Let's Stop Kidding Ourselves: The Two-Party System is Just a Front

Now, come on.  Obviously there are more than two political ideologies at work in the United States.  People like to claim that there are "two Americas":

But I would argue that the country isn't that polarized.  There are AT LEAST four Americas, given the nature of the ideologies being batted around by several individual politicians, wignuts, and media whores.

#1 Fascist America: Oh yes, it does already exist.

These are the folks who like to teabag each other.  They would love a homogenous America, where everyone looks, spends, and behaves the same way. Glenn Beck seems to think that the Fascists are controlling the government currently; however, it is much more likely his viewers who are drawn to the fascist rhetoric and imagery used on his program.  Realizing that they were such a small segment of the Republican Party, these Tea Baggers decided to ramp up the negativity and rhetoric, favoring a massive expulsion from the Grand Old Party of those with more liberal social policy in mind.  Suddenly the "Big Tent" has become a Concentration Camp for the small-minded and easily bamboozled.  Hopefully, their political power will not grow although it appears they have built momentum recently by drawing upon the inherent racism and bigotry of many Americans.  Michelle Bachmann, surprisingly from Minnesota, represents the political arm of the Tea Baggers who have recently installed a "litmus test" for conservative party members who want to receive funding from the Republican Party.

#2 The Fiscal Conservative (Socially Liberal) Republican--now known as the Independent

These guys have lots of political capital right now, given that the Democratic Party is such a splintered and divided group.  They have distanced themselves from the rhetoric of the TeaBaggers, but many of them have been seduced to the message simply out of fear.  The economic collapse, wall street bailouts, health care reform fiasco, etc. have driven many moderate Republicans back to the Fox News Network.  When George W. was on a collision course with calamity, it seemed, to them, prudent to consider a strong message of change even from a young, black man who was called the most liberal Senator.  When President Obama obviously abandoned his message of change in favor of a more moderate approach, basically continuing the failed Bush administrations tactics in many cases, these moderates began to abandon ship.  If not for his own failed Presidential bid, Senator John McCain would be in this category.  The "Maverick" was called thus due to his tendency to sometimes break with his party in favor of compromise.  His entire family, for instance, has come out in support of Marriage Equality--something this Senator may still do before the issue is resolved.
#3 The Blue-Dog, Lying, Conniving, Money-Grubbing, Lobbyist-Loving Democrat:

They really just can't help it!  They want to be Democrats.  They want to work for the people, representing the needs of their consituents.  It's just that pesky pay-off money they've taken from Lobbyists getting in the way.  The Blue Dogs are a vile bunch--more like hyenas, laughing all the way to the bank.  They have a very conservative social agenda and seem to have been bought and paid for before even elected.  Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu all come to mind.  In ideology, they are much more like the Tea Bagger, representing corporate interests rather than personal freedoms and social improvements.  Even when items like the Public Option are favored by their constituents in the Health Care Reform Bill, these "Democrats" would rather represent their employers--corporate entities that now have "personhood" according to the Supreme Court. 



#4 The Milquetoast Democrat

I am sorry to say that President Obama has moved so slowly and cautiously that he has earned his place here with the ne'er-do-nothing Dems.  It seems, everytime they obtain a piece of political capital that they hem and haw over the best way to do the right thing rather than just getting the right thing done.  Caution is a commendable characteristic unless you are dealing with pressing and vital issues like health care reform or economic catastrophe or unemployment or the degradation of democracy at the hands of a single Supreme Court ruling.  This is a historically proven ideology--the scaredy-cat Democrat.  Jumping when the Blue Dogs bark and never advancing their own agenda beyond committee.  Currently, Nancy Pelosi--the most powerful woman in the world and the most hated by the TeaBaggers--seems to be the only one two flex any political muscle, whipping the House of Representatives into shape with a viable Health Care Reform Bill that passed with even a few Republican votes.  I am truly disappointed with the fumbling of the last 9 months--a time when power was at hand and a time when it could have been used for Americans to the most benefit.  Now, Democrats, in true "deer-in-the-headlights" fashion, cannot seem to act at all.  As the mid-term elections draw near, and as the political capital wanes, Democrats prove, yet again, that they are ineffectual and listless in government.

SCOTUS Scorn: Welcome to the Dawning of the Age of The Corpocracy--You must be assimilated!

It's sad to think that corporate interests in our great (former?) Democracy could become so subversive to have infiltrated the United States Supreme Court.  The (mostly) Bush(I & II)-appointed justices have tipped the scales in favor of special interests:

This ruling should come as no surprise, given that these special interests have no need for a conscious--Fascism is the rule of law in a corporation.  As the religious right infiltrates, they too have an unchecked attitude about the policy changes they push for since, you know, "God" is on their side.  It is, purely and simply, a very anti-democracy wave of power sweeping through our country, seeking to disenfranchise individuals who may be empowered by a stronger democracy that enacts health care reform.

It is a wake-up call to any American who hasn't been bamboozled by the TeaBaggers.  We are heading down a path that cannot lead to any redemption for America.  We are heading toward a nation of the money-grubbing by the money-grubbing for the money-grubbing.

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I, for one, can see NOTHING good stemming from this ruling.  The only thing obvious about it is the fact that corporate greed has purchased a majority in our Supreme Courts and will soon be able to purchase a majority in Congress and to secure their interests for years if not decades to come.

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 01/25/10

Lip Service -- Friend of the Pres and the Pols

I usually take a man by his word, or a woman for that matter.  But lately, I have heard a lot of gesture with little follow through.  Whether it was a grocery list of campaign promises from Barack Obama or a scrambling by current politicians to hide or deny their words, actions or even votes,

One year has passed since Barach Obama was inaugurated and I listed intently as he, again and again, paid lip service to  promises he made on the campaign trail: ending DOMA, DADT, etc.   I was taken in by such eloquence and promise.  Luckily, this guy still has three more years to prove himself!
On the other hand, you have, all over the country, a group of political contests gearing up in which the politicians involved will say anything to appeal to the current viewpoint of their constituents.  You have Harold Ford, Jr., once a promising representative from my home state of Tennessee, who lost his bid for the Senate to Bob Corker--another suspicious character when it comes to lip service and abortion.  Now, Mr. Ford wants Hillary Clinton's NY state Senate seat, currently occupied by Kirsten Gillibrand, who has proven a fierce advocate for issues important to New Yorkers.  All across the country, politicians are scrambling, like Ford, to change their former positions on issues in order to seem the more moderate candidate.  Meanwhile, the Tea Bag Party (or the New Republicans) are calling for politicians to wear their hatred and bigotry on their chests like a badge.  A big, honking badge of hate that they are proud of.  According to the new Republican Litmus Test, many moderate republican candidates, such as Gov. Charlie Christ of Florida (running for the Senate), would not recieve any funding from the party, although a more conservative candidate may not pass muster for the electorate in Florida.

I cannot expect conservative politicians like Ford, Jr. or Mr. Crist to come around.  They have proven to me without a doubt that they are snakes in the grass.  These days, all the flip-flops seem to be on the other foot--the RIGHT one!

Our President, though, I will continue to hold at his word.  I expect him to follow through and I expect that he has an agenda to do so, whether he feels it necessary to keep it to himself or not!

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 01/18/10

Not sure which is cuter :)

SHAME on you Pat Robertson: 5 Reasons Why Christians Should Silence This Freak!

Good ol' Pat.  Clinging to an antiquated version of the world in which white men are always right, regardless.

Christians everywhere should loathe this man for continuing to spew forth vile hatred at every turn.  Here, just to get your dander up, is a list of the top five things Pat has said that should make anyone wish he would take an early trip to the Hell he so firmly believes in:

1. " Feminism is a socialist, anti-family, political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. "  Pat is such a charmer, right?  What lady WOULDN'T want him?!?  Look at his sexy hooves, right?  Wait, did Haiti make a pact with HIM?

2.  "I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate -- this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." –Pat Robertson, on "gay days" at Disneyworld. I just hope that Pat lives long enough to see equality given to the gays just so I can see the look of pain and anguish on his face as the knife of justice is twisted into his dark depraved heart (if he even has one!!!)

3.  "I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected him from your city. And don't wonder why he hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for his help because he might not be there." --Pat Robertson, after the city of Dover, Pennsylvania voted to boot the current school board, which instituted an intelligent design policy that led to a federal trial.  Wow, now that is a message of redemption!




4.  "Lord, give us righteous judges who will not try to legislate and dominate this society. Take control, Lord! We ask for additional vacancies on the court." –Pat Robertson on hoping his God will help him kill off or give debilitating illness to liberal Supreme Court justices.  Whatta good Christian he is, right?

5.  "It may be a blessing in disguise. ... Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. Haitians were originally under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon the third, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you will get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal. Ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other." –Pat Robertson, on the earthquake in Haiti that destroyed the capital and killed tens of thousands of people, Jan. 13, 2010--what a guy!
 
* Quotes exerpted from "Stupid Pat Robertson Quotes" by Daniel Kurtzman
Can't anyone shut this guy up?
 

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 01/06/10

Sweet Love

Why Scorn a Non-Believer? : A Faith of Another Kind

Recently, Mayor Bloomberg, for the first time invited the group NYC Athiests to his annual Interfaith Breakfast.  Prior to that, and earlier last year, President Obama mentioned non-believers for the first time in an inaugural address.

I mean, if you really think about it, there are a lot of us!  We are a silent group of people, usually trying to avoid any scorn or derision from the religious who are, also usually, quick to condemn anyone who isn't a member of their sect or demonination, much less a non-believer.  Most of the time, non-believers aren't called out or acknowleded favorably or at all by politicians.  However, lately, as religion looks more and more like the "retarted stepchild of philosophy"--and that's from UFC fighter Frank Mir--we non-believers are becoming more and more the voice of reason! "If there is a God, atheism must seem to Him as less of an insult than religion.”--Edmond De Goncourt (here's your quote from an elitist 19th Century French writer :)

Athiests, Agnostics and Non-Believers aren't all a group of morally-maligned heathen!  We are actually a very diverse group, and, I warrant, that most of us, if studied, would probably prove to have a much more active moral center than the passive flock of believers.

Notice here that the chart acknowledges only 5% of Americans who are non-believers.  The number these days is more like 16 or 17%, but I imagine that the self-identification depicted here may still hold true.  "Nothing in Particular"--now that's something to believe in!!!  Remember that these designations imply some very important differences.  An atheist actively pursues and reasserts the belief that God does not exist--that the assertion of His existence is, in fact, destructive to society.  An agnostic, on the other hand, does not presume to know whether a higher power exists or not.  This designation is the most humble of non-believers. ;)

I guess these guys don't know the wise old saying "Shit or get off the pot!"

Here is an even more interesting chart showing the breakdown of belief (or non-belief) around the world.  Unfortunately, most of the 33% of Christians believe it is their duty to convert the rest of the world.  I wonder how long it will take before I can start charging anyone who tries to proselytize.  "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; Give him a religion, and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish"  --unknown

What it all boils down to is that we have a "freedom of religion" in this country that also guarantees a freedom FROM religion!  Religion and politics are so bound together at this point that it might be safer to ONLY elect non-believers for a few decades!  Let something other than the rapture-inspired, end-times agenda of almost EVERY politician (from either side of the aisle) pave the way for progressive legislation and objective thought in politics.  Personal/Individual spiritual relationships or community-based outreach programs aside, religion should have NO OTHER BASIS IN REALITY!!!!!

I know, I know.  As I make a plea to believers to withhold judgement and to consider the rationale of the non-believer, I also take the opportunity to heap scorn upon religion.  I know it seems counterproductive, but maybe it is a necessary evil ;)

BeautifulPeople.com Scorns Fatties--Deletes Their Accounts

Until this a.m., I had never heard of BeautifulPeople.com, though I can't imagine why not!  However, over 5,000 of its vainglorious members were nixed this week due to self-purported, or through newly uploaded photos depicting, weight gain.

I continue, as my friend here, to purport that I am simply big-boned!  I'm sure it stands to reason that a website such as beautifulpeople.com must uphold a set of standards no matter how subjective, but I also wonder what the proportion of women deleted to men might be as well as the set of standards used to determine said deletion given that current members get to rank other members to prompt accounts for deletion.  What if I promise to wear my man-spanks?  Needless to say, I find it quite unlikely that a for-pay site such as this (although it offers a limited "free" membership) would delete the accounts of paying members, no matter how much weight they gain.

Says founder Robert Hintze, "Letting fatties roam the site is a direct threat to our business model and the very concept for which BeautifulPeople.com was founded." 

Maybe this fattie will attempt to infiltrate :)