You're tearing me apart, love!

In lieu of a better title, I'm choosing this altered quote from an infamously bad movie, not just because it's funny, but I'll probably get more hits that way. Sorry for the subterfuge.

So I've been considering what have been the biggest problems facing the social fabric of our wonderful country for as long as I have politically interested in it (about ten years, give or take), and I have come to some sort of conclusion. It isn't the evolution of the modern family, changing (and defying) gender roles, or the acceptance of lifestyles other than that of white republicans that are tearing apart this country. Amazingly, it's the opposite. Attempts at institutionalized discrimination, hatred, fear, are what have been pulling at the frayed seams. Two consenting (see: over 18 and of sound mind) adults of the same gender loving each other hardly merit the downfall of Western civilization, neither do kids growing up in the home of said consenting adults.
The backlash and vitriol concerning the conservative stranglehold on  morality, disguised as a fight for "traditional values," has only increased in tempo and volume recently; this is due, in my opinion anyway, to the decreasing appeal of the Republican party in general. The newest attack on living an alternative lifestyle, which apparently is going to rend this country apart, is the reversal of gender roles in the home. Working mothers, stay-at-home dads, and even (gasp!) single parent households are further destroying the conservative notion of the "traditional" family. As if marriage equality wasn't bad enough, these shuttered-minded pundits declare that no good comes from women bringing home the majority (or all) of the bacon. Fox's own Megyn Kelly had a few things to say about her colleagues comments.
Not all the news about our social welfare (in the sense that it concerns us as a society) has been negative. A few more states have gone the way of more inclusive equality standards, Rhode Island, Delaware and Minnesota have all passed successful legislation, and Illinois is close. In my own discriminatory state, I attended the very popular Pride Festival, and saw no outward forms of protest all weekend (not that they didn't exist, they just weren't noticeable). On the radio, I've been hearing Macklemore's marriage equality ballad "Same Love" quite regularly.
No matter how much hate and fear is spread on the internet, I believe that equality (in marriage, anyway) will win out, as it is supported by love. All I can think about when I hear the tired arguments about how gay marriage will destroy straight "traditional" marriage, is that they are the same arguments used to support slavery, segregation, and miscegenation. Not to mention keeping down women, other races, religions, etc. Hate just doesn't work in bringing people together forever.

Shocked and Appalled? Not so much

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V'ere are your PAPERS!?!

If you have not been paying attention recently, the Arizona governor just signed a law that essentially gives police the authority to stop anyone they have "reasonable suspicion" to be an illegal immigrant, and demand they provide identification proving they are a citizen, and if not provided, they can go straight to jail, with the possibly of deportation. The moment the bill was passed, everyone started weighing in, of particular note was John McCain's daughter, Meghan McCain. Her father has as well, just today commenting that it was the Obama Admin's fault due to their failure to 'secure our borders,' ignoring the FACT that Bush's hollow gesture of erecting 700 more miles of fence was just that, a hollow gesture. The border with Mexico is 1,969 miles long, and over 250 million people cross it every year, whether legally or not. It's disrespectful, ignorant and outrageous to accuse Obama of one more thing that Bush let fall though his fingers.
This whole spectacle ends up being just another bandage on an open wound, where the problem is multi-faceted and significant. Mexico is doing little to stop the flow of immigrants and drugs, our visa and naturalization processes are too complicated, difficult and expensive, and Americans are far too overtly racist. There WILL be problems with racial profiling; American citizens will be harassed due to their ethnic background. This is not right, and the solution needs to be more comprehensive than a knee-jerk reaction that will simply weed out a few illegals in Arizona and send them home, with plenty of opportunity to come right back over the border. I can't tell what a good solution would be, I'm not invested enough in all the issues and politics surrounding this particular dilemma, but I still know when something isn't right, and demanding to see someone's papers because they 'look' like they don't belong is something we tried to put a stop to some years ago, if you will recall.

Beck Shows His Stripes

Although a tiger never changes his stripes, he may be able to cover them, possibly from the mounds of muck he has raked up over the years. In fact, some might even mistake a tiger for a completely different animal, and shower it with praise. Such an animal is Glenn Beck. This former morning zoo reject turned Mormon and conservative talk sweetheart/poster-boy admitted in an interview that appeared in Forbes magazine that, "I could give a flying crap about the political process...we're an entertainment company." I doubt that many of his die-hard followers would read such a hoity-toity elitist rag like Forbes, and would notice this. All the hateful ideological drivel he spouts is nothing more than a method for raking in substantial amounts of cash, the smallest fraction of which (a modest $2 million a year) from his popular 'entertainment' show, on which he constantly sheds tears and uses some of the most amazingly backwards, circular logic to make his famous (and famously parodied (2)) assumptions and connections. At first I wasn't able to figure out why people adore Beck so much, but it finally came to me. He's the Larry the Cable Guy of punditry. A pudgy, white, average-looking guy who wears a persona and a button-up shirt. Like a buttoned up shirt. He's not business-like as Hannity prefers to appear, or a cranky old fart like O'Reilly. He's the pale, religious guy that cries a lot, loves his country, and is just like you, but just happened to make 32 million dollars last year.
Good job turning all that fear-mongering into cold, hard cash, Beck.

Daily Douchebaggery

This douchebaggery is far more extensive than a single incident, and those culpable are many. Tuesday was a historic day for America, with the signing of a bill with such far-reaching importance that it will affect our children and grandchildren. The Health-Care reform bill narrowly passed through the House and Senate, and was signed into law by President Barack Obama. This is not the douchebaggery that I speak of.
During the health care reform debate, and his presidency in general, torrents of indescribable hatred, disguised as patriotism and Christianity, continued to flow unabated. The Tea Partiers are some of the worst of the group, last week mocking a man with Parkinson's who was peacefully protesting their protest, and before the vote on the reform bill, were tossing such epithets as 'nigger' and 'faggot' at certain members of congress, and laughing. Compassionate conservatism my ass. This is not protest, this is mean-spirited bullying. The conservatives aren't getting their way so they throw tantrums. It shows a lacking of any party morality, and Bob Herbert of the New York Times puts it even better as a complete lack of class.
The GOP should be held accountable for this, tacitly approving of these ugly, hateful tactics used to rile up a large group of ignorant, fearful people to push their agenda, which seems to only be tearing down and fighting anything Obama tries to do. Their small army of pocketed pundits on the various right-leaning television and radio stations do much of the work for them, bluntly calling for insurrection, impeachment and protest in complete ignorance and diametrically opposed to facts. Bombastic radio host Limbaugh threatened to leave the country if the bill was passed, claiming he would go somewhere else for his health care, like Costa Rica (which has nationalized medicine) but of course backed out of his claims at the last minute.
There are many other reasons and instances I could bring up to support my nomination of the entire GOP, the Tea Party and anyone else who supports their ideals for constant and impressively ignorant douchebaggery, but I don't have the time.

Respect the President . . . unless you don't agree with him!

I have been watching the rapidly deteriorating amount of respect paid to our president over the past 16 months, and am constantly reminded of all the huffing and puffing I heard during Bush's term from the conservative side about respecting the president. Despite all the things Bush did or may have done that would warrant a loss of respect for him, he received a lot of unnecessary scorn and disrespect. At his worst he was nothing but an ignorant tool of the republican party and his big business connections, but he wasn't anything compared to Hitler; and for that matter, neither is our current president. When your argument comes down to comparing a person to one of the most vile and hated figures in recent history, you've lost your argument. Why not compare to Pol Pot or Stalin, who killed more the 23 million, or Mao Ze-Dong, a brutal leader that may have killed over 78 million. This is all due to our Americanized, Euro-centric view of the world, but that is a subject for another post.
I just found it startling how fast the 'respect for the office' argument went right out the window as soon as Obama was sworn in. Within days he was hailed with news of his failed presidency, much to his surprise, I'm sure. Among the other horrible things said about him, such classics as: Nazi, Fascist, Socialist, Communist, Racist, Anti-American and Unpatriotic. Sounds like someone who wouldn't want to President of this country, despite the conflicting nature of the monikers.
As president, Barack should expect a little bullying from his opponents, he's never going to get everyone to agree with or like him. But this has just gotten completely out of hand, and is being led by the media giants MSNBC and FNC. Pundits like Hannity claim that there is this 'Obama-mania Media' out there somewhere that lauds every bowel movement he makes, but I have yet to see it. His support is still broad, but generally quite, especially in comparison to the anti-Obama fanatics out there screaming on street corners and crying on their very own talk shows.
The hatred, fear and ignorance is becoming palpable, but is still no excuse for the massive disrespect paid to the elected leader of this country. You can hate him all you want, but he is still your president. Try writing a letter sharing your concerns rather than posting hateful, jackass comments on threads everywhere on the Internet. Even former president Bush's wife, Laura Bush agrees with respecting the president, no matter who it is.
His speech to school children last year was an excellent marker for how deep the hatred and disrespect for our president has spread. Parents wanted schools to boycott the televised message, fearing he might infect our kids with such socialist sentiments as 'staying in school' and working hard. What a bastard. This is a great message to send to children, isn't it? Never trust anything the president says. Isn't it a big conservative ideal to teach children respect for your parents, elders and leaders? It definitely should be.

Words of Truth - From Orrin Hatch?!?

I have never been a fan of the legislators from our state, with few exceptions. Least of all these are the incumbents that have been in there for decades, and as conservatives are well known for attempting to maintain the status quo (their version of it, anyway), rarely say anything surprising. Not the best apotheosis for this is the eminent Senator Orrin Hatch; he writes, he sings, he reaches across party lines, he keeps getting elected! A surprisingly moderate conservative from Utah, he has supported stem-cell research, higher education for illegal immigrants, and pushed legislation that would let anyone who has been a citizen of the US for 20 years to run for the presidency and vice presidency. However, he hates files sharing and the Internet and his son is lobbyist whom he seems to have helped out quite a bit.
But recently, at a town hall meeting in American Fork, UT, he enraged his constituents by speaking the truth about the tea Party movement, and what it's doing to the Republican party. "If we fractionalize the Republican Party, we are going to see more liberals elected," Hatch said, with a definitive partisan spin on the message, basically telling the crowd that this movement is breaking up the GOP. And, surprise, they didn't like to hear it, as many who spend their lives in a fictional world are apt to when they hear the truth.
It's not a party based on a rational, objective look at politics and the Obama Administration's policies; it's based on a reactionary, uninformed group of people being led by disaffected politicians and FoxNews, the largest purveyor of hate, misinformation and fear ever seen. When well established politicians like Hatch are shying away from something that gathers large group of easily led conservatives, you know something is wrong.

Just in case you weren't sure . . .

Fox News has made a move that perfectly shows how 'Fair and Balanced' they are, in signing Sarah Palin on as a commentator, according to the Washington Post. Her job will also encompass writing a column on Fox News' web site. The only thing I'm surprised at is that it took this long for her to join their spurious ranks. She isn't the first out-of-work Republican to be snatched up by Fox, Karl Rove has been appearing regularly for some time. Seth Ackerman of FAIR wrote a lengthy article on Fox News' overabundance of conservative and Republican pundits and commentators way back in 2001. Dropping the vaguely Liberal Alan Colmes from Hannity's show so he could fly solo was just another sign back in 2008. Their media bias (that thing Liberals do Hannity rants and froths about on a regular basis on both his television show and radio show) is so overwhelmingly apparent, it's hard to understand anyone who believes otherwise has a firm grasp on reality. If they want to be conservatively biases, fine. Just admit to it, and stop calling yourself fair and balanced. Republicans outnumber Democrats or Liberals on your network by far,and most stories slant to the right in some way. Sarah Palin offers no balance to an already unbalanced network, I'm surprised she can stand up how unbalanced she seems. I'm curious how soon it will be before her imaginary 'death panels' come up again. Want balance? Give Al Gore a show. No, that's a bad idea. But seriously, stop pandering to your already secure fan base. No one is shocked or caught of guard by this. Maybe Clinton would work for you, if you can keep him away from your aides and interns.

(Government) News Corporation

I've talked before about how terrible our newspaper industry is doing, in the face of the immediate availability of information on the Internet and the convenience of 24/7 cable news channels. You had to know that someone in the government would find a way to step in and help out. Reuters reports that the idea of a bailout of sorts is cooking within the creaky, dirty walls of the Congress.
The last thing the government should step in and help out is the media. Mass media has already skewed the idea of freedom of speech. However, Henry Waxman, a Dem Chairman on the House Energy and Commerce Committee thinks differently. Complaining of a failing business model, he warns that, "Eventually government is going to have to be responsible to help and resolve these issues." Despite how terrible the media is right now, letting the government step in and take the reins is a terrible, aside from concerns over censorship. With a bailout comes restrictions, like in the case of the government bailout of the auto industry; salary caps, concessions, streamlining, trimming the corporate fat, basically. Restrictions on how they functioned and what they could and couldn't do also applied. An auto company that should have been left to implode is one thing, a struggling but evolving thing such as media is another. I don't fear so much what would happen to the massive, lumbering conglomerates that haven't been able to keep up with the changing nature of media, but how the smaller, moderate news outlets and such would be affected. Once politics collides head on with free speech and the free press, there's no telling what could happen, particularly when there are large sums of money involved. Case in point, FOX News has pretty much become the speaking arm of the Republican party, as 'fair and balanced' as they would like to appear. Thomas Paine must be spinning in his grave.

The Conservative Bowel Movement

In the republican movement, the infighting is starting to get serious, and that's the way I like it. The more they bicker and set up failures like Palin, they better off the rest of us will be when their party hopefully collapses. Even Glenn Beck can't help but take shots at Palin, in his own special douchebag, sexist way. And women still listen to him, go figure.
The problem is, the Democrats are doing it as well. They can't pull their collective heads out of whatever ass they have it in, and actually get something done. They let the Repubs stonewall the health-care issue since June, which still hasn't seen a resolution, and conceded many important points just to get something passed.
Meanwhile, the Republican party is increasingly being pushed around by the extreme right, which is disillusioning moderate Conservatives; and their New Republican Contract isn't helping either, which even discredits their Zeus in the pantheon of Conservatives, Ronald Reagan. The Republican party seems bound for a split, in which the far right will break away from the party simply because they aren't being conservative enough.
I hope they do split off, and their ignorant, bible-thumping mouthpieces as candidates, to lure away their equally-minded constituents from the de facto Republican party, ensuring no possibility of a Republican win in 2012. Go ahead, run Palin against Obama and watch what happens. It will only take one debate for those wavering to see how completely inadequate she is to run anything besides a small Alaskan town.

With Love, From Alaska

Palin supporters are out in force this week due her book tour, which had inexplicably made its way to No.1 bestseller on Amazon--before it came out in print. This butterfly effect of blind allegiance and patriotism is being seen everywhere, most specifically in any city the Holy Palin touched down in to do a book signing. Although not sure why they support her, you betcha, they do. In droves.



My favorite line is from the guy in the beanie at about 1:48 who says, "I don't know what she knows or doesn't know." Can ignorant Republicans always be so predictable? It would seem so. But what would happen if she really ran for the presidency and won? SNL gives us a possible look into the future. Thanks HuffPost.

WTF??

Dinner with Sarah Palin. I don't think I need to say anymore, but I will anyway. This sounds like one of the most bizarre things to spend your money on, right up there with cat-feces coffee and gold-flavored ice cream. Could you get both of those at the dinner? The dinner comes with more than a price tag, an extensive background check and other stipulations are added at no cost! No more than four hours, could be less!
Now, if I just happened to have several thousand dollars just taking up space in my bank account, I would consider bidding purely out of morbid curiosity. I doubt I would pass the 'extensive background check,' possibly due to content on this blog. However, it's for a good cause (100% of proceeds?), and if I did hypothetically attain this dinner, the one question I would want answered is this: Are you for real? Seriously.
As of this posting, the bid stands at $39,702.99.

Evil See, Evil-doer

As you may know, the Bush Admin. was very enthusiastic about 'enhanced interrogation.' No, it isn't torture, just like death isn't an 'enhanced coma.' Right. Well, the chattering about these issues has been getting loud again, mostly due to the ACLU pushing the CIA to release documents in its quest for the truth on the techniques used to interrogate terrorist suspects. Claiming that such documents would harm national security, they are openly violating the Freedom of Information Act. But, hey, if they told us, they'd have to kill us, right?
McCain gets another gold star for sticking up for Americans who believe that torture isn't cool, and another for bashing Cheney's assertions that it is. McCain, like many others, understands that torture never provides reliable information, like this former military interrogator openly admits. (Also, watch Shepard Smith get seriously pissed on the matter.) Just try explaining this to any high-level Repub trying to cover their ass on a stance that was even argued against by their White Messiah Reagan. Liz Cheney doesn't think we did anything wrong torturing innocent men, either.
The evidence shows that, if anything, torturing has only prolonged these two wars and given the terrorists more ammunition for recruitment. No information has been gleaned that could have stopped an attack. And the opposition are quite fond of torture and go after it with a gleeful abandon. Anyone who sports one of these or any similar bumper sticker should spend a couple minutes being waterboarded. (And whoever designed that page should be sent to Gitmo.) If we continue to torture prisoners for the slight chance we may be able to get some bit of useful information, then we are no better than the evildoer's themselves.

Be Afraid, Be VERY Afraid

You would think that political organizations like the RNC would be watching what lies they spread just a little closer, in a time when, as Rasmussen reports, 57% of the country wouldn't mind one bit replacing every single congressman and woman.
But, to outdo themselves once again, have come out swinging with the misinformation bat at the Health Care pinata. They are now 'suggesting' that Dems would use political affiliation to ration out health care, making sure that Repub's would spend hours in waiting rooms and have exorbitant co-pay's and not get necessary treatments. Oh, wait, the current hospital/insurance industry beat them to it.
The disgusting depths that politicians and their organizations will go to to further their agenda--or stop an opposing party's--is pitiful. There is no 'reaching across the aisle,' each is looking out for their own and their own lobbyists/special interests. It seems everyone is in on it, except the people. They are just let around by the nose with the dogmatic speeches of charismatic or fear-mongering pundits/politicians who think for them. Media has made it so much easier to convince people what they are being told was their idea.
We have enough distractions in this country, with TV shows, 24 news, Internet porn, fast food chains, that new Kohl's opening up down the street, that it is difficult to follow the seemingly magical world of politics, full of smoke, mirrors, and empty suits rattling off statistics that you can't understand but worry you anyway. This is why we re-elect 90% of congressmen every election, we just trust them to do the right thing like we guess they did last time.
The propaganda used to keep voters in line seems to be working well enough. Many are fearful of seemingly 'socialist' ideas like making sure everyone has health care, forgetting that Welfare and Unemployment are similar ideas. About 30% of Republicans still don't believe Obama was born in the U.S. Religious rhetoric still makes its way into laws and onto public property. Some are trying to alleviate these problems, while others only try to make them worse. If it continues to get worse, I will be afraid.

Mac Attacked

In early November last year, John McCain delivered a graceful concession speech and seemed to gradually fade out of the spotlight, unlike his camera hungry VP nominee. Between then and now, McCain seems to have returned to the 'Maverick' he once was, no longer spouting GOP talking points and vile accusations gleefully supported by Fox pundits. He returned to the type of politician he used to be, the kind that got him popular in the first place. He is again speaking his own personal set of political beliefs, and showing his respect for the office of President and the Constitution. But what is this beginning to get him? Boos from an audience in his own home state for respecting Obama as president. At another town hall meeting yesterday he got off to a bad start, having to have a woman ejected for yelling over him constantly. Even moderate republicans are having a harder time of it these days, or anyone who doesn't follow lock-step with the majority, fighting against every major thing Obama is trying to accomplish, even if it is simply to contradict him completely, to no real purpose. I have said before, it isn't going to be pretty for the Repub party in the coming years, with people like Palin trying to tear away the crazy-fringe (and sizable) portion of the party. It will be interesting to follow McCain's career in the coming years, and see how true to his original beliefs he stays.

Daily Douchebaggery

Although I nominated her once before, she just keeps opening her mouth, letting the vapidity escape. What's worse, Sarah Palin just wont go away, constantly riling up conservatives with false-patriotism, misinformation, and just plain wrong information. Already this year she has hinted at splitting up the Republican party (not necessarily a bad thing), left her job 18 months early, claimed Obama wants death panels, and shot her mouth off numerous other times, and claims that the media is mean to her. Grow up, you're in politics.
It just seems to me that she can't let her fifteen minutes run out, she has to frantically wave her hands and say something stupid to gain the public's attention for another week. She posts 'statements' on her facebook page obviously written by someone with a much more acute grasp on the English language than her. But beside that, she is actively causing problems in the national political arena, helping set back any small advances we may get towards health care reform.
She may think that she is slyly working her way towards a presidential nomination in a few years (FSM forbid she runs with someone like Hannity), but not everyone is fooled by her quirky 'Hey-I'm-a-political-outsider-and-I-can-solve-problems' demeanor. She is painfully inadequate politically, and a shining example of Conservatist ignorance. People often muse on how backwards Middle-Eastern and African countries are; just imagine how backward we would be if people like her ran our country. Honey, you're time is up, please finish up your cute speech and get off the stage. You were played-off a long time ago.

Saving Beck

With recent spate of advertiser losses, 20 so far, one may wonder about the future of FoxNews's Glenn Beck show. His innocent statements taken out of context, this true American may have his livelihood ripped away from him by liberal advertisers and politicians, since they ARE out to get him. No one like Beck should have to deal with the nervous hand-flapping of these companies that would rather worry about offending their customer base than supporting a real American. These advertisers will regret it, but what to do in the meantime?
I see a solution. There are so many other organizations that could be advertising on this show. I have heard that the KKK is doing very well these days, and their audience should be built right in to this channel's normal viewership. The Christian Coalition, Knights of Columbus, National Alliance and other such groups should pick up some advertising time. Even the NRA could do very well in this time slot. I've also read that guns are becoming a big thing at these town-hall meetings going on all over the country, they should cash in on the popularity.
I n due time, all of Beck's corporate sponsors can easily be replaced with the proper sponsors, fanatical ring-wing organizations and groups intent on spreading their messages of hatred and fear, which should go along quite well with the current programming seen on this channel. Glenn will be fine (minus the crying), and will emerge stronger and with more conviction in his unsupported and illogical ideas than ever before. Keep on keeping on, Beck.

Death Panels and Demagogues

The debate on the health care issue has gotten pretty nasty as of late, with fights breaking out in town halls, prominent politicians spreading misinformation, and lobbyists trying to force their hands on an already destabilized Congress.
Reforming health care in this country is as important as an issue can be right now, especially for the future of this country. We trail most industrialized nations in many aspects regarding health and health care, including our dismal 29th place in infant mortality.
But never has the opposition been stronger and more uninformed than it is now, regurgitating fears about 'death panels' and rationed health care. The fear is the main problem, people are scared and ignorant of what is really going on with a huge bill that is hard to grasp the complexity of. The government has set up a site to set the facts straight about this bill, but I doubt many check it before they head out to a town meeting filled with anger and false facts supplied to them by conservative mouthpieces like Hannity and Limbaugh.
Former Vice Pres. nominee Sarah Palin (involuntary shudder) decided to add some unneeded fuel to the fire when she shot off her mouth about 'death panels' checking off the elderly and mentally handicapped for death since they had no more use in society, when the bill actually sets up nothing of the sort, and intends to change the current practice. She then backpedaled a few days later, calling for civility in the matter, but she might as well have put the shotgun down after the wolves were already dead.
This type of thing already goes on behind the gleaming glass facades of many insurance companies, who routinely deny coverage, often on necessary or critical things, just to save a few bucks just because they can, and it increases their profits at the expense of the health and lives of their customers.
If all this seems pretty obvious to the rational American, then from whence comes all this misinformation and for what purpose? Don't the Republicans want to stay healthy too? Yes, but their religious integrity always comes first. Groups like the Liberty Counsel are leading the fight against this bill, setting up a list of talking points that sounds like something criticizing Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, not America. But these conservative tools seem to read from it almost verbatim.
Far-Right groups like this seem to have a lot of sway in the fearful, more ignorant parts of our society, leading them about by the nose like a horse to water. But why? What benefit from this could religious groups receive from a lack in proper health care? My working theory is that they want to keep these people poor, sick and generally unhealthy, such miserable states make for better flocks looking for something better. Healthy, happy people don't make for better flocks, as demonstrated by the fact that the healthiest, most peaceful countries are also the most atheistic.
Case in point: one of our one American astronauts declines to participate in scientific experiments while in space, fearful that it will jeopardize his health insurance standing. Meanwhile, English scientist and famous physicist Stephen Hawking declared that the 'socialist' medicine of England actually saved his life, much to the annoyance of the conservative Right, I'm sure. A scientist and proof that public health care works? Must piss Jerry Falwell right the hell off.

Clinton Screws America AGAIN

The ex-President has sunk to a new low this week, as he traveled to North Korea in a successful effort to secure the release of two American reporters. How did he pull off this act of unpardonable anti-Americanism? By using good old-fashioned diplomacy, just Kim Jong-Il wanted. In a single act that at once compromised national security and showed America not as the macho, middle-finger-raised, defiant bully we should be, but as the pansy, limp-wristed, hand-wringing sap the Liberals want us to be, Clinton got the two women pardoned by the dictator.
By catering to the whims of this megalomaniacal leader, we have set our country back a decade in our ass-kicking stance to the rest of the world, proving that this country can be brought to its knees when two truth-seeking, freedom-enjoying women are arrested without reasonable cause and plead for release. It's a shame, really, what these weak-kneed, bleeding-heart Liberals will allow to go on in this world. There was even talk of Al Gore being sent over to ask for the release of the Americans. Would he have tried to convince Jong-Il of 'global warming' in the same meeting? I shudder at the thought.
It seems that the Dem's have forgotten one simple thing; we DO NOT negotiate with terrorists! The ruined lives of these two women would have been a small price to pay for the continued security of our nation. When will these Liberals get a clue that the only way we can deal with these pushy evil-doers is to use as much force as possible and never give a valid reason to the American people for what is done? They really do not seem to understand Democracy.
Thankfully, Hannity and other patriotic, country-loving great Americans have shown us the way, and explain things as easily as possible for the Libs. Once we can push these reasonable, non-reactionary Dem's back out of power, we'll be free to rush in and drop some bombs on the Koreans and enter another beautiful, drawn-out war with no definite goal. Ah, now that's refreshing.

Actually, Obama was never born, he's a robot

Reality does not seem to be a part of 'birther' universe; where, despite a lack for concern by most Americans, including the Judicial branch of the government, a loud minority ignores actual proof and embraces forgeries. Is it a coincidence that most of these 'birthers' are far-right conservatives adamantly opposed to anything that passes Obama's lips? I don't believe it's likely. They despise our president so much that someone went to the effort to create a forged birth certificate proving he was a Kenyan citizen by birth. It didn't matter that the certificate was quickly decried as a fake, and was actually grafted from an Australian man's birth certificate, it was some kind of proof that supported their position (this reminds me of a certain mode of thinking I linked before).
This kind of thinking and lack of respect for not only the president, but those who already verified his nationality, the mounds of evidence contrary to their opinion, and rationality, really begins to disturb me. I'm hoping for a good dose of sanity to enter our collective conscience in the coming year, before this country starts tearing apart at the seams due to small, radical factions given way too much airtime on places like FOXNews.
The sad thing is, no one will ever be able to please these people, and this will go down for decades as another conspiracy wrought by the government for some agenda or another. It will take another four or five decades to have enough evidence mount to explain it, like the moon landing and the Kennedy assassination. All we can do for now is to try and ignore these small, screaming voices at the back of the crowd and wait for them to wander off muttering and return to their basements to print more manifestos. In the meantime, have some fun and create your own fake Kenyan birth certificate!