find peace if you can...

We said goodbye to Ted Kennedy. It was an extraordinarily touching and relevant tribute to a man who did take the cause and course of the common man to heart.

His family truly expressed their love, gratitude and care for the Senator, and his friends shed, I believe, real tears of compassion and condolence for him.

I will now listen closer to the words of the song "Danny Boy", and reflect on the deeds and follow through of a great American, Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy.

And the Senator's deeds were mentioned by many during the "celebration" of his life. One in particular standing at the podium, recanting tales of the Senate and Senator, was Senator Orin Hatch (R), of Utah. Seems Senator Hatch went way back with his old pal Ted, as both men have served in the Senate each for over 30 years.

30 years in the Senate for Hatch and 30 years of receiving Government paid for health care. 30 years of not paying for insurance, for not having to worry about pre-existing conditions, 30 years of getting any test necessary for any illness or ailment, 30 years of great prescription coverage, 30 years of "socialized" medicine. Senator Hatch and Senator Kennedy each a recipient of free health care.

Senator Hatch spoke about his pal "Ted", fighting for the rights of the common man, and for Teddy's compassion efforts and energies to make honest and sincere change: change from the heart.

And all those years of the two men serving in the Senate, not once has Senator Hatch voted in favor of Senator Kennedy's health care bills or reforms. Not once while accepting free Government run health care has Senator Hatch voted to allow the average citizen the same services he receives. Not once while selecting any specialist or second or third opinion regarding his health status, has Senator Hatch tried to pass a health care bill which helps the average American and not aids the bottom line of the big businesses of the Health Care Industry and Pharma-Conglomerate.

Senator Hatch spoke at Senator Kennedy's funeral eloquently and effusively. Senator Hatch spoke with clear conscience and recalled a history of the good deeds the two men performed on behalf of the public. Senator Hatch placed himself in the same league as Senator Kennedy and with a smirk so slimy and insincere was sure many of us believed his every word.

In current politics it seems what you say is what matters and not what you do or really did.

How do you live with yourself Senator Hatch?

Rest in peace Senator Kennedy, try and find peace if you can Senator Hatch.

a letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama,

On Saturday, August 29, 2009, you will speak at the funeral ceremony for Senator Ted Kennedy.

What an honor to be a part of a remembrance for a man who has stepped forward, made cause and effect and has indulged the American citizen to understand, comprehend and receive the kind of personal health care, living standard, and better quality of life existence.

Senator Kennedy said, "...every American deserves equal and quality health care as a right of citizenship.." And ever since 1966 he (Kennedy) has worked, strived and driven the Government to try and provide that "right".

For some reason Mister President, there have been those in responsible positions of this Government, acting irresponsibly, who feel that their personal gain for not creating a public option or equal access to health care is THE priority.

Many Republican Senators and Representatives and a select few Democrat elected officials believe that the bottom line of the For Profit Health Care Industry or the Conglomerate Pharmaceuticals is a greater issue than life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the average American.

You have led a charge to change that way of thinking, but so far the war of words has led to inaction, lack of direction, and misled opposition which is based on lies innuendo, and fabrication. And it seems Mister President, that the longer this inaction and intimidation takes place the longer the line of sick and suffering people grow, and perhaps the possibility of death also grows.

You Sir, know how Washington works, and you Sir know the partisan games and maneuvers Washington thrives upon. But you Sir, can with the power of your office, and the power of your will and hopefully the power of your conscience change the immoral and inhuman politics as usual.

I would hope as you speak at the funeral of Senator Kennedy, Mister President, you inform those in attendance who say they knew what Senator Kennedy wanted, or say they would have found compromise if only Senator Kennedy were alive to debate; to perhaps stop their grandstanding, and stand up for what is good for all Americans, not just the CEO's or share holders.

It is frustrating to listen to the chaos and clutter thrown about by opponents of the Public Option. It is disheartening to hear the rhetoric of the ridiculous, and it is disingenuous to each and every American on the "right" or the "left" to continue to NOT change our Health Care System.

If not now, WHEN, Mister President, do you draw a line in the sand, ask your colleagues in the House and Senate to do the will of Senator Kennedy, the will of the people, and find the will to stand for the greater good?

Few of us mere mortals can make a change that will for many lifetimes linger, live and lastingly make a difference.

My condolences to the family of Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy.

i am just wondering...

I am wondering if smart people, people who think, people who want the facts, not fiction, people who seek truth, people with conscience and care, are becoming extinct?

I am wondering if the Culture of this country is in such state of flux that fiction is fact, inaccuracies are accurate, hatred is based on the bigoted Biblical blabber, and truth is conveniently altered for fabrication, fable and falsehoods?

I am wondering why the smart people are not making the news. I am wondering why the so called main stream news outlets would rather create the news story then take the time to fact check, research, and repudiate the shenanigans, and manufactured falsehoods in front of their very eyes.

I am wondering why we must always reach the lowest common denominator in social norms, intelligence, and behavior to appeal to the masses, and be so afraid of trying to raise the bar?

I am wondering why the Democrats have no backbone and the Republicans use their soulless, unconscionable, bullying behavior and seemingly get to control the agendas of Americans?

I am wondering why the Christian Evangelical Right are never challenged as to having dibs on God, and that their perception of Gods thoughts seemed to never be challenged.

I am wondering why the Institution of Marriage can withstand cheating, adulterous behavior, infidelity of Heterosexual couples, but the minute an LGBT couple want to wed the Institution becomes a "Leaning Tower of Pisa".

I am wondering why raising children in a loving family environment with two parents (same or opposite sex) who educate, nurture, comfort and care is worse then raising children in a home where there is constant hate speech, fear mongering, and bigotry?

I am wondering why LGBT's are seemingly more powerful then Allah, or Jesus or Ha Shem? Why our loving one another will destroy any and all power God has?

There is so much to wonder about, wouldn't it be nice if once in this current life time some real wondrous things took place: like universal health care, equality for all in every aspect of American life, trickle up economics, religions which welcomed instead of deny, and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all of us.

I am just wondering...

Senator Kennedy

Dear Senator Kennedy,

It is with great sympathy and grief that I write you this letter, hearing of your death.

From my recollection, Sir, you had a life which at times seemed thrust upon you, and a position in life which through no control of your own was also one you seemed to inherit rather than insist upon.

It took you time to understand your power, your participation your prestige. It took a learning curve to understand the importance of wealth, the impotence of swagger, the dangers of indulgence.

You were considered a member of America's royal family. You seemed to many to be in the shadow of three brother's whose fate in life was to change the world, to lay claim to bigger and better and to seize the moment. However fate seemed to steal their thunder and their moments on earth were too little too few.

And in the prime of your political career your conscience and convictions came into full throttle and you began a quest to bring fair and equitable policy and politics to a country so lacking in values and honesty. So lacking in leadership, so lacking in morals and ethics.

We will miss you Senator Kennedy. But it would seem to me that there could be one VERY important opportunity for not only your spirit and soul to live on in this country, but also for your tireless efforts and energies to bring Health Care Reform to all Americans.

Perhaps some of your colleagues in the Senate could find the backbone to stand on the floor of the Senate and ask why it is that they have the kind of health insurance all Americans deserve. Perhaps, Senators Mc Cain or Hatch or Grassley could face their peers and wonder aloud, why is it that they (the Senators), have coverage with no deductibles, no pre existing conditions, Government sponsored, easy access insurance and most to many Americans do not?

Perhaps in a moment of honesty, something most Senators shun, your friends in the Senate could talk about the real facts included in President Obama's Health care reform, and debunk the lies, fabrications myths, and innuendoes, many to most of the Republican leadership initiated.

Maybe Senators Dodd and Byrd, could stand in front of the men and women they swore to serve the nation with, and explain, had those two Senators not had the kind and quality health insurance that ALL Government workers get, the two of them might not even be alive. That had THEIR insurance not permitted dozens and dozens of pre screenings or tests, their individual illnesses and diseases would have never been detected.

I will mourn your passing Senator Kennedy, but I will selfishly mourn your courage, some of which I see having gone to the heavens with you and not remaining in the hearts and minds of the U.S. Senate.

How much easier it would be to try to save lives then to constantly destroy, devour and deny them.

Rest in peace Sir.

a man can dream

On Friday, the afternoon before the Jewish Sabbath, Senator Joe Leiberman, a man proud of his orthodox Jewish upbringing, told the press that morally it would make sense to provide health care to all Americans. But he added with the national deficit rising, and the recession quite not in check, we should wait another year or two.

I suppose that if people were already sick, or with inadequate health services or health care, they could certainly continue on the path of dying, being sick or just surviving one more year.

The Senator must have felt comforted in his compassion for those without health coverage, because saying you care, and not acting upon it must be all it takes to pretend you have a heart, a soul, conscience and a good religious belief in God.

As Jewish man I had been taught that the God I believe in really does not care about bottom line profits for Big Health Care Corporations, nor fat pay checks for the CEO's of each health Care Corporation or that the stock holders receive mega bucks for their stock.

I was taught about moral judgements being a priority and all other aspects of living had to follow doing what was right for one another, so life on earth was not hell on Earth.

I was taught that my higher power actually cared if I hurt, if I was hungry, if I was treated less than equal, if I was not my brother's keeper.

I was taught that I should do unto others as I would have them do unto me.

So Senator Leiberman, so cavalier and so callous just decided that the status quo for the under insured the non insured, was okay. That he (Leiberman) knew the morality of the issue, the good Jewish man that he is, but practicality trumps morality. Those in pain emotionally or physically can remain in pain because the pain of trying to correct the injustice of the health system is JUST TOO DAMN painful.

One day I would love to see a large hand appear from the clouds. The index finger and the thumb of that large hand come together in a tiny oval. Then have a loud voice say, you hypocritical bastards, stop using my name in vein. stop pretending you know and can speak for me. Why not try being human, the way I really created you.

Then have that finger and thumb sort out losers like Leiberman and fling them across the horizon.

A man can dream.

if they only had a backbone

In the wizard of Oz, the lion, scarecrow, and tin man all sought out the wizard to find a part of their anatomy which was missing or lacking. They perilously walked the yellow line argued with the reluctant wizard and in the end found their courage, brain and heart. Poor Dorothy just had to awaken from a bad dream.

Too bad finding parts of the body is only made easy in movies.

I am wondering when the Democratic leadership is going to find their backbone. You know the piece of anatomy where people actually stand for their values. Or fight for moral and ethical purpose. Or understand good should triumph over evil and the best way to make that happen is press hard against the wall feet planted firmly in the sand, and saying what you mean and meaning what you say.

Seems the majority party in the Congress can't make the bills they want to make into law happen. Seems they preferred to be bullied and bully whacked by lies, fabrications unethical behavior of the Republican party. Seems the Democratic leadership fears the mob rule, unintelligence, lack of any truth and goon tactics the Republican leadership manufactures and manufactures.

Oh people like Senator Barbara Boxer (D) of California go on the Rachel Maddow show, pursing her lips, making giggle sounds and shaking her head in great dismay telling how awful those bad Republicans are. But not once has she said the same words she uses as a T.V. talking head to once chastise her peer group of phonies on the Senate floor.

Then we have Harry Reed, who you might ask? You know the Harry Reed (D) Senator of Nevada who is the Majority leader in the Senate. Oh he does a whole bunch of head shaking also, and whispers in his quiet Mormon voice, that the Democrats are going to change things in the Senate.

And to this date has stalled any vote on health care reform, not once outed his Republican lie mongers on all the willfully wrong innuendo and misleading information they have placed forth on behalf of Pharmo-conglomerates and Health Care Big Business types.

And our Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi always picks out the perfect outfits, including matching pearls and bracelet to point an accusing finger to the evil doers, but quite never names names nor bothers on the floor of the House to call their bluff. She seems to simply enjoy being called that "woman from the Bay area." (You know the one T.V. idiot Glenn Beck said he wanted to poison or Joe, who is really not a plumber Plumber wants to take behind the shed and beat up.)

Can someone call Gelenda the Good Witch and ask her to move her bubble to the D.C. area. Then cruise onto the Capitol Building and ask everyone there to click their heels three times. I am sure asking many of the Senators to find a pair of ruby slippers would be easy, most of them could ask their mistresses to lend them a pair.

You might think, finally finding the the majority of votes in both the House and Senate, the Democrats could find their backbone and make real CHANGE.

power

I wrote a few letters to various Senators stating my opinions about their stance and views on the Health Care reform. Of course for the few who responded I received a form letter which was nothing less than saying, yeah we received whatever you wrote, but vote for us next election!

Kind of frustrating for me to say the least.

I wrote to my Senator, Barbara Boxer from California. Ms Boxer does a great interview on the Rachel Maddow show, "giving 'em hell Harry." She rants and raves makes the appropriate faces of disgust when mentioning her Republican colleagues, and listening to her interview, you want to cheer Senator Boxer on. Sort of a "you go girl", feeling.

So I asked, in my letter to Senator Boxer, why not take your vim vigor and vital words of dismay regarding your peer group of Ivory Tower living cohorts and chastise them on the Senate floor. I went on to ask why not try and embarass her fellow senators and ask them to defend the lies they preach to the uneducated and angry masses. Take each fabrication of truth and ask them to find where those words are found in the Presidents package.

Senator Boxer seems to have a lot to say on television, so why not call her anti democratic pals for what they are to their faces, and debunk the myths, lies and innuendoes?

The email I received from her was just a list of allllllllllllll the wonderful things the Senator has done in her career.

Sent a letter to Senator Dodd. I congratulated him on having good enough health coverage to have been able to spot his prostate cancer early enough and get the right treatments. Seems the senate, have the kind of coverage that allows for pre screening, any amount of tests necessary and no pre conditions. They also get Government sponsored care as we the taxpayer pay for it.

I asked Senator Dodd to call upon Senator Kennedy and Senator Byrd, (all three democrats recently fell prey to poor health conditions), to have the three of them stand on the senate floor and remind their fellow socialized medicine Republican counterparts to talk about how lucky they were to have he best health care in the country. Then to ask one another out loud why can't ALL Americans have the same government run, paid for health care plan.

In my letter I asked Senator Dodd to ask his buds on the Senate floor, why what is good for elected Government officials is not good enough for ALL Americans?

But when I sent my email to Senator Dodd's office, the response I got is that he has no obligation to respond to anyone who does not live in Connecticut.

I sent a letter to Orin Hatch a Senator from Utah in office for over 30 years. I asked him how it felt to never have to pay for health premiums for he and his family for over 30 years. I asked him if he even knew what the average family pays for health care, that is if they can get it or afford it. I asked him if he even was an appropriate senator to comment on the state of health care reform due to the fact he is so far removed from real life?

His email response was thanks.

So many people making decisions for ALL of us seem so far removed from this world and this life. When do we take back our rights? When do we get people who listen and work for us not their own personal agendas?

more evil

Senator John Mc Cain the Presidential candidate of the Republican party in 2008, the one who started out as a "maverick" but ended up more like the Bible totting, lie telling, truth avoiding Conservative creature, is very quiet on all this fabricated hoopla on health cafe reform.

But the Senator, has left us with two long lasting lying loons who still haunt us in the waning days of 2009, and who still remind us of why Senator Mc Cain would not have made a great "decider", (I quit my job) ex Governor Sarah Palin, and (I am the "everyman" but not really a plumber), Joe the Plumber.

Both gas filled ill drawn cartoons are still out and about expounding mistruths, lighting fires, and hardly ever finishing a sentence, but able bodied enough to tell the masses the kind of truth they want to hear.

I didn't vote for the Mc Cain/Palin/Plumber ticket, but boy I am sure stuck with the greasy residual left from a group smarmy, self promoting, I come first loser personalities who seem to never go away.

And speaking of Joe the Plumber,( except I never became liscened to be a plumber), he and another "fav" Republican lie monger, Glenn Beck are both in the news for the same thing.

Seems in this country it is now okay if you label yourself as red white and blue, good christian Republican, to announce ways of either killing or beating up the Speaker of the House.

Yep Mister Beck announced on his program on Fox, that he would love to take Ms Pelosi to dinner and at the end poison her. Not once, nope fill her glass of wine a few times and make sure she dies with her head on the dinner plate. But not to be outdone, the Plumber, told a crowd of evangelical white supremacists, that "where he comes from, being a bully is a good thing", and if Joe had his way he would take the Speaker behind the out house and beat her up.

Part of the explanation for this need to kill or harm the Speaker of the House the third in line to be President if anything should happen to the President and VP, is because, "...after all she (Pelosi) is a woman from the Bay area.

Wonder when shouting fire in the theater is finally no longer free speech but considered dangerous and hate speech?

A note of caution here that troubles me immensely.

It seems once again those who have no backbone nor ideas or conscience or morals values or ethics are gaining support from a very low common denominator. It seems to me that

we do need to worry about how stupid people think. We need to worry about fact based on bigotry. We do need to worry about leading lemmings to the cliff, and we need to wonder where will this lead?

I thought we had 8 years of evil?

history repeats

Back in the day, the Tobacco Conglomerates used their lobbyist efforts to tell Congress that smoking had very little to nothing to do with lung cancer or emphysema. They had their cadre of scientists, and medical professionals explain that smoking actually calmed ones nerves and if anything about it made you a bit dependent; it was only because the whole effort of smoking was pleasurable and relaxing.

Back in the day, the Republican Congressmen/women and Senators, felt the Government was interfering in the American past time, and any attempt by the Democratic leadership to undermine something as basic as apple pie and mom, was communistic, fascist heresy!

And many gun toting, flag waving, love it or leave it Americans tied to the propaganda of their Republican good Christian elected officials protested and shouted that smoking was good, clean and healthy. And anyone saying differently was just ease dropping and trying to control a hard working American's life.

And now, a few generations later, we have a different propaganda machine at work, run by perhaps different lobbyists, or maybe the same people but for a different industry, telling us how any public option for health care is dangerous, deceitful and down right Un-American.

And once again a group of Republican and a smattering of blue dog democrats, tied to the shackles of Big Pharmacy/Health Care donations, are telling the Americans that the Government has no right to mind your business when it comes to health care or health insurance. (Medicare and Medicaid aside.)

And once again those who might benefit from reform or change are yelling loudest not to change or accept reform because, well, because....because the really real Americans, the really red white and blue Americans say not to.

And so once again because so many stupid people, so many frightened souls, so many privately bigoted people, let others think for them, and never ever bother to find out the truth: we all must wait and wait while the lobbyists once again try to stop Americans from gaining, getting,

better health.

Why does history so much repeat itself in this country, without many of us learning anything at all?

when?

I worry as to how bad the discourse in the country has to get, until people with real ideas, real emotion, and real compassion for compromise, and truth band together and silence those who refuse to stop their hate.

Where are the sane people, the ones with facts not fiction as their weapon. Where is the political leadership who can silence even the most noisy and uncivil group by telling them we care and we can solve the issues, but we must speak to be heard, and listen so we can hear.

Where are citizens of this country who stop denying others the same rights and privileges they have. Who fight for rights, not only theirs, but for those individuals whose voice is dwarfed by the volumes of bigotry, loathing and fear.

When does this current chaos come to an end? When does sanity prevail? When do we replace those who care less with those who care more?

crime not a crime.

When is a crime not a crime?

We can not yell "Fire" in a theater as if done, it may cause panic, bedlam injury and perhaps with the chance that in the rush to escape, harm may come to those innocent patrons.

But we can say the President has "death squads", will allow abortions, will socialize all American's medical coverage, and even though none of that is true, (and even though, a reform of the health care system will HELP improve the health and welfare of many, many Americans), and even though the DENIAL of that coverage can lead to bedlam, injury and perhaps death, we can still shout "Fire", in the business of health care reform and get away with it.

When is free speech no longer free?

If Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh continue to speak falsehoods, lies and fiction inspiring many illiterate, uneducated, self loathing, bigoted Americans to hate, conspire against the Government, disallow debate, and ramshackle a town hall meeting, when does their behavior, their actions their speech turn from free speech to hate speech?

Why is it when Sarah Palin just decides to make up facts, to find the lowest common denominator in American culture, to even contradict herself in statements she said, she can continue spewing her fiction? She never issues an apology or a reply saying, I have abused the righteous tenant of free speech. My actions may have caused some of you to riot. I just screamed "Fire" in the theater of Joe and Josie American's backyard and I got away wit it.

Why is it when Glenn Beck announces on his Fox Cable show, he wants to poison the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, giggles with glee, mashing his hands together with delight, he is not called upon by the FBI for contrivance of a crime to assassinate an elected official. Why can he yell "Fire" on the political stage and not even be asked to leave the theater?

Why is it when Rush Limbaugh states that President Obama is a Nazi, and is acting like Adolph Hitler and tells his minions of angry, blame the woes of the world on others, bigoted dummies, to start making signs and insisting these lemmings rebel and tear down the third Reich in this country, he is not chastised by authorities for shouting "Fire".

Why is it in this country we are not proactive with a crime; but make it a crime when someone gets hurt. Why do we sometimes insist we be civil and sometimes wait until we become rowdy, belligerent, and someone has to be thrown into panic, because the bedlam is so great and then injury and death may occur to do anything at all?

When is a crime not a crime?

I am worried that the thin line between free speech has blurred into hate speech, and no one seems to be trying to stop the callers from yelling "Fire."

why is it?

Why is it for some of us it is easier to believe a lie than it is to listen to the truth?

Why is it for some of us, that we would rather lazily hear the fiction about issues that matter gravely to us then take the time and discover the facts and forge forward with better knowledge and understanding?

Why is it for some of us, one sided seems totally alright in listening to a debate?

Why is it for some of us, opinions matter more than truth, or facts, or educated information?

Why is it for some of us, we refuse to see the other side, if the other side conflicts with what we think is correct, or we assume is just?

Why is it for some of us, we hardly question those presenting their point of view, but because they look like us, think like us, pray to the same God as us, we selfishly let them speak for us?

Why is it for some of us, the louder we shout, harder we yell, the more we scream, the better we think our point will be heard?

Why is it for some of us, we refuse to listen to the other side for fear if we do, someone else may get a bigger piece of the pie, a larger share of the profit, an easier life then we?

Why is it for some us, communication comes in sound bytes, interruptions, name calling, fear mongering, intimidation, and absolutely little to no "give and take"?

Why is it for some of us, if we continue to act this way more distance than proximity, more difference than similarity, more diseased discourse than delightful dalliances will be the norm.

And nothing will be made whole for some of us?

Why is it?

need vs. greed

Need and greed. Both words rhyme, yet each word has such a distinct different meaning from one another.

Imagine if we could interchange these words.

I wonder how the American automakers would be faring right now if they had looked at the NEEDS of America and built cars which actually had a lifetime of more than three years. If they built cars which had better mileage, used technologies other than fossil fuel, and were more environmentally friendly. I wonder if when we had the first oil embargo during the Carter administration, the American Automakers sat together and said we must become less reliant on foreign oil, so we must use our American ingenuity and develop cars which will satisfy the state of current events, and lead us into the future. But then not selling new cars every third year, not building cars which would break down, building cars to help the oil companies make a better profit, were really the success of GREED.

I wonder how many Politicians ever sit down and ask, what do my constituents NEED. How can we create a health plan which is cost efficient, actually puts a premium on proactive behavior, allows the sickest person to the most likely to fall prey to illness individual access the exact type of necessary medical coverage possible. How can we as elected leaders of this nation, develop a fair and equitable form of health coverage so those in the profession of practicing medicine receive their due dollars, but those in need of medical help, do not have make a choice between rent, food, or health.

I wonder how easy an American Health Plan might come to fruition if the GREED of most politicians to receive money from the lobbyists of for profit health carriers or pharmacy conglomerates was replaced by the NEED of the people they supposedly represent.

I wonder how events would play out if the Evangelicals who build mega churches, pay for lavish bling in the form of cars, wardrobes, houses, vacations, saw the NEED of the poor, the homeless or of the sick would change if dollars collected went to the same groups people Jesus prayed for, walked with and gave care to.

I wonder how many homes would be built instead of ornate Evangelical palaces. I wonder how many people would be fed instead of the lavish four or five course meals the ministers/pastors and their families eat, and I wonder how many real lives would be saved here and now day by day instead of promises for a better life after you are dead. Seems the leaders of most Mega-Churches live a great life here and now.

So many examples of NEED versus GREED. So many of us have been GREEDY, and unless we have ever been NEEDY we many times find little relevance in the difference of NEED and GRRED. Often times we chastise those in NEED as the enemy, as lazy, as irrelevant and bothersome. And as we collect our rewards from GREED bask in the glow of, "NEED is for someone else, not me.

Wonder what life would be like if we all NEEDED one another and were only GREEDY with our love, care and concern.

definitions

Bully. Someone (s), who will intimidate, threaten, create malice and present an environment filled with hostility, anger, malfeasance, and aggressive behavior. Become a mob or act like a mobster.

Coward. Someone (s), who will not face up to their actions, lie about their involvement, claim they had no part in wrong doing, but leave a trail a mile long of their participation, deny participation, and blame someone else.

Deniers. Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Steele, C Street Church. People or groups who create unrest, preach untruths, spew hate, create disinformation. And who after caught in the act refuse to take any responsibility, but insist they were misquoted, taken out of context, refuse to answer any questions about so said issue, blame others for misconstruing their words.

Lemmings. People who like others to think for them. People who would rather believe innuendo, here-say, biased commentary, fact less truth, and can be led a stray either because they really have no free will, are comfortable with bigotry, hate and falsehoods, or can not function in this world unless led by a leash.

Right Wing Republican Leadership. Bullies who deny any wrong doing once caught cowering out as to their responsibility, who feed on a lemming mentality.

Smart. People who recognize irresponsibility in Government. Who want to learn the facts, not shout out fiction. People who lead from their intelligence, add their emotion, and end with their senses and sensibility. People who look at bullies and cowards and those who deny the truth and say we will not be your lemmings any longer. And as the people of Oz said to the Wicked Witch of the West, "...go away you are not welcome here anymore..."

Where do you fit?

Twilight Zone

Peter Pan had Neverland. Walt Disney had Disneyland, and little kids even have Leggoland.

And now it seems the people of America are being treated to new lands created from unreality, fantasy, and hate.

In Palin Land, we have the opportunity to make statements based on nothing but conjecture, fiction, deceit and lies. It is a land where consequence and conscience matter not. It is a place where you start fires and walk away blaming others for the damage done. It is a location of run on sentences, finding evil doers, and never doing as I do, just as I say.

In Glenn Beck Land, you will find smarminess, vengeance and vile regurgitation of bigotry, bias and baseless baloney. It is a land where you can make statements of poisoning the Speaker of the House of Representatives, (the third person in line for President should something happen to the President and Vice President), fabricate any truth, deny fabricating the truth when caught, and then laugh about how the media makes a mockery of a simple man just saying how the "average joe" thinks.

In Republican Leadership Land mob rules, no matter what. The sense of debate compromise consensus, are meaningless because all three of the fore mentioned means to an end, might mean your point is never recognized.

In FOX TV Land, you never have to be "fair and balanced" in what you do and what you report, you just have to say you are. You will however have to yell, rant, scream to be heard. And always refer to God, the Constitution, a Christian Nation, and when speaking. Also guns are encouraged due to the potential for the United States army to come and arrest you. In FOX TV Land you don't need condoms for protection from sexual activity because good Americans abstain, but you need weapons for protection because Uncle Sam is waiting to get you.

In Rush Limbaugh Land, all you need to do is refer to the President as a Nazi. You don't have to believe the Holocaust happened, or that White Supremacy members might not have a point to live there. You can take as many pain killers as you want, but make sure you call anyone else who deals in prescription drugs without valid medical need a "junkie", loser and the ever impressive "low life".

In 700 Club Land, all you need to do is pay off Pat Robertson and his clan for having Jesus' ear. Provide the 700 Club with YOUR hard earned cash, because the Robertson boys are best friend with the Lord. They can wisp you right up to the pearly gates if you send them money every month. Jesus is in on their Board of Directors, so paying the 700 Club is like placing a buck in Jesus' robe.

In Lemming Land, all you need to be is a self loathing, angry, I deserve more and get less, someone owes me, I hate anyone different than me, this country belongs to whites, the south will rise again individual. You need to be ready to accept false promises, be duped for being dumb, ask no question which require fact, and follow your personal bigotry until it leads to a politician or religious leader who knows God better than you do. And even though they get paid more than you, or receive better health care than you, or receive a pension by which they retire early trust them as long as THEY say they are just like you.

Sometimes all of these new lands make me think I am living in the Twilight Zone.

mrs. palin

Dear Mrs. Palin,

Now that you have declared yourself a common, just down the street from you neighbor, the "everywoman" for the modern age, you feel you have the right as all Americans to express your feelings and thoughts about the politics and culture of this great country.

And once again Mrs Palin, you have made some rash statements without really backing up your point, your issues your reasons. You have accused the Obama administration's Health Care package of being "downright evil", for it will, according to your assumption, judge the level of productivity for children like your son Trig who were born with Down Syndrome, or for your elderly parents.

You insist with no substantial fact except your own heresy, that the Obama Administration's Plan will have all old people be a part of a plot to commit euthanasia because old people are not productive.

Mrs. Palin, you have said so many things in the short tenure of your national star status. You have complained and talked, recited verses and chapter from the Bible, you have made accusations, and for the most part, Mrs. Palin none of you statements were ever based on fact.

And when push came to shove Mrs. Palin, you denied making false remarks or told anyone who questioned you they (all remarks) were all taken out of context. And Mrs Palin when you were shown audio or video of your comments,( you even denied that what we heard came from your lips), and began one of your long winded idiotic rants about being a victim of the media.

I wonder Mrs Palin do you have a conscience? Do you realize with your star status millions of Americans turn to you to supply them with advice. You have convinced your minions that you are just the girl next store, the Moose killing, hockey skating mom who is here for them.

And then you lie to them. And somehow it seems to me that you could care less about the lie. because if that lie is found out there are more lies. Have you even read the Obama Administration" paper on Health Care? If you have, Mrs Palin, then highlight, underline, make in bold, the part where the Obama Health Care Legislation is going to insist on ending the life of old people or people like Trig.

Make us all learn the truth Mrs. Palin about the "downright evil", you have uncovered, from what, innuendo, suggestion, wishful thinking?

If you had any conscience Mrs. Palin, you would understand that your politicking, you self promotion, your self importance above all else is costing the quality of life for many Americans who need a Health Care Plan sooner than later. People who follow you, who have very little savings, or no job, or who hardly make ends meet. they do need quality health care you know the kind you and all the Palins have.

You never seem to realize the consequences of your actions do you Mrs. Palin?

It is easier for you to walk away, blaming anyone but yourself for your actions.

You managed to walk away from your pregnant teenaged daughter Bristol. You insisted she abstain, never telling an active teenager that abstination would be preferred but if she should have sex at least have protected sex. Nope politics and playing to the religious right were more important and Bristol got pregnant. And now she is a baby having a baby. And had you followed through with your parenting skills you might have been able to prevent something you so vigorously promoted, no premarital sex.

And when the accusations of wrong doing in Alaska, while your were Governor, got too much or overbearing, you walked away. You of course became the martyr, and said you walked away from office to save the Alaskans time and money fighting a politically motivated set of charges against you.

Once again, 15 different indictments or charges of corruption, unethical actions, and fraud are being leveled against you and not one is true, according to you. And once again you walked away with no conscience as to the mess the Alaskan citizens will face.

Mrs Palin. you seem to be void of consciousness and consequence. You never seem to look in the mirror and see your own reflection. you rant and rave filled with vile conjecture, assumption, innuendo, mischief, and mayhem. And when you are finished never proving a point, and fingers are pointed to you to tell the truth, you blame others denying you said or did anything in the first place.

So, now your daughter Bristol has to raise a baby in her teenaged years, the people of Alaska have a new Governor who must complete your unfinished tasks, and all those lemmings who count on your for leadership, will not receive any kind of beneficial health coverage because anything they select from the Obama list of choices is "downright evil".

Do you sleep at night? Do you ever wonder what God is thinking about you?

evil again

I always thought that good would triumph over evil.

I believed that bad deeds would find consequence and good deeds would find honor.

But living in the 21st century I am crestfallen to discover that my beliefs about bad and good seem to have lost their punch. I am finding that the rewards seem to be greater for those greedier, gluttonous, and gross than those altruistic, sensitive and sincere.

The story about Wall Street has died. We have moved on, but who really paid the price for bad, selfish greedy decisions. The average investor? What did he/she receive after losing their savings? Did they receive the same compensation the fired CEO's of the banks and mortgage companies got? Did the middle class American investor get the same "golden parachute" as the "bigwigs" from Wall Street? Who is still living high on the hog, Mr. & Mrs. Average American or the CEO's from the lenders who through selfish behavior created the mess?

Look at the thousands of unemployed auto workers, laid off, fired removed from their jobs. It was a grand gesture to remove the CEO of General Motors for his lack of proactive thoughtful, insightful management. But who is still enjoying the good life? the blue collar workers who are running out of unemployment or having to spend hundreds more dollars on COBRA Health Care, or the CEO with his multi-million dollar contract pay out?

How about the politicians who accept bribes or gifts from lobbyists? How about when they are found out to have committed fraud, libelous acts, committed perjury? What do they get? They get kicked of office at the worst, and usually a teeny tiny censure from their cohorts in crime and go on to receive their health plan, and pension. What do the American taxpayers get? The privilege to pay the bills.

And now there is a new breed of bad versus good. The Health Care Reform conversation has now become the newest lament of evil doing that the Republican leadership has spawn. All of the top talking heads of Republican leadership under the direction of the leading Pharmacy -Conglomerates or for Profit Health Carriers are now taking the truth and turning it into lies and garbage. And the uneducated, fearful, easy targeted group of American who let others think for them are buying the case of crap.

And once again a person who has lied about her career in office, has denied saying things found on video and audio, who left office as Governor of Alaska because she has about 15 potential investigations into her immoral, unethical behavior is weighing in on the topic and spewing hate and fear.

Sarah Palin playing politics, looking for the loser lemmings, fostering fear from the bigoted now says the President's health Plan will kill seniors. Her misinterpretation of a "living will", a piece of legal document allowing people who are dying to request how they die, who receives their inheritance is being misconstrued, misrepresented and misquoted by a woman who is only self serving and selfish.

It astonishes me that a small majority of people can not see through this charade. It annoys me that bad is trumping good, it angers me that the evil deeds do not go punished.

makes no sense, does it????

Seems the Republican leadership (you know the holier than thou guys and gals who preach do as I say not as I do), are at it again as it relates to the potential Health Care Reform.

The Republican leadership only offers negatives or suggestions which usually reward the rich and the large corporations, and they are once again showing off their one and only skill set which is divide and conquer, lie and deceit, create a mob rule mentality, BUT never ever allow discussion or discourse because that might lead to democracy.

It seems the Republican, are not trying to find solution or resolution regarding Health Care Reform, but are looking for disarray and disgust screaming and screeching instead of words wise and worldly.

A town hall meeting in a democratic society is usually the crown jewel in letting the people (the electorate) have their input and ideas demonstrated. Seems that the Republicans are adverse to reason and rationale, and deem the town hall too dangerous in perhaps uncovering the truth about health care, and uncovering the lies and falsehoods listed on behalf of the pharmacological conglomerates and the lobbyists for the "big business of health insurance companies who have funded the Republican leadership.

The same group of leadership from the Republican ranks who gave the U.S. the failures of "trickle down economics", "weapons of mass destruction", "shock and awe", "no child left behind", "wire taping" are poisoning town hall meetings. Their paid for goons filled with their own bigoted, biased, self loathing viruses, are now interrupting and dismantling any semblance of question answer, fact verse fiction at a town hall meeting which actually might enlighten and educate a confused public.

But as we have learned over the past 8 Bush/Cheney years, truth, integrity, honesty, and sincere responsiveness to the American public is not a priority.

The problem is that in this country it seems the louder you are, the more dramatic your rant and rave is made, the more tantrums and outrage that can fit into a 30 second news sound byte, the more play it gets. And if anything, we have learned that the Republican leadership loves to destroy and not build, tear apart and never mend, forget fact and replace it with well rehearsed and written fiction.

And if the Republicans and their band of mad men and women all afraid of a Black President, or told that Government is going to take away their guns so you can't take them with you to the doctors office, or all doctors will now perform abortions without consent or socialized medicine will kill you before it cures you, get THEIR way, the only winners will once again be the Pharmaceutical Companies and the for profit Heath Insurance Carriers.

And the saddest thing is, the same people protesting change, don't even realize that the change they fear the most just might set them free.

And anyone with a touch of conscience or an understanding that left to their own devices the Insurance and Pharmaceutical Giants will rig up, hike up, raise up prices and the only satisfied customer will be the Republican leadership who will receive big bonuses for their deed with the devil.

We all seem so smart to have figured this out, so why is it still happening?

Just makes no sense does it!

let them eat cake

I am angry!

Just a few tidbits that do not sit well with me and items I believe need not go unnoticed or undone.

I just sent an email to Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut. Seems he has prostate cancer, and thankfully detected it early enough that he will recover. Senator Dodd made an emotional speech about how lucky he was to have some of the finest health coverage in the U.S. and had it not been for the GOVERNMENT run health insurance he receives as Senator, he might not be lucky enough to have found the prostate cancer in time.

Apparently if you have the type of insurance that the U.S. Government elected officials and Government employees have you need not worry about tests pre- screenings, specialists and treatments to make you better, and to keep you healthy.

Nice words from the Senator, whose health could have taken a turn for the worse but because we the tax payers are paying for his coverage, was able to take advantage of his insurance and get treatment.

But words do not undo a deed divisive and nasty. Saying he wishes all Americans could have the same coverage as he (Senator Dodd) and all of his colleagues does not make the coverage happen.

What would be nice is for (Senator Dodd, or Senator Ted Kennedy who is in the throws of brain cancer or Senator Byrd from West Virginia who has more ailments than most people have in their life), to stand on the Senate floor and if it took 24/48/72 hours scream at the other Senators as to why they are so privy to good health care at the tax payers expense, while most Americans are not.

I am so tired of words which it seems never connect to action.

Marie Antoinette of French fame told her citizens "...let them eat cake..." She lives a life of special treatment, considerations never given to the common people, and thought she was above and beyond any and all mere citizens.

Thankfully she had her neck removed from her body.

When do the "common people" of this country inform our elected nobility that they are not different than we are. That they DO NOT deserve special treatment. That their GOVERNMENT run health insurance works well enough for them so it certainly should suit all of us just as fine.

Ask Senator Orin Hatch of Utah (R), who has been in the Senate for over 30 years how his "socialist" run health insurance plan operates. Bet he has never paid a cent for coverage. But he is hell bent to tell the American public we need to be patient, and that government run health insurance is not the answer. Not the answer! Then why over the past 30 years Senator have you not declined such awful and poorly run health insurance?????

Does this double sided, hypocritical B. S, not boil your blood? It does mine. Does this, its good for me but you don't deserve it attitude make you mad as hell, does this we can't afford it for you, but we can pay for it for us nonsense make you sick?

When do we stop the self serving madness?

UGH!

when does this stuff stop?

So the Gays have once again started the decline of America, person by person and now business by business. And all the insecure, self loathing, uneducated, STUPID people are in an up roar that the" 'Mo's" (short for homo's) are gong to ruin and destroy America.

Of course we the "Mo's", are doing it by recruiting the children first and with a hocus -pocus of our genitalia we will turn the children into raging queens, beauticians, and worst of all interior decorators.

Two organizations, each filled with more venom than a dozen vipers, 1 Million Moms.com and free republic.com are both in asthmatic relapse from the audacious act that Home Depot created (by not only becoming a $5000 sponsor of Nashville's gay Pride, BUT they also signed on as a sponsor and conducted a kids workshop on craft making), the undoing of Nashville.

The fur has flown from the right wing/christian/ satan hating/ homophobic crowd who if given their drothers would burn down the Home Depot in Nashville, and rid the earth of the supposedly dangerous and more powerful than God Gays. who Home Depot is now in bed with.

If you go to the freeepublic.com page and look for Home Depot in Nashville, you will find some of the most dangerous, vile, misinformed, hate speech towards the LGBT community that has been spewed in a long long time.

Most of the hateful and uneducated comments are based on a supposed true love of the Lord and of course the right of the South to hate and discriminate, and a few innuendoes about our first black President and how he is really the culprit behind this.

These kind of comments are serious. They do not just come from "nowhere", they come from a inbred home grown litany of fear mongering, church based "my god is better than your God", and an almost nonexistent response of fact from government, religious, and neighbors who do not agree with the garbage spewed, but do little to protest.

We as humans with heart and soul, brain and emotions need to band together and begin to squelch the undercurrents of bigotry and hate and resentment which breed like weeds in an un-mowed lawn.

We have finally begun to shirk when the "N" word is used. The black community finally has mobilized and said using the "N" word may be free speech but it is hate speech and no one is free when hate is used to communicate.

The LGBT has to do the same. We need to stop the slander, the lies, the venomous attacks by those who don't us, by those who are taught to hate us, by those who need a scapegoat to better understand why their life is so bad.

I am so tired of turning the other cheek. I am so tired of miserable, goalless, self loathing people finding a convenient scapegoat from within the LGBT community and using the excuse that they are hating for God, or hating to protect the children, or hating first so they in turn may not be hated.

We need to rant and rave as loud as our enemy, until their is no enemy and perhaps a common bond of friendship and understanding.

When does this stuff stop?

republican rumination

Amazing, come to think of it how the marketing machine of the Republican Party, can take a false idea, say it about ten thousand times and the unwitting, unthinking, lemmings of the U.S. swear it is truth.

Never based on fact, mainly fiction, the Republicans are so good at misinformation that they make the Soviet propaganda of the 60's look like fairy tales. And the sad part is, that usually the lowest common denominators of our citizenry fall for every line hook and sinker of lies, nonsense and fabrication humanly possible.

The Republican Party never tells the truth but if you want a fish of a tale like "willie horton", "swift boat", "weapons of mass destruction", "axis of evil", "regan's explanation of the iran contra", "watergate", "obama's birth certificate", then listen to the Republican spin machine. And in doing so you will be riding the rails to fantasy land and land of NO TRUTH told here.

And it seems the Republicans are once again in the outer limits of truth as they scare the Christian community with falsehoods about the Government Option for Health care making all doctors suggest and then have the system pay for abortions, to the middle class being told they will have to give up their free choice of doctors, to the bigots being lectured on the fact that anybody who does not currently have health care DOES NOT have it because they chose to spend their money on "hootch", or drugs.

But the one lampoon the Republicans are using that makes "most red blooded Americans cringe, seems to be the fact that if we allow a Government run option for health care, IT will turn us in the U.S. into socialists, because the medicine we receive will be socialized. And anything socialized according to the Republicans will once again allow the communists to lay claim to America. And no longer will Sarah Palin just see Russia from her backyard, the Russians will become her neighbor.

Curious that some of the most outspoken of Republican Senators are so anti the boggy man of socialized medicine. Curious, because they have been receiving so called socialized medicine ever since they became a ward of the taxpayer and have had their "cadillac" of care covered by tax payer expense.

This is just a partial list of republican Senator's who have received free medical coverage since either their days as Congressmen, or just being in the Senate eons and eons.

Senator Mitch Mc Connell (R) Kentucky in the Senate from 1984 to 2009. 25 years.

Senator Jon Kyl (R) Arizona in the Senate from 1994 to 2009. 15 years.

Senator John Thune (R) South Dakota as Representative and Senate 1996 to 2009. 13 years

Senator Sam Brownback (R) Kansas in the Senate from 1995 to 2009. 14 years

Senator Thom Coburn (R) Oklahoma as Representative and in the Senate from 1995 to 2009. 14 years

Senator David Vitter (R) Louisiana as Representative and in the Senate from 1999 to 2009. 10 years

Senator James DeMint (R) South Carolina in the Senate from 1999 to 2009. 10 years

AND

SENATOR ORIN HATCH (R) Utah in the Senate from 1977 to 2009 32 YEARS!

All of the mentioned Senators are anti socialistic medicine, the kind they prophesize will come the way of America if we allow a Public Option to medical coverage. Any system according to these gentlemen, which has the Government running a medical plan will result in turmoil mismanagement and cost overruns.

Interesting isn't it that all of these people have received Government run, Government paid health coverage for at least 10 years or more and NONE of them has declined, stopped, refused receiving any or all of the perks that come with a so called socialist run program.

Yet these individuals are ramping up the Republican rhetoric, ruminating about the ruination of health care in this country if we provide what seems the same kind of care THEY receive to average Americans.

And even scarier, no one has questioned these Senators on why they have not stopped their medical coverage if it is supposedly so evil and incompetently run. Wonder which plan they would choose if they had to pay for medical coverage all of these past years? Better yet, wonder if we would even be having this debate over a Government Run Option if, say they had to pay for their own coverage?

P.T. Barnum said "a sucker is born every minute". I hate being slurped and dribbled, and spit upon by a bunch of hypocritical lobbyist owned self righteous men. This sucker is tired of being licked.

When do we all wise up and stop this marketing scheme gone mad? When do we ask our elected officials if it is good enough for you, why can't we have it?

all and every

It seems now a days, with fear, loathing, greedish gluttony, bigotry, lack of education for the real facts, that the terms "ALL and EVERY", have become popular and are finding a neat home within our cultural conversation.

Many Republicans are great advocates for the "ALL and EVERY". Their audience is usually a group of people who find blame for ALL ills and woes on people different than they. Its ALL of them and always ALL their fault.. And EVERY one of them is bad or evil or just Un-American. How do we know? We know because we are told by our religious leaders, the media, some of sheltered parents that difference is wrong.

Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck all seem to have the "all and every" down pat. They mention through innuendo and here-say fictitious facts about gays, or blacks or non christians and suddenly all blacks, gays and non christians are on welfare or lazy, trying to erode the institution of marriage or really not religious because they do not worship the "correct God".

And many people who have no time to discover the foibles or fables, educate themselves or need a scapegoat to feel better about themselves nod in agreement and begin to spew the same venomous dribble; repeating the lies long enough where it begins to sound like truth.

Now it seems the prospects of a better health plan for ALL Americans is in jeopardy because the wise old liars, the soothsayers of untruths, the many Republicans are adding their own bent to the story.

According to their marketing scheme (a vast amount of Republican politicians) the following will happen if we allow President Obama to pass legislation making health care available for ALL Americans.

We will automatically allow abortions to happen. Anyone who wants an abortion will have it covered and at the urging of some doctors many women who never considered an abortion will be urged to do so.

All poor people who do not currently have medical insurance, really could acquire it if they stopped spending their money on drugs alcohol, and stopped freeloading off of the government dole. (Doesn't matter if your employer pays for the coverage or if you only make minimum wage, or even receive unemployment, if you want coverage stop eating or paying for your utilities and get coverage.)

Immediately there will be no free choice in coverage because the fascist government of Barack Obama will insist and arrest you if you don't use only their medical plan, and you will no longer be able to choose your own doctor.

And the evil of evil the government will suddenly have a copy of your medical records and follow you around from doctor visit to hospital stay to recovery. Big Brother will rule your life. ( A new Big Brother, unlike the Pharmacuitcal Companies or the Health Care Corporations who have a monopoly on the cost of our health.)

A few sad things about all of this are that those not in favor equal coverage, universal coverage, never come up with good reasons not to cover ALL Americans, but instead they throw into the mix lies, falsehoods and scare tactics as to why the only plan on record so far will not work.

And for me, the saddest commentary around are those in America who want to blame, who want to hate who want to deny.

All people who are not like me are bad, and EVERY one of them do not deserve the things I have, because like me they did not earn them.

Once again, why do we seem to find and dwell on the differences between people and never the similarities.

And why do we insist on "All" and EVERY?"