Is There Something in Your Eye?

Okay the other side hasn't exactly blinked, but it seems like they are developing a twitch in an eyelid.

Grover Norquist, the anti-tax activist, has pretty much hand-cuffed Congress by bamboozling 38 Republican Senators, and a boatload of Republican House members into signing his pledge that they will never vote to raise taxes. But in the last few days the no tax hike levee is beginning to show cracks.

Within the last few days Senator Saxley Chambliss of Georgia has raised more than a little  doubt about the wisdom of signing the stupid short-sighted pledge. Norquist's "Americans For Tax Reform", are beginning to get backlash from signers who are faced with the reality of the numbers. It is, as it turns out, all about arithmetic.

Many GOP freshmen have recently rejected the idea that they are actually bound by the document. Out on the campaign trail "no taxes" may have a nice ring to it, but once elected and faced with the reality of the numbers, it becomes evident that cuts alone won't do the trick.

Although Chambliss is up for re-election in 2014 and will face the inevitable wrath of Norquist and his goons, he has elected to stand on principle. Chambliss has stated that Norquist has no answers and in fact will stand in the way of ever really containing the ballooning debt. The Senator says that he's "willing to do the right thing and let the political consequences take care of themselves."

At last. A Republican voting country over party. If a few more do this, and am going to call it a full scale blink.

Let's Take A Ride....Over a Cliff.

I don't wanna get all "Thelma and Louise", but I am totally ready to take a ride over this made-up fake-ass fiscal cliff. As Michael Moore observes, this is just a ruse pure and simple to scare middle-class people into wanting to support tax breaks for the super rich. Let's ride it right over the cliff. The tax breaks end for everybody. Then at the beginning of 2013 introduce legislation to extend the breaks for the middle class. I dare the Republicans to defy it.

Why? Because in 2012 Barrack Obama got the highest percentage of the vote since Lyndon Johnson. Barrack Obama got the most votes for any Democratic President in the history of the United States and he was the only one to receive more votes than were gotten by Barrack Obama in 2008! Barrack Obama was the first President to get more than 50% of the vote twice in a row since Franklin Roosevelt.

I hope the President does not back down. No matter how much macho posturing the Republicans do, Obama has them firmly by the balls. I hope he doesn't get into his tendency to be a great compromiser. He doesn't need to be. He's running this now.

John Baughner can be worked with. Mitch McConnell is a moron that needs to go. Just as the Republican party focused all their attention on making Obama a one term President, the Democrats now need to focus on getting Mitch McConnell defeated. For the good of America.

Stay the course President Obama. Do what you were elected to do, and want to do. Hold out... let them blink first. Be their huckleberry. You are going to win this one. Please, take advantage of the Republicans while we have the chance. They are currently running amok trying to figure out why a perfect 1959 campaign in 2012 didn't work.

Hey, Republicans. Keep hating gays. Keep hating legitimate immigration. Keep with your "we don't support...", "we don't support...". Because it wins us elections. What the heck do you support? Stop being negative, and tell us what you're about. Oh, but you can't. Because you're all about yourselves and your big supporters.

My friend has dubbed this "Whitey's Last Stand." Is he wrong? I think not. But let's encourage Congress to vote with him. And if they don't, if the Republicans still can't see the writing on the wall, let's send our voter version of Vince Vega and Jules [see 'Pulp Fiction'] to call on them in 2014. "I said: Do [we] LOOK LIKE A BITCH??!!!"  "Say 'what?' again,...I dare you."

Dear Mitt

You are right. I was given gifts. I was given the gift of a President who cares about me. I was given the gift of probably the most intelligent President in history. I was given the gift of a President with compassion, integrity, and a deep love for this country. Not a man like you, who only wonders what he can suck out of it. I was given the gift of the country I love so much being saved from the blood sucking evil that wants me living in a crummy mobile home and driving a rust bucket to work to help make them wealthier.

Mitt, you may be slick. You may have a great disc jockey voice. You may have mostly good hair days. But you can't fool us. We ain't going for "I'll tell you after the election." And by the way, thank you for picking that lame-brain Paul Ryan as a running mate. CA-CHING!!!! You lost many of my staunch Republican friends at that point. But he is going to bring you Wisconsin, right? Oh wait........

Mitt, I am so over you. You are yesterday's news.

Who Are the real Fiscal Conservatives?

Ever notice how when there's a Republican in the White House the Republicans belly up to the trough and spend like gluttons? But when a Democrat gets in the White House, they suddenly become born-again "Fiscal Conservatives"?

Here's a little history/economics lesson:

Fiscal Conservative Ronald Reagan left us with a $200+ billion dollar DEFICIT.

Fiscal Conservative George H.W. Bush left us with a $300 billion dollar DEFICIT.

"Tax and Spend Liberal" Bill Clinton left us with a $200 billion dollar SURPLUS.

Fiscal Conservative George W. Bush left us with a $482 billion dollar DEFICIT.

I don't know how many more of these "fiscal conservatives" we can afford.

A Week Later

I don't think I ever remember an election where the election results were so devastating to so many people. On Wednesday morning last, there were many, many people that were not only disappointed, as people have been in the past, but angry, hostile, predicting doomsday, and not taking the results well. Many were very alarmed, some were dazed, and many were scratching their heads asking "What happened"?

My boss Bill, who is a wonderful guy, has committed himself to the resistance. His Facebook post declared something to the affect of under ever tyranny there is formed a resistance. The Republican Propaganda machine FOX News didn't do well either. When FOX itself declared Ohio in the Obama column and therefore Obama the winner, the anchor woman left her seat stomped down the hall into the office of the predictors and demanded how they drew their conclusions. Meanwhile back at the desk, Karl Rove was still whining that it was too early to tell. Sorry KR, you ain't pulling that old trick of 2000 this time.

Somewhere in the area of 30 states have had petitions introduced to somebody to secede from the union. That is anger and disappointment. This time I say let them go.

I often wonder if all these people would spend half as much energy just trying to support the President as they do hating on him, this country would be in great shape. If they would spend time working to tweak the Affordable Health Care Act and maybe make it better, we could have excellent health care for all in this nation.

Here's my perception as it has shaped in the last week. I began thinking of it when I noticed that many officers where I work (I work in a prison) refuse to speak with me, and some even turned their heads away. My boss came into my work area on Wednesday morning and he appeared angry. He knows I'm a democrat, and he looked at me with disdain. It seems it's all my fault. He was only given one vote, and apparently I was given 303 electoral votes.

I hope that someday the light will go on for all of the people I work with and they will have a moment of clarity. I hope they will realize that most people think like me. They will maybe someday understand that they are the "radical fringe".

Here's what I think. I think that they all get so caught up in their FOX News/Rush Limbaugh/Sean Hannity world that they actually believe that crap is true. My boss honestly believes that what Rush says is true. He has no idea that Rush makes up his hate for Obama on the spot, backed with no facts. I love the fact that the truth is on my side.

But I am concerned about how hard the opposition is taking their loss. They all had all kinds of things planned to say to me, but instead they were forced to listen to my silence. Get over it already. As my Dad posted on Facebook "If you bet on the wrong horse, get over it. Move on." Exactly. But instead nut-jobs like Donald Trump called for Revolution, and many celebrities tweeted messages of utter despair. Former SNL player Victoria Jackson tweeted "I can't stop crying. America died." Where were you Victoria when George W. raised the debt ceiling 7 times in his eight years, ran us into a confusing and expensive un-neccessary war, lost us the respect of the world, and left us with a 482 billion dollar deficit? Oh that's right Twitter wasn't that popular then.

The thing that bothers me the most is that these folks honestly believe that most Americans feel the way that they do. And yet we don't. They think that taking the richest 1% back to normal rates is somehow "redistribution of wealth." And I will never understand how hard they defend the people who look at them with the most disdain.

Let's get over it already red America. Don't be angry because you were duped into believing that the Repubs stone-walling the President meant he was do nothing. You bought into the idea that Obama was a big spender, although he has the slowest rate of spending growth since Eisenhower. Reagan increased the debt 189%. Obama? 16%. Deal with it.

Enough said.

Question

If you work for me, and I pay you $25 an hour, and then I come to you and tell you that I have to cut your wages to $20 an hour. A year later I am able to put your wages back to the original $25 an hour.

Did I just give you a raise?

If you said no, please write a letter to John Boughner and Mitch McConnell and tell them that taking the wealthiest 1% back to normal rates is not "raising taxes".

Thank you.

Forward

After the election my Dad posted on Facebook:

"If you picked the wrong horse in the race, get over it and move on."

Easier said than done for many people. After the election Tuesday night, many people are bewildered and confused. There are many bitter people out there. And more than a few of them work where I work. They are totally caught up in their FOX News/Rush Limbaugh bubble that they actually believe that they and the rest of the country are of this mind set. It then becomes a huge shock to their system when the rest of the country does not agree. (I am not sure whether it ever sinks in that it is they that are the radical fringe - I suspect not).

More than a few people I work with refused to speak to me this week. My boss - who overall is a wonderful guy - looked at me with anger and contempt all week. It's as though they believe they only get one vote and I get 303 Electoral votes, and it was only me who did this.

But things sound hopeful. John Boughner this week called on the President, saying "This is your time, Mr. President. Let us reach agreements." That sounds very encouraging to me.

The Republicans have spent the last four years with one and only one agenda. Making sure Obama was a one term President. That didn't work. Now, since that didn't work big-time, there is encouraging signs that the GOP wants to get on with the business of the USA.

Let us hope. Boughner will undoubtedly stonewall the President on allowing the wealthiest 1% of our citizens pay their fair share. But maybe he will at least agree to stop subsidizing the five richest oil companies. That would be a start.

On Wisconsin

What the heck is going on over there across the lake? What is going on with you Wisconsinites? First you elect a right wing crazy for Governor that begins dismantling the right to collective bargaining. He understands that the last wall of defense between the wealthy and the middle class is the right to collectively bargain. Since roughly half the state are still somewhat rational, they begin a recall effort to throw this wing nut out. But to no avail. Too many beers, while riding around on Harley-Davidsons. Wait a minute, not enough beers and not enough Harley-Davidsons..for the recall effort failed.

Constipated by all that cheese, the Wisconsiners elected that right wing fanatic wing-nut Paul Ryan as a Senator. He is in Washington at war with the middle class and Seniors. He hates everyone who is not him or a fanatic right wing Tea Bagger.

And then Tuesday night, the state of Wisconsin votes for Barrack Obama to finish the job he started. Talk about schizophrenia. And yet it continues!

Also Tuesday night, Wisconsin elected the first openly gay Senator to be Paul Ryan's counterpart.

So, let's see.....

Elect Right Wing Governor bent on dismantling the middle class.
Recall said Governor and miss the recall by a narrow margin.
Enjoy right wing goofball Paul Ryan as a Senator in Washington.
Vote for President Obama.
Elect Paul Ryan's counterpart - the first openly gay Senator.

Folks, I'm scratching my head. What is going on over there?

Well at least you gave the Repubs Paul Ryan. I believe little Paulie was big reason they lost Tuesday night. You just can't be this looney-tunes and get into the big house.

The Financial Cliff

Remember Tea Party, you orchestrated this. DO NOT try and put this on the normal Republican Party or the Democrats! You did this, you non-college educated criminal records having Tea Baggers.

My Prediction for 2016.

My Prediction for 2016:

The party gets to Chris Christie and convinces him to get a gastric by-pass. He gets slim and trim and is photogenic. They convince him it is his time.

Hillary Clinton has resigned as Secretary of State now. I think she will rest for a year and then begin her plans to run for President.

2016: Democrat Hillary Clinton vs. Republican Chris Christie.

Chris Christie wins big time. His theme song is "Thunder Road".

Whitey's Last Stand

Months ago, my friend Bill first coined the term "Whitey's Last Stand". I don't know if it's his term or he picked it up somewhere. But I think that is what we witnessed last night. Whitey campaigned masterfully and in 1959 would have won handily. But this ain't 1959 and the Romney camp ended up failing miserably, even though they thought they were running the perfect campaign. And they did. For another era.

America is changing and evolving. America is getting browner. America is sneaking more Spanish words into our language. America is gaining more young people, more minorities, more people of color, and more people of different cultures. My Republican friends, you need to recognize a few things, or you will forever lose the party of Lincoln.

So if there ever was what seemed to be Whitey's Last Stand it was last night. Does this mean that an old obtuse white guy will never be President? Maybe.

I suspect that the GOP is today scrambling figuring out why a nearly perfect campaign failed. I predict they will come out swinging in a much more vibrant way in 2016.

But I worry about the Republican Party. There is a faction out there that truly believes that the normal, moderate, willing to work out compromises must go. They believe that America really subscribes to an extreme right wing agenda. The Republican Party has the Tea Party's hand at their throat and they are afraid to do anything about it. Please John Boungner, throw these idiots out of your party of integrity. Yes, it may mean short term losses, but it will mean long term gains.

We need the GOP back. We need the rational, normal, compromising, understanding, willing to work together Republicans back. With the two parties, working together many great things were accomplished. But since these Tea Party idiots have gotten involved, our country is at a stale-mate. Hopefully last night was the beginning of the end of the Tea Party.

In a nutshell.

Why is it that the New England states are so enlightened this election night and the deep south isn't?

Racism.

Thank you and good night.

One More Day

One more day. A day we have to stop blatant attempts to suppress voters, and one more day before we can re-elect the President and get on with the business of healing this country. The big question is, will racism win out and will the Congress continue to stonewall all of the President's attempts to do good for the nation? Or will they finally shrug their shoulders and decide it's time to get on with the business of the USA?

And another question is, if it's incredibly close in Ohio, will we have the outcome by Wednesday morning? The Repubs have been known to steal Presidential elections, you know. That is the scariest part - that they won't take the loss well. So will they drag the inevitable out for days and weeks, and maybe even months?

In 2000 the election was decided by a partisan Supreme Court. Even though there is absolutely no authority given to them to do this in the Constitution. Same with the impeachment of Clinton. What exactly is a "high crime or misdemeanor"? The Founding Fathers gave examples: Treason, etc. So the whole escapade making Clinton's actions somehow worthy of an Impeachment was total conjecture. My point being that ours is far from being a perfect system. There is always room for improvement.

We must stop letting the Repubs make it up as they go along. But for now, let's get through this one more day.

A Tight One

The Attorney General in Ohio today tried to rig this election like the AG in Florida did in 2000. Hopefully this will be shot down on Monday morning in a court at 9:00 am.

Here's the deal. There are more Democrats than Republicans. Naturally. Most of us are working people. So the Republicans know that the only way they can win is if a lot of folks can't vote. And this is an Eleventh hour shot at rigging the election.

Romney has run a masterful campaign. Lies, arrogance, and "facts" that turn out to be lies. Meanwhile his tax records remain secret, as well as most other true facts about him. And yet people accept this without flinching. This is racism, pure and simple. My friend Bill Murgan spotted it years ago, when the Congressional Republican stonewalling began, but I didn't want to believe it. But folks, if Obama insisted on having this much secret, you'd be having a field day.

Sadly, because of one lack-luster debate performance, this has become a tight race. I do hope that some of the Ohio Romney supporters I've seen online forget to vote. One proclaimed that he was a "atheist Muslim". Seriously. Do these people get to vote?

By The Way

I am predicting here and now that the Republican Party will insist that Chris Christie of New Jersey get a gastric by-pass, he will get slim and trim and they will run him in 2016 and sadly he will defeat Hillary Clinton.

Springsteen and Cancelations

Bruce Springsteen once sang about Sandy, on the 4th of July, on the Jersey shore. The Hurricane Sandy came ashore in New Jersey and New York this past week causing all kinds of devastation to the Eastern Seaboard. President Obama had to forego campaigning and attend to his day job. To his credit, Mitt Romney also cancelled campaign stops to put together a phony photo op. But that's another story.

The President, with sadness, said that the election next week will take care of itself. He then went about the business of being President. He felt he had to do the job he was elected to do.

The President has done the job he was elected to do every day that he has been in office.  I am so proud of him. He was stoned-walled by the John Boughner/Mitch McConnell racism that declared "Our number one priority is to ensure that Barrack Obama is a one-term President." Not to look out for the interests of America. Not to look out for the interests of their constituents. To get the black man.

But the President went about the business of being President. And that included praising Republican and vocal critic of the President Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey for putting his "heart and soul" into working for the people of New Jersey. Governor Christie also praised the President for his handling of the Sandy situation. That, my friends was refreshing.

My wife is an independent. Recently a friend of mine acknowledged that the reason he didn't like Obama is because he's black. "No black man should have that much power." That sealed it for my wife. She will take great relish in canceling out his vote.