I’ve not heard any constitutional scholars weigh in but if the Republican controlled Senate lead by Mitch McConnell have their way and refuse a hearing to any Obama nominee to the Supreme Court have they effectively waived their opportunity to “consent and confirm” under the Constitution? If so, who confirms the nominee?
Please do not make me vote for Donald F’ing Trump.
Make no mistake, I am making no excuses for this side show gone viral that is Trump. The Carnival Barker called ’em in. They rallied in SC. Truth is, I’m okay with that because I’d rather go to the circus than read about the increase in women bleeding out at the hands of their own abortion as Rubio would have. Ted Cruz already said he wants to see if he can “make the sand glow” in the middle east. Well, that sounds rational. Ted’s the guy for those felling their call to Jihad. Marco’s on board. We’re talking about Sunday school at the barrel of a gun vs. a Palin endorsement for the love of toe crust.
Trump’s positions are typically vile, blusterous and vague policy but I would take them any day over Shillary Roddam. This is a woman unfit for office. She admits “bad judgement” in bringing state secrets into a mail server in her garage for her personal “convenience”. As Secretary of State she in fact ignored calls for increased security in Libya, leading to Benghazi. Hillary’s participation in the push to overthrow Qaddafi opened a hole for ISIL to emerge. She can’t be trusted. Yes, I trust what is coming out of Trump’s mouth no matter how perceptibly racist, bigoted or misguided far more than Shillary’s. While occasionally confused and often found with his foot in his mouth Trump is indeed speaking his mind. It’s the quality the voting public has been drawn to. Bernie Sanders also benefits from such authenticity. Shillary is a Wall Street scam. In the 80’s she could have just jumped out of a fucking cake in the middle of a Manhattan call center. Now they make her work for it.
Here’s a few things I heard Trump say that pissed off the Neocon base and got my attention:
- He says he’s for looking into single payer. Man can’t be denied knowing how to compound pennies and if single payer looks more affordable mathematically than this handout to insurers called the ACA then he could bridge the divide in the parties on this socially and economically divisive issue.
- He realizes that Iraq was a mistake. He got booed or something at a debate for it. If a room full of Republicans boo, you said something correct.
- He wants to go after hedge fund managers. This indicates he harbors at least some animosity for Wall Street. At this point I’ll take Trumps slight annoyance verses the head over heels love affairs that Ted and Shillary have with banks. Children will be paying account fees and accumulating credit scores from birth if their puppet masters get their way.
- Honestly can’t say I disagree with him 100% on immigration either. Not on an authoritarian racist level but if we are going to have laws, enforce them.
There is a possible way out of this though. It’s a long shot right now but I haven’t given up hope. If Trump can give up just a little more oxygen then perhaps the only adult in the room can take a gasp and get some traction. Feel the Bern. Please, I beg you. Give me an out.
Thank you Donald Trump
I will finally take the time to thank the political circus for Donald Trump. We’ve been missing “real dialog” in the conversation for so long we’ve forgotten what it is: brash insults and angry rhetoric full of empty, inaccurate assertions and a healthy dose of whimsical, unrealistic governing strategies designed to draw applause from the beaten, hurting, insulted and stepped on white folk. Most of the applause is reserved for his passive-aggressive hatred of brown skin.
Yes the political arena, specifically the Tea Party, was running out of terse assholes. I feared the comic relief was over. Intellectualism was making a comeback for Christ’s sake! We’ll have NONE of it. The highly educated, southern rocket surgeons don’t like them big words. Impressively they flock to the angriest white guy despite a noticeable absence of God-n-guns. What’s he thinking? If he really wants to get this campaign going he’ll call for the immediate execution of abortion doctors and arming 2nd graders for their own safety.
There hasn’t been quite enough fear mongering Donald. I mean who’s genuinely afraid of illegal immigrants? Sure angry, white, hill licks don’t like tan skin but it’s not enough to justify “one shot, one kill”. We need a genuine Mexican terrorist threat Don. Conjure one up for us billion boy. Your sideshow is waning and we lust for new material.
America deserves a narcissistic reality TV star as the leader of the “free world” (well equipped survey teams were dispatched to search for this implied “freedom” but we fear they’ve been kidnapped by Goldman Sachs). Since the thought process of the average America now ranks lower than Honey Boo-boo reruns a pretentious windbag who knows precisely jack shit about governing while being praised for his wealth is a perfect fit. Who needs international foreign diplomacy when you have so many short minded insults ready.
Since this blog has a history of pointing out upcoming social and political disasters, such as the embarrassment nationalizing Romneycare would become, I am doing the GOP a favor. Through this post I am helping the unthinkable, ridiculous and absurd become reality. That’s right America, there is a possibility Donald Fucking Trump could become President of the United States. If you don’t think that’s a problem then please recognize you are part of it.
The greatest threat the United States is facing is our growing, willful ignorance.
The greatest threat the United states faces is our growing level of willful ignorance and anti-intellectualism. When the majority of those who consider themselves educated in a culture can tell you who won entertainment awards but cannot tell you the names of our representing foreign heads of state are or details about current world affairs such a culture, society or nation will not survive.
This is why our children will not know the United States the nation we remember. To an extent this has nothing to do with politicians, monied interests or corporations. It has to do with the dumbing down of society to an ignorant culture valuing entertainment over education and complex thought. American’s, as a majority are simply lazy and saturate ourselves in misinformation to justify it.
Sorry to say, Americans lack common courtesy and empathy.
In 1795, an immigrant complained that “civility cannot be purchased from Americans on any terms; they seem to think it is incompatible with freedom”. – John F. Kasson
Kasson nailed it over 200 years ago and his message applies today more than ever. In the rampant, ideologically “patriotic” quest for individualism America has really become a nation of “me time”, “all about me” and “what about me”? Zero courtesy for others. Worse, this individualism and lack of respect for others is embraced and promoted by certain ideological groups in the United States. I owe no one anything. That is the lame, narcissistic position now embraced by many Americans.
Everyone has an example: the lazy, slow moving women in the check out line taking YOUR time, not hers. The guy who leaves his car at the crowded pumps so he can spend 20 minutes shopping in the convenience store. Hell, everyone knows the jackass reducing the flow of traffic because of exercising their “right” to be in the wrong lane. Americans lack of respect for others might be at an all time high.
At one time in history this type of discourteous behavior created embarrassment, scorn from the community and local society. I’m embarrassed for them. I won’t even get into the misuse and tangled use of terms like “socialist” when applied to those who point out you can’t infringe upon the rights of others to exercise your own. I’m also embarrassed by how across the American landscape people have become so self-absorbed in general. You are not going to be famous. You are not as special to society as you believe. You might be reading this blog and I don’t even know your name, never will. That is how truly insignificant most of us are. Go jump from the bow of a ship into the open ocean. Drive into a class 5 tornado. Get back to us with your delusions of grandeur and let us know how much material wealth and self image did to save you. Luckily we will be spared such narrative for despite your perceived invincibility, you are human. In certain circumstances you will be humbled to death without help from others.
Yet in most American’s minds we are special. People look towards us because we are wonderful. We’re Americans, the whole world is filled with envy, or so I’m told. Most Americans current moment and activity is all they are worried about so hell, it’s all the world should be worried about right? Because it’s your world. Um, no dipshit, it’s our world. Many could do themselves some good by traveling outside their own mental cocoon, usually built as a security blanket, and realize they live and move among others. Other people who don’t want to wait on you. Other people who’s time you are wasting. No, do not “take your time”. Hurry the fuck up. Be efficient in your public activities. Politely and courteously get out of the path of others.
Also stop pretending their is no community. Margret Thatcher lied. It’s all around you. Those people waiting behind you at the checkout line while you dick around, consuming their time – they are part of your community. Yes you have a right to travel 5MPH under the limit in the slow lane. I have a right to flip you off and call you a discourteous asshole when you earn it. Indeed I believe the right many Americans now exercise the most is the right to be a self absorbed asshole…. with a selfie stick.
This all comes down to empathy, (n) “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. A definition Americans could stand to learn. Too many now mistakenly think the word empathy is interchangeable with the word pussy. It is not. Empathy purveys strength. If you don’t understand that you have some work to do on your social skills.
America Embraced 21st Century Lazy
American’s like to project. Too many now blame others for their own failings. Taxes too high? It’s the “illegal’s” fault. Lost your job? It’s those God forsaken minorities. My own father was a projector for a long time. Every problem in his world came down to Muslims, Jews and Blacks. He wasn’t afraid to let us know it. He’s toned down and I don’t know if this is because of social acceptance diminishing for blatant racial rants or if his position has really changed. Regardless, his past behavior is a great example of how unaccountable so many American’s have become for their own failures.
Never mind he lost a job when I was thirteen and NEVER really went back to work until recently. We lived off my moms income as a nurse. He dabbled in real estate, an endeavor that might have lost more money than it ever made. To ask him, the lack of opportunity and pay he faced came down to Muslims and his claim they “can’t be trusted”. I trust every Muslim I’ve ever met. Of course, unlike the conservative fear mongering implies, they are not members of ISIS here to perform covert terrorist operations on the US. They are here to do things like raise families and source cheap textiles from overseas, which may be the most threatening thing they do to America.
I reflect on the 80’s and 90’s. Yep we wore disturbing clothes, Pana D’or Parachute Pants happened to hold a level of awesome unmatched by any 2000 era article of clothing, but we were a nation of high physical standards, “No Fat Chicks” and embraced fitness. Flash forward 2015: American’s justify “Plus Size” as the new normal. Apparently so many men have gotten fat they can’t imagine “No Fat Chicks”. But that doesn’t mean we’ve avoided double standards. Not by a damn mile. American’s make sure it’s understood that while we actually produce less we will tout “hard work” as the reason for success. Never mind that what we are “producing” is phantom bullshit thanks to the “investment” or “ownership” economy. All those “hard workers” watching money compile on computer screens. They must be too sore to get out of bed the next morning.
Meanwhile, as usual the people actually doing work continue to lose money and spending power. We’ve given up on higher standards. We don’t want to offend. Great. Now we are just a bunch of lushes making sure laws can be passed to keep the laziest the wealthiest… “Work Smarter, not harder”? WHAT THE FUCK EVER. How about produce an actual damn result besides money in your personal bank account. We must stop measuring accomplishment by monetary gain because it’s now a piss poor indicator of what a person’s actually accomplished. Some of the dumbest, laziest people in society are the wealthiest.
I will judge a person by the contents that make up their character, not giving one turd about anyone’s concern that I do it. So if you’re a fat, lazy, non productive ass wipe just trying to make it through your day to your next beer and eventual paycheck don’t expect to be treated by me as anymore than that. In particular I think of fat hillbillies. American’s embrace these losers because they are “Good ‘ol boys” representative of “America values”. So “American Values” are now…
- Skoal dripping from a beard.
- A lack of desire or ability to shave that beard.
- A shotgun rack in a gas guzzling, “coal rolling” pickup.
- An obesity fetish.
- A fat partner so neither feels bad about being fat.
- Social acceptance of your “plus size” ass.
- All the sugar than can be crammed into a human body without causing immediate death.
- A healthy dose of alcoholism to destroy any memory or regret should the denial fade.
Hillbillies aren’t cool. Thugs aren’t cool. Fat chicks aren’t cool. The decision to embrace them because you are one isn’t cool. It’s embarrassing for a country to denounce health, the environment and intellectualism as pretentious and arrogant while embracing bad lifestyle decisions. That’s where we are. Simpler, easier, lazier and dumber… “Don’t tread on me”! Yep, it’s your right to be a fat, uneducated hick or wannabe gangsta. Expect to be treated like one. All in the name of “simple folk”. Ya, you’re fucking simple alright. Too simple to understand or even try to comprehend the problem: Fat, lazy people in denial. Now, get mad and blame Obama, minorities, gays, Benghazi, gland problems or whatever fuels your denial. But for the sake of Buddha don’t take any personal accountability for your own failures. Not your fault right? “Land of the free” and therefore home of the under paid, heavily armed, uneducated, lazy and fat people. These are the freedoms you choose to embrace over the last 20 years? And yet we argue over what went wrong. Apathy rules!
Did WRAL News, a Fox affiliate, just support racists and imply support for the flag carried by the Klu Klux Klan by censoring free speech?
Yesterday I posted this comment on a WRAL article about the Supreme Court taking on a case in Texas regarding the use of the Klu Klux Klan’s flag on their license plates.
“Your recent comment (copied at the end of this e-mail), however, was considered inappropriate, irrelevant or abusive (as outlined in our Terms of Service) by members of the online community and was removed from the Web site after further editorial review”.
Now here’s the comment. Let’s see how “abusive” this was….
“Oh look, here it is. The “Confederate Battle Flag”. Flown once in battle by the Northern Army of Virginia and then completely rejected by the Confederacy as a bad design. Later inaccurately portrayed in Confederate battle paintings and then embraced by the KKK in the 1920’s and racists everywhere. Zero to do with “states rights” this flag emerged as a symbol of racism and hatred in the south and nothing more. Racism those in Texas apparently feel the need to fight for. My grandfather 4 generations removed was a Colonel in the Confederate Army and a slave owner. Later decorated by Grant himself who appointed him the first US ambassador to China. I reject this flag and all it stands for. I suppose I’m a race traitor to the low information diehards”.
It seems WRAL is not only interested in censoring opinions they don’t agree with, they don’t seem to like historical facts either. How is the above opinion offensive or abusive unless you consider yourself a “low information diehard (racist)”? Or someone fighting to have a symbol of racism on your auto in Texas? The management at WRAL is probably having the shots called by their overlords at Fox News. I’m left to imagine a low information racist upset about being called one and flagging the comment as “abusive”. None of it explains deleting a comment comprised of historical fact, pointed at no one in particular, other than to conclude WRAL does not believe the factual content of the comment or… they are upset because I called out the precious “Confederate Battle Flag”, which is not the flag on the Texas plates. That is the flag adopted by the KKK and other southern segregation groups after it was rejected by the Confederacy.
Meanwhile birthers carry on happily at WRAL. No censorship for their delusional nonsense. I replied to one birther’s whacked out comment by simply responding “Seek Therapy” and WRAL banned my email address from any further posting. I get it. WRAL hates Obama. I’m not too hype on him either but to give one side free reign while suppressing factual information from the other is PROPAGANDA, not journalism, not “moderation”. WRAL likes to call their censors “moderators”.
Do you think just maybe WRAL has an agenda? Sounds like they support comments from low IQ birthers, still whining about a birth certificate, while the truth, that the confused, troubled person needs therapy is suppressed. Meanwhile any slurring of liberals and progressives in their comment forums often go unabated, regardless of how inaccurate, abusive or offensive. Perhaps Progressives just have thicker skin and don’t flag comments as “abusive” unless they genuinely are. Now I’m giving WRAL too much benefit of the doubt.
By the way birthers, my certificate is from Hawaii too. My great, great, great Grandfather was Colonel John Singleton Mosby, The Grey Ghost of the Army of Norther Virginia. I know a little bit about the history of that flag and it’s revival in the south by southern segregationists, specifically the KKK. But WRAL would never consider a story about the true history of that flag and what it stands for. Nope. They are more interested in making sure they don’t upset some low IQ, racist, conservatives. A large demographic in the Republican constituency.
This is what happens when money controls media. Censorship of the truth. They have the arrogance to think they can rewrite and suppress historical facts. To hell with WRAL. They are as bad, or worse, than their Fox News commanders.
“What is now often called “The Confederate Flag” or “The Confederate Battle Flag” (actually a combination of the battle flag’s colors with the Second Navy Jack’s design), despite its never having historically represented the CSA as a nation, has become a widely recognized symbol of the South”. http://www.civilwar.com/resources/313-flags/150182-confederate-flag-history.html#The_Battle_Flag
“symbol of the south”? No. It’s nothing more a symbol for racists who want to proclaim their racism by claiming ancestral heritage. Even if none of my account of the flag is accurate it is still the equivalent of Germans wanting to proudly honor their Nazi ancestors by sporting swastikas. Let’s all honor sick old rednecks who were very much in the wrong, just like their vile spawn roaming Texas today.
The Republican Response
America now ranks poorly on a host of social issues be it…
- The percentage of children growing up in poverty,
- Inequality in wages,
- Percentage of the population locked up in prison,
- School test scores in math and science,
- Number of medical caused bankruptcies.
The Republican response:
- Reduce social safety nets to make sure more children are in poverty,
- Reduce wages or keep them stagnant, (AKA “right to work”)
- Lock up more people and execute more people in a wildly inequitable and corrupt justice system padding a for profit prison industry,
- Denounce science and math as unGodly,
- Status quot or worse, pushing more costs of healthcare on to consumers.
So basically their response is let’s fix problems by creating more of the same. They’ll just say Obama is bad, Muslims are evil and coming to kill you so many fearful minions will fall behind them, guns and bibles at the ready.
The GOP Hypocrisy Translator
- “Right to Work” = Right to Fire anyone without consequence.
- “Pro Life” = Pro birth, let the unwanted baby fend for its future.
- “Abstinence” = Unwed conservative daughters who are privy to immaculate conception and young conservative males without sex drive who immaculate them.
- “Freedom of Religion” = Freedom to file a lawsuit when Evangelicals can’t force religious upon anyone they want, anywhere they want. Also the freedom to judge and discriminate against anyone who is not a proclaimed Christian.
- “Family Values” = Destroying any family that does not conform to right wing values. These include interracial families, immigrants and gay parents. Note: “family values” can only be emphasized from a main stream media soapbox when a Republican finalizes his or her third divorce.
- “Privatization” = Legalized corporate theft from unsuspecting, misguided consumers and endless, legal, tax loopholes.
- “No Child Left Behind” = Dumb it down… the GOP plan for the future. Hey, don’t scoff, it’s working …
- “Charter Schools” = Sunday School 5 days a week.
- “Smaller Government” = Profuse spending and bedroom supervision.
- “Trickle Down” = Niagara Up
- “Constituents” = Largest corporate campaign donors and favorite lobbyists.
I’m sure I’m missing a few if anyone cares to add in the comments.
By most social measures the 9/11 attacks are still succeeding.
On 9/11/2001 Islamic extremists set out to strike fear in the minds of Americans through their act of terror. Based on the initial response (“liberating” a country that was not responsible) and ongoing media driven sensationalism the result is becoming pretty clear. Flash forward 2015. So many of you seem very scared and full of hate, bigotry and worse… many now presume these to be admirable qualities deserving of praise, openly flaunting them and demonizing those who don’t join you as sympathizers. Sorry but…. they got you. This is the exact response the 9/11 attackers sought to invoke. Meanwhile I’ll work, eat and hang out with more than a few Muslims this month without a shred of fear of being bombed or beheaded. They practice religion about as much as I do (zero), have their finances and families in top order. At the same time my ever so flaunting Christian friends and family… plenty of therapists and financial assistance getting passed around as they fight yet more court battles. Pretty sad since you would have all those from the middle east thrown in camps if you had your twisted druthers.