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Post by Mike on Mar 21, 2005 19:47:28 GMT -5
We'll probably all remember Bush as having the public speaking ability of a nervous three year that has to pee really badly. I would like to point out that public speaking ability and intelligence have nothing in common. Just becuase someone can talk a dog off a meat truck doesn't mean he's worth listening to or even knows what the hell he's talking about. Bill L ;D For some reason I don't think the only *asteric next to Dubyas name is going to be about his speaking abilities. I could be wrong.
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Post by jashley on Mar 21, 2005 20:37:55 GMT -5
Hoy Hoy All,
I have a new idea. Let's just make Jr the King; DeLay and Lot the Dukes; Cheney, Rice and Cheney, Earls; Kenneth Lay and the heads of Halibuton and The Carlyle Group and a few other robber barrons, noblemen; Pat robertson could be head of the national chuch; (Sr could even be the royal dad) and get it over with. That's seems to be the only thing that is going to make this administration happy. I have as much compassion as anyone for poor Terry Schiavo in Florida but do you realize what this latest "bill" that congress has passed has done to the balance of power between the judicial, and executive and legislative branches of government. It has completely destroyed it and emasculated the judicial branch which was put in place to protect the individual (you and me) from the power of government. Now any time the government wants to infringe on you or your familes rights all they have to do is pass a bill that says they can. If the courts do not stand up to this bald faced power grab and declare the actions of congress in this bill to be unconstitutional and refuse to consider the case. We are all screwed!
Again I feel terrible that this woman and her family are in such a terrible situation. But several differant courts, her doctors and her family (her legal family is her husband) have reviewed this situation over the course of fifteen years and they have come to an agreement as to what should be done. The government has no business or jurisdiction beyond what has already been done. The actions of Jr and the republican congress is nothing but shameless political grandstanding and a vicious power grab and they are USING this poor woman and her family to do it. They should be ashamed and we should be afraid, very afraid.
By the way it wasn't me who was complaining about not catching Osama bin butt head, I'm a lot more worried about what Jr and his gang are doing here and the men and woman we still have dying in Iraq. But let me leave you with a story since I am obviously to p.o.ed to have an original thought. Jimmy Carter was meeting with Chou En Li (damn I know I can't spell that)in Paris at a conference of some sort and Jimmy asked Chou what his opinion of the French Revolution was. Cou replied "Too soon to tell." BillL it might take 50 or 100 years to tell who has been a good or bad president. I personally think that the next few decades are going to show just how bad Reagan. Bush I and Bush II were for our country. And I know that this is going to cause argument but it will show how good a president Jimmy Carter was. The policies that Reagan takes credit for that brought down the USSR (namely) tricking them into spending themeselves out of existence on defense spending were formulated by Jimmy and his Sec of State or Defense (sorry memory lapse)Brezzenski (damn I know I can't spell that). This is just one example of the greatness of Jimmy that Reagan has been trying to take credit for since.
I still love the USA, sorry I get so damn mad sometimes. But we could be so much better, we have a chance and we're blowing it and I get frustrated sorry.
Peace j
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Post by Mike on Mar 21, 2005 22:12:40 GMT -5
Tom Delay is up to his neck in questionable antics (even for this administration), and it is about to gain more momentum so...they needed a quick diversion, and this poor women and her family's suffering is just the ticket. Strictly IMHO, the woman has agonized for 15 years. Unless anyone thinks that for some reason, she might be enjoying life, let her go already! now back to biz... It will appear to the "untrained voter" ;D that the christian moral police have arrived again, and they'll be plum giddy about how The Prez has stepped up and "done the right thing", but remember that The Prez could care less about Terry Schiavo. They just need to raise a ruckus and get the heat off of Delay, and buy some time for Bushs Soc. Security scam that he is losing ground on at the moment. All they need is thier usual flock of sheep, and they've pulled off another one. Her husband called Delay "a little slithering snake!" ;D ;D ;D
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Post by jashley on Mar 22, 2005 18:30:27 GMT -5
Hoy Hoy All
I learned last night that when Jr was govenor of Texas the legislature passed and Jr signed a bill that garanteed a family's right to be in control in a situation exactly like the situation of that poor woman and her family in Florida. I'm sorry I can't remeber the title but it was something like the Family's Right for End of Life Decisions (help me Mike). Is there any limit to the amount of political, to use their word, flip floping that this administration is willing to stoop to for political capital?
I have come to realize how negative my comments have been lately so I will try to list some positive ideas.
If we cut our military budget, which has reached almost half a trillion dollars per year (which is more than the next highest fifteen military budgets combined) (not counting Iraq and Afganistan), in half we would have $250,000,000,000 to:
Feed all the hungry children in our country and put a real dent in the hunger that exist in the rest of the world.
Provide health care for all of our children.
Develope the technology to end our reliance on foriegn and for that matter domestic oil (In the last so-called energy bill less than 1% was designated for developing alternative energy sources).
Clean up the enviroment. Make it possible for everyone in this country to get a college education.
Cure or at least combat the spread of HIV and Aids and the other emerging diseases nature is throwing at us.
Make sure that all of our retired have the medical help and medicine they need (not to mention food and shelter)
Keep our libraries open.
Rebuild our infrastruture and our cities.
Fully fund our educational system.
Give a fairer share to foriegn aide (we now give less than 1/2 of 1% of our GNP to foriegn aide, this is the lowest of any 1st world country, while the military budget is over 1/3 of our federal budget, foriegn aide IMHO will do more to stop terroism than all the bombs we can drop).
Fund the greatest explosion in the arts that the world has ever seen.
Or: Cut our yearly deficit in half.
Should we do any or all of these things? I am not going to give my opinion but we all need to remember that we are making a CHOICE. We can insist that our government spends OUR money in a way that we think it should be or not vote for the greedy boogers.
I know the following was in the old thread but I think we should bring it forward so it doesn't get lost. It doesn't matter if we are democrats or republicans, conservatives or liberals, we should all be ashamed that 25% of the children in the richest country in world go to bed without enough food to eat and can't get the medical attention that they need.
Peace j
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Post by Mike on Mar 22, 2005 23:15:41 GMT -5
I can't think of the legislative act either but I'm sure it got him votes. In Texas if a person is deemed brain dead, after 3 consecutive flat EEG's to make a final and legal determination, the state mandates that the plug be pulled if they are on a ventilator. If they are breathing on their own then yes, a determination is made by the surviving spouse if possible to end the process. After enough time a body postures and begins to deteriorate to point of no return, and there is no amount of physical therapy that can prevent it. It's not like in the movies, where a person jumps up after 10 years and brushes their teeth, and they're ready to go. These grandstanding assholes have no clue what they are doing, except for Frist. He is a Dr. and knows the score. I find that particularly disgusting (and revealing) on his part. Everyone that reads this, go this week and make out a living will, so that these turds can't be pushing around your spouse; at least about this issue anyway. Later, Mike
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Post by Mike on Mar 23, 2005 21:23:53 GMT -5
J was asking me to name some of Bush's memorable accomplishments. Of course, that would be determined by which side of the aisle you lean. Bill L ;D Uh...actually that was me. I'm still waiting for an answer.
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Post by Mike on Mar 23, 2005 22:20:48 GMT -5
I have come to realize how negative my comments have been lately so I will try to list some positive ideas. Peace j Jashley, You're a good man with your list of positive ideas and your insight also explains some of your negative (accurate) comments. My lawyer and good friend once told me, after I had accused him of being cynical, that sometimes being cynical is the healthiest way of viewing things because it keeps you accurate when you need to be accurate. Think waaaaay back to the Clinton administration. The only negative talk was from Rush et al. It should be noted here that Rush went from being an unknown DJ, to being a superwealthy superstar (choke! ) based on constant, *CONSTANT* negativity. Everyone else was talking in terms of..my new job, my new house, my new car..... So, don't feel bad for negative comments. I've never seen negative energy presented on a grander scale than what began when someone let Rush out of his cage. And if that wasn't working well enough for "them", along came 9-11 and presented a perfect vehicle for "them" called "fear". Another useful tool for "them". Ductape.. ;D Never be hesitant my friend to CALL EM LIKE YOU SEE EM!!! Many of us appreciate it. Mike
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Post by Scott Hays on Mar 23, 2005 22:53:03 GMT -5
The Congress of the United States has no legal basis for passing a law that affects a single individual or that creates an ex post facto rule. The courts have been polite to the Congress, so far ... they just refuse to hear the case. If it gets to the Supremes, even Justice Scalia is going to have to side with the decision of the other courts. And, if it gets to the Supreme Court, I really think they will have to rule on the law, itself. For that reason, the Supremes will merely refer it back down to the lower courts (as they have already done).
The other option for the Republican Congress is to pass another law declaring that the institution of marriage has no sanctity, or legal bearing. That would be way cool!
Or, they could pass a law stating that the rights of the states regulating personal choice, marriage or state law can be trumped by the feds! The only other time Republicans have come out in favor of such a position was (duh, what could it have been ... oh yeah) the 2000 election!
It's good to see that 203 righteous and hypocritical Republicans are going home and finding out that their constituents think they have done the wrong thing.
But we have short attention spans around here ... won't be long before some other shooter or celebrity pervert or steroid scandal takes the limelight from the other issues ... you know, little things like a mega-deficit, global warming, escalating and unaffordable health and energy costs, foreign (and likely poisonous) substances in our air, food and water all approved by a compliant gaggle of "regulatory" agencies now controlled by the folks they are regulating, foreign adventures that erode whatever goodwill we have managed to carve out in the world, scripted "education" to reduce the thinking in our schools, and very real threats to our individual liberty and privacy.
It's hard to be positive in such an environment!
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Post by Mike on Mar 24, 2005 9:13:58 GMT -5
Hoy Hoy All I learned last night that when Jr was govenor of Texas the legislature passed and Jr signed a bill that garanteed a family's right to be in control in a situation exactly like the situation of that poor woman and her family in Florida. I'm sorry I can't remeber the title but it was something like the Family's Right for End of Life Decisions (help me Mike). Peace j It's the Advanced Directives Act. Signed by Gov. Dubya in 1999.
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Post by Mike on Mar 26, 2005 13:43:04 GMT -5
One more note about this poor woman in Florida (where else?), then I plan to drop it and butt-out like this whole damn country should do. As reported by Knight Ridder News: "Hours after a judge ordered that Terry Schiavo wasn't to be removed from the Hospice, a team of Agents from the Florida Dept of Law Enforcement directed by Governor JEB BUSH, told the local Pinellas Park, Fla Police Dept. that they were on their way to take Mrs. Schiavo from her hospice to the hospital to have her feeding tube reinserted. For a brief period the local police and Pinelles County Sheriffs Dept were prepared for a "showdown" with the FDLE as they told them "unless they had the judge with them when they came, they were not going to get in!" The FDLE eventually backed down because of "concerns of a confrontation" with the local authorities outside the hospice." Wouldn't that have been dignified? What is this...the "60's? Many protesters (religious fanatics), including several children, have been arrested trying to take cups of water to Schiavo (it's not possible for her to eat or drink anything by mouth, but these idiots wouldn't know that, because they don't listen to anything they don't want to hear). One guy broke into a gun shop to steal a gun so he "go and rescue Mrs. Schiavo!!!" ARE YA HAPPY NOW TOM DELAY??? Haven't heard anything this week about his questionable Corp. $$$ Contributions have we? They must love it when a plan works! Folks, slowly but surely, these stupid assed cowboys from Texas (via Maine) are turning this whole country into something similar to..."The Bloods & The Crips" Not to mention some sort of religious war brewing...even when we are mostly all on the same side, but many of us are not screwballs about our beliefs. Could it be that the Arabs are influencing us more than we are influencing them? Hmmm..... I'm from Texas and I can tell you, it has much more to offer than these out of control, dumbass, well connected, drunk with power, corporate spokesmen that have conned their way into office. Until the rampant ignorance in this country subsides, it's going to be rough sailing. That's my 2+ cents! Mike
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Post by jashley on Mar 26, 2005 16:57:03 GMT -5
Hoy Hoy All
A couple of quick comments.
I was afraid that Jeb or Jr would try some "power" extra legal move and Mike's comments about how close this came to actually happening are more than a little scary. Thank goodness that we proved to be a little better than Chile or another third world country where law has no standing but only might wins. If this had happened do you think the American people would have insisted on the removal of Jeb or Jr? The only good thing that has come out of this unfortunate situation in Florida has been that the American people have finally come to realize how intrusive into our private lives the current adminsitration is and wants to be. The republicans have finally let their political grandstanding and attempts to embarass the Democrats go too far and have finally shown their true colors. THE REPULICANS are the party that wants the government to control everything from the bedroom to the very end of our lives, contrary to their public positions. Let's continue to remind our friends and neighbors who stood up at great political risk to control the power of government in this and many other cases. Let's us not forget on the other hand that this family is going through a very difficult time and if you are religious offer a prayer or if not keep a good thought for them in this terrible time of trouble.
Mike your comment about negativaty reminded me of the old saw that you're not paranoid if they really are after you. And Mike even though it was your comment about Bush's accomplishments, I like you, can't think of a single positive thing that this administration has done,(no matter what side of the aisle your on) unless you can paint the death of !00.000 innocent Iraqis for no good reason as an accomplishment. And I am getting awfully tired of the Repulicans and political commentators saying yea look what Clinton did anytime Jr gets criticized. They have tried to blame Cinton for everything from 9/11 to the asian flu. Aren't the Republicans the party of personal responsibility. Again their actions belie their words. This admin. has had less accountabilty than ANY I have ever seen. When Ms. Rice was promoted to Sec of State after her statement to the 9/11 commision that she didn't know that her responsibilities as National Securtiy Advisor included domestic security they proved that the only thing that matters is loyalty to Jr and the country be damned.
The so-called "Patriot Act" will soon be up for renewal. Be postitive with your Senator and Reresentives. Don't say that this is the worst legislation in history. Say we want our cival liberties back so that we can again have the most free country in the world. Please do write or e-mail them and let them know your views. We need to take our country back.
Mike, Thanks for your help and your kind comments.
Hope the Easter bunny brings everyone lots of good stuff.
Peace j
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Post by chadgumbo on Mar 26, 2005 17:44:32 GMT -5
Hoy Hoy All... Mike your comment about negativaty reminded me of the old saw that you're not paranoid if they really are after you. A similar quote (unless this turns out to be what Mike actually said) goes like this: "Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." I really like that quote ;D, and it reminds me of another of my favorites, which is: "I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than have a full frontal lobotomy." Then again... somedays that full frontal lobotomy doesn't sound like such a bad idea either Keep smilin' everyone! - chadgumbo
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Post by Mike on Mar 26, 2005 19:15:58 GMT -5
Then again... somedays that full frontal lobotomy doesn't sound like such a bad idea either Keep smilin' everyone! - chadgumbo I have one fairly often. Usually around 4:20 pm.
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Post by Scott Hays on Mar 28, 2005 10:20:48 GMT -5
I'm tired of the relative niceties that have passed for discussion on this thread for the past few days ... so brace yourselves; I want to say something that might make a few people sit up and say "what"?
But first, I want to remind everyone that Benito Mussolini or Francisco Franco are not as famous as is their preeminent peer in the Fascist Triangle of the thirties and forties. Adolph Hitler and his National Socialist Party carried the axioms of state socialism to its logical (and horrendous) conclusions -- much as Joseph Stalin did the same for communism. As one of the outcomes of their quest for absolute power, we see genocide and mass exterminations as one necessary (evil) outcome.
That said, both Franco and Mussolini were fascists, too. Neither is renowned for mass genocide (though neither was adverse to bumping off or jailing potential enemies), and we must remember that fascism is associated with atrocity and extremism only in its German manifestation.
We all have different things that we remember those two guys for (and some don't know too much about them, at all), but one statement from Mussolini stands out in lots of people's minds (mainly because it has become a standard punchline to lots of jokes, many far removed from the context in which the statement was first made). He said, when describing the strength of his government, that "we will make the trains run on time."
He said this with confidence because his government was a government of the train owners. And the owners of the automobile manufacturers, or the clothing industries, or the vineyard operators. In short, his government was a government of the corporate owners. State socialism, national socialism, fascism (all names for the same animal) is socialism of the business interests. Government and industry share an interest ... when business does well, the government does well, and ultimately the people do well. If there are industries, there are jobs; if people are working they are making and building products to consume; if people are working, they have money to spend on the consumable products. What is good for business is good for Italy.
One does not need brown shirts and massive military parades to have a corporate state. From state to state in this country, one can see the growing power, strength and influence of Chamber's of Commerce and Business Roundtables, of corporate donors and CEOs who are appointed to boards and agencies with policy-making powers, and how more and more of the so-called regulatory agencies set up to protect us (the public) from corporate shenanigans are being influenced if not outright controlled by the very corporations supposedly being regulated. In legislation and executive order around this country you can see a growing favortism for the interests of business.
This is not a question of Democrats vs Republicans, either -- though the latter is far less likely to throw sops to the working (and non-working) stiffs of this country -- both are merely mildly competing branches of the same oligarchical tree I referred to in previous posts.
Let's face it, folks. We no longer live in a "democracy" (who cares seems to be the general refrain from a population more interested in whether Christians can keep Terry Schiavo from reaching the pearly gates for a few more hours, or agents of the devil can send her packing; whether or not the citizenry should be armed; whether OJ/Scott Peterson really did it; instead of voting, running for office, or attending a local city council meeting to express their opinions). Representatives in our federalist republic are up for sale to the highest bidder, and even the advocates "small government" want to eliminate local control in just about every case that crosses their own narrow interests. We live in an oligarchy verging on state socialism. Our rights are slowly being eroded with each new wave of assault upon our sensibilities and sense of security. In fear, we will surrender what we most cherish ... we will give up our right to think and act for oursevles in the name of "national security" (we don't need "national pride", though that was tried just a few years ago), and will trade off a cheap hamburger and pair of sneakers for what used to pass for independence.
How to undo it? Get involved. Start with your local school board. Start with your city council or your county/parish board of supervisors. Organize a neighborhood cooperative ... buy groceries at a wholesale foodmarket and sell them to each other at cost, organize childcare in your neighborhood, build a neighborhood pelton wheel or windmill. Or, if your interests lie in private enterprise, start a business that isn't dependent upon Walmart of Pepsico for its success ... sell service and knowledge and high quality products. Do it in your neighborhood, and do it independently -- don't buy a "franchise" or go to the banks for a silent partner (the banks and insurance companies are evil monsters, too).
There are a lot of people on this list with different points of view. I may disagree with you, but that doesn't mean I can't work with you. Our shared vision should be to take back what is slowly being taken from us. Start small, and spread outwards. If we really are an open and democratic society, my cooperative school should be able to purchase groceries from a ma and pa store around the corner.
So there!
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Post by Mike on Mar 28, 2005 21:00:38 GMT -5
Check out Willie Nelsons "biodiesel" www.biodiesel.org . His movement really is gaining momentum as a good alternative that will also help the farmers. It's refined from renewable fats and vegetable oils, and burns almost completely clean. He says that "I pulled my car in the garage and passed out. When I woke up I had gained 5 pounds, and smelled like french fries." ;D Willie has been running his tour bus and his personal cars on it for years now, with increased milage and power. It requires no modifications to the existing combustion design. He bought a new Diesel Mercedes, and drove it from the dealer straight to fill it up with BD, and it ran great. He actually has gotten some truck stops here in Tejas to start selling it. He is recruiting some fellow entertainers to use it in their buses, and then help him promote it. It's almost enough to scare a bunch of oilmen/politicians!!! ;D Not really (yet).
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