Wednesday, January 27, 2010

SC Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer: Feeding The Poor Only Encourages Them To Reproduce

Demonstrating the same capacity to be compassionate as Rush Limbaugh, South Carolina's Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, a Republican candidate for governor, has compared giving people government assistance to "feeding stray animals."

"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals. You know why? Because they breed. You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that. And so what you've got to do is you've got to curtail that type of behavior. They don't know any better," Bauer said.

South Carolina voters couldn't have known that their current governor would use taxpayers' money to pay his expenses incurred during an adulterous affair in Argentina but if they elect Bauer they will knowingly elect a bigot. Considering the fact that 58 percent of South Carolina's students participate in the free and reduced-price lunch program one would think and hope that Bauer's bigoted statement has already destroyed his chance to be governor but I am continually disappointed by American voters.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Will Christian Leaders Condemn Pat Robertson's Statement About Haiti?

I've been Googling for reactions to Pat Robertson's statement that Haiti is cursed because of a 200 year-old pact with the devil during the slave revolt against the French.  I found responses from MSNBC, the White House and various bloggers.  With the exception of a few bloggers, Robertson is being condemned for his statement.

CBN.com claims that Robertson was only stating an historical fact regarding the "pact" and that the living conditions in Haiti are evidence to Robertson and others that Haiti is cursed.  The statement goes on to praise Robertson's call for prayer and relief aid for Haiti.

Should I assume that Christian leaders and Christian bloggers are silent because they do not disagree with Robertson?  Am I overreacting along with MSNBC and the White House or do Christians really believe that Haiti has been cursed and abandoned by God for the last 200 years?

I was not surprised by Robertson's statement; it was expected.  I didn't expect silence from the Christian community.  How naive of me.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Congressional Deficit Commission

Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) are proposing that congress establish a commission to develop proposals for dealing with the budget deficit. The commission would consist of senators, representatives, administration representatives and an advisory group that would represent parties with a vested interest in the outcome. The commission would do a lot of public outreach. The commission will focus on two areas to reduce the deficit: entitlement, taxes.


If both houses of Congress and their many existing committees cannot solve our deficit problem with their current processes, then a special commission won’t solve it either.

No doubt the “advisory group” will consist of lobbyists too numerous to count.

I expect that the “public outreach” will consist of townhall meetings dominated by teabaggers and professional protesters.

I suspect that the proponents of such a commission (Republicans and conservative Democrats) want to move the discussion of the deficit issue into the public arena where they will use misinformation to gain public support for their agenda. I’m reminded of the health care reform townhall meetings.

Commission proposals can only be enacted by a super majority, giving the minority conservatives the power to block any legislation they disapprove of.

Our partisan Congress at work!

What do you think of the proposed commission?