Monday, August 10, 2009
Sarah Here's A Reality Check On Health Insurance Reform
The white house new website with some great videos addressing the major wingnut myths about health insurance reform.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
It’s Time To Put Nick Licata Out To Pasture
He maybe the sweetheart of the fussy, knee jerk echo chamber occupying artsy-fartsy lefties and to the hipster writers at the SLOG who cream their jeans all over their computers at the thought of their champion. Apparently they support Licata’s feeling groovy ideology rather then for any known major civic accomplishment over the last 11 years. Most of Nick's accomplishment tend to be a subtraction rather then a addition to the vitality of the city I think.
He’s well meaning and probably a real nice guy, but its time to put Nick Licata’s parochial, vision less obstructionism and phony political posturing on the Seattle City Council to an end. 12 years of keeping Seattle from being visionary or obstructing meaningful progress and projects whenever he can should be enough.
Change is good people! Especially in a city known for taking as much time as possible to get anything meaningful done, also known as the Seattle process. At the center of that process stands one Nick Licata, chief civic bullshitter and mouse milker.
Licata said it himself in 1989 when he pushed for a two-term limit for City Council members. Believing at the time that allowing 3 terms would produce bored, lazy and unimaginative lawmakers. Well I don’t know about the bored or lazy part, but Licata has nailed the unimaginative part almost every time some big challenge or issue faces the city. It's just say no Nick. That’s fine if you want to live in Hicksville, but it doesn’t pay the rent if you want to act and be a metropolitan worldly world-class city.
Let’s look at some of the record. Licata fought light rail in favor of buses. He favored the reconstruction of a new even bigger monstrosity of a viaduct. He opposed the Mariners and Seahawks stadiums, now both successes. While president of the Council he opposed the Olympic Games 2012 bid, effectively helping to kill it. Meanwhile Vancouver, BC will welcome millions in tourist dollars next year by staging the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Much of the money Vancouver is getting to underwrite and build for their games will be Canadian federal funds that will leave long term civic infrastructure improvements once the games leave. As it was in Salt Lake City when they hosted the winter Olympics. But Licata didn't see that opportunity when Seattle wanted to step up to the plate. Instead, he wanted to ban circus animals from the city limits in a classic snobby, condescending, example of social engineering and overreach of his role. He led the charge that drove the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Hey basketball and NCAA tournament fans remember that? I only hope you remember to vote on August 18th.
Licata has done some good things. He been a advocate for the homeless, housing and supporting the arts. But I just don't think his record warrants making him practically a Seattle City Council member for life.
Many think driving the Sonics out was a good thing. The effect of their loss on the city will be “next to zero” Licata told Sports Illustrated at the time of the debate. Well tell that to the merchants, nightclub operators or their former employees on lower Queen Anne, or to basketball fans. Not to mention the potential lost tax revenue and the harm it did to the city in the way of our image as a city that could get and keep it’s shit together enough to save the franchise.
He opposed the SLUT streetcar saying it only benefited Paul Allen. He is often anti-business in favor of elements of the community that are consumers rather then those that produce jobs and business tax revenue. There has to be a balance for a city to be viable folks. We don’t need a Council full of members who are forever caught up only in their own tired mostly anti-business ideology, a Licata specialty, because you won't have a place to freaking work and earn a living people.
But, the most annoying thing about Licata is his penchant for posturing and obstructing on an issue up until he sees that it’s politically advantages to flip flop. Usually after irreparable damage has been done. This was especially evident on the viaduct replacement and transit issues. Licata often supports the status quo or is seldom for something, just mostly against. His positions and policies seemed like they are aimed at returning Seattle permanently to Podunkville. It’s time we had some different and hopefully visionary leadership on the council. Seattle could be a player not a city known for not being able to get big things done as it has become with Licata muddling up the works.
My endorsement goes to Jessie Israel because I think she's the best of the two candidates running for his seat, and I think the effect of loss of Licata will be as he himself put it, “next to zero”.
Note: Licata is opposed in the August 18th primary for City Council position 6 by King County Parks Manager Jessie Israel and Architect Marty Kaplan.
He’s well meaning and probably a real nice guy, but its time to put Nick Licata’s parochial, vision less obstructionism and phony political posturing on the Seattle City Council to an end. 12 years of keeping Seattle from being visionary or obstructing meaningful progress and projects whenever he can should be enough.
Change is good people! Especially in a city known for taking as much time as possible to get anything meaningful done, also known as the Seattle process. At the center of that process stands one Nick Licata, chief civic bullshitter and mouse milker.
Licata said it himself in 1989 when he pushed for a two-term limit for City Council members. Believing at the time that allowing 3 terms would produce bored, lazy and unimaginative lawmakers. Well I don’t know about the bored or lazy part, but Licata has nailed the unimaginative part almost every time some big challenge or issue faces the city. It's just say no Nick. That’s fine if you want to live in Hicksville, but it doesn’t pay the rent if you want to act and be a metropolitan worldly world-class city.
Let’s look at some of the record. Licata fought light rail in favor of buses. He favored the reconstruction of a new even bigger monstrosity of a viaduct. He opposed the Mariners and Seahawks stadiums, now both successes. While president of the Council he opposed the Olympic Games 2012 bid, effectively helping to kill it. Meanwhile Vancouver, BC will welcome millions in tourist dollars next year by staging the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Much of the money Vancouver is getting to underwrite and build for their games will be Canadian federal funds that will leave long term civic infrastructure improvements once the games leave. As it was in Salt Lake City when they hosted the winter Olympics. But Licata didn't see that opportunity when Seattle wanted to step up to the plate. Instead, he wanted to ban circus animals from the city limits in a classic snobby, condescending, example of social engineering and overreach of his role. He led the charge that drove the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Hey basketball and NCAA tournament fans remember that? I only hope you remember to vote on August 18th.
Licata has done some good things. He been a advocate for the homeless, housing and supporting the arts. But I just don't think his record warrants making him practically a Seattle City Council member for life.
Many think driving the Sonics out was a good thing. The effect of their loss on the city will be “next to zero” Licata told Sports Illustrated at the time of the debate. Well tell that to the merchants, nightclub operators or their former employees on lower Queen Anne, or to basketball fans. Not to mention the potential lost tax revenue and the harm it did to the city in the way of our image as a city that could get and keep it’s shit together enough to save the franchise.
He opposed the SLUT streetcar saying it only benefited Paul Allen. He is often anti-business in favor of elements of the community that are consumers rather then those that produce jobs and business tax revenue. There has to be a balance for a city to be viable folks. We don’t need a Council full of members who are forever caught up only in their own tired mostly anti-business ideology, a Licata specialty, because you won't have a place to freaking work and earn a living people.
But, the most annoying thing about Licata is his penchant for posturing and obstructing on an issue up until he sees that it’s politically advantages to flip flop. Usually after irreparable damage has been done. This was especially evident on the viaduct replacement and transit issues. Licata often supports the status quo or is seldom for something, just mostly against. His positions and policies seemed like they are aimed at returning Seattle permanently to Podunkville. It’s time we had some different and hopefully visionary leadership on the council. Seattle could be a player not a city known for not being able to get big things done as it has become with Licata muddling up the works.
My endorsement goes to Jessie Israel because I think she's the best of the two candidates running for his seat, and I think the effect of loss of Licata will be as he himself put it, “next to zero”.
Note: Licata is opposed in the August 18th primary for City Council position 6 by King County Parks Manager Jessie Israel and Architect Marty Kaplan.
Crazy for God Author On Town Hall Hooligans... "The Election Broke Their Brains"
The video below I think this is one of the most precise and insightful interviews I seen on TV about what is going on behind the hooliganism and violence we see at town halls across the country and what part talk radio and to a certain extent the religious right are playing.
It's a violence prone and dangerous gambit.
He points out the people showing up at the meetings are white people who are not well informed or educated who have bought into the lies about the health care system and reform. "The election broke their brains". The people showing up and closing down any real discussion are mainly pawns in a elaborate right wing game. Many of them have been dupped into doing something that isn't good for their own personal interest.
Appearing on Rachel Maddow show on Friday Frank Schaeffer, a co-founder with his father Francis Schaeffer of the modern evangelical movement and author of the best seller Crazy for God, stresses that the right has crossed the line by associating Obama with Hitler.
They are "un-American, and want the country to fail." He also points out that he thinks the right wing talkers like Beck and Limbaugh and others are "bad Americans" who are, "leaving a loaded gun on the table and saying the first person who comes along who wants to use this, be our guest". Schaeffer denounces the right for fermenting hatred and facilitating the phony rage and shout down battles that block the real debate on health care reform policies. Their goal is only to stop reform. It's not really about reform of the health care system at all but a violence promoting attempt to maintain the power of the insurance companies and health industry.
Ironically, he believes the tactics used by the right and the corporate backers of the hooligans are akin to the brown shirts of Nazi Germany. A minority who used many of the same tricks to break up popular political meetings and suppress dissent in Germany in the late 1930's. It's the pot calling the kettle black.
It's a violence prone and dangerous gambit.
He points out the people showing up at the meetings are white people who are not well informed or educated who have bought into the lies about the health care system and reform. "The election broke their brains". The people showing up and closing down any real discussion are mainly pawns in a elaborate right wing game. Many of them have been dupped into doing something that isn't good for their own personal interest.
Appearing on Rachel Maddow show on Friday Frank Schaeffer, a co-founder with his father Francis Schaeffer of the modern evangelical movement and author of the best seller Crazy for God, stresses that the right has crossed the line by associating Obama with Hitler.
They are "un-American, and want the country to fail." He also points out that he thinks the right wing talkers like Beck and Limbaugh and others are "bad Americans" who are, "leaving a loaded gun on the table and saying the first person who comes along who wants to use this, be our guest". Schaeffer denounces the right for fermenting hatred and facilitating the phony rage and shout down battles that block the real debate on health care reform policies. Their goal is only to stop reform. It's not really about reform of the health care system at all but a violence promoting attempt to maintain the power of the insurance companies and health industry.
Ironically, he believes the tactics used by the right and the corporate backers of the hooligans are akin to the brown shirts of Nazi Germany. A minority who used many of the same tricks to break up popular political meetings and suppress dissent in Germany in the late 1930's. It's the pot calling the kettle black.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Jewish Groups Don't Like Conservatives Comparing Obama's Policy Agenda to Hitler's
Jews should know. Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and a few other crackpots new wrinkle the last couple of days is trying to sell the half baked conspiracy theory to their ignorant hardcore listeners that somehow health care reform and other Obama policies amount to some new form of the Third Reich's National Socialism.
What the fuck does reforming the health care system, lowering the cost of coverage or saving the economy have to do with Hitler? Answer is nothing. If nothing else Obama's policies are more centrist and mainstream American then most on the left would like to see. Limbaugh and Beck like to prey on the misinformed masses out there in an effort to improve their ratings and feed their egos. Much of this crap is far off point of course, but it muddles or blocks the real debate. In the fifties it was the commies are coming to get us. Now our brains are being taken over by some unseen Nazi agenda to place computer chips in your soon to be ethanized granny's head.
What the fuck does reforming the health care system, lowering the cost of coverage or saving the economy have to do with Hitler? Answer is nothing. If nothing else Obama's policies are more centrist and mainstream American then most on the left would like to see. Limbaugh and Beck like to prey on the misinformed masses out there in an effort to improve their ratings and feed their egos. Much of this crap is far off point of course, but it muddles or blocks the real debate. In the fifties it was the commies are coming to get us. Now our brains are being taken over by some unseen Nazi agenda to place computer chips in your soon to be ethanized granny's head.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
White House Fires Back At Drudge False Claims On Health Care
The White House, is responding to a misleading and out of context Drudge Report linked video that catches Obama in 2003, that's six years ago, talking about how he would favor a single payer plan. Well good for him I'd say. But to the wingnuts it just more fuel for the socialist conspiracy mind meld takeover bullshit.
The rebuttal features Linda Douglass, formerly an ABC News correspondent and now a White House official, showing Drudge’s homepage on the screen of her office computer.
The rebuttal features Linda Douglass, formerly an ABC News correspondent and now a White House official, showing Drudge’s homepage on the screen of her office computer.
Keith Olbermann On Why Some In Congress Are Selling You Down The River On Health Care Reform
It's a battle to the death people.... I know this has been posted lots of places, but it just too good not to get posted one more in hopes that someone who may not of seen it, will.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Teabagging The Townhall Healthcare Reform Comics
click on image to enlargeI hope Norman Rockwell and FDR will forgive me.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
This Is The Type Of Health Care Rhetoric Obama Should Of Used At His Press Conference
The video below could be the first real salvo in the fight that is coming for real health care reform in America. Obama's new video from organizing for America raises the rhetorical bar to that of a full fledged political campaign.
The recent delays in Congressional committees have been interpreted by the main stream press as a victory for the forces of status quo, the insurance and health industry forces who want to kill any real reform. In fact that is how they killed it in 1994. It buys them more time to demonize reform and run millions of dollars in anti-reform ads hoping to only confuse us more. They think that the devil we know is better then the devil we don't know.
I am reasonably sure that the President knew this could or would happen and is now ready to take them on using the same tactics that got him elected president in the first place. Taking the message to the people outside the other Washington and framing it into a higher and more compelling goal.
Most pundits I've heard gave Obama low marks on his recent health care presser. He was like a college professor trying to explain the inside baseball aspects of the particular parts of what reform of health care would really look like. Unfortunately many Americans probably grabbed the clicker and switched over to shit for brains Glen Beck. Then of course, the presentation went completely south when it got sidetracked on the Gates arrest media feeding frenzy thing.
I think most Americans with a brain realize that health care needs reforming, but get lost when you get into he weeds with them on the details. This latest video I think returns the debate to a level that most Americans will better understand.
Are you ready to join in the fight? Because if your not health care reform it probably a goner. Just freaking die.
The recent delays in Congressional committees have been interpreted by the main stream press as a victory for the forces of status quo, the insurance and health industry forces who want to kill any real reform. In fact that is how they killed it in 1994. It buys them more time to demonize reform and run millions of dollars in anti-reform ads hoping to only confuse us more. They think that the devil we know is better then the devil we don't know.
I am reasonably sure that the President knew this could or would happen and is now ready to take them on using the same tactics that got him elected president in the first place. Taking the message to the people outside the other Washington and framing it into a higher and more compelling goal.
Most pundits I've heard gave Obama low marks on his recent health care presser. He was like a college professor trying to explain the inside baseball aspects of the particular parts of what reform of health care would really look like. Unfortunately many Americans probably grabbed the clicker and switched over to shit for brains Glen Beck. Then of course, the presentation went completely south when it got sidetracked on the Gates arrest media feeding frenzy thing.
I think most Americans with a brain realize that health care needs reforming, but get lost when you get into he weeds with them on the details. This latest video I think returns the debate to a level that most Americans will better understand.
Are you ready to join in the fight? Because if your not health care reform it probably a goner. Just freaking die.
Blue Dog Ben Nelson Is A Douche Bag
So called Blue Dog Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska is a real douche bag for sure, but I guess he's our douche bag. Which makes it even worse. He got over 2 million from health and insurance company special interest in contributions and now he's delaying real health care reform. Delay only works in the favor of the people who want to maintain the status quo. Send Ben a message and ask him what side he's on, the insurance companies or the working people?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Public Options Already Exists And Works Better Than Private
My mom gets treatment under medicare and I got my cancer successfully treated at the VA.
Both of us receive higher quality treatment then many in the private sector. That's if your actually covered under your expensive private insurance since insurance companies are liable to drop you if they think your illness costs too much to cure.
The truth is and studies show that programs like medicare and the VA provides coverage more efficiently and for less to millions than does the private sector. Most increasess in medicare cost are due to the rising cost of providing medical coverage with a broken system. The VA system is considered one of the most efficient and quality systems in the country by experts. Both are of course public systems provided by the government and are a glimpse of what the public option could be.
Wake up people. and start learning the truth about public health care not just Republican and corporate lies.
Both of us receive higher quality treatment then many in the private sector. That's if your actually covered under your expensive private insurance since insurance companies are liable to drop you if they think your illness costs too much to cure.
The truth is and studies show that programs like medicare and the VA provides coverage more efficiently and for less to millions than does the private sector. Most increasess in medicare cost are due to the rising cost of providing medical coverage with a broken system. The VA system is considered one of the most efficient and quality systems in the country by experts. Both are of course public systems provided by the government and are a glimpse of what the public option could be.
Wake up people. and start learning the truth about public health care not just Republican and corporate lies.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Boycott Montana
If Senator Baucus from Montana, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and insurance and drug company butt boy, manages to remove the public option from health care reform legislation I won't be visiting Montana any time soon to spend my tourist dollars.
I move you join me and send a message to Baucus that we will boycott his state if he sells us out to the insurance and drug companies with his so call bi-partisan compromise. My ass.
Call Baucus and tell him if the public option is off the table so is his state. Simply call the number and tell whoever answers you have a message for the Senator that your boycotting his state, since he more interested in protecting the insurance and drug companies then the working people. Here's the phone numbers.
Washington, D.C. 20510
511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
(202) 224-2651(Office)
(202) 224-9412 (Fax)
Missoula
280 E. Front St.
Suite 100 Missoula, MT 59802
406) 329-3123
I move you join me and send a message to Baucus that we will boycott his state if he sells us out to the insurance and drug companies with his so call bi-partisan compromise. My ass.
Call Baucus and tell him if the public option is off the table so is his state. Simply call the number and tell whoever answers you have a message for the Senator that your boycotting his state, since he more interested in protecting the insurance and drug companies then the working people. Here's the phone numbers.
Washington, D.C. 20510
511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
(202) 224-2651(Office)
(202) 224-9412 (Fax)
Missoula
280 E. Front St.
Suite 100 Missoula, MT 59802
406) 329-3123
Send The Blue Dogs Blocking Heathcare Reform A Message Now
Take action send a message to the gang of 6 blocking real health care reform.
Have you heard about the six senators who are out to kill health care reform. Of course, that's not how they'd phrase it. Sens. Baucus, Bingaman, Conrad, Enzi, Grassley and Snowe say they're striving for "bi-partisan compromise." But what they're actually doing is working to make sure reform won't include a public option or mandatory employer-based insurance - two key policies needed for effective reform.
There are 100 members of the Senate, but these six, inexplicably, seem to be holding all the cards when it comes to health care. So you probably won't be surprised to learn that all six have taken a huge amount of money from the health insurance industry and pharma.
via: credo action
Have you heard about the six senators who are out to kill health care reform. Of course, that's not how they'd phrase it. Sens. Baucus, Bingaman, Conrad, Enzi, Grassley and Snowe say they're striving for "bi-partisan compromise." But what they're actually doing is working to make sure reform won't include a public option or mandatory employer-based insurance - two key policies needed for effective reform.
There are 100 members of the Senate, but these six, inexplicably, seem to be holding all the cards when it comes to health care. So you probably won't be surprised to learn that all six have taken a huge amount of money from the health insurance industry and pharma.
via: credo action
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tweet Congress About Heathcare Reform Now
If you have a twitter account or want to create one then you can now tweet your lawmaker in Congress directly and tell them to support health care. Use the message composed already or write your own. Tell them to pass healthcare reform now and stop stalling. 60 years of waiting is enough.
WA Reichert and McMorris Defend Birthers
This is pretty good stuff. Firedoglake sent a reporter to Washington, DC to pin down suspected birther supporting members of Congress on just how they stood on the birther issue. Representative McMorris R 5th and Reichert R 8th of WA look pretty stupid defending this shit. McMorris is really not that surprising, we know she's a wingnut, but do the mostly well educated moderate folks in the 8th district know Reichert is propagating this crap.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Harvard Professor Failed Personality Test
Working as I did as a municipal court clerk for more then 25 years in Seattle, I saw my fair share of criminal cases come before the court that also involved police officers having to deal with unruly or abusive citizens or visa versa. Dealing with unruly officers is a story we all have some experience with.
When it comes to the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates, that we are all learning more about each day because of the involvement of the President who apparently saw the incident as a teaching moment when asked the question about it in a nationally televised press conference, police and legal profession types have often referred to such a arrest in the classic legal system slang as the citizen who, “failed the personality test”.
What it usually involves is a unruly, drunk or disrespectful citizen/suspect who’s verbal abuse of officers, or other high jinks have given way inevitably to a form of police abuse of power and retribution the cops jokingly call the failure to pass the personality test.
The Gate’s case I think is a classic example.
Often officers will end up more or less throwing the book at the abusive disrespectful person, and taking him to jail for what maybe considered normally minor or chippie violations of the law. The defendant ends up spending the night in jail and having to deal with the pending charges. If the charges are dropped, as was the case in the Gates case, the officer has still successfully played the roll of prosecutor, judge, and jury because the defendant has been punished whether the prosecutorial authority pursues the case(s) or not. In most cases like this one when the charge person has little or no criminal record the punishment of one day in jail and all the legal hassles involved with dealing with the charge(s) are more punishment then the defendant would of received had he in fact inevitably been found guilty.
Professor Gates and President Obama are probably the two worst people in the world for a cop to pick on or deal with in such a circumstance. Gates made his name promoting and teaching civil rights and certainly knows more then the average cop will about racial based abuse by the police in this country. Obama made his political bones as an Illinois State Senator championing laws to protect against racial profiling.
So it’s no wonder that Obama and Gates are apparently making an effort to make the incident a teachable moment for the rest of us oblivious white folks. Maybe in the long run it may raise consciousness, if your not already a right wing racial bigot. In which case it will probably reinforce all your fears about loss of white power because of the election of a African American as president.
When Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times asked the question during the press conference about the Gate’s incident I’m sure Obama though he’s been thrown a soft ball question about a subject he is well verse on, racial profiling. This is where the problem started. He immediately became the professor talking to a class of students at Harvard law school about the history of racial profiling in America. He started off all right by disclosing the professor was a friend and that he knew nothing about the real facts of the case. But soon drifted into a general condemnation of racial profiling in this nation which included the “police acted stupidly it appears in this case” remark. He been better off saying I don’t know what happened but it appears the charges have been dropped, and left it at that. Leaving the teaching for later.
Most knowledgeable observers of the case admit the police overreacted. Even though there is evidence that Gates was abusive to officers in his own home the smart or streetwise officer in most cases would of just said, “have a nice day” and left the scene happy to not have to hear the professor harangue them anymore as racists or profiling. Plus they would of not had to fill out all the paperwork involved with the arrest and booking.
It be back to the donuts shop for them.
It has always amazed me the things people will do when confronted with dealing with a police situation or officer. Standing up to police when your rights are being violated is one thing, but acting stupid or getting worked up when it comes to dealing with the police is another. Usually it involves some form of intoxication. Blacks and Latinos do experience racial profiling and police abuse of power often, especially in locations where that type of thing is institutionalized. That’s a reality that we all must accept and do what we can to overcome.
But in this case I think what really happened here is that both Gates and the officers overreacted. Gates by going into a tirade about race and directing it in a personal way to the officers, and the officers for not realizing that because of Gates personal life experience he needed to blow off some steam. The officers employed the personality test on Gates and in their minds they felt justified because of the no one should ever disrespect police code cops often are encourage to buy into or otherwise known on the street as failing the police personality test.
I'm sure Gates probably felt pretty dumb losing his keys and having to break into his own home to start with. The incident also says tons about his neighbor who apparently didn’t know him well enough to be able to recognize him as the person trying to gain entry through a window, which led them to call 911 in the first place.
When it comes to the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates, that we are all learning more about each day because of the involvement of the President who apparently saw the incident as a teaching moment when asked the question about it in a nationally televised press conference, police and legal profession types have often referred to such a arrest in the classic legal system slang as the citizen who, “failed the personality test”.
What it usually involves is a unruly, drunk or disrespectful citizen/suspect who’s verbal abuse of officers, or other high jinks have given way inevitably to a form of police abuse of power and retribution the cops jokingly call the failure to pass the personality test.
The Gate’s case I think is a classic example.
Often officers will end up more or less throwing the book at the abusive disrespectful person, and taking him to jail for what maybe considered normally minor or chippie violations of the law. The defendant ends up spending the night in jail and having to deal with the pending charges. If the charges are dropped, as was the case in the Gates case, the officer has still successfully played the roll of prosecutor, judge, and jury because the defendant has been punished whether the prosecutorial authority pursues the case(s) or not. In most cases like this one when the charge person has little or no criminal record the punishment of one day in jail and all the legal hassles involved with dealing with the charge(s) are more punishment then the defendant would of received had he in fact inevitably been found guilty.
Professor Gates and President Obama are probably the two worst people in the world for a cop to pick on or deal with in such a circumstance. Gates made his name promoting and teaching civil rights and certainly knows more then the average cop will about racial based abuse by the police in this country. Obama made his political bones as an Illinois State Senator championing laws to protect against racial profiling.
So it’s no wonder that Obama and Gates are apparently making an effort to make the incident a teachable moment for the rest of us oblivious white folks. Maybe in the long run it may raise consciousness, if your not already a right wing racial bigot. In which case it will probably reinforce all your fears about loss of white power because of the election of a African American as president.
When Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times asked the question during the press conference about the Gate’s incident I’m sure Obama though he’s been thrown a soft ball question about a subject he is well verse on, racial profiling. This is where the problem started. He immediately became the professor talking to a class of students at Harvard law school about the history of racial profiling in America. He started off all right by disclosing the professor was a friend and that he knew nothing about the real facts of the case. But soon drifted into a general condemnation of racial profiling in this nation which included the “police acted stupidly it appears in this case” remark. He been better off saying I don’t know what happened but it appears the charges have been dropped, and left it at that. Leaving the teaching for later.
Most knowledgeable observers of the case admit the police overreacted. Even though there is evidence that Gates was abusive to officers in his own home the smart or streetwise officer in most cases would of just said, “have a nice day” and left the scene happy to not have to hear the professor harangue them anymore as racists or profiling. Plus they would of not had to fill out all the paperwork involved with the arrest and booking.
It be back to the donuts shop for them.
It has always amazed me the things people will do when confronted with dealing with a police situation or officer. Standing up to police when your rights are being violated is one thing, but acting stupid or getting worked up when it comes to dealing with the police is another. Usually it involves some form of intoxication. Blacks and Latinos do experience racial profiling and police abuse of power often, especially in locations where that type of thing is institutionalized. That’s a reality that we all must accept and do what we can to overcome.
But in this case I think what really happened here is that both Gates and the officers overreacted. Gates by going into a tirade about race and directing it in a personal way to the officers, and the officers for not realizing that because of Gates personal life experience he needed to blow off some steam. The officers employed the personality test on Gates and in their minds they felt justified because of the no one should ever disrespect police code cops often are encourage to buy into or otherwise known on the street as failing the police personality test.
I'm sure Gates probably felt pretty dumb losing his keys and having to break into his own home to start with. The incident also says tons about his neighbor who apparently didn’t know him well enough to be able to recognize him as the person trying to gain entry through a window, which led them to call 911 in the first place.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
It's Official A Nation of Retards Has Morphed Into The New GOP
Right wing bozos loved to label liberals as un-American traitor kooks and crybabies when they complained vigorously after the 2000 and 2004 elections or questioned American foreign or domestic policy disasters during the George W. Bush years. Little did we realize the extent that these same accusers were in fact a bunch of bat shit crazies who now represented the new base of the out of power malingering Republican party.
Yes, now with the shoe on the other foot, nothing has unloosed the fear filled nut case lunatic fringe ditto heads apparently more then the tea bagging bunch of crazies and malcontent we are now faced with on a daily basis since the election of President Barack Obama.
There is a certain fear that is palpable with this group of nuts that shouts the fact that they know deep down that their all white people's brand of Judeo Christian power wheeling and dealing is finally being pried from their cold dead hands, so to speak. They are liable to say and do anything in the state of desperation they now find themselves, desperately attempting to maintain their fleeting hold on power. But, it's over baby. In twenty years or so you'll be the minority race whether you like it or not.
Thus the truth has little chance or importance with this bunch right now, and like the communists, who long had represented the straw horse they've demonized, they have adopted the belief that the end justifies the means. They now more often then not take on the actual characteristics of those they have profess to hate as the antithesis of Americana they claim they have been empowered to guard and represent.
With them it is no wonder the dumb shit average American is easily duped by stupid and unsubstantiated Republican claims that health care reform is just a socialist form of demon worship or a communist plot to bring about world enslavement under a demon seed Manchurian candidate Muslim represented in the person of Barack Obama.
In actually universal health care is not a demon or a political system but common sense policy that strengthens the community's underpinnings as they are intended to be in any modern fair and just society.
When exactly did the public educational system in this country become so verifiability worthless that it continually failed to teach people the basic use of logic, common sense and the workings of our political system. Nearly half of these Americans have apparently turned into a nation of idiots who now spend their free time having doubts about the sitting president's birth and citizenship. Or openly preach discrimination and hatred towards any and all people who are not of white European heritage, religion or in agreement with their personal sexual morality standards. These people think gun ownership and use is the highest right in the land surpassing the overall security of the country and any and all others major issues of the day, including their own life or death.
In California these substance negative flag waving zealots have so severely limited the ability of the State to tax the citizens through bogus self centered people's initiatives that the government cannot fulfill the most basic of the State's responsibilities. Fuck paying for education, infrastructure or any other thing that used to represent what a progressive community felt were the basic requirements of a modern civilized society. Fuck you all I don't believe in taxes. You can all go die in hell, while at this very moment they are trying to bring this bullshit based form of government financing to my State. These are the self righteous, phony, religious types so selfish they see no benefit in helping others by the simple act of paying their fair share in taxes.
Ironically un-Christ like in their actions while preaching the tenets of their freaking doctored and misinterpreted self serving good book as justification for any and all of their wild hair up your ass ideas. These people call themselves Christians and hypocritically point fingers accusingly at those who are fortunate enough not to have gotten involved in the hypocrisy. I have news for you bastards your about as far from Christ like as Bozo the freaking Clown. If a hell exist, I'm sure your going to be the ones who burn the brightest and the longest in the fire of eternal freaking damnation.
It's only a matter of time before one of these self righteous gerbil wheel brained fuckers does something real crazy being all full of their own self fulfilling diarrhea of stupid god on our side baseless ideas of what is right and wrong. Driven over the edge by Sara Palin's phony outrage or just one to many Glenn Beck shows watched or neo Nazi themes rationalized out there in the boonies before they snap like a cheap rope pulling too much dead weight. It won't be pretty I'm sure we all fear and realize.
Yes, now with the shoe on the other foot, nothing has unloosed the fear filled nut case lunatic fringe ditto heads apparently more then the tea bagging bunch of crazies and malcontent we are now faced with on a daily basis since the election of President Barack Obama.
There is a certain fear that is palpable with this group of nuts that shouts the fact that they know deep down that their all white people's brand of Judeo Christian power wheeling and dealing is finally being pried from their cold dead hands, so to speak. They are liable to say and do anything in the state of desperation they now find themselves, desperately attempting to maintain their fleeting hold on power. But, it's over baby. In twenty years or so you'll be the minority race whether you like it or not.
Thus the truth has little chance or importance with this bunch right now, and like the communists, who long had represented the straw horse they've demonized, they have adopted the belief that the end justifies the means. They now more often then not take on the actual characteristics of those they have profess to hate as the antithesis of Americana they claim they have been empowered to guard and represent.
With them it is no wonder the dumb shit average American is easily duped by stupid and unsubstantiated Republican claims that health care reform is just a socialist form of demon worship or a communist plot to bring about world enslavement under a demon seed Manchurian candidate Muslim represented in the person of Barack Obama.
In actually universal health care is not a demon or a political system but common sense policy that strengthens the community's underpinnings as they are intended to be in any modern fair and just society.
When exactly did the public educational system in this country become so verifiability worthless that it continually failed to teach people the basic use of logic, common sense and the workings of our political system. Nearly half of these Americans have apparently turned into a nation of idiots who now spend their free time having doubts about the sitting president's birth and citizenship. Or openly preach discrimination and hatred towards any and all people who are not of white European heritage, religion or in agreement with their personal sexual morality standards. These people think gun ownership and use is the highest right in the land surpassing the overall security of the country and any and all others major issues of the day, including their own life or death.
In California these substance negative flag waving zealots have so severely limited the ability of the State to tax the citizens through bogus self centered people's initiatives that the government cannot fulfill the most basic of the State's responsibilities. Fuck paying for education, infrastructure or any other thing that used to represent what a progressive community felt were the basic requirements of a modern civilized society. Fuck you all I don't believe in taxes. You can all go die in hell, while at this very moment they are trying to bring this bullshit based form of government financing to my State. These are the self righteous, phony, religious types so selfish they see no benefit in helping others by the simple act of paying their fair share in taxes.
Ironically un-Christ like in their actions while preaching the tenets of their freaking doctored and misinterpreted self serving good book as justification for any and all of their wild hair up your ass ideas. These people call themselves Christians and hypocritically point fingers accusingly at those who are fortunate enough not to have gotten involved in the hypocrisy. I have news for you bastards your about as far from Christ like as Bozo the freaking Clown. If a hell exist, I'm sure your going to be the ones who burn the brightest and the longest in the fire of eternal freaking damnation.
It's only a matter of time before one of these self righteous gerbil wheel brained fuckers does something real crazy being all full of their own self fulfilling diarrhea of stupid god on our side baseless ideas of what is right and wrong. Driven over the edge by Sara Palin's phony outrage or just one to many Glenn Beck shows watched or neo Nazi themes rationalized out there in the boonies before they snap like a cheap rope pulling too much dead weight. It won't be pretty I'm sure we all fear and realize.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Obstructionist Senators Need To Hear From You On Healthcare Reform Now
If you haven't heard yet there are six conservative Senators who sent a letter to Senate leadership requesting a delay on health care reform legislation. Despite their phony proselytizing about their concern for the health of the American people, the phony reasoning for delay they layout is their supposed concern about costs.
The real reason is they are shills for the medical industry interests and wingnut conservatives in the states they come from who want things to remain the same. I think we all need to contact these so called representatives and tell them how we really feel about their obstructionism.
This delaying tactic is the same one the opponents of Hillarycare in 1994 used to stop that attempt at reform. Fifty years of talking about health care reform in this country must end now.
The six Senate obstructionists are listed below. I suggest you pick one, google their website and write an email to them about your objections to ANY delay of health care reform.
Ben Nelson (D) Nebraska (ringleader)
Olympia Snowe (R) Maine
Joe Lieberman (I) Connecticut
Mary Landrieu (D) Louisiana
Ron Wyden (D) Oregon
Susan M Collins (R) Maine
Here's my email letter to Senator Nelson sent through his website that may give you an rough outline when composing your letter.
Dear Senator Nelson,
Americans are dying out here in the real world because of political obstructionist like you.
Your continuing attempts to stall or kill health care reform are hypocritical and show what a shill you are for the powers who want to block health care progress in this country. You say you are concerned about cost, but your record shows you had little of no concern about costs when industry supported bills like the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 was passed or when it came to supporting the boondoggle of a god damn war in Iraq with billions of dollars without question.
That's because the truth is your either a total ignoramus or totally in the bag with the medical industry forces who want to maintain the status quo.
Probably both.
Your a phony and soon everyone will realize it. I will do everything in my power personally to see that you are defeated and I will work with other individuals who oppose your continued obstructionism should you run for reelection. We need Senators in this country who actually have the personal courage to finally fix the health care mess and fight for the people not the interest of the wealthy.
God knows we don't need anymore cronies of big business like you. We've got the totally brain dead Republican party for that. And you call yourself a Democrat. What Bullshit!
Sincerely,
Daniel O'Brien
Vashon, WA
Below is Obama's weekly address that points out that delay is exactly what we don't need now.
The real reason is they are shills for the medical industry interests and wingnut conservatives in the states they come from who want things to remain the same. I think we all need to contact these so called representatives and tell them how we really feel about their obstructionism.
This delaying tactic is the same one the opponents of Hillarycare in 1994 used to stop that attempt at reform. Fifty years of talking about health care reform in this country must end now.
The six Senate obstructionists are listed below. I suggest you pick one, google their website and write an email to them about your objections to ANY delay of health care reform.
Ben Nelson (D) Nebraska (ringleader)
Olympia Snowe (R) Maine
Joe Lieberman (I) Connecticut
Mary Landrieu (D) Louisiana
Ron Wyden (D) Oregon
Susan M Collins (R) Maine
Here's my email letter to Senator Nelson sent through his website that may give you an rough outline when composing your letter.
Dear Senator Nelson,
Americans are dying out here in the real world because of political obstructionist like you.
Your continuing attempts to stall or kill health care reform are hypocritical and show what a shill you are for the powers who want to block health care progress in this country. You say you are concerned about cost, but your record shows you had little of no concern about costs when industry supported bills like the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 was passed or when it came to supporting the boondoggle of a god damn war in Iraq with billions of dollars without question.
That's because the truth is your either a total ignoramus or totally in the bag with the medical industry forces who want to maintain the status quo.
Probably both.
Your a phony and soon everyone will realize it. I will do everything in my power personally to see that you are defeated and I will work with other individuals who oppose your continued obstructionism should you run for reelection. We need Senators in this country who actually have the personal courage to finally fix the health care mess and fight for the people not the interest of the wealthy.
God knows we don't need anymore cronies of big business like you. We've got the totally brain dead Republican party for that. And you call yourself a Democrat. What Bullshit!
Sincerely,
Daniel O'Brien
Vashon, WA
Below is Obama's weekly address that points out that delay is exactly what we don't need now.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Obama's Remarkable Speech To NAACP
This 35 minute speech I think is one of the President's best lately. Worth spending the time to watch. God I love this president's ability to communicate. Every old white man bigot in America should be required to watch this.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Monday, July 06, 2009
25 Year Old Bay Area Geek Who Facilitates Iranian Web Protests Info Under Direct Attack From Iran
Austin Heap a 25 year old bay area geek and IT director is developing a program called haystack that allows Iranian protesters to get their message through to the outside world in spite of the Iranian government establishment attempts to shutdown internet and phone access.
Heap has become somewhat of a local Iranian community and media darling since he developed methods that allowed Iranians to tweet and use other web communities to report what they see and hear is going on on the ground in Iran in the early days of the recent protests.
Prior to the the uprising Heap knew little about the internal workings of Iran. But he started the project because he strongly believes in free speech. "Americans ignored the subversion of their democracy. When the Iranians stood up to secure theirs, I could not let them down. The revolution may not be televised, but it will be tweeted." Heap is quoted as saying.
Heap has become somewhat of a local Iranian community and media darling since he developed methods that allowed Iranians to tweet and use other web communities to report what they see and hear is going on on the ground in Iran in the early days of the recent protests.
Prior to the the uprising Heap knew little about the internal workings of Iran. But he started the project because he strongly believes in free speech. "Americans ignored the subversion of their democracy. When the Iranians stood up to secure theirs, I could not let them down. The revolution may not be televised, but it will be tweeted." Heap is quoted as saying.
"Heap's weapon in the past few days was the proxy server, a computer configured to act as an intermediary between a computer user and the Internet. Such servers have many legitimate functions, such as speeding response times, and some illegitimate ones, such as helping spammers hide their identities."Heap needs your help. His web server has been under attack directly by the Iranian government and that's the least of his problems. He is attempting to bring other willing programmers to San Francisco to work on the project but lacks the funds. He is trying disparately to get Haystack completed to coincide with the upcoming general strike in Iran. You can help by donating money and getting the word out to your friends and their friends in your online social communities like twitter, facebook and myspace.
What interested Heap was the use of a proxy server to bypass censorship. Properly configured, a proxy server could identify Web surfers in Iran and route them to Twitter and other sites the government had restricted. People around the world were posting network addresses for such proxies on Twitter and elsewhere, Heap said, but there was no organization and the servers were unpredictable."
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