Reagan defeat the Soviet Union? He spent them into oblivion. They simply could not match our spending and in trying to do so, they ruined their economy forcing their breakup. Is the world safer for having them gone? Simple question: Who now is controlling and monitoring all their nuclear weapons?

Slowest Spending President

President Obama is the most frugal President we’ve had in modern history

Is President Obama the biggest spender in the history of our nation? The thing about statistics is, figures lie and liars figure and sometimes it is difficult to tell who is doing which. Republicans like to simply take the raw numbers out of context. They forget that President Obama is dealing with a much higher GDP and he’s also dealing with a debt that his predecessor – “Lord Voldemort or He Who Shall Not Be Named” – ran up. Thus, by simply paying on the debt already in existence, his spending is going to be – by the pure numbers – higher. However, when you compare his numbers to the rest of the economy and look at the adjusted and thus more correct big picture, it turns out that President Obama may be the most frugal President we’ve had in modern history.

Vicious Attack Dog

Sometimes a dog will turn on it’s master.

This fact has not been lost on the American voting public. In an effort to generate enthusiasm, energy and new blood into the foundering Republican Party, they formed an unholy alliance with the TEA Party. These misguided souls, mostly racist running under the banner of people angry about paying too much in taxes, are like an attack dog. People seem to enjoy owning an attack dog. The concept of having an ever vigilant ally on one’s side seems comforting. But what happens when your dog turns on you?

Hurricane Sandy And Republican Hypocrisy

Peter King Is Livid

New York Republican Representative Peter King is livid.

This past week, Congressman Peter King of New York took to the airwaves to deliver one of the most scathing rebukes I’ve heard, to the Republican Party. What makes this so unusual? Rep. Peter King is himself a Republican. Within 10 days of Hurricane Katrina, the House voted to appropriate 60 billion dollars in relief and rebuilding aid for the stricken Gulf Coast. It has been 9 weeks and they haven’t appropriated a cent to aid the Atlantic seaboard. Frankly? I do not blame him! This shouldn’t be about politics. There are over 517,000 people who have had their lives devastated. Many have lost everything. You can have insurance, but what happens when the insurance company runs out of money? What happens when you cannot get building supplies to your lot to rebuild your home because the roads are impassable? Each day that goes by, the damage is compounded. If you’ve ever experienced a basement flood, you know that getting the water pumped out and the basement dried as quickly as possible is of paramount importance. It doesn’t take mold long to grow. Once mold sets in, you’ve got to start tearing out walls.

An Angry Chris Christie

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie – the presumed Republican Presidential nominee for 2016 – also had quite a lot to say. What made his comments so Earth shattering was the fact he was the keynote speaker at the most recent RNC convention. He is considered the “working man’s blue collar Republican Champion.” Caustic, bombastic and extremely “real,” truth be told, Hell! I don’t know that I wouldn’t vote for him if I lived in New Jersey. I would rather have someone with whom I disagreed with on some issues but whom I knew was doing the best job for the welfare of my State. When Chris Christie called out the Republican House and John Boehner, it got people’s attention and rightly so! Why? Because the needs of American citizens who through no fault of their own, were being thrown under the bus in the name of Republican and TEA Party ideology.

America Is An Idea – Nothing More

Quite often we become confused with borders, State and Federal and we think our geography is what defines us. We are not a homogeneous society defined by ethnicity like China or Japan. You cannot look at someone walking on our streets, note their ethnicity or how they’re dressed and conclude that they are or are not American citizens.

What makes us American is we all believe in the idea of America. “Out of many one.” From California to New York, from North Dakota to Mississippi, from Texas to Maine, we all consider ourselves one nation. When trouble rises or disasters strike, historically we all have pulled together as Americans… until now. When the events of September 11, 2001 happened, we didn’t say, “bummer! Too bad about New York.” We felt that we all had been attacked. We were ready to go to war… with somebody… anybody… turns out that’s just what we did.

Republican Hypocrisy

Pork

Pork is always something benefiting someone else’s district.

The definition of “Pork” in a congressional bill is anything that doesn’t directly benefit your State and your constituents. The same Republicans from the Atlantic seaboard who have decried wasteful government spending and who have demanded that there be cuts and offsets for every dollar spent, are now facing their Republican counterparts from States who were not affected by Hurricane Sandy. It’s a case of political Karma. How does it feel? It’s like being in the “Emergency Room” bleeding to death and before the doctor will operate to stop the bleeding and save your life, he pulls up a chair and begins discussing who your insurance carrier is and wants to check if you’re paid up on your premiums.

Tea Bagger

Crazy as a Mad Hatter.

Is this what the TEA Party has brought us to? We will either stand together or hang separately. The TEA Party mentality is exactly the same as that of the Southern Secessionists. The bloodiest war in our history was fought to lay that idea to rest. Many of these States who’s representatives promote these ideas are also the very States first in line with their hands outstretched seeking Federal aid. While Governor Rick Perry was making political points with his base talking about Texas seceding from the Union, wildfires were burning across his State. He was at the front of the line asking President Obama for Federal aid for his State. Like a rabid dog, he was busy biting the hand that feeds him while whining for more food.

It is time we say, enough is enough and get rid of our current crop of Republicans. No, you cannot make the “false equivalence” argument and try and claim that the Democrats do the same thing. They don’t. It is time to belly up to the bar, call a spade a spade and hold accountable the Party who is busily engaged in destroying our homeland. It is time to call Republicans on their hypocrisy. America will exist only as long as it’s citizens embrace the idea of America. That idea is under all out assault by the wing nuts in the Republican Party.