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Saturday, September 29, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Mitt Romney: Commando in Chief
"Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and opposes rapid change in society. Conservatism is not so much a philosophy as an attitude, a constant force, performing a timeless function in the development of a free society, and corresponding to a deep and permanent requirement of human nature itself. It is the persistent image of society as a command structure in which the responsibilities of leadership can be exercised within the framework of a strong state manifested in divine right."
(Mission statement over at It Makes Sense Blog.)
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Where Is The Outrage?
"Yes, Suzanne?" Suzanne Bronsard lived across from my grandparents. We saw each other after school, but weren't what you'd call "friends." I liked her. "Um?" Suzanne started. "It means we could do what we want? Um...when we want?" Hm, I thought. That sounds dangerous.
No matter who you are, where you grew up or what lessons stuck with you from what age, your idea of "freedom" has been shaped by untold influences. When and how do we learn the concept of freedom, or any other tenet of the social contract for that matter, is lost to us in later years. I dearly wish this were not the case, because I would do anything to go back in time and observe myself learning what is freedom. And why not, since we're time-traveling, observe myself learning all of the trickier of life's lessons that all add up to who you are as a person, each new learned thing one more fiber of your moral code. When did we learn how to share? Can you pinpoint the day that you first understood honesty? What does it mean to be grateful? Is there such a thing as a selfless act?If I could remember these watershed life lessons, maybe they would be easier to pass forward to the kids.
Back in sixth grade, Mrs. Signori introduced us to Martin Luther King. We had our Saturday morning Schoolhouse Rocks. We got graded on our ability to memorize key historical dates. We scribbled out homework essays and in class we gave stilted, index-card-laden presentations on the Boston Tea Party, on President Lincoln abolishing slavery, Rosa Parks taking a stand by keeping her seat. We were also sold a bill of goods known as "freedom of religion" that might, depending on who you are, just might be the very first thing to later turn us into cynical as teenagers. When we first realize that religious freedom exists as a concept. It's not real. You can't have religion and freedom and politics. It doesn't work.
Politics and Religion
Back in sixth grade, we never did learn how it's even possible, let alone tolerated, to wield one's "freedom of religion" as a weapon aimed at abolishing another person's same religious freedom. That is to say, abolishing another person's freedom to practice religion or not! Elected officials dictating policy based on privately held religious beliefs is an outrage. The instant anyone with a microphone and a bid for public office starts to crow about "it says in the bible," that should warrant an automatic disqualification for the job. It's one thing to have strong personal beliefs as a private citizen, but to force your own religion upon the public sector when you are in a position of power should be considered abuse of that power. The hypocrisy is downright unlawful.
Valarie Hodges. This too-outrageous-for-satire state representative from Louisiana was at the center of my absolute most-favoritest-ever news story of the summer. I wish that this story had gotten a lot more attention than it did, because it was delicious. It was like an after-school special about bigots. It was like the last ten minutes of Dirty Dancing. Here's what happened. In the late spring of 2012, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal pushed for a taxpayer-funded voucher program that would benefit schools. "HB976, now signed into law as Act 2, proposed, among other things, a voucher program allowing state educational funds to be used to send students to schools run by religious groups," reported the Livingston Parish News. Act 2 was passed in June, largely due to the enthusiastic support of Valarie Hodges. Other state reps, also Republicans like Hodges, opposed the program, citing that public school funds should stay with the public schools, not be given to any religious schools.
I agree with those Republicans. They were absolutely right. Use taxpayer money to make the public schools awesome, please, but if a school is geared towards a certain religion, then that school is private. No taxpayer funding. The conservatives fighting against funding private schools correctly identified Act 2 as mis-use of taxpayer-funded education.
But Valarie won, the other conservatives lost and I'm sorry, it was a good fight. Act 2 was signed into law by majority vote, among those cheering its victory, of course, Mizzuz Hodges. But soft! Soon after Act 2 was passed, someone apparently must have taken Valarie aside and informed her that there are, um, other religions. You see, a Muslim school applied for the program, and she flipped out. Honestly, I wish I could have seen her face. The state rep who had waved the flag hardest for state funding religious schools immediately launched a furious reversal campaign, a whole raft of inane blather that essentially amounted to: I thought 'religion' only meant "Christian." A grown woman is so under-educated and narrow-minded that she hears the word "religion" and never even considers for a split second that it doesn't always mean her personal religion. To think nothing of voting bills into law, specifically to allocate taxpayer money to further her own private, right-wing extremist something-something-Christian agenda. How do you live with yourself as a public official to think it's right to vote in favor of religious freedom and then renege when you're informed that it doesn't only apply to you? Seriously? Where is the outrage? A gasp of incredulity should have swept the nation in the face of such discrimination from Valarie Hodges. This was another blatant, in the bright light-of-day and quotable, provable bigoted slap-in-the-Constitution from yet another so-called patriotic "conservative."
I have a question. Where the hell are all the normal, nice, educated Christians? They God squad haven't all gone full-tilt crazy, have they? Get in touch. I just want to talk.∎
Friday, September 7, 2012
Capital Vices / Cardinal Sins
"You know, I think it's about envy. I think it's about class warfare." (Mitt Romney, The Today Show, January 2012)
"Of course there are exemptions for those who make money from capital gains, which is legal....so vote for someone to change the laws...each person, rich, middle class and poor look for all of the exemptions and tax loop holes that they can find. If not for those spending money, our economy would be crashing more...stop the class war fare and the envy that is being broadcast by the O supporters." (Another informative Facebook rant from the right)
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Intrepid Arrogance of "I Don't Believe It"
Personal "belief" in any social, historic or scientific fact has become the conservative voter's staunch position on so many vitally important things that I'm afraid we're freefalling down the rabbit hole here. You don't "believe in" the dangers of fracking, offshore drilling, global warming, the existence of gender-based pay inequality, the realities of sexual crimes, the gross unfairness in tax law, lack of affordable housing, the need to make good health care available to everyone...well...what DO you believe in? That these things are even up for debate is astonishing. There's...data. There are experts in the subject matter. We don't care what you "believe."
Could We Bring Back Experts, Please?
Here's an example of this craziness. This happened in June of this year. Do you know who Pavar Snipe is? I guess she's a blogger of sorts. I can't claim to know a single thing about her, only that it seems every story she covers is pointless drivel that has zero impact on anyone's life. Right now, for example Pavar is arguing online about whether or not Halle Barry was legally married to her last boyfriend. Who. Gives a shit. But, as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day, and this image posted by Pavar Snipe hit me pretty hard. It's a garage door that someone spray-painted "Foreclosed! 3 tours in Iraq but no bailout for people like me."
"In November.
It's not going to happen
under Obama!"
What. It's not going to happen under Obama? You know what? You're a nice lady. But you must be inserting your over-processed blonde head directly up the ass of Fox News in order to say something this stupid. Surely it's the pinnacle of ignorance, is it not? It should be noted that, during the RNC speeches last week, this same Obama-hating person watched Paul Ryan's speech and posted "that was so inspirational!" Inspirational? Paul Ryan is certifiable. That is a dangerous man.
JOBS: The Actual Facts
What about the alarming evidence every day in the news proving that the Republicans have been systematically voting down every single jobs bill that would deliver literally millions of jobs opportunities? Blocked, every one of them. Not because the jobs bills weren't good. Just because. They have no agenda, what do you think is supposed to happen in November? What exactly? Here's the gentleman from Kentucky, Senator McConnell speaking in December 2010 to explain.
"Over the past week, some have said it was indelicate of me to suggest that our top political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term. But the fact is, if our primary goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill, to end the bail outs, cut spending, and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all of those things is to put someone in the white house who won't veto any of these things."
Sure enough, in June, yet another bill was voted down, this time it was a comprehensive act called the "Pay Equity" bill. This one was really good. The Pay Equity bill seeks to prevent a corporation from immediately firing any woman who goes to her boss and says "Hey, I just found out that (male colleague at same pay grade) makes more than I do, that's not fair." What's worse than coming back with "I don't believe it" is that, in this case, the Senate Republicans DO say that they believe that women are being fired for asking for equal pay, but apparently that's irrelevant. The Pay Equity bill was also blocked, so the Republicans basically said, "You'll get less pay and you'll shut up about, honey. Now go make some coffee."
“It is incredibly disappointing that in this make-or-break moment for the middle class, Senate Republicans put partisan politics ahead of American women and their families.” (Barack Obama, New York Times, June 6, 2012)A month later in July, yet another jobs bill was voted down, this time it was the "Bring Home Jobs" bill. Voting down the Bring Home Jobs bill was a huge slap in the face to American workers, especially those whose jobs have been disrupted by advances in technology and automation. The Bring Home Jobs bill had one goal, and that was to curtail this damaging outsourcing of jobs to China and India and other places where labor costs corporations mere pennies. If your job went to another country, that's because your company didn't want to pay you anymore, because a guy over there will do it so much cheaper and the shareholders now get to see their portfolios grow. Is that what you're voting for? Congratulations, you're voting against your own livelihood. So much for putting America back to work. The Bring Home Jobs bill would have amended the tax code in this way:
(1) grant business taxpayers a tax credit for up to 20% of insourcing expenses incurred for eliminating a business located outside the United States and relocating it within the United States, andThat's just two jobs bills that Republicans blocked. Your heroes. All told, seventeen job bills from the original Obama "American Jobs Act" were blocked by Republicans, not for any reason or debated against with any alternative plan—just blocked. It's deplorable. It's obstructionist.
(2) deny a tax deduction for outsourcing expenses incurred in relocating a U.S. business outside the United States. Requires an increase in the taxpayer's employment of full-time employees in the United States in order to claim the tax credit for insourcing expenses.
By the way, the entire Jobs Act is available online for anyone and everyone to read, and I suggest that you spend some time doing that, and watching the videos, so that you can learn a thing or two before you cast your lot with these people who seek to destroy the American Dream. Believe it or not, babe. Had your "inspirational" clown not helped deliberately sabotage our President's efforts, there WOULD be two million more jobs right now.
"More Americans are realizing that Republicans have worked for several years to undermine the president in every way possible. Americans believe that it requires a complete lack of patriotism to take such actions during a massive economic collapse. They are beginning to ask, 'Who in their right mind would block any job creating plan to bring us out of this crisis because they want power?'" (PolicyMic.com, August 1, 2012)Who in their right mind indeed? Then there's the open letter that my old mayor, Joe Curtatone, posted to voters on Friday August 31st. In part,
"Now they've got Mitt Romney standing up in front of the nation, rehashing his snake oil line about the millions of jobs he'll create, when Congressional Republicans took a pass on actually creating jobs. They know he's full of it. Anyone who lived in Massachusetts when Romney was Governor knows he's full of it. What he's proposing is a return to a set of failed policies." (Mayor Joe Curtatone, August 31, 2012)I've been maintaining an online journal of some kind since 1999, and above all I've always sought to be honest, and I have to say that I'm officially depressed. It's getting to be an Herculean effort just to get up in the morning anymore, and every day I feel more tired, more worn down from this kind of blind partisanship. I just can't even, anymore. Your guys blocked the initiatives to create two million jobs, not my guys. Your guys are pissing on your head and telling you it's a champagne fountain. To say "Obama failed to create two million jobs he promised" is to reach for a crystal fluted glass and drink up. All that's left is to pull the lever, and "in November" we can only pray that truth and policy prevail over lies and ignorance. ∎
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Republicans Are Lying To You About Jobs And Also Literally Everything Else
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It Only Hurts When I Lofgren
In "Revolt of the Rich" (The American Conservative) Mike Lofgren recalls an early-1990s incident back when the American corporations were really starting to get into shipping American jobs off to other countries. He writes about successful businessman Erik Prince."Erik Prince, who was born into a fortune, is related to the even bigger Amway fortune, and made yet another fortune as CEO of the mercenary-for-hire firm Blackwater, moved his company (renamed Xe) to the United Arab Emirates in 2011. What I mean by secession is a withdrawal into enclaves, an internal immigration, whereby the rich disconnect themselves from the civic life of the nation and from any concern about its well being except as a place to extract loot." (Mike Lofgren, The American Conservative, August 27, 2012)Then there's billionaire Stephen Schwarzman. You might have caught the news on this guy, he's the hedge fund exec who threw himself a five million dollar birthday party.
"While there is plenty to criticize the incumbent president for, notably his broadening and deepening of President George W. Bush’s extra-constitutional surveillance state, under President Obama the overall federal tax burden has not been raised, it has been lowered. Approximately half the deficit impact of the stimulus bill was the result of tax-cut provisions. The temporary payroll-tax cut and other miscellaneous tax-cut provisions make up the rest of the cuts we have seen in the last three and a half years. Yet for the president’s heresy of advocating that billionaires who receive the bulk of their income from capital gains should pay taxes at the same rate as the rest of us, Schwarzman said this about Obama: “It’s a war. It’s like when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939.” For a hedge-fund billionaire to defend his extraordinary tax privileges vis-Ã -vis the rest of the citizenry in such a manner shows an extraordinary capacity to be out-of-touch. He lives in a world apart, psychologically as well as in the flesh." (Mike Lofgren, The American Conservative, August 27 2012)But perhaps the most insightful passage of Lofgren's article was an anecdote about the CEO of Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. That's a fellow by the name of Robert Rubin. The story goes that Mr. Rubin was attending an event -- unspecified but the implication was it was a political event. His chauffeured limo hit Manhattan traffic, and he arrived late. When he got to the event, he complained to "a city functionary with the power to look into it." The functionary asked where was the traffic jam? Even though Robert Rubin lived in Manhattan most of his life, he didn't know enough about the city to answer.
"Our plutocracy now lives like the British in colonial India: in the place and ruling it, but not of it. If one can afford private security, public safety is of no concern; if one owns a Gulfstream jet, crumbling bridges cause less apprehension—and viable public transportation doesn’t even show up on the radar screen. With private doctors on call and a chartered plane to get to the Mayo Clinic, why worry about Medicare?" (Mike Lofgren, The American Conservative, August 27, 2012)
"Obama Promised Jobs!"
President Obama officially released the American Jobs Act in September 2011. Part 3, Subtitle E is titled "Immediate Transportation Infrastructure Investments." "Infrastructure" means sweeping repairs to our nation's crumbling bridges, fixing roads and building reliable, viable public transportation. These are things that, if fixed, would put millions of construction workers back on the job and also shore up our country. Unlike some of the other, more gnarly issues with a lot of moral gray area—such as abortion, I am aware that's a tough one for many—on the "infrastructure" issue there is no requirement for the "I don't believe it" conservatives to cede any moral ground or make any leaps of faith. It's all right here, in great detail. He's got a plan and this bill would put it into motion. The actual Obama jobs bill is right here. The President's plea to set aside partisan politics is right here."This is the bill that Congress needs to pass," the president said. "No games. No politics. No delays." (Barack Obama, Huffington Post, Sept 12 2011)
The Republican vote opposing 17 jobs bills is a shock. Jobs is one of their platform pillars, and yet, they would seek to have you believe that high unemployment is Obama's fault while literally voting against every effort to turn it around. There is video of Republican Senator Mitch McConnell saying, proudly even, that the only goal for Republicans is to get Obama out. They're not even trying to pretend anymore, they're simply obstructing everything that Barack Obama says or does, regardless of the monumental benefit to the American people. And yet, my conservative friends remain stalwart, "in support" of the twisted, sick Republican agenda. They don't even see that the Republicans have no agenda other than a systematic dismantling of democracy. My conservative friends can't seem to see that they're holding the rope that the hangmen are tying round our necks, while at the same time blaming gravity for the inevitable end result.∎
This person is your enemy, America. He hates you.
Related:
Life in the Lower 99
Gosh Darn, Still No Growth?
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Cah Wahz: Tales From a Boston Driver
September is where you earn it
Trucks and SUVs overloaded with students and their stunned kin. Jesus take the wheel. Those people will sooner sprout wings and take flight before they get where they're going on the first (or 10th) try. Prepare to observe synchro birdfinger horn feuds all up Comm Ave and Harvard Square forget about Allston Rock City as residents and interlopers clash. Tripled parked U-hauls and Ryders, traffic circles become parking lots, and regular reports of the day's Storrowing. Try to remember a time in September when a truck didn't get stuck under a bridge on Storrow.
You Can't Get There From Anywhere
My personal story goes like this: My then-boyfriend and I moved to Boston in the early 90s after college. Flummoxed by the seemingly inexplicable one way streets, traffic circles, scant signs and dead ends, we mounted a self-imposed seminar on Getting Around Boston. We would get our maps (which is a very old-school way to start a sentence) and set up destination-based challenges. We'd simulate the gauntlet for a variety of trips. These were practical recon excursions. "OK," we'd say. "Right now we are at home (Inman Square in Somerville). How do we get to the Prudential Center." And so forth. Our skills would be put to the test in the real world, but only at quiet times. During the day it's too chaotic. So we'd wake pre-dawn, and get out there when the only other cars on the road are bread trucks and cabs."Is this Comm Ave? I think this is Mass Ave! Wait, was that our right turn? You can only go left here, WHAT THE F....?" One night I swear I turned right at three Dunkin Donuts' in a row and ended up at the corner of Tremont and Tremont.
"There's Big Ben, kids! Parliament!"
Do you know they change the name of the road you're on sometimes here? Sometimes it changes back after a few miles. Did you know that it's possible to have a dead-end, one-way street? Nod to Steven Wright...and no wonder...he lives here.
Did you know that the compass points -- North, South, East and West -- can exist in some sort of hazy in-between space like those random thoughts you have when you're half awake or half asleep and don't know what day it even is?
Death grip on the wheel at 10 & 2. One way streets, traffic circles, dead ends. Blink, and you miss a vitally important sign the size of a greeting card, and now you have to drive out to the airport in order to get back to downtown.
Lest you think, oh, but that was before GPS technology got really good. Sure. It's a theory. Try it out. Have fun!
Parking Wars
There's also the problem of parking. Even if you reach your destination, my friend, you still have to park. The question, "where did you park?" never even comes up in other places, but here that's an ice breaker. Some years ago, I wrote a poem about giving up and just going home.
