Somebody needs to consider what it is going to be like in America when Republican Carl Palidino, who sends pornographic e-mail to business associates, gets elected governor of NY; when Republican Governor Jan Brewer, who refuses to debate her opponent and cannot recall her administration’s major accomplishments since she took office, and who thinks beheaded corpses are lying around the desert of Arizona, gets re-elected governor; when Republican Christine O’Donnell, who dabbled in witchcraft, gets elected to the US Senate from Delaware; when Republican Joe Miller, who believes Social Security should be repealed, gets elected to the US Senate from Alaska; when Republican Sharron Angle, who refuses to answer questions on any substantive issue, is elected to the US Senate from Nevada; when Rand Paul, who believes the Civil Rights Act should be repealed, gets elected to the US Senate from Kentucky – to name a few of the nutcases looking forward to running your government next year.
Somebody needs to consider what America will be like once they get their hands of the levers of power. (Can you spell “ditch?”)
According to a new poll, “nearly 20% of U.S. citizens now believe Barack Obama is a cactus, the most Americans to identify the president as a water-retaining desert plant since he took office."
The poll, conducted by the Pew Research Center, found a sharp rise in the number of Americans who say they firmly believe Obama was either born a cactus, became a cactus during his youth, or has questionable links to the Cactaceae family."
Thomas Jefferson! Where are you? We need your help – now – and bring Ben Franklin with you.
Political commentary inspired by Ben Franklin's response to a lady who asked what type of government the founders had created. "Madam," he said, "you have a republic if you can keep it."
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
How long, America, how long?
I remember when Richard Nixon campaigned on the twin GOP promises of "smaller government and lower taxes." Nixon was elected but did not deliver. Government got larger and taxes went up.
I remember when Ronald Reagan pledged smaller government and lower taxes if he was elected. By the time he finished his 8 years, government was much larger, taxes were higher and the national debt had been increased by three times.
I remember when Georgia Bush said "Read my lips" for the first time. Video tape was ubiquitous by that time and so politically he could not live by the lie of "No new taxes" and he lost his re-election bid. Taxes did, indeed, go up, and yes, government got bigger.
If you are going to lie to the American people, be sure not to let anyone videotape you at a political convention promising smaller government and lower taxes.
Bush 43 and Cheney promised the same thing. Taxes went down for the very rich during their two terms but that's all. Government got bigger, taxes went up, and the national debt was quadrupled.
For 50 years, the GOP has run on the same pledge (lie): "Elect us; we will lower your taxes and reduce the size of government." Members of the loyal GOP: THEY NEVER DO WHAT THEY PROMISE. Why? Because the government of the US is already large and must be so in order to meet America's responsibilities at home and abroad. And taxes must be paid in order to pay for those responsibilities. We cannot go back to the time of our forefathers when we had a country of 4 million citizens. Today we have 322 million and counting. We are large and getting larger. You and I better pray that someone is planning on a government that can meet the demands of a citizenry of that size. Who else are you going to turn to when there is a hurricane in your backyard, an oil spill on your beach, an unsafe car in your driveway, unsafe meat in your refrigerator, a pandemic sweeping the nation, terrorist beating down your door. You better hope the government is large enough to meet the challenge and has a full team of pros at the ready.
Stop expecting something for nothing. Accept the fact that these people will continue to manipulate you as long as you let them. But may I ask you: please stop letting them get away with manipulating you with simple Simon solutions to complex questions. Please stop.
In Virginia, the current GOP governor said we can save $500 million and apply it to our budget if we sell the state owned liquor stores. Now, he realizes that was a short term fix and he still needs to raise that money on an annual basis to balance Virginia's budget so he is proposing a fee (he can't say the word "tax") on liquor sold at wholesale and in restaurants. He is not a full year into his term and already he is proposing a new tax. Where is the outrage from his fellow Republicans? Oh, I see, you supported him not because he may actually try to do what he says, but because it puts the GOP in charge.
Our government can't survive this approach to preserving the Republic at the state or federal level.
How long, America, how long?
I remember when Ronald Reagan pledged smaller government and lower taxes if he was elected. By the time he finished his 8 years, government was much larger, taxes were higher and the national debt had been increased by three times.
I remember when Georgia Bush said "Read my lips" for the first time. Video tape was ubiquitous by that time and so politically he could not live by the lie of "No new taxes" and he lost his re-election bid. Taxes did, indeed, go up, and yes, government got bigger.
If you are going to lie to the American people, be sure not to let anyone videotape you at a political convention promising smaller government and lower taxes.
Bush 43 and Cheney promised the same thing. Taxes went down for the very rich during their two terms but that's all. Government got bigger, taxes went up, and the national debt was quadrupled.
For 50 years, the GOP has run on the same pledge (lie): "Elect us; we will lower your taxes and reduce the size of government." Members of the loyal GOP: THEY NEVER DO WHAT THEY PROMISE. Why? Because the government of the US is already large and must be so in order to meet America's responsibilities at home and abroad. And taxes must be paid in order to pay for those responsibilities. We cannot go back to the time of our forefathers when we had a country of 4 million citizens. Today we have 322 million and counting. We are large and getting larger. You and I better pray that someone is planning on a government that can meet the demands of a citizenry of that size. Who else are you going to turn to when there is a hurricane in your backyard, an oil spill on your beach, an unsafe car in your driveway, unsafe meat in your refrigerator, a pandemic sweeping the nation, terrorist beating down your door. You better hope the government is large enough to meet the challenge and has a full team of pros at the ready.
Stop expecting something for nothing. Accept the fact that these people will continue to manipulate you as long as you let them. But may I ask you: please stop letting them get away with manipulating you with simple Simon solutions to complex questions. Please stop.
In Virginia, the current GOP governor said we can save $500 million and apply it to our budget if we sell the state owned liquor stores. Now, he realizes that was a short term fix and he still needs to raise that money on an annual basis to balance Virginia's budget so he is proposing a fee (he can't say the word "tax") on liquor sold at wholesale and in restaurants. He is not a full year into his term and already he is proposing a new tax. Where is the outrage from his fellow Republicans? Oh, I see, you supported him not because he may actually try to do what he says, but because it puts the GOP in charge.
Our government can't survive this approach to preserving the Republic at the state or federal level.
How long, America, how long?
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