Myth of the Big Tent

Why am I constantly hearing Republicans say they have a big tent? I am getting sick and tired of this lie. You want to have a big tent you have to actually listen to others views and respect them. The Republicans that are running the Republican Party these days could care less about the views of anyone else under their “tent”. Unless you can provide a significant amount of money for their smear campaigns or can deliver a significant amount of votes, they do not care what you have to say.
Republicans used to stand for fiscal responsibility, but that is no longer the case. Now they are the “don’t tax the rich and spend” Republicans. Somebody else will pay the debt back later, or maybe Jesus will come on a cloud and take us all to Heaven before the bill comes due, which brings me to the second part the new Republican Party.
The right-wing fundamentalists are the group that allegedly delivered the presidency to the Republican Party and now want their rewards. These are the people that say it is okay to kill women and children in Iraq as long as we are safe. These are the people that do not want to compromise with anyone. You either follow their path or you are going to hell. These are the people that believe that homosexuals are to blame for September 11th, and that “liberal activist judges” are the biggest threat facing America today.
Yes the Republicans trot out their pro-choice and their moderates around election time to give speeches, but they get no voice in the direction of the country. They are continually told they will get their chance, but the right wing fanatics seem to always prevail on the big stage come primary season.

Secret Service Smart People

The French need to be thanking the Secret Service. Yeah that’s right I said the French. I heard today that the reason the Secret Service did not inform the President of the United States about the impending danger to his wife and the White House, from the little Cessna that flew off course, is that the pilots of the plane both dated French women in college. So it stands to reason that if the President had known all the facts that France would be occupied by American troops today. After all they don’t like freedom in France or they would eat freedom fries instead of French fries. They also do not read the Bible and God did not select their leader. It would have been great to see an American Flag on top of the Eiffel tower, but I guess we will have to wait until the next time some elitist, intellectual, socialist pig does not know where he is going until we start to take over Europe.

Reporters not what they used to be

I was reading a story about the Catholic diocese in Calif. knowing of abuse allegations and read a line I thought was pretty funny. I realize that the topic is not funny but this quote is. Reporters have become great at reporting the obvious and do not actually do any digging for the real truth anymore.

"Five of the accused priest who did not contest the release of the files are dead and the others could not be located."

My guess is if they could be found and were alive they would be contesting. I guess dead men don't tell tales or contradict them either.

Winds they are a blowing

I recently asked a friend what he thought the biggest issues of the day were that the public needed to be informed about. His response was so great I thought it needed to be posted. Thanks Axis of Evil.

#1) Judicial Filibusters
The neocons have everyone believing that the party opposing the president has always rubber stamped the president's judicial appointments. Some of the judges currently being blocked are up for seats that the Republicans held open for 8 years under Clinton. There is no difference between killing a nomination in committee and filibustering it on the floor. The net result is that the seat doesn't get filled. People need to hear the truth rather than all this spin from the right.

#2) Morality
This is where religion comes in. Someone needs to remind people that this country was founded on religious tolerance - not just Christianity. I'm really sick of hearing how morality was the big issue of the past election. What is moral or Christian about a minimum wage that is $5,000 below the poverty level for a family of just 3? What is moral or Christian about United Airlines being allowed (by a Republican appointed judge) to default on pension obligations to retirees? What is moral or Christian about logging national forests, drilling in wildlife refuges, and polluting the air and water throughout the country? I wish just for one week that so-called Evangelistic Christians would care about the living as much as they do about the unborn. The Democrats have got to get in front of this morality thing and now. This isn't a fight we should back down from - we have the winning issues. If you put Abortion aside (which I know is tough to do), we have the moral stand on most issues. The environment, poverty, social security, end of life decision making, education, freedom of speech, toleration and inclusion, stem cell research, and the list goes on and on. The other side has abortion (which they are wrong on), the polluters, the warmongering neocons, the drillers, the loggers, the pension plan defaulters, the holier than thou mouthpieces with closets full of skeletons (maybe we need to get Larry Flynt back in the game - he sure made them think twice about impeachment), the KKK, and the malitias that blew up OK city (they are still around and as crazy as ever). I don't profess to be an expert about Jesus, but I'm not familiar with any biblical text that speaks directly to abortion. But I'm sure there are plenty on caring for the poor and downtrodden. Christian democrats need to start quoting the bible in their arguments and those of us of other faiths need to start injecting our own morality into all of our arguments.

#3) Uniting Themes
We need to have a larger argument that resonates with ordinary Americans in the same way that W's so-called morality resonates with the religious right. We need to talk more about Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We need to remind people that the true American legacy is freedom. Freedom to choose how you look, how you dress, who you love, what you think, what you read, what you believe. It also includes the right to die with dignity. This a winning issue - look at the polls on the Schiavo case. I also believe this is how we need to frame the abortion issue. We can all agree that abortion is not the best option, but if its abortion versus the power of the state to seize and possess the body of a female citizen, then we stand for freedom. We need to remind people that God doesn't judge anyone based on their citizenship. What makes Americans special is that we lead the world in freedom. We have more tolerance, more choices, more diveristy, and more respect for individual rights than any other nation in the world or throughout time. We cannot allow our legacy to be tarnished in the name of conformity or fear.

We can be wind changers!!!

What a group of inspiring individuals! I just finished my third meeting of a local group of concerned citizens that I started back in January, and they were wonderful. We have decided to try and inform the public on the issues of the day. We all felt that Americans can no longer feel safe under the Republicans that are controlling our government. When I say safe I am not referring to the fear mentality that got Bush elected, I mean safe to assume that Americans are going to have good paying jobs, safe to assume that the healthcare system will take care of you if you get sick, safe to assume that America is going to continue to be an economic and social justice leader in the world. We have had a great 225 year run, but it seems like in the last 4 years it is falling apart faster than we can rebuild. It seems that social justice has gone by the way side and given way to the me, me, me world of today. It seems that fewer and fewer individuals care about the future as long as they get theirs today.

I just want to yell at the top of my lungs—This world was not created for your personal pleasure!!!

I am hopeful that this group can make a small difference in peoples lives and by doing so make this world a better place.

You're Fired!

Well this week I had to play The Man and fire my first employee. I hate being The Man. It had to be done, but I actually like being the person that helps the struggling get better. I don’t know whether I am getting crotchety in my old age or what but I just could not help this person with out getting pissed off. I still felt sorry for her but I know it was in the best interest of the pharmacy. Just a little warning to my other employees, it was not as hard as I thought it would be.