Tag Archives: Ron Paul

Republicans’ New Math

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Terry| Leave a comment

Mitt Romney this week came out with a pledge to achieve energy independence by 2020.  ”Independence” for Romney means only using North American sources of energy.  Given that we would still rely heavily on Canadian and/or Mexican energy imports, Romney’s pledge is hollow to begin with.  It doesn’t matter if oil flows from Canada’s tar sands or Saudi Arabia’s wells, it still means we’re importing oil from a foreign country.

With that point aside, you have to marvel at what Romney and the Republicans have accomplished in the field of mathematics during this election cycle.  They’ve completely written the basic tenets underlying mathematics with the policy proposals they’ve suggested.  Romney pledges to reach energy “independence” in just 7 years…shocking pledge in its own right, but even more shocking when he pledges  to do so without supporting any changes to fuel standards. 

Republicans certainly don’t have a good grasp of the basic concept of supply and demand.  Romney’s energy promise doesn’t address reducing energy USE…it’s all about trying to increase supply.  After all, as Romney states,  he wouldn’t want to TELL people what kind of car they should drive.  This is AMERICA, after all!  Dadgumit, if you want to drive a massive SUV that gets 12 MPG, that’s your god-given right as an AMERICAN!

Sounds good…if you’re a right-wing, wacko Republican who thinks the entire world is just there for your own personal short-term enjoyment.  But in reality, it’s simply impossible to expect energy “independence” without also cutting energy use…even when you use Romney’s definition of “independence” that includes importing Canadian and Mexican energy sources.

Romney and Republicans aren’t exactly breaking new ground with this policy announcement though.  After all, this is the same party that insists we can balance budgets by simply shrinking government, without any additional taxes or revenues coming in.  This despite every serious economist on the planet pronouncing the impossibility of doing so, unless the Federal government should somehow come under Ron Paul’s control and consist solely of the military and very little else. 

It’s the Republicans’ “New Math”.  Republicans have already abandoned science.  They might as well abandon basic mathematics or any other form of reason as well.

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Iowans – Stupid, or Crazy?

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Terry| Leave a comment
Iowa Caucuses

As a native Nebraskan, I'm frankly embarrassed for our neighbors to the east.

As the Iowa caucus results come in tonight, the question that obviously comes to mind is…are Iowans a stupid people? Or are they crazy?  It’s obviously a black-or-white, either-or type of situation.  In ANY presidential campaign, or any campaign PERIOD, if a complete nut job like Ron Paul can finish within 4% points of the top, then American voters are even stupider than I would have thought.  In ANY campaign, if Rick Santorum is finishing at or near the top, then the voters are clearly delusional, or stupid.

I’m lovin’ it though, as a Democrat.  Seeing Rick Santorum and Ron Paul up towards the top has to strike the fear of God into any reasonable Republican.  Of course, the question that also comes to mind…ARE there any reasonable Republicans?  There sure as hell aren’t in Iowa.  If you think Ron Paul’s isolationist foreign policy and  back-to-the-gold-standard child’s view of economics makes sense for America, then, well…look at the title of this blog post and decide which one you are.   If you think Rick Santorum and his bigoted, anti-gay and racist comments is the man who should lead America, you are stupid, crazy, and/or, choice #3, a bigot yourself.

Nice job, Iowa Republicans.  You’ve shown just how big of a laughingstock your party has become.

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Perusin’ and Musin’

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Terry| 2 Comments

Some random thoughts from perusing the web…

Obama’s Approval Rating Surges - Well, that didn’t take long.  There was speculation that the GOP’s stubborn, and foolish, stance against a 2-month extension of the payroll tax holiday would end up benefiting Obama politically.  The new Gallup poll on Obama’s approval rating shows a 5% spike over the last week or two, a spike which is at least no doubt partially due to the House GOP fiasco.   It may be a short-term boost, but more than that, I think people are starting to realize just how scary GOP control would be.  Voters have flipped between just about every GOP candidate that’s running, in desperate hope to find someone palatable.  They’re still looking.   Independent voters who want bipartisan cooperation in Washington see how the GOP operates in the House, they see the ridiculous extremist stances the GOP candidates have been forced to adopt, and will also be reluctant to hand over control in Washington to such a dysfunctional party.   

 Gingrich unraveling – Gingrich hasn’t exactly been known for his integrity or morality in the past.  Somehow, even social conservatives had decided to forgive him and overlook his shady past (which tells you more about what social conservatives REALLY value, other than morality).  That may be ending, as the evidence of his outright lying continues to come out.  First we have documents coming out and contradicting his claims that his first wife is the one who wanted (and filed for) divorce.  We have old memos of Gingrich praising Romney’s health care plan in Massachusetts.  Perhaps folks should have gotten just a WEE bit suspicious of Gingrich when he tried to position himself as some kind of Washington outsider…despite once being Speaker of the House, and despite his now documented monetary ties to Fannie Mae.  The man is dishonest, even for a politician!  Thank god the media is doing their job and calling him on it.

Ron Paul’s pathetic record as a legislator – I love this story from the Washington Post.  Ron Paul has sponsored 620 bills on the House floor.  Only ONE of these ever became law, and only 4 even ever made it up for a vote.  Ron Paul is just so out of the mainstream, and his ideas are so incredibly ridiculous, that he can’t get any support for his legislation in Congress.  But yet, Ron Paul has a real chance to win in Iowa next week.   That should scare the Republican party.  They’ve become a party of extremists, and a party that is incapable of governing.

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perusin’ & Musin’

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Terry| Leave a comment

Perusin' & Musin'Some random thoughts from perusing the web…

Ron Paul Shows What’s Important for GOP – Ron Paul today said that if the GOP “goes soft” in negotiations in the debt committee, the risk is that Obama would get re-elected.  Note that the “risk”, the main priority for the GOP, has NOTHING to do with the success of the debt committee.  Their main priority has NOTHING to do with negotiating in good faith, and doing what’s best for our country.  No, the priority is all about the next election, and making sure Obama isn’t reelected.  Even if it means taking the entire country down, by ruining the debt-committee negotiations.

Too Late to Stop catastrophic Climate Change?  – An International Energy Agency report released this week painted a pretty bleak picture with regard to the likelihood of avoiding catastrophic climate change.  For a long time, the hope has been that we could somehow limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius globally.  Even with that amount of warming, there are very significant implications on regional ecosystems.  The IEA report notes how incredibly unlikely it will be that warming is restricted to even that level.  Considering that a report a week or two noted that carbon dioxide emissions over the last year were higher than even the WORST projections from a few years ago, we’re likely accelerating climate change, not slowing its progression.

Jerry Sandusky Admits to “Horsing Around” with Kids - Jerry Sandusky, the ex-coach at Penn State who has been indicted for sexual assault on multiple young boys, admits he has often showered with young boys, but that it was all just “horsing around”.  Sandusky’s lawyer says Sandusky is just “a big kid”.  Do scumbags like Sandusky really think people are going to buy that defense?  That he’s just was “horsing around” with all these young boys over the years?   Does “horsing around” with kids include showering naked with them, bear-hugging them naked, and doing…more disgusting things that his victims accuse him of?   We have two registered sex offenders living a few blocks away.  Scares the hell out of me knowing people like this are out there, when I have an 8-year old son.

Cain on Defense after Libya Comments - Herman Cain has already shown a lack of foreign policy credentials, but he’s beyond the point where he can get by with the excuse of “that’s what the experts are for” (referring to policy advisors if he should by some miracle be elected).  Yesterday was a complete joke though, when he was completely lost on the topic of Libya…shocking, giving the prominence Libya has had in the news.   The bigger question to me is…HOW THE HELL can people like Herman Cain even be considered presidential material?   HOW THE HELL can a Rick Perry EVER be elected into any position of responsibility?!?  WHY THE HELL do American voters seem to sometimes treasure complete stupidity in their candidates?  On the bright side…I wondered if I’d “miss” Sarah Palin (remember her?) when she finally dropped out of the media spotlight, but with Cain, Perry, Bachmann, Paul, and practically every GOP member of Congress, there’s definitely no shortage of OTHER people to make fun of.

Two Rhino Species Extinct in One Week - Last week, the last known Javan Rhino of a certain subspecies was found shot, with its horn cut off.  This week, the western Black Rhino of Africa was declared extinct in the wild.  Two megafauna down in a one week’s time, all for the sake of horny Asian men who “need” rhino horn as an aphrodisiac.  Ain’t humanity grand…

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sarah Palin Announces She's Not Running – Sarah Who??

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Terry| Leave a comment
Sarah Palin, Money-grubber

Sarah Palin has always been more about the spotlight, and the money, than she has been a viable politician.

Two days ago, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced that he wasn’t going to seek the presidency, disappointing Republicans who are dissatisfied with the current GOP field (and who can blame them?).  Today, wandering money-grubber (couldn’t think of a formal title to give her, since she simply quit her last job as Alaska Governor) Sarah Palin announced she also was not going to seek the presidency.  In a letter to her supporters (all 6 of them), Palin said that she couldn’t find it in her heart to run, because “My family comes first“.

Of course, in Palin-speak, “Family” means “Money“.   Palin quit as governor so she could go on a 2+ year tour to rake in as much money as she could from the poor ignorant saps who were stupid enough to pay her speaking fees and the like.  For someone without a REAL job or any real responsibility, if family truly came first, I find it hard to believe she’d hit the road and trek across America begging for money.  That’s not exactly spending quality time with the family. 

Instead of simply telling the truth and saying “Money comes first”, she could have also spoke the truth by simply saying “Because I’m irrelevant“.   Even 2/3rds of REPUBLICANS said they didn’t want her to run.  I would have loved to have seen her enter the race, if only for the satisfaction of seeing her fall flat on her face.  Can you imagine a debate with both Palin, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, and Ron Paul?   Saturday Night Live could have simply fired all their writers and copied the text of the debate verbatim.   Comedy Central could simply be adopted as a branch of the Republican Party.

Sarah Palin’s “star”, if you can call it that, has been flaming out for a long time, and it’s really hard to see any path back to relevance for her.  Much like my favorite punching bag Rick Perry, every time she opens her mouth, she exposes herself for, well, what she really is…a shallow, non-intellectual (to put it politely), greedy, insecure, spotlight-loving diva with absolutely none of the necessary qualities for running America.   By election day, I hope to god voters are saying “Sarah Who?” rather than considering her as a viable politician.

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , ,

Tea Party – Let the uninsured sick die!!

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Terry| 1 Comment
Ron Paul

Cover the uninsured? Or let them die? For the Tea Party, it's the latter.

Compassionate Conservatism?  Is that what now drives the right-wing of the GOP?  Uh….no.  That much was ABUNDANTLY obvious when watching the GOP debate last night.   Wolf Blitzer at one point asked Ron Paul whether society should let a sick man in a coma who had no life insurance just die, rather than pay for his care.  Ron Paul’s answer was sickening enough, in that he skated around directly answering, but basically said “we need to learn to take care of ourselves”, and that religious institutions and other non-government groups could “pick up the slack”.   It was about as much of a “yes” as he could give, without directly saying the word. 

Sickening, but nothing like the chilling response vocalized by some of the crowd that was heavy with Tea Party sentiment.  When Blitzer asked the question, several in the crowd yelled out “YES!”, that the sick man SHOULD just be left to die if he had no insurance.  THIS is what the right has become.  Our tax burden is relatively low compared to other Western societies, but the Tea Party and libertarian wing of the GOP much prefer cutting taxes by a drastic amount, rather than “wasting” that money on things like the sick, poor, and underprivileged.

A sickening, sickening moment.  But sadly, a moment that typifies where the Tea Party has taken the Republican party.  The “Religious Right” is a complete JOKE as a component of the Republican Party.  Sure, the right is GREAT at whining about the need for more Christian-based “values” in government.  But for the right, Christian-based values somehow no longer have ANYTHING to do with real morality.  They can whine about not teaching creationism in school.  They can whine about prayer in school or government.  But when it comes right down to it, the right as a whole doesn’t give a damn about helping the poor, or the sick.   All they care about is their own personal satisfcation, their own personal GREED, their own personal standard of living. 

If you are a member of the “Religious Right”, a group that somehow identifies itself with the Republican Party, you’d damn well better be sick to your stomach on where your party is going.  That is, if you REALLY believe in your Christian values.  Walk the freakin’ walk, and stop the madness that is taking over the GOP.

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , , ,

How GOP Honors American Labor

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Terry| Leave a comment
Rick Perry - Gunslinger

Under Perry, the American worker may be paid minimum wage, lose union rights, and have no benefits. But you'll be able to bring your gun to work!!

In advance of this week’s debate, GOP candidates took some time to honor the American worker, in celebration of Labor Day.

“It is the American worker that has made us the greatest economic power on the planet…well, at least until Obama ruined the economy by refusing to drill for oil in the Everglades”, said Michele Bachman.  “As president, the first thing on my agenda would be to lower or eliminate the minimum wage, in honor of the American worker.  We’ll get America working again, even if we have to pay $2.00 an hour to do so.”

On the campaign trail, Rick Perry agreed with Bachman’s views.  “Thanks to my policies of pushing minimum wage jobs, Texas employment is strong,” shouted Perry to an enthusiastic crowd of supporters.   “And the last thing the American worker needs is government interference in their lives.   In Texas, we’re the only state that doesn’t force employers to carry workman’s compensation insurance in the dangerous construction industry.  In fact, we have the lowest workman’s compensation rate in the Nation!  But I support workers.  Where else but Texas can you bring your gun to work?” 

Ron Paul also took time to honor the American worker while campaigning Sunday, and in a rare show of unit with other GOP contenders, he too voiced opposition to the minimum wage.   “The minimum wage takes job opportunities away, especially for blacks“, said Paul.   “I firmly believe the minimum wage is why 95% of young black males in Washington are criminals.”

Mitt Romney celebrated Labor Day by releasing a new video on his anti-union views.  “I just want workers to be happy”, said Romney, “and if that means I have to take away their union rights to make them happy, then by god, I’ll do it.  That’s how  much I care about the American worker.”

Herman Cain, former Godfather’s Pizza exec, has perhaps the most consistent views regarding the American Worker.   “I don’t think we need the minimum wage.”   “Just imagine if all of America were run like I ran my pizza business…no minimum wage, no benefits, no vacation time…a busy and tired worker is a happy worker!!   As for unions, everybody knows public unions are trying to destroy America!” 

Pundits on the Sunday morning talk shows all agreed that the future of the American worker is very bright indeed, should one of these strong supporters of the American worker win the 2012 presidential election.

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Herman Cain, your final GOP candidate

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Terry| Leave a comment
Herman Cain - Double-Pepperoni Tuesdays!!

Herman Cain, campaigning on the platform of double-pepperoni Tuesdays

Does anybody really like presidential campaigns that last a year and a half? Does anybody really care to follow countless more GOP debates, caucuses, primaries, etc.?  Let’s settle this in one fell swoop.  I propose a winner-take-all GOP debate.  Anne Coulter will moderate.  She’s bigoted, hateful, anti-intellectual…in other words, everything the GOP stands for.  Coulter will ask questions of the candidates, and after each question, eliminate the candidate with the most inappropriate response.  I imagine the debate would go something like this…(Note that all material in bold is an actual candidate quote, or relevant fact.  God that’s pathetic to say).

Anne Coulter:  I welcome the candidates to the final debate to decide who will represent the GOP in the 2012 presidential race against Barrack Hussein Obama.  I will ask questions regarding the topics of greatest concern to this great nation, and in each turn, eliminate the candidate of my choosing.  I love to engage in repartee with people who are stupider than I am, and god knows you all qualify on that front.  Candidates, your first question is…what should be done with ObamaCare?

Rick Perry: Obama is hell-bent on socialism, and ObamaCare is the most obvious example of his evil socialist agenda.  I’d either terminate it, or terminate him.  That’s the Texas way.

Michelle Bachmann: Obamacare is the crown jewel of socialism.  I am committed to not resting until Obamacare is finally repealed.

Herman Cain: I will not rest until every man, woman, and child in the U.S. has a pizza on every table.

Anne Coulter: Candidates, please try to stay on topic…

Mitt Romney: As governor of Massachusetts, I ushered in comprehensive health care to cover the poor and the needy.  It was a state solution to a state problem.  ObamaCare is a powergrab by the Federal government, and…

Anne Coulter: Wait a minute, did I hear you correctly, Mr. Romney?  You passed a bill in Massachusetts that uses the taxes of the rich to cover health care for the poor and needy? YOU sir are a socialist pig, and are the first candidate eliminated. 

Romney slowly walks away…

Anne Coulter:  For our next question….God gave us the earth.   God said Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it.  It’s yours.  What do you say to liberal tree-huggers who insist we protect the Earth’s resources?

Rick Perry: God is angry with America.  The Gulf oil spill was an act of God, designed to punish America for straying from Christianity.

Rick Santorum: I’m damned proud to have received a perfect score of 0% on the environmental scorecard from the League of Conservation Voters for my consistent anti-environmental views.

Herman Cain: My favorite pizza at Godfathers was the baby seal, with extra seal.

Newt Gingrich: I believe the EPA should be replaced with a new, business-friendly Environmental Solutions Agency.

Anne Coulter: Mr. Gingrich, so you’re implying that businesses do cause environmental problems that require solutions?  You sir, are OUT.

Gingrich walks away muttering…

Anne Coulter: For our next question…Candidates, I personally believe the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, and dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East. We should invade them, kill their leaders, and convert them to Christianity.   What do you say to those bleeding heart liberals who call for religious tolerance?

Michelle Bachmann: Not all cultures are created equal.  This really is the number one issue for our country right now, how we are going to deal with this threat of radical Islam.  If it takes daisy cutters to equal the score for 9/11, then so be it.

Herman Cain: I was once asked if my pizza products used the unholy flesh of a pig.  Cain snickers.  I’ll tell you what, after that, EVERY pizza I sold used pork, whether someone wanted it or not!!

Rick Santorum: The right to privacy doesn’t exist in my opinion in the U.S. constitution.  Everyone in the U.S. should be forced to pass a test on Christianity, and if they don’t pass, we ship ‘em to the Middle East.

Ron Paul: The founding fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America, with churches serving as vital institutions that would eclipse the state in importance.

Rick Perry: I was called upon personally by God to run for president. Rick Perry, white Christian male.  God wouldn’t have called me if he wouldn’t have wanted a Christian to run America.

Jon Huntsman: As one who comes from a Mormon background, my views are…

Anne Coulter interrupts: “Thank you for your time Mr. Huntsman, you are eliminated.  For our next question, how would your respond to those on the left who insist that the climate is changing, and that human beings are the cause of it?

Ron Paul: The greatest hoax I think that has been around for many, many years, if not hundreds of years, has been this hoax on global warming.

Michelle Bachmann: Carbon dioxide is portrayed as harmful.  But there isn’t one study that can be produced that shows that carbon dioxide is a harmful gas.

Herman Cain: I’m against global warming.  It makes the cheese too runny on my pizza.

Rick Perry: Global warming is all one contrived phony mess that is falling apart under its own weight.  Who are you going to believe?  Me, or climate scientists? I put together a 1.9 GPA at Texas A&M!

Rick Santorum: Climate change theories are nothing more than junk science.

Anne Coulter:  The words “Science” and “Climate Change” should NOT be used in the same sentence, Mr. Santorum.  You are eliminated.  For our next question…Despite Constitutional guarantees for equality, do you agree that marriage should only be between a man and a woman?  And preferably, only between a white, Christian man and a white, Christian woman?

Michelle Bachmann: Gay marriage is probably the biggest issue that will impact our state and our nation in the last, at least, thirty years. 

Anne Coulter: Mz. Bachmann, I thought you said radical Islam was the biggest issue facing our Nation.

Michelle Bachmann: I stand corrected.  The biggest issue facing our Nation are gay radical Islamists getting married.

Herman Cain: Do you know the signs on restaurants that say no shoes, no shirt, no service?  On MY pizza stores, it also says no gays.  Homosexuality is a sin and a choice. 

Rick Perry: New York’s decision to allow gay marriage is fine by me.  Wait a minute, can I change my answer?  What I meant to say is that I support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

Ron Paul: I believe that recognizing same-sex marriage at the federal level would be an act of social engineering profoundly hostile to liberty.  However, I am supportive of all voluntary associations and people can call it whatever they want.

Anne Coulter: Mr. Paul, it is not enough to restrict their legal rights.  We need to humiliate them both publically and privately.  Mr. Perry, New York will be punished by God for their decision to legalize gay marriage.  Mr. Paul, Mr. Perry….You have BOTH been eliminated.

Bachmann and Cain glance excitedly at each other…

Anne Coulter: Mz. Bachmann!  Mr. Cain!!  Congratulations, you are the last two standing, and are clearly the most qualified of the GOP candidates.  Mz. Bachmann, rarely have I heard more radical, conservative views!  Mr. Cain, rarely have I come across a candidate with so little to offer!  My congratulations to you both for representing the best the GOP has to offer.  Now, for the final, deciding question.  The economy is tanking, and unemployment is the major issue in the minds of most voters.  How would you address it?

Michelle Bachmann: If we took away the minimum wage, if conceivably it was gone, we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level.  Hiring folks at $2.50 an hour will immediately lower the Nation’s unemployment rate.

Herman Cain: Three words.  Double….pepperoni….Tuesdays.   If elected president, I will immediately announce Double-Pepperoni-Tuesdays, thereby stretching the food dollar of the typical American worker.  A fed American is a happy American.

Anne Coulter: Sir…Madam…may I say that it has been an honor to host, and referee, this final GOP debate.    My decision has been made.

Nervous tension fills the auditorium…

Anne Coulter: Congratulations Mr. Cain, YOU are the next Republican candidate for the Presidency of the United States!!  Mz. Bachmann, there’s no doubt that you’re bat&hit crazy, and that definitely worked in your favor in this debate.  But it’s the swing voters we need to convince in this election.  The swing voters–I like to refer to them as the idiot voters because they don’t have set philosophical principles.  You’re either a liberal or you’re a conservative if you have an IQ above a toaster.  And if we’re going to target the swing voters, we’re going to hit them where it counts…their stomachs.

Double-pepperoni-Tuesdays, here we come!!

Posted in Politics

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,