You Go, Barney!

It's about time Democrats start defending their position on Healh Care Reform and tell it like it is about these opponen

The Church That Preys...

Article in the New York Times about ministries that preach God-to-riches philosophy. Specifically mentioned is the ministry of Gloria and Kenneth Copeland. These “prosperity gospel” preachers delighted the crowd with anecdotes about the luxurious lives they had attained by following the Word of God. The message of this ministry and others like it, simply put, if you have sufficient faith in God, and donate generously, God will multiply your offerings a hundredfold — is reassuring to many in hard times. Guess these preachers do not know too much about Jesus Christ, do they?

Jesus had nothing! He gave up everything he had to live a life of committment and helping others. Jesus did not show people how to become rich. Jesus led the life of a pauper for the sake of others. He did not ask God, His Father, for riches and kingdoms. If you believe what Jesus said, "...If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." ( Matthew 19:20), then Jesus preached just the opposite of the Copelands and those like them!

Shame on you, Gloria and Kenneth Copeland!

A Day In The Life of a Middle Class Republican

I do not take credit for this. My work buddy, RM, gave me this story about A Day in the Life of Joe-A Middle Class Republican. I will not go through the entire story, but it goes something like this:

Joe gets up at 6:00AM to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean water because some stupid liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some dumb liberals fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some thick-headed liberal union workers fought the employer for paid medical insurance.

Joe gets ready for work, and steps outside. The air he breathes is clean because some tree-hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some filthy union members fought and died for these working standards, along with an 8 hour work day and Child Labor Laws).

Joe is home from work and visits his elderly father later that evening. He arrives at his boyhood home, financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers did not want to make rural loans. The house did not have electricity until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. Joe is happy his dad is retired now. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe leaves his father and turns on talk radio. The show's host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives good. The host doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout the day. Joe agrees: "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives. After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of himself, just like I have."

THINK ABOUT IT, JOE!

AARP Tries To Set The Record Straight

A friend of mine (Thank you, Mommanator) recently sent me an e-mail from AARP trying to break some of the myths about Health Care Reform as it relates to Seniors. Here's some clarification from AARP:


1. Your choice of doctor and hospital is protected under all three major bills under discussion.

2. Drugmakers will voluntarily cut in half the cost of name-brand drugs provided for those who fall into the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" or coverage gap.

3. Both the Senate Finance Committee and House "Tri-Committee" plans eliminate Medicare copayments and deductibles you currently pay for preventive care services, such as cancer screenings.

4. Current versions of health reform legislation require your health insurer to pay you back if they spend less than 85 percent of premium dollars on the care of patients -- in other words, if their overhead and profit costs exceed 15 percent.

The AARP goes on to state, "When opponents of health reform talk about Medicare "cuts," here's what they point to: Provisions now before Congress currently would reduce taxpayer-financed subsidies paid to some private insurance companies to provide care under the Medicare name. (Here's a Families USA study on these plans.) These plans currently get paid extra to provide the same care as traditional Medicare provides. That's a fact that health-reform opponents never mention."

Maybe Not What We Expected

So nobody miscontrues my meaning here, let me start off by stating that I still support President Obama completely! I trust him completely! I favor what he has done thus far. Howerver, the latest edition of The Advocate contains an interesting article about Barack Obama, the candidate, and his promises to the LGBT community, compared to President Barack Obama's actions thus far on those promises. I admit President Obama has failed thus far!

On the main issues facing the LGBT community in reference to the federal government here is the scorecard:

1. Federal hate-crimes legislation: Candidate Obama pushed this. President Obama has promised to sign the current bill....A+;
2. Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Candidate Obama wanted gender identity to be included in any non-discrimination law. President Obama has not clearly been lobbying for the bill....B;
3. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": Candidate Obama said he would repeal this. President Obama has resisted lifting DADT by executive order. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has been given the task of reviewing DADT, but President Obama has not done much....C-;
4. Defense of Marriage Act: Candidate Obama stated he wanted to do away with DOMA and that LGBT individuals should be provided the same benefits as hetero-couples. President Obama has only mentioned a DOMA repeal while signing his memorandum granting same-sex federal employees benefits. President Obama has done little to lobby for the repeal of DOMA, and a Justice Department brief filed in June indicates the President will support DOMA until Congress takes legislative action to repeal DOMA.....F.

It's about time President Obama do more for the LGBT community that supported him! It's very disappointing thus far!

Two More Victories For Obama!

Two more victories for Obama! The Senate today confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor as US Supreme Court Justice. The Senate debates more money for Cash For Clunkers; it looks like it will get the funding needed to continue!

Next: UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE FOR ALL!

Olbermann Exposes Critics of Health Care Reform

Keith Olbermann slammed and exposed the critics of Universal Health Care, Republicans and Dems alike! It was great! Give it a look-see.

Give Us A Break, Dr. Orly Taitz

Here's the leader of the "Obama's Not An American" campaign, Dr. Orly Taitz. Despite all the evidence that Barack Obama was born in the US and is fully qualified to be US President, Dr. Taitz continues to insist Obama is not! Clarence Page gives us some of the arguements to the contrary. Give us a break Dr. Taitz! There's alot more important things to be concerned about!

Isn't It Time To Legalize Pot....And Prostitution?

Activists in California are launching a campaign to have the issue of legalizing marijuana put on the 2010 ballot. The proposal, if passed, would allow people 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of the drug and also would allow property owners to grow a certain amount of pot. One big positive would be taxing it as a way of generating needed revenues for the cash-strapped state. I say it's about time! Every State in the Union will hopefully follow suit.

I am in no way condoning the misuse of drugs! Pot is no different than alcohol that is served in every State. Some would argue it might even have less ill effects on society than alcohol does. If legalized, pot would be controlled by the State just like alcohol. It would be taxed and the revenues would be tremendous. If you drive while intoxicated by pot, just like a DUI, you'll pay the price!

And while we're on the subject, prostitution is something that also needs to be legalized! I'm not suggesting it be legal everywhere, but there should be certain areas, Atlantic City for example, where prostitutes could legally carry out their business. It too would be controlled. The "girls" would need a "license" for which they would have to be disease checked. If the prostitutes do not have a "license" they are busted!

With both these issues, just think of all the money that could be generated. Also, think of all the money that would no longer be wasted. How much money is wasted having cops make silly little arrests for both pot and prostitution? In the case of prostitutes, they are arrested today and back out on the streets tomorrow! This is a business that has been in existance since the beginning of time, so why try to stop it! Control and regulate it! (OOOPPPPSSSS....That's a bad thing to say to any Republican)!

So Much To Think About

My last post here was July 4th! WOW! I can't believe I've been on "vacation" for so long. Guess I've been doing most of my venting/thinking on http://www.facebook.com/home.php. Believe me, there has been so much on my mind the past 4 weeks, but I just have not felt like writing it all down.

The healthcare battle in the US has been something I have thought often about. My confusion lies in "what is the problem with getting healthcare to all our people?" The US has so much money that it wastes elsewhere in the world, why oh why can't we just spend a small portion of it here! Why is it that the people who seem so opposed to any kind of Universal Healthcare (if that's what you want to call it) are those that have good health insurance? Why is it that those who oppose Universal Healthcare in the US are those that are so afraid it might cost them something?

The budget crisis of the US states has also been something I've thought about. NJ's budget is a mess, but PA's is even worse. The poor State employees in PA didn't even get a pay check yesterday! Can you imagine working your week or 2 weeks only to find out you get no money? Can you imagine having sent out that mortgage check a day or 2 before payday expecting the money to be in the bank by time the check gets to the mortgage company, only to find out there is no money in your bank account? NJ might be in bad shape, but we are not experiencing what some other states are going through. Which again makes me think (this thought was brought to me by a coworker, RM): why does the US send out so much foreign aid and not give some to its own people that need it?

The race for NJ Governor has been on my mind. I know Jon Corzine maybe hasn't been the most productive Governor, but the economy situation isn't his fault! He's been holding NJ together and believe me, I am totally afraid of Chris Christie! I saw this interesting commentary yesterday abut the race for NJ Governor: http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2009/07/nj_race_for_governor_why_i_can.html

So even though I haven't been writing, there's been alot on my mind. I will try, try hard, to keep everything posted here. (Even though nobody reads it).