Month: July 2009

Is There A Liberal Republican?

We hear all about the conservative Blue Dog Dems, but I wanted to know if there were such a beast as a liberal Repub.  If so, what would they believe in?  What would be their stance on certain issues?

After doing a little research, I hit the Google button and here is what I found:

  1. Step 1

    Trust in a women’s right to choose. Roe vs. Wade was a landmark decision that gave a woman the right to choose her own destiny. This country’s basic tenets are freedom and liberty. The Liberal Republican understands this and supports, defends and trusts in this right to choose.

  2. Step 2

    Believe in evolution. Evolution while controversial in some areas of the Republican party, is not the hot button topic in liberal wing of the Republican party. Liberal Republicans accept the scientific evidence in this case.

  3. Step 3

    Maintain equality for all, including gays and lesbians. Again, this country is based on liberty and freedom for all. A liberal republican believes in excluding no one based on his or her sexual orientation.

  4. Step 4

    Support stem cell research. Stem cell research has the possibility to save and extend millions of lives throughout the world. A liberal Republican believes in allowing science to determine its own course regardless of their personal beliefs on issues.

  5. Step 5

    Protect the environment. With weather patterns becoming more and more erratic, the liberal Republican understands the importance of the environment to the survival of future generations. Environmental threats and concerns are to be one of the main topics in elections for the next generation or more.

  6. Step 6

    Keep an open mind. Liberal Republicans understand that they may not have all the answers and that some questions are still unanswered. Too many politicians think that an issue is black and white. A liberal Republican realizes the nuances and grey areas that come with some issues.

Now with those characteristics can you think of any liberal Repubs in Congress?  I cannot think of one right now, but I will say that Meghan McCain comes pretty close to being a liberal Republican.

If you cannot think of any liberal Repubs and want to be one for a future run for office here are a few instructions:

  1. Step 1

    The first step to becoming a Liberal Republican is to take a hard stance on traditional Republican base beliefs such as strong National Security policies.

  2. Step 2

    To be a Liberal Republican you must also believe in a smaller federal government and lower taxes.

  3. Step 3

    Subscribe to the belief that religion is important to society and be driven by moralistic values and expect fairness and responsibility in all things.

  4. Step 4

    Next, embrace social views that are generally associated with liberalism or the democratic party. Socially liberal views include, but not limited to; supporting gay marriage, pro choice when it comes to abortion and the support of social programs for the less fortunate.

  5. Step 5

    Following these steps should make you a Liberal Republican.

There you are all you need to know about becoming a Liberal Republican.  Personally, I think that the GOP would be better off if there were some actual liberals in their midst.

The only one that I have a problem with is no. 3 –why?–I believe that religion is important to the individual not necessarily to society as a whole and to pick a person to represent you just because of his religion is lunacy.  But the part about having a moralistic outlook toward society is a necessity, in my opinion, but being religious does not make it so.

What Makes A Party Strong?

Inkwell Institute Analysis

Before we go any further we need to clear the air a bit.  CIA has ALWAYS targeted people for the things they are accused of now, Sotomayor WILL be confirmed, Liz Cheney needs to shut up and the Palin drama needs to go away.  Now to the meat of the post.

There has been much debate and jokes made about the strength of the GOP,  Some say it is irrelevant and yet others say it is just in the redinition stage after a massive defeat at the polls.  But what makes for a strong party?  In the book, “The Party’s Just Begun” written by Larry J. Sabato and Bruce Larson there is a 10 point summation of what makes a strong party and in using their guidelines I will point out whether the GOP is strong or flailing around looking for a rudder.

Using the authors 10 point analysis is the GOP a strong party?

1–equity and legitimacy–the GOP is losing ground with the middle, they no longer have a legit voice for them–1/2 point.

2–electoral appeal–last election has shown that there is none..failure–0 points

3–Participation and education–The GOP is failing miserably on teaching the electorate about their positions–0 points.

4–Accountability–the party is not doing a very good job of keeping their membership in line with party core beliefs–family values comes to mind–0 points

5–Conflict control–the GOP cannot control their extreme pundits–0 points

6–Resources–I will give them the point for having a core group that will donate no matter is going on…..1 point

7–Autonomy–this one is a bit difficult to analyze so I will give them the point….1 point

8–Policy Capacity–this is a complete failure for the GOP–they have little to no policies other than just saying “no” to everything.–0 points

9–Incentives–I cannot give them the point for this for I have been unable to find any incentive that would want to make people be a Repub.–0 points

10-Candidate assitance–I cannot give them the whole point for this….but they are trying to find a way to get candidates elected….even it is mostly smoke and mirrors….1/2 point.

The total for the GOP is a 3….and that low of a score would make the party a weak party with massive work to do to return to their past glory.  May I suggest that the GOP needs to look to the young for their next leadership, people like Meghan McCain.  The days of the old white guys is over and their antiquated thinking only is playing to the South and older white men.  The party will NEVER return to their past glory without the young generations.

I would like to thank Mr. Sabato and Mr. Larsen for their book and for the grading system that I used in my analysis.

Is This Economic Good News?

As reported by AP on the newest unemployment figures.

The Labor Department said new applications for unemployment insurance dropped by a seasonally adjusted 47,000 to 522,000, the lowest level since early January. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected claims to rise to around 575,000.

A department analyst said the drop in new claims didn’t point to improvements in economic conditions. The second straight weekly decline reflected problems adjusting layoffs for temporary shutdowns at General Motors and Chrysler plants to retool for new models.

But then this news was dropped into the report:

The unadjusted figures actually showed that new claims rose by 86,389 last week, which would push the total to 667,534.

That blew a huge hole into the statement that this was the second week in a row with declines.  There are other things that seem to be overlooked when figuring the unemployment stats.  Right now the reports say that we are at 9.5% unemployment, but if you figure in those that are not counted we are not doing so well as 9.5%.  If one figures in the marginally unemployed, temp workers ands those who have ceased looking for a job…the reality is that the unemployment rate would be close to 20%….and that is a real figure not some trumped up stat to make the investors happy.

2009 Anal-Ocity

Just when you had thought that idiots had run their course with moronic statements….BAM!……up pops yet another anal statement that needs to be brought to everyone’s attention.

This one is from a Southern Baptist preacher from Buena Park in California.

On a conservative talk radio show when asked:

“You would like for the president of the United States to die?”

To which Rev. Wylie Drake answered:

“If he does not turn to God and does not turn his life around, I am asking God to enforce imprecatory prayers that are throughout the Scripture that would cause him death, that’s correct.”

Is this the type of thinking that you would want from your religious leader?

A Coward’s Way Out

Just when you thought you had heard it all…there will always be a moron….a coward that can prove you wrong.  I read this piece on-line while I was researching another piece.  This is silliness and a waste of valuable time….this person is a COWARD!  And a disgrace to the uniform and the country.

U.S. Army Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook, set to deploy to Afghanistan, says he shouldn’t have to go.

His reason?

Barack Obama was never eligible to be president because he wasn’t born in the United States.

Cook’s lawyer, Orly Taitz, who has also challenged the legitimacy of Obama’s presidency in other courts, filed a request last week in federal court seeking a temporary restraining order and status as a conscientious objector for her client.

In the 20-page document — filed July 8 with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia — the California-based Taitz asks the court to consider granting his client’s request based upon Cook’s belief that Obama is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and is therefore ineligible to serve as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Cook further states he “would be acting in violation of international law by engaging in military actions outside the United States under this President’s command. … simultaneously subjecting himself to possible prosecution as a war criminal by the faithful execution of these duties.”

Cook, a reservist, received the orders mobilizing him to active duty on June 9.

This piece of right wing nutiness was proven to be an out right lie…Obama is an American citizen…..I guess they do not get that info on the COWARDS channel.

Take Iraq Out To The Ballgame

This is a heart warming story and at the same time a gut wrenching story.

Recently the McClatchy Report ran a great story:

They’ve only got a five year-old softball bat, a threadbare cap, three scuffed balls and nine second-hand gloves from a flea market. They train on a college soccer field. And there’s not a uniform among them. However, they love America’s pastime as much as Crash Davis of “Bull Durham” ever did.Meet Iraq’s national baseball team.

Striker or batter, coach Hamza Madlool, 26, formed the current team after an earlier team had to be disbanded at the height of the country’s civil unrest. Players on that club and the baseball federation president, Isma’eel Khallel, got e-mail and telephone threats from Sunni insurgents linked to al Qaida Iraq. The insurgents accused them of playing “an occupation game.”

Both coaches receive the equivalent of $106 a month. None of the players makes a dinar — an amateur status the NCAA would endorse. The real problem is equipment. One time the federation gave them a Chinese-made aluminum bat, but it bent after the first batter connected. Assistant coach Hasan scoured a book fair at Baghdad University for a baseball rulebook, but struck out.

Can you see an American MLB player training under those conditions?  They would pout and go home and pout some more.

This is a great report and I feel for them , just as I felt for the Iraqi soccer team, which has recently played its first home game in 7 years.

These athletes need so much that can be easily fixed.  Why do not those overpaid, steroid infusion MLB players donate some of their massive wealth to help the club out?  For once why not give something back to the sport that has given them EVERYTHING?

My hat goes off to these guys, they are true athletes that are doing what they are doing for the love of the sport.  And then you have the so called “athletes” in the US they spend all their time injecting ‘roids or hanging out in strip clubs or a wealth of other self-indulgent activities—you decide who are the true athletes between the two and who represents the sport of baseball better.  For me it is a no brainer…I have little use for spoiled little pricks that think I somehow owe them something because they wear a uniform.

Could Public Option Actually Save Money?

A Professor’s Classroom

I try to find info for the reader that is not commonly out there to help in the understanding of the issue of health care and the debate.

While doing some research I found an article in Reuters about this subject.

Opponents say a cheaper, government plan will make it impossible for private plans to compete and may drive some out of business. It could also encourage employers to drop coverage and make employees buy a government-backed plan, they say.

Overall, an exchange with a Medicare-like plan will save nearly $3 trillion through 2020, saving consumers up to $2,200 per household, Commonwealth found. About $2 trillion of that would come after about five to six years, it said.

In comparison, an exchange including a government plan with higher rates would save $1.97 trillion and a private plan-only exchange would save almost $1.2 trillion. Both options would save a household $1,600.

Still, an exchange won’t keep health costs from rising, the report added.

The increase in federal budget costs from 2010 to 2020 with the Medicare-like public plan would be $112 billion, it found. That is compared to $232 billion under the public plan with somewhat higher rates and $360 billion under a private plan-only exchange.

All three options would help insure nearly all Americans, it said, with the number of uninsured dropping to about 4 million people by 2012.

The group’s analysis assumed other changes would also be made to the U.S. healthcare market. These include payment reforms to the Medicare program, an expansion of existing government coverage and new regulations that would require insurers to cover a wider range of consumers.

These figures should appear in the debate somewhere.  Repubs will most likely avoid using or mentioning this report in any way for it would crap all over their “cost too much” argument.

But there is a desparate need for ALL the information to be given to the people….that is assuning the Congress is truly listening to the people they say are contacting them on the subject….personally, I think it is not all that true….the opinions are being bought.

The Circus That Is Sotomayor

Oh Hell–I was not going to get pulled into this debate because I think it is just plain silly–but after watching the hearing on Tuesday….I feel I must say something….anything.

What a crock of crap!  The Repubs are just playing silly!  They have nothing……and are trying to make something out of nothing.  They are failing…but that is nothing unusual…they have been failing since the 2008 election.  But they try…and try…and try….and each time they look more lame in the eyes of people with half a brain.

Okay on to the hearings…..my first reaction to Graham was…”you have got to be kidding”.  He basically told Sotomayor that she needs anger management;

“Now, let’s talk about you. I like you,” he said, to laughter from the audience. He then read anonymous comments from lawyers in New York who called Sotomayor overly “aggressive” and a “terror on the bench.”

This from the man that was the cheerleader for the angriest person in Washington, John McCain.  It is silly.  Beyond the shear absurdity of Graham’s comment, I want to know if Sotomayor was a man would that question or issue had been raised?

Then there was Kyl, whose job it was to bring up her “wise Latina” statement from 8 years previous to which Sotomayor responded:

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) asked whether Sotomayor would agree with President Obama’s statement that suggested there was space in judicial decision-making for “empathy” for certain disadvantaged groups. But Sotomayor flatly rejected that approach.

“We apply law to facts,” Sotomayor said. “We don’t apply feelings.”

She did an excellent job at bitch slapping the senator from Arizona saying that if he would watch the whole speech then he would see that she had a lot more to say that is being overlooked by the Repubs.

And then I got to watch the ranking Repub on the hearing bench, Sessions.  I have tried to see just what it is he is trying to do and the best I can come up with is….he is still pissed about being turned down as a judge in the 80’s and he just wants to get even.  This guy needs to go back to Alabama and get over himself.  Unfortunately, he came off as the stereotypical old white guy racist from the South.  Someone please tell him to shut up!

And there was a statement that about 80% of her decisions on the appellate court had been overturned by the Supreme Court…..someone needs to remind the Repubs that is what the Court does….that is why they are there…..Just another shot to the ass of the GOP…apparently they have NO idea what the Supreme Court does….or it is more important to attack a person than to get to the truth.

All in all she held her ground and answered each attack with truth and calmness.  She WILL be confirmed…the GOP is just doing what they do best….play games.

2009 Anal-Ocity

Another piece of undeniable (sarcasm) logic from the governor of the great state of Alaska, Sarah Palin:

When she was in the process of announcing her soon to be official resignation, she said and I quote:

“I am not a quitter, I am a fighter”

And then she announces she is quitting.  That makes for a great anal statement.  Thanx, gov.

Palin Inserts Herself

A Daily Agitation

Our fav right wing nut, Sarah Palin,  is trying to insert herself into the national dialog, she has written an editorial for the Washington Post.  She is trying to help set policy but so far she is a failure.  And why would she want to use the “elite” press to make her point unless she had broader plans for hewr future.  I guess she began with an energy statement since she was the governor of a state with lots of oil, she dealt with oil companies and all that somehow makes her an authority on energy issues.

In an op-ed piece in today’s Washington Post, she critiques the energy plan that President Obama and Democratic allies in Congress are pushing through.

After reading her op-ed one will see that she used a 1000 words to say “no”.  She is a true Repub….she is turning a complex issue like the cal and trade debate into a slogan…hers is “cap and tax”, the new name for the conservatives to use in attacking the program.

She did nothing to offer an alternative to the Obama plan, just said no.  She did use another tried and true Repub tactic ……fear.

We have an important choice to make. Do we want to control our energy supply and its environmental impact? Or, do we want to outsource it to China, Russia and Saudi Arabia? Make no mistake: President Obama’s plan will result in the latter.

All Americans are worried about their jobs, the economy and their savings and she tries to scare the people into thinking one way without offering real alternatives or proof of what she is saying.

Read the op-ed and ask the question–what is her alternative?  Wait!  Do not hurt yourself.

Anyone can say “no” and anyone can make up a slogan and anyone can ……..but to be a statesman one needs to offer alternatives to complex issues and that my friend eliminates Palin from such a title.