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Jim Bunning’s obstruction antics in the U.S. Senate should be seen as just another juvenile stunt by Republics, like children who can’t get their way. Bunning was probably selected by the Republican leadership to perform this function because he is a lame-duck senator who is not running for another term in 2010; no Republican up for re-election has the guts to alienate millions of unemployed in a down economy for the sake of cheap political partisanship.
Thom – I would like to suggest that whenever you have a robust debate with a right wing guest that you follow up with an analysis of their talking points and the code they use to linguistically manipulate us to believe their twisted point of view.
It would seem most logical to me that the key to taking back our country is to begin with wrestling the megaphone out of the hands of the extreme right wing radicals.
Putting immense pressure on Pres. Obama – all together, all at once might persuade him to “Shemanate” the giant media monopolies. Until then they will always drown out our message with their lies.
Thom - I would like to suggest that whenever you have a robust debate with a right wing guest that you follow up with an analysis of their talking points and the code they use to linguistically manipulate us to believe their twisted point of view.
It would seem most logical to me that the key to taking back our country is to begin with wrestling the megaphone out of the hands of the extreme right wing radicals.
Putting immense pressure on Pres. Obama - all together, all at once might persuade him to "Shemanate" the giant media monopolies. Until then they will always drown out our message with their lies.
KICK THE BUMS OUT.
It should be easy.
There's only 41 of them.
@Gerald............Pope Pius X11 wrote letters of praise to Hitler. The current pope was in fact in the Hitler youth. He said he was forced. I don't buy it, and if he was a man or child of God he would have resisted or at least died for his faith. It's about power.
I'm pretty sure that if anyone actually read the Bible, they would have to conclude that God was a genicidal mamiac. To believe in any god is only a belief in a belief, usually the ones that your parents brain-washed you in as a child. Don't worry about an invisible entity somewhere in the sky. Religion poisens thought, and the Bible is full of contradictions. The Bible is a book of hatred toward gay people and the subordination of women, and who at other times and places have with biblical authority for slavery and ethnic cleansing.
Thank you, Thom.
@mstaggerlee, thank you for your comments! I am sorry to read of your loss. I am commenting on God for people who quickly blame God for problems, such as our economic problems. We can choose to live in a better world. A president who continues to emphasize the George W's policies is a war criminal. Courage is needed for leadership and the Democrats seem to lack courage. I loathe George W but right or wrong he expressed himself. I am more of a gray person but at times I need to express some shock and awe. As far as our streets flowing with American blood as raging rivers, I do see this happening. I have read an article around the start of the twenty-first century that more Christian blood will flow in the twenty-first century than in the previous twenty centuries.
Oh- and just to redeem myself as a new and burgeoning science writer, a comment was left on one of my articles re Deep Ecology. Apparently, per a comment left for me, I may not have made the connection between the destruction of 'Elfland' and the suicide of Chancellor Denice Denton, who jumped 44 floors to her death. The connection I hoped to make was the mind set of the University of California is becoming corporatized so much that even one of the nation's toughest women (who took on Larry Summers in fact and getting 50 million for them in recompense) was also destroyed. The coporatization and selling out of ourselves by kiiling our connection with the natural world is a new field of psychology known as Ecopsychology. Per these principles, Dentin became disconnected from being put in charge of plans to rid the Deep Ecologists in exchange for a Corporate one. In the process, she began to hate herself. This led to depression and final death. I do not know if that is what happened, one can only surmise. However, I have revised that article. It is available by clicking on the hyperlink that is my name here. Any construction criticism is always welcome, as writing is a new hat for me:)
@Charell- I though of you today because I wanted to tweet the connection you made in your statement.
Ironically, I signed in today to give THX to the Thom Hartmann Show for the wonderful delivery of The Edison Gene- which is perfect for me. I actually even threw away a hand from Move On the other day because their new field operation seems way too wimpy for me! I am a hunter no doubt! My book review will be up right after taxes in a month or so.
Here is an easy way out of the health care "stalemate". Just listen to the Rebpublicans. Their latest talking point is "We need to start over."
Another complaint of theirs is the bill is too long and complicated and they can't read it.
So just follow their advice. Start over and keep it simple.
MEDICARE FOR ALL.
End of story, and have the democrats grow a spine and pass it with reconciliation.
What the people need is health care, and not timid politicians worrying about how their careers will shape up if they vote for reform.
@Gerald -
I am not angry with you - I feel you are somewhat misguided (as, no doubt, YOU feel I am), but I harbor no ill will towards you. But no, sir, I do not consider phrases like "American blood will flow on the American streets like raging rivers." as Sunshiny.
I do feel that you are a bit premature in calling President Obama a War Criminal for not having undone in a year what it took GWB 8 years to get done. I for one, am still confident that Obama's intentions are better than those of our past several Presidents, and that there is some reason to be hopeful about the future. In Iraq, he's trying to arrange our exit in such a way as to minimize the power vacuum that a precipitous withdrawal would create. In Afghanistan, I think what we're REALLY doing is trying to repay the debt we owe that nation from the "Charlie Wilson's War" period. The Afghanis were as responsible as anyone for the collapse of the Soviet Union, But once that threat was neutralized, we forgot to take care of those who helped it to happen. Civilian deaths are an unfortunately predictable, but unintended consequence of our actions there, at this time.
You seem to live in a binary world, Gerald ... everything is absolute - good or evil, black or white, godlike or satan-ish. My world has far more than 256 shades of gray.
One more bit of advice, Gerald, for future reference - Don't play the God card in a game with a bereaved parent. That bucket holds no water at all with me. If It was "God's Plan" that I spend 20 years raising a child only to bury him, for reasons that you apparently feel that are beyond my understanding (or your own) then I have no use or respect for your God or his plan.
I find it high ironic and curious that the Teapartiers of 1773 protested a Corporate tax cut and advocated replacing a system that favored Aristocracy with democracy.
The current Teapartiers are in favor of tax cuts to Corporations and advocate a system that favors Aristocracy over protecting democracy.
Eternal wars are a big part of America's agenda.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/America-s-Permanent-War-Ag-by-Stephen-L...
Praise to the Coffee Party!!! Showing that just like coffee, there is something that all Americans of every walk of life have in common: the heirarchy in this country is hurting the middle class, the common populace, We The People, starting with healthcare and denying us right to "Life" then "Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness". Let this party become the new original "Tea Party". I am going to join them and make the change we all really can believe in.
Former Senate Parliamentarian Says Conrad is Wrong
According to former Senate parliamentarian Robert Dove, the parliamentarian's decision on whether or not reconciliation can be used on legislation has only the legal weight of a RECOMMENDATION (and Sen. Kent Conrad's assertion that reconciliation can't be used for healthcare legislation is WRONG!). The V.P. (Joe Biden) can overrule a decision with which he doesn't agree. Video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35643443#35643443
To mstaggerlee and others,
The American government is fighting in wars that do not meet the Just War Theory.
Fighting in wars that are wrong and immoral means we are committing mortal sins and such wars meet the criteria for a mortal sin. Here are the criteria for a mortal sin – GRAVE MATTER, FULL KNOWLEDGE, AND COMPLETE CONSENT.
Thom, please ask Howard Dean about the Health Care Clinics that Senator Sanders put in the bill. Remember? That's why I won Member of the Day on Friday.
To mstaggerlee and others,
Let me start by saying if you want to focus your anger at someone or something, you may want to focus your anger on me. Please do not focus your anger on God and blame him for the way you feel. And, most certainly, do not blaspheme against God. Try to refocus your anger, exhaustion, anxiety, frustration, stress, and feelings of hostility on an object, place, or thing. God has given you and me a free will. It is what we do with our free will that has consequences. Since God loves us, He has given us the freedom to choose right or wrong in our lives and the consequences of these choices in our lives.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness and a person is guilty of an eternal sin. Blasphemy is showing contempt or lack of reverence for God. Since Jesus is the Son of God, a person who is showing contempt and lack of reverence for Jesus, commits an eternal sin and never has forgiveness. Irreverence to God damns a person’s soul.
Jeremiah, Giving any cop the finger is a bad idea. There are many ways to be cited for driving. If there is a defect on your auto, you can be cited. A dirty license plate, any bulb not working, and a whole bunch more. If you're a black man you can be pulled over for a DWB. Driving while black. is a very common reason to get pulled over in predominately white neighborhoods.
Could the Repubs announcement to hold investigations of the Obama administration, particularly Obama and Holder, be a preemptive attack to rally the bigots to put them blacks back in their place?
@mstaggerlee, with the sad face on your post my guess is that you do not see my comments as sunshine.
I want to see more people involved in politics who want to take back our country. I have for at least thirty years felt we need more women in charge and in leadership positions that includes every country on this planet. I want women who have two characteristics in charge of countries. These two characteristics are nurturing and sensitivity. I also want people involved in politics who have the same characteristics of nurturing and sensitivity. People with nurturing and sensitivity are people centered and they want the best for all Americans and not only for corpo-persons and rich persons. When I heard the person with the Coffee Party, she has appeared to be a people person. We need more people persons involved in politics.