A great day moving from a bitter, hate filled, divisive leadership to a new hopeful (hopefully) far better leadership. At home watching the inauguration on TV, I stood during the singing of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ because I am proud to be an American, but I am [also] an embarrassed and ashamed American.  Ashamed at too much of our leadership that has acted in disgrace, even criminally but most certainly in the most shameful, self-serving manner instead of in the best interest of our country and its citizenry.  This is not merely a result of the last presidency but a culmination in the last several decades of the radicalization of a political party that gave way to the criminal, autocratic want to be, at times psychotic former presidency.

The party now stands for Anti-Democratic (at best) policies and not to just diminish but completelyy ignore the rule of law, the US Constitution and any sembelance of decency.  They are the believers that the world is flat and my dog ate my homework. They and their believers are void of honesty and ethics, I am sure that they fully believe in the lies, misinformation and utter propoganda that continues to be fed to and by them.

There are two major parties in the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans who are now the party of Anti-Democratic ideals. This is a national embarrasment and one of international shame.

Yep, that's what we need but it won't be easy. One party is so unhinged, it prefers anti-democratic, authoritarian, dictatorsautocrates in the United States over free (semi-free), democratic elections.

[Originally published July 2013]

This video says it all.  It doesn't take much intelligence to figure this out...

Watching the U.S. Presidential debate is astounding. As we listen to a confirmed, documented, habitual liar say or make any claim, particularly about his opponent is buffoonery at its apex! We have an embarrassment for our current administration and this debate is a beacon of light shone brightly on its corruption, nepotism, dysfunction and utter incompetence. One party that is happily condoning, encouraging and fully supporting the embarrassment described above.  What's up with that? (should the constituents take action at the polls - if they are able to get to the polls or make their individual vote count without being obstructed in one form or another from being able to vote or have their vote count)

As I listen to the audio of this debate I cannot help but think that the President sounds like a baffoon or moron!  How can it be t hat we have this fool as the leader of our country? A country at risk because of the extremism of authoritarianism from one party (both parties are far too corrupt).

I would say more but it the display of absurdity and foolishness is beyond the pale!

"Thou shalt not bear false witness"

Well it appears to be another case of a politician (aka, bull ****ting liar. i.e., Sarah Palin) that wears their religious beliefs on their public sleeve that is so antithetical to the religion they tout

[Updated 1-6-2021]
So Mike Pence finally put on his big boy pants and is going to do the right, the proper, the legally required and the moral/ethical thing. The radicalized and fanatical in his party now hate him and some apparently want to do him harm.  Is this a political party or a cult?

There have been many quotes regarding "the measure of a man" but they all pretty much tell the same story and advise or enlighten us as to an individual’s measure. Their honor, integrity, there ethical standing in the world and their moral conviction... or not.  We see in our political representatives that measure each and every day and it is truly a monumental disappointment. Our elected officials lack so much, honor, integrity and just simple plain honesty. The only "men" we generally see that show any measure of the best human qualities are women! Most of the men in government show a measure which displays the least desirable qualities in humanity. Dr. King's quote referred to the measure of a man is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience but during times of challenge and controversy. That is the true test or measure.

We see, everyday it seems that test, that measure in times of challenge and controversy a lack of the best qualities and the display of the worst in all too many of our politicians and government officials.

It is that simple. This administration (Trump) and most of those representing it have failed that measure horribly. What we have seen is corruption, cowardice, avarice, greed of power and wealth.and a loathsome anti-democratic agenda veiled in egregious lies and false righteousness. This is the light, the measure that the current administration and its Republican party now paints itself with.

Where are you? Did you know there is an ongoing national emergency?  People (obviously those not like you and your friends) are desperate, struggling and in dire need.  WTF?  You don't seem to really care about ordinary working people (other than their vote)! Your rhetoric is pitiful and empty in the end - just excuses like those of small children caught in a lie or of wrong doing!

I just watched Marco Rubio on Face the Nation and he said absolutely nothing! No plan, no policy, only when he finally did address the issue itself he made vague, ambiguous generalities like his other party colleagues... nothing!  It is amazing that Republican constituents don't demand honest, actual policy and legislation from their representatives!

No Shirts, No Shoes, NO SERVICE!  How is this any different than adding to this, ... "No Masks, No Service!"

People, do you really want to base anything  on Trump's thoughts, ideas or lies?

[Orinially published 3/29/2012]
We rely on a number of people to act honestly and fairly as our representatives in government. This is something we take for granted, but need we re-examine this faith in our individual government representation? There have always been those who look to game the system, to cheat and thereby redeem some type of profitability whether monetarily or otherwise. From our elected representatives we assume a sense of fairness and honesty. In the past we’ve held these elected representatives accountable by either reelecting them in the next cycle - or not. Perhaps there must be a greater point of accountability from our elected officials since the damage they can create by breaking the trust between constituents and those that they elect can only be remedied after the fact, after any such damage is long done.

So now it is complete, the Republican Congress and Republican President are now completely devoid of humanity and now a fully authoritarian, fascist, racist, xenophobic, hate based party that has almost single handedly (the Democrats are complicit in this too) destroyed the American model of democracy. The current president fancies himself as an all-powerful, fascist, dictator who is a narcissistic sociopath, lacking empathy, void of intelligence, common sense, who compulsively lies and threatens everyone and anyone who might appear to oppose him.

In the shadow of police brutality and the ensuing protests, the crackdown on free speech and the right to assemble to protest the fascist extremism of our government we must work to return to a better democracy or risk falling into a fascist, authoritarian dictatorship.

My anger is so complete! I am angry at my government who has abandoned its citizens and a willingness or a willingness of apathy by a large enough minority to allow the perversion of our democracy and the rule of law. Government for and by the people, not "government is the problem" you jackasses!  If you bought into that propaganda you helped get us to where we are today. It should be a frightening place to most people!

Listen to an audio interview here of The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer interviewed by Mehdi Hasan

If you were going to play a game of baseball or basketball, perhaps a game of football or tennis and before you actually started to play the game the referee's announced they were not going to be impartial and they would in fact collude with the opposing team!  WTF?

By any stretch of the imagination, the above definition would lead one to conclude that Mitch McConnell is a horse’s patoot!

Now we have politician's (really anyone) asking why the House of Representatives in Congress doesn't want to send the articles of impeachment over to the Senate?  Really, is the public that stupid or do our politicians just think that is the case?

Mike Bloomberg has announced he is running for U.S. President, but what is he and what does he really stand for?  Another rich, out of touch with the real world, holier than thou, I can do anything I want "businessman".  Yeah just what this country needs again is another rich, megalomaniac.  Mike (may I call you Mike?), Mike has shown his elitist stature at the climate talks in Spain. Announcing a news conference at the summit in Spain and then taking not a single question from the media was brilliantly stupid!  It was very "Trumpian" in its fascist, moronic, absurdity.  This is yet another rich individual (jackass) that wants to be the President of the United States. Another rich guy that does not have the wherewithal to answer a simple question (maybe because it was from a Democracy Now reporter - one he might deem as an undesirable) about what "he" would do about climate change while at the climate change conference after announcing he would have a news conference!

I don't understand how anyone that has conservative ideas, like being fiscially responsible (to me an irony, but none the less) and other conservative ideas - how they can accept the behavior of their party in the United States Congress in recent years and particularly right this minute!  How can an American, one that believes in American ideals believe in hidding or discouraging truth, divirting attention from the truth being examined and peverting majority (or for that matter respect for the minority whichever that party is at the time) rule. It has become, over time a greater pevertion of democracy with at its end - true facism. Will our current president postpone elections if he thinks they will not end to his liking? He has already peverted and disgraced the office of presidency. He maligns and perverts law enforcement, justice and many of the pilars of our once but no longer proud democracy. He is divisive, stokes fear and hatered, but his party in Congress has done little to nothing to stand up to this disgraceful behavior. Anyone and anything that disagrees with him or suggests that he has run afowl is instantly labled "fake" or becomes a "witch hunt". He is a farce and now his party has become a farce, taking on his own dispicable characteristics.

Social Security benefits are not an entitlement, it is insurance YOU paid for! But Congress believes that the funds for Social Security and other social programs are an entitlement for them to raid! The want to make cuts and raid any surplus for themselves and then NEVER pay it back!  SHAME on Congress!

(Originally published 2-18-2012) Irregardless of the stock market (yet another scam on the working class) or the current state of political discourse.  Well it is obvious to most real thinking people that are willing to look at truth as opposed to a rationalized 'truth' that strokes their own narrow perception of the world!

Our Congress has shown the world that they are perfectly willing to not govern as a democratic body and will (as stated in public by a number of Senators and House Reps, like Mr. McConnell) not only hold the American public hostage but will extort them through minority rule, in a non-democratic fashion from now on and that their only purpose or number one goal is to defeat the opposition party incumbent! 

Let's face it, our political system is one big mess!  Conflicts of interest are just the tip of the iceberg - not that that is anything new.  It's just that it has become a problem again along with the level of discouse, the unashamed, unabashed, unadultrated lying by our political leaders, the authoritarian leanings of our Congress and a general lack of integrity - the likes we've haven't seen in quite some time now. 

Most are saying, "let's wait and see what happens with this new administration" but it will be no surprise as to what is going to happen. Perhaps the specific details are yet to be observed but the general sense that things will come unhinged seems to be a sure thing.

Until "the people" demand that their political leaders (to start with) must have integrity, display honesty and work for their constituency we are doomed to fail. There are enough "people" that want and see what is required but I fear that we as a people will suffer before anything is done. Let's hope it ain't too late...

The power given to some conservative governor’s to appoint “emergency managers” is one of the most insidious and anti-democratic.  Not only is it un-democratic, but it is  the way in which republican Michigan legislators usurped voter majority after having emergency manager legislation defeated by voters - they presented a new bill that they made sure could not be in essence defeated by public vote.  They did this by presenting the new bill which would reinstate emergency managers but they also added a small fiscal appropriations which in effect makes the new legislation “voter proof”! (spending bills cannot be vetoed by public vote)

The reality is that one party has been shifting more and more to an authoritarian rule rather than a democratic one. The rush to make as many federal court judicial appointments, the absolutely despicable push towards more and more extreme gerrymandering of voting districts (this extreme version was in large part nurtured along by Carl Rove after the Bush years and termed by him as "Rat F***ked" - which is by the way the title of a book on the same subject), the equally despicable push of voter suppression laws particularly in what would be considered "swing" states along with a win at any cost mentality is costing us our democracy.  Trump is (so far and hopefully not much more) a culmination of the last several decades of these kinds of anti-democratic tactics.

Is this the battle to control the Internet or is it something more?

In truth our politics have always been contrary to our morality and ethics as a society, but in our current, modern, supposedly enlightened society the guy running for President of the United States is an utter embarrassment!  How can what seems to be a minority have raised up this candidate that represents everything we abhore in an individual?  What in god’s name can the Republican’s be thinking?  The idea that they would support and back a man who is clearly so utterly unqualified to be President is confounding at best and in the end they will hopefully pay dearly. (not a likely consequence these days where no one is held accountable – kind of a Ronald Reagan thing isn’t it?)

So, like everyone else let’s go through the litany of absurdities this “guy” has bombarded the public with – some folks fondly appreciative but I would like to think those are in the minority.

Almost unlimited money in U.S. politics and a party asking political members to take an oath to the party!  Just a couple of the perversions of todays political arena. Watch Bennie's discussion of these issues and then think, please...