Healthcare Reform Misinformation From The Church

My in-laws attend the St. Lawrence O'Toole Catholic Church in Brewster, NY. This past weekend the church distributed with its bulletin a two page warning about specific New York State and Federal proposed legislation. NY State bills are the Marriage Equality Act and the Reproductive Health Act. The Federal bill is Health Reform. Part of the misinformation distributed by the church appears to have been generated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has distributed multiple letters and videos (YouTube.com) attacking health reform.


Any church and its members have the right to disagree with any legislation and to publicly oppose it. However, it is very disappointing that this church has chosen to disseminate misinformation. Apparently this church is willing to break one commandment in order to defend another.

Ted Kennedy's Legislative Accomplishments

Ted Kennedy was a hero to all who joined or supported his fight for social justice. It is a shame that some will not forgive him for a 40 year old mistake. But, rest assured that God did.

Ted Kennedy authored more than 2,500 bills throughout his career in the United States Senate. Of those bills, several hundred have become Public Law. Below are some of those laws, which have made a significant difference in the quality of life for the American people.

• Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals Act of 1986
• Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990
• National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993
• Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
• Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in 1997
• Project BioShield Act of 2003
• Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2005
• legislation to create a federal initiative patterned on volunteer programs in several states to feed the elderly, either with meals delivered to their homes or in group settings. Kennedy’s bill established permanent federal subsidies for these programs (the first was $250 million over two years), and he fought the Nixon Administration’s attempts to completely eliminate funding. In 2007, 141 million meals were delivered to 916,000 individuals and 95 million meals were provided to 1.6 million seniors in community locations. It is estimated that over 6 billion meals have been served since Kennedy’s bill was signed into law.
• Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC).
• Public Health Threats and Emergencies Act
• Project BioShield Act, creating stronger defenses to bioterrorism
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993
• legislation that quadrupled the amount of funding for cancer research and prevention (1971)
• Mammography Quality Standards Act (1992)
• 21st Century Cancer Access to Life-Saving Early detection, Research and Treatment (ALERT) Act
• Empowered the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) power to regulate tobacco products
• Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act
• Mental Health Parity legislation to help eliminate unjust annual and lifetime limits on mental health coverage
• Mental Health Early Intervention, Treatment and Prevention Act of 2000
• The Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act
• Healthcare Research and Quality Act, which established the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) Program
• Federal funding of the Vaccines for Children Program
• Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982
• Voting Rights Language Assistance Act
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 (vetoed by Ronald Reagan)
• amendments to extend the Fair Housing Act of 1968
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Civil Rights Act of 1991
• Employment Non Discrimination Act
• first ever bipartisan campaign finance bill (1973)
• Deregulation of the Airline Industry (1974)
• Immigration Act of 1965, which ended the selection of immigrants on the basis of their national origin that began in 1924
• Refugee Act of 1980 which established a comprehensive U.S. policy to provide humanitarian assistance, admission and resettlement to refugees around the world
• Violence Against Women Act (1994, 2000)
• Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002
• McCain-Kennedy comprehensive immigration reform bill
• “truth in sentencing” legislation to reform the federal criminal code and require all federal judges to follow specific guidelines in sentencing offenders convicted of particular crimes. Kennedy believed in the idea that prisoners should serve their sentences in full.
• 1994 Crime Act, which provided funding for 100,000 new police officers, imposed strict new penalties for crimes involving gangs and firearms, and authorized the Police Corps, a program that gives talented young people college scholarships in return for their commitment to serve as police officers in their communities.
• Equal Rights Amendment
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978
• Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993. The legislation restored strict scrutiny for certain religious free exercise claims. The legislation was in response to the Supreme Court decision -- Oregon v. Smith in 1989, which invalidated the use of strict scrutiny in cases involving acts by governments which had the unintentional effect of violating an individual’s right to free exercise of his or her religion.
• Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)
• conducted the first Congressional investigation of Watergate
• strongly opposed the death penalty. His opposition is a matter of principle, based on his understanding of the stark racial disparities involved, the lack of competent legal representation in many cases, and the unacceptable danger that an innocent person may be executed.
• Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)
• Voting Rights Act of 1965
• lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. He felt strongly that those who old enough to fight for their country are old enough to vote.
• Voting Rights Act Amendments of 1982
• Voting Rights Language Assistance Act
• Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 – passed in spite of President Reagan’s veto.
• Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which was the centerpiece of the War on Poverty and created Head Start.
• Early Head Start, created by Senator Kennedy in 1994, serves infants and toddlers in poverty.
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
• bipartisan Star Schools Program Assistance Act in 1987
• Goals 2000 Education America Act
• Higher Education Act in 1968
• Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 modified the existing vocational education programs and established a National Advisory Council on Vocational Education.
• Academic Research Facilities Modernization Act of 1998
• Workforce Investment Act of 1998 created new training provisions that now guide most federal training investments.
• National and Community Service Trust Act, creating AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service to expand opportunities for citizens to serve their communities, and most recently with his good friend Senator Orrin Hatch, the Serve America Act of 2009
• New National Defense Education Act (2006)
• leading Congressional proponent of a fair minimum wage, which was increased 16 times during his nearly half century of Senate service.
• Pension Protection Act of 2006, the largest reform of the nation’s pension system since 1974.
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to restore a fair rule for filing pay discrimination cases.
• bipartisan mine safety reform legislation, the MINER Act
• Employee Free Choice Act, which will protect the right of workers to organize and join a union, and stop the epidemic of employer anti-union violations (introduced in 2009)
• Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act of 2000
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
• National Military Child Care Act (1989)
• National Guard and Reserve Mental Health Access Act of 2008 to improve access to mental health care for our returning Guard and Reserve men and women
• Civil Rights Commission Act Amendments of 1978, which expanded the jurisdiction of the Civil Rights Commission to protect people from discrimination on the basis of disability.
• Air Carrier Access Act. This law required that facilities and services be provided to people with disabilities traveling by air.
• Fair Housing Act Amendments to extend the Fair Housing Act of 1968 to include people with disabilities and families with children.
• Crime Victims and Disabilities Awareness Act of 1998
• Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act, which made work incentives for disabled individuals a permanent fixture of the Social Security Act (1986).
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees a free and appropriate public education to children with disabilities, regardless of their severity, in all states (1975).
• Handicapped Children’s Protection Act of 1986, which overturned a Supreme Court decision and allowed courts to award sensible attorneys fees to parents of children with disabilities winning in due process proceedings and other court actions under part B of the Education Act.
• bipartisan Family Opportunity Act. The law provides states the option of allowing families of disabled children to purchase health coverage through Medicaid.
• legislation to create a “bill of rights” for people with developmental disabilities. The bill also provided funding for services for people with this type of disability, supplemented funding for affiliated university facilities and created state-based systems of protection and advocacy groups in all 50 states.

Michele Bachmann Calls For Prayer and Fasting To Defeat Healthcare Reform

Representatives Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina jointly held a townhall meeting via telephone to discuss healthcare reform. Bachmann and Foxx repeated all the lies about the healthcare reform bill being developed in the House, such as the Death Panel. Bachmann stated that the Death Panel is real since Sarah Palin said it is so! Bachmann suggested that it was Religious Destiny that put her and others like her in congress at this critical time. Bachmann then called for prayer and fasting to defeat healthcare reform.

Shall we all pray to God that congress does not pass legislation to reform our ineffective and increasingly unaffordable healthcare insurance and services? Here's some online responses to Michele Bachmann:

"Praying so some Americans won’t get any health care insurance? Does Mrs. Bachmann’s God accept such petitions?"

"I strongly support Rep. Bachman’s call to fast. I think she should begin, NOW! Under no circumstances should she stop until Obama is deposed and Bachman’s vision of righteousness rules this fair land. We’ll be sure and let Rep. Bachman know when she can quit. Maybe she could also hold her breath? Let the countdown clock begin…."

"Fasting is quite easy when one’s foot is already filling one’s pie hole."

"What does this say about the constituency who elected this nut job to Congress."

"Interesting that this chat was sponsored by a “pro-life” group. They will fight tooth and nail to bring every child into this world, at the expense of a mother’s health or the child’s safety, but as soon as they breathe life outside the womb, they’re on their own, including the mother. Interesting…"

CIA War Crimes Will Be Investigated, Finally!!

By now everybody who's not in a coma knows that the Dept of Justice has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations of war crimes committed by the CIA and some of its contractors. The decision was made by Eric Holder in spite of President Obama's preference to only look forward. Months ago Obama ordered that torturers that did not exceed the limits established by a couple of Bush's DOJ lawyers would not be prosecuted. However, the CIA Inspector General's report from 2004 clearly shows that several CIA operatives and contractors far exceeded the DOJ limits established under Bush, which also violate both the Army Field Manual and international treaty.

Those who oppose prosecuting these war crimes warn that CIA personnel will be demoralized, reducing the effectiveness of the CIA. However, the majority of CIA personnel did not commit war crimes and a number of them refused to participate in spite of the directives received from their superiors. I am concerned that these people, the majority of the CIA, will be demoralized if, after having properly refused illegal orders, they see the guilty go unpunished. What message will we send to them if the crimes are not investigated and the guilty prosecuted - no matter whom the guilty are... no matter how high in our government they are now or were then?

I applaud Eric Holder for doing the right thing.

Obama's First Vacation

President Obama has been in office 209 days. He just started his first vacation which will last 7 days. That's less vacation than the average working person takes in the same period of time.

So why do his opponents feel justified in complaining that he is vacationing? Why are they complaining about where he has chosen to vacation? Why are they complaining about how much the vacation might cost when he is personnally paying for it?

This is just another petty attack by those who take every opportunity to disagree with Obama.

For the record, the presidents who spent more of their presidency on vacation than all other presidents are GHW Bush (37%), GW Bush (33%) and Ronald Reagan (15%). For comparison: Carter, 5%; Clinton, 5%; Obama, 3%.

Michael Vick Served His Sentence

I'm an animal lover. I would have given Michael Vick a sentence that would have kept him in prison for a lot longer than 18 months. However, the court sentenced Vick and Vick has served his sentence to the satisfaction of the Justice System. Why then are so many people debating whether Vick has the right to return to his career in sports?

Although Vick has apologized, which is not a legal requirement, many people are not accepting it and feel that Vick has not adequately paid for his crime. They never want Vick to play professional football, again.

Martha Stewart, the perfect everything, in spite of her amazing wealth sold to innocent investors $160,000 of stock in a company that illegally warned her that the value of its stock was going to tank. Martha did her time and, although Martha never apologized for her greed and crime, she has resumed her career that is likely more lucrative since she violated the law than it was before. Who has demanded that Stewart forfeit her career because of her crime of greed?

Vick has served his time for his crime. He doesn't owe us anything else. Society must allow him to resume his life. That's how the system is supposed to work.

GOP & Right Wing - Corruptors Of Our Democracy

A Right Wing fanatic showed up at the president's townhall meeting yesterday carrying a gun and a sign declaring that "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time." The complete quote continues with "the blood of patriots and tyrants." The message is clear: this fanatic is prepared to use violence to force his opinion on the People.

Under the most peaceful circumstances it is irresponsible to bring a gun and a sign that threatens to use it to a public forum. Townhalls, thanks to the GOP, healthcare industry paid activists and Right Wing thugs, are not an opportunity for All to speak their mind in a respectful manner - respectful of the rights of those with whom they do not agree.

These activists are corrupting our democracy. They don't believe that "government of the people, by the people, for the people" applies to each and every citizen of the United States. They don't believe in majority rule and respect for each citizen. GOP leaders and spokespersons are publicly promoting this undemocratic conduct. When the GOP has controlled congress and the presidency they did nothing to reform healthcare. Now that the Democrats and Obama are in the position to reform healthcare the GOP says NO. They want to defeat any proposal for reform but can only do so by making false accusations about the proposal. Although some of the accusations are outrageously unbelieveable, many, many people are accepting them as fact.

I support everybody's right to present their opinion and differ with all others but it must be done responsibly. Physical intimidation and violence are not acceptable means for persuading others to accept one's ideas.

I believe that tactics like this will ultimately destroy the GOP. Responsible Republicans - fiscal and moderate social conservatives - will abandon the GOP which has committed itself to far right social conservatives and racists. However, in the process I fear that the United States will not reform its healthcare system.

Finally, what somebody calls the person that shows up at a townhall meeting with a swastika sign or paints a swastika on the office of a U.S. Congressman is not the issue. These acts of Hate and Intimidation are the issues. These are acts of a THUG. Why don't the conservatives who take exception to calling out-of-control protesters THUGS, complain when Palin and Limbaugh call their opposition un-American, un-Patriotic, socialist, communist and Nazi?

Sarah Palin Is Lying About Healthcare Reform

Sarah Palin is lying about Obama's healthcare reform because she is surely not stupid enough to believe what she has said. "The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's "death panel" so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their "level of productivity in society," whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil."

I believe Palin is familiar enough with the reform proposal to know that it does not propose a Death Panel or anything like it.

My son Jon has Down Syndrome. Jon's life has always been and continues to be significantly better because of government funded programs from Early Intervention before he was one year old to the adult employment program through which he has a job. In Jon's life the only significant cut in the Department of Mental Retardation funding occurred under the administration of Ronald Reagan - the same administration that reduced the maximum income to qualify for assistance thus creating a new class called the Near Poor and defined ketchup as a vegetable to reduce the cost of Head Start school meals.

As Alaska's governor, Palin reduced funding of The Department of Education and Early Development of Special Needs by more than 60%.

Palin isn't interested in the truth about healthcare reform. She knows that she must lie to defeat beneficial reform. With much regret I concede that there might be enough voters who are stupid enough to believe her.

Consumer protection laws require truth in commercial advertising. Why don't we require truth in political advertising? Is it only because we cannot find enough people who are able and willing to render an honest opinion that is free of ideological bias? They don't have to judge the opinions they only have to determine if the claims are supported by facts. I believe there are many people who could fulfill this role, however, since they must be appointed by politicians, unbiased candidates don't have a chance.

Don't listen to the political rhetoric. Read the reform proposals and judge them for yourself. We won't all agree about the reform. But, we should agree to be honest with each other.

Texas Governor Plans To Secede From The Federal Healthcare Program

Texas Governor Rick Perry wants no part of the Federal Healthcare Reform. He doesn't want the federal government to screw up healthcare in Texas. Perry thinks that Texas is doing better and will continue to do better on its own. Perry has been the governor of Texas for 9 years. Let's see how Perry is doing with healthcare in Texas.

1 in 4 Texans is uninsured; 25% of its population. Only 15% of all Americans are uninsured.

Texas employers insure fewer of its residents than 45 states.

Texas spends less than 44 states for healthcare per Texan.

Texas spends less than 36 states for healthcare per "insured" Texan.

Texas receives 10.4% of all Federal funding for the SCHIP program which pays healthcare expenses for children of low income families but SCHIP enrollment in Texas is only 7.4% of the U.S. enrollment. Therefore, the "Federal" cost per child in Texas is 40% higher than the national average.

Healthcare in Texas is poor.

Why then does Governor Perry feel that Texans will get better healthcare if Texas is not involved in the Federal Healthcare program? Is Governor Perry concerned that all Texans have access to affordable healthcare or is he more concerned that the healthcare industry continues to make a good profit?

No Honor In The GOP

Barack Obama's citizenship was first challenged when he decided to run for the presidency. The accusation that he was born in Kenya rather than in Hawaii is still being made by a group of nuts referred to as Birthers. The Birther's campaign to unseat Obama because he is not a citizen has actually intensified recently. Several congressional Republicans have publicly supported the Birther's challenge. In spite of clear and legal evidence that Obama was born in the United States, these Republicans claim that they have not seen the proof of citizenship that the Birthers are demanding. The rest of the elected Republicans as well as the Republican National Committee remained completely silent on the matter until this week when an RNC spokesperson released this statement, "Chairman Steele believes that this is an unnecessary distraction and believes that the president is a U.S. citizen." Steele waited until Obama had been president for 6 months before finally coming out against the outrageous Birther accusation. The McCain campaign team never acknowledged Obama's U.S. citizenship and John McCain only did so when one of his supporters asked him if Obama was a Muslim and not an American.

You may be saying that it's politics as usual and the Democrats would do the same thing if the situation was reversed but that is not true. McCain was actually born in a foreign country - Panama - where McCain's father was serving in the U.S. Navy. When McCain opponents started challenging McCain's citizenship and right to run for the presidency, Democratic Senators Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Patrick Leahy of Vermont introduced a resolution in the Senate proclaiming that John McCain was a U.S. Citizen. The resolution was co-sponsored by Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Jim Webb and Republican Tom Coburn. The resolution was proposed only two months after the accusations about McCain became public.

While there is no less evidence that Barack Obama is a U.S. citizen, several congressional Republicans and many Republican spokespersons, including Liz Cheney aka "Little Dick," continue to challenge Obama's U.S. citizenship. One statement released by an RNC spokesperson, rather than a public statement from Chairman Steele and/or congressional Republican leaders, is not enough and has come way too late.

The RNC and elected Republicans have not come out against the accusation in support of their president for political reasons; not because they are so stupid or so uninformed that they believe the accusation. In spite of their claim to be the moral leadership of the U.S., the RNC and elected Republicans have proven again to be anything but.

If you happen to be one of the Birthers, be ashamed of your utter stupidity and should I say racial bigotry. If you are a Republican and you believe that Obama is a U.S. citizen, then I suggest that you write your party leadership and your elected Republican representatives, if you have any, and demand that they publicly oppose the Birthers and strongly proclaim that Obama is a U.S. citizen.

If you happen to be undecided about Obama's citizenship, I suggest that you wake up and start using your brain.

The Arrest of Professor Gates - Update

I think Obama is technically incorrect to support Gates since Obama admits not knowing all the facts BUT we should not be surprised that a black man’s initial response to such a story would be to take the side of the black man arrested. I don’t think a typical American minority person, especially a black, should be expected to "react" differently in situations like this.

However, Obama is not a typical black man when he opens his mouth in public. As the President he should not have commented until he adequately understood what took place. He certainly has enough resources at his disposal to inform him well in a short time.

When our politicians have spoken out as white men or Christian men rather than for all Americans, the majority has rightly disagreed with their narrow-minded positions. We should not make an exception for Obama.

The Arrest of Professor Gates - Who's Responsible?

I've read two accounts of the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. One account was written by a friend, Lawrence Bobo. The other account was provided by the attorney for Henry Louis Gates, Jr. They are, in my opinion, very different accounts. The attorney's account would leave one to believe that the policeman had no cause to make an arrest. But, the account by Lawrence Bobo convinced me that Gates was responsible for his own arrest even though Bobo blames the policeman for a false arrest. Gates and a second black man broke into a house that he had just rented when he found that the door was damaged and the key would not open it. This activity was reported to the local police who responded as though it was a possible burglary.

I agree that race continues to be an issue in the US. Having a black man as president gives white America a new perspective that is not wasted on many, if any, whites and it gives blacks a new perspective of themselves and hope for continued improvements in race relations. However, I think Professor Gates is responsible for his arrest. Professor Gates could and should have reacted like an “unknown person” confronted by a policeman investigating the report of a possible crime. Instead, he chose to assume that the white policeman was disrespecting him because he was black. Then again, it may have been a “class” issue: the working class cop versus the “famous and successful Harvard professor”, according to Lawrence Bobo. I can’t be sure whether either the policeman or Professor Gates turned this into a “class” issue but Lawrence Bobo’s own words suggest to me that he has a “class” attitude. I didn’t recognize the name Henry Louis “Skip” Gates in spite of the fact, according to Lawrence Bobo, that Professor Gates is “one of the most readily recognized black men in America and the most broadly influential black scholar of this generation.” I looked at a photo of Professor Gates and he was not familiar to me. That doesn’t mean that Professor Gates is not highly recognized and most broadly influential. What it means to me is that at least Lawrence Bobo, if not Professor Gates, is wrong to assume that the policeman had to have recognized Professor Gates by sight and by name and was bent on punishing him for his race and/or his status.

Let me know what you think after you have read both views.

Secret CIA Program - A Legal Not Political Matter

CIA Director Leon Panetta recently disclosed to Congress a secret CIA program authorized by Dick Cheney in 2001. By order of Dick Cheney, Congress was never briefed on the program. This act alone is a violation of federal law. If Cheney did not want Congress to know that the program existed then one can only conclude that Congress would not have approved of the program's activities because those activities also violate the federal law or international treaty.

The GOP would have us believe that an investigation of the secret program would only be motivated by politics for the purpose of damaging the GOP and members of the Bush Administration. They further claim that the investigation would embarrass the US and likely threaten US security. John McCain asked, "What's going to be the positive result from airing out and ventilating details of what we already knew took place and should never have? "And," added McCain, "we are committed to making sure it never happens again." McCain would have a stronger argument against an investigation if the guilty admitted their wrong doing and condemned their own acts. Without that the nation has not adequately admitted that wrongs were done, never should have been done and should not be done again. Without a full admission of guilt those who believe that wrongs were not done will commit, or permit others to commit, the same wrongs in the future.

I agree that a political motivation exists but politics must not also prevent the US from investigating criminal activity, especially within the government, and prosecuting those responsible for it. The US has already lost moral ground with other nations and the only way to recover it is to thoroughly investigate and prosecute these crimes. Finally, the only way to ensure that future administrations do not violate the law is to demonstrate that future violations will not go unpunished by punishing the violators within the Bush Administration.

I don't doubt that the country will be deeply split if the Department of Justice proceeds with this investigation but that is not a reason to ignore criminal acts. The country has been deeply split before and each time has risen from it a better country for fully enforcing our Constitution. The strongest example is the secession of the Southern slave states following the election of Abe Lincoln who campaigned against the expansion of slavery. The cost of doing the right thing was high but the need was greater.

Our Constitution is only as powerful as our commitment to enforce it. Enforcing the Constitution is not "politics as usual" it is a matter of Law and the survival of our Constitution.

Fox & Friends Host Is An Idiot - Maybe A Racist

Watch this video of "Fox and Friends" host Brian Kilmeade proving that he is at least an idiot if not also a racist. How does this gang stay on the air? The first time I watched this show, the female host stated, while responding to an accusation that the United States would preemptively use nuclear weapons, "the United States has never used its nuclear weapons." Has she not heard of "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" that were dropped on Japan and killed more than 200,000 people? Murdock doesn't care who he hires at Fox as long as they will tell his lies. Is it possible that Murdock's lackeys are stupid enough to believe what that are saying?

Are Mexican Army Interrogators CIA-Trained?

"Mexico Accused of Torture in Drug War PUERTO LAS OLLAS, Mexico -- The Mexican army has carried out forced disappearances, acts of torture and illegal raids in pursuit of drug traffickers, according to documents and interviews with victims, their families, political leaders and human rights monitors." (By Steve Fainaru and William Booth, The Washington Post)

I bet the United States Government doesn't have the nerve to complain to Mexico that the methods they are employing against suspected drug traffickers are human rights violations. Yet, if they do I won't be surprised. After all, John McCain stated that the United States does not have to worry that other countries will also violate the Geneva Convention Treaty if the United States refuses to prosecute its own treaty violators. Why? "Because other countries know that the United States will punish them for their war crimes if they torture our military personnel," said John McCain.

Apparently the Golden Rule and international treaties apply to all nations except the United States.

Rev. Al Sharpton - Playing the Race Card over Michael Jackson

I have never been a fan of the Rev. Al Sharpton because he too often creates a race issue where one did not exist or he throws fuel on a small issue, making it worse rather than better.

Now he is using the death of Michael Jackson to accuse the news media and the entertainment industry of slighting Michael Jackson by their "inadequate" coverage of his passing and recognition of his talents. It was my opinion that the news media and the entertainment industry could not have spent more time and resources on Michael Jackson since his passing. Was there anything else on TV for days after Michael Jackson died? The news media over-reports on many events until most of us are sick of the subject and they haven't made an exception for Michael Jackson.

Sharpton called on the news media and the entertainment industry to recognize Michael Jackson on the occasion of his passing in a manner equal to that which was afforded Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. I'm very sure that Sinatra's passing did not give rise to as much positive coverage. I even doubt that Elvis Presley was lauded more than Michael Jackson although the news media could and did make more of the cause for Presley's "passing."

I don't question whether Michael Jackson was a significant talent and I don't resent the attention that he has received due to his very significant fan following. However, as a person, rather than a musician, Jackson deserves significant criticism although now is not the proper time. Matter of fact, his parents also deserve significant criticism, in my opinion, for their contribution to the making of Michael Jackson, the person.

If the impact of Al Sharpton's statements were limited to his reputation then I would not mind that he is making a fool of himself, but his conduct is a negative impact on the race issue in America. What's worse is that his impact is often negative.

More Anti-Obama Lies From Rush Limbaugh

While on a recent 1,300 mile roadtrip I happened onto Rush Limbaugh's radio talkshow. I think we should listen to both sides of all the issues which affect us or on which we want to have an opinion. So, I decided to listen to Rush.

The Obama Administration had just announced that the federal government would provide cash awards for the development of technologies that will reduce America's reliance on carbon based fuels. Rush stated that the cash incentive is sufficient evidence that nobody knows how to achieve the goals that Obama set and that these technologies are not currently cost justified. Rush also complained that the government should not spend money to develop technologies that the private sector is not willing to invest in. For example, one of the goals is to increase the automobile mileage to at least 70 mpg without significantly increasing the cost of the automobile. I agree that nobody knows how to do this or that 'somebody' would already be selling the technology like hotcakes to a hungry man. I don't agree that the United States should wait for the private sector to develop new technologies which will benefit the the country as a whole but cannot be cost justififed by the private sector. If that were the case the world would not now have the internet and Americans would not have the federal superhighway system.

Rush Limbaugh is smart enough to know that he is lying to his fans but he also knows that most of his fans aren't smart enough or informed enough to know that they are being lied to. Such is the strength of the talking heads of the far-right base of the nearly deceased and thoroughly insignificant GOP.

More Richard Nixon Tapes!!!

I get to post twice today thanks to Gov. Sanford of South Carolina and the late and disgraced President Richard Nixon.

More taped oval office conversations of Richard Nixon have been released. These tapes reveal that he was a racist. While discussing the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion Nixon stated, "I admit, there are times when abortions are necessary, I know that." Nixon cited "a black and a white" as an example. Charles Colson with whom Nixon was speaking added, "or rape." "Or rape," said Nixon. Did the weary Civil Rights Movement know that it had an opponent in the White House?

In another taped conversation with George HW Bush, who was then Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Nixon stated, "I noticed a couple of very attractive women, both of them Republicans, in the legislature, I want you to be sure to emphasize to our people, God, let's look for some … Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not … So have you got that in mind?"
To which Bush replied, "I'll certainly keep it in mind."

Nixon's tapes have ensured that his legacy will be as poor as it deserves to be. More poor than we could have imagined without the aid of his tapes.

Can the Moral Majority still think the GOP represents their Moral Interests?

Two more possible 2012 GOP presidential candidates have likely dashed their hopes for nomination by admitting to extra-marital affairs. Senator Ensign got off easy compared to SC Governor Sanford who "disappeared" for nearly one week without a word to his family, his staff or the State of South Carolina. After telling the press that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail he was caught by a news reporter arriving in South Carolina on a flight from Argentina. Now he has admitted to his family, his state and the GOP, which he had hoped to lead back to the White House, that he has been having a affair with a woman from Argentina.

How many moral scandals can the GOP commit before the Moral Majority realizes that the GOP politicians and leadership are giving them lip service only? I'm not suggesting that the Democratic party hasn't had some moral scandals of its own but the Democratic party doesn't claim to be the sole representative of Christian morals and ideals as does the GOP. Recently, Liberty University, founded by the Moral Majority's Jerry Falwell, banned the Democratic Club from the campus because unlike the Republican Party the Democratic Party with which the Club is affliliated "stands against the moral principles held by Liberty University." Can the university still assume that the Republican Party stands for those moral principles?

Who is left in the GOP that "may" still stand for those moral principles? Rush Limbaugh?

Can you hear me laughing out loud?

Is GITMO any better than a North Korean trial?

The following was posted by Mitchell Bard on The Huffington Post:

"North Korea can seize two innocent journalists, put them through a bogus, private, star-chamber trial, and then sentence them to 12 years of hard labor, all without any justification. The United States I grew up in, the United States that fought wars from World War I to the Cold War defending democracy and freedom against repression, could never engage in such conduct like the North Koreans did. And yet, there it is, for all to read, that we took a man and locked him up without a trial for 7 1/2 years, torturing him while in our custody, even though two courts, one in the U.S. and one in Bosnia (one before his detention and one after), found insufficient evidence to charge him with any crime. While we clearly have a more open and democratic society than North Korea does, his experience with us was no better than what the two American journalists are now going through in North Korea. We have to recognize that Bush, Cheney and the rest of the gang did real damage to core American ideals, and that this damage is still being felt, both at home and abroad." Mitchell Bard's full story

Do you feel, like most Americans, that North Korea's treatment of two American Journalists is a crime and that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a criminal? Is the detention in GITMO without trial of suspected terrorists less criminal? If you are not just as outraged by the abuse of GITMO detainees as you are about the detention of two American journalists then, in my opinion, you have a serious moral deficiency.