What's Your Excuse, Now?: July 2011

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Summary From FactCheck On A Health Care Reform

This is an excerpt from FactCheck.org on the case of Healthcare Reform Law as destroying jobs.  Too bad so many don't take the time to read.

When it comes to truth in labeling, House Republicans are getting off to a poor start with their constantly repeated references to the new health care law as "job-killing."

We find:

• Independent, nonpartisan experts project only a "small" or "minimal" impact on jobs, even before taking likely job gains in the health care and insurance industries into account.

• The House Republican leadership, in a report issued Jan. 6, badly misrepresents what the Congressional Budget Office has said about the law. In fact, CBO is among those saying the effect "will probably be small."

• The GOP also cites a study projecting a 1.6 million job loss — but fails to mention that the study refers to a hypothetical employer mandate that is not part of the new law.

• The same study cited by the GOP also predicts an offsetting gain of 890,000 jobs in hospitals, doctors’ offices and insurance companies — a factor not mentioned by the House leadership.

There’s little doubt that the new law will likely lead to somewhat fewer low-wage jobs. That’s mainly because of the law’s requirement that, generally, firms with more than 50 workers pay a penalty if they fail to provide health coverage for their workers. One leading health care expert, John Sheils of The Lewin Group, puts the loss at between 150,000 and 300,000 jobs, at or near the minimum wage. And Sheils says that relatively small loss would be partly offset by gains in the health care industry.

Analysis

Attaching misleading labels to legislation is a well-worn tactic in Washington. Conservatives got rid of most of the estate tax after labeling it a "death tax," as though it taxed death instead of multimillion-dollar fortunes. And liberals once won passage of an "assault weapons ban" that didn’t really ban fully automatic military assault rifles, which were already illegal for civilians to own without a very-hard-to-get federal license. Now House Republicans are seeking to repeal what they call "Obamacare: A budget-busting, job-killing health care law." That’s the title of a study issued by the House Republican leadership Jan. 6.

And the GOP is clearly pushing the "job-killer" claim. House Speaker John Boehner used the phrase "job-killing" to describe the health care law seven times on Thursday, January 6, 2011, in a press conference that lasted less than 14 minutes — that’s once every 2 minutes. He also used the phrases "destroy jobs" and "destroying jobs" once each when talking about the law. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Republicans named their bill to repeal the health care law: "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act."

But is the health care law really "job-killing" as claimed? We find that to be another case of exaggerated and misleading labeling.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Free Speech...

Walter Bagdasarian, from Southern California was arrested over two years ago after posting a late-night tirade against then presidential candidate Barack Obama in October 2008.   He was convicted in 2009.  According to court documents, Bagdasarian's made online comments such as "Obama fk the niggar, he will have a 50 cal in the head soon," and "shoot the nig country fkd for another 4 years+, what nig has done ANYTHING right???? long term???? never in history, except sambos."  The law also covers presidential candidates, too.  Bagdasarian excuse at the time was that he was drunk.  Alcohol loosens the tongue and that helps some people to say what’s really on their mind.  I believe if you got a good attorney, they’ll get some people to believe it, too.  What’s worse, this guy did own a .50 caliber rifle and had the ammunition, he also had other weapons, too.  Keep in mind that racism no longer exists in America.  So bigots can use any opportunity to say that they don’t like the President’s policies as an excuse that they just don’t like the black man.  Unless…they’re drunk and kidding.   Most of the time these threats put you behind bars but last week July 19-20, the Federal Appeals Court overturned the conviction with a 2-1 decision.  The judges ruled that Bagdasarian was engaging in free speech.  So when do we take these type of racists’ threats serious?  Look around and notice the wealth gap between the minorities is widening.  The unemployment rate is higher among blacks.  But none of that seems to matter because even blacks aren’t appreciating and encouraging our President to continue the good fight for all Americans.  What a shame. Now partisan politics have drawn the line enough to cause the country to collapse.  Rush Limbaugh is now considered the King of the GOP & the Queen is Sarah Palin.  Don't we have a lot to look forward to.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Not Fair & Definitely Misleading!

Once again the web of deceit and distraction is being spun by the ultra-right press against the President.  It’s not a surprise anymore, but I do feel disgusted at the acts and levels that these groups will resort to despite their own houses in disorder.  Faux News, unfair an unbalanced coverage of Rupert Murdoch’s scandalous wiretapping is a sham.  They barely covered their boss’s problem but ran all other negative news’ coverage in the ground.  Here are a few examples, Shirley Sherrod and the black farmers, ACORN, the President’s birth certificateAir Force One, and everything and anything about the First Family.  The media is deliberately misleading the public and some of us are gullible enough to believe everything we read and hear.  And of course, no one will refer them to FactCheck, an independent, unbiased group, because someone might get the truth and see how the ultra-rights and Tea Party Reps are making intentional misstatements.  I learned long ago that you don’t throw rocks at people when you live in a glass house.  Taxing the rich and our health care law are not job killers.  Economists found out that the wealthy were not creating jobs and that small business would not have a major impact.  Somebody turned the lights on and the haters are running for cover.  Their hiding in the darkness has affected their thinking and all they care about is staying in the muck and keeping things as they were.  Now we’re hearing about the President playing more golf than Bush.  President Obama is playing more golf than Bush did, even though Bush took more vacations.  It doesn’t matter because the things Bush did wasn’t under the microscope as Obama.  There’s probably somebody, somewhere counting how many times the President has passed gassed.  Why are some of these people so intense on destroying this country and blaming the black man?  Maybe, they just feel that this black man forgot his place and it’s somebody duty to remind him that he’s getting a little uppity and forgetting his place.  Civil discourse, courtesy, and respect are not the order of the day.  Let’s play rough until one of us gets hurt.  Then we can pick up our toys and go home.  Our elected officials sure have a lot of growing up to do.  Pray for these people, pray for this nation and pray for each other.

Monday, July 18, 2011

We Pledge Allegiance to Grover Norquist Not To The American Flag!

This is a very interesting commentary written by the Times Daily columnist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I wonder if this article got national attention. I don’t think so. Which partisan group controls the media that believes in pledges and feels that big government regulatory policies impede progress?

Grover Norquist has Republican politicians and candidates signing pledges in the midst of a national crisis. What does he have on these people? They were elected by the people and now forget about the majority and cater to the minority that has the money.

Here’s the pledge:

I _____ pledge to the taxpayers of the state of _____ and all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against all efforts to increase taxes," reads the version of the pledge signed by Republican lawmakers.

According to the United States Flag Code, the Pledge of Allegiance reads:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.

“One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.”  That used to mean something.  It seems not that the “For all” stands for those that have the money that these politicians will fight for now.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Pitiful Me

I got through yesterday and tomorrow was overdue.
I’m bruised from the problems of today’s news.
I built this wall, this fortress of distrust. I had to do it before I got lost.
I wished that our forever would have last,
instead it became another sore spot in my soiled past.
I kept looking for another you, substituting my loneliness just won’t do.
Torn pictures in my mind keeps dragging out the hurts left behind.
I can’t see ahead because I ignore the signs.

I wanted to be needed, but always got used.
My attempts at love always ended with me being the abused.
The wall I have is as strong as steel, I don’t trust the love that I feel.
I fall in love instantly, not considering the path it’s leading me.
I have so much about love to learn, I guess that’s my reason for getting burned.
Take it or leave it, I hate being alone. I failed as so many others have done.
No more pointing fingers, no one to blame, no more it’s your faults,
no more calling each other names.

The ripples of hurt are smooth as silk, yet they are deep and cut to the quick.
How can I pursue the future still caught in the past?
How can I go forward if I think love won’t last?
Where is my faith, what do I believe in?
Lord, send me someone that will love me again.



A Part of Things ©

Friday, July 8, 2011

Matters Of The Heart - Tia D.

Another glimpse of Tia D's heart!  As always, thank you, Tia!  I appreciate you.

Matters of the Heart


Some things are never clear

until the crystal breaks
Sometimes you never know

until it's all too late

Yet here I am afraid to move
and just as scared to not

A catch 22 with lessons learned

and wisdom being taught.
None of which I've asked for
as easy they are not
and in the most unpleasant way
much pain at times they've brought
Once again I’ve jumped heart first
And left my head behind

So afraid to miss this “chance”

That I became so blind
Ignoring flags and past mistakes
Again the roles confused
I left my heart wide open

Emotions, thoughts diffused

Here I am my heart wide open
Emotions gone astray
Denial fails me yet again
These thoughts won’t go away.

God, please guard my heart and mind

For I can’t find a way
Free me from all false control

Lord, that is what I pray!

7/8/2011

Thursday, July 7, 2011

I Forgot To Be Your Lover - William Bell



We need to bring back some Old School music.  It calms you down and relaxes the body.  Yes, it respected and told you how to treat women.  Now we all seem to be in a rush living and doing everything else except taking care of the people we love and that love us.

Always Valuable!

            My wife and I visited Mother Bennett this past weekend.  At 102, she’s still feisty and quick-witted.  Her granddaughters have a...