Recently, on one of the liberal groups I follow on Facebook, I saw a post that had three symbols. The first was the Nazi swastika. The second was the Soviet hammer and sickle. The third was the Christian cross. The caption read something like "Which of these Three Symbols has Caused the Most Hate" I was dismayed that the Cross won hands down. Dismayed, but not surprised. Christianity has almost no credibility with American liberals today. I cannot say I'm surprised. After all, I hear all the hatred that so called "Christians" like Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, the Duggars, and an army of hate filled politicians and preachers sprew out. So how can one be liberal and Christian?
First up, how did I become a liberal, because that's what came first for me. Like most liberals, I became one because, you know, I was nice. I didn't beat up other kids. I didn't make fun of other kids, at least not as much as they made fun of me. I never gave some poor kid a wedgie in the locker room. Never called anybody "faggot", "sissy", "pussy" or engage in all that charming behavior. I thought my parents sounded stupid when they used the word "nigger". I thought war was stupid. I hated it when Mom had to wait in a gas line because of greedy oil companies. I saw nothing wrong with helping someone when they were down. I never thought this was anything special, it was just what good, decent people believed and how they acted. Imagine my shock when some people called this behavior "liberal" and then saying "liberal" was bad. Imagine my shock when I found out that most people were not liberal, but they actually thought being mean, cruel, and ignorant was good. Imagine my disgust when I saw the same type of creep that terrorized the locker room at Ridgewood High suddenly become the majority of the US Government. Look, I never wanted the tag "liberal", I never wanted to spread Communism. I never wanted to use the government to boss people around. I just wanted people to be nice.
No, I make absolutely no apologies for being a liberal. Nor do I apologize for being a Christian. For two reasons. First, Jesus is a friend of liberals. Second, secular liberals have been totally ineffective since they abandoned Christianity.
Abandon Christianity and you abandon the strongest tool that you have against the excesses of capitalism. After all, human beings are made by their Creator to be social animals. In our natural state we need each other. Capitalism tells us to compete against one another. Jesus mandates that we live for other people and love our neighbor. Capitalism mandates that you look out for number one, and the penalty for doing this ineffectively is poverty. Or unemployment. Or homelessness. Or death. Jesus rules by love. Capitalism rules by terror. Jesus tells us that all you need is His love and you will always get what you need, so don't worry. Capitalism says that you don't have what you need, that you must always have more, and since you never get enough, you must always be unsatisfied. and since you are always unsatisfied, you must always be anxious and fearful.. Jesus teaches that everyone, even the lowest, has value, because all of us will be given Eternal Life if we follow Him. Capitalism teaches that people who have no money are the worst kind of scum. If you don't believe this, ask any conservative politician. Why am I a Christian you ask me, Fellow Liberal? I ask you back how can you not be? Yes, many self described "Christians" have gone over the deep end. But, they did not take Jesus with them.
The political problem with us liberals is that without access to a Higher Power, we will always lose in the long run. Our problem is that human beings have two types of brains. One is a quick trigger, fight or flight brain that is always on duty to protect us against danger. This helped us in prehistoric times. When we saw that saber-toothed tiger, we did not think about it. We got the hell out of Bedrock. This helped us to survive as a species. We still have and need this brain now. The second type. of brain is the one that helps us to think and feel. This is the brain that gives us our humanity. This is the part of the brain that enables humans to do beautiful things. The problem is that when the flight or flight brain is on, the thinking brain gets turned off. This is not necessarily bad. It is necessary for our survival. But it makes for bad politics.
You see, it is impossible for people to be compassionate if they are ruled by fear. Inflame the first brain with fear and you will never get the second brain to feel compassionate. We liberals try to appeal to the second brain by appealing to people's better nature. But the conservatives beat us to the punch by stoking fear, especially fear of the Other. Muslims! Blacks! Mexskins! Queers! The Great Kenyon Usurper who is spending all your hard earned money on those Other People! Conservatives know that if you keep the people in fear, they will always win in the long run. Lose to Obama? make people terrified of him so they can't think straight. Secular Liberals even lose when they win. Do you really think Hillary or even Bernie can overcome human nature without access to the Higher Power of God?
So Fellow Liberal, what are we going to do next? Its getting very late in the game. The wingnuts are heading the great ship of state into the iceberg. What to do? You already know what my solution is. Yeah, Him again. Give Him a shot. Jesus is our best hope. He is our only hope.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Sanders is More Than a Spoiler.
As I said before on this blog, Bernie Sanders is a big deal. Mainstream Media types who dismissed him are now stunned to see him surging in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire. Is it because people love Sanders or are simply tired of Hillary's same old same old? Both? don't know. Never the less, Hillary is clearly getting nervous. And Hillaryites think they have got themselves an ax to beat down Sanders supporters.....Ralph Nader caused Gore to lose the election in 2000. Voting for Sanders 16 years later is just like voting for Nader. So all voting for Sanders is going to do is cause Hillary to lose to a GOP Neanderthal. I am hearing this constantly. With all due respect, this is total claptrap.
First of all by blaming Nader you are ignoring 1) the butterfly ballot 2) Jeb purging from the voting rolls tens of thousands of minority "felons" 3) The horrible Supreme Court decision 4) the media's obsession with "rather having a beer with" Bush, Finally 5) Al Gore ran a horrible campaign which got outhustled in extra innings in Florida.
We cannot be content with the status quo when it is killing us. We must have the courage to change, even if it means taking risks. The planet and humanity need us NOW. It will only change if we act on our hopes and dreams, not just our fears.
First of all by blaming Nader you are ignoring 1) the butterfly ballot 2) Jeb purging from the voting rolls tens of thousands of minority "felons" 3) The horrible Supreme Court decision 4) the media's obsession with "rather having a beer with" Bush, Finally 5) Al Gore ran a horrible campaign which got outhustled in extra innings in Florida.
We cannot be content with the status quo when it is killing us. We must have the courage to change, even if it means taking risks. The planet and humanity need us NOW. It will only change if we act on our hopes and dreams, not just our fears.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Why Tweet? Why Blog? Does it make a difference?
Sometimes I feel that I am just spitting into a river of indifference with my little blog. But than I remind myself: if on the day I stand before the Lord and I find out that just ONE person converted to Jesus and saved their soul because of what I wrote, it would be a glorious day indeed. After all, Jesus would have died for just ONE of us!
Have a blessed and glorious day, good people.
Have a blessed and glorious day, good people.
TPP: Obama and the Democrats betray us again
That's it. I'm done. Over and Out. To hell with the Demmies and their wretched, centrist, phony corporatist pap. Its Bernie Sanders (who is really an Independent) for the nomination, and if he is blocked from getting it, I'm going third party. Shame on Obama and Hillary, who shamelessly take our hopes, dreams, and support and then gleefully climb into bed with the people who are making life a living Hell or us, our friends, our families, indeed for a huge majority of the world's souls. Shame on the Obamabots and Hillaryites who make excuses for their cravenness and betrayals. Please don't say to me it will be my fault if the GOP wins in 2016. It will be the fault of Obama and his Clintonite aids who follow Corporate Republican economic policies. When those policies inevitably fail, it is Liberals who get blamed, because the general public think Obama and Hillary are progressives. They are not. They are in bed with the people who would destroy our lives. Their little policy wonkish progressive nip and tucks at the edges do not make up for their betrayal.
I have had enough.
Wake up Demmies. Hillary is just good enough to lose with. Weak mealymouthed Democrat centrists almost always lose to crazy Republicans who at least sound like they stand for something. The election of Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa and Governor Bruce Rauner of Illinois prove this, as does the election of Scott Walker in Wisconsin THREE times. All states that Obama carried twice. Yes, they are all crazy, but at least crazy is something, and something is always better that nothing.
Great job, Obama. You got yourself elected twice. You will leave with your party and country in flames. You took care of yourself and the hell with the people who trusted you. Thanks for all the "hope". Thanks for all the "change". We know now it was nothing more than hot air.
I have had enough.
Wake up Demmies. Hillary is just good enough to lose with. Weak mealymouthed Democrat centrists almost always lose to crazy Republicans who at least sound like they stand for something. The election of Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa and Governor Bruce Rauner of Illinois prove this, as does the election of Scott Walker in Wisconsin THREE times. All states that Obama carried twice. Yes, they are all crazy, but at least crazy is something, and something is always better that nothing.
Great job, Obama. You got yourself elected twice. You will leave with your party and country in flames. You took care of yourself and the hell with the people who trusted you. Thanks for all the "hope". Thanks for all the "change". We know now it was nothing more than hot air.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
When push comes to shove,Conservative Catholics Choose to Worship Market
Now we know.
Pope Francis lays it all on the line in his encyclical on Global Warming. (No, I will not use the conservative weasel words "climate change"). Francis took his time to be thorough. He goes through all the scientific evidence. He tells us of our need to respect God's creation and protect it from the elites who would destroy it for short term profit. He exhorts us to care for the worlds poor who will suffer greatly. He boldly reminds us of our shared humanity and dignity, which is not purchased by filthy lucre but comes only from the fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God.
And most conservative Catholics are having none of it. Pope Francis called the question, do you stand with Jesus or the Market? They choose to reject Jesus and stand with their freakish pagan economic religion. Do you stand with your brothers and sisters in Christ, or do you stand for your "right" to selfishly ply yourself with piles of "stuff'" ?. Francis makes a clarion call to stand for God and His Creation, and they scurry to stand beside their effete and silly economic theories. We approach Heaven on Earth when we stand up for our fellow beings. Conservative Catholics have chosen to head the Other Way, away from the Narrow Gate. No, I am not angry. I am filled with a sense of sadness and tragedy.
You really are going to reject The Pearl of Great Price for a pile of Chinese shit?
Good God.
Pope Francis lays it all on the line in his encyclical on Global Warming. (No, I will not use the conservative weasel words "climate change"). Francis took his time to be thorough. He goes through all the scientific evidence. He tells us of our need to respect God's creation and protect it from the elites who would destroy it for short term profit. He exhorts us to care for the worlds poor who will suffer greatly. He boldly reminds us of our shared humanity and dignity, which is not purchased by filthy lucre but comes only from the fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God.
And most conservative Catholics are having none of it. Pope Francis called the question, do you stand with Jesus or the Market? They choose to reject Jesus and stand with their freakish pagan economic religion. Do you stand with your brothers and sisters in Christ, or do you stand for your "right" to selfishly ply yourself with piles of "stuff'" ?. Francis makes a clarion call to stand for God and His Creation, and they scurry to stand beside their effete and silly economic theories. We approach Heaven on Earth when we stand up for our fellow beings. Conservative Catholics have chosen to head the Other Way, away from the Narrow Gate. No, I am not angry. I am filled with a sense of sadness and tragedy.
You really are going to reject The Pearl of Great Price for a pile of Chinese shit?
Good God.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Baby Marco Shoots for the Ultimate Playpen: A Real Floridian Exposes Rubio.
Marco Rubio.
I don't get it.
I just saw an online article in the New York Times saying Hillary is afraid of Marco Rubio. Wouldn't let me read the article. Had to subscribe first. I guess I wasted all my free views sneering at David Brooks and Tom Friedman (as well as admiring Paul Krugman). Which of course begs the question: Why should I spend money on a newspaper that takes Marco Rubio seriously? Or take my hometown paper, the Tampa Bay Times, gleefully pushing coverage of "Jebio" ignoring the fact that Rubio has absolutely no qualifications to be President. I guess I'm supposed to cheer out of some blind loyalty for my fellow Floridian.
Or maybe I missed something. Is there really something great and hidden in Marco Rubio's past? I thought I'd start on his Wikipedia Page, which I'm sure his minions are monitoring. We start out with the fact that Rubio lied about his parents being refugees from Castro, as they came here from Cuba in 1956, three years before the revolution. He graduated from the University of Florida and University of Miami School of Law, where he interned for Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen. He was elected City Commissioner in the Town of West Miami. He got himself elected to the Florida House in a 1999 special election.
Now here's where it helps to be a Floridian to read between the lines and cut through all the bullshit. Wikipedia says that he was selected to be House Majority by House Speaker Johnnie Byrd. Sounds impressive, unless you understand that Johnnie Byrd was a typical right wing extremist. who spent most of his time trying to jam through a hospital for Alzheimer's disease named after his father. He succeeded.
Again it helps to be a Floridian to understand how the Florida House operates. It has 120 members. these members can only serve 4 terms for a total of 8 years. As a result, it is a gaggle of ambitious politicians with very little experience in running a complex state like Florida. Lobbyists, who are not term limited, run the joint. If a new House member is not to get lost in the shuffle, he must do 2 things: 1. Kiss the asses of the lobbyists who are the real power brokers and 2.Find the right ass to kiss within the House power structure. Marco Rubio did both. Thanks to the above mentioned Johnnie Byrd, Our Marco was plucked out of obscurity and sent on a rocket ride to Republican Saviorhood. Peachy.
Once Majority Leader, Rubio automatically became Speaker next term. Why? Because that's how they do things here in Florida. The future Speaker is known years in advance. Helps the lobbyists keep control. The Florida Legislature is known to be bought and paid for by the special interests. Lobbyists are notorious for writing bills. Legislators are notorious for not READING bills, especially during the chaotic last days of a session, when lobbyists sneak in budgetary items that nobody finds out about until the budget is signed by the governor, where they explode like little bombs. After all, legislators are not their to serve the public, or God-forbid, THINK. They are there to do what they are told, and to just cash the lobbyists checks. So this is the House that Marco Rubio presided over. Florida Legislature? Florida Whorehouse is more like it.
So, did our Marco Clean Up The Mess in Tallahassee? Not quite. In fact Rubio added a sizable turd to an already stinking punch bowl. While Speaker, Rubio had access to an American Express card provided by the Florida Republican Party, He used this to pay for thousands of dollars of purely personal expenses, including groceries, vacation expenses, and payments to a personal property manager among other things, which the party duly paid off. After these charges came to light, Rubio reimbursed the party of about $16,000. Estimates of improper usage range as high as $100,000. Rubio apologists blame all this on "clerical errors" and claim that the fact he made restitution gets him off the hook. Here's the problem we should have with this. Using campaign contributions for personal use is a CRIME. If Rubio used funds from his own campaign coffers to pay for groceries at Publix, for example, he would have been subject to CRIMINAL charges. How is this any different? Rubio used the card to pay for totally personal expenses, knowing full well that the Republican Party would pay for them with contributions that the party raised. That's exactly what happened. Thanks to a nifty bit of laundering the money through the Party credit card, Rubio avoids criminal prosecution. And don't give me the line that Rubio's restitution after the fact gets him off the hook. Any prosecutor worth his salt can tell you that restitution is part of the PUNISHMENT for the crime. It does NOT get you off the hook. Rubio is quite fond of pointing out the moral failings of other people for political gain. He does not deserve to get off the hook for his quasi criminal behavior. As any observer of the political scene can tell you, its the legal corruption that is killing us.
So, did our hero just shamefully ride off into the political sunset? Hell No! This is Florida. You run for the Senate! Here's where Marco gets a double dose of good luck. First, Charlie Crist commits political suicide my switching from the Governor to Senate race. Second, Marco picks 2010 to run. The Great Tea Party Wave Year. Give Marco credit, the dude sure can ride a wave. So in the primary, Marco becomes the Tea Party Darling and scares Crist into running as an Independent. Then he crushes Bill McCollum in the primary, well, because the Tea Partiers were mad, mad, MAD. Mindlessly mad. Totally Mad. Mad at McCollum despite 30 years of a perfectly conservative record. So lets dump him! Marco's our guy! Or at least the flavor of the day at exactly the right time. Off to the general election where the opposition is split because of Crist's hissy fit. Final Score: Marco 50 percent , Crist 30%, Meek 20%. A one time perfect storm, and Marco Rubio is in the Senate.
Then another piece of good luck. Obama beats Romney in 2012. Changing demographics get part of the blame. The Hispanic vote is soaring and they all are voting Democratic! What are we to do? The party desperately searches for a Hispanic face, and look who's there? Marco Rubio goes from being the Accidental Senator to the Republican Savior! Marco immediately starts running for Prez and earns the worst attendance record in the Senate. So what? Saviors don't have to be there for stupid quorum calls.
On and on it goes, like some bad episode of Being There. Because he is The Republican Savior, the Very Important People who decide these things put him into the "First Tier". Then Jeb! crashes into an iceberg on Iraq. Scott Walker increasingly looks like a hothouse flower that can't exist outside Wisconsin. The GOP Clown Car starts looking like a mobile insane asylum. Who's left? Just ask The Paper Of Record. Hillary is scared!!
Pardon me if I don't get excited. If there is one thread running through Marco Rubio's career and thought pattern, it is childishness. Take his recent foreign policy speech. If Teddy Roosevelt told us to speak softly and carry a big stick, Marco Rubio wants to scream like a baby and swing the stick wildly. Use force anywhere and any time you feel like it ! We are still the world's badasses and we will attack and invade any time we want! USA! USA! USA!. War wimps like Rubio have no problem sending other people's kids into battle and then look the other way when they come home broken or in a box. Act like you are the biggest bully in the junior high locker room. Then act surprised when your victims are sick of getting picked on and actually fire back. Then you can blame it on "bad intelligence" or something. Anything but you own childish incompetence. Again and again we follow these two bit charlatans into war, Again and again we waste trillions of dollars. Again and again the butchers bill is heartbreaking. Again and again, the world is left a more dangerous place. If Marco Rubio is elected president, you can probably guarantee three things. One , many young lives will be ruined and none of them will be named Marco Rubio. Two, when it comes time to man up for the mistakes, Baby Marco will be blaming someone else. Three, the skids for America's decline will continue to be greased.
Marco Rubio exhibits the same childishness when it comes to matters of religion. He states that legalizing gay marriage persecutes Christians. This is nothing more than pandering to people who feel that faith in Jesus should relieve you of your suffering. That faith in Jesus is nothing more then to get what you want on earth. Never mind that the gays that have been the victims of Rubio-style ignorance are the ones doing the suffering. Never mind that what Rubio is really moaning about is the loss of power to treat the whole world like the halls of some demented high school. Jesus did not come to earth to relieve mankind, and especially Republican primary voters, of their suffering. No, His presence on Earth is to give Christians the strength to transcend suffering so you can love your neighbor and bring Christ's kingdom to Earth. Yep, Marco knows his audience. Mature Christianity goes right over their heads. No, Marco panders to a childish Christianity that says you do not have to suffer at all. The Rapture is coming and you can avoid tribulation! All that suffering will be left to Obama and the gays and all the other icky people Left Behind. In Rubio-land Christianity is not about a Suffering Servant who died on the Cross for the sins of mankind. It is merely a club that you join to avoid adult responsibilities to your fellow man.
At least Marco Rubio learned first hand the benefits of immigration. At least he could show some adult leadership here, right? Uh, wrong. Turns out them Tea Partiers don't like all them brown people heading to "Murica. A perfect opportunity for Marco Rubio to stand up on principle on something near and dear to his heart, right? Instead , Little Marco caves in to the schoolyard bullies in his party. I guess the trip to the Ultimate Playpen in Washington requires Little Marco to desperately try to hide who he is. What a man.
So the cat is out of the bag. The GOP Clown Car is just a Kiddie Car and Marco Rubio is just one of the kids. Will Americans call him out on this, even if the Lamestream Media won't? The answer will depend on if we in America have degenerated into nothing but a giant playpen, or if we still have the gumption to act like adults.
I don't get it.
I just saw an online article in the New York Times saying Hillary is afraid of Marco Rubio. Wouldn't let me read the article. Had to subscribe first. I guess I wasted all my free views sneering at David Brooks and Tom Friedman (as well as admiring Paul Krugman). Which of course begs the question: Why should I spend money on a newspaper that takes Marco Rubio seriously? Or take my hometown paper, the Tampa Bay Times, gleefully pushing coverage of "Jebio" ignoring the fact that Rubio has absolutely no qualifications to be President. I guess I'm supposed to cheer out of some blind loyalty for my fellow Floridian.
Or maybe I missed something. Is there really something great and hidden in Marco Rubio's past? I thought I'd start on his Wikipedia Page, which I'm sure his minions are monitoring. We start out with the fact that Rubio lied about his parents being refugees from Castro, as they came here from Cuba in 1956, three years before the revolution. He graduated from the University of Florida and University of Miami School of Law, where he interned for Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen. He was elected City Commissioner in the Town of West Miami. He got himself elected to the Florida House in a 1999 special election.
Now here's where it helps to be a Floridian to read between the lines and cut through all the bullshit. Wikipedia says that he was selected to be House Majority by House Speaker Johnnie Byrd. Sounds impressive, unless you understand that Johnnie Byrd was a typical right wing extremist. who spent most of his time trying to jam through a hospital for Alzheimer's disease named after his father. He succeeded.
Again it helps to be a Floridian to understand how the Florida House operates. It has 120 members. these members can only serve 4 terms for a total of 8 years. As a result, it is a gaggle of ambitious politicians with very little experience in running a complex state like Florida. Lobbyists, who are not term limited, run the joint. If a new House member is not to get lost in the shuffle, he must do 2 things: 1. Kiss the asses of the lobbyists who are the real power brokers and 2.Find the right ass to kiss within the House power structure. Marco Rubio did both. Thanks to the above mentioned Johnnie Byrd, Our Marco was plucked out of obscurity and sent on a rocket ride to Republican Saviorhood. Peachy.
Once Majority Leader, Rubio automatically became Speaker next term. Why? Because that's how they do things here in Florida. The future Speaker is known years in advance. Helps the lobbyists keep control. The Florida Legislature is known to be bought and paid for by the special interests. Lobbyists are notorious for writing bills. Legislators are notorious for not READING bills, especially during the chaotic last days of a session, when lobbyists sneak in budgetary items that nobody finds out about until the budget is signed by the governor, where they explode like little bombs. After all, legislators are not their to serve the public, or God-forbid, THINK. They are there to do what they are told, and to just cash the lobbyists checks. So this is the House that Marco Rubio presided over. Florida Legislature? Florida Whorehouse is more like it.
So, did our Marco Clean Up The Mess in Tallahassee? Not quite. In fact Rubio added a sizable turd to an already stinking punch bowl. While Speaker, Rubio had access to an American Express card provided by the Florida Republican Party, He used this to pay for thousands of dollars of purely personal expenses, including groceries, vacation expenses, and payments to a personal property manager among other things, which the party duly paid off. After these charges came to light, Rubio reimbursed the party of about $16,000. Estimates of improper usage range as high as $100,000. Rubio apologists blame all this on "clerical errors" and claim that the fact he made restitution gets him off the hook. Here's the problem we should have with this. Using campaign contributions for personal use is a CRIME. If Rubio used funds from his own campaign coffers to pay for groceries at Publix, for example, he would have been subject to CRIMINAL charges. How is this any different? Rubio used the card to pay for totally personal expenses, knowing full well that the Republican Party would pay for them with contributions that the party raised. That's exactly what happened. Thanks to a nifty bit of laundering the money through the Party credit card, Rubio avoids criminal prosecution. And don't give me the line that Rubio's restitution after the fact gets him off the hook. Any prosecutor worth his salt can tell you that restitution is part of the PUNISHMENT for the crime. It does NOT get you off the hook. Rubio is quite fond of pointing out the moral failings of other people for political gain. He does not deserve to get off the hook for his quasi criminal behavior. As any observer of the political scene can tell you, its the legal corruption that is killing us.
So, did our hero just shamefully ride off into the political sunset? Hell No! This is Florida. You run for the Senate! Here's where Marco gets a double dose of good luck. First, Charlie Crist commits political suicide my switching from the Governor to Senate race. Second, Marco picks 2010 to run. The Great Tea Party Wave Year. Give Marco credit, the dude sure can ride a wave. So in the primary, Marco becomes the Tea Party Darling and scares Crist into running as an Independent. Then he crushes Bill McCollum in the primary, well, because the Tea Partiers were mad, mad, MAD. Mindlessly mad. Totally Mad. Mad at McCollum despite 30 years of a perfectly conservative record. So lets dump him! Marco's our guy! Or at least the flavor of the day at exactly the right time. Off to the general election where the opposition is split because of Crist's hissy fit. Final Score: Marco 50 percent , Crist 30%, Meek 20%. A one time perfect storm, and Marco Rubio is in the Senate.
Then another piece of good luck. Obama beats Romney in 2012. Changing demographics get part of the blame. The Hispanic vote is soaring and they all are voting Democratic! What are we to do? The party desperately searches for a Hispanic face, and look who's there? Marco Rubio goes from being the Accidental Senator to the Republican Savior! Marco immediately starts running for Prez and earns the worst attendance record in the Senate. So what? Saviors don't have to be there for stupid quorum calls.
On and on it goes, like some bad episode of Being There. Because he is The Republican Savior, the Very Important People who decide these things put him into the "First Tier". Then Jeb! crashes into an iceberg on Iraq. Scott Walker increasingly looks like a hothouse flower that can't exist outside Wisconsin. The GOP Clown Car starts looking like a mobile insane asylum. Who's left? Just ask The Paper Of Record. Hillary is scared!!
Pardon me if I don't get excited. If there is one thread running through Marco Rubio's career and thought pattern, it is childishness. Take his recent foreign policy speech. If Teddy Roosevelt told us to speak softly and carry a big stick, Marco Rubio wants to scream like a baby and swing the stick wildly. Use force anywhere and any time you feel like it ! We are still the world's badasses and we will attack and invade any time we want! USA! USA! USA!. War wimps like Rubio have no problem sending other people's kids into battle and then look the other way when they come home broken or in a box. Act like you are the biggest bully in the junior high locker room. Then act surprised when your victims are sick of getting picked on and actually fire back. Then you can blame it on "bad intelligence" or something. Anything but you own childish incompetence. Again and again we follow these two bit charlatans into war, Again and again we waste trillions of dollars. Again and again the butchers bill is heartbreaking. Again and again, the world is left a more dangerous place. If Marco Rubio is elected president, you can probably guarantee three things. One , many young lives will be ruined and none of them will be named Marco Rubio. Two, when it comes time to man up for the mistakes, Baby Marco will be blaming someone else. Three, the skids for America's decline will continue to be greased.
Marco Rubio exhibits the same childishness when it comes to matters of religion. He states that legalizing gay marriage persecutes Christians. This is nothing more than pandering to people who feel that faith in Jesus should relieve you of your suffering. That faith in Jesus is nothing more then to get what you want on earth. Never mind that the gays that have been the victims of Rubio-style ignorance are the ones doing the suffering. Never mind that what Rubio is really moaning about is the loss of power to treat the whole world like the halls of some demented high school. Jesus did not come to earth to relieve mankind, and especially Republican primary voters, of their suffering. No, His presence on Earth is to give Christians the strength to transcend suffering so you can love your neighbor and bring Christ's kingdom to Earth. Yep, Marco knows his audience. Mature Christianity goes right over their heads. No, Marco panders to a childish Christianity that says you do not have to suffer at all. The Rapture is coming and you can avoid tribulation! All that suffering will be left to Obama and the gays and all the other icky people Left Behind. In Rubio-land Christianity is not about a Suffering Servant who died on the Cross for the sins of mankind. It is merely a club that you join to avoid adult responsibilities to your fellow man.
At least Marco Rubio learned first hand the benefits of immigration. At least he could show some adult leadership here, right? Uh, wrong. Turns out them Tea Partiers don't like all them brown people heading to "Murica. A perfect opportunity for Marco Rubio to stand up on principle on something near and dear to his heart, right? Instead , Little Marco caves in to the schoolyard bullies in his party. I guess the trip to the Ultimate Playpen in Washington requires Little Marco to desperately try to hide who he is. What a man.
So the cat is out of the bag. The GOP Clown Car is just a Kiddie Car and Marco Rubio is just one of the kids. Will Americans call him out on this, even if the Lamestream Media won't? The answer will depend on if we in America have degenerated into nothing but a giant playpen, or if we still have the gumption to act like adults.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Some quick thoughts on War and Peace and Our Soldiers.
My wife and I were at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas County FL to attend a special Memorial Day mass to honor all those who sacrificed so we can live free. Interned there is my Father, Harry C. Stark (Navy, WWII) who was wounded in that war. We also honored Gerard Diener, my father in law (Navy, Korea) who is buried at Florida National Cemetery in Webster FL. My mother Dolores and my brother Rick are also interned at Calvary. I would like to express some thoughts on matters of war and peace and freedom.
- I truly believe that there are times when you must fight and die for your country. However, they do NOT occur as often as the politicians tell us they do. It is OUR responsibility as citizens, being informed of the issues involved and being in touch with our Higher Power, to decide the difficult questions of war and peace. We should decide when to fight and the politicians should follow OUR wishes. Too often this proper order has been reversed. Is it because our all-volunteer military has dumped these terrible responsibilities on a precious few? Do our politicians make it too easy to dump all the sacrifice on them? We must do better. The young men and women we put in harm's way deserve it.
- I believe it is improper to call them our soldiers "troops". Troops are an abstraction. Solders are human beings who bleed and die when they are wounded. I support my soldiers. I don't support abstractions. Was the switch to the usage of "Troops" an attempt to dehumanize and sanitize the consequences of war? I think so.
- The purpose of sending soldiers in harms way is to secure the future freedom of the citizens of the United States of America. It is NOT to make profits for corporations. It is NOT to bring high ratings to childish and spastic news organizations, with their special logos and martial music. It is NOT to give thrills to bored elites who think war is a giant game of Risk. It is the responsibility of citizens to make sure our soldiers are sent in harms way for the right reasons.
- It is the Responsibility of Christians, as followers of the Prince of Peace, to make sure all wars are just. We must make sure that war is the absolute LAST resort. I bring this up because the majority of American Christians have been slacking on their sacred duties in this regard.
- Blindly following warmongering politicians does not automatically make you a patriot. Sometimes it just makes you a fool. To oppose a war does not necessarily make you a wimp. Sometimes its just being wise.
- and finally , a final shout out to our brave men and women....THANK YOU for your sacrifice.
- I truly believe that there are times when you must fight and die for your country. However, they do NOT occur as often as the politicians tell us they do. It is OUR responsibility as citizens, being informed of the issues involved and being in touch with our Higher Power, to decide the difficult questions of war and peace. We should decide when to fight and the politicians should follow OUR wishes. Too often this proper order has been reversed. Is it because our all-volunteer military has dumped these terrible responsibilities on a precious few? Do our politicians make it too easy to dump all the sacrifice on them? We must do better. The young men and women we put in harm's way deserve it.
- I believe it is improper to call them our soldiers "troops". Troops are an abstraction. Solders are human beings who bleed and die when they are wounded. I support my soldiers. I don't support abstractions. Was the switch to the usage of "Troops" an attempt to dehumanize and sanitize the consequences of war? I think so.
- The purpose of sending soldiers in harms way is to secure the future freedom of the citizens of the United States of America. It is NOT to make profits for corporations. It is NOT to bring high ratings to childish and spastic news organizations, with their special logos and martial music. It is NOT to give thrills to bored elites who think war is a giant game of Risk. It is the responsibility of citizens to make sure our soldiers are sent in harms way for the right reasons.
- It is the Responsibility of Christians, as followers of the Prince of Peace, to make sure all wars are just. We must make sure that war is the absolute LAST resort. I bring this up because the majority of American Christians have been slacking on their sacred duties in this regard.
- Blindly following warmongering politicians does not automatically make you a patriot. Sometimes it just makes you a fool. To oppose a war does not necessarily make you a wimp. Sometimes its just being wise.
- and finally , a final shout out to our brave men and women....THANK YOU for your sacrifice.
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