Words Matter

"For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of G-d but also in our own." President Barack Obama. January 21st, 2013. WORDS MATTER. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

When You Can't Win, Change The Rules

The Republican Party of this country knows it has a problem. It cannot win with women, young people or minorities. This knowledge led them to try and stack the deck in red states in bullet proof gerrymandered districts. Now both parties do this, but in the case of the reds, it is because they do not offer a message that is likable to our citizens, at least not enough to defeat President Obama. Instead of offering something for blacks and hispanics to support, they tried to pass laws to suppress minority votes. Instead of offering women a comprehensive approach to their health care, they lied about Planned Parenthood. Now, having lost again, by 5 million votes and a huge electoral defeat, they want to change the laws about how Electoral Votes are calculated. If you cannot win, then change the rules. Where are you Americans for reason for truth? By the way, where were they during Bush v. Gore?

Keep Talking Mr. Rubio

Recently, I have found Senator Marco Rubio from Florida to be one of the most offensive members of Congress. Now we know he is the fair haired, good looking, Hispanic Republican looking at a 2016 or 2020 run for the Presidency. We all know he has to bash Obama to maintain his tea party bonafides and we all know that he is positioning himself as the go to guy for the extremists. I want him to continue to talk, to campaign and to go on TV, because whenever he speaks, he shows himself to be unworthy of the Presidency and more important, unqualified. He also, as a reminder, cooked up his resume to solicit sympathy from hispanics alleging a Cuban escape story not all that accurate. Today he is calling the President a liar about guns. He has mispoke about Planned Parenthood, has distorted views about the economy and continues to walk back statements that are found to be profoundly wrong and untrue. Keep talking Senator. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Guns

As I have watched the debate continue to unfold over the 2nd amendment, and regrettably, this only seriously happens after a tragedy, only to be forgotten, I applaud the actions of the President to put the issue front and center. Today, whatever his suggestions are, at least Congress will be forced to engage in a public debate that may stick around this time. The speed of Governor Cuomo and the NY legislature in passing some state controlled regulations shows that strength of will and bipartisanship is sometimes possible, at least at the state level. As I have watched and listened to people like Alex Jones, Rand Paul and Wayne LaPierre along with militiamen from small groups in various states, I get very scared listening to these guys talk of armed rebellion, 1776, impeachment and revolution. I know people in this country love guns, and nothing that the President suggests will take away the right to own and use them for self defense, hunting or just plain obsession, but the strongest advocates for no gun control seem to be the people that we can least afford to have own them. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

What do 157 House Republicans say to Sandy Victims?

DROP DEAD

What Deficit?

The best way to fix the deficit is by growth in our economy. More workers, means more tax revenue. It means more sales taxes paid to municipalities. We as a nation are recovering and despite Republican falsehoods and nonsensical and deliberate attempts to be relevant, the deficit will be coming down slowly without another crisis and without another nasty threatened economic collapse. The debt needs to be raised to pay for those things that Congress has passed into law. Obama is ending another war and the health care costs are having their cost curve bending in the right direction. As Mr. Krugman reminds us, these point to a better than we are being warned future. If we elected people to lead us, we must let them. The real deficit is in Congressional action. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

18

There are 200 Democrats in the House of Representatives. You need 218 to pass legislation. There are 67 Republicans who voted against Sandy Aid almost all from red states. More Democratic votes were cast for House members than Republicans but gerrymandering has made sacrosanct most of these districts. There do exist more moderate Republicans in blue states whose party is leaving them behind. Here is my wish, my hope, for an America that can compromise and avoid doing battle over every single legislative issue....find 18 more moderate Republicans and get them to switch parties. The days when a split government could function are long gone. We need the gavel in the hands of the President's party. These folks would have an opportunity to express moderation, compromise and do good for the nation. Let's find them. I would like to start by asking Peter King from NY. Democrats have been tough in war, have balanced the budget, have cut spending and have worked across the aisle. This too, is what King and others in the party truly believe. Come on board Representative King. 18 and counting. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?