What the...

2011-09-18T14:50:00.001-05:00

PURE UNADULTERED RACISM

By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

The President of the United States cannot say what I’m going to say. I am going to say it loud so that it resounds all over this land.

Racists, racists, racists! Racism is alive and SICK in America. Racial hatred is alive and SICK in America. Can I prove it? Yes, I can.

I am 81 years old so I have lived through 13 administrations of presidencies: some weak and ineffective, some strong and yet neglectful; and yet a few, passionate, caring and humane.

These Republicans and Libertarians today are still fighting the Civil War! There is Texas where the governor is Republican Rick Perry. This Southern state wants to engrave the Confederate flag on the license plates of all the citizens in the state. There are Southern boards of education including, but not limited to Tennessee, Texas and Virginia who want to rewrite the text books either to omit slavery or to revise and rearrange history to fit their biased views. These three states all have Republican governors. The Tea Party, a group of extreme right-wing conservative theorists are among the proponents of this revisionist, altered version of American history. There are those semi-literate legislators, like Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota, who say the Founding Fathers fought to eliminate slavery. There’s a Southern governor, Republican Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi, who knows nothing about slavery and racial tensions in the South.

Ignorant! Yes, that’s a part of it; but, the main thing is their psyche. Taught at an early age to look down upon and to hate people of African descent, this hatred is buried deep, deep, within the throes of every fabric and fiber of their beings. Just as a light weight object put into a glass of water will float to the top, no matter how long racism has been festering in their bodies, confronted with a President of African descent, the covert racism rises to the top. All of the subliminal messages weighing them down for years since infancy, now surface; and unabashedly, they would rather see this Nation, this Democratic Republic crumble as long as they can blame this Black man and cause his Waterloo! This is not my position. This is not my inference. This is exactly what some of these racists legislators have said. There is concrete evidence that they said it. I don’t have to make it up or falsify what they said, it is there on video preserved for the lifetime of this Nation for the whole world to see that a group of racists legislators, like Republican Congressman Mitch McConnell, are so determined to make the presidency of President Barack Obama, a one-term presidency that they frankly, as Rhett Butler said, …I don’t give a damn”

Collective bargaining came into existence in Wisconsin; but Republican Governor Scott Walker, a governor influenced by Libertarian billionaires, destroyed it with the stroke of a pen. Social Security signed into law by Democrat President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of the more effective, caring and humane presidents, is about to undergo the chopping block despite the fact that workers have paid into the system all of their working years. Medicare and Medicaid, humane programs signed into law by Democrat President Lyndon Baines Johnson, designed to aid the elderly, the infirm and women, infants and children are about to come under the blade of the guillotine!

These programs benefit people most of whom have worked on minimum wage jobs all of their working years. Some of them are unmarried and/or divorced women, failed by the declining education system, find themselves unprepared to find work that will sustain themselves and their children.

Combined with racism is also classism; and, viewed and pursued by some, they are one and the same. Classism divides Americans by social strata with three defined levels: upper class (those with wealth accumulated either by top earning occupations or by inheritance), middle class (those who are either professional, have managerial positions or government workers with wages above the minimum income level, sometimes referred to as white collar workers), and lower class (those who work in production whose manufacturing jobs for the most part have been shipped overseas, often referred to as blue collar workers).

Then there’s the undefined and often ignored underbelly of society who are invisible because they make no demands on society. They are the ones who roam the streets at night or sleep over the grate or under bridges, in bus stations or wherever they can lay their heads as they use what little belongings they have as a pillow under their heads. They are the unemployed, the homeless and hopeless, many are former military personnel who served their country all the while being neglected by their country. Many Americans of African descent have managed to escape the net and the web woven that would keep them out of the middle class, have benefited from these social programs after retirement years which has sustained them, along with their pensions, and have managed to remain middle class.

As one legislator decried, “This is class war!” Yes, it is! Though some semi-literate, misinformed legislators called President Obama an elitist, it is they, many formerly poor boys, who through their positions living off the dole of the citizenry, now look down on the very people from whom they rose. There are some ill-reared and ill-bred who call the President of the United States, a liar! Because my mind is alert and fertile, I challenge any American to refute any of the facts that I am stating. Never in the history of this country has an American President been openly disrespected as has President Barack Obama. One “pretender to the throne,” Republican part-time governor, Sarah Palin, while in India spoke derisively about the President while on foreign shores, all the while saying that this is inappropriate. One thug of a legislator, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, of South Carolina, called out, to President Barack Obama, “You lie!” during the State of the Union Address. Just the other day in July, 2011, another barnyard pig of a legislator, Republican Congressman Joe Lucas, of the 8^thDistrict of Illinois, called the President of the United States a liar.

Of course American ethics, morals and morality have gone to hell in a hand basket; but, when this same “pretender,” Sarah Palin, featured on the cover of a major magazine, Newsweek, dressed inappropriately in a tight sweater opened a bit too much, then the world can see for itself the depravity and degradation of American principles and the American people.

As Republican President Abraham Lincoln stated eloquently, “ A house divided against itself, cannot stand,” we have reached that fork in the road and America is on the path to destruction at the hands of a few, petty, pampered, pretty boys who in their efforts to appease their “masters” are driving this country off a cliff!

Until we get a Secretary of Psychiatry to free racists of the hatred they are harboring, America will not prosper. America is already close to being displaced by China as the world’s greatest power; and, this is only because of the pure unadultered racism pervasive throughout this land.

Doctor Burleson, an accomplished writer, publishes under the Blog: Spectrum talk

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

While You Where Sleeping...

2011-09-16T18:13:00.001-05:00

I am truly troubled by the conspiracy to undermine the American voter's right to vote, especially Democratic voters, by the new laws that are being enacted in States that were closely contested, but won by Obama in 2008. What's occurring is the systematic elimination of those voters that voted for Obama in 2008. The requirement that voters 'must' have a government issued identification card prior to being allowed to vote is a regression into the 'Jim Crow' tactics used to prevent the poor, Hispanic, Black, and elderly from voting in the 2012 general election. In addition, this restriction targets college students, another group that solidly support Obama.

Another matter that troubles me is the inability of Obama's youthful supporters to understand the ramifications of not giving these changes in the ability to vote serious thought. Young Blacks simply are not as interested as they should be in the conspiracy to rob them of the right to vote... how ironic can this be - losing the right to vote because you are not involved? It is devastating!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2011-09-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

On any given Sunday, either Bob Schieffer, or David Gregory will "pluck my last nerve" with the line of questioning that they use interviewing pundits and political officials. Today's question by Bob Schieffer... "well, David, should Obama take part of the blame for the S&P down-grade of the United States Treasury bond" - you have got to be kidding me? I am very surprised at the questions that David Axelrod received from Bob, and the lack of a questioning of Senator Graham's position.

First of all, how can you even began to ask "Shouldn't Obama take some of the blame for the down-grade by S&P. The President bent over backwards in an attempt to bring the Tea-partied Republicans to the table. Obama said... "Let's do something big" - a four trillion dollar deficit reduction package, that a major percentage of our economist and the Congressional Budget people said was balanced and doable. It was rejected by the same people who, the week before, had proposed the same amount of money, but with no revenues.

For Senator Graham to sit there and blame this President for the chaos that Bush created; for the Republicans to say that this President is not leading - while they obstruct his ever effort to bring us out of the Recession, is unconscionable and a treasonous scheme to prevent his re-election by making it impossible for him to succeed.

My point is this... Obama has done remarkably well with two-thirds of Congress working against him, just think where we would be if they, Congress, were all giving this President the support that George W. Bush got when he incorporated the measures that put us in this fix to begin with!

America is tired of the shenanigans from the SOS (Stuck on Stupid) populating the 112th session of Congress.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2011-09-09T14:08:00.000-05:00

On last evening, the President spoke to a joint session of Congress. The President presented his comprehensive plan to create jobs with a method of payment for his plan. Optimism is high in hopes that Congress will unanimously support the President's efforts to put fourteen millions Americans back to work.

The President intends to spend the next few weeks visiting major cities across the nation in an effort to put his message before the American people as well...

God's speed... Mr. President!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

My Response to Mr. Krauthammer's Op-ed in the Washington Post

2011-08-19T12:10:00.002-05:00

"A troubled nation wonders: How did we get mired in 9.1 percent unemployment, 0.9 percent growth and an economic outlook so bad that the Federal Reserve pledges to keep interest rates at zero through mid-2013 — an admission that it sees little hope on the horizon?"

As is always the case, Mr. Krauthammer talks about the problems that have mired the POTUS' agenda, but he never addresses the factors that stymie the POTUS's efforts to generate a full recovery. Let's enumerate them to ensure that there is a contradiction to his position:

1. The House, led by the Tea-partied Republicans and an indecisive speaker of the House has failed to introduce one job creation Bill, in fact, every attempt by members of the House to introduced legislation has been blocked by the Right - reference:http://j.mp/q5FXRG.

2. When the POTUS attempted to introduce a Stimulus package that would address jobs by setting aside money that would have created jobs as part of a grand scheme to influence recovery, the Republicans used the pretense of voting for that stimulus in a ploy that watered-down the package and thus, rendered it nothing more than pouring a bucket of water on a barn fired.

3. When the POTUS asked for a 'big' debt reduction budget plan that would reduce the deficit over the next ten years by 4.7 trillion, Republicans refused the package because it contained demands to cut tax loopholes and rescind the tax cuts to the top two percent of wage earners.

I could go on with example after example of how the POTUS' agenda was thwarted by a partisan effort to reduce any chance of success by this President to posture change to the economic situation in America. The Republican mandate is to 'make Obama a one term' President at the expense of the American worker.

It is shameful, and you are being less than candid when you present an opinion that is as bias as the Republican response to the economy of our country.
In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Road Ahead is Full of Obstacles

2011-08-17T15:48:00.000-05:00

Currently, we are witnessing a major change in the way America functions. We are seeing an increase in the use of food stamps as a method of feeding families. Keeping in mind that the qualifications for receiving Food Stamps are directly related to the income of the recipient (below poverty, or no income at all), this is becoming a disturbing trend.

I did a search of the site www.opencongress.com using the following statement: What Job creation bills were presented in Congress' House of Representatives for the 112th Session. This was my result: http://j.mp/q5FXRG. Most recently, Wal-Mart, the poor man's Neiman-Marcus, posted this quarterly financial report for the last six months: http://j.mp/pZEnqv. I make these revelations so that you might associate buyers with those clothiers that are prospering in the current economy; that you might realize that trickle-down economics are not working. Oh... on Neiman-Marcus... they had a surge in profits for the year with this quarter being superb... http://j.mp/pV1Wzv

There were no Job Creation Bills coming out of Congress for this 112th Session! There are no jobs being created by the top three percent receiving tax cuts! There is no correlation between tax cuts for the rich and job materializing for the masses.

Mr. Boehner made the statement on the very day that he took the gavel that he had no idea how to create jobs and he was as right as rain would be to those suffering from the drought in the Southwest. Still, Congress, as a whole is to blame for the current laxity in meeting the needs of the country - we need jobs and plenty of them! We need partisan legislation for the good of the country!

The end resultant of this inaptitude on the part of Congress is the starving of the government, an agenda that has at its center the mandate to ‘make Obama a one-term President’. That this President has managed to keep the country’s financial crisis from dragging us down in a spiral quagmire is in no part due to the assistance of the Republican Party. The Republican Party is in a position to push through the House any legislation that it would have become law… but it has not entertained one job creation Bill, in fact, the House has blocked job creation legislation from such notables and John Conyers (D-SC) and others.

Are you going to be a partisan voter when it comes to the general elections of 2012, or are you going to vote your conscious and elect whomever is in favor of rescuing the unemployed? Be an informed citizen; there are many ways that you can discern the truth. Use impartial sites to gain the real picture… start by visiting www.opencongress.com – that is where you will see an impartial record of who is doing what in your State as well as in Congress.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

What If…

2011-07-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

What if… the Republican Party was given an incentive to push through an agenda that was certain political suicide – martyrdom! Realize the destruction of our government as we have known it for all of these two hundred and thirty-five years by killing the democratic processes!

What if… we actually defaulted on the deficit and were forced to re-align the government because we were essentially in bankruptcy. Would the Federal government be subjected to an international court wherein the United States would have to liquidate assets to pay its creditors?

Under Chapter 7 for businesses the following would occur…

Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code

When a troubled business is badly in debt and unable to service that debt or pay its creditors, it may file (or be forced by its creditors to file) for bankruptcy in a federal court under Chapter 7. A Chapter 7 filing means that the business ceases operations unless continued by the Chapter 7 Trustee. A Chapter 7 Trustee is appointed almost immediately, with broad powers to examine the business's financial affairs.

The Trustee generally sells all the assets and distributes the proceeds to the creditors. This may or may not mean that all employees will lose their jobs. When a very large company enters Chapter 7 bankruptcy, entire divisions of the company may be sold intact to other companies during the liquidation.^{[citation needed]}

Fully secured creditors, such collateralized bondholders or mortgage lenders, have a legally enforceable right to the collateral securing their loans or to the equivalent value, a right which cannot be defeated by bankruptcy. A creditor is fully secured if the value of the collateral for its loan to the debtor equals or exceeds the amount of the debt. For this reason, however, fully secured creditors are not entitled to participate in any distribution of liquidated assets that the bankruptcy trustee might make.

In a Chapter 7 case, a corporation or partnership does not receive a bankruptcy discharge—instead, the entity is dissolved. Only an individual can receive a Chapter 7 discharge (see 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(1)). Once all assets of the corporate or partnership debtor have been fully administered, the case is closed. The debts of the corporation or partnership theoretically continue to exist until applicable statutory periods of limitations expire.

The ramifications of a default on the deficit are many and far flung. Immediate agencies and departments of consequence…

Entitlements – listed here, will stop without notice!

a. Government sponsored social programs – non-existent (SSA, Medicare, Medicaid, and Unemployment)!

b. Federal Assistance – FEMA, gone!

c. TSA – No more!

d. Federal Courts and all Law Enforcement Agencies – severely hampered!

e. Agencies that protect our food, water, regulate businesses – no more!

No standing Army.

a. All five branches of our Armed Forces and the National Guard would be reduced or eliminated – servicemen and retirees would not get paid!

b. All foreign Military bases will close.

c. Armed Forces equipment – rusting in parking lots, or sold at auction!

No Federal Agencies – all federal workers would be eventually laid off, or furloughed.
No Air Traffic Controllers – no incoming, or outgoing flights except in emergencies.
State and Local governments would receive no subsidies for infrastructure repairs, education, or other programs supported through federal subsidizing.

The ‘Domino Effect’ to the economy can only be described as chaotic with a rush on the Banking system, grocery stores, and any form of support supplied to the public.

What would drive a responsible Federal government body elected by the people to disregard their legal mandate to serve the people? Surely, every individual responsible for the destruction of the government of the United States could never be re-elected, to that, or any other office. Obviously, those individuals would be ostracized by the people they represented in Congress. None of these individuals could ever hope to have a job in America again, live in the neighborhood where they previously lived; and yet, knowing all of this – they do the unthinkable!

What if… the Republican Party’s elected officials have been promised an astronomical sum of money along with relocation to do the unthinkable? Would you do it… for five million dollars and a lifetime promise of support in making the readjustment to live outside of scrutiny – for any amount of money?

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

When They Came for Me

2011-06-20T23:35:00.000-05:00

When the Nazis came for the Communists, I remained silent; I was not a Communist.

When they locked up the Social Democrats, I remained silent; I was not a Social Democrat.

When they came for the Trade Unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a Trade Unionist.

When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I was not a Jew.

When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.

Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984) was a Protestant pastor and social activist.

I want to bring your attention to this passage as written by Martin Niemöller for reasons that will become obvious to you as time goes forward in this period of social and economic evolution within the United States, as well as the global arena. The author is summarizing the events that led to Nazi Germany's ability to unite an entire country under a common belief, a philosophy that was froth with inconsistencies. Everyone should have, to some degree, a working knowledge of that era, so I won't go into details.

Let's change the names to protect the innocent... so to speak, and see how these writings fit present day America:

When the Right came for the Senior citizens, I remained silent; I was not a Senior citizen.

When they locked up the Social Democrats, I remained silent; I was not a Social Democrat.

When they came for the Trade Unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a Trade Unionist.

When they came for the Lower Classes, I remained silent; I wasn't in the Lower Classes.

When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.

It has been said that America was as close to being a dictatorship under the Bush Administration as ever before - The Patriot Act set the stage for what we see today - in a broader sense. I have enclosed a copy of the summary of what the PATRIOT Act does... USA PATRIOT Act.

"The Act dramatically reduced restrictions on law enforcement agencies' ability to search telephone, e-mail communications, medical, financial, and other records; eased restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United States; expanded the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities; and broadened the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. The act also expanded the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism, thus enlarging the number of activities to which the USA PATRIOT Act’s expanded law enforcement powers can be applied."

Before someone goes off on a tangent, I am sighting the Patriot Act here to put emphasis on the discreet way in which laws are passed which can enhances the capability to do other things that are even more bizarre in nature - the Patriot Act has its validity in the grand scheme of protecting America, but there were other entities encompassed in the Patriot Act that were in place before the Patriot Act was passed that did the same job. So why did we need a 'new' law to do what was already a law?

The Military Commission Act of 2006 as originally signed by President Bush took aim at the rights of an accused as granted under the Habeas Corpus Act... you simply have to be declared a 'domestic terrorist' and you lose your right to representation, time you can be held without charges, and the right to an attorney - furthermore, your trial, if you are granted one, will be at the discretion of the entity that had you arrested and detained.

The Military Commission Act was revised in 2009 to appease its critics, but the controversy remains as to whether a U.S citizen can be tried under this Act. Consider that the Combatant Status Review Tribunal decides whether you will be tried as an ‘alien’ or U. S. citizen – the new changes, that to some degree set guidelines for the Combatant Status Review Tribunal were requested by President Obama. Based upon the new determination, you have a three step process that must include ‘substantial’ evidence to classify you as a hostile or unlawful enemy combatant. You will have the right to Habeas Corpus and a trial by your ‘peers’, or a military tribunal if you do not qualify or meet all three of the steps of determination!

The text of the law states that its "purpose" is to "establish procedures governing the use of military commissions to try alien unlawful enemy combatants engaged in hostilities against the United States for violations of the law of war and other offenses triable by military commission." While the most controversial provisions in the law refer to "alien unlawful enemy combatants", section 948a refers to "unlawful enemy combatants" (not explicitly excluding US citizens).

What I am saying is this:

Changes are being made to the laws in many States and at the Federal Congressional level by the 2010 wave of Republicans that were ushered into our State and Federal Congresses with a mandate the Right foolishly believes is validated by the 2010 election results, this may be so, but surely no one envisioned what is currently taking place. No one envisioned that 'entitlements' were going to be cut, degraded; no one believed that our Unions were going to be pushed to the curb like new fallen snow with hopes that they would melt and fade away in the Spring; no one believed that laws that have been on the books... having passed challenge after challenge are now being changed - precedence is a mainstay of Judicial law, and yet, we see clearly that these changes are being made. No one believed that controversial laws, having been struck down by the courts, would be enacted in spite of the rulings by our courts!

No citizen is standing to voice concern... we are silent - until it is our turn to be subjected to the new order! Therein lays the dilemma… the crack in the wall that will release a flood of laws systematically taking away your rights – all under the pretense of prosecuting terrorist.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Meet the Press with David Gregory

2011-05-29T15:02:00.002-05:00

Tim Russet, he is not! David Gregory is a shadow of what we are used to viewing on Meet the Press. Having said that, here is my take on today’s broadcast…

David Gregory expects his guest to give him honest candid answers willingly… he might be able to accomplish that with the likes of Newt Gingrich, but McConnell is not Newt. So he complains that his guest are not being straight-forward. Notice when Gregory interrupts or attempts to interrupts – time and time again he will demure when he is attempting to interrupt a Republican guest, but persist when attempting to do so with a Democrat!

Gregory states that the President has not been serious about turning the economy around and addressing the deficit issues… Please, Mr. Gregory, view the records for the first two years of Obama’s presidency. Recall, please, the loss of jobs (seven hundred thousand a month) in September, 2010 and the turn-around in February, 2011 under Obama. This President had so many alligators surrounding him the day he took office, I am impressed that he was able to do what he did!

On Medicare, the mere fact that no one currently in a position to receive Medicare ever elected to opt into Medicare! We all were enrolled into a system that promised to be a safety net for us in our retirement. Given those parameters, there is no way that you are going to take that program out of use simply because it is top-loaded! Eisenhower said that any Party attempting to take away Social Security, Medicare, and other popular social programs will cease to exist as a viable political party. I think that he was/is absolutely right!

When the Republicans decide to come to the table with everything on the table, there will be a meaningful debate with a fruitful outcome - hopefully. Quite frankly, there are a few issues that the Republicans are asking that will never be considered…

1. A continuance of the Bush tax cuts is ludicrous, considering that we can’t afford to ‘give away’ seven billion dollars a year for the next two years. Those tax cuts would add up to 1.4 trillion dollars over their two year extension to the deficit.

2. Loopholes in the tax code that allow big business to defer any profits that they make overseas. Those same tax loopholes support the out-sourcing of jobs by allowing those losses overseas to be included in write-offs on their taxes here in the United States. You simply can’t continue tax cuts to businesses that aren’t willingly to support the demand for jobs here in America.

3. None of us has ever been able to make our house payments without income… the same is true for the United States Government – taxes are the revenue needed to sustain our government. Obviously, spending cuts are required as well, but to balance the budget on the backs of fixed income Seniors is ‘never’ going to happen!

4. Speculation in the Commodities vital to the economy should be banned – the price of gasoline at the pump is not because of the Oil Industries gouging prices. The speculation is caused by buyers hoarding the oil on the market and driving the prices for that oil up before they sell to the processors of that oil into gasoline. We can't afford such fluctuations in this shaky economy!

5. We have to remove the Anti-Trust laws that allow the Insurance Industry to shape the price that consumers must pay to be insured. Pharmaceutical companies have a choke hold on the American people as well; they should be placed under scrutiny for manipulation of the price of drugs.

Finally, let’s set the record straight! We hear Republicans stating ‘falsely’, that Obama is the reason that we are in this deficit scenario:

1. The Bush tax cuts are responsible for three and a half trillion dollars associated with the deficit. Do the math… seven billion dollars times five years!

2. The war in Iraq added another two billion dollars per month to the deficit because that war was financed on credit – it was never included in the budget!

3. De-regulation of Wall Street and the Real Estate Industry occurred as a result of the legislation ‘pushed’ by the Republicans to support practices that resulted in major defaults by borrowers. The monkey is squarely on the back of those supporting these ridiculous changes to our economy.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Dark Girls - Bradinn French

2011-05-28T11:31:00.003-05:00

Time and time again it is pointed out what racism does to the target of that bigotry. I will scream with my loudest voice until the day that I die for the pain that dark-complexioned women endure. How can you degrade your own race with attitudes such as this - and yet we do.

There is no unity within the Blacks of America and it deeply angers me. My feelings are... if you have such low self-esteem for yourself, how can you ever expect another person... another race, to have a favorable view toward you and your race.

I am Black. I have never wanted to be anything but what I am - Black! I thank God for my great grandmother, born a slave, but every bit the true model of what Black women are - strong, patience, loving, and ooh so beautiful on the inside as well as the outside! I was blessed to have a grandmother who taught me the value of self-esteem at an early age and I teach these truths to my daughters and granddaughters.

To my beautiful dark-complexioned Black sisters - harmed by the prejudices placed at your feet because of the deep, rich colour of your skin - I love you!

Dark Girls: Preview from Bradinn French on Vimeo.

Clips from Bradinn French's upcoming documentary exploring the deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin color---particularly dark skinned women, outside of and within the Black American culture.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

A President's First Term: Eisenhower's Pursuit of "The Middle Way

2011-05-20T10:18:00.002-05:00

By Louis Galambos and Daun van Ee

Excerpt:

Eisenhower did not want to roll back history, junking federal policies that in his view had proven successful. As he told his brother Edgar during an unguarded moment, "Should any political party attempt to abolish Social Security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history." He was in fact willing to strengthen those federal programs that had good track records and even to introduce new measures on a selective basis. But at the same time, he wanted to prune programs such as those in public power and agricultural subsidies, whose costs he thought far outweighed their benefits to the nation. If successful, he would slow and perhaps even stop the growth of the administrative state. This was his concept of the "Middle Way."

It is remarkable how the thoughts of persons long gone from us can be remarkably prophetic when these thoughts are read years after their death. What may have seemed insignificant then becomes the guiding light of truth now.

I urge you to read the entire article to gain insight into the mind of one of the few Presidents that are never mentioned in the same sentence as Ronald Reagan, but Eisenhower is, by far, the most visionary Republican outside of Abraham Lincoln to date.

Ronald Reagan was an actor – and not a good one according to Joe Leyden. He played the part of President of the United States with the same ease with which he marched across the ‘big screen’. He truly was the first President to have been setup as a puppet by those underlings that ran the government through him. George W. Bush was the second such President, but he wasn't an actor.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Tea-Partied Republicans and Big Business

2011-05-18T14:50:00.001-05:00

This America... home of the free, defender of democracy the world over, and all that is righteous is under attack from within. The descent into chaotic disorganization began the day that Bush 43 announced that we were in a recession - a lie, that Big Business took as its cue to rid the American people of their right to a decent wage and fair workplace laws. We, the silent majority, have watched as the Tea Party influenced the Republican Party to demand extreme solutions to our economical dilemma by taxing the poor and removing what the Right calls our 'entitlements'.

Let me remind all of you sympathetic to the Republican train of thought to destroy the institutions that each of us has paid into, and what we now recognized as Social Security and Medicare. We were signed into the system before we understood what we were committing to the day that we took our first job. The system has been there and will be there until someone introduces change that will not disenfranchise those that have paid faithfully into it.

Big Business, with the help of Chief Justice Roberts, has gotten the green-light to finance the re-structuring and deletion of every right that we have earned through years of social evolution. OSHA, EPA, FDA, and many of the other agencies such as the new Department of Consumer Affairs are in danger of being eradicated as well... at the behest of the Koch Brothers to their Republican puppets in Congress and State Legislators.

Who is doing this to America? What Democracy Antichrist is creating this environment for us... the Republicans in association with ALEC, Carl Rove, and the Koch Brothers are the main culprits? Pay attention - be informed, and follow the money trail.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Laura Flounders on Bin Laden

2011-05-14T14:25:00.001-05:00

Laura Flanders, a journalist and Talk Show Host, made the point that killing Bin Laden was not in keeping with the moral values and best interest of the American people. She admitted that she was against the killing of Bin Laden within the first few minutes of her response on The Ed Show!

Ms Flanders, you are missing the point... on 9/11 three thousand people lost their lives, Ms Flanders! Our national boundaries cover any place where a terrorist will go to hide to avoid justice. What Ms. Flanders wants, and what is real is that Bin Laden is 'dead'! Osama Bin Laden violated the sovereignty of these United States; he killed innocent American citizens and he must pay with our justice for his deeds. We, the victims of his evil deeds, will settle for nothing less.

As with World War II, any attack on the sovereignty of these United States will not go unpunished Ms. Flanders!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Death and Taxes

2011-05-02T12:19:00.002-05:00

I was lying in bed playing a game on my iPod when my wife came to the door and said "Somebody just posted a message on Facebook that Bin Laden was dead!" I leaped from bed and immediately flew to my computer to see what news there was on this longest of overdue headlines - sure enough, CBS Up-To-The-Minute was reporting that Osama Bin Laden was dead!

To be honest... I thought Bin Laden was already dead. It had been reported that he suffered from a kidney ailment and needed the close proximity of a dialysis machine. I reasoned that he could not be hiding in the mountainous regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan because of medical reasons, but I never would have thought that he would be inside of a populated area. And then, there is the video of a British correspondent talking with Bhutto three months before she was assassinated - during the course of an interview, she mentions that Bin Laden had been killed !

I am one of the few that believe only half of what I see and even less of what I hear. I am not going to go out on a limb and say that the President is misinformed, that our troops are misinformed, nor will I dismiss the possibly that its totally true. What bothers me is the dumping of the body at sea... why would you do that? I am sure that tissue samples, pictures and fingerprints were taken, but why would you dump the body at sea? Were we trying to adhere to Muslim custom of burial within twenty-four hours of death?

Bin Laden's body could have been sent to his family in Saudi Arabia. I am sure that his relatives, who have secretly returned to the United States, would accept delivery to them of his remains. Did we want to make sure that he would never rise from the dead - why would you dump the body at sea? I don't get it! More than likely though the answer is... no one wanted the 'martyred' body of a terrorist interned on their country's soil - it would be a magnet for terrorist and devoted followers!

Most assuredly, I am indeed proud and grateful to the NAVY SEALS for their dedicated professionalism in bring this terrorist to justice! Bravo Zulu shipmates!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2011-04-25T13:10:00.000-05:00

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You:

In his weekly address, Obama reiterated his call to "end the $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies we give to the oil and gas companies each year." Americans of all stripes recognize that tax breaks and giveaways to oil companies need to be eliminated, despite the industry propaganda that these subsidies are needed to prevent high energy prices. When asked about massive subsidies given to the oil industry, even Tea Party activists have agreed with progressives that there is a structural imbalance in the political system towards corporate power.

Many of the oil-industry subsidies come in the form of passing corporate risks onto American families: there have been no laws passed to protect our nation from oil disasters like BP's, and companies like Koch Industries enjoy the multi-billion dollar subsidy of being able to emit millions of tons of carbon pollution for free - while communities foot the bill for our increasingly dangerous climate.

Far from raising prices at the pump, eliminating these subsidies would instead reduce oil companies' outsized profits and corporate paydays. If this Congress wants to take on the pain at the pump, it will support legislation to build a national infrastructure of electric charging stations for electric vehicles, deploy 21st-century high-speed rail, and curb oil profiteering by Wall Street.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

We Don't Have A Spending Problem...

2011-04-19T16:54:00.002-05:00

It is becoming a trademark of the Tea Partied-Republicans to echo what they have been told to say as ‘the talking point’ of the day. Parrots, along with ravens, crows, jays and magpies, are among the most intelligent birds, and the ability of some species to imitate human voices enhances their popularity as pets, and this is where we can see a similarity between parrots and Tea-Partied-Republicans.

The imitation of whomever is instructing the Tea Partied-Republicans as to what to say is akin to a parrot mimicking what they heard, but not understanding what they are saying, or for that matter why they are saying it… Here is an example of Parrots… oops, Tea Partied-Republican Parrots mimicking some moronic individual:

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Executive Order

2011-04-17T14:42:00.006-05:00

Many believe, falsely, that the President of the United States is ‘the most powerful man in the world’. He represents the most power nation in the world, and therefore, must be the most powerful man in the word! That we may be the most powerful nation in the world has its truths, but to suppose that because the President is the leader of the United States, he too, is just as powerful is a misnomer.

Our Constitution outlines the framework of how our government works. In it are the ‘job descriptions’ of each of the three parts of the governmental framework to which we adhere to religiously… or should adhere to religiously. This adherence is not almost indelible; on occasion, some have crossed the shady areas and violated ethnics to change how a certain thing is implemented. Nothing is perfect, and checks and balances are the glue that holds the government together when violations occur.

As a Constitutional scholar, no one knows this better than our current President… Barack Obama. His slow, yet methodical manner, of dealing with the confrontations facing the nation and his presidency are misinterpreted by two groups of individuals – those who want fixes yesterday and cite him as being weak, and those who want to usurp and contradict him at every turn.

However, in review, the President does have a slight edge of dominance. He can mandate his agenda by vetoing any legislation that does not conform to the direction in which he wants to take the country. It is up to his opposition to garner the support to overturn his veto by a two-thirds vote, something that can occur, but with great difficulty.

The President also has the ways and means to circumvent Legislative and the Judicial branches with impunity. I speak to a little understood tool called the ‘executive order’…

Executive Orders do not require Congressional approval to take effect but they have the same legal weight as laws passed by Congress. The President's source of authority to issue Executive Orders can be found in the Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution which grants to the President the "Executive Power." Section 3 of Article II further directs the President to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." To implement or execute the laws of the land, Presidents give direction and guidance to Executive Branch agencies and departments, often in the form of Executive Orders.

The one drawback to an Executive Order is its longevity… there is no permanence to executive orders if they are challenged and over-ruled by the other two branches of government. Congress can rewrite, or amend an executive order; the Judicial branch can rescind a executive order by declaring it unconstitutional. Truman’s attempt to control the labor unions shortly after WWII was defeated by the Supreme Court. Ronald Reagan’s actions to strip the Air Controller’s of a union were all but ignored… essentially because those in a position to challenge each President will - or will not do so!

In summary, any resolution of current issues such as DADT will not be settled by the issuing of an ‘executive order’. This President is electing to confront such matters by using the Constitution and a sympathetic Congress to address the issues… I happen to think that the President is taking the most assured path for permanence!

Few have maintained a level-head under the duress being experienced by this President - I commend him for his fortitude and wisdom under pressure!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Reducing the Budget Is Simple

2011-04-15T11:47:00.001-05:00

To a large degree Paul Ryan's plan resembles the British solution to reducing their debit. Britain Conservatives were voted into office with a 'mandate' - reduce the deficit now!

Checking the plan, as implemented by the British for their deficit problem, reveals that massive cuts are 'not' the answer to making the case for how to reduce the deficit. Britain's economic initially showed signs of success in the making; however, indications are now showing that it was a bad mistake! Here is today’s headline in the British financial newspapers regarding Britain’s budget reduction plans: “Households face falling standards of living for at least another two years as rising prices outstrip wage increases, the Government’s official economic forecaster has warned.”

Truly, the only way to reduce the deficit is to identify and reverse the actions that resulted in those huge deficits - raising taxes on the rich and special interest groups that created the deficit is the only logical thing to do. Taxes cuts initiated to create jobs didn't; therefore, tax cuts to reduce the deficit coupled with prudent spending decisions should be the logical choice.

I would do the following:

1. Take the advice of Secretary Gates and cut programs that have been proven not of any use in our Armed Forces.

2. Reverse the tax cuts that where a significant cause of the deficit - not because they were a bad idea, but because they were never included as part of a balanced budget and didn’t create the jobs they were suppose to create.

a. Eliminate all tax codes that favor special interest by offsetting tax liabilities with dollar for dollar job creation investments.

b. Subsidize the creation and promotion of 'green' jobs and infrastructure.

3. Reduce the cost of Medicare Part D and Medicaid by authorizing the government’s purchase of pharmaceuticals for redistribution to all subscribers.

a. Enforce a vigorous prosecution for fraud and abuse with severe penalties for those convicted.

b. Reduce the frequency of patient ‘emergency’ visits by encouraging hospitals to implement ‘get it right the first time’ diagnostic procedures.

c. Interlink health care for Congress with any health care program voted into law for the citizens of America.

4. Legislate into law John Conyers' Bill to re-skill the jobless/unemployed... targeting 'green jobs' of the future.

5. Retard the out-sourcing of jobs by closing loopholes in our tax code that either encourages or rewards businesses that out-source jobs.

6. Finance the modernization of our infrastructure with the end result being additional job creation with ‘dollar for dollar’ reductions in tax liability to private investors.

7. Marginalize 'favorite nation' trade agreements that don't reciprocate.

8. Remove all deregulations in Commerce that have no check and balance legislation to ‘police’ abusers.

a. Prosecute vigorously ‘White Crime’ with significant penalties for the convicted.

b. Restrict further off-shore trading, speculation in industries wherein these practices create false supply/demands rises in consumer process, and require originators of derivatives to hold a forty percent interest in such derivatives until maturity.

c. Recall and unbundle all faulty derivatives and require the originator to reclaim all bad loans found within that derivative.

I would do these things initially and make adjustments/additions after the first year of implementation.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

In Rebuttal to: Debit Ceiling - John Feehery

2011-04-12T11:07:00.003-05:00

In rebuttal to Debt Ceiling as posted by John Feehery's: The Feehery Theory...

Mr. Feehery, please be kind enough to show me where entitlement spending is driving the deficit to the point where they, entitlements, need to be cut – your opinion is acceptable, but it is not truthful! Entitlement spending is less than fifteen percent of discretionary spending - twelve percent of GDP, whichever you want to use as a gauge.

We just added a few months ago… 1.4 trillion over the next two years to the deficit with gifts to the rich via an extension of the Bush Tax Cuts. Entitlement spending is in the millions per year.

When you consider that those tax cuts which began in 2000 - cumulatively adding them over a ten year period, we will have added 7 trillion dollars to the deficit using the supposition that these taxes cuts will generate jobs – which they have not!

The other area that is contestable are the tax cuts given to big business and the oil industry. Lobbyists have made it possible for big business to effectively use aggressive tax strategies to avoid paying their fair share of the tax burden. The aggravation comes when ‘some’ individuals falsely believe that these strategies should be allowed to continue at the expense of entitlements for the disenfranchised lower income and destitute, by removing entitlements as a direct cause of the deficit! That is a bald-faced lie!

I noticed that you conveniently forgot to make the point that the war in Iraq alone cost nine billion per month as estimated by the CBO -http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aairaqwarcost.htm. That war, based on lies – a well-thought out strategy, I might mentioned - added far more to the deficit than any other factor in the era of misguided spending, but you don’t mention it because it would disrupt the context of your entire opinion…

The first and only thing that will truly reduce spending and reduce the deficit is the telling of the truth by all parties – all of them, because the Tea Partied Republican Party is still being less than truth and the Democrats are capitulating at the slightest hint of confrontation.

Seniors and the disenfranchised don’t have a lobbyist to speak for them on Capitol Hill and that is unfortunate.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Who Will Blink...

2011-04-11T13:23:00.000-05:00

Well, here I am again predicting what I feel is going to be the worst mistake that could ever happen to you and I, if there is no reconciled vote to raise the debt limit.

Most of you know that it cannot be a good thing; you are exceptions to the norm and therein lay the dilemma. If we don't raise the debt ceiling, it would be the equivalent of you, or I, defaulting on our mortgage payment - foreclosure and a bad credit entry rating!

If it happens, as I think it will, what are your options - there are none! The dollar will no longer be worth the paper that it is printed upon! The debt will still be there - more dollars will be needed to pay it off! The GDP will disappear into the muck never to be rise again in our lifetime, and those that got us to this point in the first place will suddenly realize how irrational they truly are - if that is possible, given the past ten years.

It’s apparent to me that a major reason why things are as they are is the reluctance of the silent majority to stand and defend rational thought processes in solving this issue. We stood by while practices that we knew to be harmful were enacted by a delusional group of individuals incapable doing the math that would have led to a logical conclusion.

You simply can't spend profusely on credit, refuse to balance the budget, and give away what little money that you may have in collectible taxes. The idea that if you don't collect the need taxes because you want the uncollected taxes to create jobs is ludicrous - proven by the last ten years of giving huge tax cuts to the very people that never asked for them and never used the tax savings to create jobs!

A two year extension of the tax cuts to the rich and big business by Obama will generated no jobs. The extension, in and of itself, has added an additional 1.4 trillion to the deficit. How can the continuation of a bad policy be of any good - that is what got us to where we are to date.

Exxon, GE, and many others not only didn't pay any taxes for 2009 - they got million dollar refunds, AND, where on record as making huge profits as well. It is extremely difficult to justify tax cuts to companies that are out-sourcing American jobs, making record profits, and not paying taxes - where is the logic in this?

One thing is absolute about the current situation... the rich will continue to be rich, even if the dollar goes south in a hand-basket. How can I say this; you may be asking... John Rockefeller, Art Carnegie, Jay Cooke, and Cornelius Vanderbilt, to name a few, still have the money that they gained as 'Robber Barons' of the Twenties - the years just preceding the Great Depression? The value of the dollar might decrease, but it will still spend and the more you have the richer you are!

Who will blink? Who will stand and defend? I would hope that clear minds would prevail. I am just not sure if that it will occur!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Price of Compromise…

2011-04-09T14:23:00.000-05:00

Once you take away the veil of deceit, you are faced with what was behind that veil… not always is the picture as pretty as it may have been before you chose that curtail.

The Democrats were played like a fine fiddle. Compromise cost the American public a total of seventy-nine billion dollars over the past two years in job creation, jobs lost, and the brakes are on to cause a double-dip recession. I have made predictions previous to this one – my record is intact to date – I am five for five!

Here is how it was done…

Over the next few days, I will bring you more information that proves beyond a shadow of doubt that we have been used! I told you that there were not WMDs – 1 for 1. I told you that we were headed to a housing crisis – 2 for 2. I told you that de-regulation of Wall Street would create a crisis for investors – 3 for 3. I told you of the revolution that would occur when ninety-seven percent of the wealth is controlled by three percent of the people – 4 for 4. I told you that your rights would be rescinded, and they are – 5 for 5.

You don’t have to believe me… but you do have to pay attention to the trends and think of the consequences of failing to response in a self-saving manner. Revolt with your Vote!

The Republicans came into control of the house predicting jobs – instead, they have focused on your rights. Where is the legislation to create jobs… I am predicting that jobs creation legislation will never be a factor as long as Republicans are in control of anything in Congress – 6 for 6 is in sight!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

It’s Not About the Money…

2011-04-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

Most of us have been wondering and blaming either Party for the delay in producing a balanced budget – whose fault is it? Why are we seeing such irrational thoughts and acts from a group of ‘selected’ officials sent to do one job? Is it just partisan politics?

First things first… the bickering is about twelve percent of the budget! That twelve percent is where Planned Parenthood is funded (abortion rights advocates); Medicare is there, so is Medicaid; and a host of other significant entitlement programs like Pell Grants! The Republicans and their Tea Party sidekicks want to dump all entitlements, or at the least strangle them out of existence.

There are riders on H.R. 1 that make it a ‘poison pill’ for many of those entitlements – riders put there by the Republicans, and their Tea Party cohorts, to destroy many of the entitlements that we have paid into from the first day that we went to work – SSA and Medicare Part D will die if the Democrats aren’t strong enough to defend our rights; many things will die.

Here are some examples of how the Republican Party and its sidekick, the Tea Party, intend to deplete the budget of entitlements – most of which are absolutely necessary for lower income people.

Restricts, or eliminates the following…

1. Prohibits the Federal Reserve from transferring more than $80 million to the new Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

2. Prohibits funds for a government sponsored “consumer products complaints database.”

3. Prohibits funding for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program.

4. Bans funding for the Department of Education regulations on Gainful Employment, as-yet- unpublished rules that would restrict federal student aid (Pell Grants) to for-profit colleges whose students have high debt-to-income ratios and require the schools to report more information about student outcomes.

5. Prohibits funds for implementing a provision specific to the State of Texas in the “Education Job Fund.” Prohibits funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program.

6. Prohibits funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program.

7. Prohibits funding for the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act.

8. Prohibits funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program or the State Energy Program.

9. Prohibits funding for various environmental projects in California.

10. Prohibits funding for a climate change czar in the White House.

11. Prohibits funding for EPA efforts to regulate greenhouse gases.

12. Prohibits funding for the EPA to change a rule regulating water.

13. Prohibits funding for enforcing an order by the Secretary of the Interior calling for protecting public natural spaces.

This is not the entire list; there is more… but, it gives you a definitive understanding of why the Democrats are not able to come to a resolution of the budget for, get this… 2011!

This is not the 2012 budget where there is no doubt that more cuts to Social Services and entitlement programs will be ‘cut’!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Awakening...

2011-04-07T17:10:00.002-05:00

With the early results in Wisconsin showing that the people of that State have decided to ‘revolt with the vote’, we witnessed the awakening of the ‘sleeping giant’ – the people are not going to allow a changing of the country by extremist!

Mr. Boehner has overseen the process of how you can lose your mandate when it contradicts the will of the people… the intelligence silent majority!

Mr. Ryan, you are next! Don’t mess with our Medicare is the new chant from Seniors and people of credit!

The American people want fairness in government! They want responsibility in the Halls of Congress! America wants to stop fraud and abuse, corrupt politics fueled by Corporations that want nothing more than a repeat of the ‘Great Depression’ with the end result being the destruction of precedence set over fifty years ago – the Unions, entitlements, and a return of the Middle-class!

God speed to the people of Wisconsin in their recall of clowns dressed as Congressional leaders.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson: Obama isn't Moses, He is Pharaoh

2011-04-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

For those of you whom I would think are less capable of articulating a lack of initiative on the part of the Obama administration's focus on the plight of minorities in today's America, consider this oratory by Micheal Dyson.

I am sorry, but there is a huge gap in this administration's agenda that I have noted on previous ocassion, but never to the degree Mr. Dyson has displayed!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Mr. Grassley Predicts the Future...

2011-04-06T10:43:00.001-05:00

Regarding Obama’s chances of getting re-elected in 2012, Grassley tells Newsmax: “I think that he is headed for defeat based upon three things.

"One, Obamacare. Two, the terrible situation with spending and the budget deficit and the fact that the economy is affected by that and jobs aren’t being created. And third, his attitude about America not being an exceptional nation. Probably for the last reason more so than any other, he ought not to be re-elected."

“We have a great deal of credibility based on the fact that we have been looked upon as a different nation, as a world leader, and he wants to put us as a second-class nation — or let’s put it this way, not first among nations. It’s a threat to peace, that position he’s taken.”

Can Mr. Grassley be serious? Could it be that the Republican candidates, all rejects from a casting for the featured actors in a Three Stooges look-a-like movie - as acknowledged by Glenn Beck, are better than Obama, in Grassley’s eyes? Where he chuckling as he made these remarks, I would have known that he was making a joke. As it is, Mr. Grassley is not joking and that is disturbing, to say the least.

In case Mr. Grassley is watching/listening, consider this:

United States is now ranked 21^stout of 27 of the industrialized nations in education.
United States is now ranked 42^nd when compared to the nations of the world in life expectancy, behind Cuba!

On your watch:

a. We financed two wars under your watch during the Bush 43 era.

b. We never had a balanced budget between 2000 and 2008.

c. We sold America’s birthrights to the Chinese for pennies on a dollar.

d. We oversaw the Republican destruction of the middle-class.

e. We saw the spending of over eight trillion dollars, for which we have no benefits.

f. We are witnessing the Republican response to creating jobs - none!

g. And lastly, sent the country into an economical tailspin, losing at its height – seven hundred jobs per month beginning in August of 2008.

You have the audacity to belittle this President! You and your Republican cohorts fought his every effort to resurrect the job market. You refused to allow the closing of Gitmo by defunding the project, even though there are three maximum security prisons in the United States begging for inmates – prisons that currently house other terrorist convicted in our civil courts.

You won’t, and for obvious reasons, give this President credit from turning the job loses around in six months, instead you ridicule and misrepresent his every remark and action as a way of doing what Sir, covering the shortcomings of One George W. Bush? Your comments are well received by a constituency that you have purposely denied a formal education, and continue address using terms and examples that incite the worst from them.

WATCH:

Read more on Newsmax.com: Grassley: Obama Wants America to Be 'Second-Class Nation'

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Paul Ryan and the Class Warfare Death Knell

2011-04-05T19:23:00.001-05:00

Paul Ryan's budget for 2012 is doable; however, he has chosen to place the brunt of the budget cuts on the backs of the lower classes while the rich remained untouched - which makes it totally unacceptable!

This is totally unfair to the people whom, in no way, are responsible for the current deficits. Were he to make an equitable adjustment to his budget proposal by placing the cuts totally on the backs of those that received the benefits from the past ten years, then I would see no reasons why it can't be implemented.

The two year extension of tax cuts just granted to the rich would, in and of itself, remove more than 1.4 trillion from the deficit prior to proposing his budget in the first two years.

What is it that makes Mr. Ryan and the GOP believe that this is the best way to reduce the deficit… inquiring minds want to know?

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Crisis In Black Unemployment

2011-04-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

On March 2^nd of March, Representative John Conyers of Michigan (D) introduced the Full Employment and Training Bill. This Bill has major significance for individuals that have been out of work for more than ninety-nine weeks, especially minorities.

The passage is of particular interest to this writer since no one within the Obama Administration chose to introduce the necessary legislation to end the disparity in the national unemployment statistics for Blacks – a glaring disappointment. The unfortunate truth in the United States is that Blacks are always at the head of the class with regard anything negative in national statistics.

The Urban League has now gone on record in addressing this matter. The John Conyers’ Bill will, with hoped for support, solve the re-tooling of all of America’s unemployed.

Haley Barbour and the Scott Sisters

2011-04-03T14:48:00.006-05:00

At this moment, the Scott Sisters have been granted probation by the Governor of Mississippi – Haley Barbour with the stipulation that:

1. The healthy sister donates a kidney to the sister currently on dialysis.

2. They are confined to the city of Pensacola, Florida and must get the permission of their Probation Officer to attend any event or assembly.

It obvious why the State of Mississippi forced this probation of the sisters – the cost of maintaining the health of the sister on dialysis is not a priority of the Governor of Mississippi! The apparent objective is to dump the medical cost of the sister by putting them on probation and out of the prison system’s responsibility – getting the sisters out of the State was a boon.

Considering that testimony critical for the Prosecutor was coerced to gain a conviction, there is considerable doubt that the sisters were ever given a fair trial. The sisters have denied any involvement in the robbery of three teenage boys. There is even evidence that the sisters were not within the area of the robbery, evidence that was suppressed at trial.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Japan Nuclear Crisis: Radioactive Water Leaks Into Sea From Crippled Plant

2011-04-02T13:04:00.004-05:00

What I have feared the most is becoming a reality! The waters offshore of Japan have a number of unique currents that support very fertile commercial fishing around the world. In addition, these currents are part of the global system that preserves the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere.

Within a matter of eighteen to twenty months ( I estimate that length of time because of the changes that a molecule of water will experience during the voyage) the leaking reactors will have spread the contamination to all of the fishing areas around the globe bringing havoc to a vital food source. Dissipation is expected, but the contamination is cumulative and highly lethal to unborns and their mothers.

The damage has already been done! The lies are being exposed! The ramifications are yet to be determined. Eat as much fish as you can now from the oceans because tomorrow holds no promise of it ever being edible for fifty thousand years - Plutonium has a half-life of twenty-four thousand years, which means, twenty-four thousand years from now it will be only half as lethal as before!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Economic Truth That Nobody Will Admit: We're Heading Back Toward a Double-Dip

2011-04-01T16:07:00.001-05:00

Addressing the issues that created the recession was never done; hence, the susceptibility to a double-dip recession shouldn't surprise anyone. The FDIC is pushing to grant Banks the capacity to make more of the same loans that mortgagors were making with the stipulation that Banks 'make sure' that borrowers understand the financial responsibility that they are accepting - not whether or not the borrower 'can' pay the loan on time!

In addition to making loans easier to obtain, Banks will be allowed to do exactly as the mortgagors did - bundle the loans into derivatives without the obligation of responsibility for those bundled loans. As proposed by the FDIC, the lender will only have to hold a 5% interest in the bundled derivative!!

I think that the Banks should hold a 40% interest in their bundled loans. This will force the Banks to except only applicants that are qualified to secure a mortgage loan. It will also force Banks to pay the price of not having cash-flow as a result of bad holdings. If your bundles are on the up and up, you can borrow against them; if they are the scum of the earth, you suffer personally, and not the industry!

On second thought, why don't we just let the Housing Industry go to hell in a hand-basket and be done with it!

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

GOP Conservatism: Authoritarian or Libertarian

2011-03-30T15:09:00.001-05:00

Its very difficult to tell an individual that has enjoyed a 'comfort zone' all of their life that there is a distinct possibility that your 'wombie' will be snatched from you without warning, and with no reprieve!

This and other documents are being published by reputable sources to warn you that your 'comfort zone' is under attack without mercy... please take the time to envision how your rights are being violated and stricken from Federal, State, and Local law. Read, listen, and be informed - don't just believe me or Rachel Maddow!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Race To The Bottom

2011-03-25T13:50:00.002-05:00

It just seems that as the rights of the people of the United States are reduced to a skeleton of their original value, the similarity to a tsunami is the best comparison for this change in our society. A wave of partisan politics is sweeping every gain from the face of the America Worker. He is seeing a reduction in his pay - if he has a job; the jobs, that were so plentiful a decade ago for the middle-class, now have the characteristic aura of the dinosaur era!

Class warfare... the worst kind, has those who are being reduced to applying for food stamps labeled as lazy by the 'haves' and those among the 'have-nots' agreeing until it is their personal situation as well.

I am reminded of a sermon by Martin Niemoller:

When they came for the Jews, I did nothing, for I am not a Jew. When they came for the Socialists, I did nothing, for I am not a Socialist. When they came for the labor leaders, the homosexuals, the gypsies, I did nothing, for I am none of these, and when they came for me, I was alone, there was no one to stand up for me.

Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor from Nazi Germany

The Race To The Bottom

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

State Senator Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin defenses the position of Governor Walker,

2011-03-12T09:09:00.000-06:00

even as a fellow Senator is bragging of the real reasons why the Republicans targeted and destroyed the 'collective bargaining rights' the Union for State workers... watch.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Pat Toomey: How to Freeze the Debt Ceiling Without Risking Default - WSJ.com

2011-03-12T08:54:00.001-06:00

The insanity of prophesying that the debt ceiling can be maintained by committing the United States to a path that may or may not work properly is beyond ludicrous - massive layoffs and cutbacks in government workers and programs. You would think... but that theory may just work!

Senator Pat Toomey will very shortly introduce legislation that will, in effect, cut our decades long dependency of borrowing to cover the overspending that has been a integral part of the American economy for the last five decades - the Korean war veterans returning from the Korean conflict created a need to borrow and it has been the accepted thing to do every since.

Only a few months ago Britain embarked on this same surgical procedure with less than disastrous results! The predictions by some that the British economy would collapse has not occurred, but the jury is still out, since the majority of the cuts won't occur until this time next year.

The Economist posted this article: So Far, so Good in which statistical data shows every indication that the policy is working, but as I said before, they have not gotten to the core of the new policy - massive layoffs and severe cuts in government spending. The British plan is to make cuts equaling ten percent of the GDP over a four year period. That is a significant reduction that would theoretically be the equivalent of cardiac arrest to an economy the size of Britain's, but contrary to 'the doom and gloom' that was predicted, the opposite is occurring.

Growth has been steadily improving for the last three quarters in direct contrast to predictions for Britain. In summary, maybe the good Senator has it right and adopting Britain's policy may be the right course for America as well.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Gov. Walker - Union Buster!

2011-02-24T11:52:00.002-06:00

It is apparent these days the Republican national agenda contains a mandate to, in one blow, destroy the Unions, cripple the lower classes, and reward the upper classes, as well as, the corporate world. Crush the Unions and you destroy the very fiber that has support the level of protections for all workers – OSHA, EPA, Planned Parenthood, and a host of other programs designed to protect and support our families is under fierce attack.

Over the past few weeks, in fiscally strapped State after State, and Congress, Republicans have introduced legislation to continue the tax cuts for the rich and reduce the entitlements and salaries of the middle and lower classes. It’s not enough that Congress pushed through legislation to continue the practices that contributed to the deficit; now they want to support the new tax cuts with reductions in pay to the poor and destitute at the State level as well!

The supposition is that public employees are making way too much money and have way too many benefits that cost the States way too much money – since when does removing the right to bargain constitute a fiscal cost to the State Treasury? Point-of-fact, not one State making this claim has the financial records to prove that this is the case, and more to the point; the one State that has restricted the right to bargain, South Carolina, is in a worst fiscal state than any of the other States that are trying to destroy the Unions in those particular States.

The Economic Policy Institute, a credible and non-political Think Tank reports just the opposite… Public-sector workers earn less when compared with those doing the same type of work in the civilian work-force!

The Unions have turned the tables on the State of Wisconsin by agreeing to cuts in pay that are being asked for by Governor Steve Walker. In response, Walker has stated that is not enough – didn’t he want reducing in pay, yes; did he get an agreement on that issue, yes; then why Governor, do you still want to take away the right to bargain for vacations, workplace safety, and any other hard fought for condition for employment? The answer is simple; he wants to destroy the Unions so that he can bring into the State of Wisconsin those corporations that don’t want to deal with Unions and collective bargaining!

Let’s make the area of dispute clear… Governor Walker, within days of taking office, offered one hundred seventeen million dollars of incentives to businesses wanting to relocate to Wisconsin – that was a good thing! However, he wants sweetening the deal by destroying the Unions and financing those tax incentives on the backs of the working public! He wants to destroy any hope of the workers creating a union-type atmosphere in the workplace.

Make no mistake, the Republican Party has set an agenda to destroy every facet of what has made this country great – the ability to collectively bargain is a right that has been fought for and earned for just reasons and the Republican Party wants to destroy them – out of greed! Ultimately, the rights of every American are under scrutiny and the changes will manifest themselves in a reduction of your rights!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

GOP Seizes on Crisis to Shift Power to Corporations

2011-02-23T15:57:00.000-06:00

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2011-02-23T10:49:00.000-06:00

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

U.S. Economy In a Deep Hole

2011-01-31T16:14:00.002-06:00

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Reducing the Cost of Everything That Matters

2011-01-23T13:51:00.004-06:00

For some time now, I have concentrated my thoughts on ways that America can improve the well-being of its citizens and accelerate the recovery of our economy. Cutting the deficit is paramount. Tax cuts, as they have been proposed in the pass, are not the solution, but part of the problem. It is also essential that any recovery of our economy has to include the unemployment ratio of those not working and those who are working.

My solutions are meant to stimulate thought processes; I don’t portent to be a ‘solution guru’, just a blogger voicing alternatives to a status quo condition that is creating one of the most partisan Congresses to date. Divisions within the Legislature body will solve none of the pressing issues facing our country at such a critical time - unity with a common cause will.

One of the issues is creating jobs – the lack of a cohesive plan! My solutions are simple and have a long term effect on recovery.

1. By creating a job skills program for Americans out of work for more than ninety weeks we:

a. Reduce the number of people out of work.

b. Increase the amount of taxes collected by the Government, States, and Municipalities.

2. Subsidize the industries that manufacture ‘Greenhouse’ friendly products. America is not the manufacturing nation that it was twenty years ago. Outsourcing has destroyed the middle-class and reduced the number of minimum wage workers.

a. Reducing the tax write-offs of companies that outsource American jobs increases the taxes collected by the Treasury and helps to ensure that we can support the working classes in their time of need.

b. Remove the ‘political’ involvement of those government agencies that should be supporting the creation of jobs in America. Chamber of Commerce President, Tom Donohue is very good example of how a certain entity is working against the welfare of the American people.

3. Subsidize the industries that are developing new products and pharmaceuticals. Those companies electing to use government subsidiaries to develop their products would be forbidden to pass on the cost of development and research of that product to consumers. This would increase consumption and keep cost low for all of America’s consumers buying the end-product. Targeted tax cuts push entrepreneurs to go where the money is and that is a good thing.

4. The Health Care legislation doesn't, as it is currently written, meet the needs of all parties concerned and needs to be amended to keep cost down; however, it is essential that America have a national health care system because…

a. The cost of Health Care discriminates against hospitals and the general public, in that; our hospitals can’t continue to treat all entering their doors via the emergency room. Statistics have shown that those hospitals that are failing – going out of business - do so partially because of the cost overruns associated with emergency room patients.

b. The insurance industry, with the support of Federal, State, and local municipalities, feels the need to protect banks, mortgage companies, and other ‘big ticket item’ producers and their investments. Liability insurance protects the other person from a loss of property in the unlikely event that you cause a collision with another car or property. Hospitals can’t turn away anyone, but absorb the cost of treating those that do not have health care insurance – a formula for failure, and yet, we ignore it!

c. Preventive health care reduces the number of visits by everybody to medical centers and promotes better performance by the job force, thus increase production.

5. There are other areas where cutting cost can affect the economy in a good way…

a. Granting greater subpoenas powers to the FDA and EPA.

b. Re-evaluating the ‘Most Favorite Nation’ status of those countries refusing to allow reciprocal access to their markets.

c. Placing the weight of responsible on the shoulders of those who benefited the most from the Bush tax cuts to contribute more in the way of paying their share of taxes, instead of putting the full responsibility of reducing the deficit on the poor and unemployed by cutting services and programs that help the poor and disenfranchised survive this economic crisis.

Your thoughts?

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2011-01-22T11:23:00.003-06:00

There comes a time in every man's life when he must make the decision to remain, under heavy pressure, in a job he likes because of his beliefs, or throw off the yoke of oppression and go forward looking for a venue that will support his way of thinking... I believe that Keith Olbermann has made that decision in leaving the NBC Network for more fertile grounds!

I have been in avid fan of Keith Olbermann since he joined the NBC network; I shall remain so, and hope to see him doing what he knows best how to do on some other network... perhaps Oprah's new Network!

Good Luck Keith... wherever you land!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

2011-01-21T15:02:00.000-06:00

The GOP is doing the same thing that the Obama Administration did for two years in trying to dismantle the legislation from the previous two years - focusing on everything but jobs.. More to the point, popular opinion is gravitating to acceptance of the legislation put in place by a Democratic Congress.

Greenhouse friendly jobs will do more than anything else to stimulate the economy. Introducing a job skills program that will help out-of-work individuals re-invent themselves for the workplace. These are readily available alternatives for increasing the GDP.

We need jobs Congress!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Rachel Maddow on Gun Laws

2011-01-14T19:13:00.000-06:00

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

2011-01-09T12:02:00.007-06:00

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only three months and eight days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took a year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each person to forward this message to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. Term Limits.

a. 12 years only, one of the possible options below…

b. Two Six-year Senate terms

c. Six Two-year House

2. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

a. No Tenure / No Pension.

b. Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

c. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security

d. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.

e. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

3. Congress will no longer vote a pay raise for themselves. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

4. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

5. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

6. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/11.

The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! Take this poll, and pass it on!

You can also visit this site to participate in a petition that is circulating for Congressional Reform.

Please pass on this article!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Keith Olbermann Talks With Maher on the American Voter

2010-11-18T06:53:00.000-06:00

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Mitch McConnell - Flip-Flopper of the Century

2010-11-15T16:59:00.002-06:00

"McConnell, a member of the Appropriations Committee, is a longtime defender of earmarking. The Kentucky Republican has requested 158 solo earmarks amounting to a cost of $927,872,000 over the past two years, according to data provided by LegiStorm."

Here is a guy that just loves to lie out of both sides of his mouth. On every subject proposed for cuts, he has either abused, flip-flopped, or just got caught with his grubby little fingers in the cookie jar.

The Republicans are for tax cuts - wasn't it a combination of tax cuts and two wars waged on credit that got us into this deficit situation? Obviously, these guys know that their core base can't do the math, can only read at a eight grade level, and are at risk with comprehension skills much further degraded than a child in kindergarten.

They want to cut every entitlement and give 'small businesses' explored tax cuts, but what the Republicans aren't telling you is that a large number of those companies claiming to be 'Small Businesses' are so only because of their Corporate status with IRS - this, according to the Washington Monthly. Basically, what you don't know is capable of doing you more harm than anything else.

Prime examples of of a 'small business - Bechtel, and Microsoft, to name a couple. Check the provided URL for further details.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Core Problem for Obama's Agenda

2010-11-15T10:50:00.000-06:00

At the core of the problem for the President is his own Party! Reid and Pelosi think that they aren't obligated to work with the President as did Congress under Bush - whatever Chaney wanted, Bush got going, and Congress backed it.

Look, Pelosi set the tempo for ratifying the Health Care initiative with the 'reconciliation package'; Reid took the reconciliation package and dumped it on the 'floor' as garbage. Had Reid done as he was advised to do, the Health Care Bill would not have been watered down. He said he would use the reconciliation tactic, but he didn't! By seeking a compromise with the Republicans, the Bill lost its effectiveness and became a shell of what it could have been - thanks to Reid's incompetence and lack of a backbone!

The Blue Dogs forced his hand at every turn. When you are trying to get legislation passed that involves issues that need to be addressed quickly and with authority, his own Party cut him down with ne'er a thought as to how they were weakening him. Nearly sixty percent of the 'Blue Dogs' were not re-elected - that was the Democratic base getting rid of a thorn in his side.

The next issue of great importance to the re-election of a Democratic majority was that no one, I say no one, wanted to tout the accomplishments of the first two years with control of both Houses. That decision cost the Democrats dearly - they failed to communicate with the people that they were trying to help! Independents and crossovers from the Republican Party believed the lies from Boehner and McConnell, and turned 'red'.

There are more, but these two issues were key then, and still are for the Democrats to be a force to reckon with over the next two years.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Lame Duck Congressional Session...

2010-11-13T20:39:00.002-06:00

Here is an interesting comparison of what the Republican-led Congressional tax cuts will look like, if the 'lameduck' session of Congress capitulates to extending tax cuts for the rich in 2011.

The illustration shows just how much more money will be added to the deficit if those tax cuts are allowed to go into effect for one more year! This is the mandate that the Republicans think was given to them by the voter - not! More debt added onto what is already breaking the back of America!

Nancy Pelosi says... that it will never happen on her watch. Your thoughts?

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Truth About 'ObamaCare''

2010-11-10T10:43:00.003-06:00

FDR said "the only thing that we have to fear... is fear itself"

I said that, to say this, if you don't know what "ObamaCare" is, than it is natural to refuse to accept what you think is being 'forced' on you. I studied the legislation from its inception in Congress. I came away with the realization that it is good for a number of reasons, among them; this improved health care legislation eliminates fraud, it allows eligible individuals, and their families to have access to health care legitimately without subjecting the Health Care Industry to be burdened with cost overruns due to unpaid for Emergency Room visits.

What Republican legislators don't like about the Bill is the fact that it puts the feet of the Insurance Industry to the fire, in that it stops the Insurance Industry from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, it allows the unemployed to buy health insurance at a price that will be subsidized by the taxes placed on the top three percent of taxpayers, and sets aside a fund to support the need of low income families to obtain health insurance.

One of the things that the Republicans have voiced, with the result being that the uninformed have championed the Republican outcry, is that everyone eligible is being 'forced' to buy this Health Care Plan. What the Republicans are telling everyone is that you will be fined, if you don't buy-in to the plan. The truth of the matter is, that for the plan to work, everybody must have some form of health insurance.

If you like the plan that your employee is offering - do nothing. If you think that you gain an advantage through the proposed changes to how we are all insured, buy-in to the plan that best fits your needs. Those not choosing either, and not having any form of insurance, will be fined the cost of what it takes to insure them with a basic plan that fits their basic needs. As a result, the hospital industry gets paid for patients who received services from them and no one goes bankrupt because of a catastrophic illness.

'ObamaCare' also increases the funding to Medicare and Medicaid by reducing the fraud and abuse. Fraud and abuse are the greatest liabilities of the above named health care entities because many doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals are abusing the system to the tune of five hundred billion dollars a year! When fraud and abuse are taken out of the equation, you now have more money with which to increase the level of care to those eligible to receive it! No waste, no fraud, no abuse = a uniformed system of health care that denies no one.

President Obama and Attorney General Holder have launched an aggressive campaign to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the Heath Care Industry. Instead of supporting these types of initiatives to reduce/eliminate the factors that create huge profits at considerable cost to the American taxpayer, Republicans are trying to stymie any effort to protect the American consumer from a predator that feeds on a basic human need - access to good and efficient health care services that do not discriminate! Senator McConnell (R-Ky) has repeatedly said, in recent days, that he will 'repeal' ObamaCare!

The biggest problem with this new health care legislation is that it was never explained properly to those whom it would affect the most - the American consumer! I give all the props to President Obama for not having done so.

References:
http://cozumelianblogger.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/health-care-bill-what-does-it-mean-for-you-obama-to-sign-bill-tuesday-abc-news/

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Whose Drinking the Kool-Aid?

2010-11-07T14:28:00.001-06:00

Less there be a misconception on whose is and isn't drinking the 'Kool-Aid', allow me to enumerate the accomplishments under Obama and a Democratic Congress:

- The Lily Ledbetter Fair Play Act
- Credit Card Reform
- Student Loan Reform
- The American Reform and Reinvestment Act
- Wall Street Reform
- Consumer Financial Protection Agency
- Cash for Clunkers
- Children's Health Insurance Expansion
- Expanded Funding and Access to VA
- Auto Industry Bailout
- Land Conservation
- Hate Crimes Prevention Act
- Tax Cuts (excludes the top 3% of wage earners only)
- Health Reform (covers 32 million 'Americans' that had no coverage)

These are but a few of the many Bills that a democratically-led Congress was able to put into play - leveling the playing for all Americans while stopping the industries that are bilking less fortunate American citizens. The Senate, because of Republican efforts, has been unable to pass over four hundred other measures similar to the above list that would benefit 'all' of America's citizens.

The comedy, conservatives, lies in your inability to comprehend the difference between greed, being misinformed, and outright stupidity - all of which you currently demonstrate.

In addition to the above mentioned states of mind, I remind you that this country was losing seven hundred thousand jobs per month from July of 2008 until February of 2009 - Bushonomics! Like all other staunch conservatives, you lack the capacity to recall anything longer than a mosquito's twitter! By the way, the October jobs report, by an independent source, shows that we had a net gain of one hundred fifty-nine thousand jobs - not bad for a man who has been in office for only seven hundred and thirty-five days!

The only other possibility for your lack of wherewithal with regard to the current fiscal state of America after eight years of a Republican in the WH is that you have been drinking/smoking too much of your own hallucinogens!

You want to cheer on those who would reverse these accomplishments, go ahead!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Nancy Pelosi, the Warrior Princess - What She Accomplished!

2010-11-07T06:18:00.003-06:00

When the voters took the House majority away from the Democrats, they shutdown one of the most remarkable and re-formative Congresses to date. With that decision, America lost the best chance to bring the economy back from the brink of disaster in this writer's opinion.

Rachel Maddow expounds on the accomplishments of Nancy Pelosi:

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Where is the Logic

2010-11-06T10:54:00.001-05:00

I am always amazed at the Republican view of the same political situations that I view. Republicans want to cut taxes, eliminate earmarks, reduce the size of government, create jobs, and reduce the size of the deficit while balancing the budget at the same time. Republicans remind me of every politician that is running for office - promise them everything, but have a memory lapse once you get in office. What Republicans don't understand is that you can't do all of the above at the 'same time'!

There is reality and there is something south of reality. Reality - George Bush and a Republican led Congress oversaw the increases to the deficit over an eight year period. Bush introduced tax cuts that were not included in a balanced budget. There were military expenditures for two wars that were never included in a balanced budget. This is an issue that never gained the scrutiny of the present majority scheduled to regain control Congress as it did four years ago when Bush was your President.

Republicans are demanding that Boehner give them those same tax cuts that cost all of America a few trillion dollars over the length of it's existence. They want to rollback most, if not all, of the advances made under Obama because he is spending too much money! Did it every occur to Republicans that George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, spent more of our money over eight years than any other President (http://mercatus.org/publication/spending-under-president-george-w-bush?id=26426). If Republicans really want to know the facts, I suggest that they review the previous administration's conduct in earnest.

The recession didn't start with Obama. Obama didn't start two wars with no thought of how to pay for them. Obama didn't write tax loopholes that allowed big businesses to out-source American jobs and receive tax refunds for doing so. When you call Verizon to get your phone fixed, someone in the Philippines takes your complaint - how is that helping preserve American jobs? Most of the Fortune 500 businesses listed are out-sourcing the jobs that we saw leave America under Bush. Where is the logic in condoning this?

What Obama did do was stop the job loss hemorrhaging that was costing America, at its height, seven hundred thousand jobs per month. Obama stopped Wall Street from vandalizing the economy of America by instituting reform on Wall Street and cutting 1.3 trillion off of the deficit. Of course, you Republicans don't want to consider that Obama brought a stop to the recession, to do so would admit that he was working for America.

The lot of you Republicans have not the sense to recall the Bush era and the cost to America that his spending policies created - they think that Obama did all of these terrible things that they are complaining of. By voting to limit Obama’s ability to put America back on its feet economically, you do yourself and America an injustice.

In two years we will be right back where we were because Republicans have not the sense that God gave a four-legged animal, and they will deserve everything that they asked for!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Did the Voters Really Speak...

2010-11-04T11:39:00.006-05:00

Whether you want to believe that the voters have spoken or not, I think that you should realize one thing; the trend of voters giving the opposition Party control of Congress is consistent with previous mid-term elections. The November 2010 mid-elections were no different.

I believe that the Democrats underestimated the strategy of just saying ‘No’ as used by the Republicans. Just saying no was so ingenious that it worked! In Congressional bill after Congressional bill introduced by the Democrats, Republicans appeared to want to contribute. Compromises were made that watered each bill down on both sides of Congress. As each bill came to the floor either a filibuster would take place or the watered-down bill would pass with absolutely no support from the Republican side of each chamber of Congress – risky, but it worked… in conjunction with the ‘normal trend to oust the Party in control of the White House – we have ‘The Voters Have Spoken’.

The mid-term election trend is well known and has duplicated itself for the pass century with uncanny precision. Each president has seen this reversal in his first term of office. Pundits and the media are spinning what happens as a trend into what the voters are saying at the polls. No one to date has been able to explain why the trend has occurred with such predictable regularity to date – but we hear that ‘The Voters Have Spoken’.

What do the voters speak to… they don’t want ObamaCare; they are not happy about the turn-around in job losses (700,000 jobs per month from July of 2008 through February of 2009); Obama spent too much of the taxpayers money to curb the recession; Obama failed to address the financial corruption on Wall Street – or was it just a duplication of the mid-term election trend returning on schedule?

I think that it was the latter; my biggest worry is that Obama does not stoop down and communicate more with the people of this country, people who have no idea of what he has taken them through in such short time. I also think that, just as Reagan, Clinton, and Bush 43 did, Obama will rebound in the 2012 elections – election trends at work. Carter and George H. didn’t for obvious reasons – they simply weren’t presidential enough to gather the momentum for a second term in office. Obama has to fall into the ‘Carter/George H performance’ category to lose the 2012 elections – given his performances so far, I don’t see that happening.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

The Republican Referendum as heard on Meet The Press

2010-11-02T09:28:00.005-05:00

The number one priority of the GOP as stated by the Senate Minority leader is to make President Obama a one-term president - no jobs, no the addressing of the recession!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Jon Steward's Speech at the Rally for Sanity

2010-11-01T07:16:00.003-05:00

Was Jon Stewart's rally political, or what? I am not quite sure what the message was intended to do, but here it is for your review. WATCH

Leave a comment, I want to know your reaction to Jon Stewart's message to America.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2010-10-27T20:43:00.004-05:00

November 2nd, 2010 - The Day of Reckoning from Rod Davis on Vimeo.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Remember When

2010-10-27T13:43:00.006-05:00

If you are old enough to remember when your job was a given and the ability to pay your mortgage was not in question, then you are old enough to vote. I ask you to consider the State of the Nation prior to the 2000 elections. Bill Clinton brought prosperity to the United States of America – we had jobs and the middle-class supported the manufacturing of American products and paid the bulk of the taxes in support of our government. President Clinton even left a 1.3 trillion surplus to his successor!

Compare those days under Clinton with eight years of George Bush, the 43^rd. Eight years of runaway spending for two wars, one of which was based on pure unadultered lies! Tax cuts that benefitted the rich! Budgets that hid the cost of the war in Iraq with the condonement of a then, Republican led Congress. The deregulation of Wall Street saw the collapse of major banks, requiring drastic tactics to keep this country afloat. Tax laws that rewarded those companies out-sourcing our jobs became the accepted thing to do!

You have been warned of the foreign money that is being used by unscrupulous groups to finance the campaigns of Republican candidates for office. If we allow these despicable acts to change the way our legislators are elected, we will have none to blame save ourselves. Give this President the tools to combat these irregularities in election laws. Remember that it was a Republican appointed Chief Justice that changed a precedence regarding finance campaign laws. Never before has the Supreme Court been so bold as to contradict precedence by a misinterpretation of the Constitution!

I now remind you of the turn-around that has been accomplished by a Democratic Congress led by a Democratic President. Sure money has been spent, but aren’t we better off as a result of it? Remember when we were losing seven hundred thousand jobs every month due to the policies of ‘Bush 43' and a Republican led Congress – I do? It is a fact, Bush the 43^rd, spent more of our taxes without a return, then any other President in the history of our government – eight trillion dollars.

Much has been accomplished by President Obama, and a Democratic Congress, in just two years; think of what can be accomplished if this president were to work with majorities in both houses of Congress for the next two years. We have a national insurance policy that will enable all of us to receive the medical care that we justly deserve and need. We have withdrawn our troops from the sovereign grounds of Iraq at great cost of life and limb, a cost that can be directly attributed to ill-advised decisions on the part of a Republican president. We have reined in the reckless acts of Wall Street and arrested the degradation of our banks and economy, but there is more to be done. We have a duty to reform the immigration laws, create more jobs, and most of all – Stop the out-sourcing of American jobs to foreign nations whom we know are now trying to buy our election processes.
Don’t allow the return of yesteryear – give your support to our President and Democratic lawmakers up for election

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Lillian McEwen, Clarence Thomas' Ex-Girlfriend, Talks About His Porn, Breast Preferences, Hill Controversy

2010-10-24T18:50:00.001-05:00

Clarence Thomas will never reach the pedestal that Thurgood Marshall benchmarked with his presence on the bench. A real man would have reclused himself from consideration to the highest court in the land.

No, Clarence Thomas allowed the humiliation of Anita Baker for selfish reasons. I have no respect for him and simply can't understand his wife, Virginia Thomas, for taking the position that Anita Hill must apologize to her sorry ass husband.

Had Virginia left well enough alone, Clarence '; Oreo cookie, Thomas wouldn't be in hot water because of a ghost from his past - impeach him!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Voters Leaning Republican On Economy, Terrorism, Other Hot Button Issues (POLL)

2010-08-31T16:20:00.003-05:00

"I'm going to vote Republican, and hope there's some kind of message sent to the administration that the public is unhappy with what's happened the first two years of the Obama administration," said Mark Milanese, 49, a building remodeler from Coatesville, Pa., who expressed strong disapproval for the president's approach to many major issues.

Where was this guy when all of the real damage was being done... dancing to the bank with his tax cuts that weren't paid for in a balanced budget? Send a message to the Obama administration by voting back into office the administration that got you into this mess in the first place is like cutting off your nose to spite your face - you usually regret those acts after you have done them, but there is no reverse once you have committed the act.

I am sure that this is what is going to happen - Boehner will be in charge of the House and the slide into the abyss will began.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Get Your Facts Straight...

2010-08-22T11:51:00.007-05:00

I received this response from an individual that wanted to criticize the comment that I made that PFC Manning's release of classified documents was out of line. Here is his response and mine as well to his statements...

Keith Ktwo Muhammad August 20 at 9:02pm Report
if pfc manning perorted us soldiers killing innocent civilians whats wrong with that? if the masses of the people in the US CONDONE THE KILLING OF INNOCENT people then you they r no different from the people who orchastraighted 9/11

My dear friend, I voiced nothing untoward the data that was released. I spent two tours in Viet Nam and we had the same types of atrocious incidents there.

War is hell... for the people that fight it and for the people that are caught up in it. I did not think that the invasion of Iraq was a a good thing. I did think that the invasion of Afghanistan was a good thing because the people of Afghanistan allowed a known terrorist to plan and launch an attack against the United States from its soil.

I have issues with the number of civilians that have been killed and the manner in which they died. Those soldiers that willingly killed innocence civilians have and will be punished. Those civilians that died because they were within or close to the encampments of the enemy chose to be there and paid for their choices. Make no mistake, the Armed Services of the United States are not interested in killing the very people that they are attempting to liberate, albeit, liberation appears not to be the wishes of those same people.

If PFC Manning chose to be the whistle-blower against the atrocities in Afghanistan; and he has every right to do so, then he should have done the honorable thing by getting out of the service and then requested a hearing in front of Congress. He had no right to break military law and release military documents to the public. As a serviceman, I despise him for exposing the underbelly of the Armed Services.

I truly want nothing to do with the ME. The traditions and policies that govern everyday life simply don't fit in modern day times. Muslims willing to subjugate themselves to Sharia and/or any other forms of cruel and usual punishments deserve everything that they get. I want no parts of it, the oil, nor the traditions.

In addition, whoever, or whatever gave you the idea that Americans condone the atrocities committed there is sheer nonsense. Remember one thing, the Lockerbie bomber returned to Libya with cheers. Do you see, hear, or read of any instances where Americans cheer when word comes that civilians were killed in Afghanistan or Iraq - no! Get your facts straight and understand the full picture before you attempt to brand someone based upon the position they took.

I remain adamant - Manning should be placed under the jail in a dark spot for the rest of his natural life for releasing military documents without authorization. I could care less what information those documents held and why he did it.

Anything else...

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Silence is not Golden

2010-08-17T12:20:00.003-05:00

If you care about your rights, your freedoms, and the direction in which this country's citizens are attempting to take it, watch this video regarding the construction of a Mosque within 'five blocks' of the World Trade Center site.

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- because I was not a Jew; Then they came for me-- and there was no one left to speak out for me - Martin Niemoller

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In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Obama Sucks!

2010-08-12T10:32:00.005-05:00

I am sick and tired of clueless numbskulls walking around here shouting from the top of their lungs - Obama Sucks! Obviously, you loved the crap that Bush 43 shoved down your throw and you are looking for more! More job loses; larger deficit spending; more tax cuts for the rich; more nonsensical obstructionism on the part of the GOP; just more of anything that would lead to the eventual destruction of the United States of America.

Had America been paying attention from the beginning, we would not have entered Iraq. Bush's Father asked him... "what in hell's tarnation are you doing; do you have an exit strategy". He had no comment for his Father and his book should tell all - read it and find out just how much you were duped by the infamous duo of Bush/Cheney.

I, like many other veterans of Viet Nam who have a knowledge of nuclear weaponry, knew that Saddam had no WMDS. There never were any, but Bush 43 could do no wrong. There are many distinctions that Bush 43 will have as asterisks by his name... first President to enter two war fronts at the same time; first President to attack a foreign country without provocation; first President to 'give' tax cuts to the top one percent of the people at the expense of the working class and not pay for it; first President to spend over ten trillion dollars - more than any other President. I could go on, but you get the picture.

What I don't understand is that the legacy of Bush 43 is there for all to see - he ruined this country! Yet, you have those who would shout Obama sucks - why, because he stopped the job lost of seven hundred thousand per month, because he passed a comprehensive health care plan for all of America, or is it because he has done so much in two years with so little to work with because his predecessor gave it all away in dumbshit spending?

Bush 43 was handed a silver spoon by the Clinton Administration and he promptly used it to dig a hole for this country. You now have a decent President trying to bring America back and all I can heard is Obama sucks - well, if Obama sucks, then Bush 43 blew it!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Close Your Eyes

2010-08-08T12:26:00.008-05:00

Sometimes you receive something from a friend via e-mail and it hits you right where it feels best; when you want to reminisce about things that were dear to you as a child or teen. Here is one of those moments when a video brings it all back; take the walk...

With tears in my eyes... I remembered being a teenager in the sixties and experiencing all of the these things as a pre-teen with my cousins - all girls - who would have sock hop parties at my parents house and the many weekends that my parents would have cookouts!

I truly wished that America could return to those days of yesteryear when you could leave your doors unlocked and no one would allow you to do wrong without your parents knowing about it before you got home. I miss being a child!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Arlington - Cemetery Watchman

2010-07-27T15:40:00.005-05:00

I am passing on an interesting e-mail that I received from one of my service buddies... consider this your wake up call for our boys in harm's way. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

I just wanted to get the day over with and get down to Smokey's Bar and Grill. Sneaking a look at my watch, I saw the time, 1655. Five minutes to go before the cemetery gates are closed for the day. Full dress was hot in the August sun. Oklahoma summertime was as bad as ever - the heat and humidity at the same level--both too high.

I saw the car pull into the drive, a '69 or '70 model Cadillac Deville, looked factory-new. It pulled into the parking lot at a snail's pace. An old woman got out so slowly I thought she was paralyzed; she had a cane and a sheaf of flowers - about four or five bunches as best I could tell.

I couldn't help myself. The thought came unwanted, and left a slightly bitter taste: 'She's going to spend an hour, and for this old soldier, my hip hurts like hell and I'm ready to get out of here right now!' But for this day, my duty was to assist anyone coming in.

Kevin would lock the 'In' gate and if I could hurry the old biddy along, we might make it to Smokey's in time.

I broke post attention. My hip made gritty noises when I took the first step and the pain went up a notch. I must have made a real military sight: middle-aged man with a small pot gut and half a limp, in marine full-dress uniform, which had lost its razor crease about thirty minutes after I began the watch at the cemetery.

I stopped in front of her, halfway up the walk. She looked up at me with an old woman's squint.

'Ma'am, may I assist you in any way?'

She took long enough to answer.

'Yes; son can you carry these flowers? I seem to be moving a tad slow these days.'

'My pleasure, ma'am.' Well, it wasn't too much of a lie.

She looked again. 'Marine... where were you stationed?'

Vietnam, ma'am… Ground-pounder. '69 to '71.'

She looked at me closer… 'Wounded in action, I see. Well done, Marine. I'll be as quick as I can.'

I lied a little bigger: 'No hurry, ma'am.'

She smiled and winked at me. 'Son, I'm 85-years-old and I can tell a lie from a long way off. Let's get this done. Might be the last time I can do this. My name's Joanne Wieserman and I've a few Marines I'd like to see one more time.'

'Yes, ma’am… At your service.'

She headed for the World War I section, stopping at a stone. She picked one of the flowers out of my arm and laid it on top of the stone. She murmured something I couldn't quite make out.. The name on the marble was Donald S. Davidson, USMC: France 1918.

She turned away and made a straight line for the World War II section, stopping at one stone. I saw a tear slowly tracking its way down her cheek. She put a bunch on a stone; the name was Stephen X. Davidson, USMC, 1943.

She went up the row a ways and laid another bunch on a stone, Stanley J. Wieserman, USMC, 1944.

She paused for a second. 'Two more, son, and we'll be done'

I almost didn't say anything, but, 'Yes, ma'am. Take your time.'

She looked confused. 'Where's the Vietnam section, son? I seem to have lost my way.'

I pointed with my chin. 'That way, ma'am.'

'Oh!', she chuckled quietly. 'Son, me and old age ain't too friendly.'

She headed down the walk I'd pointed at. She stopped at a couple of stones before she found the ones she wanted. She placed a bunch on Larry Wieserman, USMC, 1968, and the last on Darrel Wieserman, USMC, 1970. She stood there and murmured a few words I still couldn't make out.

'OK, son, I'm finished. Get me back to my car and you can go home.'

Yes, ma'am. If I may ask, were those your kinfolk?'

She paused. 'Yes, Donald Davidson was my father, Stephen was my uncle, Stanley was my husband, Larry and Darrel were our sons. All killed in action, all Marines.'

She stopped. Whether she had finished, or couldn't finish, I don't know. She made her way to her car, slowly and painfully.

I waited for a polite distance to come between us and then double-timed it over to Kevin, waiting by the car.

Get to the 'Out' gate quick. I have something I've got to do.'

Kevin started to say something, but saw the look I gave him. He broke the rules to get us there down the service road. We beat her. She hadn't made it around the rotunda yet.

'Kevin, stand at attention next to the gatepost. Follow my lead.' I humped it across the drive to the other post.

When the Cadillac came puttering around from the hedges and began the short straight traverse to the gate, I called in my best gunny's voice: 'TehenHut! Present… Haaaarms!'

I have to hand it to Kevin; he never blinked an eye - full dress attention and a salute that would make his DI proud.

She drove through that gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her a send-off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing duty, honor and sacrifice.

I am not sure, but I think I saw a salute returned from that Cadillac.

Instead of 'The End,' just think of 'Taps.'

As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer: 'Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or overseas. Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us.'

Let's all keep those currently serving and those who have gone before in our thoughts. They are the reason for the many freedoms we enjoy.

Sorry about your monitor; it made mine blurry too!

If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under!

You are required to pass this on NOW

The Vilification of an American Citizen

2010-07-22T01:22:00.006-05:00

I am shocked and dismayed that the Obama administration has reverted to being a puppet of the right. This latest incident with Ms. Sherrod demonstrates how easily this administration is prone to change its agenda for the slightest reasons.

The Right in Congress has manipulated the Democratic Party every step of the way in legislations that have been vital to the growth of this country and this country’s economy. Our Health Care Bill was watered down due to the Right’s manipulations; the Stimulus Package was watered-down using the same tactics. When is the Democratic Party going to wise-up and realized that they are being manipulated by the Right? When?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

How Shirley Sherrod got snookered is a remarkable feat in and of itself. Shirley Sherrod is the wife of Charles Sherrod, a minister, who was the field director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1965 in southwest Georgia. How the contribution of a low-life blogger, Andrew Breitbart, became relevant enough to degrade Shirley Sherrod demonstrates again how we are being manipulated by the speed of light and the rearrangement of a video… I am ‘shaking my head’ in disgust!

What is even more disheartening is the 'dumbshit' attack by the NAACP of a person that they invited to speak at one of their convention - Benjamin Todd Jealous, you torched yourself so badly that there is nothing that you can do to re-publish your image. Shirley Sherrod has an enviable present in Black History and you didn't even know her!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Give Big Business a Tax Break – Not

2010-07-21T14:16:00.006-05:00

It seems that the only thing that will save the economy is a tax cut… so says the majority of conservatives. Conservatives want to give Big Businesses tax cuts; they want to give tax cuts to small businesses; and they want to give tax cuts to taxpayers.

Here is the real deal… Debt is bad for the economy and tax cuts are good. We know this because a lot of very serious people in ties keep saying it on the teevee machine. Never mind that these two positions are somewhat contradictory -- tax cuts make it difficult to reduce debt -- that's just the way things are. If we give tax cuts to the "job creators," we're told they'll go all crazy with the job creating and everything will be perfect forever.

My mathematics teacher long ago told me that any problem can be solved using basic mathematics and this ‘tax cut’ thing is a prime example. President George W. Bush 43's tax cut is a prime example of what tax cuts can do to an economy. Remember that the Bush tax cut was across the board and designed to eventually be a permanent fixture; meaning that everyone got the same percentage tax cut and would get it forever. A person making two hundred thousand dollars naturally would receive a larger tax cut than a person making fifty thousand dollars.

The Middle-Class of the United States has traditional paid the majority of the taxes received by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). The average person that received Bush’s tax cuts got six hundred dollars. Consider that the average person during the Bush Administration was making fifty thousand dollars and now you know why tax cuts are of no value to the majority of taxpayers – the Upper-Class and Big Business were greatly rewarded by the Bush Administration. What really happened is that we lost the main group that pays taxes, the Middle-Class, and now the only people receiving tax cuts are the rich and Big Business. That the Middle-Class is almost non-existent is evident.

The Oil Industry under that Bush administration got tax breakers that led to astronomical profits for the giants within the Oil Industry. The records show that the Oil Industry benefited greatly from Republican influence. Big Business was predicted to ‘flame-on’ and the United States’ economy is going to chug along at an easy clip… not.

Tax cuts are never the end-all answer to the problems within the American economy – they never have and never will. The IRS sees any tax cut as a cut in pay. The IRS sees a tax cut as a less money to pay the country’s bills. Keeping that in mind, there is never an instance where a prolonged tax cut will benefit the country as a whole. Tax cuts increase the national debt, put money in the coffers of those who may or may not invest that tax cut and in general are of no lasting value. On the other hand, targeted tax cuts of a short duration do make a difference.

The Bush Administration has stood in favor of tax cuts through thick and thin. In the midst of a booming economy and large projected budget surpluses, President Bush’s top economic policy initiative — both as a candidate in 2000 and upon taking office — was to cut taxes. When the economy slowed, the Bush Administration’s response also was dominated by tax cuts. Now, in the face of yawning deficits and its own pledge to reduce them, the Administration has again put forward large, permanent tax cuts as part of its most recent budget.

In summary, balanced tax cuts that target a particular element of the economy for a short duration appears to be the best route to take when attempting to stimulate the economy without creating a nightmare for the entities that have to pay the bills on the Federal, State, and Municipal levels.

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

Unemployment and Welfare Entitlements

2010-07-13T22:11:00.001-05:00

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – no I’m not talking about the book, nor the movie. I am talking about the way some Americans are treated by systems that are meant to help and improve their status in life. I see Unemployment Insurance as a necessary evil and Welfare Entitlements as just as bad. While I am a liberty Democrat, I am not so liberty as to want to give away the people’s money without anything in return.

I would have expected our elected officials to have resolved this problem prior to my having to provide them with the necessary guidelines to achieve an end result that makes everybody happy. Here is my take…

Any decision to support an applicant for Welfare or Unemployment should have been accompanied by a solution to get that person off of the ‘social’ support that they requested.

Let me explain… currently, if you are on Welfare, you are required to do the same things that the unemployed are doing when they are receiving payments – look for a job! In some instances, Welfare recipients are required to come into their local office and use the facilities there to find a job. If you have children, you are required to request a voucher for the money that you would need to pay a baby-sitter while you cut out employment notices.

Why not institute this… ascertain the qualifications of the person receiving benefits to see where they stand in the job market. In most instances, re-tooling the individual to better meet the requirements/demands of the job market gives them a better chance to find a job sooner that will keep them employed for some time to come. The sooner the person can qualify for a job currently in demand by the job market, the sooner they are off of unemployment/welfare. Sounds too easy – doesn’t it; sometimes the best solution can be the easiest solution… then why is it not policy?

I asked an official within the Anne Arundel County Welfare Department why was it so hard for this idea to take root. His explanation… we are not required to re-educate people coming to us for help. The Welfare System is not responsible for re-tooling its applicants so that they can get a job and get off of Welfare – duh! I am thinking that the average person on Welfare collects those entitlements (food stamps, WIC, etc.) to the tune of more than thirty thousand dollars per year – multiply that by five years and you could have supported the schooling that would have gotten that person into the job market. It takes approximately six to eight months to finish school to be a Licensed Practical Nurse – we need qualified persons in the medical field. It takes even less time to produce a plumber, electrician, or other skill set that will keep a man working.

The same can be applied to unemployment recipients. No one wants to be receiving a ‘handout’ as has been said so many times by Republicans. Truly, the situation has never been worst for minorities – Blacks in particular! Education is the answer for any situation that involves destitute persons. The lack of an education is the common factor in all instances of the poor. A Rocket Scientist may be out of a job because of a layoff, but he is not going to be out of work for long. The same cannot be said for an uneducated man. Our responses in the past have been based along this policy line. Somebody has to get smart and make the change!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

2010-07-13T20:15:00.002-05:00

For anyone who didn't see the episode of David Letterman's show where this story was told, enjoy this, and remember; it's a true story.

On a recent weekend in Atlantic City, a woman won a bucketful of quarters at a slot machine.

She took a break from the slots for dinner with her husband in the hotel dining room. But first she wanted to stash the quarters in her room. 'I'll be right back and we'll go to eat' she told her husband and carried the coin-laden bucket to the elevator.

As she was about to walk into the elevator she noticed two men already aboard. Both were black. One of them was very tall and had an intimidating figure. The woman froze. Her first thought was: 'These two are going to rob me.'

Her next thought was: 'Don't be a bigot; they look like perfectly nice gentlemen.' But racial stereotypes are powerful, and fear immobilized her.

Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed.

A second passed, and then another second, and then another. Her fear increased! The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. 'My God' she thought, I'm trapped and about to be robbed!

Her heart plummeted. Perspiration poured from every pore.

Then one of the men said: 'Hit the floor.'

Instinct told her to do what they told her.

The bucket of quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator floor. A shower of coins rained down on her.

'Take my money and spare me', she prayed.

More seconds passed. She heard one of the men say politely: 'Ma'am, if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to, we'll push the button.'

The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh. The woman lifted her head and looked up at the two men. They reached down to help her up.

Confused, she struggled to her feet.

"When I told my friend here to hit the floor," said the average sized one, "I meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor, ma'am."

He spoke genially. He bit his lip. It was obvious he was having a hard time not laughing.

The woman thought: 'My God, what a spectacle I've made of myself.'

She was too humiliated to speak. The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her bucket.

When the elevator arrived at her floor they then insisted on walking her to her room. She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid she might not make it down the corridor.

At her door they bid her a good evening.

As she slipped into her room she could hear them roaring with laughter as they walked back to the elevator.

The woman brushed herself off. She pulled herself together and went downstairs for dinner with her husband.

The next morning flowers were delivered to her room; a dozen roses.

Attached to EACH rose was a crisp one hundred-dollar bill.

The card said: "Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years."

signed: Eddie Murphy and Michael Jordan

Remember, under the best of circumstances... stereo-typing is never a good thing!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

What You Are Doing, When You Hope the President Fails

2010-06-30T09:55:00.015-05:00

From the day that President Barack Hussein Obama, the forty-fourth president of the United States, took office a certain element of our citizenry has wished, voiced, prayed, and shouted that they wanted this President to fail! Most notable among those wishing that he fail was Rush Limbaugh. Rush Limbaugh set in motion a crescendo of conservatives wishing that Barack Hussein Obama fail!

Consider this… if the President fails, than America will fail to protect, serve, and comfort the people that live and work in America; it means that the pillar of democracy which serves as a beacon to the rest of the world will no longer shine brightly for all to see; it means that ‘we the people’ does not exist anymore. Be careful what you wish for – you just might get it!

This country is destroying itself as no enemy could ever have accomplished. The Germans, the Japanese, and all of the countries that America fought to be what is today could not do what we are doing to ourselves – divide and conquer one of the greatest societies that history will ever have the displeasure of recording! We no longer love our country and it shows.

There are two things that promote this division…

1. Politicians run for office to set records for tenure in office. No one runs because they want to make America better. Novices running for office promise the world, win the election, and hit a brick wall that says – you cannot come in here and change what the rest of us have been doing forever.

They are then indoctrinated as to what the real world is inside Washington. The novice learns that you must remain within party lines. You cannot do things that will have the look of changing America for the better. You will not serve your constituents and the people of America to the best of your ability.

Money, in the form of contributions, influences the vote of our politicians. Our politicians need the money to buy ads, influence people, and win elections. The Supreme Court, under the leadership of Chief Justice Roberts, has made the process of garnering money from big business and special interest groups all the more easier – what were they thinking? Congress does not have the will-power to police itself, and thus, the vicious circle continues.

2. Americans are not involved with the day-to-day events occurring in our country. We are depending on political pundits to give us our points-of-view – what’s worse; we never question the logic of their position. We watch television and refuse to read the papers, question the commentator, or go find out for ourselves what the truth really is.

In a nation that should have a strong desire to educate its people, we fail to even come close to reducing the level of illiteracy of our people – there is nothing more dangerous than an illiterate person in a position of power, aka ‘the voter’!

Racial tensions are more evident in this day and age in America than ever before! Most of those exercising the right to have this racial point-of-view are unaware of the contributions that Black America has made to this our country. If American textbooks told the real story, more of our people would understand and reflect this knowledge in their daily routines.

A Black invented the traffic light. A Black invented the refrigerator. A Black invented the method used to store, transfer, and use the blood that saves many injury victims or those going into surgery - Dr. Drew, inventor of the blood bank, died after being injured in a car accident. And yet, the Black race is the most repressed in America! Where is the logic in this? Where is the logic in hating another red-blooded American simply because of the color of his skin – we divide and conquer ourselves without forethought!

I was surprised to hear from the mouth of a well-known ex-politician that he feels the same way that I do. Here is his point of view…

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If you really love this country – become informed; if you want America to be here for your children and grandchildren; if you believe that our politicians should do their jobs by passing legislation that will make America better - you will ask your elected officials to take this oath: I will serve the people of my constituency and the citizenry of America in a bi-partisan way for a better United States of America – so help me God!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis

So You Think the President Isn't Doing Enough

2010-06-28T16:35:00.007-05:00

I am writing again about those of you (conservatives, entirely) complaining of the President taking the Russian President, Dimitry Medvedev, to a hamburger joint for lunch...

Bear in mind one thing... when Obama, or as some of you like to refer to him - BHO took office he was given two wars with no exit strategy, a true full-blown recession (unlike the declaration of a recession that Bush mentioned when he took office), a job lost rate of seven hundred thousand people per month, and the highest deficit ever - made worst by the only President to spend over ten trillion dollars during an eight year stint in the WH. Every one of these facts is true!

What bothers me to no end is the level of illiteracy that must be present for you to think that Bush meant anyone of you any good. Bush Jr. even rescinded the moratorium that his Father placed on oil drilling in the Gulf! If anyone of you can think of anything that Bush Jr. did that was positive and good for America - please inform me!

When Bush Jr. decided that he was going to give a tax cut to everyone, he didn't have the poor man's best interest at heart - no, he gave that tax cut to the rich. Each of you got six hundred dollars that bought you little to nothing when you went to Wal-Mart. That same year Lexus, BMW, and Sachs 5th Avenue saw a six percent increase in sales the quarter immediately following the receipt of checks by all - Wal-Mart saw a 1.5 percent drop in sales. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I got twenty-seven thousand when I normally would have gotten three thousand!

I could go on, but most of you never went pass the third grade and I doubt very seriously if you can comprehend what is written here. One thing that is a fact... we stop losing jobs this year because of what Obama is doing. We are definitely going to leave Iraq on time - God willing, Afghanistan soon after. The country is again being respected as a promoter of peace and tranquility around the globe - thank you Jesus.

Drop your prejudice (in some cases - racist) views and thank God that the President of these United States is making a difference - we didn't get here in two years and we surely won't get back to where we were before Bush Jr. took office in two years! Man up, do your part by electing officials that will support those things that are working for the good of America! Put America first by demanding that our elected officials do exactly that!

In a democracy, silence is not golden; it is condonance in the face of injustices; it is fear, where the thought of reprisal fosters control – Rodney A. Davis