Bye, Bye Cheney!!

A New York Daily News columnist has said something that I have been wanting to say for a while; that it will be a relief to get Dick Cheney out of the picture.

Mike Lupica's piece on the lame duck VP was right on the money. Never has there been anyone that close to the presidency that shouldn't have been. His influence was bloated past what that of the second-in-line should have. His machinations were evil and his defense of the policies of the last eight years are egotistical, arrogant and really "out there."

It really boggles the mind that this person still thinks that his and Bush's policies were right. I can only breathe a sigh of relief that he is on the way out. I think he knew better than to pursue the presidency in the last election. The GOP would have been defeated in greater numbers than they were. Having Cheney in the oval office would have been like having the coyote preside over the rabbit hutch.

I am thrilled that we are seeing the last of this manipulative, self-seeking, arrogant politician. He will never, as Bush will never, have the title of "Statesman." Neither of them has the integrity or the true best interests of the country at heart. Like most far-right wingers, they mouthed platitudes and religious rhetoric, but they looked out for themselves and their cronies and the masses, ie., the rest of us, could go hang. Self-righteous in their assumed "moral" stances, they sinned just as greatly, if not more so, than their predecessor. Hey, it's OK to lie in order to profit from the deaths of thousands in a war, but sexual peccadilloes are impeachable offenses? Someone explain that one to me.

We are well rid of the outgoing administration. Dubya is dumb but arrogant. Cheney, God/dess help us, is cagey, scheming and arrogant. I wonder how we lived through it and how we are going to live through their "legacy?" They are like the bad guests. The intruded, outstayed their welcome, expected to be treated like royalty and left the place a mess.

We have a lot of cleaning up to do.

Get Over It, Already!

All righty, now, short and sweet. The court seems to have made their decision and it is time for these people who are going out of their way to try to block our legally elected, 44th president from taking office to back down and let things be. I knew that there were going to be any number of bigots, fear-mongers, far-right-wing nutbars and sour grapers doing their thing after the election, but this is getting ridiculous. It's mighty darn funny that they didn't bring this up with equal vigor when the campaign was in full swing. No, they wait until the man is elected to try to push their accusations of lack of proper citizenship on the part of President-Elect Obama into the courts. These are frivolous charges and frivolous lawsuits that were bound to fail, but these buggers had to try. The misinformation being spread all over the Internet is the usual, baseless spam and hoax idiocy that has plagued the 'net since it became generally available. The problem is that, on the unregulated Internet, anyone can say anything about anyone and get away with it. It becomes the province of the slandered to disprove what the slanderers CAN'T prove. What a world. Let's hope this one, shot down by our Supreme Court, dies a natural, quiet death.

What The Ignorant and The Biased Will Believe

Hubby's boss was back on the Obama rumors tack, yesterday. Now he is claiming that Obama refuses to reveal his birth certificate because he is not a US citizen. That goes along with the rumor that his middle name is Mohammad (it happens to be Hussein and that didn't hurt him). I like the in-depth rebuttal from Snopes which provides a picture of that contested certificate. In any event, anyone with any brains at all knows that one must provide proof of citizenship in order to run for any national office, senate, congress or executive. The really funny part is that McCain was also born in Hawaii while his father was on active duty and his certificate looks just like Obama's. Here is the paperwork in question. What really bothers me is not so much that such a specious and hateful rumor would get started, but that people are so dumbed-down that they believe it! These are the same people that stated that the Equal Rights Amendment would take jobs away from men and lead to unisex bathrooms. These are the same people who believe that anyone with an African or middle eastern name must be an Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorist. Hubby's boss actually believes that Obama is part of a "sleeper cell" for that faction. The ultra-conservative just cannot seem to back away from the tactics of spreading fear and slinging mud and delving into matters of personal lives that are none of their business. It worries me that this kind of hate-mongering and misinformation from these bombastic, conservative talk-show talking heads is going to light some wing-nut's fuse and then we would have a real problem. To Rush and all his wannabe buddies on the radio talk circuit, it's time for you to do what the rest of us have done for the past eight, horrible years. SUCK IT UP!! I gave Dubya my support during 9/11 even though I was against everything he stood for. Now, it's your turn. Give our new commander-in-chief your support and the benefit of the doubt and quit spreading malice and the vitriol of the defeated. The election is over, Obama won and he won handily. That should tell you guys something. If I had the power to do anything I wanted, I would remove this kind of viciousness from the airwaves, altogether. I know it smacks of censorship and I don't like that any more than any other moderate liberal. But this hate is almost of the pornographic level. I'd rather hear porn than hate if I had my druthers. At least sex has some relation to love. It's like I can tolerate sexuality in the media and entertainment fields until they try to justify child porn. There's a limit and that's where the term "moderate" comes in. Well, there are limits in character assassination based on lies, innuendos and outright fantasy. We are tired of having our leaders chosen by the ignorant, who will believe anything the fear mongers say, and the haters and the users. Back off and ponder your sins, Oh, Limbaughs of the airwaves.

Don't It Turn My Red State Blue

Ah, the color map that all the talking heads referred to as the election unfolded changed a bit. Now the Florida Republicans are wondering what in the Hell happened to turn this traditionally red state a bright, patriot blue. Well, DUH!

I think the next thing that Florida, especially Tallahassee, needs to watch out for is the backlash against the poor financial planning, the fact that the developers and real estate management companies have these legilators in their hip pockets and the fact that we are really dragging behind in education among other things. As I have said many times on my other blog, Motherhood Deleted, the adoption industry in this state and the CPS are also among the most corrupt and unfair in the nation. People don't like to put up with that kind of crap for very long. It's about time that the buckle of the Bible Belt, the deep south and other areas that are home to intolerance and ignorance, learned that we've been mad as Hell for 8 years and we aren't going to take it anymore.

Most of us voted for hope and for change. Some of us were still voting from fear but not the same kind of intolerance and gloom that is shouted from the fundie pulpits. We were staving off the specter of the, so-called, Moral Majority and their push to embed their doctrine into the law of our land. I know that was one of my biggest fears. Watch out, Florida..gay rights is next.

Ever since that self-righteous entity came into being and started being courted by the reactionary right wing of the Republican party, I have shivered in my boots at what could come of this partnership if they were allowed to have their way. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood is one vision of this awful possibility. The results of this election give us, in every state, a chance at retaining the precious and necessary separation of church and state. Florida just needs to suck it up and get with the program.

Paradise could do with some cool blue. It's hot, sticky, buggy, tacky, overcrowded with rude people and the self-entitled elite and whoever laid out the roads system was on something pretty potent during the planning stages. There are only three seasons, "Not As Hot," "Hotter" and "Gasping For Air." Those who have jobs down here are fortunate. Those who are able to keep their homes are even more fortunate.

Well, at least gas dropped to $1.89. But, I have a feeling that the next tourist season will, as usual, see a rise in that area.

So come to Florida, all you touri$t$. Pay $50 for a tee shirt and ride up and down strip-center lined avenues. You might want to get here, though, before this entire state is coast-to-coast concrete.

Waiter, There's a Church In My State

Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

If anyone has forgotten their world history to the point that they can't understand all the implications of this part of the First Amendment to the Constitution, we can take a little walk down memory lane.

In Europe, prior to the colonization of the American continent and for years, thereafter, state religions were a fact of life. In some countries, the clergy carried as much and, in some cases, more, authority than the monarchy. The church, mostly the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, were involved in the making of laws, the decisions to make wars, and the education of the young. Moreover, they had the right to persecute those who either held other religious beliefs, were agnostic, atheistic or of a scientific or humanist bent. In one of the most horrendous chapters of European history, the Catholic clerics were given free rein to torment and torture so-called "heretics" and to put them to death. NO minority religion, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Protestantism or any other belief was tolerated by either the church or the governing bodies. These were the Spanish and Italian Inquisitions, an era that should have taught the civilized world a lesson about separation of church and state.

Because they were among the persecuted, a small, Protestant sect called the Puritans emigrated to the "new world" and set up a colony in which they could practice their religion, freely. These Puritans were to form the basis for much of the fundamentalist religion that spread throughout the nation as the country was formed. Unfortunately, the Puritans immediately began, upon founding their colony, to do to others exactly what was done to them and that was to establish Puritanism as the only "true" religion.

The idea of separation of church and state embodied in the First Amendment was a very good idea on the part of our founding fathers. Most of them, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, were basically Theists. They believed in a Supreme Being but in no particular doctrine or dogma. It is plain to see that freedom OF religion also, by implication, then, guards our right to freedom FROM religion. Christianity is NOT the "official state religion" of the United States Of America.

That is not to say that there are not hordes of pious, "true believers" who think it should be and who think that their doctrine, their interpretation of scripture and their dogma should be the law of the land. These folks are the ones who whine that the Ten Commandments (a Judaic system of religious law) should be allowed to be posted in government buildings, who push Christian school prayer on non-Christian students and who stand out in front of women's clinics shouting hate and hellfire at the women and staff who enter.

Ever since its inception, they have battled against Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose. And, now that it looks like they have received a set-back in that area, they are getting louder and more annoying than ever. The operative word here is CHOICE. If your religious beliefs prohibit termination of a pregnancy, then don't do it. It's as simple as that. But you good old boy, patriarchal pastors and pulpit pounders need to keep your noses OUT of what I, my daughters, my granddaughter, my great-granddaugter and all other women not of your spiritual persuasion do with their bodies.

Churches are ubiquitous in the USA. They are on every street corner. Some are magnificent edifices, some are picturesque, rustic and sweet. Some are modern, some are traditional and they all serve an important purpose for the individual who chooses one of those churches for their own. There, they are free to practice the religion of their choice with no government intrusion or persecution. People are christened, baptized, married and buried within the tenets of these churches. They are a part of life and to be cherished.

BUT, they have no business in the halls of government. Those two things, religion and government, are separate entities for a very good reason. No one religion should have the power to dictate belief to the masses and no government should be telling its citizens what to believe when it comes to spiritual matters. We've gotten away from that simple truth in many ways, but, with luck and the right kind of leadership, maybe we can find our way back to the Bill of Rights and really understand what it all means. Idealistic thinking, for sure, but it is my ferverent hope that we can do this thing and make it stick.

Oh, and as I understand it, the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) have one state, Utah, in their pocket. Let's not let them have the other 49.

What Is Socialism and Why Are We So Afraid Of It?

My husband's poor boss is still broken-hearted about the election results. He walks around with a hang-dog expression on his face, muttering inaccuracies about socialism and communism and the ruination of the "American Way of Life." Of course, this man is Rush Limbaugh's number one fan. What he doesn't seem to understand is that many countries, mostly western European nations and even Canada, with Democratic political systems have some level of socialism in their governmental programs. Even WE do. Why do you think they call it "Social" Security? Then there is free primary education, school lunch and breakfast programs, etc., etc. Socialism and Communism are not the same thing. In any event, the past four years and the current economic disaster shows what happens when pure Capitalism runs amok. All you have to do is look at the growing gap between the wealthy and the average citizen and watch those ex-CEO's riding their golden parachutes to self-serving, fiscal safety to see that there must be some kind of balance. "Trickle down" only works if the money is released by the big businesses in order to make it down the "trickle" path. It's not working. The following quote was taken from "The Heartland Project: Simple Truths For A Shameful Time." "Socialism is not a political system, it's a way of distributing goods and services. At their ideal implementation, socialism and laissez faire capitalism will be identical as everyone will produce exactly what's needed for exactly who needs it. "Socialism is liberal. More people (preferably everyone) have some say in how the economy works. Democracy is liberal. More people (preferably everyone) have some say in how the government works. "Democracy," said Marx, "is the road to socialism." He was wrong about how economics and politics interact, but he did see their similar underpinnings. Communism is conservative. Fewer and fewer people (preferably just the Party Secretary) have any say in how the economy works. Republicans are conservative. Fewer and fewer people (preferably just people controlling the Party figurehead) have any say in how the government works. The conservatives in the US are in the same position as the communists in the 30s, and for the same reason: Their revolutions failed spectacularly but they refuse to admit what went wrong. A common mistake is to confuse Socialism, the economic system, with Communism, the political system. Communists are "socialist" in the same way that Republicans are "compassionate conservatives". That is, they give lip service to ideals they have no intention of practicing." It seems that what so many fear is nothing more than the adoption by our nation of a social conscience that reaches out to those who truly need the help rather than padding the pockets of big-business political contributors and cronies. I am not ashamed or afraid to say that I believe we could use a little socialism in our political mix. For those of you who benefit from labor and professional unions...hey, that's socialism on a smaller scale. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but I would be willing to bet that few to none of you have secret rooms where the flag bearing the hammer and sickle is hanging on the wall. We have drug companies and medical equipment manufacturers, HMO's, PPO's and primary health insurance companies all getting richer and richer from the suffering of the sick. Some of those sick people cannot afford insurance of any sort. Some get by with Medicare and state Medicaid programs. Many are uninsured children and families with limited income. Many more are senior citizens (I'm one) who are increasing in numbers and in need of health services. Yet we have that ridiculous "doughnut hole" stipulation in our Medicare, Part D coverage and most of the drugs we depend on are too expensive for us to afford. Many of us are getting our prescriptions through Canada, drugs that are manufactured in India and may not be as effective as the ones we get here in the US. My husband has Crohn's, we both have arthritis and I am pre-diabetic. Where does this leave us? Hubby reached his doughnut hole early in the year. Luckily, right now, all my drugs are either inexpensive or generic, but, at my age, that could change. So, from the viewpoint of the seniors, the poor and the disenfranchised, socialised medicine or "universal health care" doesn't sound like a bad thing. Think about it. And, as Mr. Marx, in the picture at the top of this post is saying, "Peace, Y'all."

NY Daily News..Palin Not Welcomed

The New York Daily News carried a very telling story on Sarah Palin's reception, or lack of a warm one at the GOP Governor's gathering, here in FL. It would seem that her fellow Republicans are not all on the good ship "Palin in 2012" as much of the media would have us believe. The article states that she received the "cold shoulder" and it certainly looks like it, here.

This is one issue where I am counting on the good sense of all the voters in our nation, conservative, moderate or liberal. The time has certainly come for a female Commander-In-Chief, in eight years, perhaps, but, Dear Goddess, NOT this one!I really have a problem with the rumors and the idea that this is something that should even be addressed at this time. Let's give our 44th President a chance before we start looking four years down the line.

I have a number of issues with Palin, not the least of which is her lack of intelligent information and experience and her knee-jerk conservatism, but the biggest one is her itch to continue giving political clout to the Religious Right. As an evangelical of the fundamentalist variety, she would definitely hit Roe v Wade, birth control, services for the poor and minorities, gay rights....ad infinitum. This is NOT the American way.

Our constitution guarantees freedom of religion which, by implication, also guarantees freedom FROM religion. It also guarantees separation of church and state, a constitutional promise that has been played with in a fast and loose manner for the past eight, long, hard, horrible years. Now, I don't care if you are "born again," main-stream Protestant, traditional Catholic or any other brand. If it is good for you, the good FOR you. But your doctrine and dogma has NO place in our national halls of government and in our laws.

Religion deals with morals and the idea/promise of an afterlife and is a private matter for all Americans, or it should be. Laws deal with ETHICS and human rights and that is where the dividing line is, for me. Bush stepped over that line and so would the likes of Barbie "Moose killer" Palin. For this reason, I have started this blog...to be one voice that refuses to let someone else's theology determine my rights and to, please Goddess, keep the White House safe from the "Duh!" factor.

I have another blog that is all about the effects on mothers of loss to adoption and the injustices of a bygone era. This blog is to address the injustices of THIS current era against any and all citizens. Our economy is in the toilet, our children and grandchildren are in the Middle East being used as human targets just to keep the oil flowing and Uncle Sugar is still strutting around, acting like the Ugly American. We have a lot of work to do and I don't envy President-Elect Obama his position. He is taking over the helm at one of the most critical points in our history. I hope he gets the support of all Americans as well as our prayers or thoughts of strength and hope.

And for Goddess' Sake, get this odious woman out of the limelight!