Mar 24 2013

Life Isn’t a Smorgasbord…

Not sure if fits…just love the picture!

Gun Control, Abortion Rights, LBGT Civil Rights (someone please tell me how this is not a Civil Rights issue) – quite a bit going on this week and next. As our Congress spends the majority of time playing pocket pool and continues to demonstrate ineptitude beyond belief, they systematically ignore where this country has been and is heading in these areas. Recent legislative efforts by Kansas and North Dakota (again, both states that never make the top 10 list for admirable points for which most strive) to outlaw abortion, again demonstrates a vendetta against Women’s rights and a direction counter where most people in this country are. The Supreme Court this week will hear two cases crucial to the pace of progress in giving LGBT citizens their civil rights and equality under the law. Gun Control – little progress in even what a thinking and feeling person might think would be an easy step forward – Universal background checks.

Are you sure you want to go back to Kansas?

In every case the American public who, as a whole, is well ahead of the political musings and stances, makes it clear they support abortion rights (a woman’s right to choice, let’s be clear), LGBT equality and the right to marry, and better gun control (in particular Universal background checks). The problem is in the details as we look at the state and local level and the way political divisions have been drawn. We end up with a clear division of view of where the Federal should have rule and set law and where it should fall to the State and Local. While I don’t always believe the Federal Government is right and should be making choices for States, I would be more inclined to move decision-making for these specific issues I’ve cited to the State and Local levels if I actually believed they had the intellectual and social where-with-all to make smart decisions. Again, my judgment to sure but making decisions based on bible teachings, views that harken back to how we used to treat both women and Blacks in our country and lastly, some misguided view that the government is trying to take everyone’s weapons seems to fall short of the yardstick of a civilized and informed society.

“Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.” – Mark Twain

That being said, I am willing to take a shot at letting the states have their way. We can move these sorts of decisions out there and let the states decide for their people. However, I suggest we should also begin to play approach out to the full extent of the concept. If you really want the Federal government out of your shorts, sounds good to me but then let’s make it incumbent on the States to then provide everything the Federal Government provides today – try that for health care costs. We can let the States deal with the repercussions of making abortions illegal. We can watch as States continue to outlaw LGBT Civil Rights. We can let more idiots own guns in those States that want it and watch more people die from the results. End of the day, the costs, both financial and social, can sit with the State.

What happens is that we get more pockets of the same type of people living in different states as people with a social conscience and intellect migrate either to those more progressive states. We can watch the distribution of income and educated people move around at the same time – sorry but I would expect that the median income and level of education isn’t going to rise in the South or places like North Dakota and Kansas. And these states will lose most everyone there who have kept their state within arm’s-length of civility and humanity (maybe even Texas has a few). At some point it will become obvious that the longer-term impact of attitudes and mindsets from the 50’s isn’t a step forward. Sad commentary but maybe we let them have what they want. I for one might actually see my Federal tax bill drop a bit when I’m no longer having my tax dollars going to states that are the “Takers” and depend on Federal support to run their states – interesting that as of 2011, we now have 30 of the 50 states having 1/3rd of their state budget dependent on Federal funding (my state is one of them) and two states (Oklahoma and Louisiana) with more than 50% of their state budget Federally funded.

Fed Taxes/Benefit Balance

Sometimes you just can’t protect people from themselves. However, we can only hope that people at some point realize that life isn’t a smorgasbord – it’s basically “Eat what’s on your plate” – some you want and some you don’t but in the end it’s all there for a reason. And if you’re good, you might get some .

“All government — indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act — is founded on compromise and barter.” – Edmund Burke

Aug 31 2012

Christie and A bit of Rick Perry

Do as I say, Not as I do…

Now, if he just moved over a bit to the left we could take Mitt entirely out of the picture!

In his speech Tuesday night at the RNC, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke to the lack of civility and cooperation in American politics. “We are demanding that our leaders stop tearing each other down, and work together to take action on the big things facing America,” Christie said. Of course, he immediately began the negative attacks on Obama and almost every other speaker followed suit. Now, being realistic, we know that is what happens at these conventions – whether they be Republican or Democratic. It is to be expected. But there is something here that I see as a good deal of the problem with the Republican leadership today (and over the past three years). Say one thing and do another. Talk cooperation and then take a contrarian action. Speak of embracing diversity and then pushing agendas and legislation that further divides. Again, not saying it doesn’t happen on both sides of the aisle, it is just not so obvious on the other side. I’d bet, say $10,000, that the likes of John Boehner and Mitch McConnell can’t actually put aside their own agenda’s set to make that happen.

Is there some way to give Texas back to Mexico?

The USA – in better times

Texas Gov. Rick Perry released a statement today about the Voter ID court ruling.

“Chalk up another victory for fraud,” he said. “Today, federal judges subverted the will of the people of Texas and undermined our effort to ensure fair and accurate elections. The Obama Administration’s claim that it’s a burden to present a photo ID to vote simply defies common sense.

As my wife so aptly put it this morning as she read this in the paper (and I paraphrase) “he doesn’t get it – if we left it up to the will of the people, blacks would still be sitting in the back of the bus”.

I think we all saw the level of intelligence resident in Perry during his laughable run for the Republican nomination. I expect the only reason he can run a state is because the state itself is generally one that seems to be living in a different universe – kind of a world where logic never prevails and priorities are never for the good of the whole – wait a minute – maybe not – sounds a lot like the Republican Party platform.

Let’s take a look at Texas under Perry as Governor (with some help from Wikipedia)-

With Perry in the lead, Texas rose from second to first among states with the highest proportion of uninsured residents and had the lowest level of access to prenatal care in the U.S. Perry and the Republican-led state legislature have cut Medicaid spending and made it more difficult to enroll in the program, which now covers one-third of Texas children. The cost of caring for uninsured Texans has been borne by those with insurance, leading to substantial rises in insurance premiums and leading Texas to rank next-to-last among states in terms of affordability of health insurance. The Los Angeles Times wrote that under Perry, “working Texans increasingly have been priced out of private healthcare while the state’s safety net has withered.”
In 2010 Perry signed into law a bill requiring that a sonogram be performed prior to every abortion, and that the practitioner discuss the sonogram images with the patient except in limited cases where the patient may waive the explanation.
In 2011, Perry had an epiphany and now opposed all abortions, including in cases of rape and incest. He did come back a little and said he would allow an exception for abortions that would save a mother’s life.
In February 2007, Perry issued an executive order requiring all girls in Texas receive the HPV vaccine, a positive (in some aspect) step given the vaccine protects against some strains of the human papilloma virus, a contributing factor to some forms of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, it did not seem that his decision was necessarily based on looking out for the welfare of his citizens. Shortly after the edict, news outlets reported various apparent financial connections between Perry and the vaccine’s manufacturer, Merck and Merck’s PAC has contributed $28,500 since 2001 to Perry’s campaigns. What a guy.
Perry supported the Texas 2005 ballot proposition which amended the Texas constitution by defining marriage as “only a union between a man and a woman” and prohibiting the state from creating or recognizing “any legal status identical or similar to marriage”.
In 2008 in his book On My Honor, Perry offered his view that there was a parallel between homosexuality and alcoholism, writing that he is “no expert on the ‘nature versus nurture’ debate”, but that gays should simply choose abstinence. During the 2012 presidential campaign, he criticized the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell”.
During his run for the 2012 Republican nomination for President, the Washington Post reported that Perry’s family leases a hunting camp once called “Niggerhead” (apologies – I even hate to write it). According to local residents interviewed by the Post, the Perrys had used the camp for years before painting over a large rock with that name on it, which stands at an entrance to the area, and during this time Perry hosted many friends and supporters at the camp. Perry’s campaign disputed the claims, stating that the Perrys painted over the rock almost immediately after acquiring a lease on the property in 1983. Of course, being the broad-minded thinker he obviously is.
Perry again showed his open-minded when, in a presidential campaign video he stated “there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but your kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas.”

Given this recent proclamation about Voter ID as well as Rick’s long-standing role as a big thinker leading to a better America, I have no other option other to award Rick the latest “Head in the Butt” Award. Congratulations Rick – you can hang this one on your belt right above the concealed weapon you carry!

We have a 2-for-1 special today as I think it is only right to further recognize the great state of Texas which again shows continued evidence of excess, imbalance of the “haves and have-nots” given the news today of the opening of a new football stadium. Normally not news but this stadium cost a mere $60 million for a Texas High School stadium with free Wi-Fi, and a high-definition video screen. It is a sunken design and “has a more intimate feeling than the old one” according to some locals. While it would seem that the old stadium was in need of replacement, given the struggles in meeting educational and student needs across the country (and I would expect equally if not more so in Texas), this outright in your face move by the people of Allen, Texas deserves a bit of attention. While probably more deserved by the city of Allen, given that this is not the largest stadium in Texas, as I’m feeling a bit magnanimous (being it is Friday and a long weekend), I also want to award the state of Texas their own “Head in the Butt” award. Maybe they can hang it in one of the many corporate boxes in the new stadium!

I leave today with one more thought – especially given the level of rhetoric we are currently experiencing in our country with the great divides we see. Our real challenge is focusing on what we are leaving those who follow us. A little too much hate going around at the moment. The quote is by Golda Meir and is specific to the Israeli/Arab relationship at the time but I think the sentiment (just take out “with the Arabs”) is one that can be applied universally –

“We will have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us”- Golda Meir

Aug 16 2012

Ricky Santorum – boy have we missed him!

I will admit fodder for blogs was much easier when Ricky was still in the hunt for the Republican nomination. After realizing that most of Republican America still saw him as the jerk and reprobate that Pennsylvania voters realized several years ago, he quickly put his tail between his legs and took refuge somewhere no doubt where 21st century thinking was still decades away.

Freedom – as long as your believe what I do!

But, hallelujah, glory be, HE IS BACK! (that is the closest to a religious fervor I can get). Yesterday, Ricky shared his opinion that President Barack Obama is “directly assaulting” religious freedom and that his administration has implemented policies that force Catholics to abandon their faith. Now, while I understand this is politics and that Santorum plays to a select few (none of whom I can personally admit to being an acquaintance), I think Ricky really needs to understand that most Catholics, if we use their support and aherence to the beliefs of the Catholic faith, have long abandoned the rules set by the Catholic Church without help from the present administration. I also have to wonder where Ricky’s wife, who managed to cohabit, un-married, with a renowned abortion doctor, the founder of Pittsburgh’s first abortion clinic in the 1970′s, for several years pre-Ricky, really feels about all this. She has no doubt hit the confessional a few times – nothing a couple of Hail Mary’s can’t fix.

Let’s take a quick look at the numbers as far as Americans who are Catholic and their adherence to the faith. In full disclosure, I am a longstanding atheist so I have issues with most any religious belief – while I’ll defend to the end your right to believe whatever you want, I’ll still never understand how you can believe what you do. I will admit I just happen to find the Catholic belief structure and the Pope particularly abhorrent.

Hmm…Birth Control – while the more non-catholics find birth control morally acceptable than catholics, it isn’t by much. More important, 8 in 10 catholics don’t align with their faith. I guess most of these people won’t be abandoning their faith because of Obama – they left long ago.

This next chart is even more interesting.

Quite a bit to highlight here – but the data in the chart is pretty clear. The majority of Catholics polled seem to fall on the wrong side of sticking with the mandates of the Catholic faith – even the church going Catholics. Even more amazing is that more church going Catholics see abortion as morally acceptable than non-Catholics. Quite a few of them gambling also.

Here’s another surprise (not) – not alot of support of the Catholic Church in general by Catholics – aside from a great number of beliefs remaining in the dark ages, I guess the abuse of little boys hasn’t help the cause much.

So at the end of the day, Ricky, I give to you the latest “Head in the Butt” award. There was no question among the voters and I expect this will not be the last time you get this honor given there is still a few months to go and you will be out there helping Mitt.

Ricky has also started to weigh in on Paulie R.

“What Paul Ryan stands for in conservative circles and in the media and in this country, for those who know him, is someone who is willing to challenge the status quo and have bold ideas to confront the problems of this country in a truthful fashion,” Santorum said.

Yes, there is no doubt Paulie comes to the table with some bold ideas.

From Thinkprogress.org –

“Ryan embraces the extreme philosophy of Ayn Rand. Ryan heaped praise on Ayn Rand, a 20th-century libertarian novelist best known for her philosophy that centered on the idea that selfishness is “virtue.” Rand described altruism as “evil,” condemned Christianity for advocating compassion for the poor, viewed the feminist movement as “phony,” and called Arabs “almost totally primitive savages.”

Wow – she sounds more like a 2012 Republican than a professed libertarian.

Feb 24 2012

Another take on it…

When I read the story in our local newspaper (again, using the term loosely given we are talking about The Pocono Record) about the two American soldiers shot and killed in Afghanistan by an Afghani soldier (or at least someone in a Afghani Army uniform) in response to the burning of copies of the Quran at a NATO base, my immediate reaction this morning was one of anger and a gut reaction that it is time to leave that hellhole and let them take care of it themselves. Seeing people so obviously blinded by their religious beliefs that they can kill again provides more support to my existence as an atheist. We, as American people, will likely look at this action over there as just one more bit of evidence of how screwed up they are and how superior we are as a people – that’s how we “civilized” societies think. However, in thinking about it a little more, another perspective and thought came to mind. How different is this act really from those in our “civilized” society who see it perfectly justified and rational to murder an abortion doctor or who have seen fit to burn down a Planned Parenthood facility or torching a mosque in the name of religion?

Back to politics – in watching the Arizona Republican debate the other night, my wife so aptly commented on the candidates on the stage as we listened to their chest pounding as to whether any of these men actually sound like Presidential material – I guess if we use GW Bush as the yardstick it might work but beyond that, it is a sad commentary – little class and alot of nothing.

Moe, Larry and Curley, et.al.

Last thought – the world can again rejoice – I see that Paris Hilton has again ascended from her hole and is gracing her adoring public with her presence in a new video. No doubt long overdue. I guess the good news is that she isn’t singing but only speaking her lines.

What should have happened following the release of her last album

The real question here – what is wrong with the 197,000 people who bought that album?

Feb 19 2012

Considering the First Amendment

Okay – I don’t expect the career Republicans in the fray of battle to acknowledge it. I really don’t expect the majority of the Republican base to understand it as most are lemmings looking for a cliff. What I don’t understand is those in the media that do the interviews of the politicians and those thinking independents or core Democrats with a voice and the ability to question and challenge. Not that anyone will change the minds of these people – but there is nothing wrong with making them look like the bigots and jerks they really are. What am I missing in the defense of religious freedom that draws on the First Amendment and takes a position that the government is treading on religious freedom when it addresses issues such as contraception or gay rights that can be viewed from a perspective equally valid in non-religious terms? Why is it that imparting or recognizing rights to those not of any particular religious denomination is any less valid than protecting the rights of those whose religion are central to their existence? How is it that the decision by the Bush debacle to not fund stem cell research (that was based purely on religious beliefs) not seen as an issue by these same people who are having issues with birth control or gay rights? I know the answer as does anyone that thinks and actually can chew gum and walk at the same time.

What is it that makes it so threatening to these on the right that someone is different, has different beliefs or holds other ideals to be more important. I would submit that if you were truly of faith and belief, you felt it to your core and you actually followed the teaching of Jesus, we of little faith wouldn’t be seen as the enemy. You wouldn’t feel the need to have us talk, walk, and look like you.

Interesting fact about Rick Santorum: his wife, Karen Santorum, had an abortion in 1996 during her 19th week of pregnancy Karen Santorum’s fetus caused an infection inside her and had to be removed to save her life. How can Rick Santorum oppose all abortion in all cases when terminating a pregnancy saved the life of his own wife? **

To be honest, I’m okay with the tax dollars of good catholics not funding birth control or abortion because, of course, no catholics use birth control or have abortions. Equally so, I think, as a long standing atheist, I should have equal say in my Federal tax dollars (now into six figures) not funding anything that smells of organized religion – charities, schools, you name it. Where do I sign up for that? Yes – we can write our Senator and Congressperson but that won’t go anywhere because most of them have no balls. At the end of the day, I would expect that my contribution to the Federal budget wouldn’t be funding the exorbitant medical costs of Rick Santorum’s last child (yes Rick, there is an appropriate time for birth control) – as I would expect given the Santorum’s as the religious poster family, the care is being provided in a Catholic hospital. You see, it goes both ways.

**Update: In the spirit of fairness and in anticipation of how the termination of the Santorum’s pregnancy in 1996 could be positioned, it would appear that the Santorum’s, given their pro-life stance, took a different route to terminating the pregnancy. Rather than a direct abortion, they had the doctor induce the pregnancy using pitocin, which is used to induce labor. They were aware that there was little (and I mean little) chance of survival of the baby at that age and it did die within two hours. I have no doubt that Santorum (and pro-life supporters) will have every explanation of why this was not a “true” abortion but, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.

notthebestoftimes…

And it is getting worse – time to get our collective head out of our ass

Tag Archives: abortion