Republicans for Cancer?

As I write this the government is on the verge of shutting down.  This fight has nothing to do with deficit.  If congress was really concerned about our national debt they would be cutting defense, ending Ag subsidies and raising taxes on millionaires.  This fight is all about the Tea Party and their insatiable thirst for Cancer.
  
See the tea infused GOFP want to zero fund Planned Parenthood and neuter EPA's ability  to enforce environmental regulations.  Since the Hyde amendment  prevents federal funds from being used for abortions cuts to Planned Parenthood will mean less birth control (growing the pool for more abortions) and fewer screenings for lady cancers. 


Orders for the EPA restrictions are coming directly from the desk of the Koch Brothers the billionaire bastards who view this country as their own personal septic tank.  With environmental related cancers on the rise one would think that anyone who gave a rat's tail about the right to life issue would really think twice 

Too Much Democracy?

The latest wacky idea to emerge from the Tea Monkeys is repeal of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. To refresh your memory the 17th Amendment changed the way U.S. Senators are selected to office. Prior to the 17th Amendment U.S. Senators were chosen by state legislators and not a vote of the people.

Why this? Why now? Some folks believe repeal of the 17th Amendment would weaken the stranglehold of the special interest. As if corporations and labor unions don’t wield any influence at the state level. Others believe that repeal would lead to a more conservative Senate which would block things like stimulus packages and healthcare reform. Someone with my political leanings might view this as yet another attempt by the tea movement to deny voting rights to minorities and the working class. Remember this is the same crowd that cheered Tom Tancredo’s suggestion of brining back “Jim Crow Era” voting restrictions.

So what would this change mean for America? Right now Democrats control 27 state legislatures, republicans dominate in 14 with 8 state houses divided. In Nebraska the legislature is technically non partisan. Assuming an even split between the 8 divided states that would give democrats a 62-38 majority or filibuster proof plus 2. 5 of the 8 states with divided legislatures have democratic governors which could boost the democratic majority to 64. Under the pre 17th Amendment system there would be no Scott Brown, Chuck Grassely or Mitch McConnell. It is likely that there would be no traitor Joe Lieberman as well. The bottom line is that the U.S. Congress would be getting more things done. There would be public option health insurance. Instead of begging the Germans and Chinese to share their “green technologies” the U.S. might be leading the way. Who knows? We might have federal regulators who actually do their jobs instead of spending their days viewing porn on the internets.

Party like it's 1859

On April 15th in Boise and other cities across this nation there will be a series of anti-America rallies a.k.a. “tea parties.” Allegedly these gatherings will consist of folks opposed to taxes, spending and big government. In Boise the tea monkeys will assemble in a public park paid for by taxes. The monkeys will then march down streets and sidewalks escorted by police officers all paid for by…anyone…Bueller… taxes. Marchers will then descend on the steps of the Idaho Capitol, a facility built, remodeled and maintained with tax dollars. Oh and let’s not forget that this rally will take place on April 15th, a Thursday, a day when a majority of us who pay taxes will be working. Or to put it another way, the majority of the tea marchers will consist of the unemployed and retirees. Chances are that one of those misspelled “Obama is a Marksist” signs will have been paid for with the proceeds from a government check and carried by someone with a Medicare card in their pocket.

Celebrating Treason

Imagine the outrage if Japan made December 7^th a national holiday complete with parades and reenactments of Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March.  There is a wing at ADX Florence (the U.S. Government’s super max prison) reserved for those who commit treason.   In my mind to be stabbed in the back by one’s own countryman is more heinous than some foreign whack job trying to set shoes afire on a loaded airplane. 

Yet disdain for treason seems to escape the governor of Virginia who declared April “Confederate History Month”.  Supporters are quick to claim that this is nothing more than a celebration of history and heritage.  To that I say “bull hockey” (no offense to my Canadian friends).  If the mayor of Berlin declared September to be Nazi Heritage month complete with displays of the Swastika he would be arrested and thrown into jail.  In this day and age when tea monkeys are complaining about imagined capitulation to America’s enemies why would anyone want to admire and memorialize any movement especially a home grown one dedicated to slavery and destruction of the republic?  I think I know the answer to my own question but the thought of “going there” is making me sick.

Sister Sarah and the "R" Word

So let me see if I got this right.  It is wrong to say "Re..." in the context of criticizing you political allies in a private meeting.  However, it is okay for a convicted drug abuser to say "Re..." 40 times in public on a nationally syndicated hate radio show.  Now with these hurtful words it comes down to historical context which is why it is okay for an African American to use the "N"  word or for a gay person to use the slur "Fa..." but not okay for me to utter those words.  I get that.  So to recap its okay for the guy who played Corky (Chris Burke) in Life Goes On to scream "Re..." from the top of his lungs but not alright for Mrs. Avenger or I to utter that same term.


With that in mind enter Sarah Palin (Tea Monkey Quitter from Alaska).  This  week Sarah P called for the firing of Obama's Chief of staff for his use of "R" word in a closed door meeting.  Picking up the story Drugs Limbaugh uttered the offensive "R" word at least 40 times on his Thursday broadcast.  So when given the opportunity this AM on Fox News Sunday to show that she is truly outraged by the use of the "R" word and call for the firing of Limbaugh, Sarah gave him a pass. Once again proving that as far as Sister Sarah is concerned paycheck will trump family and principle every time.


Or maybe based on what I said about context, that it is okay to use those words if you are from the group slurred by said words, it should be okay for Rush to scream the "R" word as much as he wants.

A Tale of Two Cities

Two stories on the evening news highlighted the danger of ignoring history.  The first was a story about an African American U.S. Park Ranger by the name of Spirit Trickey-Rowan who leads tours at the Little Rock Central Historical landmark. On September 24, 1957 Spirit's mom, Minnijean Brown was one of nine students escorted by troops from 101st Airborne past angry mobs and a defiant governor into the building, fulfilling a court order to desegregate the school.

The second story came out of Nashville Tennessee, home to the national tea party convention.  Addressing delegates Grand Wizard Tom Tancreto declared that Obama was elected because "...we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country." A reference to a practice used in the old south to keep black folks from voting. 

Maybe I shouldn't get too upset.  Slap a science question or two on that test and watch the democrats pick up 98 seats in the senate. But I have to remind myself about a failed Austrian painter who was initially  looked upon as clown but went on to become chancellor of Germany.