Bush 2009 budget....Jesus man.

Recent headlines say that the Bush 2009 budget (2009?) is going to call for some really tight budget cuts in Healthcare programs and social services. All I can say is WTF! Of course we have no problems sending billions of dollars to Iraq and other military junkets. But this Compassionate Conservative has no issue cutting the legs out from under those who would need it most. This is worse than Ronald Reagan! At least Ronnie pretended to be trying to make government smaller. Of course he too cut programs that were benefiting the average joe. Here it is folks let me lay it out. What has happened is the people who were opposed to FDR's New Deal and LBJ's Great Society programs could not argue that they didn't work. Because they did. And arguing to eliminate things like Social Security and Medicare was political suicide, since hey they worked, kept people out of poverty and we all like that! Now realize that this administration actually proposed privatizing Social Security. That should really give us all chills. Then they went and established a huge costly benefit in the form of Medicare D, the drug program. Which really helps the big pharmaceuticals more than anything but that's neither here nor there. Why add a big cost to a program that is already costly? Because the 'conservatives' that oppose the FDR and LBJ programs WANT to bankrupt them. Here is the way it works. First you scare the bejesus out of everyone with all the terrorist talk. So then you have to bulk up the military budgets and can never cut them back because we have to win the 'war on terra'! Now you cry that the sky is falling and we can't afford to continue to provide social security and medicare because it is just too expensive. Of course hiding other facts at the same time. Remember this link? So everyone is convinced that we need to cut, eliminate or privatize these programs thus removing the government promise of these programs completely. This people is fascism. Don't forget the definition thereof. We are being duped folks. Our countries leaders and our press and media is screwing us over.

Bush to Target Earmarks in State of Union?

Let me preface what I am going to say. I don't like George W. Bush. I have never met him nor do I want to. I don't know him personally and I don't wish to. I have read that he is really a nice guy, personable, etc. But then again I have heard a lot of other dictators and terrorists are too. George Bush's actions speak louder than anything else. We have almost 4000 deaths in Iraq and for what purpose? The manipulation of the 9/11 tragedy for political haymaking is practically criminal in itself. The tragedy of the Katrina hurricane and New Orleans is unbelievable in the lack of empathy and concern coming from the white house. Check out this story in USA today from the year anniversary. So now in this, what is thankfully, his final year in office. George Bush has decided to do some things which should have been being done from the beginning. Mr 'Uniter not a Divider', deciding to more aggressively pursue the peace process. And now Mr. 'My Pet Goat' will attack Earmarks in his State of the Union Speech. Of course earmarking was never a big issue when the republicans were in charge of congress. Why not do something about it then when the repugs had both houses and the white house? Because our government is essentially an Oligarchy with no real concern for the average american . How else to explain 40+ million uninsured? A war with no end and nothing truly gained? The incredible tax cuts given to the fabulously wealthy.? Thanks George, you're an asshole, no question.

We Were Lied into the Iraq war. Can you believe it?!

A recent study by two non-profit organizations show that President Bush and his administration lied as part of an orchestrated campaign to lead the nation to war under false pretenses. No REALLY! I could have told you that in 2003 when we were being lied to then. Did anyone with a brain really think that after bombing the snot out of Saddam for the last 10 years prior to our attack, that he would be able to reconstitute a weapons program? If he did then we should have had him run THIS country since apparently he was better at his organizational skills than our current leader. (That's a joke people) Isn't "an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses." an impeachable offense? We have over 3000 dead soldiers now who went to Iraq on these false pretenses. Since Madame Pelosi has taken impeachment off the table for now, I believe that the least we can do is get as many republicans out of congress and the whitehouse as possible. Since there are really no viable third parties or third candidates the Democrats are our only other alternative. A sad one I will admit but we must make do with what we have.

It's the Economy Stupid

Back in 1980, when Ronnie Reagan was elected. We were at a unusual economic crossroad. It was apparent that whatever congress and President Carter were doing to ameliorate the economy just wasn't working. So along comes the Pres and his big tax change. Of course what most folks don't know is that he was supposed to also cut massive parts of federal budget too. And he and congress did cut parts of the budget but they were mostly those parts that helped people achieve job training, and keep jobs in the U.S. yadda yadda yadda. He didn't cut the defense budget at all in fact it was dramatically increased. And most Americans approved of this, but the increase in the deficit was huge. So if anyone starts touting the Reagan economic turnaround keep in mind it was probably the massive injection of federal funds into the military industrial complex. That is not necessarily bad, I mean those arm manufacturers and shipbuilders and tank builders need to employ people, right? Those people can use the jobs here in the states. The bad part of investing such huge amounts into the Military Industrial Complex (check out section IV in that link) is that these investments are not contributing to our infrastructure in such a way as to promote continued job creation. The only way the M.I.C. can continue it's economic growth is to ensure that war becomes a growth industry. How many billions do we send to Iraq? And now our current Dummy in Chief is rattling sabers with Iran? Something seems a bit suspicious to me. So as Georgie Bush's investments into our war industry seem to be failing, he never was very good at running a business, He and congress propose a very Keynesian economic solution to jump start things. That is, putting cash into the hands of consumers. Of course tax breaks are coming, for these clowns tax breaks are the solution to everything. Well, Apparently not everything. But like Georgie's attempt at middle east peace this is all too little too late. Damn, I do wish we would impeach this guy.

Bush extends the executive office, again.....

In yet one more example of the president's office disregarding law and our own constitution, George W. Bush signed an executive exemption to the 12 mile no-sonar law. Now I happen to feel that it is a good thing to not kill or maim hundreds or thousands of marine mammals. But regardless of that fact is the total disregard that this administration has for the laws passed by our congress. Jesus people let's impeach them!
As much as I would vote for anyone running on the Democratic ticket against the Repubs I would really not want to have Hillary as the candidate. She is just carrying too much baggage. Obama is the man who really appears to be a leader. Please please Democratic Party don't choose Hillary! Does anyone in the dem hierarchy realize how much a very determined segment of our population hates her? Hillary Haters are united. We would be setting up the Democratic party for a loss, no question.
I guess Afghanistan is headed for crisis too. Who would have thought? I mean haven't we concentrated a ton of effort and troops there? Oh wait I'm thinking of Iraq! Apparently we really needed to apply more effort to establishing order and 'democracy' in Afghanistan. Who woulda guessed?
Hey, go figure, now Mr. Bush says the economy needs stimulatin'. Why just a few weeks ago wasn't he saying that the economy was in good shape? Boy things sure can turn around fast eh? Maybe it's just that the guy is a total moron. Look at all the good that his pressure on Iran has done. I am thinking that the next step is martial law. This video is spot on if you ask me. But I am frustrated and angry about all this. I will say just about anything. Damn.

Why are Gas Prices so High? Part two .... et al.

Okay so I have been thinking some more on this gas prices thing. It seems to me to be very obvious that we need to get away from oil, both foreign and otherwise. But there is no real progress being made. See my previous post on the electric car. I think this needs to be a three prong approach. First we need to conserve as much as we can. Higher MPG, renewable power sources etc. Second we need to develop alternate fuels for our vehicles, like ethanol. Third we need to set a goal, similar to our space race in the sixties, to get into a hydrogen economy. Until we can get there we need to make more gasoline and oil available, while at the same time reducing demand. For now though we have people like you and me feeling pain at the gasoline pump and in our homes when we fill our heating oil tank. So I find it frustrating when Our Fearless Leader, (you knew I would get to him didn't you?) actually asks OPEC to increase their production to help lower the price of oil. While that in itself isn't actually a bad thing, it's something he should have been doing all along. We won't bring up all that cheap oil we are supposed to be getting from Iraq. We were supposed to get oil from Iraq right? But he also has it in his power to release oil from the strategic oil reserve and that would have a much quicker and more immediate effect on oil prices I think. So realizing that almost half of the price of a barrel of oil is speculative then steps to help investors speculate on a lower price would be a good idea, huh?
On other topics; apparently the Bush administration isn't happy with just one Guantanamo for torturing our 'enemies' they need to have one in Afghanistan too. Why aren't people outraged yet?
On Health care it is funny to note that one of the popular stories making the rounds was conservative pundit Glenn Beck's visit to the hospital. Apparently this is not an unusual event as emergency rooms are getting worse. I will write in more detail on another post. But let's just say I think Mr. Beck's conclusion was way off.
In order to end on a more humorous note, I thought I might mention those folks in Texas that apparently have witnessed a UFO. They witnessed a flying object one mile long and 1/2 mile wide. That is one big ship. A lot of folks saw it I guess, many of them very reputable people. Of course realize this, UFO seen in Texas, President Bush 'from' Texas....Coincidence?

Bush urges allied action against Iraq... I mean Iran,

Oh my freakin god can we say deja vu all over again? George Bush is urging action by the allies against Iran? Wait, doesn't this all sound familiar? Didn't mister Asshole urge the same kind of crap against Iraq? And we all know how that turned out huh? Remember? We found that huge stash of Saddam's Weapons of Mass destruction. All the biological weapons labs were discovered and destroyed. Whew that was a close one fer sure. Now of course our Idiot in Chief is asking us to go along with more 'action' against another nation, that hasn't attacked us, that isn't close to nuclear capability, and naturally we have to do something about it immediately! Of course we all know that Georgie is incapable of lying. The real question is are we all going to fall for this again? Gawd if anyone needs impeaching it is Bush and Cheney. Can somebody please please please impeach these guys?!

George Bush is an A$$hole

You know I just cant' say it enough. George W. Bush is an asshole. The guy has serious issues. Not only that but the incompetence of his administration is incredible. I guess he has decided about seven years too late to actually take an active role in Israeli-Palestinian peace. Of course all that is off set by his attack on Iraq. You remember that? The one we were lied into? And of course he further states that Iran is a threat to world peace. Huh? Wait a minute, I mean I think that Menadenajihad (whatever) guy is a jerk and all but has he actually attacked any countries in the the last 4 or 5 years? Who is really the threat to world peace Georgie? You are. Was all that really lost on him? This guy has to be one of the most intellectually challenged people I have ever had to witness in my life. This guy is not a christian. He is a despot of a uniquely american kind. Let me tell you, this is the scenario I fervently pray for. (aside from George just dropping dead) November elections come and the Democrats win big. a large majority in the house and a greater majority in the senate. Since the congress is seated on Jan 6 before the new president is inaugurated, as part of their first day of business a congressman submits articles of impeachment, maybe even for Cheney too. The house passes them and then the senate votes to remove the bastards from office. The speaker of the house is president for what would be a historically short term and the new president is sworn in on the 20th. Wouldn't that be sweet? Will it happen? I am cynical.
P.S. I saw this while browsing a little later. The man has no scruples, empathy or conscience. No matter how they try to spin it, he is truly without a soul. Tears in his eyes, right.

georgewalkerbush.net

Who Killed Electric Cars? Or how we could have reduced depencency on foreign oil in the seventies....

Ain't that Hybrid Prius a wicked cool thang? I mean the idea of marrying a gas engine to an electric engine, thereby giving tremendous gas mileage, golly. Who would have thought of that? Actually a few people I guess. Here is an article from Mother Earth News published in 1979. A converted Opel GT was able to get 75 mpg. Simply put, the guy merged some lead-acid batteries, a lawnmower engine and an electric motor from a jet engine, all using technology available since the 1940's and voila. And before that? The Electric Hybrid Buick Skylark built in 1974 by Victor Wouk. Get this, in the 70's, you may recall, there was a gas crisis of sorts and everyone got all hot about saving gas and energy in general. The Feds came up with a research program that was supposed to help jumpstart companies making alternative fuel vehicles. It was called the Federal Clean Car Incentive program. This was before assholes like Ronald Reagan eviscerated federal programs that actually worked. Wouk developed the Hybrid. Their plan got 30k from the FCCIP to build their car. For some reason I don't understand the EPA had a thumbs up or down on the project. I suppose in order to go to the next stage of support and help via the FCCIP. Anyway, the guy running things, a man named Erik Stork, decided he didn't like hybrids and that the Wouk Hybrid would not get approval under any circumstances. Ain't that great? One guy ruined it all. Fully 30 years (give or take) before the Toyota Prius we could have had a Hybrid on the road here in the U.S. using our cars, our technology and our manufacturing. Yeah private enterprise and the market is a wonderful thing isn't it? So the next time you are wondering why the hell we didn't think of these things, we did! A guy named Erik Stork shot it down. I am guessing he was a solid republican.

Iowa Caucus and others....

Holy election year Batman! The Iowa caucus turned out to be quite a horse race eh? I think it is quite exciting that Obama has won for the Dems. Though I like Hillary and I think she would be a great president, there are just too many Hillary Haters out there and she is just too much of a lightning rod for me. I would prefer to see an Obama Edwards ticket or an Edwards Obama ticket, either way works for me. Apparently ABC has decided to cull the herd further for us, since we Americans can't think for ourselves and need the media to tell us who we should listen to. As if they have done such a good job telling what the current administration is up to. Huckabee seems to have come out on top much to everyones amazement. Since he had been more seriously underfunded than the other candidates. I am just not that comfortable with him. I truly believe that government and politics should stay secular. You only need to look at the middle east/iran/iraq etc etc to see where mixing religion and politics will get you. We have already had a few run-ins here in this country with politics and religion and we need to back away from that precipice. I guess he is better than Romney or Guiliani but sheeesh, if you ask me the Republican party has become a bunch of whack jobs anyway. Just the fact that we even need to argue about evolution is incredible to believe. Intelligent people actually feel evolution is wrong? It's science for crying out loud! Prove it wrong or cut the crap.

I support Obama if I had to choose right now. I think he is just what we need. A change from what we have and from business as usual. What has been happening is not working. Our continued Bush/Orwellian adventure in supply-side economics is proving to be a disaster for everyone who is not already really well-off. The problem with supply side economics if that it is dependent on those wealthy companies, corporations and individuals to actually use their tax savings and riches to provide more jobs and economic growth and thus more revenue for the government. But I haven't seen it work that way. But then I am just a frustrated socialist, what do I know?

Just another plug for my favorite band, To The Masquerade. Check out their little segment on Rugby.com, Around the Corner Pretty Cool, they are at the end of the video. Those boys are poised for fame. Go vote for them on http://tothemasquerade.musicnation.com

The Prosperity Gospel is prosperous for the preacher, period.

Among those things that have made me frustrated and angry is the news of ‘ministers’ that preach the prosperity gospel. What a load of tripe. They have, rightfully, come under some scrutiny by the government. These people are sharks and prey upon the hopes and wishes of people who are poor and downtrodden. Those who desire help in gaining the earthly riches that our culture has raised up and deified. For those who may be somewhat sheltered, the prosperity gospel is that preached by Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Oral Roberts and their ilk, that God wants you to be rich and if your faith is strong enough and, here’s the key part, you donate seed money to their churches then you will be (rich). Because God wants you to be rich. This makes me really wild. Allow me, if you will, to share what I think. First I want to be really clear that I think the Bible as it is currently compiled in it’s orthodox state, is potentially flawed in promoting the Christian faith. The main reason for this is that many Christians feel that the Bible is the literal word of God. Once one believes this then there are a lot of really contradictory and even misleading statements in the Old and New testaments that cause problems. And one will swallow this without critical thought. This prosperity gospel is a result of those statements, basing much of its theology in the words of the ‘apostle’ Paul. Now Paul may have been a great Christian but he wasn’t God. If one is going to claim the literal word of God then one needs to, as a Christian anyway, limit oneself to the Four Gospels and maybe the Acts of the Apostles. If you claim to be Christian and accept Jesus’ teachings then the Sermon on the Mount spells it out. There is nothing in there where Jesus says, “I want you to be a really rich S.O.B.” In fact check this out; “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven” matt 6,1 And this one really says it all; “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt 6, 19-21
So how do these charlatans reconcile this? I am sure that jets, big houses, limousines, etc help a great deal. If you can convince people that the Bible is literally God’s word and then further convince them that you are an intercessor for God then you can get people who are thirsting for help to believe anything. So many despots and evil people have done this that it becomes hard to believe that we would fall for it again. This is why social justice and democratic socialism (Greens?) are so important. A Capitalism based solely in greed with no balancing rules or laws result in ‘religious’ people just like this.