The Democratic “Cry Uncle" Party Allows Loaded Guns in National Parks. Obama Soft on Legislative Insanity.

A Republican Congress and president couldn’t pass a gun bill allowing national parks visitors from carrying loaded and concealed weapons, but a Democratic Congress and president are about to do just that. And it’s down the rabbit hole again, this time with our spineless liberals friends, and the NRA driven right wingers notching a big one for fellow fringers.

While Democrats fold under pressure from Republicans about removing unrelated amendments on important legislation, those same rules don’t seem to apply to the party of conservative gun crazy bullies that inhabit our Congress. Instead of shaming Republicans for slipping the amendment in, even Obama is slinking away from any confrontation, Democrats appear to be encouraging similar amendments into future legislation.

I’m disowning the Democratic Party right now. The NY Times:

Advocates of gun rights are poised to win a Congressional victory that eluded them under a Republican president. House and Senate lawmakers and aides say it now appears likely that President Obama will this week sign into law a provision allowing visitors to national parks and refuges to carry loaded and concealed weapons. The gun provision … was added to a popular measure imposing new rules on credit card companies. But the Democrats who now control both Congress and the White House appear ready to allow it to survive rather than derail a consumer-friendly credit card measure.

“Timing is everything in politics,” said Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma and the champion of the gun proposal. Gun control and conservation groups … joined top House Democrats in lamenting the inability of Senate Democrats to prevent Republicans from adding such politically charged proposals to unrelated legislation.

More gun crazy crap is on its way:

A gun measure has also tied up a bill granting the District of Columbia full voting representation in the House, and Republicans are readying other gun rights initiatives for future consideration.

For their part, backers of the gun provision were relishing their looming victory. “After using every legislative trick in the book to prevent a vote on gun rights, Democrat leaders are finally crying uncle and clearing the way for Congress to reinstate the Bush policy,” said Representative Doc Hastings of Washington, senior Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee.

Out with the Democratic Party, in with the Cry Uncle Party, or "CUP."

Guns Aren't Dangerous, Unless Somebody Uses One to Kill You.

In a typically Republican move, AG J.B. Van Hollen never thought a "simple" minded opinion would bring out raft of gun crazy zealots, brandishing their hardware for all the frightened public to see. Besides crashing the economy, starting two wars, shredding the Constitution and outsourcing American jobs, add a loss of public safety to the list.

AP-About 200 people showed up for a picnic in La Crosse County which was organized to promote openly carrying firearms. About half came packing heat. Sunday's weather cooperated for the open carry picnic at Marvin Garden's Park in the Town of Onalaska. Organizer Hubert Hoffman says the event promotes the recent opinion from the Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen who said those who openly carry firearms should not be cited for disorderly conduct. Hoffman says the event show that people who openly carry a gun are not a threat.

Open carry isn't a threat unless of course someone kills you. Then it's just an isolated incident. But the gun crazy news doesn't stop there:

Jsonline: A dangerous gun amendment has been attached to the "Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009" by U.S Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). The rider would force the National Park Service to permit the carrying of loaded guns in parks, battlefields, monuments, historic sites and wilderness areas.

Senator Coburn's (R-OK) amendment would allow individuals to openly carry assault rifles, handguns and shotguns in National Parks if the firearm is in compliance with state law.

Permitting loaded guns in our national parks poses a threat to wildlife, visitors, and park rangers.

Hey, aren't the Republicans the ones who don't like amendments like this slipped into other bills because it doesn't allow a public debate on the issues ...Oh, except when they do it.

Never mind.

Single Payer’s “Long Lines” or No Care and a Lifetime Injury that didn’t have to be that way?

When you ask your friendly conservative state representative about government health care insurance, you’ll hear the scary stories of long lines for elective surgery and some strange bureaucrat wedging themselves between you and your doctor.

Of course, they never have a single horror story about the inhumane health care system we have right now. They are strangely silent. Are we to suppose they have never heard from any one of their constituents who may have had a problem? Maybe they missed the hundreds of stories published yearly in the newspapers. Like this story:

Wisconsin State Journal: A Beloit Wisconsin mom’s two sons suffered a nightmarish car crash, leaving “a bone sticking out of one of her son's legs, and the collarbone and shoulder blade of the other son cracked into pieces like a jigsaw puzzle. Federal law required the emergency room to treat the young men, even though they had no insurance. No law guaranteed care after that. Her youngest son, 23, was discharged in a few days."I had to clean his open wounds," Hovland-Moffitt recalls. "For 26 days he sat in my recliner, screaming with pain. I begged the emergency room to take him back."

Finally in September, he had surgery to piece together his shoulder with a metal plate. By then, he had lost much of the use of his arm, she says.But his mom fears that the health problems he has now could bar him from ever again qualifying for private health insurance. "No mom should have to ask this question," she says. "If we could get him insurance, would he be able to use his arm again?"

There really shouldn’t even be a debate. But we entertain their side of the argument as if they made any sense or presented a valid position. Why?

Maybe the visual image of impatient Republicans waiting in “long lines” is much worse than someone losing the use of their arm. Let the endless, pointless, debates continue…..

Republicans Hate Getting their Mail Later in the Day. Smaller Government be Damned.

So if you were wondering what really mattered most to Republicans Party members when it came to government services, like food assistance, medical help or getting your mail on time, the latter would the no-brainer answer.

In a ruthlessly bizarre story of detachment, cutting government to the bone and doing with less only matters when it affects “other people.” And I thought we all had to make sacrifices.

Milwaukee Journal: As the U.S. Postal Service searches for $2 billion in spending cuts, residents in several Wisconsin communities are objecting to changes at their post offices.Consolidation of mail carriers in Oconomowoc, West Bend, Oak Creek and elsewhere has stirred complaints that mail is being delivered late and that residents feel neglected. "I'm old school - I'm used to getting my mail by noon," said Brian Wiemer, an Oconomowoc Town Board member. In Waukesha, business owners fear that cutbacks in mail collection hours will undermine their ability to conduct business.

Don’t forget: We all have to tighten our belts. We all have to sacrifice. Get government out of the way.

Some have found a sympathetic ear in an influential place: their (Republican) congressman. U.S. Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner and Paul Ryan both have intervened successfully on behalf of constituents who were unhappy with planned belt-tightening measures at their post office. In both cases, the Postal Service shelved its plans and re-examined its cost-cutting strategies.

Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Menomonee Falls, said that while he does not have an alternative plan for trimming costs, he found the cuts being imposed in southeastern Wisconsin to be too disruptive to customers. "You've got to remind the Postal Service repeatedly that their last name is service," he said.

You meant to say another big bureaucratic government entitlement, didn’t you Mr. Senselessbrenner? Should we be surprised that Sensenbrenner had no “alternative plan for trimming costs?” Still, cutting taxes and the size of government sounds so good, in a conservative sorta way.

Ryan and Sensenbrenner are the same two guys to come out against job retraining money for displaced factory workers. But when it comes to getting your mail later in the day, good GOD, are you crazy!

The Nagging Pain that is Brett Favre. Is it Too Hard to Retire as a National Legend?

Since I'm a big Green Bay Packer fan, I've been saddened by the mindless job hopping dance of Brett Favre, and the pain I would have to endure seeing him in purple. We hate the Vikings more than anything, like Dick Cheney, and fear the memories of Brett's days here will forever be tainted. It's a story that has no end...

So here is local politcal song writer Peter Leidy (lie-dee), with his cathartic venting from WPT's Here and Now.

I'm Making the Transition....

Because I've been converting my home theatre to digital, I've been prevented from using any video clips in my blog. It's a little thing called copy protection. I didn't know you couldn't copying high definition or digital television to DVD. Low def analog video is allowed, how nice.

I do have a few non-video stories to load up, so I'll be back into the swing again starting today.

There Really is a Group Called Mothers Against Illegal Aliens. No Really.

I think the "Mothers Against..." and "Mothers For..." franchise of fear has run its course. Instead of squandering money on saving our economy, we should be building a border fence to keep the dramatically DECREASING numbers of workers from crossing into the U.S.

Guess they don't read the paper much.



I don't know who the guest host was, filling in for Neil Cavuto, but his crazy line-up of guests bordered on frightening. I may post a few more numbskulls posing as pundit know-it-alls sometime later.

Supply and Demand, Gas Prices and Health Care Profits.

Two amazing stories that illistrate just how “free” we really are, contrary to the Republan rhetoric that warns we’re losing our freedom, and how helpless we are under the control of corporate kingdoms. First, health care…

Huffington Post: Just four days after standing next to President Obama and declaring their commitment to control health care costs to the tune of $2 trillion over 10 years, the insurance industry, drug and medical device makers, and hospital groups are backing off their promise.

Hospitals and insurance companies said Thursday that President Obama had substantially overstated their promise to reduce the growth of health spending. They say they agreed to slow health spending in a more gradual way and did not
pledge specific year-by-year cuts. "There's been a lot of misunderstanding that has caused a lot of consternation among our members," said Richard J. Umbdenstock, the president of the American Hospital Association.

First, these groups are showing their true, dishonest colors. He and other health care executives said they had agreed to squeeze health spending so the annual rate of growth would eventually be 1.5 percentage points lower. One of the lobbyists … said the savings would "ramp up" gradually as the growth of health spending slowed. Another said "there was no specific understanding" of when the lower growth rate would be achieved. "It's a target over a 10-year period.

It's about profits. Every dollar of health care "waste" in the system, every dollar that goes somewhere other than to your health, that's a dollar more in the pockets of a rich hospital administrator or insurance industry CEO.

I know, big surprise right? It was kind of. But then this story hit me the wrong way after arguing for so many years there really isn’t a free market or real “supply and demand.” But then, you probably knew that.

AP: Oil prices continue to rise even though demand has hit its lowest level since Sept. 11, 2001. Crude inventories are at their highest levels since 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait. “They’re buying just to buy into the momentum,” said analyst and treader Stephen Schork. “No one is looing at the fundamentals.”

Didn’t we hear over and over how China is using so much more oil now and speculators we’re just doing their jobs. Oil companies that were demanding “drill baby drill” have no profit incentive to do just that, and demand is nothing but a load of BS.

This recession has pulled away the curtain on our corporate owners. Milton Friedman has his group of followers marching happily off the cliff, taking us all with them.

Liz Cheney Defends the Indefensible: Her Father and Torture. GOP's Philosophical Argument Baffling.

Two clips in the defense of torture, a winning strategy for Republicans. This clip offers offers up a lesson in relativity, where everything is equal, and a ploy by the GOP to obfuscate and muddy the waters on every problematic issue they refuse to solve. Republican strategist Karen Hanretty promotes, without blinking, the idea that nothing is right or wrong.

The Center for Competitive Politics wrote:

"A falsely flat statement in one person's eyes is a modest exaggeration in another person's eyes is the honest truth in yet a third person's eyes."



In yet another case of defending torture ( I can't believe their doing this), Liz Cheney steps out to defend her psychopathic daddy, Dick. While Jessie Ventura offers a solution to the debate we all could agree with, Chris Matthews adds his own reaction to Liz Cheney's stunningly ridiculous statement.

We're All Socialists Now, Aren't We Pat Buchanan?

The RNC's attempt to officially rename the Democratic Party the Democrat Socialist Party is not just idiotic, but untrue. Republicans are just as complicit in advancing the socialist agenda, they just do it in small incremental ways when it benefits them.

Hardball's Chris Matthews gets Pat Buchanan to admit socialism is popular and supported by the Republicans, now and in the past. It's also political suicide to do away with it, except for the 20 percent base of ideologues who don't know better. Lawrence O'Donnell makes Buchanan fess up, in a way...

Forget Everything You Might have Heard, the American Beverage Assc. Says: Soda Doesn't Make You Fat, It's Just Fun.

I have to admit, I never saw the a proposal to tax sugary soda pop products coming, but then, I don't think it's a bad idea either. Federal and State governments are already taxing alcoholic beverages, so why not god awful soda. Sugar water with coloring.

Stephen Colbert did a great commentary on this the other night. I don't know how they found it, but check out the President of the American Beverage Association's Susan Neely's hilarious comment about the often picked on soda drink. It is one of the dumbest, ready made for a comedy show lampooning, comments of the year so far. (If you don't have the time to watch the whole clip, her comment is at about 2:10)

GOP: Party without Substance. Smear Pelosi and Support CIA Torturers.

I like the idea that the Democratic Party has chosen to oppose torture. It fun, in a surreal way, to listen to sadistic Republican torture advocates seek support and affirmation for the most un-American form of information gathering known to man. For instance, Sen. Kit Bond's response to Pelosi’s recent comments:

AP - Congressional Republicans are rushing to defend the CIA after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the spy agency of misleading her and other lawmakers about its use of waterboarding during the Bush administration. "I think it's a tragedy that we are seeing this massive attack on our intelligence community which has kept us safe," Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri said in an interview on NBC's "Today" show where he questioned why Pelosi was "going after the agency and calling them liars."

Oh by the way, “Bond said he was not with Pelosi when the spy agency briefed her.” So of course, he would be qualified to dispute Pelosi story, right? That ignores the fact that: The CIA was widely criticized for its intelligence gathering prior to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and faced questions about its information on suspected weapons of mass destruction in Iraq prior to the start of the war in March 2003. The weapons were never found.

Not quite a record of stellar accuracy. Bond would have to criticize former Sen. Bob Graham:

The Atlantic Monthly: Sen. Graham says that some of the briefings in which he was allegedly filled in about waterboarding and related techniques never occurred. This matters, because the CIA's claims are part of the same argument that Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats in Congress had known about and acquiesced to waterboarding all the way along. Graham also has a specific reputation for keeping detailed daily records of people he met and things they said. He's sometimes been mocked for this compulsive practice, but he's never been doubted
about the completeness or accuracy of what he compiles.

Sen. Kit Bond would rather wave the flag again in blind allegiance supporting “our intelligence community which has kept us safe,” the CIA.

That specifically disputes what part of Pelosi’s statements, Kit?

American Workers Paid to Much to Be Competitive, reports CNN

I hate to admit it but I used to watch Lou Dobbs. I think he's crazy now (he was probably crazy then too). But I was amazed by this recent report, about the dramatic wage disparity between overpaid federal workers and private sector employees, for it brazen admission that the real problem lies in our benefits packages. That's right, whiny working stiffs think their entitled to benefits, on top of their exorbitant "living paycheck to paycheck" wages. Take special note of the people making their wild observations, especially the last guy who rambles incoherently.

Rush the Racist Limbaugh! Was there ever a Question?

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow says all that needs to be said about Boss Limbaugh.

Medicare Rip-off Artist Rick Scott is the Oppositions Face Against Health Care Reform

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow is so good at focusing like a laser on the people and impediments to a healthy America.

Gov. Candidate Walker Denies Responsibility for Rising Jobless Rate in His County!

The man that would be Governor Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, appeared on Upfront with Mike Gousha (goo-shay), expecting an easy interview filled with pat answers. What he got were a few tough questions that seemed to take the conservative shine off his slick carnival barker persona. Even though Walker's got a record most politicians would be inclined to keep from the media bright lights, his lack of self criticism and awareness drives his quest for the top spot in the state.

Walker: "Everybody else is tightening their belts...I would start in state government...that would be wage and benefits."

My question: If tax increases are bad in a down economy because it reduces the amount of money consumers have to spend, how are wage and benefit reductions any different?

Walker: (On doing away with more state jobs) "Yes...we're going to have to look at shrinking the size of government, we're going to have to look at shrinking more importantly, the size of wages and benefits..."

My question: In tough economic times with high unemployment directly draining the state revenues, would it be a good time to add to the unemployment roles that pretty much deplete state safety nets?

Walker: (On Rising unemployment the fault of Democratic Gov. Doyle) "I think it's a global recession, but I think our situation is worse here than most other states..."

Mike Gousha: "There are going to be people who say look, Milwaukee county has the highest poverty rate in the state, we're losing jobs in the city of Milwaukee, your largest municipality at a rate almost unmatched by any other big city. Do you share any responsibility for that?"

Walker: "Everybody does, but the state of Wisconsin has done specific things, policy wise, that have effected jobs here...if you look at the tax increases of $1.2 billion of new taxes..."

Mike Gousha: "Do you think you bare any of the responsibility for the numbers I just mentioned for the poverty rate, for the lack of employment right now in this community?"

Walker: "No, for us that's been an issue for years...politicians don't create jobs or eliminate jobs...!"

Huh! So Gov. Doyle is responsible for rising unemployment, at the same time politicians don't create or eliminate jobs? Which is it Scott? To be clear as mud, Walker believes Gov. Doyle is responsible for the increases in jobless rates in Wisconsin despite the worsening U.S. unemployment figures. Yet after serving 3 terms as Milwaukee County Executive, Walker denies outright any responsibility for dramatically higher jobless rates under his watch because its "been an issue for years." An issue he was elected 3 times to solve or improve upon, an issue Walker apparently has been powerless and too incompetent to reverse.

Walker carries on the Republican tradition of victim hood and passing the buck, while never holding himself accountable for anything.

Keep in mind, Walker wanted to put in place a sales tax holiday at a time when consumers weren't spending money on anything, instead of taking the stimulus money to prevent layoffs and needed infrastructure improvements.

Cheney's Torture Tour a Glimpse into a Sick and Frightened Mind!

Is it just me or have you also noticed how surreal it is to see the Republican Party and Dick Cheney defend violating U.S. and international laws on torture?

The fact that Cheney can justify violating the laws of the land by falsely claiming it will save American lives is perverse. The following is a compilation of statements and refutations on the "tragical torture tour."

Wilkerson on Cheney: "This is Idiocy of the first order Dick Cheney is Puttin' Out."

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow brought back Colin Powell's former Chief of Staff Lawrence Wilkerson to comment on Dick Cheney's gangbusters torture tour. This is the second time Wilkerson didn't hold anything back. I couldn't have said it better.

Wilkerson: "He has the honor of being the man on who's watch 3000 Americans died."

Vouchers Problems Seeing the Light of Day, Advocates Losing Ground

"Why School Vouchers Don't Matter" by Kevin Carey in the Chronicle Review laid out what I consider one of the best arguments against voucher schools (beside my own comments and a few educational blogs listed in the side bar). I’ve shortened the content to highlight his views.

There’s a strong element of artifice to this whole debate. The D.C. voucher program does not represent serious public policy. It was a P.R. move … to the privatization crowd it marginalized by supporting NCLB. The voucher dream has always been to introduce market dynamics to public education ...The D.C. voucher program does none of these things. No new schools have been built as a result, no groundbreaking programs created, competition spurred, or innovators attracted … charter schools are actually creating the whole range of market responses that vouchers are not.

D.C. charter schools are directly accountable to the public and specifically designed to serve urban students. Why would it be better to re-direct public funds to schools that are neither of those things? … the real purpose of school vouchers — givingpeople the opportunity to scramble for the moral high ground of defending disadvantaged youth … In that sense vouchers do have some utility — they separate people who are serious about education policy from people who aren’t. The more you shout and carry on about them, the less you’re paying attention to the issues that really matter.

The one point that needs to be stressed here is “accountable to the public” and “designed for urban students.” For conservatives, accountability is their number one concern, yet never a part of the voucher discussion. But Kevin Carey wasn’t the only one dashing the voucher myth. The following comment hit on a few major considerations.

“…there remains the point that some parents among the lower classes do not understand educational opportunities when they are presented to them. Nor would they be able to make informed choices on their children’s behalf. For instance, just tonight I had a heated discussion with my working class mother about my nephew being admitted into a program for gifted youngsters at his public elementary school. She thought it would be a waste of time. For me, this explains why I received very little emotional support for choosing to get any sort of higher education. To paraphrase my mom: The regular classes are enough.

Some studies suggest that a similar attitude becomes more common the lower down the economic ladder we look. To ignore this obstacle, and pretend every parent has the capacity to make the same informed decision a college- or law school-educated person can make, remains one abiding problem with the voucher system. Choice does not automatically level the playing field if the choosers have different backgrounds informing those choices.— Cassandra

My own two cents: Long waiting lists for good voucher schools leave everyone else the poor to average schools (with no way to weed them out). In the future, corporate buy outs and consolidation will create private for profit school monopolies over time. Tuition increases price parents out of some of the better schools resulting in: Expensive K-12 education savings accounts the poor and middle class will not be able to fund. That in turn creates a class system of education.

One more thing. With the Republican record on race, it’s more than obvious their concern about inner city kids getting a better education is the last thing on their minds. It’s time we stop avoiding the issue and call them on it. Let’s finally get serious.

NOTE: Jim Horn digs deep into the latest Charter school research, including virtual school results that don't look so good. I'm still trying to absorb the information.

Liberal NY Times Buys into "Moderate Plan for Health Care!" Can You Say "Advertisers?"

The supposed “liberal” NY Times appears to like our failing health care system so much, that they had to write this editorial “A Moderate Plan for Health Care,” to support Sen. Schumer’s industry backed compromise. And they wonder why they can’t adapt their newspaper business to a 21st century model. Instead of building a system supported by a super majority of Democrats, lets water it down for the 4 or 5 moderates lawmakers afraid of change:

One can argue over details, but Mr. Schumer is on the right track. It should be possible to design a system in which public and private plans could compete without destroying the private coverage that most Americans have and for the most part want to keep.

Really? Americans, “for the most part,” want to keep the same private system they have now? Nothing like starting with a false premise.

In general, he suggests that a public plan should have to comply with the same rules and standards as private plans.

Another words, separate, but equal to the same dysfunctional system we have now. I’m liking it already.

The public plan could not be supported by tax revenues or government appropriations but by premiums and co-payments. It would have to maintain reserves, like private insurers, and provide the same minimum benefits as all other insurers in the exchange. It could not compel doctors who want to participate in Medicare to also participate in the new public plan. And it would be run by different officials from those who run the insurance exchange to lessen the likelihood that federal officials would give unfair advantages to their program.

Let me see if I’ve got this right: Restructure the public plan by eliminating all the advantages the government already has with Medicare and veterans health care, by building in smaller pools of providers along with similar premiums and deductibles. That would by default force the public plan to add in enough “profit” to help pay for the new plan, without tapping into the largess of the governments buying power.

Now that’s a level playing field and basically no change at all. Two parallel systems with the same disadvantages.

Ah the power of money.