Once in a while someone will tell the Truth publicly, plainly, and directly. That person is usually ignored or attacked. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) gave an important speech in the Senate yesterday that should be read by every American. The Congressional elections this Fall should not even be close. That they probably will be is a testament to the efforts of professional liars and the gullibility of the American voter. Please click on this link, read the speech (the transcript is below the video) and send it to others.
Sen. Tom Harkin - Speaking Truth in the Senate
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday, April 09, 2010
The Truth about the "Big Bad Deficit"
The right wing folks -- from the tea party crazies, to the radio and TV hate mongers, to the obstructionist Republican office holders -- are all in a lather lately about budget deficits.
EXCUSE ME?
Didn't ya'll support George W. and his "free market" deregulation (ie. the "Free-for-all market" which became the "Free-fall market"), and his tax cuts for the rich, and his two (!) wars?
Here is a link to an analysis of the the true causes of the Federal deficit. Click on it if facts don't scare you.
I have to tell ya, it ain't Obama's policies that put us in this mess....
EXCUSE ME?
Didn't ya'll support George W. and his "free market" deregulation (ie. the "Free-for-all market" which became the "Free-fall market"), and his tax cuts for the rich, and his two (!) wars?
Here is a link to an analysis of the the true causes of the Federal deficit. Click on it if facts don't scare you.
I have to tell ya, it ain't Obama's policies that put us in this mess....
Monday, April 05, 2010
A conservative Mormon speaks out against "hate mongers"
Lynn M. Hansen, former Reagan-appointed ambassador and recently-returned LDS mission president in Germany, wrote a guest column in the Ogden, Utah Standard-Examiner this past week entitled "Obama, Reid, Pelosi deserve our thanks." The focus of Hansen's article is on why health care reform is good and was necessary and I strongly recommend everyone read it, print it, and pass it around.
Still, what I found more even interesting was what he has to say about "half-truths," "hate-mongers," and civility in public discourse:
"Until the administration of George W. Bush, I was an avid Republican and served in the Reagan and Bush (senior) administrations as a political appointee. But I will not allow Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh to define conservatism for me, nor will I accept the half-truths and invectives with which they pollute the airways.
Paul Rolly wrote an opinion piece about Hansen's article in the Salt Lake Tribune. He said he had contacted Hansen about the response to his article. Hansen told Rolly that he had received more positive than negative responses, but that one woman told him he was "an agent of Satan."
Still, what I found more even interesting was what he has to say about "half-truths," "hate-mongers," and civility in public discourse:
"Until the administration of George W. Bush, I was an avid Republican and served in the Reagan and Bush (senior) administrations as a political appointee. But I will not allow Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh to define conservatism for me, nor will I accept the half-truths and invectives with which they pollute the airways.
Those who listen to these hate-mongers should realize that they have become millionaires by peddling the views they do. I recall Limbaugh frequently stating that he hoped Obama would fail. That is tantamount to wishing America would fail for Obama is our freely elected president.
What has happened to civility in this country? I did not vote for Obama but we, the American people, did.
... For as long as he is president, I will respect the office of president and the person who occupies it."
Paul Rolly wrote an opinion piece about Hansen's article in the Salt Lake Tribune. He said he had contacted Hansen about the response to his article. Hansen told Rolly that he had received more positive than negative responses, but that one woman told him he was "an agent of Satan."
Sunday, April 04, 2010
An example of Mormon intolerance
Paul Rolly, a columnist for the Salt Lake Tribune, reported this past week that Senator Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D, Nevada) was invited to give a fireside talk at an LDS stake center last weekend. Reid agreed to speak about his spiritual awakening and conversion to the Mormon faith.
Rolly goes on to report that when word got out that Reid would be speaking, organizers of the fireside received emails and phone messages threatening that if Reid spoke, they would heckle him inside the chapel and harass him with demeaning signs and slogans. The fireside was cancelled for fear the meeting would turn violent.
Who are these people? What has happened to some members of my church? How can so many Mormons have been deceived by the forces of narrow-mindedness, intolerance, and hatred?
I have often thought that the violence in the world that seems to have its roots in the Muslim faith, could be greatly ameliorated if the believers and leaders of that faith would speak out courageously, strongly, and often, in favor of tolerance and against hatred and violence.
This incident makes plain the need to promote tolerance and civility among our own. Here is a link to an official LDS press release on the topic of civility in civic discourse. Clearly, more of our members need to read it.
Rolly goes on to report that when word got out that Reid would be speaking, organizers of the fireside received emails and phone messages threatening that if Reid spoke, they would heckle him inside the chapel and harass him with demeaning signs and slogans. The fireside was cancelled for fear the meeting would turn violent.
Who are these people? What has happened to some members of my church? How can so many Mormons have been deceived by the forces of narrow-mindedness, intolerance, and hatred?
I have often thought that the violence in the world that seems to have its roots in the Muslim faith, could be greatly ameliorated if the believers and leaders of that faith would speak out courageously, strongly, and often, in favor of tolerance and against hatred and violence.
This incident makes plain the need to promote tolerance and civility among our own. Here is a link to an official LDS press release on the topic of civility in civic discourse. Clearly, more of our members need to read it.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Black is White
I just heard the most astonishing thing on a radio station that calls itself "Family Values Radio." Some "conservative" commentator was going on about how "the liberals" never answer or discuss the "issues" that conservatives "lay down." Instead, he said, "the liberals" just attack the conservative speaker. Liberals, he claimed, avoid discussing issues in favor of just attacking conservatives personally.
The astonishing thing, of course, was that the person speaking was doing exactly what he claimed was so reprehensible. How can he get away with this? Are the listeners of "Family Values" Radio" so naive that they don't recognize when their opinions are being so blatantly and shamelessly manipulated? Scary.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Money vs. Morals
"The mere presense of large sums of money pushes people past their moral limits, making them more likely to lie, cheat and steal." This comes from a study in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes as reported in the December 2009 issue of Psychology Today ("The Green Monster" p. 17).
It is always interesting when science demonstrates what scripture already tells us. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 TImothy 6:10)
This scientific finding is especially interesting in the current political climate wherein Utah Mormon Republicans are worshipping corporations and pushing so-called "market solutions" to every problem. At least we now know what the market solutions are: lie, cheat, and steal.
It is always interesting when science demonstrates what scripture already tells us. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 TImothy 6:10)
This scientific finding is especially interesting in the current political climate wherein Utah Mormon Republicans are worshipping corporations and pushing so-called "market solutions" to every problem. At least we now know what the market solutions are: lie, cheat, and steal.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Senator Bennett: Blind or Co-opted?
Republican senator Bob Bennett from Utah has started the TV ads for his 2010 campaign already. Why not? As a member of the Banking, Appropriations, and Rules Committees, he has plenty of corporate money to start his campaign early. Besides, he is terrified about the crazies in his party that don't think he is "conservative enough." (These are the same people that brought us Congressman "Fence out the Mexicans!" Chafetz).
Predictably, the 76 year old "Junior Senator" from Utah began his campaign by using his TV dollars to stir up fear about "ObamaCare." The line from the commercial that is the most revealing is when he says, "Health care reform should be based on free market principles not government bureaucracy!"
How can he (and most of the Republicans in Washington) have possibly missed the fact that it is their sacred "free market principles" that have created the problem in the first place??? Either the Senator is completely blind to the actual workings of the market, or he is actively working to protect the cruel, selfish, corrupt system we have now.
This morning on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kane said that the reason the Republicans are universally opposed to health care reform is because they are "shills for the insurance industry." It seems to me that Governor Kane has accurately described Sen. Bennett with this description.
Predictably, the 76 year old "Junior Senator" from Utah began his campaign by using his TV dollars to stir up fear about "ObamaCare." The line from the commercial that is the most revealing is when he says, "Health care reform should be based on free market principles not government bureaucracy!"
How can he (and most of the Republicans in Washington) have possibly missed the fact that it is their sacred "free market principles" that have created the problem in the first place??? Either the Senator is completely blind to the actual workings of the market, or he is actively working to protect the cruel, selfish, corrupt system we have now.
This morning on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kane said that the reason the Republicans are universally opposed to health care reform is because they are "shills for the insurance industry." It seems to me that Governor Kane has accurately described Sen. Bennett with this description.
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