Brain Dead is the Most Brilliant Piece of Political Satire Ever - But Is It Fiction?

Three things about the short summer series Brain Dead on CBS Television.

First you should be watching this show.  It's fast, funny, brilliant, cleverly written and wonderfully acted. The link above will let you see past episodes.

Second, as a satire on the current state of political discourse and governmental function it is stunningly on point.  Watch the scenes from the show taking place in the Senate, then watch the real news and you're unlikely to be able to tell the difference.  Its terrible funny..... or is it?

Third, the show creators, Robert and Michelle King are having entirely too much fun.  The "I think I love you..."  sequence in Sunday episodes is one of the greatest moments in television history.

Can Americans Ever Work Together Again?

This morning I watched Bob Schieffer's Face the Nation, as I often do. Bob's calm and disciplined look at politics and political issues is a refreshing break from the hyperbole found on the highly partisan cable news networks.  People are not yelling at each other but actually talking with each other.

One of Bob's guest commentators this morning was Todd S. Purdum, author of a new book about the passing of the landmark civil rights legislation during another time of great political partisanship, An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents, Two Parties, and the Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964

After discussing the book, Bob Schieffer wondered if we would ever see this type of cooperation between the political parties again.  Please keep in mind that is was a coalition of a majority of Republicans with only some Democrats who actually passed the Civil Right's Bill.

The answer to Schieffer's plaintive plea is actually in the book.  The answer in 1964 was President Lyndon B. Johnson's incredible style of management of the political process. Johnson never once even imagined, let alone threatened that would "bypass Congress" or usurp the Constitution to accomplish his difficult task.  Instead Johnson masterfully worked across the aisle to win support.

Lyndon B. Johnson picked up the phone, quite literally all day, every day and talked with supporters and opponents of the bill.  He wanted to understand, genuinely understand, the reasons so many in Congress opposed the bill.  He wanted to learn  how he could win the support of those who wavered.  He used the power of persuasion and politics.  He horse-traded. He cajoled. He begged and he promised.  And he enacted what is one of the single most contentions pieces of legislation even enacted in our nation's history.

I genuinely believe President Barack Obama could get immigration reform passed if he could just bring himself to stoop down to the level of one of the greatest politicians in our nations's history, and one of our greatest statesmen, Lyndon B. Johnson.

President Obama Has My Full Support (and he should have your's)

I understand politics.  I know Republicans are positioning for the mid-term elections, as well they should.  I personally hope they take control of the Senate and expand their majority in the House.

I also realize Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and even Governor Mitt Romney are positioning themselves for a possible run for the Presidency in 2016.  I respect all these men and believe any one of them is capable of becoming a good President.

But I was deeply distressed by Senator Cruz comments today that I felt attacked President Obama in a personal and very derogatory manner.  I find this upsetting.

Cruz said, in summary, that Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russians were "Openly Laughing at President Obama" and he went on to imply that President Obama's weakness was a valid cause for the Russians to belittle the President.  Here is a link to the story:  http://washingtonexaminer.com/ted-cruz-the-russians-are-openly-laughing-at-obama/article/2546343

I hope, when and if Senator Cruz becomes President he is given substantially more support than he has shown President Obama today.

I would have respected Senator Cruz much more if he had instead warned President Putin that America stood strongly behind President Obama and that Putin was making a tragic mistake to think for even a moment that America was weak or lacked the determination to stand by our principles, our allies and our President.

Had Cruz given that tough speech he would, quite literally, be a shoo-in for President in 2016.  America does love a strong leader who places principle above politics.  Playing petty politics in the face of Vladimir Putin is a mistake Senator Cruz and others should not make.

Why I HATE Political Parties and Partisan Bull

I've always been a big, big supporter and fan of Republican Representative Paul Ryan. Even though I'm a Democrat I cheered when Ryan was selected as Mitt Romney's running mate in the last election.  He is one of Washington's finest. He is certainly one of their brightest. He's honest and even handed, logical and fair, pragmatic yet principled.

Here's a great example from today's news.  Ryan is working hard, against his own political party, to help Immigration Reform happen.  From the Boston Globe:

Dem Pin Immigration Hopes on GOP's Ryan 

Democrats doggedly pursuing a far-reaching immigration bill are counting on help from Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney’s running mate last year and an unlikely candidate for delivering the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s second-term agenda.

 Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman who is frequently mentioned in the GOP lineup of possible 2016 presidential candidates, stands apart from many fellow House Republicans in favoring a way out of the shadows for the 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. in violation of the law. He casts sweeping overhaul as a necessity to ensure both economic and national security — a fitting argument for an acolyte of Jack Kemp, the late Republican congressman and 1996 vice presidential candidate who backed an ill-fated effort in 2006 to overhaul the immigration system. 

‘‘Paul Ryan says we cannot have a permanent underclass of Americans, that there needs to be a pathway to citizenship,’’ says Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., who has been working relentlessly on immigration legislation. ‘‘He is my guiding light. I know I get him in trouble every time I say it.’’

Ryan is being himself.  He hasn't changed and he doesn't change to suit the political party line.  He is a man of principle and substance.

Here's why I hate Political Party's and the mindless partisan hacks who simply echo the party line without a single intelligent thought of their own.  Many of my fellow Democrats and especially the so-called "Progressives" who now praise Rep. Ryan were lambasting him as the worst human being alive (or dead) during the last election.  He was called every name in the book and accused of hating old people, women and minorities.  None of that was true.  None of that was necessary.  And any reasonable person with moderate intelligence knew it.

Claiming Hate Stops Debate

One of my favorite bloggers, the great Lee Kiester whose blog "Lee's Tid Bits" I recommend you read daily, started me off on a journey that ultimately led to an insightful article written by Rachel Alexander in the Tea Party Tribune.  Before you dismiss the source for being associated with the "Tea Party" you need to take time to consider what Rachel has written.

Her title neatly summarizes the entire article - The Power of Being “Offended” in Order to Shut Down Political Debate  Let me reprint just a small portion of what Rachel has written.

Has society really become quite thin-skinned, or is acting “offended” a new tactic that is being used to shut down legitimate political debate? Progressives are increasingly claiming to be offended whenever those on the right disagree with their left-wing positions. It doesn’t matter what the issue is; the left will divert a legitimate political debate into an accusation that the right disagrees with them because they are full of hate towards them. This puts the right on the defensive, and removes the real debate from discussion. It then becomes difficult for the right to ever prevail with their position, because to do so would mean “hate” had won.

Economics? Disagree with welfare, and you’re full of hate and intolerance towards the poor. Social issues? Disagree with the left on abortion or gay marriage, and you don’t like women or gays. Foreign policy? Disagree on foreign policy, and you hate Muslims, Palestinians, and the poor in less fortunate countries. Second Amendment? If you support gun rights, then you have a cold and callous view towards the victims of gun violence. Affirmative action? If you disagree with affirmative action, then you’re a racist. Unions? Disagree with them, and you despise working-class Americans.

This really resonates with me because, like many of you, I watch Morning Joe on MSNBC many mornings each week.  I like Jos Scarborough and I am especially fond of Joe's co-host Mika Brzezinski. However, since the defeat of the Gun Control Bill in the US Senate Mika has been passionately lobbying every day for Gun Control and background check expansion.  Passionate may well be an understatement.

No one has ever accused MSNBC or even Morning Joe of being fair and balanced, but Mika's name calling, vilification and condemnation of all gun control opponents has gone out of control.  They are EVIL They are all EVIL. They are all puppets of the NRA. They are all being paid off. They hate children. They don't care who dies. They are all EVIL. And, moreover, they are very, very, very EVIL. 

Ahhh.. the Evil Doers. Mika Tweets their names. She posts their phone numbers. She implores her viewers to call and tweet  They are pathetic. They are cowards. They are all EVIL.

What's been absent is any real discussion of the issues.  Never are any of the EVIL DOERS given an opportunity to explain, tell their side or debate.  The position of gun rights advocates never sees the light of day.  Except when Joe ridicules them himself.

As Tea Party Advocate Rachel Alexander might explain, on MSNBC HATE has won.  Debate has lost. Discussion has lost. Reason has lost. Civility has lost,  Sadly everyone has lost.

A Cautionary Tale: Detroit on the Verge of Bankruptcy

If you've got 5 minutes and 41 seconds I'll scare the heck out of you.

I realize it's Easter and Passover, not Halloween, but NPR put this horror story on the air Thursday anyway. Click it if you dare.

>>>> Bad Bets, Costly Promises Put Detroit On The Brink Of Bankruptcy <<<<

Of course this story is a tragedy.  A great city has fallen onto despair and large portions of the city are in ruin.  

But what's really frightening how many times the city leaders, mayor, city council and city fathers were warned of this apocalypse and how they always turned a deaf ear.  They steadfastly ignored the crisis and did absolutely nothing to prevent it.

FROM THE TRANSCRIPT:

HULETT: ...Joe Harris spent a decade as Detroit's auditor general. Shortly before he quit in 2005, he asked an outside consultant to look at the city's pension and retiree costs. 

 JOE HARRIS: This is his presentation to the council. 

 HULETT: The consultant's report was a shocker. It said the city was looking at more than $7 billion in retiree health care and fringe benefit costs it had not projected, let alone budgeted for. Seven billion dollars, seven times the city's annual operating budget. So, what was the response to this bombshell of a report? 

HARRIS: There was no response. There was no follow-up. There was no concern. There was no - not only by the council, there was no response by the administration either.

That's the trouble with government.  They always put off the tough decisions.  They don't listen. They never react. They deny there is a disaster and always proclaim that even IF a disaster is coming it's always dozens of years away.  They'll be plenty of time to fix the problem..... tomorrow.

This is, of course, what President Obama and the Democrats are doing today in Washington.  President Obama is kinda, sorta, maybe confident that the oncoming debt disaster won't happen until after he is out of office.  So he's ginning up the denial machine of loyal party legislators and pundits to echo his "do absolutely nothing" position. 

His position is all the more curious because only a few short years ago (before he was President) he and his fellow Democrats saw the disaster clearly and DEMANDED President Bush take instantaneous action!  In fact, Senator Obama and every single Democrat VOTED AGAINST RAISING THE DEBT CEILING.  

Of course Republicans all voted to raise the debt ceiling when George Bush was President but now that Barack Obama is President, they're all against it.

Politics rule, reality takes a back seat.  But the downfall is coming and all America is about to face a crisis that makes the current Detroit disaster look like.... an old fashioned Halloween horror story.

Political Parties are NOT Your Friends

The primary GOAL and perhaps the only goal of both the Republicans and the Democrats is to increase their power.  That means getting more members into positions of power and responsibility.  It might be by getting members elected to office or it might be by getting members appointed or even hired into key positions of power.  


The GOAL of parties IS NOT to improve your life, improve the economy, increase our security or help you out.  Those are occasionally means to an end! And the END GAME is to increase their power and control.

If the Republicans REALLY WANTED to accomplish any of their stated objectives they would stop their relentless pattern of obstructionism and seek common ground with the Democrats.  Likewise, if President Obama REALLY wanted to reach his goals he would cease his relentless campaigning and compromise with Republicans.


Why doesn't this happen? Because the GOAL is to get more members elected.  President Obama is considerably more interested in getting reelected than in helping Americans.  So he very falsely claims Republicans stand in the way of issue "A" or proposition "B" because he wants the issues to aid his reelection.


Occasionally politicians actually speak the truth.  Republican Senator Mitch McConnell made that mistake when he honestly said his main goal was to "defeat President Obama,"  His Number One Priority wasn't reviving the economy or putting people back to work, it was to defeat the President four years in the future!!

My advice to my fellow Liberals (and to Conservatives, too), is to relentlessly work to achieve your goals.  Look for pathways to success.  That will OFTEN lead you to support, work with and even elect a member of the opposite party.  More often it will lead you to look for solutions outside of government.

Think outside the box.  Be driven by your principles and not guided by the false promises of one candidate or another.

North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue: Gay Marriage Ban is “Bad for Business”

It seems to me that North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue is framing the Gay Marriage issue in terms that most Republicans and most conservatives will understand. Such a ban is "Bad for Business."  It will hurt North Carolina's image and hurt tourism.  It "hurts our brand."

As I noted in my previous blog entry, "Call Me Maybe," the public, especially the younger generation, is accepting of gays, lesbians and the alternative lifestyles involved. But our political elders still want to exploit the issue for political gain. In this case the foolish North Carolina Legislature is using an unnecessary Constitutional Amendment as a wedge issue. I;m hoing the voters in North Carolina are wise enough to reject this amendment. 


Please read the entire POLITICO Story here: N.C. Gov: Gay marriage ban ’hurts our brand’


As I pass out "Kudos" I would be remiss not to congratulate Vice President Joe Biden for being unusually candid and remarkably brave in facing the gay marriage issue head on.  It's a path both President Barack Obama and Republican Candidate Mitt Romney are afraid to take.  Both are constantly waffling on the issues of gay rights.


If you read the POLITICO story above you'll note even Governor Perdue is waffling a bit.  I think she would find her approval rating would actually go up f she were clear on the issue.


Also read B. Daniel Blatt's excellent essay on the North Carolina Amendment from a GAY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN'S perspective: The conservative case against North Carolina’s Amendment One 

The Children are our Future

I know this has already gone VIRAL and therefore you've already seen it.  Let's face it, when MSN Trending Now posts it you're too late.


But I'm so impressed with Frans Hofmeester's work here (and his beautiful daughter), that I felt I had to post it.  I hope you'll watch it again.  Turn the volume up, too.  The background music is beautiful.


 


As I watched it here I realized that, without saying a single word, it is a stunning political statement. And the beauty of this video is that it make a compelling statement for most any cause, left or right.


Of course we need to save the planet for our children.  And every child deserve love, food, family and warmth.


And who could watch this video and not see it make a strong "pro-life" statement, as well.


I don't want to hijack Frans Hofmeester's video or his daughter.  It possesses many universal truths.  


The children are our future.

Wag the Dog

As I say at the top of every page of this blog, stick to your principles and NOT political parties which manipulate facts in order to increase their vote count, and ultimately, their power.


One of the biggest , most used, tricks of political parties is to create a false story to detract from a real one.  Right now Gas Prices and a still faltering economy are not good for Democrats or President Obama.


So what to do?


Well, thanks to a very minor amount of blabber mouth slut-shouting help from Rush Limbaugh, Democrats have created an entire non-existent "War on Women."   Curiously, Republicans, most women and virtually all independents haven't fallen for the ruse.  I'm slightly surprised.  The public is so often easily misled.


Ahhhh.... but Progressives? They've fallen for the ploy hook, line and sinker.  They've fired up their virtual presses and launched their vast army of followers into the Twittersphere.


To keep the progressive armies fully motivated, Senator Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats have set up a Kabuki Theater around another completely false meme: Republicans are now supposedly against the very "Violence Against Women Act" they originally passed and have overwhelmingly supported for two renewals.


Here's how Harry is manipulating a false story:

The Democrats quietly and secretly included four new “poison pill” provisions into this years proposed renewal.  These odd "poison pills" were never in the act before. These provisions have nothing to do with violence against women or the Act itself, but instead deal with Immigration and an massive increase in Visa’s, Budget Office Accounting (loosens rules in a time of budget deficits???) and funding of third party providers.


ONCE AGAIN LET ME EMPHASIZE NOT ONE OF THESE WEIRD PROVISIONS HAS EVER BEEN IN THE BILL BEFORE. But they're there now, ugly and festering.


Next Harry Reid sets up a demand for a very quick quick vote with limited debate and absolutely no amendments – no chance to remove or modify the poison pills. WHY? Reid knows that the very deliberative  Senate, with its 60 vote threshold, will NEVER pass any bill under these circumstances.


Here's the fun part!  Harry Reid DOES NOT WANT THIS RUBE GOLDBERG OF A BILL TO PASS. But he does want to force the Republicans to be the bad guys and vote against the bill just so he can CLAIM (completely falsely) that Republicans are against VAWA.


Later, after all the stupid political posturing is over, Reid will allow the real bill to come before the Senate and it will pass with the overwhelming support from Republicans it has ALWAYS enjoyed.


This is not an anti-Democratic Party rant. Historically, Republicans have played the same game. It's often called Legislative sausage making.


What bothers me is that so many folks believe the false meme and repeat it, never once bothering to learn the facts.

The One Thing Absolutely No One Wants: "More Civilized Public Discourse"

The Rush Limbaugh Controversy rages on and on and on. If you've lived under a rock for the last few weeks, Limbaugh called Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke a slut, among other things.  See my previous blog post if you'd like more information.


Right now the Progressives and Liberals seem to have the upper hand.  The brilliantly orchestrated advertiser boycott is working and at least 13 advertisers and two radio stations have jumped off the Limbaugh ship.  Limbaugh has been forced to apologize.  And while the conservative loyalists are attempting to bail water, the progressives have hit Limbaugh with a broadside torpedo.


Again and again and again and again we heard President Obama, Limbaugh's departing advertisers, Democratic Party operatives and pundits,television hosts and even comics all exclaim, "All that we want is a more civilized public discourse!"


This is, of course, pure unadulterated BULLSHIT!  No a single one of them wants "more civilized discourse." They just want to cower their opponents and, if possible, silence them.  They would be pleased if their opponents were civil, as long as their allies were as vile, hateful and uncivil as ever.


My PROOF?  I dare you to find a single person, advertiser, corporate entity, pundit, commentator or comic that is condemning the hate speech coming from his or her side of the aisle.  Find me one that condemns both sides equally.  Don't worry, you're not going to find one, because their isn't one!


Today, in another of this episode's most bizarre moments, President Obama inserted his two daughters into his attack on Rush Limbaugh.  Below are the quotes from The Hill Briefing Room story this afternoon:

President Obama said he called Sandra Fluke, the college student at the center of the latest Rush Limbaugh controversy, after thinking about how his own daughters would have handled the criticism.

“I thought about Malia and Sasha,” Obama said Tuesday at a news conference. “And one of the things I want them … to be able to do is speak their minds in a civil and thoughtful way, and I don’t want them attacked or called horrible names when they’re being good citizens.

I want to tread lightly here and carefully respect both Malia and Sasha.  But the President's comments raise a serious question.  Is it possible that while he wouldn't want Limbaugh to his beautiful daughters "sluts," it would be perfectly OK if Bill Maher called them "T***s" or "C***s?"  I only make this assumption because President Obama has yet to even mention these misogynistic slurs from his million dollar campaign donor.  Limbaugh's slurs were mild compared to Maher's.

But certainly President Obama isn't alone is his one sided outrage.  David Friend, CEO of Carbonite(r) actually set the stage for President Obama when he, too, invoked his two daughters as a reason he cancelled advertising of the Rush Limbaugh Show.  Here is his statement (from an interesting essay on this issue on Red State):


"No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady. Mr. Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr. Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show. We hope that our action, along with the other advertisers who have already withdrawn their ads, will ultimately contribute to a more civilized public discourse."


Gosh! And look. Friend used the patented "more civilized public discourse" excuse, too!  Wow! He's covered all the bases!


Except for the base called "truth." Friend missed that one.  For many years Friend has made heavy political donations for President Obama's election and re-election campaigns.  Curiously he was and remains a heavy advertiser of the Ed Schultz Show.  Schultz, if you remember, was suspended by MSNBC and forced to apologize for calling Laura Ingram a "slut," the exact term Limbaugh used to refer to Fluke.  Friend, exactly like everyone else, is only offended when his political opponents use vile speech.  He's super cool OK when his allies use the identical speech.


This works on both sides of the aisle.  No one in politics has been the subject of more hate speech than Michelle Bachmann.  Amazingly Bachmann appeared on MSNBC this morning and was grilled relentlessly as to why she won't condemn Limbaugh's hate speech.  Bachmann correctly pointed out that no one had ever been the victim of more hate speech than she has, BUT, she still refused to condemn Limbaugh.   The MSNBC announcer certainly never apologized for the hate spewed from her network associates, either.  STALEMATE.


Here's where I stand. Either it's wrong 100% of the time or it's not.  I don't like today's hate speech, but I've never said speech should be censored.  I'm from the school that says you can and should argue the points, but I don't think you should ever silence the critics.


In other words, I don't need the pig to get out of the mud, but I feel no need to climb in there with him.

The Cesspool of Hate and Hypocrisy

STORY ONE: Larry Doyle - The Jesus Eating Cult of Rick Santorum
STORY TWO: Michelle Malkin - Devastating: Andrew Breitbart R.I.P.
STORY THREE: White House enters controversy over Limbaugh comments on Georgetown student

The top link above STORY ONE takes you to an op-ed essay in The Huffington Post by Larry Doyle, a work he now claims is satire.  I had intended to write today's blog entry entirely about the strange logic and blatant hypocrisy of Doyle's hate filled screed.  


But then Andrew Breitbart died and any small point I might have wanted to make about hate speech on the Internet exploded in my face.  In fact Breitbart's death created a nuclear explosion of hatred in the blogosphere and the Twitterverse.  My small essay was reduced to radioactive dust.


Just when I couldn't imagine the discourse becoming any more toxic, enter Rush Limbaugh with his laser guided venom filled missiles lighting the ionosphere.  Mere Bloggers and Twitters are no match for El Rushbo, whose "talent is on loan from God."  I know that's true because Rush said so.  


Just how powerful was Rush's poisonous attack?  So toxic the President of the United States himself felt compelled to weigh in and condemn El Rushbo.  Thank you President Obama for making the point I wanted to make.


Why am I thanking President Obama? Not for defending Georgetown student Sandra Fluke, who, in fact, never needed any defense.  But instead for providing the highest example of our hypocrisy toward hate speech.  


Obama proved the point I wanted to make: HATE SPEECH IS ONLY HATE SPEECH WHEN IT COMES FROM THE OTHER SIDE.  President Obama condemns Rush Limbaugh who called Sandra Fluke a "slut."

ANDREW BREITBART & BILL MAHER LOOKED
REMARKABLY ALIKE. COULD THEY HAVE BEEN TWINS?

However, there is one man on earth who is consistently more vile, more vulgar and much more of a misogynist than even Rush Limbaugh and that's Bill Maher.  Maher's famous televised attacks last year attacking Sarah Palin went far beyond the mild term of "slut,"  preferring to use the words "dumb Twat" and "Cunt" instead.  Maher doubled down, refusing to apologize for his remarks and upped the anti to make even more vile comments.  


Did President Obama condemn Maher?  Did Obama call Sarah Palin and give her his sympathies for the rough nature of political debate in this country?  Nope.  Instead Obama happily accepted a $1,000,000.00 (one million dollars) donation from Maher.


THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT MOST FOLKS CAN ONLY SEE HATE SPEECH WHEN IT'S SPRINGS FROM THE OPPOSITION.  THEY NEVER SEEM TO RECOGNIZE IT ON THEIR SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, EVEN IF IT SPRINGS FROM THEIR OWN PEN, KEYBOARD OR MOUTH.


In STORY ONE above, Doyle writes one of the most disgusting essays every written about any religion in order to teach conservatives a lesson that they should respect Islam.  It's a lot like a father who beats the living crap out of his son in order to teach him not to be a bully.  As we say on Twitter, #EpicFail.


And in STORY TWO Malkin illustrates how folks condemn Breitbart's "hate speech" by using even more vile and disgusting hate speech themselves.  If they really hated Andrew Breitbart's hate speech, why did the imitate it so precisely?


And finally from STORY THREE: President Obama, if you really hate the lowering of civil discourse, why can you only ever seem to condemn it in your opponents, yet accept huge donations from serial haters on your side of the political spectrum?


__________________________________________________________

ADDENDUM 3/4/2012:    As my friend Lee pointed out (see his comments to this post), Rush Limbaugh has apologized to his listeners and to Sandra Fluke.  It must be noted that Rush has been under intense pressure from a left wing campaign to boycott all his advertisers.  As of this morning seven advertisers have cancelled their sponsorship of Limbaugh's program.  


I have edited my original blog entry to correctly reflect these recent developments.  I also plan a follow-up post on this issue, especially in reference to Carbonite, one of Limbaugh's ex-advertisers.

Til the Thames Freezes Over, Part Three

There is a Vast Left Wing Conspiracy out there determined to PROVE ME RIGHT about everything I've written over the last three days.  I don't like writing about any topic for three days.  Hell, I'd love not to visit this topic ever again.  If only the Church of the Holy Global Warming would let it be.


If any of you didn't read my two previous blog entries, here are direct links:
Til the Thames Freezes Over
Til the Thames Freezes Over, Part Two


For those of you who just want to cut to the chase, my point these last two days is that the Global Warming Zealots (who may or may not be correct in their science and beliefs) will tolerate NO DISAGREEMENT with their orthodoxy.  Just like the early Christian Church, the Afgan Taliban and other tight religious orthodoxies, they persecute, hound and attempt to destroy anyone who dares to disagree with their version of the facts.

Their next victims will be any local television weathermen who might not follow the Global Warming Script to the letter.  Firing will be the minimum punsihment, stoning is not out of the question.


Here's today's latest example, courtesy of Doug Powers over at Michelle Malkin:

Global Warmists Seek to Flush Out ‘Denier’ Meteorologists

The ultimate goal is to clone Al Gore to serve as a weatherman at every local television station so he can offer the patented Hypocrite-Cast® nightly, but that can’t happen if there are still global warming deniers allowed on the air:

The Forecast the Facts campaign — led by 350.org, the League of Conservation Voters and the Citizen Engagement Lab — is pushing for more of a focus on global warming in weather forecasts, and is highlighting the many meteorologists who do not share their beliefs.

“Our goal is nothing short of changing how the entire profession of meteorology tackles the issue of climate change,” the group explains on their website. “We’ll empower everyday people to make sure meteorologists understand that their viewers are counting on them to get this story right, and that those who continue to shirk their professional responsibility will be held accountable.”

According to the Washington Post, the reason for the campaign can be found in a 2010 George Mason University surveys, which found that 63% of television weathermen think that global warming is a product of natural causes, while 31% believe it is from human activity.

So far, the campaign has identified 55 “deniers” in the meteorologist community and are looking for more. They define “deniers” as “anyone who expressly refutes the overwhelming scientific consensus about climate change: that it is real, largely caused by humans, and already having profound impacts on our world.”

This seems incredibly counter-productive, because the more successful they are in adding names to the ever-growing meteorologist denier list, the faster the notion of “scientific consensus” goes out the window.

An additional version of this story is also available on The Daily Caller: Global warming activists seek to purge ‘deniers’ among local weathermen

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/01/30/global-warming-activists-seek-to-purge-deniers-among-local-weathermen/#ixzz1kzEHOnTq

Til the Thames Freezes Over, Part Two

This will come as a horrible shock to the Global Warming Zealots

and others throughout time who sought to stifle scientific inquiry,

 but the earth is spherical, revolves around the sun

and is not the center of the universe.

Global Warming may be occurring.  After all, it would hardly be the first time in earth's long history that warming has occurred.  Cooling cycled have occurred, too.   What is interesting is that man has almost always coped better with these cycles in the past than we are today.  We've moved north, moved south, planted different crops, hunted different game, stored fuel, changed lifestyles.  And we did it slowly and in perfect rhythm with our wonderful planet.


But not today.  Today, we have turned climate change into a powerful religious orthodoxy, with priests, bishops and even false gods.  And God help you if you cross these powerful servants of the holy writ.


No sooner than yesterday's controversy reared it's ugly head (see my original blog post, yesterday) than we get news of a mini-revolt with the scientific community over the exact same issues.  It's magnificently documented in The Wall Street Journal article quoted below:

No Need to Panic About Global Warming

There's no compelling scientific argument for drastic action

Editor's Note: The following has been signed by the 16 scientists listed at the end of the article: 

In September, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ivar Giaever, a supporter of President Obama in the last election, publicly resigned from the American Physical Society (APS) with a letter that begins: "I did not renew [my membership] because I cannot live with the [APS policy] statement: 'The evidence is incontrovertible: Global warming is occurring. If no mitigating actions are taken, significant disruptions in the Earth's physical and ecological systems, social systems, security and human health are likely to occur. We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases beginning now.' In the APS it is OK to discuss whether the mass of the proton changes over time and how a multi-universe behaves, but the evidence of global warming is incontrovertible?"

In spite of a multidecade international campaign to enforce the message that increasing amounts of the "pollutant" carbon dioxide will destroy civilization, large numbers of scientists, many very prominent, share the opinions of Dr. Giaever. And the number of scientific "heretics" is growing with each passing year. The reason is a collection of stubborn scientific facts.

----- Significant additional data follows ------- Read the entire article for complete information ------

SIGNED: Claude Allegre, former director of the Institute for the Study of the Earth, University of Paris; J. Scott Armstrong, cofounder of the Journal of Forecasting and the International Journal of Forecasting; Jan Breslow, head of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, Rockefeller University; Roger Cohen, fellow, American Physical Society; Edward David, member, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences; William Happer, professor of physics, Princeton; Michael Kelly, professor of technology, University of Cambridge, U.K.; William Kininmonth, former head of climate research at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Richard Lindzen, professor of atmospheric sciences, MIT; James McGrath, professor of chemistry, Virginia Technical University; Rodney Nichols, former president and CEO of the New York Academy of Sciences; Burt Rutan, aerospace engineer, designer of Voyager and SpaceShipOne; Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. senator; Nir Shaviv, professor of astrophysics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; Henk Tennekes, former director, Royal Dutch Meteorological Service; Antonio Zichichi, president of the World Federation of Scientists, Geneva.

Please read the ENTIRE ARTICLE in The Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

The problem is politicization of the scientific community has made discussion and even investigation into climate change nearly impossible.  Anyone who disagrees with the orthodoxy loses their job, is unable to get funding for research and become a pariah in both the scientific and political community.

There is so much we need to do to protect the earth and improve the environment, much of it in perfect harmony with the goals of the Global Warming zealots.  Third world destruction of the vast forests needs to slow or stop.  Pollution in Bejing is fatal for many of its residents.  I could go on and on.

What we should NOT do is stifle scientific investigation or lock away adversaries as the religious zealots did with Galileo so many years ago.

Bait a Hook

Nothin' like a little fishin' to rest and relax.


Every now and then I need to jump over to my Radio Station hobby and play a little music or put up a music video for you all to enjoy. I certianly hope every one of you listens to WIZARD RADIO. There's a widget over on the upper right side of this blog for easy access.


My only "political" thought for today is that I read virtually all the blogs written by folks who comment here.  And I follow over three hundred fine politically orientated folks on Twitter, both Left and Right.  All too often too many of us jump to quick and occasionally stupid conclusions about our (supposed) opposition.  On Twitter people can get especially mean spirited.  


This video might be a good lesson for us about jumping to conclusions about other people.  I love that old saying... When you ASSUME... you just make an ASS out of U and ME.


Have fun and have a great day!

The Delaware Witch Trials

I must tell you I have really come to detest politics. Our "Party Trumps Principles" method of campaigning and promoting candidates is disheartening and distasteful. And now that the main stream media has abandoned even the appearance of objectivity, elections simply make me sad.

Therefore, even though I was simultaneously amused and outraged by the Delaware Debate between Democrat Chris Coons and the Wiccan, errr... i mean Republican Christine O'Donnell, I wasn't going to waste my time writing a blog post expressing my disappointment in the debate.

As I watched the debate (available below), I was following the comments by fellow observers on Twitter. The always brilliant Hunter Campbell captured the essence of the debate in well under the 140 character limit with this synopsis of the calibre of the questioning:

Wolf Blitzer: Ms. O'Donnell. Name all the elements
of the periodic table in reverse atomic number order.
Mr. Coons. Spell "cat".

Jim Geraghty, writing over at The National Review Online also captured the essence of the debate succinctly:

"The moderators were pretty awful. Both Blitzer and the local reporter seemed hell bent on… well, the metaphor burning a witch comes to mind."

Geraghty elaborated and, I think, understood the reality of the debate:

"Yes, Christine O’Donnell has a lot of quirks, a lot of questionable decisions in her past and a lot of evasive answers about those bad decisions. But it was pretty clear that neither moderator was all that interested in holding Coons’ feet to the fire or interested in what he had to say at all. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, the better of the two, was hell-bent on pinning down O’Donnell’s view on evolution. And he was the better of the two."

"This was the moderators’ chance to play hardball with their designated Villain Du Jour, and the fact that CNN aired much of this debate live illustrates that the MSM doesn’t just want to see O’Donnell beaten; they want to see her… well, metaphorically burned at the stake in the town square for her audacity."

My opinion of the debate was that O'Donnell is not well prepared for the rigors of the Senate, but that Coons is a weak, too far left leaning candidate that couldn't possibly win a contest against a better qualified opponent. But the looser? The looser was Wolf Blitzer who surrendered has journalist credentials and dispensed with even a modicum of impartiality.

The ultimate tragedy of Blitzer's journalistic betrayal is that if he had played it straight, O'Donnell would have clearly lost the debate, the goal Blitzer obviously wanted to achieve.

Instead, O'Donnell is surging in the polls. She's picked up ten full points since the debate. Blitzer muddied the water. Americans (and Delawareans it seems) don't like an unfair fight with dirty refs. The ganging up on O'Donnell has gone way, way too far. The crowd is now clearly on her side. That made this a blog point worth making!

An American Tragedy

I've often pondered and occasionally stated in this blog that Barack Obama was not ready to be President. He lacked the experience, especially the Washington experience to handle the complexities and the political maneuvering of the job.

Sadly, I have once again been proved right. But much, much worse, he lacks the temperament and intelligence to handle the job. What we are watching this past few weeks is simply heartbreaking.

Now I must stop this essay for a moment and say that we all must support President Obama to the very best of our abilities. He is OUR PRESIDENT. And we all need him to succeed. Our success as a country is tied directly to his success as a President.

But that doesn't mean for even a millisecond that we should not criticize his mistakes, and point out his failings. We also should compliment his successes and, most important, we should give him our advice and council.

But now Barack Obama has made a potentially tragic error. Although he has already broken almost every single campaign promise he made in 2008, he is now breaking his most important promise and violating his trust with the American people. He has decided he will not be President of all the people, but only of the people who agree wholeheartedly with his every mood and policy swing.

So Barack Obama has decided to make enemies of FOX News, The Chamber of Commerce, and various media pundits. More importantly, he has made enemies of everyone who watches FOX, runs a small business or occasionally even rarely agrees with a Limbaugh, Hannity or Beck.

Why is this happening?

Timothy P. Carney writes today in The Washington Examiner, "Chamber lobbyist Bruce Josten told me that White House is picking a high-profile fight with his group because, given Democratic supermajorities, Obama "needs an enemy" to blame for the difficulty he's having in getting his policies approved."

"But there's another reason Obama is running low on enemies: He's already bought off many of the most powerful industries and businesses."

"Look at health care, where Obama has brought the name-brand drug makers on board to his reform with promises of subsidies and pledges not to attack the industry's special favors. Look at cigarettes, where Obama signed a tobacco regulation bill with the firm backing of Philip Morris."

"And of course, look at climate-change legislation, where Obama has on his side coal giants like American Electric Power, manufacturing giants like Nike, agribusiness giant Monsanto, and lobbying giant General Electric, to name a few. The Democrats have bought off these special interests by rigging the legislation so that taxpayer and ratepayer money is funneled into corporate coffers."

Indeed, much of what is happening here is done to distract Obama's critics and especially his supporters. And it's working. The Press is eating this up. Virtually every newscast is covering Obama's fight with FOX News and The Chamber.

But, We the People are the losers. In creating a class warfare between Americans, Obama is dividing the country as it has never been divided before.

Wesley Pruden writes today in his essay Obama's Third World Press Rant. "Mr. Obama and his White House can't seem to get their brains around the fact that the election of '08 is over, and he won. A candidate feeds on red meat, but a president is the president of everyone, and must set a different table."

"Mr. Obama campaigned with promises of a post-racial, post-partisan, post-rancor administration, and millions of Americans responded with enthusiasm. The candidate who said he took inspiration from Abraham Lincoln of Illinois now acts as if he takes inspiration from the distinguished statesmen of the Third World, where press opposition to the leader is usually a bloody no-no. The remarkable White House attempt to define which news organization is legitimate and which is not began in August, as Mr. Obama's poll numbers began a dramatic slide."

The press from the other networks are beginning to see the light and many are questioning the Presidents actions and motives.

And the public is appalled. Obama's poll numbers are sinking at an alarming rate. Frankly they should be sinking faster because this level of betrayal of the American people is tragic.

The British newspaper The Telegraph writes, "The decline in Barack Obama's popularity since July has been the steepest of any president at the same stage of his first term for more than 50 years."

Peggy Noonan, a liberal leaning Republican in name only, who has generally been supportive of the President writes in The Wall Street Journal, "At a New York fund-raiser this week, Obama said to the Democratic audience, are "an opinionated bunch." They always have a lot of thoughts and views. Republicans, on the other hand—"the other side"—aren't really big on independent thinking. "They just kinda sometimes do what they're told. Democrats, y'all thinkin' for yourselves."

"It is never a good sign when the president gets folksy, dropping his g's, because he is by nature not a folksy g-dropper but a coolly calibrating intellectual who is always trying to guess, as most politicians do, what normal people think. When Mr. Obama gets folksy he isn't narrowing his distance from his audience but underlining it. He shouldn't do this."

"But the statement that Republicans just do what they're told was like his famous description of unhappy voters as people who "cling to guns or religion." (What comes over him at fund-raisers?) Both statements speak of a political misjudgment of his opponents and his situation.They show a misdiagnosis of the opposition that is politically tin-eared. Politicians looking to win don't patronize those they're trying to win over."

Sadly, Peggy Noonan has misread the President's intent. He has absolutely no desire to win over the other side. He really wants to simply destroy them. Failing that, he wants to ignore them or bully them into compliance. He is a Blue State Only President. We can support the President best by simply turning a majority of states back to red.

Fractured Fairy Tales

I have long been an admirer of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. But no more.

She remains bright, articulate and extremely well informed. Rachel is obviously a hard worker and tireless in her research and documentation. She prepares for each show and each interview with a thoroughness I can only wish every television and radio host would emulate.

She then completely wastes her talent and all her effort with fractured fairy tales. Instead of real discussion and real information, we get partisan political grandstanding, puff pieces of self aggrandizement, false guests that are either lightweight pseudo opposition fall guys or embedded supporters of Maddow's preordained positions. At least 90% of each show is personal attacks. It's a rare night the 10% is about issues or ideas.

It would be generous of me to assume that no real, articulate opponents of her progressive/liberal positions are willing to appear against the bright and aggressive Maddow. Perhaps that is true. Perhaps every real conservative quakes in their collective boots at the mere thought of a confrontation with Maddow. But I doubt it.

More likely is the Rachel and the powers at MSNBC program each night like bloodsport in the Roman coliseum with sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered by the powerful and very hungry lioness that is Rachel Maddow.

Blood flows and the crowd cheers.

Meanwhile we the viewer learn nothing. If we really want to understand the actual and true position of conservatives we must change the channel and watch Sean Hannity, who hosts the right wing mirror image of the Maddow Show.

At least Sean Hannity had the courage and honor to engage in a long and thorough interview with Michael Moore and actually let Moore make his positions clear and complete.

What we Americans really need is to see Maddow in a format where she really interviews real guests and has genuine discussion about the issues and not just the name calling and demonizing of Republicans we see each night.

Rachel, you are a lot better than this. You deserve a better format. And you're capable of holding your own in a real, honest and fair debate of facts and policy.

I dare you to try. The viewers will flock to your door and your rating will go through the roof. More importantly, your viewers will be well served.

The Town Hall Meetings of No

I've been researching the House versions of the proposed Health Care Reform and I can only say I'm appalled. In fact, I'm sickened. I need health care.

It is clear that compromise is dead. It is clear that bipartisanship is dead. It is clear that honesty, honor, and candor are on their respective death beds.

I had hoped for Universal Health Care this year. We need it and we deserve it and we can afford to do it. Alas, it's my own party, the Democrats, that has killed it. Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama have performed an abortion that was unnecessary.

When you set out to lie to the American people, to pull the wool over their eyes, you can only succeed for so long. President Obama wanted quick approval of a bill he hoped would be hidden from the light of day. Thank the gods he has failed.

The American people are not stupid. We are trusting and we are slow to learn. We want to believe. But the bill in the House of Representatives is a Trojan horse, convoluted, complex and duplicitous. It doesn't do any of the things Democrats and President Obama promised. It will destroy the current American Health Care System. It's sad.

You can only lie to the American People so many times before you get caught. And now the Dems have been caught red handed. And they are paying the price. Below are just two of dozens of examples, with more to come.





The tragedy is that this horrific lie will likely kill all chances of Universal Health Care.

I lay 100% of the blame at President Obama's feet. If he had told the truth, if he had genuinely allowed a bipartisan bill to emerge, Universal Health Care could have become a reality.

Now we can only hope the bipartisan efforts in the Senate can save the bill. It's a slim chance. If you don't believe me, replay the above video and the dozens like it from all across America.

Three False Assumptions in the Health Care Debate

Part of the reason we are facing such a nightmare of a health care plan is that the architects in the White House and Congress have defined the need for a new and radical system based on assumptions that simply aren't true. The media has glossed over these assumptions. And Republicans and opponents to the President's plan have concentrated their fire on the plan itself, when they should be attacking the underlying assumptions.

Once the President set up the playing field to his advantage, he thought it would be easy to score the goals. Thankfully, opposition has risen to the plan and much of what Obama and Pelosi designed may never emerge. But, if we were playing on a level field, it is likely an entirely different solution would emerge.

I want to begin by stating clearly that we all share the same goal: Universal Health Care for everyone regardless of income, economic status and health conditions. This essay is not an effort to avoid the goal, but rather to make it much easier to achieve, at a lower cost, and with much less pain.

Three False Assumptions

Number ONE: The Current Health Care System is Broken

This is simply, totally wrong. The current health care system works beautifully. It provides the most choice, the finest doctors and greatest hospitals in the world. It develops 85% of all the new drugs in the world. People live longer and have a much better survival rate in the event of catastrophic illness.

Eighty Five percent of all Americans' get exactly the health care they desire. They have a huge smorgasbord of insurance options along with medical savings accounts and extraordinary cash payment options. Every major city has clinic open at virtually all hours and trauma and emergency rooms for crisis events.

And all this costs the government NOTHING!!! No taxes, no handouts, no rationing, no boards to oversee doctor and patient relationships.

The problem we face has nothing to do with the system being broken. It is that FIFTEEN PERCENT (15%) of Americans don't have easy or affordable access to the system. The system is absolutely wonderful. We simply need to get the last 15% in the doors!

Number TWO: The Current Health Care System is Bankrupting the Country

Again, this assumption is pure rubbish. The health care options currently used by the vast majority of Americans costs the government NOTHING. The part of our system that works is, in reality, cost neutral.

What doesn't work, at all, is the part that our government mismanages to the point of absurdity: medicare, medicaid and the Veteran's Administration Health System. Medicare is totally out of control, so badly run that is it bleeding both financially and physically. Many doctors and hospitals refuse to take Medicare patients because the government allowances don't begin to cover actual costs.

Meanwhile, because of pathetic oversight and ill defined guidelines, other doctors over order tests and procedures. There is little quality and virtually no oversight. Most seniors have to purchase Medicare Supplement Insurance to get back to the level of excellence enjoyed by younger Americans.

The problem is government run health care. It is not an insurance problem, it is not a health care system problem. It is the same problem that plagues virtually all government run systems in this country, a large, ill trained, poorly supervised bureaucracy.

To keep the country from going into bankruptcy, we must fix or scrap the current Medicare System, not enlarge it to include the entire nation.

Number THREE: The Current Health Care System Can't Cover All Americans

I beginning to wonder where all this bullsh*t comes from. Actually, the current system can easily absorb all Americans and the Insurance Companies have already stepped up to the table and agreed to cover everyone. The three big players, Insurance, Doctors and Pharmaceutical Companies are all on board.

There are thorny issues that require new laws and government oversight. But every key factor to achieve Universal Care has already been agreed upon. Insurance must be transportable form state to state and company to company. The Insurance Companies agree and are actually excited about this change as it will increase their potential customer base.

Premium pools must be greatly enlarged and then all people must be insured regardless of prior conditions. Once again, insurance companies are already on board. But there is one more step.

All people must be required, by law, to obtain insurance. And all companies must be required by law to provide insurance plans. Adding the young people who purposefully avoid purchasing insurance will enlarge the premium pools and provide some coverage for the critically ill. There will be costs here, but these are small compared to government run plan projections. And frankly there are some easy ways to reduce costs.

Health insurance should operate just like automobile insurance, with dozens of providers and competition based on coverage and premiums. It can be done and insurance companies are ready to do it.

That leaves one issue, covering the poor who simply cannot afford insurance. This will cost all taxpayers money. It can be done through a voucher system with premiums based on a a sliding scale by income level.

SUMMARY: The Current Health Care System Can Work Wonderfully

I haven't the time right now to go into the amazing cost reductions now available to everyone. MRI's and CAT Scans are available now for a fraction of their costs just two years ago. Doctor's visits are available now for $15.00 to $30.00 to people WITHOUT insurance. And, if we don't screw up the system, prices will begin to drop for everyone. Competition is the solution, it is not the problem.

What is wrong with the entire debate in Washington today, is that we are determined to break the huge part of modern health care that isn't broken without even attempting to fix the small government run parts that are draining our national wealth.