Richard Calderhead
The Fighting Liberal
The Fighting Liberal
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Richard Calderhead
The Fighting Liberal |
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QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Leave Us Alone!" - Grover Norquist America: For Better? Or for Worse? The T Baggers are anti-virtually EVERYTHING! Huh? Oh, yeah…start with Stimulus Spending. The ImbecileIndies seem not to notice that the Manufacturing Sector has actually bottomed out and turned back up! (Sure…the factories jettisoned some workers…but in Today's America doing things like that is deemed Perfectly OK. Management Rules, Dontchaknow?) Does Obama get ANY credit for THAT? Nah. It's all part of the AnythingObama is AUTOMATICALLY Baaaaad. Rick Santorem was also hangin' around the T Baggers. Yikes! 1. No funds if not approved by Tea Party Ideology Purity Test. California had only 10,000,000 people back then. I got an abrupt Wakeup when I was reading about a medium-successful Hollywood figure from the WWII Era and later…who worked for absolute Monsters! Cretins! Who'd fire you as soon as look at you. During the Great Depression and after the War…Unions hit their Apex. It's only gotten worse since.
Something else I totally issed (although I lived through it)…was the inexorable rise of Salaries of "Favored" Employees…especially in Corporate America…from 1980 on right up to Today. There are the UberRich…who were enabled…via Global Trade and the Vast Markets that created…to leap from Rich Millionaires to actual $$$$ Billionaires. Or take the Superbowl: It's no longer "just" the Championship Game…it's been turned into a GiNormous Cash Machine. There are $ Billion Luxury Stadiums… where the Real Fat Cats can squander $ Hundreds of Thousands of an Afternoon! (Tailgating? Don't make me laugh!") Along with that skyrocketing salaries of Favored Staff…as well as the Professional/Managerial…came the rise of Two Paycheck Families…and Bingo! I don't think Obama has a Clue here; his "solution" is More Education...so the College Crads can nab thos High Pay Jobs. Fine...but WHAT ABOUT everyone ELSE? Hmmm? Readers: Barack Obama is trying. Really Hard. Let him know...just like Li'l Mouse in today's 'Toon...that we've Got His Back. And that absolutely DOES INCLUDE a Public Option. On Feb. 25th...Obama takes on the RepUglies.. again! Here's the link to the White House email address: www.whitehouse.gov Itsez Who? A long-time Itsez follower and contributor said it was about time QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Smells Scammy!" - Red State Blogger Erick Erickson America: For Better? Or for Worse? Right now, Beck is #3 in Talk Radio, behind Limbaugh and Hannity. As we know, Beck calls his show the Doom Room…and during his air-time…if you factor out the unrelenting Radio Ads…Beck is taping into a Wave of Rage sweeping America. It is not focused or rational, but oh, boy is it there!!! I can sum it up with a 5-Letter Word: Taxes. As in Tax/Tax/Tax. (I'll leave out those ubiquitous State and Local Taxes…that's another whole Ball of Wax…I'll just comment that when I hear some official of a small Town is being paid $330,000…I go Ballistic!) Wait! Stop! Think for a moment: How much MONEY does the Federal Government Suck In each year. (Forget the momentary glitch…aka the 2nd Great Depression… which is causing Income Tax Receipts to actually DECLINE.) Answer: $2,500,000,000,000 (approx.) That is…$ Trillion. And just how many actual Taxpayers file each year? 140,000,000. Hey…wait a minute! All we hear about is how BROKE Unca Sam is! We have to get ourselves OUT of this Mess. Right Now. So…How'rewegonnadoit? Hmmm? Nobody has an answer to that. So far. Meanwhile, our Deficit SOARS some more. (Thanks, Bush II.) And while Unca Sam is Rolling In Dough ($2 Trillion really IS a lot of Dough) …we are somehow GOING BROKE!!! Huh? What? The Congress keeps giving itself RAISES! (When did you last get a raise?) Or...(wait for it)...did you know that Washington D.C. is the MOST EXPENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD IN ALL AMERICA???? FAR higher than NYC??? How can we be a Debtor Nation…with all that MONEY rolling in? With 80,000,000 Baby Boomers heading into Retirement…no WONDER Social Security and Medicare are slated to GO BROKE before long. (Young Americans assume there will BE NO Social Security and/or Medicare when they get Old.) What the American People need to know is that our Government is operating Lean and Mean…with not a PENNY "wasted"…and that we ALL are benefiting from our own Tax Dollars. Got that? Does that sound even REMOTELY like the George W. Bush Admin?
Answer: We can't. Whoa. Then how are we going to deal with How are we going to Saber Rattle and keep the Chinese from…"Adventures"? It's PRECISELY the point: When we CANNOT discuss our…Problems…that's when we have a REAL Problem. Just like not being "allowed" to point out the unsustainable West Bank development being conducted by Izrail. It's a No No. We are an EASIER target than Israel itself!! (Because we are so large…so diverse …so eternally Over There and In Their Face.) President Obama: Al Gore tried to Right Size America…and actually did some very good work in that regard…including automating/computerizing and even modernizing many areas in the Public Sector. Tell us you will do it…and DO IT EVEN BETTER! Readers: Barack Obama is trying. Really Hard. Let him know...just like Li'l Mouse in today's 'Toon...that we've Got His Back. And that absolutely DOES INCLUDE a Public Option. Here's the link to the White House email address: www.whitehouse.gov QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm enjoying this! - Barack Obama...at the RepUglyCon Caucus America: For Better? Or for Worse? Obama did not crush Ryan or demean him. But I can't help thinking that in the Ryan Household…all they hear is Hatred of Dems in general and Obama in particular. Of course there's no way to follow up and find out. But we do know from the words of none other than George W. Bush…that Anti-FDR talk was an absolute Dinnertime Staple. Anything and Everything to do with Democrats and the New Deal, etc., was AUTOMATICALLY MONSTROUS. Are things really any different in the Ryan Household? In 2008, during the runup to the Election…I passed some teenagers. They copped to the fact that I was carrying Obama Posters. One of them hollered out at me: "He should be shot!" As I've said many time before…I was literally stunned. Another Democrat shrugged it off later on…"They get that stuff at home." When has there been a POTUS in this Great nation who had command of ALL the Facts and Figures the way Obama does? Hmmm? Don't start with Slick Willie; Clinton was good…but Obama is Truly Brilliant! (Why…for a moment there…I forgot he was Black!!! Sorry, Chris Mathews.) What's the Takeaway from the Shootout at the GOP Corral? That RepUglyCons are just exactly what I've been saying they are…for lo these many years: Utterly Despicable. They have Zero Programs and Zero Credibility. Zero IDEAS. They derive their Power (or what's left of it right now)…from Fear and Slander. All of which brings us to none other than Glenn Beck. I don't do it for Fun; I do it to get a handle on what makes this Lunatic…Tick! You may not realized it, but Beck is a Serial Loser; his life was a Catastrophe for DECADES (which he freely admits on-air). He managed part of one Semester at Yale; so he can't say that even he is not tainted by Ivy League Elitism. To give him his due…he's bounced back from his (many) earlier Failures to become Rich. He's been able to get on the NYTimes Best Seller List no less than Beck is now a Wealthy Guy. Maybe not a Tiger Woods-style $ Billionaire. But he's actually a Deca-Millionaire. Not too shabby even in these Inflationary Times. Beck's "Ideology" is…nominally Libertarian…although he does have some quibbles with their creepy High Priestess, Ayn Rand. Beck is a Populist. However…he's a Phony Populist. He's "half-read" such worthies as Tom Paine…with smatterings of Karl Marx and Leon Trotsky…(barely keeping track of who actually said what) and then he weaves this into a screed to Diminish and Demonize All Things Progressive. Why?
"We rented an apartment in a Workers’ District, Folks…that was when America was Great; that was when we Led the World…in Category after Category. Now where are we? Beck's Radio Show…makes him a Presence in American Media. If you didn't know it…his show is the 3rd Highest Rated Show in All America!!! So he's reaching PEOPLE. Americans. After listening for a week…I have to scratch my head in wonderment. Who actually LISTENS to this Drivel? So his Robotic Listeners hear REPETIVIVE pitches for Gold - plus some quite Scammy Sounding Offers. The Usual Direct Response Snake Oil Crap. (Which In between the Ads, then…we hear such typical Beck Bromides as; Which is why I no longer use that Term; I simply go with my own word: GLOP; aka GLObal Pollution. It works for ALL the crap we dump in the world's oceans and our atmosphere. The Consequences are equally deadly. Then there's the Sacred Constitution. Sacred? Yeah...Beck wants to Freeze it. That woud have insured that such niceties as existed when America was born...like Slavery...would still be with us. As Justice Story wisely said, about the Constitution: "...is an evolving body of Doctrines...that are connected to Deep Common Roots..." But Frozen? No. Absolutely NOT. With the 24/7/365 Ranting about Impending Doom for America...courtesty of Democrats...Glen Beck and all the other Noise Machine Screamers are an absolute Threat to our Democracy. Or, as another Wise Justice, Oliver Wendall Holmes warned us: Readers: Barack Obama is trying. Really Hard. Let him know...just like Li'l Mouse in today's 'Toon...that we've Got His Back. And that absolutely DOES INCLUDE a Public Option. Here's the link to the White House email address: www.whitehouse.gov QUOTE OF THE DAY: "If California Democrats can do it...Why not the US Senate? - Itsez America: For Better? Or for Worse? I went to a local Rally this week on behalf of Healthcare. Great. However…the Bad News is that only a handful of DieHard Dems bothered to actually show up; the last time…we had more like 200 out there waving Posters and Banners. Mr. Axelrod…are you lissening? Hmmm? Plouffe is back. Is HE lissening? Let's count (some of) the ways things have gone Offtrack for Obama. 1. The Media. The Corporate Media are TOTALLY unreliable in terms of Accuracy or Advocacy. Leaving out the Partisan Fruitcakes at FauxNews…it's the MayoNews that does so much of the damage. NPR even. I literally cringe in the car when those that horrible (and inevitable) phrase "others say" that…(blah, blah.) Then they have some "voice" for the "other side". Trouble is…shockingly often the Other Perspective is so utterly shallow and irrelevant…that all it does is murk up the Issue. 2. The REAL Nasties…which would include virtually EVERYTHING owned by Rupert Murdock…(when ARE we doing to DEPORT him?)…is consumed with 24/7/365 Hatred of All Things Obama. Since voices like Limbaugh and Beck continue to attract Listeners…that means more and more Americans are getting a Warped View of Obama, the Democrats and Government in general. Meaning they take away the Gov Is Bad Mindset. As for The Speech: 1. Talking to a Confused and Angry Nation is fine…if you Keep It Simple, Stupid. Obama was handed SO MANY PROBLEMS…and has dealt with many/most of them skillfully and in Order. But you'd never know that from the RepUglies. Detroit Survived! Despite the Criminal Mismanagement of the Auto Business…they weathered the storm and are positioned to Recover, with Ford leading the way. Remember: The ENTIRE PHALANX OF SOUTHERN POLITICIANS wanted Detroit to FAIL! Yep. They wanted to drive a nail into the Coffin of the Strongest Unions. They then wanted to be able to offer their Millions of Unemployed at Lower Wages in their "Right To Work" States…where Unions are Not Welcome. 2. Obama inexplicably continues to support Green Coal. I know something of this category…and from all I know…there is NO SUCH THING as "Green" Coal. 3. Then he touts New (Safe) Nuclear!!! As Harry Shearer constantly reminds us: Which brings us to…Jobs. And Healthcare. Jobs. Obama means Good Jobs; not Part Time Burger Flippin'. RepUglies chant the Mantra of Private Enterprise; well…American Style Kapitalism is on Trial…and right now appears to have Failed Miserably. This means that BY DEFAULT…steady, reliable and decent-paying Employment may NEED to come from...Gasp!...the Public Sector! Otherwise…the Corporate Elites will continue to run off with all the Money; America today is ScamLand…everywhere I turn I see Ripoffs, Today in America…you can take the R out of the word FREE.
We don't quite know how this is going to work out… The LAST thing I will do PAY THE TIMES TO READ THE PAPER ONLINE. (What are all those egregious PopUps we have to endure already?) I'll read my free Online Quota. And then quit. Barack Obama deserves better. Much better. If we are…Welcome to the Tender Mercies of Sarah Palin and Pals. Readers: Barack Obama is trying. Hard. Let him know...just like Li'l Mouse in today's 'Toon...that we've Got His Back. Here's the link to the White House email address: www.whitehouse.gov QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Obamacare FORCES us to buy Lousy, Overpriced Insurance from Predatory Insurance Companies!" - Itsez America: For Better? Or for Worse? I wonder if Joe Wilson is prepping for NEXT Scream of Outrage at something Obama says? If I were Obama…I'd have the Riot Squad ready to "escort" Wilson out of the Chamber if he acts up again. Here's my (positive) take on Barack Obama: 1. He's gotten a Bloody Nose and he's learned a Big Lesson. So...he WILL 2. While we assumed that his Team was Savvy to the Beltway Realities…as Brutal as any Drug Cartel Turf War…we were wrong; either he wasn't listening or they weren't making it clear that RepUglies will STOP AT NOTHING to DESTROY any Progressive Legislation. Any of it. All of it. 3. The WORST website going is NOT Drudge; that's Sandbox City compared to NewsMax; here's where you'll find Real, Hard-Core RepUgly Trash. 4. Obama inherited the Economic Disaster we are struggling through. 5. Team Obama should have wasted No Chance to Beat Up On Bush; instead, Obama (Bless Him)…attempted to Lead on a Bi-Partisan Basis. 6. Scott Brown is a Poster Boy for Contemptible RepUglyCon Conniving. My take on Mr. Scott: I'm putting him down as a Ken Doll. Cute...but an Airhead. Who reliably spouts The Party Line. You know the Party Line: do anything to unwind responsible Air Pollutioin Legislation...but call it "The Clean Air Act." How utterly SHAMELESS. 7. Meanwhile…Obama is now being attacked VICIOUSLY by the Left; 8. Whatever HAPPENED to Campaign Reform? 9. Surely Obama will speak about Jobs. Because, Puppies…the Great American Public has been totally Snookered. Which…in America's Bloodthirsty Economy is BOUND TO HAPPEN TO ONE OR MORE….sooner or later. How do you Like THEM Apples? Readers: Things are looking Dire. First Mass, then the SCOTUS ruled in FAVOR of Big Business...and AGAINST the American People. Here's the link to the White House email address: www.whitehouse.gov 2009...Start of the New American Century! Asked if they would be "willing" to pay MORE in Taxes to implement Universal Healthcare…64% of those earning less than $50,000 said Yes; only 52% of those earning MORE than $50,000 agreed! Huh? Right there we have it…Right Between The Eyes! In places like the UberAffluent Orange County, CA (solid Reagan-land)…they HATE and LOATHE taxes. OK, OK…we know all this. Where do we go from here? Just take a quick look at these STAGGERING Numbers: It is literally OBSCENE that the Rich and Powerful United States of America should be staggering along with Interest Payments on DEBT…OF $700 Billion, year after year…with NO END IN SIGHT! Imagine if we DIDN'T have that Debt? We could either deploy Tax Money for worthy causes…or actually even REDUCE Taxes. Remember: Clinton was Balancing the Budget; Bush let it fly of the Charts. Now…what about our Military? I will state without the POSSIBILITY of Correction…that America Could and Should…slash that budget IN HALF. Now…it's NOT just the Feds; it's States, Cities and Towns that are leaching Tax Dollars out of us. And STILL they can't Balance their Budgets. Think NY and California. There's the story of a Senior in the Northeast…who's retired on $12,000 a year. 30 years ago he built himself a small cottage in the woods. Today…with Property Inflation…they're after him every year for $2,500 in Taxes!!! In New York's Hamptons, ordinary Homeowners have seen their Property Taxes climb inexorably; as the money gushed in…the Towns gave themselves raises and hired new staff and "spiffed up" their quarters. Now they need the Property Taxes to pay for their excesses! States Sock It To the Little Guy…with taxes on everything…from Gas to Car Registration, etc., etc. to keep up with their Rising Costs of Government. Enter ObamaCare. It Can't and it Won't be Free. But it must to be done. So what now? NOT Raise Taxes? We also need to IMMEDIATELY rein in the Cost of Obama has said all this. Democrats: Wake Up! We should be working Night and Day to lessen the Tax Burden on Stressed Out Americans. ObamaCare will cost money...but in the end it will Save Money...and Lives...by delivering Much Better Healthcare to All Americans. Tell the President what YOU think. Here's the only link you'll need: www.whitehouse.gov 1% of Americans own over 1/3 of All our Wealth! January 16: As the SuperFab Theatrics of Barack Obama's Inspirational Inauguration Roll Forward, Number 43 was last seen slinking out of town… and into a History that is surely going to be most unkind to him. This is CRUCIALLY important; With only 14 days to go, it's still Nail Biting Time...and it reminded me of the big song from The Man from La Mancha: "To dream the Impossible Dream
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This plays to the Hatred of the 1,100 T Baggers for the Elites...and especially Book Learnin' in particular. (Read Science.) The Populist Refrain (to all those presumably Unwashed Masses of Americans)…is "They think we're Dumb!" 
American (that I know of) who was eye-witness to both Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.
When I was a kid...everyone I knew respected and admired FDR. Sure...there were a few "Republicans" who sniffed at The New Deal, but we forgave them for their Silly Old Ideas. Who would have ever guessed that, led by Ronnie Reagan in 1980, those honorable Republicans would morph into Raging RepUglyCons??? One of my key tasks with Itsez is to point out the Sheer Stupidity and Core Mean Spiritedness of what used to be...that Grand Old Party. What we're seeing right now...is an unparalleled display of Corporate Greed...fighting Tooth and Nail to resist Change. 
You know the Old Model: just quote from the Bible…complete with Chapter and Verse…Matthew 2:10…blah, blah. That esoteric "Book Larnin'" really impressed the Yokels in teh Sticks. (It's really just another Carny Trick…believe me.) 
Simple gestures like that go a long way to explain Obama's success in Politics. 
The RepUglies think they are on a Roll; they think they are on the Long March Back to Power…that a few Wins here and there…coupled with the Tea Baggers, etc., will put them back into the Driver's Seat. 
Obama has to stand up…all 6' 2" of him…with Michelle looking on…checking every word...and slog his way through the State of the Union Message on Wednesday.
(I sure wouldn't want to be in HIS big shoes!)
Tomorrow will be All Obama…but today Itsez wants to put the Final Nail in George Bush's Coffin.