Essay: "Bravo to Julian Assange and Wikileaks"

Essay: "Bravo to Julian Assange and Wikileaks"

Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks and thorn in the side of the United States federal government and numerous other governments around the world now sits in jail in Sweden for alleged 'sex crimes'. For months the U.S. government has assailed Mr. Assange and his notorious website for revealing so called "state secrets" probably of which at least 90% shouldn't even or ever be held from citizens and the general populace. More often than not, classifying something as confidential with the "National Security Excuse" is to hide wrongdoing and chicanery from those who need and deserve to know about it. Where was this guy and his website when the less than truthful and very deceitful George Dubya Bush administration was in power for eight years? Perhaps he could have been a catalyst for ending two unnecessary wars and perhaps even saving our economy from near bankruptcy at the hands of greedy corporate entities. By the way, it wouldn't surprise me at all if his criminal charges have been trumped up in retaliation for pissing off some powerful people.

Essay: "Heroes vs. Political Villains"

Essay: "Heroes Vs. Political Villains" A work in progress

Heroes tend to have, while most politicians tend to lack, the following qualities, among others: courage, honor, selflessness, integrity, honesty, self-sacrifice and dependability. This week the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party (now unfortunately the mainstream of the Republican Party), along with many of their gutless Democratic colleagues, strong-armed and basically blackmailed President Obama and the Democrats into continuing the outrageous gift to the filthy rich of tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, the people who need it the least. Meanwhile, the economy continues to sputter, millions of Americans are out of work, teetering on the edge or over the edge of foreclosure and/or bankruptcy, or in some cases struggling to feed themselves or even to have a roof over their heads. To me, it is an enormous insult for the Republicans and those Democrats who accept this outrage of the well-to-do being allowed to not pay their fair share. Besides, this welfare for the mostly undeservedly rich will add a couple billion dollars to the federal deficit. It is equally an outrage for corporations to get corporate welfare and/or tax breaks for sending potential American jobs overseas and to give bonuses to employees with bailout money courtesy of the American taxpayer.

Essay: "Counterclockwise"

Essay: "Counterclockwise"

While supposedly many people my age become more conservative, I consider myself politically counterclockwise. I won't turn to the right. It makes no sense in my situation to be or to vote in a right or conservative direction. I don't think I have ever knowingly voted for a Republican since I registered to vote about twenty-five years ago. I have voted for a few DINOs though (Democrats In Name Only). Don't expect me to vote Republican any time soon, especially since the party has been long ago highjacked by the so-called 'Dittohead' extreme right-wing and the Religious Right/Wrong. On the other hand, I'm not too thrilled with the Democrats these days either. Obama is a big disappointment, and he seems powerless to withstand the passive-aggressive obstinacy of the extreme right dominated GOP. The only thing the Repubs seem to do is stymie Obama at almost every turn, apparently to ensure that Barack will be a one-term President; the nation and its citizens be damned. I hope the GOP and the Tea Party will soon remember that voters have long memories, and soon many of these ne'er-do-well Republican pols may themselves be turned out of office. If only the Green Party was strong enough to supplant the do-nothing Republicans and the virtually powerless and apathetic Dems. (tbc?)

Essay: "Sarah Palin To Run for President in 2012?"

Essay: "Sarah Palin To Run For President in 2012?"

So, let me get this straight. Sarah Palin may run for President in 2012, and she actually thinks she can beat Obama. Keep in mind, most of her supporters are in the so-called Tea Party movement, which is perhaps 20% of the electorate, if that. All we need in tough times is another conservative in the Oval Office to impose the same pernicious policies and insidious agenda(e) of the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party (now the mainstream of the Republican Party). The very agenda/policies which put us in this huge economic and financial nightmare which nearly bankrupted our nation. I fear for the poor, the Middle Class, and the Common Man. In addition, there will be more endless, unnecessary wars in the future; perhaps so-called tort reform to take away the judicial rights of the average poor or powerless person; and further restrictions on our rights, freedoms and privacy.

Essay: "Your SOL and On Your Own"

Essay: "Your SOL and On Your Own"

Under a right-wing dominated government your basically SOL [Shit Out of Luck] and on your own. The extreme right-wing of the Republican party puts big business first, last and always and gives the Common Man short-shrift. Its philosophy is: If you already made it in life your Golden. However, if you haven't made it, its your own problem. The right-wing G.O.P. advocates practically unlimited earnings for corporate CEOs, but they refuse to give the poor a raise in the minimum wage; or God forbid a Living Wage for the average overworked and underpaid laborer. After all, who does the majority of the hard work that keeps a business profitable? Also, they continue to support two exorbitant and unnecessary wars which are largely responsible for the huge financial mess we have been in since the waning years of the George W. Bush administration and which still haunt us today. Also, the Republicans intend to repeal or water down Obama's health care law, which is at least trying to do something about runaway health care costs. Similarly, the G.O.P., for both ideological reasons and to sabotage Obama's chances for reelection are thwarting practically every beneficial policy on Obama's agenda. For instance, the right-wing won't allow laws to prohibit tax breaks to corporations which outsource jobs to China, India and other places where labor is dirt cheap. In addition, the Repubs don't want to impose limits on the financial giants who practically bankrupted this country, plus they forever advocate tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires at the expense of the rest of us. (tbc?)

Poetry: "The People Have Spoken"

Poetry: "The People Have Spoken"

The people have spoken

They made a mistake

The system is broken

And now I'm awake

I shudder to think it

Inside I still quake

The right-wing took over

The people I hate

Like many businessmen cheat

The G.O.P. won

By using deceit

We still have the Senate

But they won the House

I do hate to say it

Our dream has been doused

You should not complain though

If you failed to vote

The right-wing agenda

Should drown and not float

Though Rush and Karl Rove they certainly gloat

Our country it seems is on a financial vacation

May right-wing thought burn in a huge

Conflagration

Essay: "A post-Halloween Election Nightmare?"

Essay: "A Post-Hallowe'en Election Nightmare?"

The biggest nightmare this fall is not of the ghostly, undead or supernatural variety. I have a feeling of foreboding that a lot of people will vote against their own best interest by supporting conservative Republican and/or so-called Tea Party candidates in the upcoming election, who will soon impose their same old pernicious policies and insidious agenda(e) after Tuesday November 2nd. An even bigger nightmare for the Common Man is if the G.O.P. takes over one or both Houses of Congress. This scenario will potentially occur in spite of the fact that the right-wing G.O.P.'s (Republican's) policies were largely responsible in the George W. Bush years and before for the on-going economic mess we are in and continue to endure. Fortunately, it isn't necessarily imminent or written in stone that the right-wing of the Republican party will win big next Tuesady. Admittedly, Obama isn't doing as well as he could or should in selling his agenda to the other party and to the electorate but as far as I can tell he is trying the best he can given that his predecessor left him such a Herculean economic mess to clean up. Another reason to keep the Dem's in power is that the Republican and Tea Party agenda appears to be to continue in the failed policies of the Dubya Bush years and the so-called 'Trickle Down' myth of derision on the less fortunate rather than prosperity for the lower, working and middle-class.

It is absurd to give millionaires, billionaires, and corporations who don't create many American jobs tax breaks they do not need or deserve. It is likewise absurd to consider corporations the equivalent of persons for political purposes. It is also ludicrous to continue two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which should never have been fought to begin with and continue to drain billions of dollars from our now fragile economy; in addition to causing hundreds of American casualties. In addition, George W.'s equivalent of the defunct East Germany's Stasi (secret police), the Dept. of Homeland Security should be largely dismantled and the USA PATRIOT ACT should be repealed. This secretive monstrosity (the Dept. of Homeland Security) is also likely draining billions from out economy which could be put to better use to help out our own citizenry in a time of economic crisis. At least Obama's Health Care Law is doing something about exorbitant health care and insurance costs, but in my view it won't go far enough until a Single Payer system of health care and insurance is instituted. If the Republicans or the mad Tea Partiers have their way the rich will get richer and the poor and what's left of the middle-class will get screwed.

Essay: "Values Voters and Machiavellian Politicians"

Essay: "Values Voters and Machiavellian Politicians"

So called 'Values Voters' who vote for extreme right-wing Republican candidates because they allegedly are Christian or born-again Christians kind of tick me off. A lot of Values Voters pulled the lever for Bush-Cheney because they were Christian and anti-choice. As far as I'm concerned, Bush and Cheney may very well believe in Jesus and go to church regularly. Even so, George W. and ex-veep Cheney are, in my opinion, based on their actions and policies, are about as pious as an angry rattlesnake. Both of them transferred wealth from the poorest multitudes to the richest few, they intended to make the justice system inaccessible to many of us (with so-called tort reform), they started two unnecessary wars which resulted in many casualties and which nearly bankrupted our nation, plus they started the Homeland Security agency to curtail rights and to put us all in a state of fear. Meanwhile, Osama Bin Laden is still alive inspiring radical terrorists to sabotage our way of life. (to be cont'd?)

Essay: "Being Misinformed Is Worse Than Being Uninformed"

Essay: "Being Misinformed Is Worse Than Being Uninformed"

In many areas, especially in making informed political decisions (i.e. voting), being misinformed is often worse than being uninformed. I'm sure both parties are guilty of spreading misinformation (lies, half-truths, deceit and propaganda), but in my view the extreme right is especially guilty of misinforming the populace. It never made sense to me why poor people vote against their own best interest by becoming or voting for conservative Republicans; unless right-wing propagandists like Rush Limbaugh, Karl Rove, Glen Beck, Sarah Palin and the like pull the wool over their eyes with their conservative con artistry. It is unbelievable what lies, half-truths and pure BS the teapartiers believe about Obama, such as he's allegedly (according to too many on the extreme right-fringe) a Kenyan citizen with a fraudulent or nonexistent birth certificate, plus a Socialist and/or a Communist. Unfortunately, right-wing pundits are experts at distorting the truth with virtual impunity; while the Democrats are adept at ignoring these attacks and shooting themselves in the foot by advocating for certain divisive, controversial causes like gay marriage (which arguably enabled George W. Bush to win an undeserved second term he might not have otherwise won). Obama was elected on a platform of change, but the extreme right would rather the country go to hell than for Obama to get anything beneficial accomplished. Also, the worst thing to fear about a right-wing Republican victory is that more anti-individual and anti-'Common Man' judges and Supreme Court justices could get appointed to reverse any progress and to curtail many rights many of us count on or take for granted.

Essay: "Roger Clemens and Congress"

Essay: "Roger Clemens and Congress"

Right now I wouldn't want to be in former major league pitcher Roger Clemens cleats. In case you don't follow the news or professional sports, ex-Red Sox hurler Clemons is currently on trial (as of late August to early September 2010) for allegedly "lying under oath, perjury" and being untruthful to Congress in regards to the use of steroids and other banned substances to improve his game as a major leaguer. I have no idea whether Clemens stretched or broke the truth or not, but in these tough economic times and amid an exorbitant unnecessary wartime (both in Iraq and Afghanistan); you'd think our elected so-called leaders of either party or none would concentrate on matters to end or alleviate our myriad crises. As a matter of fact, (though I know it will never happen in a million years) it's a shame that politicians in general and the U.S. Congress in particular cannot be charged with perjury or even treason for lies and exaggerations of "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" for not leveling with or being sincere with their constituents and the American people; especially when their votes make our lives more difficult or unpleasant.

Essay: "If It Doesn't Make Money Does It Make Sense?"

Essay: "If It Doesn't Make Money Does It Make Sense?"

In the corporate world, especially in this country, if it doesn't make money it doesn't make sense. Many conservative politicians have the same attitude about governing this country. Corporations exist to turn a profit, not to make the world a better place. However, a lot of worthwhile activities make little or no money, but are still very much worthwhile and worth pursuing. Many of these activities enrich the lives, add to the culture, and perhaps make the world a much better and interesting place than it would be without them. A good example of this are art, music, poetry and literature. Another example is humanitarianism, philanthropy, and ecological concern and action. In the case of ecology of the natural environment, the best interest of everyone is often at odds with the business goal of making money and turning a profit. In my view, especially when it comes to dirty and potentially dangerous fossil fuels and toxic chemicals; it is better for industry to lose money than for future BP-like disasters to occur or for citizens and others to get sick or die due to corporate malfeasance whether intentional or not. In another instance, in the case of health insurance and health care, an individual or family should never have to suffer, go broke, end up on the streets, or die due to a lack of or inadequate insurance; or so a hospital or insurance company can turn a profit or enrich their senior management to an exorbitant extent. If right-wing politicians and judges had their way, have-nots aka the poor would be at the mercy of ruthless corporate so-called "market" whims. Admittedly, some liberal and moderate pols endorse this attitude because they think it will help them get reelected. (tbc?)

Essay: "National Popular Vote Initiative"

Essay: "The National Popular Vote Initiative"

The Massachusetts legislature, along with twenty or so other states, voted to implement the National Popular Vote Initiative to bypass the Electoral College in the next and future Presidential elections. Up to now, instead of being elected by popular vote, Presidents are chosen by Electoral College delegates state by state. I don't understand how it is determined how each state gets how many delegates, but the Presidential candidates concentrate on the states which they feel they need to win in order to become President. States deemed less important naturally feel left out, but it usually works out for the best. However, in the 2000 election Al Gore received a majority of the Popular Vote, but managed to lose the Presidency to the disaster of George W. Bush[ two exorbitant and unnecessary endless wars, a catastrophic economy, spying on citizens, etc.] . Assuming no alleged chicanery by the GOP or a biased Supreme Court decision, Massachusetts and other states wanted to avoid a future George W. situation. Unfortunately, the National Popular Vote Initiative may end up resulting in the opposite of the intended effect in the next or in subsequent elections.

According to this law, the winner of the Popular Vote in the next and future Presidential elections will receive all of the Electoral College delegates in Massachusetts and the other twenty some-odd states even if some or all of them do not support the eventual winner of future elections. The combined delegates of twenty states can and likely will have a big impact on who becomes President. For instance, at least in the Blue State of Massachusetts, this law was intended to avoid the pernicious policies and insidious agenda of the extreme right-wing of the Republican party from being unjustly implemented along with more radical conservative judges and Supreme Court justices being appointed, but if a Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or the like manages to win the National Popular Vote but loses in Massachusetts, our delegates will go to such a candidate anyway. The more I know about the Popular Vote Initiative the less I like about it. Perhaps the Electoral College isn't such a bad idea after all.

Essay: "Right-Wing Revisionist History"

Essay: "Right-Wing Revisionist History"

There is a lot of controversy about the Texas Board of Education. This board is made up of ultra-right wing, conservative Republican religious zealots who approve what will appear in public school history and other textbooks across the enormous state of Texas. As if that isn't bad enough, due to the cost of publishing textbooks , the right-wing propaganda, lies and half-truths they tend to rubber stamp gets into the hands and impressionable minds of public school students in many states, perhaps across much of the nation. So, instead of educating students, they are proseletyzing their flawed fundamentalist Christian worldview and are propagating ignorance upon the student populace. They are sneaking phony propaganda like so-called "Intelligent Design" instead of evolution and are making heroes out of such villains as Joseph McCarthy who was infamous for McCarthyism. Next thing you know, our students will be a bunch of ignorant bigots in the mold of Anne Coulter and Rush Limburger. I am against Nazi book-burning, but these Texas textbooks are only good for lining birdcages. The right-wing propaganda machine cannot spread their BS legitimately, so as usual they will stoop to anything to deceive the people; even young school children.

Essay: "Rumor: Breast Implant Bombs"

Essay: "Rumor: Breast Implant Bombers"

Recently in the news is a story that Al-Quaida or another terrorist group may utilize breast augmentation in their latest suicide bombing campaign. It sounds almost too far-fetched, but if it is possible to hide Improvised Explosive Devices or bombs in a woman's augmented chest the world has become a scarier and much more dangerous place. It is pretty scary that terrrorists hate us so much that they would implant their women with deadly explosives. Another scary but unlikely possibility would be for murderous cosmetic surgeons to implant bombs in women without their knowledge or consent. Perhaps with the innate misogyny of the Moslem world, it is no wonder that such a thing might occur. Whether this rumor is true or even possible, perhaps it is about time for all passengers and cargo on airplanes and other conveyances be thoroughly examined and analyzed to insure against malicious terrorist acts.