Meaningless

Since the killing of Bin Laden, the devistating tornadoes, changes in the defense department, visits abroad by Secretary Clinton and the President, the sexual assault by the IMF head and the other many things that have distracted us away from politics as usual, Congress is at it again. Today, in the House, there was a totally meaningless and symbolic vote to appease the tea party radicals not to raise the debt ceiling without cuts. This sounds like music to the ears of these fanatics, but does nothing for our nation, still struggling to dig out of economic distress. Everyone knows that the debt ceiling will be raised so as not to put our financial debt obligations into a tailspin, and everyone knows it will happen at the midnight of deadline day. Our politicians claiming they are only listening to the people, are deaf, dumb and blind to our needs. Meaningless votes mean meaningless attempts at nothing. Sad. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Just Say No....too bad.

All politicians agree that Medicare must be reformed. All politicians believe that the deficit should be reduced. All politicians believe that job creation is important and all politicians believe that extremist views get in the way of doing what is right. Having said this, the problems can be fixed if these same politicians cared more about what is right, than in defeating, beating, embarrassing, opposing and destroying, their political opponents in the other party. We have multiple Republican candidates running for office who have agreed with Obama on mandates for health insurance, contiguous borders for a two state solution based on previous borders between Israel and the Palestinians and stimulus for the economy, but these same individuals, namely Newt and Mitt, are so hell bent on destruction of the enemy along with Congressional Republicans, that they shamefully say no just to say no. Nancy Reagan's campaign...Just Say No to fight against drugs was well intentioned and appropriate at its time, but it seems as if it has become the slogan of mean spirited do nothing politicians. These folks do not regard anything important except for their egos, quest for power and personal benefit. Too bad. They are treating our problems and our citizens like pawns on a chess board. It's not a game. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

A Kerfuffle for Nothing

“No country can be expected to negotiate with a terrorist organization sworn to its destruction,” Obama said. “We will continue to demand that Hamas accept the basic responsibilities of peace: recognizing Israel’s right to exist, rejecting violence, and adhering to all existing agreements,” he said to enthusiastic applause.

"I am a partner to President Obama's wish to promote peace and I appreciate his efforts in the past and present to achieve this goal. I am determined to work with President Obama to find ways to renew peace talks."
Benyamin Netanyahu

Let's see how much more Newt and Mitt Jew baiting we get. No Chanukah presents from me to those idiots. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

More B.S.

Romney, Pawlenty, Bachmann, Gingrich and Palin, that illustrious crowd of buffoons,unable to get any footing as credible opponents to the President wait everyday for a speech or an issue to attack. These are 5 morons who couldn't care one iota for Israel. They care only about fear, prejudice, and taking advantage of the ignorant. To listen to all of them come out with statements regarding Israel is an affront to me as an American Jew. Israel is high on my list of priorities and its safety and security is sacrosanct. And yes, this is what the President said yesterday. What if the commitments we make to Israel are better able to insure her security with reduced geography? What if behaviors by its enemies after this potential realignment are actually better? What if violations of Israel's borders in the future along with terrorist attacks continue? This may lead to a world opinion that is more conciliatory and sympathetic to Israel coupled with responses that are so tough, they would jeopardize any assistance that may be given to Israel's neighbors. It is just possible that there is a wider and more deep thought process that the President is engaged in that goes much farther than these Republican imbeciles can understand. There still MUST BE DECLARED RECOGNITION STATED BY HAMAS OR NO DEAL. While this unfolds, there is more B.S. from each of these hypocrites each day. Lastly, when is the last time American politicians embraced a foreign leader in an attempt to embarrass a President? Unheard of. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Recognition of the Right to Exist

President Obama will be making a speech today about the Middle East. Again, there will be U.S. encouragement for democracy and for a re-start of Palestinian/Israeli dialogue. I hope his message is this...Without recognition of Israel, the only real democracy in the region, and its right to exist among nations, without respect for its sovereignty, there can be no Peace. Israel is a willing partner for peace, but not at the expense of its existence and security. No other message or nuance or beating around the bush can be acceptable. The new coalition in Palestine includes a group that swears to the destruction of Israel. The only real American goal must be to eliminate the existential threat to our ally before real talks begin. This is what is right, moral and imperative. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Pandering Newt

It is very interesting to watch the evolution of a declared candidate's strategy. Today Newt tried to look like a man who will challenge his party while sucking up to the senior citizens of this country. He slammed his party's social security program, proposed by Paul Ryan. Boy, Newt, that really takes some testicular fortitude. How brave of you to try and get the elderly to vote for you along with the extreme birthers from Iowa. What a coalition. Let's include the adulterers and liars and you may be on to something. All kidding aside, this type of slow and steady attempt at putting together enough primary voters to stay viable may work for a while, but Newt, you are on the path to ruin as a pandering fool. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Audacity of Nope

Newt Gingrich is known for his utter gaul. He cheated on his wife while she was ill and today is blaming his love of country for causing the mistakes he made in his life. He is responsible for two failed and hurtful shutdowns in government during the Clinton years. He has switched his ideas on foreign policy and the economy more times than there are days in a year just to suit the political pendulum. He is obnoxiously rude and disrespectful toward the President and although he is bright, he just does not resonate, nor should he, with decent Americans. To think he is a hopeful and positive possibility for the Presidency is sad and those who may support him ought to re think their own criteria for decency and character. President Obama wrote a book about hope, Gingrich is a sad and loud example of nope. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Pakistan and Gingrich

Two stories today. The audacity of Pakistan to threaten the U.S. with "full force" if we again breach their sovereignty. Such bluster and fluffery is a joke. This government harbored our enemy, denies it, outs our CIA operative, takes our money and trains terrorists. They are no ally. They are an inept government with terrorist connections and we must rethink our relationship with them. If they cannot do more, then the money we give them can be better spent. The only thing more audacious and laughable in today's news, is the adulterer Gingrich planning his Presidential candidacy. He is one of the most disliked politicians in my time from my perspective and I hope his failed campaign teaches him the lesson he so richly deserves...that he is an ass in every respect. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Unity

There are times when our nation unifies around a cause or a situation. Usually for a natural disaster or a military success. Obviously Bin Laden's death has sparked one of these rare moments. It is easy to unify under these circumstances but in reality, these examples mean nothing. They are poppycock, feel good, transient moments without any long term staying power. How about this....unity of purpose for job creation, unity of purpose around the increasingly troubling gap between rich and poor, unity of purpose around bringing troops out of harms way, unity of purpose on really working to fix what is broken. I fear, and it is already happening, that the recent feel good moment is about to pass and we are back to the divisive and unproductive political and social intransigence that so negatively affects our culture and our future. We really haven't seen the kind of unity of spirit and purpose that we truly need. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

All A Big Joke

So Seth Meyers and the President had some great one liners last night at the White House Correspondent's dinner and once again, Trump got the attention he craves as much as a vampire craves blood. The jokes were funny, the event is supposed to be funny and the Donald was exposed, but it doesn't mean a damn thing. It is no joke to be out of work, it is no joke for your house to be underwater, it is no joke to watch political immobility, it is no joke to watch brainless side show animals such as Trump, trivialize the Presidency and it is no joke to see hundreds of thousands of Americans still deployed in the dangerous Middle East. The laughs may be on all of us pretty soon. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Happy 65th anniversary mom and dad. I love you.

It's Official

It's official. President Obama is an American. For the rising number of doubters, a birth certificate was produced. This puts the controversy to rest and now we can discuss real business....right? Hold on, wait a minute, is Hawaii really a state? Isn't it a tropical island somewhere in the Pacific, like near Guam or Madagascar? And if it is not a state, then he isn't a qualified American and therefore is in the office against Constitutional provisions. So maybe the birthers have it right after all. Maybe the President is simply an alien Muslim extremist intending to do us harm. He isn't really one of us. After all, he didn't earn his way into college, he slipped in as a slick Black man, using affirmative action programs of our welfare state to get his education while the rest of us real people earned our stripes. Obama, what kind of name is that anyway? Sounds strange. He can't be an American. We are being overrun by this sham of a man, a communist trying to take down our system of government. 2012 cannot come soon enough so we can expose this fake for once and for all. What about medicare? The deficit, what is that? War, where are we at war? All I know is that the President is a fake and nothing else matters. I have no job and no education and gas prices are high and it is all Hussein Obama's fault. SADLY THERE ARE THOSE OUT THERE THAT STILL BELIEVE THIS STUFF. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

It's Getting Tougher

These days it is getting tougher and tougher to be a blogger. Particularly when you are an unknown and minimally read one. I try to hit on the right issues, consistent with my theme of reason and truth but it is getting tougher. Why, because there is so much out there that is unreasonable and untruthful that our mainstream media seems to propel forward. Trump now challenging the President's school record, Fox criticizing the President for not making an Easter proclamation {nor did Bush or Reagan}, Republicans abandoning their ideas because they have been embraced by the enemy, birthers co-opting sanity, governors giving up money to build rail systems, gas prices being blamed on reduced drilling in the gulf, and on and on and on. One can lose heart and lose momentum. One can be discouraged and I am. It is tough, but not impossible. I will find the strength to do my part to expose idiocy for what it is. Please join me. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

We the People

So it seems as if "We the People" are restive and unhappy. Today's polls have us hating Congress, hating the President, hating the direction of our country and just about fed up with everything. So I ask, WHY? Would a Dow at 8000 be better? Would a collapsed domestic car industry be better? Would losing jobs be better? Would a shrinking economy be better? Would more troops in Iraq be better? Would a higher payroll tax be better? Would negative consumer confidence be better? Would a 10.3 percent unemployment rate be better? Would private sector earnings misses be better? Now I am the first to admit there are still some fundamental concerns for the world and for our nation, but if you think the current direction is wrong, do you really want to go back a year and a half? If you do, then "We the People" are idiots. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Standard and Poors

Isn't this the same company that in 2008 gave a thumbs up to all those mortgage backed securities that caused the most calamitous recession in decades? Yup. Their reliability and credibility is very questionable. If this is a ploy to spur our politicians to action then perhaps their motives are good, but tampering with people's portfolios at a time of slow recovery is dangerous. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Chris Christie

I am a teacher and a NJ resident. I have avoided any targeting in my blog of my Governor. I believe him when he says he isn't ready to be President and I believe that all the hype about his straight talk is due to the fact that at least he is avoiding the nonsensical extremist rhetoric about birth certificates and Trumpesque ridiculousness. It is however time to call him out and to expose him for what he really is. A politician beholden to the interests of big business and the rich. His mean spiritedness toward teacher unions has gained some populist enthusiasm and no matter how he tries to convince us that he loves teachers, his persistent demonization of evaluation processes and benefit spending sticks to us teachers like glue. Having spent decades in the private sector Mr. Governor, I can tell you that mediocrity doesn't exist because of tenure, it exists because of mismanagement and poor leadership in all aspects of commerce and industry, both public and private. If the Governor loses the Abbott case and he probably will, he is already threatening the budget axe on Medicaid and using the usual Republican fear strategy. He won't however, support a small one percent tax on Millionaires claiming the supply side Paul Ryan brand of economic folly. Thanks for nothing Mr. Christie. You are who you are, a smooth talker in KOCH Brothers clothing. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Message War

For decades, the Democrats have been losing the message war on taxes. No matter how unfair or unevenly distributed the burden, every time Republicans say Democrats will raise your taxes, they are heard. Democrats always are on the defensive on this issue. Even under President Obama where 95% of Americans saw a decrease in their taxes, incredulously polls suggest that the people favor the Republicans on tax policy. Unless the President and the Democrats shout more loudly and make the case, it will be a losing issue again. So here is what they should say....It is wrong that the greatest tax breaks go the those with the least need. In order to cut our deficit and save the middle class from further program cuts, we are asking the richest Americans to help the rest of us. That's it. Taxes on the rich are too low and this message can sell. Now go sell it Democrats. Where are you Americans for reason and truth.

What is Worth Fighting For?

The recent budget fight ain't worth spit. It was fought on a level so small and so insignificant, it wasn't worth the attention it received. Now the real fight begins. Debate over the debt ceiling, something that most of us do not for a moment understand or comprehend. It will make a great tea party cliche, but the reality is that long term financial credibility and stability of the American economy is at stake when you lower our quotient for lending to foreign nations. The reality is that our debt will only be reduced when job creation and tax revenues reach the levels needed for sustained growth. In the midst of our recovery, now is not the time to politicize our global credit rating. Now is the time to decide what is really worth fighting for. Shared sacrifice is worth fighting for. This does not mean that Exxon and General Electric can avoid all corporate taxes while Mr. Main street earning 40 grand pays his fair share. It does not mean telling seniors that their health is too expensive and their insurance needs to be reduced so that private health care companies get another market to take advantage of. It does not mean that Wall Street forks over 11% in taxes while the rest of us approach 20% It does not mean that the average worker's rail services are reduced, fares are increased, college loan money is made less available and the neediest amongst us suffers while the richest in the nation continue to get tax breaks. These facts simply do not represent what is truly Shared Sacrifice. This is the battle worth fighting for and darn it, we better do it soon. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

Government Failure

This is a two post day.

Our Government is an absolute and complete embarrassment. 15 Trillion in debt and arguments over 30 billion, not even a statistical blip. Arguing over womens' health care support and Public broadcasting. The politics of this all smells worse than any other time in my adult life. Our leaders, R and D and the President who I admire so much, are abject failures in this budgetary fiasco. Shameful, one and all. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Donald

Donald Trump was born in the ancient civilization of Mesopitamia and died in the year 2000 BC. He was mummified by a volcanic eruption and recently his mummified remains were discovered. After treatment by current day archaeologists, his DNA was used to clone him and thus, the Donald we see is this clone, or clown if you prefer. Since the cloning process was performed in a lab in downtown London, at the Institute for Genetic reconstruction, there is a real Constitutional issue with his eligibility to run for President. In addtion, his hair was taken from the ass of a camel and his face has been treated with Botox thus giving him this surreal look. Too bad that such a distinguished and competent American may not be able to run for the highest office in the land. Damn the Constitution. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?

The Answer is No

President Obama is again meeting this evening with leaders of Congress to cut a budget deal. Mr. President, those of us who remain your most ardent supporters have some advice...Say No. You have given too much already in the name of compromise. Planned Parenthood, NPR, huge breaks for the rich, and meeting the level of spending cuts originally called for by the Republicans. No more to give. You must say NO. You are our leader, now lead. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?