Saturday, October 27, 2007

Random Thoughts

I'm way behind here. Seems like life keeps getting in the way.

Pete Stark was forced to apologize. That is sad. He said nothing that wasn't reasonably true. I guess the wingnuts were incensed most about the “getting their heads blown off for the Presidents pleasure” or some words to that effect. Gee, I remember back in the old days when the President attended the White House correspondents dinner. He was joking, with film and all, about “nope, no wmd here, nope no wmd there.” Even Barney went hunting. So he lies us into a war, or being overly fair, got us into a war where the rationale turned out to be wrong. Our young men and women were getting their heads blown off over it and he was making jokes about it. That would be his amusement to me. Not much of anything else Stark said was even debated. What Pete said was not out of line at all and I am wildly upset with the so called leadership for forcing him to recant. The fact that the Democrats let the reactionary conservatives stomp all over them over and over again makes me ashamed to call myself a Democrat. I have been promising to change my registration for some time now and if I could still vote in a primary I would do it tomorrow. I am sick of the weak kneed people in the Democratic party. That would be the entire leadership sans Howard Dean. They talk big and roll over damned near every time.


The SCHIP program continues to be debated. The best I can figure the plan from the right is: There is nothing in it for me so I am against it. ..Either that or ,every man (and child) for himself. This is honestly how they feel. I was talking about this with Dianne, my calmer half, the other day. She made the point that the “rugged individualism” is deeply ingrained in US culture. She is absolutely right. The problem, to me, is that this is not the wild west anymore. A family farmer can't grow his own food and support his life and family(monetarily) on the farm anymore. Corporations have taken over. You can't make a living as a hunter or trapper. You can't stake a claim on land and mine gold or other ores and make a living. Things are far different today and circumstances insist on a sense of community and working together to survive. Many will say that the liberals with all their laws and regulations are what “ruined” things. Yes it does sometimes get excessive. The fact is we would have never survived as a country minus much of it. Lazzie- Faire capitalism would have resulted in wage slaves(we are nearing that again) Monopolies(we are nearing that again) and dirty water and air with death and disease rampant. We would have an aristocracy ruling the surfs(we are nearing that again). The Constitution is meant to protect all the people and not just the ones with money. I believe in health care not just for kids but universal care for all. Every other major and some many minor countries have it. Many say people come here to get health care. The fact remains that the overwhelming majority in all these countries get their care in country. If you did a poll you would find they wouldn't trade their health care system for ours, ever. Mainly because they are just like most of us. They couldn't afford it. I have heard the cons make arguments that universal health care would be more expensive. Their arguments are wildly easy to dispute and hold water about as well as a screen door.


I saw a story the other day that said over a billion dollars was missing from the Dynacorp contract. This is far from the first billion that is unaccounted for. It has been my belief from the beginning that this is the primary reason for this war. Make a whole bunch of money turn up missing. I have said to people, some in the know some not, they are robbing you blind. And in so many ways. Some get it some don't. Some think the tin foil hat is on but the facts are out there for all to see. Follow the money. At least the money you can account for. Ask Republican Dwight Eisenhower about it. He could tell you what's up.


More from the war front. Bush wants tens of billions more. He says, in so many words, give me my money or you will all die. I am so tired of this fear and guilt mongering I could strangle somebody. I'm not afraid and I have absolutely no guilt about my position. I wish more democrats in power would think and act like that. The President has additionally said that the Turks should not invade Iraq. That is ironic on its face. Especially after the Turks were actually attacked by people living in Iraq. To say nothing of the fact that they share a border. I guess we are the only country that is right to invade other countries.


Finally, I am so tired of the line the right throws out that the congress is more unpopular than the President. They say it like they have no idea why. If the Democrats weren't doing exactly what the Republicans want them to do(in the final vote) they would be far more popular. That stat says nothing except the stance of Republicans, which the congress, democratic control or not, has voted for over and over again, is extremely unpopular.

Yes there is much more. Hopefully we will get to it soon. Keep fighting for the citizens of the United States.