The poll's findings are a monumental embarrassment for Texas and the South. It should also be extraordinarily humiliating for the Republican Party to know that it has become a regional rump Party of the South comprised largely of old folks and and a majority of the racially intolerant and xenophobes.
Not to mention YES to affordable health care benefits for members of Congress.
So, it was OK to vote to burn billions if not trillions on a ginned up war. It was OK to vote for trillions in bailouts for a bunch of thieving financial crooks and sharks. Now these very same sharks are earning billions and giving themselves fat bonuses again. Hopefully someone bothered to ask them to pay back the bail out bucks.
Our tax dollars are paying for all of the above including BMW level health care insurance for members of Congress. If John McCain had to find his own health care insurance company, like so many other Americans, he would be turned down because of pre-existing conditions. If he would be lucky enough to find a willing provider, McCain would be out of pocket thousands of dollars for or bankrupted by treatments desperately needed but not covered or flat out denied by his plan.
Why are we paying for top notch care for our esteemed lawmakers when many of them are against the same for us? If they say no to us, we should say no to them and demand that the federal government rescind all taxpayer funded health care coverage for members of Congress. Let our revered leaders buy their own freaking insurance like a vast number of Americans have to do. Some may learn they cannot afford to pay for it and college tuition for their kids.
There they go again. The Republicans must be going through an identity crisis b/c the Party's Chair Michael Steele wants Sarah Palin to disappear for awhile. Go fishing, Sarah, please. Apparently some think Sarah has too many personal issues plaguing her right now. Others likely think she's too thin skinned for the foundry called national politics.
But our Guv Rick not only wants Sarah to hang around, he said he'd let her campaign with him. Look out Texas! We're in for a lot of crazy talk about nutty stuff. It'll be the pretty boy and pretty girl duo, lying and spinning tales about conservative voodoo make believe as they make their way through the state. They'll preen for the cameras and tell us all how great they. The moneyed fat cats will just love 'em. I wonder if Rick Perry will pick up the tab for Sarah's clothes? I guess that will be up to the fat cats who love Sarah.
If anyone gets an advance schedule of her arrival please do let me know when that woman from Alaska arrives so I can leave for saner ground.
I definitely have to stop sipping coffee when reading the Houston Chronicle in the morning. Too many times my freshly brewed favorite morning beverage is spat out because I am appalled and/or disgusted by something I read.
This morning happened to be one of those days when my morning joe ended up on the front page of the Houston Chronicle.
The headline that captured my attention:
A case of mistaken identity?
Environmentalists surprised that A&M scientist named to board has sided with industry
By MATTHEW TRESAUGUE
Apparently a Texas A&M educated scientist who holds two advanced degrees and a doctorate in agricultural engineering to boot, is skeptical of the proven science supporting the rather inconvenient fact that human activity is largely responsible for pollution.
As we all know, an anti-abortion extremist gunned down and murdered Dr. George Tiller in his church where he served as an usher and his wife sang in the choir. This was the second attempt on the physician's life. In 1993 Dr. Tiller had been wounded by anti-abortion extremists in an unsuccessful assassination attempt. During that same year, Dr. David Gunn was murdered by anti-abortionists in Pensacola.
Records reveal that Tiller's murder suspect has a criminal record and a history of anti-abortion postings on friendly web sites. Apparently the suspect also spends a lot of time at a home known for its strange gatherings.
Neighbors said they've seen a similar car at the house in Merriam. They describe the ongoings at the house as strange. They said it's a revolving door of men coming and staying there and describe what appear to be religious gatherings.
Dr. Tiller has been a target of the right for some time as he was one of the few doctors in the country who would perform late term abortions. A number of right wing TV and radio talk show hosts have made a practice of demonizing Dr. Tiller in an attempt to whip the religious right into frenzy. This time the hate talkers hit the jackpot.
Bill O'Reilly of FOX "News" is one of those who led the charge against Dr. Tiller.
Jed Lewison over at Daily Kos captured the video clip below in which Bill O'Reilly called Dr. Tiller:
Meanwhile, back in Iraq, our troops are fainting and vomiting because they cannot get enough water.
Dick and Rush, the masters of hate, deception and lies don't care about the troops. They have no clue about such suffering because both begged to be bailed out of military service during a mandatory draft.
Former aide to Colin Powell, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson knows all about draft evading Cheney. Wilkerson tells Cheney to shut up and go away.
10:19: Senator Leahy: this is one of most important hearings Judiciary Committee this year. OLC wrote predetermined and premeditated legal opinions that authorized torture. That OLC so misused its authority is one of the fundamental breakdowns in the rule of law. Leahy describes the latest memos' horrors. Leahy cites American exceptionalism and hypocrisy: we would never permit these techniques against Americans. Cites idea that president is above the law. In this country no one is above the law. Leahy still wants a "bipartisan commission." Two weeks ago, Leahy says, he invited Judge Jay Bybee to come testify. Leahy "wishes" he would. (Doesn't this committee have the power of subpoena and the power of inherent contempt?)
Governor Rick Perry the Secessionist ought to take notice. Federal stimulus funding will provide thousands of Houston's teenagers and unemployed young adults with summer jobs. This is obviously wonderful news in a market in which jobs, especially part-time and summer jobs, are hard to find.
This program is an outreach initiative that will provide jobs for at risk youth who may have dropped out of school. Students and young adults will be assigned to various city projects in Houston and Harris County. They will work under the guidance of mentors and role models. In a nutshell, the hope is that unemployed young folks will have the opportunity to develop solid working skills, learn about team building, responsibility, the rewards of hard work and the long term value of higher education.
Sounds like a potential a win-win for Houston's at-risk youth, right?
Ok, so we've been hearing about this deadly swine flu that has many folks panicking right and left. Schools are closing, people are wearing surgical masks, and many are avoiding their local public transportation systems, railroads and airlines. In Texas alone, 300,000 children are not in school.
Indeed the reaction has been so strong that a flight enroute to the U.S. from Europe diverted to Boston because a passenger said she had flu like symptoms. Some folks, mainly Republican politicians and xenophobic pundits, have demanded that we immediately shut down the U.S./Mexico border. Apparently these folks have not heard the latest reports on the swine flu.
Apparently we were warned about this flu's potential as far back as 1999. The forewarning obviously fell on deaf ears.
What do Rick Perry and Sarah Palin share in common other than the fact both are right wing extremists with an abundance of hair?
There are plenty of shared commonalities between them but the most important is obviously glaring. The governors of the states of Texas and Alaska speak from both sides of their mouths. And both think no one is paying attention.
In other words, Rick and Sarah are lying hypocrites who believe their constituents are stupid.
