To the tune of "Up on the House Top"
Up on the hill top
politicians scam,
to screw us over again, and again.
The wealthy rule the nation
and show who's boss
the middle class a notion
of that they wanna toss.
Ho, ho, ho here we go.
Ho, ho, ho up crap road
up on the hill top, what the hell?
Republican policies to us they sell!
Cry baby Boehner, Palin, Bochmann, Paul,
insane and crazy is what they squall.
Twisted fact and anti-love,
ridiculous platform is what they shove.
Ho, ho, ho here we go.
Ho, ho, ho up crap road
up on the hill top, what the hell?
Republican policies to us they sell!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
New Rule: Rich People Who Complain About Being Vilified Should Be Vilified
A little crass, but very well said, by Bill Maher:
New Rule: Rich People Who Complain About Being Vilified Should Be Vilified
New Rule: The next rich person who publicly complains about being vilified by the Obama administration must be publicly vilified by the Obama administration. It's so hard for one person to tell another person what constitutes being "rich", or what tax rate is "too much." But I've done some math that indicates that, considering the hole this country is in, if you are earning more than a million dollars a year and are complaining about a 3.6% tax increase, then you are by definition a greedy asshole.
And let's be clear: that's 3.6% only on income above 250 grand -- your first 250, that's still on the house. Now, this week we got some horrible news: that one in seven Americans are now living below the poverty line. But I want to point you to an American who is truly suffering: Ben Stein. You know Ben Stein, the guy who got rich because when he talks it sounds so boring it's actually funny. He had a game show on Comedy Central, does eye drop commercials, doesn't believe in evolution? Yeah, that asshole. I kid Ben -- so, the other day Ben wrote an article about his struggle. His struggle as a wealthy person facing the prospect of a slightly higher marginal tax rate. Specifically, Ben said that when he was finished paying taxes and his agents, he was left with only 35 cents for every dollar he earned. Which is shocking, Ben Stein has an agent? I didn't know Broadway Danny Rose was still working.
Ben whines in his article about how he's worked for every dollar he has -- if by work you mean saying the word "Bueller" in a movie 25 years ago. Which doesn't bother me in the slightest, it's just that at a time when people in America are desperate and you're raking in the bucks promoting some sleazy Free Credit Score dot-com... maybe you shouldn't be asking us for sympathy. Instead, you should be down on your knees thanking God and/or Ronald Reagan that you were lucky enough to be born in a country where a useless schmuck who contributes absolutely nothing to society can somehow manage to find himself in the top marginal tax bracket.
And you're welcome to come on the show anytime.
Now I can hear you out there saying, "Come on Bill, don't be so hard on Ben Stein, he does a lot of voiceover work, and that's hard work." Ok, it's true, Ben is hardly the only rich person these days crying like a baby who's fallen off his bouncy seat. Last week Mayor Bloomberg of New York complained that all his wealthy friends are very upset with mean ol' President Poopy-Pants: He said they all say the same thing: "I knew I was going to have to pay more taxes. But I didn't expect to be vilified." Poor billionaires -- they just can't catch a break.
First off, far from being vilified, we bailed you out -- you mean we were supposed to give you all that money and kiss your ass, too? That's Hollywood you're thinking of. FDR, he knew how to vilify; this guy, not so much. And second, you should have been vilified -- because you're the vill-ains! I'm sure a lot of you are very nice people. And I'm sure a lot of you are jerks. In other words, you're people. But you are the villains. Who do you think outsourced all the jobs, destroyed the unions, and replaced workers with desperate immigrants and teenagers in China. Joe the Plumber?
And right now, while we run trillion dollar deficits, Republicans are holding America hostage to the cause of preserving the Bush tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest 1% of people, many of them dead. They say that we need to keep taxes on the rich low because they're the job creators. They're not. They're much more likely to save money through mergers and outsourcing and cheap immigrant labor, and pass the unemployment along to you.
Americans think rich people must be brilliant; no -- just ruthless. Meg Whitman is running for Governor out here, and her claim to fame is, she started e-Bay. Yes, Meg tapped into the Zeitgeist, the zeitgeist being the desperate need of millions of Americans to scrape a few dollars together by selling the useless crap in their garage. What is e-Bay but a big cyber lawn sale that you can visit without putting your clothes on?
Another of my favorites, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann said, "I don't know where they're going to get all this money, because we're running out of rich people in this country." Actually, we have more billionaires here in the U.S. than all the other countries in the top ten combined, and their wealth grew 27% in the last year. Did yours? Truth is, there are only two things that the United States is not running out of: Rich people and bullshit. Here's the truth: When you raise taxes slightly on the wealthy, it obviously doesn't destroy the economy -- we know this, because we just did it -- remember the '90's? It wasn't that long ago. You were probably listening to grunge music, or dabbling in witchcraft. Clinton moved the top marginal rate from 36 to 39% -- and far from tanking, the economy did well.
Even 39% isn't high by historical standards. Under Eisenhower, the top tax rate was 91%. Under Nixon, it was 70%. Obama just wants to kick it back to 39 -- just three more points for the very rich. Not back to 91, or 70. Three points. And they go insane. Steve Forbes said that Obama, quote "believes from his inner core that people... above a certain income have more than they should have and that many probably have gotten it from ill-gotten ways." Which they have. Steve Forbes, of course, came by his fortune honestly: he inherited it from his gay egg-collecting, Elizabeth Taylor fag-hagging father, who inherited it from his father. Of course then they moan about the inheritance tax, how the government took 55% percent when Daddy died -- which means you still got 45% for doing nothing more than starting out life as your father's pecker-snot.
We don't hate rich people, but have a little humility about how you got it and stop complaining. Maybe the worst whiner of all: Stephen Schwarzman, #69 on Forbes' list of richest Americans, compared Obama's tax hike to "when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939." Wow. If Obama were Hitler, Mr. Schwarzman, I think your tax rate would be the least of your worries.
New Rule: Rich People Who Complain About Being Vilified Should Be Vilified
New Rule: The next rich person who publicly complains about being vilified by the Obama administration must be publicly vilified by the Obama administration. It's so hard for one person to tell another person what constitutes being "rich", or what tax rate is "too much." But I've done some math that indicates that, considering the hole this country is in, if you are earning more than a million dollars a year and are complaining about a 3.6% tax increase, then you are by definition a greedy asshole.
And let's be clear: that's 3.6% only on income above 250 grand -- your first 250, that's still on the house. Now, this week we got some horrible news: that one in seven Americans are now living below the poverty line. But I want to point you to an American who is truly suffering: Ben Stein. You know Ben Stein, the guy who got rich because when he talks it sounds so boring it's actually funny. He had a game show on Comedy Central, does eye drop commercials, doesn't believe in evolution? Yeah, that asshole. I kid Ben -- so, the other day Ben wrote an article about his struggle. His struggle as a wealthy person facing the prospect of a slightly higher marginal tax rate. Specifically, Ben said that when he was finished paying taxes and his agents, he was left with only 35 cents for every dollar he earned. Which is shocking, Ben Stein has an agent? I didn't know Broadway Danny Rose was still working.
Ben whines in his article about how he's worked for every dollar he has -- if by work you mean saying the word "Bueller" in a movie 25 years ago. Which doesn't bother me in the slightest, it's just that at a time when people in America are desperate and you're raking in the bucks promoting some sleazy Free Credit Score dot-com... maybe you shouldn't be asking us for sympathy. Instead, you should be down on your knees thanking God and/or Ronald Reagan that you were lucky enough to be born in a country where a useless schmuck who contributes absolutely nothing to society can somehow manage to find himself in the top marginal tax bracket.
And you're welcome to come on the show anytime.
Now I can hear you out there saying, "Come on Bill, don't be so hard on Ben Stein, he does a lot of voiceover work, and that's hard work." Ok, it's true, Ben is hardly the only rich person these days crying like a baby who's fallen off his bouncy seat. Last week Mayor Bloomberg of New York complained that all his wealthy friends are very upset with mean ol' President Poopy-Pants: He said they all say the same thing: "I knew I was going to have to pay more taxes. But I didn't expect to be vilified." Poor billionaires -- they just can't catch a break.
First off, far from being vilified, we bailed you out -- you mean we were supposed to give you all that money and kiss your ass, too? That's Hollywood you're thinking of. FDR, he knew how to vilify; this guy, not so much. And second, you should have been vilified -- because you're the vill-ains! I'm sure a lot of you are very nice people. And I'm sure a lot of you are jerks. In other words, you're people. But you are the villains. Who do you think outsourced all the jobs, destroyed the unions, and replaced workers with desperate immigrants and teenagers in China. Joe the Plumber?
And right now, while we run trillion dollar deficits, Republicans are holding America hostage to the cause of preserving the Bush tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest 1% of people, many of them dead. They say that we need to keep taxes on the rich low because they're the job creators. They're not. They're much more likely to save money through mergers and outsourcing and cheap immigrant labor, and pass the unemployment along to you.
Americans think rich people must be brilliant; no -- just ruthless. Meg Whitman is running for Governor out here, and her claim to fame is, she started e-Bay. Yes, Meg tapped into the Zeitgeist, the zeitgeist being the desperate need of millions of Americans to scrape a few dollars together by selling the useless crap in their garage. What is e-Bay but a big cyber lawn sale that you can visit without putting your clothes on?
Another of my favorites, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann said, "I don't know where they're going to get all this money, because we're running out of rich people in this country." Actually, we have more billionaires here in the U.S. than all the other countries in the top ten combined, and their wealth grew 27% in the last year. Did yours? Truth is, there are only two things that the United States is not running out of: Rich people and bullshit. Here's the truth: When you raise taxes slightly on the wealthy, it obviously doesn't destroy the economy -- we know this, because we just did it -- remember the '90's? It wasn't that long ago. You were probably listening to grunge music, or dabbling in witchcraft. Clinton moved the top marginal rate from 36 to 39% -- and far from tanking, the economy did well.
Even 39% isn't high by historical standards. Under Eisenhower, the top tax rate was 91%. Under Nixon, it was 70%. Obama just wants to kick it back to 39 -- just three more points for the very rich. Not back to 91, or 70. Three points. And they go insane. Steve Forbes said that Obama, quote "believes from his inner core that people... above a certain income have more than they should have and that many probably have gotten it from ill-gotten ways." Which they have. Steve Forbes, of course, came by his fortune honestly: he inherited it from his gay egg-collecting, Elizabeth Taylor fag-hagging father, who inherited it from his father. Of course then they moan about the inheritance tax, how the government took 55% percent when Daddy died -- which means you still got 45% for doing nothing more than starting out life as your father's pecker-snot.
We don't hate rich people, but have a little humility about how you got it and stop complaining. Maybe the worst whiner of all: Stephen Schwarzman, #69 on Forbes' list of richest Americans, compared Obama's tax hike to "when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939." Wow. If Obama were Hitler, Mr. Schwarzman, I think your tax rate would be the least of your worries.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Change IS Happening!
I was sitting in a sandwich shop this afternoon, by myself of all things....no kids! Ahhh, relaxation! I guess that's why I had actual thoughts! ...So, I was sitting there, and of coarse they had a TV on. Yes, you guessed it! Fox News was on. I about loose my appetite when I find Fox News on in the same place where I have to eat! While I was "watching" there were two attractive women, discussing Obama. The conversation was entirely about how Obama is cold, arrogant, and out of touch with "real America." They aired, very edited, clips and pictures with Obama's head held high to back up their portrayal. They then began to bash his "incapability" of turning our country around. "Where's all the change?", they patronized.
I sat with this propaganda portrayal for awhile, really trying to dissect the attitude. Also including, into my dissection, a recent incident with family with the same hate filled, factless, superiority complex as the witnessed show before me. Of coarse the right has an agenda to fill. They have to portray the "other side" as the enemy so they may lift themselves a little higher. It's like the bully in the school yard putting everyone down, just so he can build himself up and fill his void of self confidence. But, for some reason, put the bully in the arena of politics, and suddenly everyone is blinded as to who he really is. He's loud, mean, twists the facts, and is in our face so much, that it's hard to see around him to the truth!
"Where's the change?" the two women cackled from their "news" desks. Remember, we inherited this mess. We inherited 2 wars, one of the worst recessions brought on by the deregulation of our market, $482 billion deficit (actually more, as it doesn't reflect war cost and such), a destroyed regulatory structure of the government as inspectors, administrators, and regulators were replaced with corrupt cronies, a neglected healthcare system, educational system, energy policies, environmental issues and more.
It took eight loooooong years to consistently dissolve America. We have to remember that it's only been two years of working to restore and build America to at least what it once was and hopefully better. Only this time, there is actual foresight in place! That's not arrogance that's intelligence! Our president is looking to the future and investing in it. Tomorrow, September 23rd is a big step in restoring health care! Children will no longer be dropped for pre-existing conditions and college kids (at lease until the age of 26) will have the peace of mind of staying on their parent's policies. College kids can also expect some financial relief for their education. Yes, money is being spent now, but will eventually relieve us in the end. You have to spend money to make money, right!?! I agree, change isn't coming fast enough, but it IS happening. The bullies can continue with their bashing, name calling, and twists of truth...but, we're rubber and they're glue! Whatever they say, bounces off us and sticks on them! So...stick that in your crayon box!
I sat with this propaganda portrayal for awhile, really trying to dissect the attitude. Also including, into my dissection, a recent incident with family with the same hate filled, factless, superiority complex as the witnessed show before me. Of coarse the right has an agenda to fill. They have to portray the "other side" as the enemy so they may lift themselves a little higher. It's like the bully in the school yard putting everyone down, just so he can build himself up and fill his void of self confidence. But, for some reason, put the bully in the arena of politics, and suddenly everyone is blinded as to who he really is. He's loud, mean, twists the facts, and is in our face so much, that it's hard to see around him to the truth!
"Where's the change?" the two women cackled from their "news" desks. Remember, we inherited this mess. We inherited 2 wars, one of the worst recessions brought on by the deregulation of our market, $482 billion deficit (actually more, as it doesn't reflect war cost and such), a destroyed regulatory structure of the government as inspectors, administrators, and regulators were replaced with corrupt cronies, a neglected healthcare system, educational system, energy policies, environmental issues and more.
It took eight loooooong years to consistently dissolve America. We have to remember that it's only been two years of working to restore and build America to at least what it once was and hopefully better. Only this time, there is actual foresight in place! That's not arrogance that's intelligence! Our president is looking to the future and investing in it. Tomorrow, September 23rd is a big step in restoring health care! Children will no longer be dropped for pre-existing conditions and college kids (at lease until the age of 26) will have the peace of mind of staying on their parent's policies. College kids can also expect some financial relief for their education. Yes, money is being spent now, but will eventually relieve us in the end. You have to spend money to make money, right!?! I agree, change isn't coming fast enough, but it IS happening. The bullies can continue with their bashing, name calling, and twists of truth...but, we're rubber and they're glue! Whatever they say, bounces off us and sticks on them! So...stick that in your crayon box!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
...I have a dream?
By - Michelle Matthews
Tuesday August 31, 2010, 3:26 pm
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all mega-corporations with legions of lobbyists are created more than equal to anybody.”
I have a dream that the Yalie son of a Houston oil magnate can walk hand in hand with the daughter of a Wall Street hedge fund operator on the white sands of Southampton while evading inheritance taxes.
I have a dream that from the glorious Pacific to the bountiful Atlantic the Castro will become gayless and Greenwich Village will become free of feminism.
I have a dream that the Republican Party will come up with one new idea, any new idea, even if it is a rerun of one of Rush’s or my ideas, just to show that it isn’t completely brain-dead.
I have a dream that the young white guys playing with rifles at survivalist retreats in northern Michigan, that the middle-aged white guys playing Minuteman with guns at the Arizona border, and the older white guys frolicking at the Bohemian Grove, playing with whatever they play with, will keep people of different races or religions in their place.
I have a dream that the Supreme Court will vote 5 to 4 to revoke the statehood of Hawaii—but not Alaska—vindicating you Birthers out there.
I have a dream that Rupert Murdoch and the Fortune 500, thanks to another Supreme Court vote of 5 to 4, will be free to buy the Senate, the House and the White House at a Sotheby’s auction, without elections or public financing of campaigns.
I have a dream that oil spills in the Gulf, mining in West Virginia, egg farming in Iowa and predatory lending in every state will keep evading oversight.
I have a dream that all our children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the content of their character, but by the size of their stock portfolios.
I have a dream that the former lily-white golf clubs of Georgia and the lily-white boardrooms of Halliburton will not be tainted by people of different races or religions.
May corporations get the American people and “government of the people, by the people and for the people” (Lincoln had it wrong) off our backs.
From the newsroom of Fox to the boardrooms of our corporate masters, let freedom ring.
Thanks to Justice Roberts Almighty, the tea party and the GOP, we’ll be free at last!
Tuesday August 31, 2010, 3:26 pm
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all mega-corporations with legions of lobbyists are created more than equal to anybody.”
I have a dream that the Yalie son of a Houston oil magnate can walk hand in hand with the daughter of a Wall Street hedge fund operator on the white sands of Southampton while evading inheritance taxes.
I have a dream that from the glorious Pacific to the bountiful Atlantic the Castro will become gayless and Greenwich Village will become free of feminism.
I have a dream that the Republican Party will come up with one new idea, any new idea, even if it is a rerun of one of Rush’s or my ideas, just to show that it isn’t completely brain-dead.
I have a dream that the young white guys playing with rifles at survivalist retreats in northern Michigan, that the middle-aged white guys playing Minuteman with guns at the Arizona border, and the older white guys frolicking at the Bohemian Grove, playing with whatever they play with, will keep people of different races or religions in their place.
I have a dream that the Supreme Court will vote 5 to 4 to revoke the statehood of Hawaii—but not Alaska—vindicating you Birthers out there.
I have a dream that Rupert Murdoch and the Fortune 500, thanks to another Supreme Court vote of 5 to 4, will be free to buy the Senate, the House and the White House at a Sotheby’s auction, without elections or public financing of campaigns.
I have a dream that oil spills in the Gulf, mining in West Virginia, egg farming in Iowa and predatory lending in every state will keep evading oversight.
I have a dream that all our children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the content of their character, but by the size of their stock portfolios.
I have a dream that the former lily-white golf clubs of Georgia and the lily-white boardrooms of Halliburton will not be tainted by people of different races or religions.
May corporations get the American people and “government of the people, by the people and for the people” (Lincoln had it wrong) off our backs.
From the newsroom of Fox to the boardrooms of our corporate masters, let freedom ring.
Thanks to Justice Roberts Almighty, the tea party and the GOP, we’ll be free at last!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Community Center in NY
Let's get something straight! For those out there that believe it is incomprehensible to build a religious community center in Manhattan (no...not a mosque), you should ask yourself one question.
Who do you think we are fighting to protect and dying for in Iraq? Shiites and Sunnis! And yes...they are ALL Muslims.
Who do you think we are fighting to protect and dying for in Iraq? Shiites and Sunnis! And yes...they are ALL Muslims.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Where is Erin Brockovich When You Need Her?
This BP oil industrial crime (I refuse to call it a spill as if it were an accident) is a disastrous occurrence that will haunt us for years and decades to come. As terrible as it is, it has only been at the forethought of our minds for the last few months. And, it's probably only been given this much attention because it is in America's oceans and coast lines. What a crime it is that very few of us even know about Chevron's deliberate industrial crime that has gone on for more than 4 DECADES in Ecuador's rain forest!
"Between 1964 and 1990, Texaco (which was acquired by Chevron in 2001) drilled roughly 350 wells across 2,700 square miles of Amazon rainforest. It extracted some $30 billion in profits while deliberately dumping 18 billion gallons of toxic soup, known as production water--a mixture of oil, sulpheric acid, and other carcinogens--into the streams and rivers where people collect drinking water, fish, bathe, and swim."
"In the process, Texaco constructed over 900 oil sludge pits, many the size of Olympic swimming pools. Unlike swimming pools, these pits were unlined punctures in the earth. With no concrete to protect the surrounding soil, poison seeped into the ground water." (Huffington Post)
Where is Erin Brockovich when you need her?
As hard as it will be, and as much as we will have to change jobs, mind-sets, and our false sense of security, we have got to get rid of our oil usage all together! We have to do the right thing, instead of continuing to take the easy way out. Just because it is profitable, doesn't make it right!
We KNOW there are other productive ways, and cleaner ways may I add, to use energy! (Which, by the way, would create more jobs in the long run!) Why are we so resistant to change our unhealthy ways? Why is it so easy for us to forgive big-fat oil companies who use and abuse us every single day? Their acts are simply not defend-able, but yet they do it and get the public to support them anyways! At the very least, why aren't we looking at this as a home-land security issue? Forget about the environmental impacts, we could "drill-baby-drill" all day long. But, doesn't anyone understand that even the oil we drill here at home goes into a world market? It's not necessarily drilled for our own personal use! Wake up America!
To read about an eye witness account of what is going on in Ecuador, please read the following link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kerry-kennedy/chevron-and-cultural-geno_b_346257.html
or
http://chevrontoxico.com/
"Between 1964 and 1990, Texaco (which was acquired by Chevron in 2001) drilled roughly 350 wells across 2,700 square miles of Amazon rainforest. It extracted some $30 billion in profits while deliberately dumping 18 billion gallons of toxic soup, known as production water--a mixture of oil, sulpheric acid, and other carcinogens--into the streams and rivers where people collect drinking water, fish, bathe, and swim."
"In the process, Texaco constructed over 900 oil sludge pits, many the size of Olympic swimming pools. Unlike swimming pools, these pits were unlined punctures in the earth. With no concrete to protect the surrounding soil, poison seeped into the ground water." (Huffington Post)
Where is Erin Brockovich when you need her?
As hard as it will be, and as much as we will have to change jobs, mind-sets, and our false sense of security, we have got to get rid of our oil usage all together! We have to do the right thing, instead of continuing to take the easy way out. Just because it is profitable, doesn't make it right!
We KNOW there are other productive ways, and cleaner ways may I add, to use energy! (Which, by the way, would create more jobs in the long run!) Why are we so resistant to change our unhealthy ways? Why is it so easy for us to forgive big-fat oil companies who use and abuse us every single day? Their acts are simply not defend-able, but yet they do it and get the public to support them anyways! At the very least, why aren't we looking at this as a home-land security issue? Forget about the environmental impacts, we could "drill-baby-drill" all day long. But, doesn't anyone understand that even the oil we drill here at home goes into a world market? It's not necessarily drilled for our own personal use! Wake up America!
To read about an eye witness account of what is going on in Ecuador, please read the following link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kerry-kennedy/chevron-and-cultural-geno_b_346257.html
or
http://chevrontoxico.com/
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Does Anyone Honestly Think Our Founding Fathers Wanted a Land Of More of The Same?
I guess lately, I am stuck on the issue of our founding fathers and their actual intention for our nation. It just seems to be the foundation for the right wing extremist and their plight to not only make a national religion for America, but it also seems to be the root of their anger and arrogance. They seem to have forgotten about about the humble aspect of their beliefs. It has simply turned into a political platform. This group ignores actual fact on a regular bases unless it can somehow back up their propaganda. And usually the facts have to be twisted just to fit into that hole.
Living in the south, I have to hear on a regular bases from my right wing friends, that we are a "Christian nation". I have to hear about the "prophecies" coming true as prayer is being removed from graduation ceremonies and football games. I have to hear many of them use Glen Beck, and Fox news in general, for their resource of history of our nation. Therefore, I have been educating myself on our nation's history, our roots, and the actual intentions for this nation. Not that it really should matter though right? Even if it were true, for argument sake, that this country was founded on Christianity, shouldn't we learn to evolve into the all encompassing nation that we set out to be?
I have been reading a book called, The Moral Minority - Our Skeptical Founding Fathers, by Brook Allen. Although I am only half way through the book, I have gotten a better insight into our beginning as a nation and the ludicrous notion that these men would actually base this nation on the Bible. The author gives a history on some of the founding men and their philosophies. As I was already aware, many of these men were deist. Which means, they didn't give a whole lot of regard to religion itself, but did respect the root of each religion's teachings. They, themselves, believed in a God of life so to speak, but not a religious God, and definitely not the Christian God. Benjamin Franklin even used a great analogy. He said that ALL religions are like sugar. They can be wrapped in different colored paper, but that the contents were all the same. Although, I will not deny the fact that there were many that were Christian. However, it is important to know that our founding authors were not all from the same fabric, but that their vision to make this an inclusive nation for all peoples tended to be uniform. It is also important to know that the majority of these men were intellectuals. In a time when education was a luxury, a good half of our first congress went to college and held law degrees.
Our roots fled from England and the religious suppression. America became our new home and open to a new description. However, we fell back into our old ways after a few generations of living on this new continent. Religious persecution ran rampant within the strict Puritan laws in some communities and in events such as the Salem Witch Trials. Stories of persecution in England were passed down to our founding fathers, and they also witnessed it first hand in the colonies. When they set out to make laws for the country they fought so hard for, these men understood that religion had no place in government, hence separation of church in state. They understood the slippery slope it could lead to.
The term "God" is used in the Declaration of Independence. It was a generic God term and this was a script written to tell England, and all nations, that we were now our own country. But, in the actual Constitution (the actual laws and rights of our nation), God and religion is left out. Statesmen used to have to make an oath that the Bible was truth and they soley believed in its contents when taking office. During the writing of the Constitution, this oath was abolished.
Benjamin Franklin, Jefferson and others were very candid and open about their beliefs, and even bordered on atheism in some regards, while George Washington was very private. Our founding men had a reputation to uphold and had to appeal to the masses and to the religious extremist...much as it is today. So, often times, a reference to the Bible, or to religion in general, was more for social reasons as they held powerful yet fragile positions. This is where today's right wing likes to find contradiction and twist facts to their liking. As many of our pivotal founding men were open about their beliefs and their visions for America on one hand, they would often speak the religious words the voters wanted to hear while at the podium, on the other hand. But, it all boils down to one point. Does anyone honestly think our nation's authors really wanted a land of more of the same? They heard the stories of suppression in England and they witnessed first hand, within the colonies, of what extreme religion (of any kind) could lead to. They understood the dangerous consequences of what starting a nation, and continuing it, could be if based on a single belief system.
Living in the south, I have to hear on a regular bases from my right wing friends, that we are a "Christian nation". I have to hear about the "prophecies" coming true as prayer is being removed from graduation ceremonies and football games. I have to hear many of them use Glen Beck, and Fox news in general, for their resource of history of our nation. Therefore, I have been educating myself on our nation's history, our roots, and the actual intentions for this nation. Not that it really should matter though right? Even if it were true, for argument sake, that this country was founded on Christianity, shouldn't we learn to evolve into the all encompassing nation that we set out to be?
I have been reading a book called, The Moral Minority - Our Skeptical Founding Fathers, by Brook Allen. Although I am only half way through the book, I have gotten a better insight into our beginning as a nation and the ludicrous notion that these men would actually base this nation on the Bible. The author gives a history on some of the founding men and their philosophies. As I was already aware, many of these men were deist. Which means, they didn't give a whole lot of regard to religion itself, but did respect the root of each religion's teachings. They, themselves, believed in a God of life so to speak, but not a religious God, and definitely not the Christian God. Benjamin Franklin even used a great analogy. He said that ALL religions are like sugar. They can be wrapped in different colored paper, but that the contents were all the same. Although, I will not deny the fact that there were many that were Christian. However, it is important to know that our founding authors were not all from the same fabric, but that their vision to make this an inclusive nation for all peoples tended to be uniform. It is also important to know that the majority of these men were intellectuals. In a time when education was a luxury, a good half of our first congress went to college and held law degrees.
Our roots fled from England and the religious suppression. America became our new home and open to a new description. However, we fell back into our old ways after a few generations of living on this new continent. Religious persecution ran rampant within the strict Puritan laws in some communities and in events such as the Salem Witch Trials. Stories of persecution in England were passed down to our founding fathers, and they also witnessed it first hand in the colonies. When they set out to make laws for the country they fought so hard for, these men understood that religion had no place in government, hence separation of church in state. They understood the slippery slope it could lead to.
The term "God" is used in the Declaration of Independence. It was a generic God term and this was a script written to tell England, and all nations, that we were now our own country. But, in the actual Constitution (the actual laws and rights of our nation), God and religion is left out. Statesmen used to have to make an oath that the Bible was truth and they soley believed in its contents when taking office. During the writing of the Constitution, this oath was abolished.
Benjamin Franklin, Jefferson and others were very candid and open about their beliefs, and even bordered on atheism in some regards, while George Washington was very private. Our founding men had a reputation to uphold and had to appeal to the masses and to the religious extremist...much as it is today. So, often times, a reference to the Bible, or to religion in general, was more for social reasons as they held powerful yet fragile positions. This is where today's right wing likes to find contradiction and twist facts to their liking. As many of our pivotal founding men were open about their beliefs and their visions for America on one hand, they would often speak the religious words the voters wanted to hear while at the podium, on the other hand. But, it all boils down to one point. Does anyone honestly think our nation's authors really wanted a land of more of the same? They heard the stories of suppression in England and they witnessed first hand, within the colonies, of what extreme religion (of any kind) could lead to. They understood the dangerous consequences of what starting a nation, and continuing it, could be if based on a single belief system.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
A Bit O' Trivia
I came across this and thought I'd share a bit o' trivia with you. Guess who said this: “No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.” Give up? It was George Bush...no, not George W, but his "daddy!" The interview was done by a man named Robert Sherman. He interviewed Bush in '87 while campaigning for presidency. Here's a snip of the interview:
Sherman: What will you do to win the votes of the Americans who are atheists?
Bush: I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in God is important to me.
Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?
Bush: No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.
Sherman (somewhat taken aback): Do you support as a sound constitutional principle the separation of state and church?
Bush: Yes, I support the separation of church and state. I'm just not very high on atheists.
Need I say more? This thought permeates the right-wing base. The thought that American government only exists for the Christian Americans, and everybody else might as well step out of the voting lines, as their voices are not important. Last I checked, we are a nation that believes that EVERYONE is equal...believers and non-believer alike! It's the things that make you say, hmmmm....
Sherman: What will you do to win the votes of the Americans who are atheists?
Bush: I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in God is important to me.
Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?
Bush: No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God.
Sherman (somewhat taken aback): Do you support as a sound constitutional principle the separation of state and church?
Bush: Yes, I support the separation of church and state. I'm just not very high on atheists.
Need I say more? This thought permeates the right-wing base. The thought that American government only exists for the Christian Americans, and everybody else might as well step out of the voting lines, as their voices are not important. Last I checked, we are a nation that believes that EVERYONE is equal...believers and non-believer alike! It's the things that make you say, hmmmm....
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
America - Not Just For Christians
You hear frequently from the Right that "Liberals" are trying to get rid of God. "They are trying to take the ten commandments off court buildings, take prayer away from children...I bet they'll even take God out of our pledge and American creeds!" Nobody is trying to "get rid of God!" If anything, the Christian God symbols are being added and displayed more and more. The Pledge of Allegiance only had the word "God" in it within the last 50 years. The Texas Pledge just added the word "God" a few years ago. Do you honestly need to have Christian symbols and words written on courts of law, on American money, in almost every patriotic symbol, to continue on with your faith? Our government is secular and doesn't (or shouldn't) privilege one religion over another. There's a reason in the early days of our country the leaders (even the religious leaders) fought to keep religion out of the government.
Let me paint an example. This is America, the land where people have freedom to believe, or not to believe, in whatever they so choose. We pride ourselves in the roots of our tolerance and openness to all walks of life. Now, let's suppose the majority of Americans are Muslim. (It very well could, as the brand of "God" is not specified in the declaration. I could have also used the Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, or Atheist analogy to make my point.)
So, picture this: You, as a Christian, are to say the pledge of allegiance every morning at school, but instead of saying God, you have to say "Allah". You, as a Christian, are to use American money with the words, "In Allah We Trust". You, as a Christian, listen to the news and hear politicians scream about how a candidate is not Muslim enough. You, as a Christian, have to go to court, for whatever reason, and have to enter buildings with maybe this quote from the Quran engraved in the stones above its doorway, "The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto: but if a person forgets and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah." [62:40] or maybe this verse "The only true faith in Allah's sight is Islam".
You, as a Christian, hear that Republicans want to change the law and want to have prayer in all public schools, therefore the students would now have a prayer mat and pray to the west at least once during the day. You also hear that Republicans want to change all of the text books, because they feel that more leaders, with strong Muslim roots, should be taught rather than actual historical events. Now, your tax dollars have paid for the school buildings, text books, and teacher salaries. Your tax dollars pay for the court house, for the politician's salaries that voted in the word "Allah" into the American creeds and so fourth. Now, do you feel that America is living up to it's creed of tolerance and openness? Do you now feel degraded and feel that you are not valued as a citizen? It is quite arrogant of that one particular religious group isn't it, who feel they own America and that nobody else really seems to matter or count?
My point is, Christians do not own America, and it is arrogant to think otherwise. Excuse this analogy, but it's like a dog peeing everywhere to mark his territory. Nobody is trying to take "God away." It's just the case of trying to keep certain places, especially those owned by Government/tax payers, neutral or to keep things on an even playing field so to speak. If things are neutral, and one group isn't receiving special attention over another, then there isn't a reason for anyone to get offended or to feel that they are less American. Or, you could do the opposite, you can make sure that every single religion/non-religion is represented on court houses, money, and so fourth....but I would think that would get a little pricey and ridiculous.
Nobody is trying to take the Christian religion away. A belief lies within your heart, your teachings to your children, your church (or religious meeting place) and religious community, and within the choices you make for YOURSELF. However, your religion does not belong on the front of a court buildings. And, taking down religious phrases off court buildings does not take away from your beliefs...you still have the right to practice whatever faith you so choose....that's the great thing about Freedom of Religion!
Let me paint an example. This is America, the land where people have freedom to believe, or not to believe, in whatever they so choose. We pride ourselves in the roots of our tolerance and openness to all walks of life. Now, let's suppose the majority of Americans are Muslim. (It very well could, as the brand of "God" is not specified in the declaration. I could have also used the Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, or Atheist analogy to make my point.)
So, picture this: You, as a Christian, are to say the pledge of allegiance every morning at school, but instead of saying God, you have to say "Allah". You, as a Christian, are to use American money with the words, "In Allah We Trust". You, as a Christian, listen to the news and hear politicians scream about how a candidate is not Muslim enough. You, as a Christian, have to go to court, for whatever reason, and have to enter buildings with maybe this quote from the Quran engraved in the stones above its doorway, "The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto: but if a person forgets and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah." [62:40] or maybe this verse "The only true faith in Allah's sight is Islam".
You, as a Christian, hear that Republicans want to change the law and want to have prayer in all public schools, therefore the students would now have a prayer mat and pray to the west at least once during the day. You also hear that Republicans want to change all of the text books, because they feel that more leaders, with strong Muslim roots, should be taught rather than actual historical events. Now, your tax dollars have paid for the school buildings, text books, and teacher salaries. Your tax dollars pay for the court house, for the politician's salaries that voted in the word "Allah" into the American creeds and so fourth. Now, do you feel that America is living up to it's creed of tolerance and openness? Do you now feel degraded and feel that you are not valued as a citizen? It is quite arrogant of that one particular religious group isn't it, who feel they own America and that nobody else really seems to matter or count?
My point is, Christians do not own America, and it is arrogant to think otherwise. Excuse this analogy, but it's like a dog peeing everywhere to mark his territory. Nobody is trying to take "God away." It's just the case of trying to keep certain places, especially those owned by Government/tax payers, neutral or to keep things on an even playing field so to speak. If things are neutral, and one group isn't receiving special attention over another, then there isn't a reason for anyone to get offended or to feel that they are less American. Or, you could do the opposite, you can make sure that every single religion/non-religion is represented on court houses, money, and so fourth....but I would think that would get a little pricey and ridiculous.
Nobody is trying to take the Christian religion away. A belief lies within your heart, your teachings to your children, your church (or religious meeting place) and religious community, and within the choices you make for YOURSELF. However, your religion does not belong on the front of a court buildings. And, taking down religious phrases off court buildings does not take away from your beliefs...you still have the right to practice whatever faith you so choose....that's the great thing about Freedom of Religion!
Friday, April 23, 2010
People Who Care, Attract People Who Hate
"It's the same old story: Lincoln, Ghandi, MLK, JFK, Lennon... People who care attract people who hate."
If you are on Facebook, there is a group who is actually "praying" for Obama's Death. Go to this site to report the group for its violence and hate speech. Towards the bottom on the left hand side, there is a button that says "report".
Link to the offensive site:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/DEAR-LORD-THIS-YEAR-YOU-TOOK-MY-FAVORITE-ACTOR-PATRICK-SWAYZIE-YOU-TOOK-MY-FAVORITE-ACTRESS-FARAH-FAWCETT-YOU-TOOK-MY-FAVORITE-SINGER-MICHAEL-JACKSON-I-JUST-WANTED-TO-LET-YOU-KNOW-MY-FAVORITE-PRESIDENT-IS-BARACK-OBAMA-AMEN/111712585523370?ref=ts
Also, go to this site to sign a petition to clean up facebook:
Link to online petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/clean-up-facebook
If you are on Facebook, there is a group who is actually "praying" for Obama's Death. Go to this site to report the group for its violence and hate speech. Towards the bottom on the left hand side, there is a button that says "report".
Link to the offensive site:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/DEAR-LORD-THIS-YEAR-YOU-TOOK-MY-FAVORITE-ACTOR-PATRICK-SWAYZIE-YOU-TOOK-MY-FAVORITE-ACTRESS-FARAH-FAWCETT-YOU-TOOK-MY-FAVORITE-SINGER-MICHAEL-JACKSON-I-JUST-WANTED-TO-LET-YOU-KNOW-MY-FAVORITE-PRESIDENT-IS-BARACK-OBAMA-AMEN/111712585523370?ref=ts
Also, go to this site to sign a petition to clean up facebook:
Link to online petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/clean-up-facebook
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tea-Baggers - You Just Can't Fix Stupid
You just can't fix stupid! These are the faces of the "Tea-Party!" As you can see, education was a waste on this bunch!
And just for a little dose of fact....
And just for a little dose of fact....
Party of "NO!" Says "NO!" Before They Even Know What They Are Saying "NO!" To...
It's only been hours since Justice Stevens announced he is going to retire from the Supreme Court. It says a lot when the right wing is already threatening to filibuster whoever Obama appoints as the new Supreme Court Justice. They are threatening even before they KNOW who Obama wants to appoint. Their mouths are already watering for a fight! Who cares about content right? It's just "NO!" heard loud and clear, even before they know what they are saying "NO!" to!
Friday, April 2, 2010
A Little More Digging Reveals...
So, a little more digging reveals that Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News is actually an Australian who became an American Citizen in the 80's. The only reason he became an American Citizen was because there’s a law that says only American citizens can be the main owners of American television stations. America is where the money is, so that where Murdock is, and he takes full advantage of America’s lax media regulations. Murdoch has also had many shady business dealings and admits to having hidden money in tax havens.
In addition to a foreigner from a nation with “socialized medicine” owning an American News station, Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the largest stock holder in Fox News! Prince Alwaleed is an outspoken American hater, as he has said on record that 9-11 was America’s fault, and he openly funds terrorist! It’s amazing how all of this juicy fact is just lying underneath the surface and nobody is reporting on this! I wonder how the Fox viewer would feel if they knew they got their news from a foreigner, and just because they watch it, they help to line the pockets of American hating terrorist! But, then again, those that watch Fox wouldn’t know a fact if it hit them in the head! The brainwashing has already taken over.
Read the link below. It's a great blog that explains a whole lot more about Fox news.
http://personal-political.blogspot.com/2010/03/who-owns-your-news.html
In addition to a foreigner from a nation with “socialized medicine” owning an American News station, Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the largest stock holder in Fox News! Prince Alwaleed is an outspoken American hater, as he has said on record that 9-11 was America’s fault, and he openly funds terrorist! It’s amazing how all of this juicy fact is just lying underneath the surface and nobody is reporting on this! I wonder how the Fox viewer would feel if they knew they got their news from a foreigner, and just because they watch it, they help to line the pockets of American hating terrorist! But, then again, those that watch Fox wouldn’t know a fact if it hit them in the head! The brainwashing has already taken over.
Read the link below. It's a great blog that explains a whole lot more about Fox news.
http://personal-political.blogspot.com/2010/03/who-owns-your-news.html
There is No Such thing as a "Liberal Media"
Is it really true that we have a “liberal media?” You often hear right wing candidates and their followers complain about the “liberal media” and how they have been handed the short end of the stick. You often hear that the airwaves are riddled with liberal views, and therefore the only station that offers any truth is Fox News. This couldn’t be further from the truth! As I pondered this question, I did a little research. After only scratching the surface, my blood began to boil. It’s worse then I imagined! 99.9% of media found on the TV airwaves are OWNED by not only conservative corporations, but huge contributors to the Republican Party and its candidates!
Let’s start with the obvious. It is no secret that Fox is a conservative news station. What I didn’t know is that they own 22 TV stations, which is 50% of the U.S. household. They also own 132 newspapers which include the New York Post and the London Times, and 113 of those newspapers are in Australia. Fox also owns over 25 magazines. The most startling thing to me is how they are seeping into the international media. Fox International, as it is called, owns 40% of British Sky Broadcasting, 50% of VOX in Germany, Canal Fox in Latin America, FOXTEL in Australia, STAR TV in Asia, IskyB in India, Bahasa Programming Ltd in Indonesia, and 80% of the News Broadcasting in Japan! Just to throw out another little tid-bit of information, which I’m sure comes to no surprise is that from 1998-2004, Fox spent $249 million on lobbying and $27 million on Federal Candidates and lawmakers. And they call themselves balanced news…HA!
Time Warner Cable, which owns CNN, HBO, Cinemax, TNT, TCM, Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, and much more is the largest owner of cable systems in the US. They are also huge contributors to the Republican Party. In 2004 they gave over 1.6 million to Bush alone. The executives and the Time Warner PAC were the big contributors, with only about $35,000 going to two democratic committees.
Disney, which owns ABC, ESPN, The History Channel, E, Miramax, Disney Theme Parks, and much, much more, is also a contributor to the Republican Party. More than 52% of Disney PAC money this year has gone to republicans.
CBS is owned by Westinghouse and NBC is owned by GE, two major nuclear weapon manufactures who have huge stakes in our current wars abroad and who have also contributed in the millions to Republican Candidates. Conflict of interest, I think so! GE owns over 28 TV stations which include beloved stations such as NBC, CNBC, Bravo, Universal, and half of MSNBC. The other half is owned by Microsoft which seems to flip-flop over the aisle. In 2004, Microsoft actually donated 2.4 million to Bush with 54% of PAC money going to republicans in general, while today 54% of PAC money is going to democrats. In 2006 GE donated 63% of PAC money to republicans and the Westinghouse PAC donated 81% to republicans.
I’ve pretty much listed most of our TV pleasures that appear across our TV screen, but I really could go on. I think I’ve made my point though. The conservatives have bought the airwaves, and they get to feed us what they want to. The “Liberal Media” myth serves several purposes: it raises public skepticism about liberal news stories, hides conservative bias when it appears, and goads the media to the right. GOP strategist William Kristol also reveals another reason: "I admit it: the liberal media were never that powerful, and the whole thing was often used as an excuse by conservatives for conservative failures." Even far-right figures like Pat Buchanan come clean: "The truth is, I've gotten fairer, more comprehensive coverage of my ideas than I ever imagined I would receive." He further conceded: "I've gotten balanced coverage and broad coverage -- all we could have asked… For heaven sakes, we kid about the liberal media, but every Republican on earth does that."
You have to also wonder about our news anchors that are furiously owned by the big corporate giants. Last I saw, Diane Sawyer was making $7 million when she was on Good Morning America. Actually news anchors make anywhere from $700,000-$7 million on up. There was a study done on anchors from major stations. They were sent anonymous questionnaires, which went to 78 national news organizations, with an emphasis on the following 14: ABC News /ABC Radio, Associated Press, AP Broadcast News, Bloomberg News, CNN, Knight-Ridder Newspapers/Tribune Information Services, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, New York Times, Reuters America, Inc., Time, USA Today/USA Weekend, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Washington Times.
On social issues, 66% characterized themselves politically as center to right. On economic issues 83% characterized themselves politically as center to right. What happened?
15 years ago, journalist considered themselves to be liberal. Why the big shift? Is it due to their bulging salaries that keep them out of touch with Americans? Studies do show that receiving higher incomes tend to lead a person to become more economically conservative. Could it be that media corporation stopped hiring liberal journalist? Whatever the answer may be, we are being brain-washed! This could not be more evident than the trends taking place today. People believe what they are fed, and when you add the fact that our media is laced with conservative talking points, and lies all to feed their agenda of lining their pockets with corporate money, it’s no wonder why organizations like the Tea Party, The “Christian Militia”, and ignorant rallies are popping up. You would think that in the age of accessible information, ignorance would not be so rampant….kind of makes you say, hmmmmmm…..
Ed Schulz had a great show Wednesday about how the Right Wing controls our radio airwaves by 91%. To watch that show, follow this link:
http://www.bigeddieradio.com/videoblog/details.asp?BID=290
Informational Sites:
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-liberalmedia.htm
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2003/04/47530.php
http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2004/10/chief-executive-officer-of-time-warner.html
Let’s start with the obvious. It is no secret that Fox is a conservative news station. What I didn’t know is that they own 22 TV stations, which is 50% of the U.S. household. They also own 132 newspapers which include the New York Post and the London Times, and 113 of those newspapers are in Australia. Fox also owns over 25 magazines. The most startling thing to me is how they are seeping into the international media. Fox International, as it is called, owns 40% of British Sky Broadcasting, 50% of VOX in Germany, Canal Fox in Latin America, FOXTEL in Australia, STAR TV in Asia, IskyB in India, Bahasa Programming Ltd in Indonesia, and 80% of the News Broadcasting in Japan! Just to throw out another little tid-bit of information, which I’m sure comes to no surprise is that from 1998-2004, Fox spent $249 million on lobbying and $27 million on Federal Candidates and lawmakers. And they call themselves balanced news…HA!
Time Warner Cable, which owns CNN, HBO, Cinemax, TNT, TCM, Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, and much more is the largest owner of cable systems in the US. They are also huge contributors to the Republican Party. In 2004 they gave over 1.6 million to Bush alone. The executives and the Time Warner PAC were the big contributors, with only about $35,000 going to two democratic committees.
Disney, which owns ABC, ESPN, The History Channel, E, Miramax, Disney Theme Parks, and much, much more, is also a contributor to the Republican Party. More than 52% of Disney PAC money this year has gone to republicans.
CBS is owned by Westinghouse and NBC is owned by GE, two major nuclear weapon manufactures who have huge stakes in our current wars abroad and who have also contributed in the millions to Republican Candidates. Conflict of interest, I think so! GE owns over 28 TV stations which include beloved stations such as NBC, CNBC, Bravo, Universal, and half of MSNBC. The other half is owned by Microsoft which seems to flip-flop over the aisle. In 2004, Microsoft actually donated 2.4 million to Bush with 54% of PAC money going to republicans in general, while today 54% of PAC money is going to democrats. In 2006 GE donated 63% of PAC money to republicans and the Westinghouse PAC donated 81% to republicans.
I’ve pretty much listed most of our TV pleasures that appear across our TV screen, but I really could go on. I think I’ve made my point though. The conservatives have bought the airwaves, and they get to feed us what they want to. The “Liberal Media” myth serves several purposes: it raises public skepticism about liberal news stories, hides conservative bias when it appears, and goads the media to the right. GOP strategist William Kristol also reveals another reason: "I admit it: the liberal media were never that powerful, and the whole thing was often used as an excuse by conservatives for conservative failures." Even far-right figures like Pat Buchanan come clean: "The truth is, I've gotten fairer, more comprehensive coverage of my ideas than I ever imagined I would receive." He further conceded: "I've gotten balanced coverage and broad coverage -- all we could have asked… For heaven sakes, we kid about the liberal media, but every Republican on earth does that."
You have to also wonder about our news anchors that are furiously owned by the big corporate giants. Last I saw, Diane Sawyer was making $7 million when she was on Good Morning America. Actually news anchors make anywhere from $700,000-$7 million on up. There was a study done on anchors from major stations. They were sent anonymous questionnaires, which went to 78 national news organizations, with an emphasis on the following 14: ABC News /ABC Radio, Associated Press, AP Broadcast News, Bloomberg News, CNN, Knight-Ridder Newspapers/Tribune Information Services, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, New York Times, Reuters America, Inc., Time, USA Today/USA Weekend, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Washington Times.
On social issues, 66% characterized themselves politically as center to right. On economic issues 83% characterized themselves politically as center to right. What happened?
15 years ago, journalist considered themselves to be liberal. Why the big shift? Is it due to their bulging salaries that keep them out of touch with Americans? Studies do show that receiving higher incomes tend to lead a person to become more economically conservative. Could it be that media corporation stopped hiring liberal journalist? Whatever the answer may be, we are being brain-washed! This could not be more evident than the trends taking place today. People believe what they are fed, and when you add the fact that our media is laced with conservative talking points, and lies all to feed their agenda of lining their pockets with corporate money, it’s no wonder why organizations like the Tea Party, The “Christian Militia”, and ignorant rallies are popping up. You would think that in the age of accessible information, ignorance would not be so rampant….kind of makes you say, hmmmmmm…..
Ed Schulz had a great show Wednesday about how the Right Wing controls our radio airwaves by 91%. To watch that show, follow this link:
http://www.bigeddieradio.com/videoblog/details.asp?BID=290
Informational Sites:
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-liberalmedia.htm
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2003/04/47530.php
http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2004/10/chief-executive-officer-of-time-warner.html
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Health Care and the Abortion Language
As I sit here waiting for the historic health care vote, the news is bombarded with the GOP's outrage over "funding for abortion!" The bill says in clear black and white that "government funds SHALL NOT pay for abortions!" It makes my blood boil as we can all clearly see that this is just a cop out...a way to change the subject and create more fear mongering. It's ludicrous to me to think that the GOP and the Tea-baggers truly have some sort of moral struggle with a health care bill that would help millions of Americans who need health care now more than ever! Trashing a good (not perfect) bill is unacceptable, especially over some language that does not exist! And, over a subject that is....last time I checked, is totally legal in our country!
This holier than thou, religious high horse routine is really getting old from the right! This morning, as I watched the news, there was footage of Tea-baggers and conservative republicans (although, there isn't really any difference in the two) lining the halls of the congressional office building, spitting on congressmen, cursing, yelling racial slurs and so on, to those that support the health care bill. There were also some mothers holding on to their toddlers as they participated in the behavior. And, I venture to say, that these extremist exude this behavior all the while holding tight to their bible! I thought we were past the 1960's mind-set and such discrimination!
I am reminded of the saying, "What is right, is not always easy!" Stand tall Democrats! Face the wave of opposition and sadly misinformed, brainwashed Americans, and do what is right for our country! The majority is behind you, for this is why we have elected you!
"We are not here to win; we are here to be true!"
- Abraham Lincoln
This holier than thou, religious high horse routine is really getting old from the right! This morning, as I watched the news, there was footage of Tea-baggers and conservative republicans (although, there isn't really any difference in the two) lining the halls of the congressional office building, spitting on congressmen, cursing, yelling racial slurs and so on, to those that support the health care bill. There were also some mothers holding on to their toddlers as they participated in the behavior. And, I venture to say, that these extremist exude this behavior all the while holding tight to their bible! I thought we were past the 1960's mind-set and such discrimination!
I am reminded of the saying, "What is right, is not always easy!" Stand tall Democrats! Face the wave of opposition and sadly misinformed, brainwashed Americans, and do what is right for our country! The majority is behind you, for this is why we have elected you!
"We are not here to win; we are here to be true!"
- Abraham Lincoln
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What Is Wrong With This Picture
I am baffled, but not surprised due to the large amount of ignorance in this country, that health care reform has become this hard to pass! I mean, we are the ONLY civilized nation in the world that do not take care of their own citizens!! We offer universal healthcare to the Iraq citizens, but not for our own....where is the rational? It also baffles me that we can give eight years to the biggest village idiot, G. Bush, but after ONLY 1 year of Obama being in office, people "feel" that our country is going in the wrong direction and quickly elect a republican to fill Kennedy's seat! What is wrong with this picture! We want "change" but then we don't give change time to happen!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Dear Pat Robertson, Love Satan
Dear Pat Robertson,
I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I'm all over that action.
But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I'm no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.
Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth -- glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven't you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn Yankees"?
If I had a thing going with Haiti, there'd be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox -- that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it -- I'm just saying: Not how I roll.
You're doing great work, Pat, and I don't want to clip your wings -- just, come on, you're making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That's working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.
Best, Satan
I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I'm all over that action.
But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I'm no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.
Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth -- glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven't you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn Yankees"?
If I had a thing going with Haiti, there'd be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox -- that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it -- I'm just saying: Not how I roll.
You're doing great work, Pat, and I don't want to clip your wings -- just, come on, you're making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That's working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.
Best, Satan
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