tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81415854277900968802024-03-05T00:47:29.379-06:00Voices from the HeartlandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger583125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-67412400236963990122014-09-12T13:06:00.000-05:002014-09-12T13:06:02.150-05:00Oklahoma Republican So-Called Leaders Need a Backbone to Turn Off Hate Spigot of Oklahoma Hard Right<div class="p1">
<i>Bennett said he has received hundreds of messages supporting his position and that he won't step down or apologize. </i><i>"I work for my constituents, and they determine if I get hired or fired," Bennett said. "I'm definitely not going to apologize." </i><a href="http://www.chron.com/news/article/Okla-lawmaker-GOP-chair-affirm-anti-Muslim-post-5748581.php"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Houston Chronicle</span></a></div>
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When I think that the hate rhetoric spouted by hard right Oklahoma Republicans cannot sink lower, I have to admit I am wrong again as a member of the GOP Legislature has gone after Muslims on Facebook. Rep Bennett is only in power because of a weak previous speaker who played to the hard right to become Speaker on his way to what he thought would be a US Senate position but was derailed in the primary. Another reason I stayed Republican through the primary -- #1 was to vote against the worst State School Superintendent have ever seen -- Janet Barresi (came in 3rd in the primary) and second was to vote against someone I know for someone I don't really know, Rep Lankford, for the Senate seat Dr. Coburn is leaving early. Lankford is too far hard right for me so I am voting Democrat in the general but he was the best GOP in the primary IMO. More on OK 2014 Senate races in future blog posts. </div>
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As a note, on September 3rd, I switched party registration from longtime Republican to Democrat -- never thought I would see that day but then I never saw such a hate filled Republican Party as I have seen in Oklahoma. Some comments out of elected officials make me cringe yet they embrace anything that is anti-Obama including militia. It is in fact scary at some of the comments that come out of some Republicans that are never disavowed because others are afraid they will lose support of the hard right in this state which is necessary for them to win elections. Finally just gave up that the Republican Party in this state was ever going to have any common sense and switched. Most Democrats here I know are center left so this center right person feels right at home. <br />
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Difference is the Democrats here are not so hate filled and care about people, schools, and infrastructure to name a few while the hard right Republicans who run this state would rather talk about social issues -- anti-gay including marriage, stricter abortion laws, and making Oklahoma a Christian state where other religions are not welcome seems to be their ultimate goal.<br />
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The news reports about Rep Bennett take the prize when I thought former Rep Randy Terrell's rants against Hispanics couldn't get any lower. BTW Terrell was found guilty of political bribery in an OK Court. While his case was pending, he quit the House to run for Cleveland County Commissioner -- boggles your mind.<br />
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Reading this article from The Journal Record this morning made me shake my head and then realized this anti-Muslim State Rep John Bennet, R-Sallisaw is a member of the Republican Party while I am now a Democrat -- received my voter card from the election board yesterday. Now am no longer associated with the OK Republicans who spew so much hate. Relief!</div>
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Does the GOP in OK want an all-white male Christian dominated state where women and minorities do what they are told? Feel like at times Oklahoma has gone back over a hundred years and women and minorities need to fight for rights all over again. We may have a Republican woman Governor but women's rights, higher minimum wage, or education to name a few are not a high priority for Governor Mary Fallin who is a pawn of ALEC and is running for re-election. </div>
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Read about this yesterday in both major newspapers but this morning's Journal Record's guest editorial summed it up the best:</div>
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<b>Hamilton: Leaders must turn off the hate spigot</b><br />By: <a href="http://journalrecord.com/author/arnoldhamilton/">Arnold Hamilton </a>Guest Columnist September 11, 2014<br /><br />Regrettably, Oklahoma has a long, embarrassing history of elected leaders spewing hate, bigotry and crackpot theories. </blockquote>
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Gov. “Alfalfa Bill” Murray was rabidly anti-Semitic and pro-eugenics. Former state Rep. John Monks used an ethnic slur to deride Chinese. State Rep. Sally Kern declared homosexuality to be a greater threat to America than terrorism. </blockquote>
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Enter state Rep. John Bennett, the latest to secure a permanent spot in the Oklahoma Hall of Infamy. </blockquote>
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The <a href="http://journalrecord.com/2014/09/11/bennett-refuses-to-apologize-for-anti-islam-post-capitol/"><span class="s2">Sallisaw Republican’s incessant attacks</span></a> on Muslims is 21st-century McCarthyism, writ large – mean-spirited, broad-brush demagoguery that serves no purpose except to fan suspicion about 35,000 Oklahomans whose faith tradition is different than his.<br />Unfortunately, the voters in House District 2 have twice given Bennett a megaphone to spew his vitriol. He clearly isn’t exiting the public stage any time soon, despite a call for his resignation from the state’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leader. </blockquote>
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It’s a free country, of course. Bennett is welcome to display his inanity for all to see. But his (mis)conduct begs a broader question: Where are the state’s elected leaders? Where are the adults in the political room? </blockquote>
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Isn’t anyone going to stand up and set the record straight that Oklahoma is not an intolerant backwater full of John Bennetts? </blockquote>
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Crickets. </blockquote>
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The problem is there are so many John Bennetts serving in the Oklahoma Legislature – by some estimates, two dozen or so in the House alone – that Gov. Mary Fallin, House Speaker Jeff Hickman and Senate President Brian Bingman are careful about crossing them. </blockquote>
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They inhabit seats of power because too many good-hearted, sensible Oklahomans don’t bother to vote, giving the parallel-universe, on-the-political-fringe crowd outsized influence on Election Day. </blockquote>
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Hickman isn’t entirely wrong when he says he can’t control what Bennett posts on Facebook. What Bennett says and does away from the House floor are his and his constituents’ business. Mostly. </blockquote>
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But Hickman and common-sense House Republicans – who ought to be concerned that their party’s image is soiled by such bigotry – are not without tools to curb Bennett’s worst excesses. </blockquote>
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The speaker, after all, determines committee assignments, whose bills are heard and whether a House member’s office is a broom closet far from the floor or a spacious room with a view. Indeed, the speaker determines whether a member is even recognized to speak on the House floor. </blockquote>
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More immediately, Hickman and Co. must take away Bennett’s megaphone – dissolve the so-called counterterrorism caucus. Make it clear no such thing exists any longer. <b>Make sure there are no more anti-Muslim news releases financed by taxpayers via the House Media Division. </b> (my bold)</blockquote>
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This is risky business for Hickman. Speakers can be deposed if enough of their caucus members so wish. Yet it’s even riskier for the state when its leaders refuse to repudiate such demonizing. </blockquote>
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<b>Hickman inherited this mess. Bennett’s counterterrorism platform was a gift from former House Speaker T.W. Shannon – a political payback to wing nuts whose support was essential to Shannon’s narrow victory over Hickman in a previous speaker’s race. </b>(my bold)<br /><br /><span class="s3">Read more: <a href="http://journalrecord.com/2014/09/11/hamilton-leaders-must-turn-off-the-hate-spigot-opinion/#ixzz3D7T42Qd9"><b>The Journal Record</b></a></span></blockquote>
Decided to see what was on Google about Rep Bennett -- first thing I see is an article from the Houston Chronicle as this has now gone nationwide via AP with Gov Fallin and Speaker Hickman refusing to comment. Their refusal to comment is no surprise as they want it both ways so they stay silent not to upset the hard right. Took a good look at the picture of Bennet and in the background saw GOP Rep Mike Reynolds who is good friends with Sally Kern plus a few other things, e.g. think AF Academy. He ran in the primary for Cleveland County Commissioner -- he lost for which many of us are very grateful. Should have realized Reynolds was a member of that phony committee of the hard right on terrorism used as a carrot to help elect TW Shannon as Speaker of the Oklahoma House. Sole purpose of that Terrorism Committee seems to be to have a platform to spout their hateful rhetoric against anyone not a white male Christian. <br />
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It all is making sense today. For almost 18 years been telling everyone I know outside of Oklahoma that they would not believe OK GOP's hard right rhetoric and their platforms. That hard right group who was a minority have taken over OK GOP -- now the whole world can see what is going on in Oklahoma is not that much different then Kansas where Brownback is Governor. This hard right group of OK GOP has the ability to do to Oklahoma what Brownback and the hard right did to Kansas which has put Kansas in an economic tailspin not to mention tanking public education to stage where former Republican Governors have endorsed the Democrat against Brownback. <br />
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<a href="http://www.chron.com/news/article/Okla-lawmaker-GOP-chair-affirm-anti-Muslim-post-5748581.php"><b>Okla. lawmaker, GOP chair affirm anti-Muslim post</b></a>By SEAN MURPHY, Associated Press<span class="s1"> | </span>September 11, 2014<span class="s1"> | </span>Updated: September 11, 2014 8:14pm</blockquote>
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Friday, April 12, 2013 file photo</div>
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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A GOP state legislator and the chairman of the Oklahoma <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Republican+Party%22"><span class="s1">Republican Party</span></a> are standing behind anti-Muslim remarks the lawmaker posted to his Facebook page, and both said Thursday they have no plans to apologize. </blockquote>
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Leaders with several civil rights organizations have called for state Rep. <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22John+Bennett%22"><span class="s1">John Bennett</span></a>, R-Sallisaw, to apologize after he posted a comment to his Facebook page urging people, especially Christians, to "be wary of the individuals who claim to be Muslim-American." Bennett also said in his post that the Islamic holy book, the Quran, calls for the killing of non-Muslims. </blockquote>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Adam+Soltani%22">Adam Soltani</a></span>, the executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called the comments "inappropriate and offensive," and requested an apology. </blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Dave+Weston%22"><span class="s1">Dave Weston</span></a> stood behind <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Bennett%27s%22"><span class="s1">Bennett's</span></a> comments and said they were accurate. </blockquote>
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<b>"Everything John Bennett said is legitimate and there is no need to for him to apologize. One look around the world today, and 1,400 years of history, and you can see what he says is accurate," Weston told <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22The+Associated+Press%22"><span class="s1">The Associated Press</span></a>. "The thing I want to emphasize is that we have no quarrel with Oklahoma Muslims, but at the same point in time you have to acknowledge there are problems across the globe and throughout history with people who practice Islam." </b>(my bold)</blockquote>
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Spokesmen for Republican Oklahoma House Speaker <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Jeff+Hickman%22"><span class="s1">Jeff Hickman</span></a> and Gov. <a href="http://www.chron.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Mary+Fallin%22"><span class="s1">Mary Fallin</span></a> did not immediately respond to a request for comment. </blockquote>
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Excerpt: Read More at <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/article/Okla-lawmaker-GOP-chair-affirm-anti-Muslim-post-5748581.php"><b>The Houston Chronical</b></a></blockquote>
There is only one solution for Oklahoma and that is for every last registered Democrat to go vote on November 4th to start turning Oklahoma back to common sense. Now can see that Democrat Governor Brad Henry kept the OK GOP hard right in check with his alliance with more common sense GOP Speakers. Since GOP Gov Fallin was elected with a Republicans taking statewide offices and adding even more to their numbers in the legislature, we have seen Oklahoma become more of a pawn of hard right and ALEC special interests along with oil and gas. Time for the Republican anti-education/infrastructure Party to get defeated. There is a group of maybe 10 or 11 sensible Republicans in the House who will vote against the hard right agenda -- time for Democrats and sensible GOP to unite to form a coalition to support all Oklahomans not just special interests. <br />
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We can only take back this state to common sense if we all vote on November 4th -- time for Democrats staying home on election day is over. Help save Oklahoma from following the path of Kansas!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-21826951948366502402014-09-11T11:57:00.001-05:002014-09-11T11:57:31.745-05:009-11-2001: America's Pentagon, the Heart of American Military, was Attacked by Terrorists -- 9-12-2001: America's Flag Flies High at the Pentagon<br />
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These words are part of the Pentagon Memorial established after the attack on 9-11-2001</div>
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Thirteen years ago today I was sitting in my office in our home talking to a friend on the phone who was working in DC about the attacks on the World Trade Center when the he felt the plane hit the Pentagon and saw the smoke. <br />
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The DoD has been so much a part of our family's lives starting when I went to work at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, years ago. Our family has been transferred around the Country ending up here in Norman, Oklahoma, after the San Antonio Depot at Kelly AFB closed. My oldest daughter was at Pensacola NAS, Florida, for training on that day. Hearing her voice when we finally got in touch was overwhelming even though I knew she was safe but had no idea what was ahead for her after training.<br />
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Will never forget 9/11 and watching the scenes of devastation on the TV from the initial hits on the World Trade Center buildings and then to have the Pentagon hit left me in tears and still does remembering all the people who died needlessly that day because of lax security at our airports and a few other things.<br />
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The World Trade Centers get most of the focus today but I decided to make this post to be about the Pentagon which was attacked that same day shortly after the WTC's attack. There were 184 men and women who died in the Pentagon that day -- a building thought to be impenetrable. It is from the ground but no one would have suspected a hijacked airliner out of Reagan National would fly into the building.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OsqDlklwIIMqFtV7Qr21Pirj0JQFAs8WVKHg2JYu4Gfn791-4qj6dT9NUnWxZhdbiXvzfrbQyvCjK9QUzvz78cz_Tfp9HjalTdI_rGKBbLurfNh3qNWvYWDSwaMNGdoc_AIqQblbLKw2/s1600/pentagon+attack+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OsqDlklwIIMqFtV7Qr21Pirj0JQFAs8WVKHg2JYu4Gfn791-4qj6dT9NUnWxZhdbiXvzfrbQyvCjK9QUzvz78cz_Tfp9HjalTdI_rGKBbLurfNh3qNWvYWDSwaMNGdoc_AIqQblbLKw2/s1600/pentagon+attack+1.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_77">American Airlines Flight 77</a></span>: Left Washington <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulles_International_Airport"><span class="s1">Dulles International Airport</span></a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia"><span class="s1">Virginia</span></a> at 8:20 a.m. en route to Los Angeles with a crew of six and 53 passengers, not including five hijackers. The hijackers flew the plane into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. </blockquote>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks">The Pentagon</a> was severely damaged by the impact of American Airlines Flight 77 and ensuing fires, causing one section of the building to collapse. As it approached the Pentagon, the airplane's wings knocked over light poles and its right engine smashed into a power generator before crashing into the western side of the building, killing all 53 passengers, 5 hijackers, and 6 crew. The plane hit the Pentagon at the first-floor level. The front part of the fuselage disintegrated on impact, while the mid and tail sections kept moving for another fraction of a second. Debris from the tail section penetrated furthest into the building, breaking through 310 feet (94 m) of the three outermost of the building's five rings. </blockquote>
It is unfathomable to realize how much devastation this airliner caused having been in that building in the past -- giant fortress.<br />
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Note the American flag to the right of the devastation which was unfurled on Sept 12, 2001, and retired 30 days later flying night and day! The flag will never be flown again but has been preserved by the US Army. This American flag will always stand as a tribute to the men and women who lost their lives that day and to the many who have served our great Nation over the years be it military or civilian who work in the heart of our Nation's defense. </div>
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This Country took a hit on 9-11 but Bin Laden the leader of Al Qaeda who was behind the attacks now sleeps with the fishes in the Ocean thanks to President Obama and his unwillingness to let the man responsible escape justice. </div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZNYmK19-d0U">11:35 P.M. EDT, May 1st </a></blockquote>
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THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. </blockquote>
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Read More at <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead">The White House</a></blockquote>
The American Flag flying over the Pentagon where the terrorists flew into the building shows our resolve as a Nation to stand tall against terrorists foreign and domestic. Hard to fathom why an American would join terrorists organizations who want to target the United States, but in my opinion if an American joins the terrorist, they should lose their citizenship in the United States as they have become our enemy.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_Memorial">The <b>Pentagon Memorial</b></a>, located just southwest of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pentagon"><span class="s1">The Pentagon</span></a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington_County,_Virginia"><span class="s1">Arlington County, Virginia</span></a>, is a permanent outdoor memorial to the 184 men and women who died as victims in the building and on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_77"><span class="s1">American Airlines Flight 77</span></a> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks"><span class="s1">September 11, 2001 attacks</span></a></blockquote>
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To commemorate the anniversary each year, an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_flag"><span class="s1">American flag</span></a> is hung on the section of the Pentagon hit by Flight 77. At night, this section of the building is lit up in blue lights.<br />
For the fifth anniversary, a "Tribute of Lights" display included 184 beams of light from the center courtyard shining into the sky. </blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh5fey69Kbn962uNY8sNa30ZtNOGE_W_xaLIe9rF8cndHLR28DDhTTBuA0bj0kHSZ1cFwHh-6pP0CTeUwB0P9FzAwzfXLZgANAL7zI_lUs5z9CKiKeoJW_45Dqb7NGqaJHf9wQOE46qUd/s1600/pentagon+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWh5fey69Kbn962uNY8sNa30ZtNOGE_W_xaLIe9rF8cndHLR28DDhTTBuA0bj0kHSZ1cFwHh-6pP0CTeUwB0P9FzAwzfXLZgANAL7zI_lUs5z9CKiKeoJW_45Dqb7NGqaJHf9wQOE46qUd/s1600/pentagon+3.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Anniversary events also include the America Supports You National Freedom Walk, which has been held on Sundays. The walk starts at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Memorial"><span class="s1">Lincoln Memorial</span></a> and ends at the Pentagon.</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyL4F0EK4Vaj93Le4_Gm9RUURv3zNqjb8L_dIfTaeX3f4dMkhOneFUQSeikX4VhUFN_aRK1QPTP4DwtvX0pLa7znmQcfTCz1hA2188lyzgTKyaDW_uSKeQsi2R-TFLtgzoPAS-4aFKCJJ/s1600/Pentagon+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyL4F0EK4Vaj93Le4_Gm9RUURv3zNqjb8L_dIfTaeX3f4dMkhOneFUQSeikX4VhUFN_aRK1QPTP4DwtvX0pLa7znmQcfTCz1hA2188lyzgTKyaDW_uSKeQsi2R-TFLtgzoPAS-4aFKCJJ/s1600/Pentagon+4.jpg" height="217" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pentagon Memorial at Arlington Cemetery </td></tr>
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The Arlington Police/Fire/Sheriff 5K Race is held on Saturdays, around the anniversary, with the course going through part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_City,_Virginia"><span class="s1">Crystal City</span></a> and through the Pentagon grounds.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARuOuaFi5pZh3SlaAj64grzSnPtr1m4ywJvWEXH0kgoyLnZxPjRAwAxVFClCaHH8IvtF6swOrBDDiNR_UEuOKZ_NYx2HexYeSUGDMRSZ9Eo0gLS0LvE5ibR_iPefjlzPF7x5rDlaps_VN/s1600/pentagon+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARuOuaFi5pZh3SlaAj64grzSnPtr1m4ywJvWEXH0kgoyLnZxPjRAwAxVFClCaHH8IvtF6swOrBDDiNR_UEuOKZ_NYx2HexYeSUGDMRSZ9Eo0gLS0LvE5ibR_iPefjlzPF7x5rDlaps_VN/s1600/pentagon+6.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Memorial services are held on the anniversary of 9/11 at the Pentagon, with one service in an auditorium at the Pentagon for employees. A smaller service is held at the memorial site for family and friends of victims killed at the Pentagon on 9/11. </blockquote>
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This story from DoD of the American flag brought back a lot of memories this morning as I watched the flag flying tall after it was unfurled the day after the attack on our Pentagon. To me it showed the resolve of this Country and its military that even though the Pentagon took a huge hit, our American flag still flew high the day after:<br />
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<b>The Story of the Pentagon 9-11 Flag</b>By Jim Garamone<br />
DoD News, Defense Media Activity </blockquote>
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2014 – Anyone who saw the American flag unfurled at the Pentagon on Sept. 12, 2001, knows how Francis Scott Key felt two centuries ago when he was inspired to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” </blockquote>
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The day after the terrorist attack on the Pentagon, the scene was still chaotic. Only essential military and civilian workers were required to come to the building. Parking was at Reagan-National Airport, as all U.S. airspace was still closed. As employees got off the Metro train, Pentagon police stood with weapons examining everyone’s badge. Those without a Pentagon ID were told to keep traveling on. The conversation in the building was about friends who remained missing. </blockquote>
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At the site, firefighters were putting out the final embers that were burning in the roof. Then word came that President George W. Bush wanted to see the damage to the Pentagon himself. </blockquote>
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<b>Garrison flag</b> </blockquote>
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<b></b>No one knows who originally came up with the idea for unfurling the flag to the right of the damaged areas on the building, but Army Maj. Gen. Jim Jackson, then the Military District of Washington commander, made it happen. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He sent over to nearby Fort Myer, Virginia, for the largest flag they could find. The U.S. Army Band had a garrison flag – the largest authorized for the military – and sent it over.<br />
During Bush's visit to the impact site, 3rd Infantry Regiment soldiers and Arlington, Virginia, firefighters unveiled the flag and draped it over the side of the building. Then they stood and saluted. </blockquote>
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It was a moment that quickened the heart. The United States had been attacked, the Pentagon had been hit, friends were gone, thousands were killed in New York and Pennsylvania, yet the American flag still flew. </blockquote>
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That flag signified the unconquerable nature of the American people. Those inside the building already were preparing to take the battle to the attackers and bring them to justice. </blockquote>
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The flag flew on the side of the building for the next month. Each night, workers illuminated it with floodlights. Members of A Company of the 3rd Infantry Regiment -- “The Old Guard” -- took the flag down Oct. 11. </blockquote>
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<b>A treasured symbol</b> </blockquote>
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<b></b>The flag is soot-stained and ripped at one spot where it rubbed up against the building. It now is in the care of the Army’s Center of Military History. </blockquote>
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It is treasured as the 9/11 generation’s Star-Spangled Banner, because they, like Francis Scott Key during the British attack on Baltimore in 1814, looked to the flag for inspiration and comfort. </blockquote>
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Read More at <a href="http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=123129&source=GovDelivery">DoD</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHF-bscA2cQQbqVSlX4CVg7DdfmEKcLSXD6wV3w1d6gz0llR-NtxnFvJnsjdQGpzUY83V95rFfz3yDFL6S-0M60m__FohVskZUc8PHVQptJCFMxa-RY5ajj8lx88OcCX9z0n3CNHnYu3kf/s1600/pentagon+flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHF-bscA2cQQbqVSlX4CVg7DdfmEKcLSXD6wV3w1d6gz0llR-NtxnFvJnsjdQGpzUY83V95rFfz3yDFL6S-0M60m__FohVskZUc8PHVQptJCFMxa-RY5ajj8lx88OcCX9z0n3CNHnYu3kf/s1600/pentagon+flag.jpg" height="176" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<i>Soldiers from A Company, 3rd Infantry "The Old Guard" -- gather the giant garrison </i></div>
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<i>flag being lowered from the side of the Pentagon, where it had hung beside the impact site </i></div>
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<i>of the 9/11 terrorist attack, Oct. 11, 2001. The flag was ceremonially retired. </i></div>
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<i>DoD photo by Jim Garamone</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">NOTE: Photos in this article come from the Pentagon or <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=pictures+of+pentagon+memorial&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=U84RVIScIcmiyAS-3YH4CA&ved=0CDQQ7Ak&biw=1819&bih=876">Google Search</a></span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-88844278025628184442014-08-15T14:10:00.001-05:002014-08-15T14:10:17.425-05:00Stop Militarization of America's Police Departments NOW! <div class="tr_bq">
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">The federal government can stop this increased militarization at its source. The Pentagon must end its transfer of military-grade weapons through the 1033 program. And the Department of Homeland Security should stop handing out the terrorism grants. The ease with which police departments can avail themselves of Homeland Security funding for enormous caches of weapons and ammunition in the name of counterterrorism is deeply disconcerting. </i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/opinion/ferguson-shows-the-risks-of-militarized-policing.html?emc=edit_ty_20140815&nl=opinion&nlid=52381520&_r=0">NY Times Oped</a></div>
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This week I have been watching events unfold in Ferguson, MO, and am angry as can be at the militarization of our police forces by the Department of Defense surplus equipment handout to local police agencies called 1033 and the Department of Homeland Security grants for anti-terrorism that gives money for guns, ammo, and the like. This happened on Monday when one guy walking down a sidewalk with his hands up is confronted by this many people in riot gear. Question is would they have done to this to a white guy? My guess is no but this picture says it all about how some of our police forces are now out of control:<br />
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Frankly I am beyond furious at a Republican Congress and President Clinton who passed/signed this 1033 monstrosity into law. Made Defense contractors who manufacture weapons even richer and has now fleeced the American taxpayer. No wonder there is a deficit when DoD buys equipment for big bucks and sells it to local police for pennies on the dollar or the fact that Homeland Security has a program that was set up to provide grants to local police and it is still on-going for terrorism from the Bush years following 9/11. Had no idea it was still ongoing. Picture is getting clearer of how these local police are better armed and have better protective gear then some of the military we send into battle.<br />
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Are these mostly white, seemingly uneducated cops a front for the KKK, militia, white supremacy or just plain racist and ignorant playing soldier? They seem to miss the part during school that the Constitution guarantees Freedom of the Press, Speech, and Right to Assemble. <br />
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When cops arrest reporters they have gone way too far acting more like jack booted thugs then local police. Then to find out the Federal Government because of stupid legislation is providing/funding these militarized local police organizations sent me over the top -- took a day to wind down and not be too angry to write a blog post like I was earlier this week at what this Country has become when you look at pictures of St Louis County PD and cannot tell the difference from police in Egypt going after demonstrators and Ferguson, MO.<br />
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Something needs to happen and a good start is canceling 1033 and the bill that gave Homeland Security the money to fund local police. How much ammunition do you need? This is Ferguson, MO, not a 3rd world country but it sure looks line one. <br />
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People from Gaza were twittering how you handle tear gas to the people of Ferguson.<br />
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There were no molotov cocktails hurled at police - erroneous report -- people standing on their own property had tear gas launched at them along with reporters from Al Jazerra America. Some suffered wounds from the rubber bullets that were fired by police on peaceful protestors holding up their hands. This is beyond horrendous and looks to be waking up a Nation that has been asleep far too long. Demonstrations around the Country standing in solidarity with Ferguson protestors last night and the pictures coming from Ferguson of a peaceful march led by Captain Ron Johnson and the MO Highway Patrol after they were put in charge after a call from President Obama to Governor Nixon yesterday morning. <br />
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This oped which appeared in the editorial section of the New York Times in today's print edition of the paper is one of the best about 1033 and Homeland Security programs I have read on the situation:<br />
<blockquote>
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/opinion/ferguson-shows-the-risks-of-militarized-policing.html?emc=edit_ty_20140815&nl=opinion&nlid=52381520&_r=0"><b>Get the Military Off of Main Street</b></a>Ferguson Shows the Risks of Militarized Policing<br /><b>By ELIZABETH R. BEAVERS and MICHAEL SHANK </b><span class="s1">AUG. 14, 2014</span> </blockquote>
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WASHINGTON — FERGUSON, Mo., has become a virtual war zone. In the wake of the shooting of an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, outsize armored vehicles have lined streets and tear gas has filled the air. Officers dressed in camouflage uniforms from Ferguson’s 53-person police force have pointed M-16s at the very citizens they are sworn to protect and serve. </blockquote>
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The police response has shocked America. The escalating tension in this town of 21,200 people between a largely white police department and a majority African-American community is a central part of the crisis, but the militarization of the police is a dimension of the story that has national implications. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Ferguson’s police force got equipped this way thanks to the Pentagon, and it’s happening all over the country. The Department of Defense provides military-grade weapons and equipment to local law enforcement agencies through the 1033 program, enacted by Congress in 1997 to expand the practice of dispensing extra military gear. Due to the defense industry’s bloated contracts, there is a huge surplus. To date, the Pentagon has donated military equipment worth more than $4 billion to local law enforcement agencies. And the giving goes on, to police forces in all 50 states in the union. </blockquote>
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Ferguson’s police department <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/08/13/ferguson-police-michael-brown-militarization-column/14006383/"><span class="s1">is just one recipient</span></a>; <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/03/10/america-police-military-weapons-column/5789445/"><span class="s1">small towns all over America</span></a> are now the proud owners of “MRAP” armored vehicles. The largess has gotten so out of hand that a congressman, Hank C. Johnson, is introducing a bill to block the 1033 handouts.<br />Whereas the Department of Defense hands over weapons directly, the Department of Homeland Security provides funding for arms. It has distributed more than <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/12/20/local-cops-ready-for-war-with-homeland-security-funded-military-weapons.html"><span class="s1">$34 billion</span></a> through “terrorism grants,” enabling local police departments to acquire <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/12/20/local-cops-ready-for-war-with-homeland-security-funded-military-weapons.html"><span class="s1">such absurd items</span></a> as a surveillance drone and an Army tank. </blockquote>
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... </blockquote>
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In the absence of extreme violence or actual terrorist threat, what happens — as the <a href="https://www.aclu.org/war-comes-home-excessive-militarization-american-policing"><span class="s1">American Civil Liberties Union has documented</span></a> — is that the equipment and weapons are used by SWAT teams in routine situations, such as low-level drug raids or the execution of search warrants. As Ferguson shows, this militarizing of routine police work exacerbates tensions and increases the likelihood of disorder. This, in turn, appears to justify a militarized police response, and so the cycle continues.<br />... </blockquote>
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Please <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/15/opinion/ferguson-shows-the-risks-of-militarized-policing.html?emc=edit_ty_20140815&nl=opinion&nlid=52381520&_r=0">Click Here</a> to Read the complete oped editorial.</blockquote>
Today the Chief of Police of Ferguson released still photos of a robbery and 16 pages basically defending the killer cop for killing a young man holding up his hands surrendering without ever informing Captain Johnson who is in charge in Ferguson of what he was releasing. You want to know what is wrong in Ferguson, look no further then the Mayor and especially the Chief of Police who was allegedly trained in Israel about riot tactics and went on Fox News Hannity while the St Louis County police were hurling tear gas at demonstrators holding up their hands. Says all you need to know about the Chief of Police who needs fired IMHO!<br />
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This militarization of police departments throughout America needs to end and end now. American people need to get out to vote in massive numbers to turn racist out of office this November. Make this truly a country of We the People not We the White Males we are seeing/hearing from today from the Republicans in Congress to local office holders led around by the nose by the Koch Bros Tea Party. Time to end racism once and for all in this Country and if the hard right doesn't like it -- shove it!<br />
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This graphic says it all after a <a href="http://t.co/hhpbXkN2Hv">97 year old minority woman</a> who has voted for years was denied the right to vote because she couldn't provide an ID. We must stand united against the racism that is leading the passing of ALEC anti-minority voter registration laws throughout the Red States. Turn Red State Governors Blue this November and end this injustice.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-63890983370571136412014-08-08T13:15:00.001-05:002014-08-08T15:39:28.676-05:00President Obama Makes a Statement on Iraq, 7 August 2014; Cease Fire Broken in Gaza by Hamas, 8 August<center class="tr_bq">
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To read full statement of President Obama, please click <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/07/statement-president">here</a>.
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Next question is if Republicans are on board or are they as usual supporting the President while at the same time saying he didn't go far enough. A lot of us have seen McCain in action enough to know this has been his SOP for years. <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/08/republicans-hating-iraq-strikes-complaining.html">Politicususa</a> had the answer to that question:<br />
<blockquote>
Breaking news. Not every single Republican elected to office took to the TV to decry President Obama last night or this morning after he announced <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/07/president-obama-announces-targeted-airstrikes-isis-avert-genocide-iraq.html"><span class="s1">authorizing targeted strikes in Iraq </span></a>in what looks to be a <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/08/iraq-crisis-obama-hard-choices.html"><span class="s1">perpetual clean-up of former President Bush’s misguided invasion</span></a>. </blockquote>
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McCain is bitter and wants more war, Boehner is confused and walking both sides of the fence, but a few Republicans have managed to hold onto their sanity and are not using a crisis as an opportunity to explore their bitterness. All in all, Republicans managed to look like they were supporting action they obviously support, while still sticking the knife in and blaming the President for Bush’s actions. </blockquote>
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Senator Marco Rubio (R-FLA) said it was the right decision, tweeting, “Action against ISIL in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iraq?src=hash"><span class="s2">#</span><span class="s1">Iraq</span></a> to save <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IraqiChristians?src=hash"><span class="s2">#</span><span class="s1">IraqiChristians</span></a> is the right decision. <a href="http://t.co/wCXNR8BylQ"><span class="s1">http://1.usa.gov/1r3Qc3B</span></a>.”<br />
Representative Pete King (R-NY) tweeted, “It is essential that we support President’s decision to authorize air strikes”. </blockquote>
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Both Boehner and McConnell’s offices admitted that the President had told them of the decision prior to the announcement, so the inevitable hearing on Obama’s use of his executive power may be delayed. Josh Lederman of the AP tweeted, “Aides to Boehner, McConnell tell me the White House notified them of Obama’s decision before he announced it today”. </blockquote>
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But there is always room for criticism, so Lederman summed it up in a tweet, “Reaction from most Republicans to Obama Iraq decision so far seems to be ‘Yes please, but not enough’”. </blockquote>
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Read more from Sarah Jones at <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/08/republicans-hating-iraq-strikes-complaining.html">Politicususa</a></blockquote>
When I watched the President make his speech to the Country, noted that he talked about notifying both Houses of Congress who are on a five-week recess about his proposed action. That didn't stop McCain from getting in his two cents worth as usual but he has a slight problem that Wonkette pointed out:<br />
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So here’s a heck of a thing: Back in May 2013, Forever Warmonger <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/27/exclusive-john-mccain-slips-across-border-into-syria-meets-with-rebels.html"><span class="s1">John McCain was really excited </span></a>about the prospects of arming the Syrian moderates who were fighting to free that country from the iron grip of Bashar al-Assad. He even sneaked into the country to meet with the head of the Free Syrian Army, Gen. Salim Idris, the fellow in the striped shirt there (Idris was <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/free-syrian-army-fires-military-chief-201421742719901171.html"><span class="s1">ousted</span></a> in February of this year). </blockquote>
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Only one small problem with the little photo-op: In addition to Idris, some of the other guys in the pic are apparently members of a slightly less “moderate” group: ISIS, the guys who are currently bringing down Iraq, and the photo is reportedly <a href="http://countercurrentnews.com/2014/06/isis-post-pr-photos-they-took-with-john-mccain/"><span class="s1">being circulated by ISIS</span></a> as proof of their legitimacy. Oops.<br />
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<span class="s2">Read more at <a href="http://wonkette.com/552931/heres-a-picture-of-john-mccain-hanging-out-with-isis-freedom-fighters-in-2013#ixzz39p10YrJ7">Wonkette</a></span></blockquote>
Think OOPS sums it up nicely. McCain should have remembered he met with ISIS (ISIL) when criticizing the President for doing nothing while Obama was meetings with advisers to plan a strategy. Shame on Obama in the Republican World for not rushing to the nearest microphone to spout rhetoric but actually taking time to make a rational decision unlike the grandstander McCain and others whose best friend is a microphone.<br />
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Only Republicans like McCain seem to want troops back in Iraq just like the first time and forget Iraq is the Bush/Cheney war they lied to get us to invade Iraq and totally blew the peace after with appointing a civilian, Paul Bremer, to head reconstruction who was out of league and made one big mess of the situation. Does McCain forget that this is still the Bush/Cheney mess as he rewrites history? Read his statement and thought vintage McCain who is nothing but a bitter old man who needs to retire from the Senate like years ago with the statement he released:<br />
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In a <a href="http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0ec4965e-9c36-4454-b2ce-29ae62f4953e"><span class="s1">statement</span></a>, McCain wrote, “A policy of containment will not work against ISIS. It is inherently expansionist and must be stopped. The longer we wait to act, the worse this threat will become, as recent events clearly show. </blockquote>
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“We need to get beyond a policy of half measures. The President needs to devise a comprehensive strategy to degrade ISIS. This should include the provision of military and other assistance to our Kurdish, Iraqi, and Syrian partners who are fighting ISIS. It should include U.S. air strikes against ISIS leaders, forces, and positions both in Iraq and Syria. It should include support to Sunni Iraqis who seek to resist ISIS. And none of this should be contingent on the formation of a new government in Baghdad. </blockquote>
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And by the way, this is all Obama’s fault for ever trying to leave Iraq, “If ever there were a time to reevaluate our disastrous policy in the Middle East, this is it. Because of the President’s hands-off approach, the threats in the region have grown and now directly threaten the United States. We are already paying a very heavy price for our inaction, and if we do not change course, the costs of our inaction will only grow.”</blockquote>
If McCain wants ground soldiers in Iraq, let him and the rest of the neo-cons lead the way. Too many Americans died in Iraq because of lies told to the American people by Bush/Cheney and we don't need any more soldiers killed on the ground. <br />
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For all the people yelling why don't we do something about Gaza, there is a key element in the President's speech that some people forget and it is protecting Americans which the US Government is doing in Iraq. The United States does not have an embassy or an official presence in Gaza which is controlled by <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCYQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FUnited_States_State_Department_list_of_Foreign_Terrorist_Organizations&ei=Ig_lU-bTB4GD8QG08oHoCA&usg=AFQjCNHBPgzJUPRtE_XfCcFKvTOTL4LYGA&sig2=sg26obBZe4RXu49iIgIWvA&bvm=bv.72676100,d.b2U">Hamas who is on our terrorism list</a>. It is a humanitarian disaster of huge proportions which is what the United Nations is for and not a US problem except as a member of the UN. We have people in Baghdad representing the US Government and Americans working in Iraq we need to protect and thus the airstrikes on convoys of ISIS if they move toward where Americans are located.<br />
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The other part of the equation in Iraq that the Iraqi Government asked for United States help including humanitarian aid to a religious group that ISIS has surrounded on a mountain top without food and water where the US is dropping them food and water to stay alive. The Iraqi Government which is reforming wants our help but the Hamas Government in Gaza is a totally different story. <br />
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Looks like an extended cease fire effort in Gaza led by Egypt is going to be set back again as after three days of calm in Gaza, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-sirens-wail-gaza-truce-expires-20140807-story.html">Hamas starts shelling again</a>. Does Hamas not care if they get their own people killed? At the same time Israeli doesn't seem to mind killing civilians even children as collateral damage. What a horrible situation it is right now in Gaza with so many killed including children with their Government run by Hamas who are on the US terrorist list not seeming to care. <br />
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Israeli's seem to be swatting flies with a shovel as they bomb UN facilities in Gaza. Bibi, the neo-cons dream leader, was not the person to put in charge again IMO. Saw a spokesman on TV trying to spin Bibi is actually a moderate and thought to myself, this guy would fit in perfectly with the American press that spins rather then reports facts so many times.<br />
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We have two very dangerous situations in the Middle East, Russians saber rattling on the border with Ukraine, and Congress on a five-week recess once against abdicating their duties while McCain and other Republicans add nothing meaningful to the discourse just more saber rattling.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-9554610335726788052014-08-07T18:40:00.001-05:002014-08-07T18:40:09.569-05:00Gov Fallin Withdrew as Speaker for a Garvin County GOP Fundraiser When Flyer Listed KKK as a Discussion Item<div class="tr_bq">
Yesterday we spotlighted the positive Ad about Education by Democrat candidate Joe Dorman who is supported by a wide cross section of people. May come as a shock to the hard right but we do have Republican teachers in Oklahoma who support Dorman. Democrats in Oklahoma have common sense about a wide variety of topics compared to the Repubicans in this State you could say were stuck on stupid. </div>
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If you don't believe the GOP is stuck on stupid remark, please read he latest out of the an OK GOP county organization who is hosting a fundraiser later this month. Their flyer (copy below) caused GOP Governor Fallin to pull out of an event where she was advertised to speak. Would be freaking me out if I was still supporting Republicans because it is one of the dumbest moves I have seen out of a County Party even in Oklahoma. Thought I had seen it all but I was wrong. It reinforces why I support Joe Dorman for Governor plus why I am leaving the hard right GOP behind. Whoever came up with the truth is stranger then fiction deserves all the accolades after this debacle as chronicled by The Business Insider:<br />
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<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oklahoma-gop-event-with-kkk-discussion-2014-8#ixzz39kbv1lyq"> <b>Oklahoma Governor Won't Attend GOP Event With KKK Discussion</b></a></blockquote>
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<td class="td1" valign="middle"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/hunter-walker">HUNTER WALKER</a>, AUG. 6, 2014, 3:08 PM
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Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) will not be attending a fundraiser for a local Republican Party chapter after the group distributed a flyer promising the event would feature a discussion of "some things that you may not know" about the Ku Klux Klan. However, one of the event's organizers insisted the fundraiser was not "connected" to the KKK and was simply going to include information about how Democrats can be linked to the group.<br />Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz told Business Insider on Wednesday that the governor's office contemplated having her attend the GOP Bean Feed hosted by the Garvin County Republicans on Aug. 23, however, she will not be going to the event. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
"They had invited her to go, we had said we would look to put it on her schedule. She is not going," said Weintz. </blockquote>
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A flyer distributed by the Garvin County Republicans promised the event would feature a "great agenda" including remarks from Fallin and an opportunity to "discuss issues with fellow conservatives and find out some things that you may not know about the NRA, Planned Parenthood, Ku Klux Klan, and other organizations." Weintz would not say whether the flyer prompted Fallin's decision not to attend the event. </blockquote>
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"All I can tell you is she is not going and certainly that flyer was not something that is run by our office. ... If she had gone, she would have talked about her plan for economic growth in Oklahoma," Weintz said, adding, "The governor was never going to speak about any of those topics. Her plan was always to speak about her re-election campaign and her goals for the state." </blockquote>
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For the latest update, please click the link for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oklahoma-gop-event-with-kkk-discussion-2014-8#ixzz39kbv1lyq">Business Insider</a></blockquote>
Would be willing to bet the Fallin campaign originally told Garvin County GOP she would be there until her campaign saw this flyer. First time I can remember that a County had to run a flyer past a candidate before it could be released. If you haven't guessed, the Oklahoma Governor's Office is not an open book because it takes months to get a Freedom of Information request honored and some just sit there. This is the same ALEC Governor that this spring vetoed over 15 bills including two that she wanted to teach the legislature a lesson so they would give her what she wanted across the board. <br />
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It is even funny the Fallin campaign thought they could say it was never on her calendar and everyone would believe the story. Anyone who has been around politics knows full well you don't put a Governor's name on a flyer that they are speaking unless it has been confirmed. Must admit this flyer is a doozy:<br />
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Just think Governor Fallin attending an event as the Guest Speaker where the KKK is discussed on the same program as the NRA, Planned Parenthood, and other organizations. Bet that flyer sent shockwaves through her campaign staff along with Governor's office staff. <br />
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The menu is even funny to me as the Democrats are noted in Oklahoma for their Cornbread and Beans luncheons. Used to be the standard menu for Norman Democrats at their monthly luncheon. Is the Garvin GOP made up of former Democrats? If they are, the GOP needs to keep them! <br />
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Let's move Oklahoma forward on 4 November 2014 by sending the Republicans to the unemployment line and bringing back elected officials who will put all Oklahomans first not just the wealthy! If you don't mind, I would also like people with a brain with common sense to be elected. Don't think that is too much to ask after some of the dumb statements I see daily out of Republicans. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-73304741177647948562014-08-06T18:16:00.001-05:002014-08-06T18:16:21.781-05:00Joe Dorman, Candidate for Oklahoma Governor, Puts Education First for all Oklahoma Children in His First Ad<center>
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In this first ad from Joe Dorman, Candidate for Oklahoma Governor, he discusses his Plan to Fix Education which is broken in all but a few districts in Oklahoma.<br />
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<b><a href="http://joedorman.com/blog/classrooms-first-education-plan-phases-one-two">"Classrooms First" Education Plan: Phase One & Two</a></b></blockquote>
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<a href="http://joedorman.com/blog/classrooms-first-education-plan-phases-one-two"><b></b></a>I've been a tireless advocate for Oklahoma’s schools, fighting against unfunded mandates and ill-advised cuts to funding for our most valuable resources – teachers and students. </blockquote>
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One size fits all education standards that promote testing over learning simply don’t work in Oklahoma. The reality is that Oklahoma currently ranks 48th in teacher pay with the nation’s largest cuts in per student spending - 22.8%. How can we compete when our schools are saddled with more and more unfunded mandates that increase requirements while slashing funding? </blockquote>
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We are trusting our schools to prepare the next generation for an economy and a world that is more connected than ever before – all with fewer and fewer resources. It’s time for less common core and more common sense in our education policy. </blockquote>
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I’ll invest in education. Our teachers, our students, our state deserve better. We have to provide adequate resources to eliminate overcrowded classrooms. I will continue to be a champion for public education – working across the aisle to raise the salaries for our teachers, because the job of educating Oklahoma kids shouldn’t require financial sacrifice at home. </blockquote>
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Together we will put our schools on the path towards a 21st century classroom and ensure that Oklahoma schools are the best in the nation.</blockquote>
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Education is my #1 priority which made the decision to support Joe Dorman very easy. Education has been important to me since my daughter first attended kindergarten years ago as I started volunteering in the classrooms to tutor reading when she was in first grade and for the next 18 years volunteered countless in schools in various districts due to transfers. Worst thing I ever did was agree to become President of the PTO -- worst job I ever had including paid -- couldn't please anyone in the district so when the transfer to Texas popped up, started celebrating I couldn't run again as I announced immediately I couldn't run again as we were moving. The principal told me that was the happiest announcement of a move he had ever seen but it was also the only time someone used moving not to serve a second year and laughed. Told him worst job ever!</div>
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NH and MA schools were the worst schools my children attended followed closely by a district in Ohio, then would rate Boerne, Texas, much better along with Yucaipa, but none of those districts came close to the education that the kids received in Norman, OK. Would give them a 5-star rating because from the School Board to the Superintendent, Principals and Teachers it is all about giving our children and grandchildren a first rate education. Norman is noted for passing school bonds to improve our schools over the objections of the conservatives here who are outnumbered in this more progressive community. <br />
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Every child in Oklahoma should have the same education children receive in Norman which is rated one of the top school systems in the Nation.<br />
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With a Governor Joe Dorman, we will get that across Oklahoma because he will be tenacious in his fight for all Oklahoma children so they can get the same education the ones in school districts like Norman, Jenks or Broken Arrow for starters are getting. Our small districts need more resources and help as our public schools for the most part are broken in rural Oklahoman. <br />
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The very fact that the Republican Legislature has been cutting funding for schools every year since 2008 ranking Oklahoma #1 in cuts to education since then and our teachers #48 in salaries from #49 before they received a raise for the first time in years shouts Republicans are worried. Rep Joe Dorman decides to run for Governor and all of a sudden the Republicans found some money to increase school funding so we are now at what we should have been in 2009 after the Legislature started their cuts in 2008. Then Barresi, State School Superintendent, announced a pay raise for teachers -- didn't do her any good as she came in 3rd in the primary and my main reason to stay a Republican in order to vote her out in the primary. The switch happens on 1 September for me!<br />
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Oklahoma needs to fix our public schools and STOP spending money on Charter Schools backed by ALEC Governor Fallin, the State School Superintendent Janet Barresi who was defeated in the primary, and Jeb Bush of Florida who is thinking of running for President in 2016. When Bush visited Oklahoma, he toured a charter school with Fallin and Barresi. That did not go over well as Charter Schools don't operate under the same standards as public schools.<br />
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If Oklahoma is going to have really good public schools for all of its students, then we need to elect Jor Dorman as Governor along with sending more Democrats to the Legislature. Oklahomans need to rise up and say NO to ALEC sponsored legislation along with the ALEC puppets in Oklahoma like Governor Fallin! It is time to fix Oklahoma education NOW before it gets even worse! Please support <a href="http://www.joedorman.com/">Joe Dorman</a> to be our next Oklahoma Governor!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-71939363181984110262014-08-05T18:57:00.000-05:002014-08-05T18:57:14.353-05:00Rep Mo Brooks (R-AL) "War on Whites" by Democrats While in Iowa Sen Rand Paul Runs for the Exit When Dreamers Confront Rep Steve King Who Turns NastyEvery morning I wake up and ask myself how dumb the Republican office holders are going to be today in press accounts. I was not disappointed. Rep Brooks (R-AL) showed Republicans are capable of being even dumber:<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/mo-brooks-war-on-whites_n_5647967.html?1407171578"><b>Rep. Mo Brooks, Republican of Alabama</b></a><span class="s1">:</span><span class="s1"><br /></span>“This is a part of the war on whites that’s being launched by the Democratic Party. And the way in which they’re launching this war is by claiming that whites hate everybody else,” he said during an interview Monday with conservative radio host Laura Ingraham. "It's part of the strategy that Barack Obama implemented in 2008, continued in 2012, where he divides us all on race, on sex, greed, envy, class warfare, all those kinds of things. Well that’s not true.”</blockquote>
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Brooks was responding to comments made by National Journal's Ron Fournier, who <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/669319"><span class="s1">told Fox News host Chris Wallace on Sunday</span></a> that "the fastest growing voting bloc in this country thinks the Republican Party hates them. This party, your party, cannot be the party of the future beyond November if you’re seen as the party of white people.”</blockquote>
But then I got this link of a Dreamer at in Iowa confronting Sen Rand Paul who ran away and Cong Steve King who got downright nasty to not only this couple but toward President Obama that he claims he likes -- yeah right! His comments are unbelievable as much as someone in the background yelling Go Home to these two young people. This video needs seen everywhere so people can see that Steve King is a real jerk and needs defeated by Jim Mowrer (D) to get nasty people like this out of the GOP House and turn the House back blue:<br />
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Noted that his aide tried to keep someone from videoing this on her phone but she wasn't backing off. How anyone could vote for this man is beyond me. Then there is this little gem:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/23/1225968/-Steve-King-For-every-valedictorian-DREAMer-there-s-another-100-hauling-75-pounds-of-marijuana">Steve King: For every valedictorian DREAMer, there's another 100 'hauling 75 pounds of marijuana'</a></b></div>
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There are kids that were brought into this country by their parents unknowing that they were breaking the law. And [immigration reform supporters] will say to me and others that we have to do something about the 11 million, and some of them were valedictorians. [...] It's true in some cases, but they aren't all valedictorians, they weren't all brought in by their parents. For every one that's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that they weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.</blockquote>
Do people like Steve King really believe the crap they spout because if they do, they are the most heartless and cruel people ever. Why is it that Republicans keep pushing the crap everyone from Mexico is a drug smuggler? That is the height of stupidity IMO! These young people came here with their parents as little kids to get them out of bad and dangerous situations and he wants to know if they are drug smugglers. His biggest problem is he tried to lie on the Dream Act saying they only want to deport people who break the law like drug smugglers when he gets into everyone here without getting a green card first is a law breaker. Add 2+2 and you get he wants them all deported -- every last person here that came illegally no matter if this is the only Country they have ever known. <br />
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King also said only Americans can serve in the military which is also not true. People here with green cards can enlist but cannot become officers and cannot hold security clearances but enlisting can also be a path to citizenship for these young people wanting to serve. <br />
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The real Steve King came out in this video and it is not very complimentary. As for Rand Paul running away after taking a bite of his sandwich thought he was going to choke when she said she was a Dreamer. Guess you could safely call Rand Paul a coward! Paul couldn't get out of there fast enough.<br />
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We have a Congressman declaring the Democrats have declared a war on whites while another Congressman is declaring that everyone here without a green card needs deported which in itself is an impossible task and he should know that fact. At least we know that Rand Paul is supporting Steve King to return him to Congress. <br />
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All the more reason for the residents of that district to defeat King and elect <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmowrerforiowa.com%2F&ei=HGvhU8nWMsHB8QHOk4DQCQ&usg=AFQjCNFeT1-RELQ0hM6N8RYgXMjNcvr1BA&sig2=ZrElcw39kw2118vBhh03ZQ&bvm=bv.72197243,d.b2U">Jim Mowrer</a> - more on this race after Labor Day when we take an in-depth look! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-3683049811019319732014-08-04T18:31:00.004-05:002014-08-04T18:31:57.216-05:00Hard Right DeFacto House Speaker Sen Cruz and Reps King and Bachmann Now Lead the GOP on Immigration!<div class="tr_bq">
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<i><b>"Only cowards scapegoat children and only those who are ashamed of themselves do it after hours on a Friday night," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/house-bill-daca_n_5643287.html">Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)</a> said on the House floor. "In the end, the Republican position on immigration can be summed up as 'deport 'em all,'" he added later.</b></i></div>
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Republicans in Congress have time for useless bills as you see above, but when it comes to getting actual work done they are MIA like on the Border Bill, Veterans Jobs Bill, Infrastructure and the list goes on and on. BTW Cong Cantor is leaving the House this month since he was defeated but leaves a legacy of these bills above behind. Friday night was a perfect example of the types of bills they want to pass knowing full well they are appealing to their hard right base and have zero, zip, nada chance of passing the Senate. There is no better example of worthless GOP in the House then the Border Bills the House passed including one that Governors on the border like Rick Perry would get millions to spend on the National Guard to defend the United States against children. </div>
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Friday night after most of America was not paying attention they passed a Border bill that would end DACA and deport over 500,000 Latinos in this Country who are working to get an education and make a better life for themselves who have nothing to do with the border crises caused by those fleeing Central American countries. </div>
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<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/01/1318501/-All-hail-the-new-House-leadership-Cruz-King-and-nbsp-Bachmann?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+(Daily+Kos)">Good luck with this one</a>, Republicans, now that you've handed the entire issue of immigration over to Ted Cruz, Michele Bachmann, and Steve King. In a <a href="http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/immigration-reform-house-passes-border-funding-bill-child-migrant-crisis-vote/"><span class="s1"><b>223-189 vote</b></span></a>, the House Republicans passed their $694 million appropriations bill which is never going to be implemented. Included in that bill is <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/house-republicans-border-crisis_n_5641737.html"><span class="s1"><b>$35 million</b></span></a> for Texas Gov. Rick Perry and any other governor who thinks the border needs protecting from children by the national guard. </blockquote>
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But that's not all. In a separate vote, they passed the anti-DREAMERS bill, 216-192. This is a particularly special one, which would <a href="http://www.vox.com/2014/8/1/5960665/republicans-just-arent-saying-whether-or-not-they-want-to-take-work"><span class="s1"><b>go much further</b></span></a> than just rebuking the President on the Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The bill would "prevent the Obama administration from giving work permits or protection from deportation to young unauthorized immigrants who would have qualified for the DREAM Act." And it would block the 580,000 young people who have DREAM status now from renewing. In other words,</blockquote>
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What was missing from their bills? Actual solution to the border crises and money to fund that actual solution. The Republicans let one of the most hard right members of Congress Steve King (R-IA) run these bills with Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) after Senator Ted Cruz de facto Speaker of the House and head of the House Tea Party made sure a bill that made a little more sense was killed and this draconian, mean-spirited bill was put in its place. </div>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/house-bill-daca_n_5643287.html">House Republicans </a>voted on Friday to strip protections from undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers, putting more than a half-million young people at risk for deportation despite their longstanding ties to the United States.</blockquote>
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President Barack Obama <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/obama-border-crisis_n_5642277.html"><span class="s1">called that bill</span></a> "extreme and unworkable," and White House press secretary Josh Earnest had similarly harsh words for the measure to end DACA. </blockquote>
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It is extraordinary that House Republicans are demanding that we reverse that prioritization as a price for getting the resources needed to deal with the urgent humanitarian situation at the border, reduce the immigration court backlog, and address the root cause of child migration," Earnest said in a statement Friday evening.</blockquote>
Then Michelle Bachmann who is under investigation for illegal use of campaign funds and is not running for reelection had this to say -- still has the class of a gnat:<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/house-bill-daca_n_5643287.html">Ultimately,</a> the vote was about limiting Obama's power, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said. She said the language would prevent Obama from taking further action to suspend deportations, a move he is considering. </blockquote>
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"In other words, Mr. Speaker, we will put a handcuff on one of the president's hands," Bachmann said on the House floor. </blockquote>
Then there has been the spin from Republicans that only Democrats are talking about the House impeaching the President. Cong Steve King (R-IA) put an end to Boehner's spin:<br />
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Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said Sunday that Republicans should take a “serious look” at impeaching President Obama if he uses executive action to expand deferrals for illegal immigrants. </blockquote>
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"I think Congress has to sit down and have a serious look at the rest of this Constitution and that includes that 'I' word that we don't want to say," King said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” </blockquote>
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King said that if Obama moved ahead with an order to prevent the deportation of more illegal immigrants amid the border crisis, lawmakers would be forced to act. "I think then we have to sit down and take a look," King said. "Where would we draw the line otherwise? If that’s not enough to bring that about, then I don’t know what would be." </blockquote>
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King is one of a handful of GOP lawmakers to suggest impeachment, even as House leaders dismiss those calls. </blockquote>
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Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) last week said the House had no plans to impeach Obama and called it a “scam” orchestrated by Democrats to fire up their base and fundraise ahead of the midterms.</blockquote>
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Read more: <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/house/214167-rep-steve-king-obama-immigration-action-could-lead-to-impeachment#ixzz39Sg0h1pr">The Hill</a></blockquote>
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This is the same GOP House that voted to sue Obama one day and the next night Speaker Boehner tells the President he has the power to act on his own and now we have King (R-IA) now saying if he acts to defer deportation of these young people, they should look at impeachment -- all in a three day time frame. But that doesn't come close to this <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Read%20more:%20http://thehill.com/homenews/house/214167-rep-steve-king-obama-immigration-action-could-lead-to-impeachment#ixzz39Sh4A6dS">statement out of Steve King</a> as they would say in the Air Force is pure Bravo Sierra:</div>
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"Well, first of all, most of us personally like the president," King said. "It's not about mad, it's not about hate, it's about the Constitution." </blockquote>
I have seen some whoppers in my time around politics but this may be one of the bigger ones with all the hate filled rhetoric we have seen out of the GOP House toward President Obama. Just a few statements fly in the face of that comment:<br />
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<a href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/gop-rep-obama-has-no-american-experience-311626307971">GOP Rep.: Obama has no ‘American experience’</a>During a rally, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, told supporters that President Obama’s “vision of America isn’t like our vision of America” because “he was not raised with an American experience.” </blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1316727.html">On March 7, 2008</a>, during his press engagements to announce his reelection campaign, King made remarks about Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Hussein_Obama"><span class="s1">Barack Hussein Obama</span></a> and his middle name, saying: </blockquote>
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I don't want to disparage anyone because of their race, their ethnicity, their name - whatever their religion their father might have been, I'll just say this: When you think about the optics of a Barack Obama potentially getting elected President of the United States -- I mean, what does this look like to the rest of the world? What does it look like to the world of Islam? I will tell you that, if he is elected president, then the radical Islamists, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaida"><span class="s1">al-Qaida</span></a>, the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks"><span class="s1">September 11</span></a>. </blockquote>
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Then on March 10, King defended his comments to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Associated_Press"><span class="s1">The Associated Press</span></a>, saying "(Obama will) certainly be viewed as a savior for them.... That's why you will see them supporting him, encouraging him." </blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20007729-503544.html">Steve King said</a> on a radio show on June 14, 2010 that President Obama's policies favor black people. On <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._Gordon_Liddy"><span class="s1">G. Gordon Liddy</span></a>'s radio program, King said, "The president has demonstrated that he has a default mechanism in him that breaks down the side of race - on the side that favors the black person in the case of Prof. Gates and officer Crowley.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/house-gop-votes-rebuke-obama-deport-dreamers">August 1, 2014:</a> "Mr. President, stop violating the Constitution," declared King, saying Obama has acted like a "king" and not a president. </blockquote>
Then there is my favorite <a href="http://truthyism.com/gop-rep-steve-king-attacks-president-obama-redskins-trademark-loss/">Twitter by Steve King</a> on the Washington Redskin NFL Logo he blamed Obama:<br />
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Obama raids Redskins by weaponizing USPTO. Cancels Redskins logo! <b><span style="color: red;">Free people will not tolerate a Kim Jong POTUS.</span></b> </blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: red;"></span></b>King made a 'slight' mistake as President Obama was not involved and it gets funnier:</blockquote>
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<a href="http://truthyism.com/gop-rep-steve-king-attacks-president-obama-redskins-trademark-loss/#sthash.uiiTEoIk.dpuf">However, there were a few responses</a> to King’s tweet which nailed the real problem with his crass attempt to anger and divide Americans. King was completely wrong. The Obama administration was not the oppressive force that King implied was behind the attack on the team owners. That would be Amanda Blackhorse. The decision from the USPTO will drop protections for the team so long as they use their current logo and name on any merchandise. This will force the team to either change their name and logo or they will have no way of stopping anyone from using the racially divisive name and logo on any merchandise they choose… without any compensation to the team owners. </blockquote>
My favorite response to Cong King:<br />
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<b>Adebukola</b>: @SteveKing Well you have the name and gender wrong. It was Amanda Blackhorse, a Native American woman.</blockquote>
Then the site <a href="http://truthyism.com/gop-rep-steve-king-attacks-president-obama-redskins-trademark-loss/#sthash.uiiTEoIk.dpuf">Truthyism </a>had this to say about the whole situation and now you know why I called Cong King's statement he likes Obama Bravo Sierra after comparing him to Kim Jong:<br />
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We are not sure how Rep. King managed to confuse President Obama with a Native American woman, and King is usually more reserved to hatred for immigrants coming over our southern borders. We assume that King just scrolls through social media for his information, and maybe he thinks he is fighting illegal immigration by bashing Native Americans as social media <a href="http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/megynkelly.asp">implied that Megyn Kelly seemed to believe</a>. So… here is one for Steve “Cantaloupe Calves” King: </blockquote>
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That sums it up perfectly and plan to use that picture anytime I hear the pious religious hard right Republicans say "send all illegals back." Did their ancestors all come here legally? We know that Senators Cruz and Rubio's didn't. Some of my ancestors came before there was a United States and fought in the Revolutionary War so don't think they had approval from the tribes to invade their land. <br />
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It dawned on me Republicans must hate the Internet as their crazy statements are preserved for people like me to go find to make a point! <br />
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I look at that picture and laugh at the stupidity of the Republican Party that continues today who still don't get it about immigration. Are people like Cong King afraid of diversity and want to preserve the white male dominated country? If they are, the years ahead are not going to be kind to that type of Neanderthal thinking as our Country becomes even more diverse. <br />
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Have a great rest of the day! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-64980771166626934852014-08-02T14:23:00.000-05:002014-08-02T14:23:15.097-05:00Republican House Votes to Deport 550,000 Children who have Nothing to do with the Crisis on the Border<b><i>Republicans like to call themselves the pro-family and pro-life party, but nothing could be more disturbingly further from the truth based on their stand against innocent children.</i></b> Sarah Jones, <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/democrat-shames-republicans-catholic-bishops-statement-republicans-putting-children-danger.html">Politicususa</a><br />
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This statement says all you need to know about today's Republican Party who deserve to be defeated at all levels because of their hypocrisy declaring themselves Christian when their votes and rhetoric say otherwise. I am still trying to figure out what the 550,000 children the GOP voted to deport last night have to do with the border crises. The answer is nothing but it gives a clear picture of how racist the Republican Party has become today when they want to do away with a program that works for the Hispanic children who have been brought here by their parents or other family members. <br />
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Then there are the lies by Republicans that the Obama Administration is doing nothing about the Border crises which the vast majority of MSM lapdogs of the GOP repeat over and over again which flies in the face of facts which are readily available.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/01/obama-administration-s-government-wide-response-influx-central-american-">The Obama Administration’s Government-Wide Response to Influx of Central American Migrants at the Southwest Border</a></b></blockquote>
It is all there on the White House Website about what has been done about this crisis by the various agencies of the Obama Administration in contrast to the rhetoric of Republicans and Governor's Perry's grandstanding on the Border.<br />
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Didn't think the Republican Party could get any lower but last night they did -- the vast majority have not one ounce of empathy for anyone but the wealthy and the white males of the party. Everyone else can take a hike including children in their small racist minds. In my heart I believe that many of the people who call themselves Republicans would consider Jesus too liberal today. Is that why the hard right is rewritomg the Bible to keep their puppets in line by taking out passages they call too liberal? Guess with all the cheering for their cruel bill against children they forgot the words of Jesus:<br />
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<b><a href="http://biblehub.com/kjv/luke/18.htm">King James Bible</a>: </b>But Jesus called them <i>unto him</i>, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Luke 18:16</blockquote>
Grew up singing "<i>Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red, and yellow, black and white they are precious in his sight...." </i>As I played this You Tube video, tears were streaming down my cheeks as I remembered growing up in a church that opened its doors to the migrant families and their children on Sunday morning cooking not only breakfast for them but dinner as well while our youth group played games with the children and helping them do art work they could take with them. <br />
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Today that church of my youth and where I grew up in a small town in Ohio has joined the hard right racist churches of America. It is no longer a Church that welcomes people no matter their faith or color -- today it is a white stuffy church that all those verses of the Bible I learned as a little child growing up going to Sunday School and Church are no longer relevant as they joined the hard right in using the new conservative bible funded by Green of Hobby Lobby which removes passages they consider liberal and changes words to make them have new meanings. It makes me sad to realize that young children in some of these churches today are being taught to hate others not love.<br />
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This flag from Politicususa sums up what I think about the Republican Party today. There is a book that I was given years ago called "The Rise of the Southern Republican" and truthfully never even glanced at it until now. The book was written in 2002 detailing 50 years of the South becoming more Republican by two brothers, Earl and Merle Black, who are professors -- one at Rice and one at Emory. Wonder what has gone through their minds today as the Republican Party has turned into a Party that welcomes the KKK, John Birch Society, White Supremacists, et al with its base now demanding whites only in America? Never has been more clear to anyone who thinks as the rhetoric and bills we see submitted out of Republicans at all levels today scream white power starting with voting suppression and overturning a major part of the Voting Rights Act. The Southern Democrat raciest in Arkansas and other Southern states that President Eisenhower fought on school integration are now Republicans but their agenda and attitudes have not changed -- just the name of the Party.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://edge1.politicususa.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Confederate-GOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://edge1.politicususa.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Confederate-GOP.jpg" height="134" width="200" /></a>Just like the Church I grew up in, the Republican Party has changed drastically from the days when my family supported President Dwight D Eisenhower on desegregation of the public schools in Little Rock, AR, when they refused to abide by the SCOTUS decision of 1954 in Brown vs Board of Education leading to his address on “Mob Rule Cannot Be Allowed to Override the Decisions of Our Courts”: President Dwight D. Eisenhower"s <a href="http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6335/">1957 Address </a>on Little Rock, Arkansas<br />
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Saw the hate of the northern whites against blacks in Dayton, Ohio, during the race riots in the 60's. Blacks were treated like 2nd class citizens and finally rebelled. Remember asking my Dad why the KKK was in Ohio and his words are not printable -- he had no use for racists of any sort. The town I grew up in is now part of Speaker Boehner's District 90 miles north of Cincinnati which is a district made up of rural areas of Ohio represented by someone who doesn't have a clue about farming. In my heart I know my Dad would not be supporting John Boehner today and would not support the Republican Party of racist as he did not have a racist bone in his body.<br />
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This group of hard right Republicans/Libertarians/Koch Bros Tea Party accuse President Obama of acting like Hitler when they are the Hitlers of the US. They bash and bully anyone who looks, thinks, or acts different from them. Commonly known as the "my way or no way" crowd, they have no use for anyone who has different ideas or is a difference race. They are all about only "Whites Only Welcome" preferably white males as women are supposed to be subservient to white males to which I say to the whole group "Bravo Sierra!"<br />
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Remember going to a Republican event near the end of summer and being told by a white male jerk that Hispanics were not welcome in 'our' party. Didn't pay any attention and he goes I am talking to you and my head jerked around with a completely confused look on my face according to several others. Then he goes I am talking to you again. Looked at him and asked him point blank if he thought I was Hispanic and he said absolutely with your last name and skin color. I burst out laughing right in his face and told him he needed a better education because his racism was showing and walked away.<br />
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My Dad's grandparents on his Mother's side came from Southern France which is where I get my skin color and ability to tan with blonde hair/blue eyes plus my last name by marriage is Italian not Hispanic. I could have easily given him the facts but frankly, it wasn't worth it -- let him think I was Hispanic and bug him I was at a Republican meeting. BTW, on my Dad's Father's side his family came to the United States in the middle 1600's settling in Virginia who the Indians would have considered illegal immigrants. Lost track of the number of GOP who thought I was Hispanic as one woman told me because I never turn completely 'white' in winter. To this day I don't see what makes the difference but it shows how racist some Republicans are today -- have gotten a good laugh out of it as it has helped drive me out of the GOP and to the Democrats. <br />
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What galls me the most in the Republican Party today is to see Senator Rubio trashing the <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEAQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthinkprogress.org%2Fjustice%2F2012%2F03%2F15%2F445762%2Frubio-takes-dream-out-of-dream-act%2F&ei=2AXdU4cv5-HyAbrHgbAJ&usg=AFQjCNH4qmas83vvfpUU46Ry76ChA9Tnrw&sig2=I-pSukFtiAV9zjoDNhOv6A&bvm=bv.72197243,d.b2U">Dream Act</a> and wanting it ended when his family came from Cuba. But worse yet he lied that they were refugees from Cuba when they came here freely from Cuba and returned at will. Did Rubio's family members come here legally? This will answer that question from his own biography:<br />
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<a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/04/ten-things-you-need-know-about-marco-rubio">According to a Rubio</a> biography due out in June (2012) by <i>Washington Post</i> reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia, Rubio's grandfather Pedro Victor Garcia was an illegal immigrant to the United States. Disillusioned by his financial prospects, Garcia reportedly left the United States <i>for</i> Cuba two weeks after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. He flew back to the States two years later without a visa...and was booked by a US immigration official, who stated: "[Y]ou do not appear to me to be clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to enter the United States." Garcia was ordered deported, but instead he hung out illegally in Miami, resurfacing in 1967 to petition for permanent residency. Even though Garcia had been in the US since 1962, "The form he filled out then states that he had been a Cuban refugee since February 1965," according to Roig-Franzia.</blockquote>
Then there is Senator Cruz who believes he is the de facto Speaker of the House who tells his House Tea Party puppets how to manipulate the writing of bills or they won't vote. Remember that Cruz and his group in the House were responsible for the expensive shut-down of Government. This time it was the Border bill Speaker Boehner pulled back to make it even more cruel against children who are fleeing their countries in Central America due to danger to their lives and the bill ended up wanting to send back children who have been here for years.<br />
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Another strange Senator is Ted Cruz whose father came from Cuba, he was born in Canada and has held a dual citizenship for years with his Mother being American. The story of the Cruz family gets better:<br />
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<a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/20/cruz-father-bribed-to-immigrate-but-reform-is-unfair-to-those-who-follow-rules/">The older Cruz explained</a> that he had once fought with Fidel Castro’s forces in Cuba to overthrow Fulgencio Batista, a U.S.-backed dictator. He later fled to the United States after receiving a four-year student visa to study at the University of Texas. </blockquote>
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“Then the only other thing that I needed was an exit permit from the Batista government,” Rafael Cruz said. “A friend of the family, a lawyer friend of my father, basically <b><span style="color: red;">bribed a Batista official to stamp my passport with an exit permit</span></b>.”</blockquote>
In my mind, bribing an official to remain in the United States is illegal but not in the Cruz Family minds. You shake your head and ask how educated people can be so dumb and then realize they surround themselves by people who can be manipulated. That is two cases of Republican Senators both now against a path to citizenship who talk about people need to come here legally or be deported when both have family members who came here illegally. Shame on both of them.<br />
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One thing many of us who were Republicans for years are learning in all of this is that the Republican Party of today is run by white males who HATE minorities, women, gays, veterans, senior citizens to name a few but love Israel and Bibi no matter the atrocities that are happening today. </div>
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On the flip side of the coin we have Democrats standing up for children and people who are coming to the United States for a better life. I have been asking for years what these hard right numbskulls would do if they had been born across the border. Would they have stayed there with their families or snuck into this Country to give their kids a better life? You can only imagine some of the names I have been called over the years by so called Family Values types. Politicususa has the full story of what happened yesterday as the House voted on the Border bill which makes me want to work even harder to defeat Republicans in 2014.</div>
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Democratic Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) accused Republicans of taking two bad bills and making them worse. Hoyer suggested that what the House was doing was nothing. He said the bill will not pass and will not solve the problem. Hoyer said that the bill was brought to the floor in near secrecy. </blockquote>
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Before the vote, Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) said, “For weeks … they have said that they are disease-ridden, lice-filled, gang bangers, drug dealers mules of the drug cartels who have come here in hoards to invade our nation, and now they are demonstrating that that’s how they feel in their legislation.” </blockquote>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/obama-slams-house-republicans-pass-extreme-border-bill.html">Earlier today</a></span>, <b>President Obama</b> made his disdain clear for the House Republican stunt, </blockquote>
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<b><i>“This is a message bill that they couldn’t quite pull off yesterday, so they made it a little more extreme so maybe they can pass it today. Just so they can check a box before they leave town tomorrow.” </i></b></blockquote>
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House Republicans cheered after it was announced that the bill passed. They could have been cheering their legislative accomplishment, or most likely, the laziest Congress in history was cheering because they can now go on vacation for five weeks. </blockquote>
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While the Republicans were cheering millions of Hispanic Americans were getting the message that Republicans don’t like them. Republicans don’t want them in the country and that racism rules the day in the GOP. </blockquote>
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The border spending bill gave money to border enforcement based on the Republicans favorite race based scare tactic that the border is not secure. The rationale behind this bill was based on playing to racists in their party. </blockquote>
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House Republicans were cheering while all around them their party burned. </blockquote>
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Read More from Jason Easley at <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/clueless-house-republicans-cheer-passing-racist-border-security-spending-bill.html">Politicususa</a></blockquote>
These Republican elected Representatives elected to represent all the people in their district not just the white males, had the audacity to cheer the passage of this bill just like they did when they voted to shut down the Government. Word that come to mind first was "jackasses" so I looked it up on line to get synonyms from the Thesaurus:<br />
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<b>Jackass </b><br />
a person who lacks good sense or judgment <only a="" i="">jackass</only></blockquote>
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would dive into a lake without first checking to see how deep the water is;</blockquote>
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<b>Synonyms</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/berk+">berk [</a><i>British</i><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/">]</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/booby">booby</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charlie">charlie</a> (<i>also</i> charley) <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/">[</a><i>British</i><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/">]</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cuckoo">cuckoo</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ding-a-ling">ding-a-ling</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dingbat">dingbat</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ding-dong">ding-dong</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dipstick">dipstick</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doofus+">doofus [</a><i>slang</i><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/">]</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/featherhead">featherhead</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/git+">git [</a><i>British</i><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/">]</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goose">goose</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-wit">half-wit</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackass">jackass</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lunatic">lunatic</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mooncalf">mooncalf</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nincompoop">nincompoop</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ninny">ninny</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ninnyhammer">ninnyhammer</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nit+">nit [</a><i>chiefly British</i><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/">]</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitwit">nitwit</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nut">nut</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nutcase">nutcase</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simp">simp</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simpleton">simpleton</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turkey">turkey</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yo-yo">yo-yo</a> </blockquote>
Would say that sums it up nicely! <br />
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Then there is Cong Paul Ryan from WI who considers himself a good Catholic while supporting the atheist Ayn Rand's philosophy. What does he have to say since the <a href="http://www.democraticleader.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Catholic-Bishops-Letter.pdf">Catholic Bishops</a> urged the defeat of the GOP Bill and wrote a letter given the reasons why yesterday? So far crickets as he pushes ahead with a budget bill aimed at making the wealthy wealthier and the middle class and poor even poorer. Just another example of today's Republicans who could care less about anyone who doesn't believe like them or hands them buckets of donations preferably cash so they don't report as there is no record. Rep Napolitano of CA tried to shame her Republican colleagues but I think today these Republicans are past shame as they move blindly forward guided by hate and loathing of Hispanics. <br />
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<span class="s1">Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32) shamed Republicans for trying to eliminate </span>the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program Friday evening issuing a statement, even as Republicans pontificated from the safety of the House floor, blaming President Obama for their failure to legislate. </blockquote>
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<span class="s1">One day after failing to address the humanitarian crisis on our southwest border, our Republican colleagues voted today to remove critical protections for refugees of violence and eliminate the successful DACA program. Thousands of unaccompanied children who have fled violence and threats in their home countries are being met at our southwest border by armed militias.</span></blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: red;">In an act of absurd cruelty House Republicans</span></b>, along with four Democrats, voted to deport 550,000 children who have nothing to do with the crisis on the border. </blockquote>
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<span class="s1">The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops states:</span> </blockquote>
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<span class="s1">It is a sad day for our country. A chamber of Congress is poised to send vulnerable children back to danger and possible death. It violates our commitment to human rights and due process of the law and lessens us as a nation. I pray that this legislation never sees the light of day.</span> </blockquote>
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<span class="s1">We agree. We must address the root causes of migration, not punish these vulnerable and innocent children. Our federal agencies are running out of funding to deal with this unfortunate situation, so we need action now to provide the necessary resources, ensuring protections and due process of our law.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">Read More from Sarah Jones at <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/democrat-shames-republicans-catholic-bishops-statement-republicans-putting-children-danger.html">Politicususa</a> including a </span>August 1, 2014 letter, where the Catholic Bishops <a href="http://www.democraticleader.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Catholic-Bishops-Letter.pdf"><span class="s1">urged the defeat of the GOP bill</span></a></blockquote>
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Since the bill passed 216-192 with 1 voting present and 23 not voting decided to check the House website to find out who were the four Democrats who voted for the bill and the 11 Republicans who voted against HR5272. This bill passed by the House is destined for the trash heap of history as no reasonable Senator 'should' ever vote for this cruel bill. Thank God though we have President Obama as the second line of defense who will veto this horrible bill in a nano second if it ever reached his desk. Here is the break out:<br />
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<b>Democrats</b> voting for HR 5272: Barrow (GA), McIntyre (NC), Peterson (MN), Rahall (WV) </blockquote>
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<b>Republicans</b> voting against 5272: Amodei (NV), Coffman (CO), Dunham (CA) Diaz Balart (FL), Gardner (CO), Heck (NV), Kinzinger (IL), Reichert (WA), Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Upton (MI), and Valadao (CA)</blockquote>
There are Republicans who voted against this bill who I do not understand why they are still in the Republican Party as they have seen up close and personal how cruel Republicans can be today against minorities especially Hispanics. They are sitting there watching Republican Governors in their states try to suppress minority voting. In Gov Perry's Texas, voter suppression also includes women -- just ask Democrat Wendy Davis who is running for Governor . If you notice that there are no Texas Congressmen who voted against this bill as they carry on their racist agenda of their Governor and Attorney General Abbott who is running for Governor as the racist Republican. Anyone who says the Republican Party is not the party of racism today has a reading comprehension problem IMHO! More on the passage of this bill from Jason Easley of the website <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/house-republicans-vote-deport-500000-children-spent-lives.html">Politicususa</a>: </div>
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House Republicans chose the perfect spokesperson for the effort to deport children when<a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/01/18/john-boehner-calls-tea-party-racist-rep-steve-king-asshole.html"><span class="s1"> flaming racist</span></a> Rep. Steve King (R-IA) defended the bill by claiming that Republicans were, “restoring their constitutional authority.” </blockquote>
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Republicans claimed that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was the reason why there is a humanitarian crisis on the border. The House Republican bill would make DREAMers eligible for deportation in two years. The House bill would prevent the president from expanding the program and would close it down. </blockquote>
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Over 550,000 children who have been in this country since 2007 have been allowed to remain and work in the US thanks to the program. In order to be eligible for DACA a child has to have lived continuously in this country since June 15, 2007 or earlier. The DACA program has nothing to do with the current crisis. </blockquote>
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The White House released an enraged statement tonight, </blockquote>
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<blockquote>
“Republicans in Washington have repeatedly called the situation at our border a crisis; yet, tonight they are considering partisan legislation that will not address the problem and is sure to be rejected by the Senate. As the President said today, the Administration will continue to manage the border as responsibly as possible and address our broken immigration system, but no Administrative action is a substitute for Congressional action. That’s why the President will urge Congress to fix our broken immigration system once and for all upon returning from their recess by doing what the Senate did over a year ago and pass serious, comprehensive immigration reform legislation with bipartisan support.” </blockquote>
</blockquote>
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The bill will never become law, but the Republican hatred of children and Hispanics has never been made clearer. </blockquote>
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Read More from Jason Easley at <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/house-republicans-vote-deport-500000-children-spent-lives.html">Politicususa</a></blockquote>
What an eye opener all of this has been with these children coming from violence in Central America to see groups of white Americans shouting at them some of the biggest trash I have heard. It got me off the dime and my blog burn out is officially over. Ready to roll up my sleeves and do my part to help oust Republicans from power at all levels. Racism should NEVER be tolerated in this Country. <br />
Americans have only one choice to return common sense to Congress and that is to vote out today's hard right, mean, cruel, bought and paid for Republicans!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-82784426344940533312014-08-01T14:27:00.000-05:002014-08-01T14:27:15.873-05:00Do Republicans Refuse to Acknowledge the Outcome of Elections When a Minority Democrat Wins?<div>
This morning I was reading an article at <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/filthy-despicable-racism-real-reason-republicans-suing-president-obama.html">Politicusas.com </a>when the last paragraph jumped out at me and thought that R Muse, the author, nailed it. Would like to know how Republican members of Congress who took an oath can look themselves in the mirror knowing their hatred of President Obama is fueled by his being the first black President. The Republican denials that it is because President Obama is black ring hollow today as so many of their own Party are so derogative about the President using words I haven't heard used in years against blacks. </div>
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Where are the voices of reasonable Republicans or have they all left the Congress and the Republican Party?</div>
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<a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/01/filthy-despicable-racism-real-reason-republicans-suing-president-obama.html">Republicans have made a mockery</a> of governance for well-over five years, and it is all due to their racial animus toward Barack Obama they disguise with words like tyrant, executive overreach, dictator, and imperial president. However, according to the definition of tyrant, it is Republicans in Congress who have spent over five years attempting to wield ultimate control over everything, rule according to their own advantage rather than the people they were elected to serve, use extremely cruel tactics against their own constituents, and rule according to massively oppressive character. And what drives their tyranny against their fellow countrymen besides hatred of the people is their racially driven animus toward an African American in the White House. Now because they have failed to discredit and destroy Barack Obama’s Presidency they are taking him to court for the Confederate crime of being the President of the United States while being Black; not because he is a tyrant but because they are filthy despicable racists.</blockquote>
The Party of Dwight Eisenhower who led the desegregation movement in the late 50's in Little Rock, AR, which eventually spread across the Country is now the Party of racism as we are seeing not only their hatred of the President but also their hate and animosity toward children who are coming to the US to avoid being injured or killed in Central America. OK Governor Fallin is one of them who demanded these refuge children be removed from Fort Sill Army Base immediately even though Fort Sill belongs to the Federal Government. She is the same Governor who told National Guard members wanting to get spousal benefits that the state facilities would NOT take their applications as they had to be filed on Federal property.<br />
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This is the oath members of Congress take while putting their hand on the Bible signifying they are telling the truth:<br />
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<li class="li1">I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.</li>
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It was never clearer what their lawsuit in the House against the President was garbage meant to energize their base when yesterday afternoon Speaker Boehner told the President to use his powers to fix the Border crises. Talk about abdicating responsibility after the day before voting to sue the President for the same thing on ACA that Bush 43 did with prescription drug program - delay a portion for a year. <br />
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For the GOP leaders like Boehner and Rove to say it is not about impeachment, I say Bravo Sierra as that is exactly what candidates are saying back in the districts to fire up the base. Republicans including Karl Rove who is helping drive this never imagined that their political stunt would fire up Democrats to make sure Obama knew a lot of us from all political spectrums have his back. When the GOP doesn't get their way in elections, then they try to undermine the duly elected leaders. What if Democrats had done that to Bush 43 for his entire term? They worked across the aisle voting for an Iraq War they didn't agree with but they supported the President and this Country even with doubts.<br />
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This group of Senate Republicans have held up nominees in the Senate including Ambassadors but at least the two parties got together to approve the new United States Russian ambassador John Teft to a position that has been vacant for five months. Shocked the Senators approved him unanimously when they left town before approving other Ambassadors like Guatemala which is one of the countries fueling the border crisis:<br />
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(<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/01/us-usa-russia-diplomacy-idUSKBN0G132Q20140801">Reuters</a>) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously approved President Barack Obama's choice of John Tefft to be the next American ambassador to Russia, filling a post that had been vacant since February. </blockquote>
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Tefft is a former envy to Ukraine under Obama, and to Georgia and Lithuania under Republican President George W. Bush. </blockquote>
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Tefft will go to Moscow as U.S.-Russia ties are severely strained over Washington's sanctions on Russia due to its support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. </blockquote>
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Dozens of Obama’s nominees to be ambassadors have been held up for months by bitter partisan fighting in the U.S. Senate. Obama only nominated Tefft earlier this month.<br />But both Republicans and Democrats said the dire state of U.S. relations with Russia made it imperative to let Tefft jump the queue so he could head to Moscow as quickly as possible. </blockquote>
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In a rare show of bipartisanship, the Senate carried out his confirmation hearing, committee vote and confirmation by the full Senate in just a few days this week, just in time for Congress to leave Washington on Aug. 1 for a five-week recess. </blockquote>
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However, Republicans refused to accede to a Democratic request to confirm several other ambassadors before leaving town. That group included Obama's nominee for Guatemala, one of the Central American countries involved in the current U.S. child immigrant crisis.</blockquote>
Guess Republicans figured with the Malaysian plane crash drawing the spotlight back to Ukraine/Russia, they better approve the Ambassador to Russia who has a lot of experience in that region of the world working for Presidents of both parties. If they could get together on the Russian Ambassador, why not the rest? <br />
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Despicable bunch of Republicans who met on the night of President Obama's first inauguration to figure out how to make him a one-term President and stop his agenda. The plans failed and now they want him to have a failed Presidency but that is also going to fail when they get booted out of leadership in the House and fail to take back the Senate. The Republican talk of impeachment along with suing the President throws all conventional wisdom out the window on off-year elections along with some of the worst Governors some of us have had in our states for the last four years.<br />
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The fact that Republicans members of Congress felt the need to meet the night of the inauguration speaks to their lack of ethics and honesty as members of Congress who are supposed to work across the aisle and with the President as they didn't even give him a chance. Then Republicans flooded the airwaves with lies about what President Obama was going to do yet they want us to return them to office when we now know how underhanded they were from the beginning? When this came out in 2012, I was frankly stunned that the met the night of the inauguration which shows a total lack of class and integrity:<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/robert-draper-anti-obama-campaign_n_1452899.html">WASHINGTON</a> -- As President Barack Obama was celebrating his inauguration at various balls, top Republican lawmakers and strategists were conjuring up ways to submarine his presidency at a private dinner in Washington. </blockquote>
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The event -- which provides a telling revelation for how quickly the post-election climate soured -- serves as the prologue of Robert Draper's much-discussed and heavily-reported new book, "Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives."<br />According to Draper, the guest list that night (which was just over 15 people in total) included Republican Reps. Eric Cantor (Va.), Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Paul Ryan (Wis.), Pete Sessions (Texas), Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) and Dan Lungren (Calif.), along with Republican Sens. Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Tom Coburn (Okla.), John Ensign (Nev.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.). The non-lawmakers present included Newt Gingrich, several years removed from his presidential campaign, and Frank Luntz, the long-time Republican wordsmith. Notably absent were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) -- who, Draper writes, had an acrimonious relationship with Luntz. </blockquote>
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For several hours in the Caucus Room (a high-end D.C. establishment), the book says they plotted out ways to not just win back political power, but to also put the brakes on Obama's legislative platform.</blockquote>
Thought with this meeting it doesn't get much lower out of Republicans or at least I didn't think so until Boehner and his leadership decided to sue the President one day for overstepping and asking him to overstep the next day. <br />
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On top of everything else, this bunch of House Republicans are LAZY except when it comes to helping the wealthy get wealthier and then they snap into action. Every American should be outraged at how few of days these members of Congress are working and when they are there the House work is focused on more investigations. They are now on 5-week recess and only plan to work 12 days between now and the election on 4 November. American taxpayers are paying their salaries to go campaign and even then they won't hold Town Halls because a lot of voters are angry at the GOP today and their wasting our tax dollars which they don't want to hear preferring to live in their non-reality world. <br />
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When are all Americans going to get fed up and tell the Republican Party to take a hike because they are working for the Koch Bros/ALEC/GOP Wealthy Donors/oil and gas/big defense against the American people. The Middle Class has gotten the shaft by the Republicans at all levels and time Republicans pay the price by being voted out of office for their lack of passing meaningful legislation while blaming everyone but themselves. <br />
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Seems in the Republican small minds that this President is not entitled to his nominees or agenda as the GOP continues to obstruct both. All it has accomplished is to show Americans that Republicans don't believe in the outcome of elections unless it favors the Republican Party.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-31694511079828209792014-07-31T15:49:00.000-05:002014-07-31T15:49:39.597-05:00#DoYourJobHouseGOP is the Rallying Cry of Americans Who Are Tired of the Do Nothing Koch/ALEC Republicans in Congress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The GOP Conference will be meeting at 3 p.m. as they are asking members not to leave town. Are they going to come out of that meeting cheering and fist pumping like they did when they decided to shut down Government?<br />
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While looking for that video I found this video where the GOP House changed a standing rule of the House to take away a Privilege Motion from members. Speaker Boehner and his GOP are nothing but unethical. underhanded scumbags:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0Jd-iaYLO1A?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe></center>
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Time to bring back the following paragraph from an article on Voices on 30 September on the day following the GOP Saturday night vote to shut down Government:<br />
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The story that broke yesterday about some members of the <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDEQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-2437272%2FCongress-members-seen-drinking-late-night-debate-brakes-Obamacare.html&ei=XuJJUvjME6302wWJqYGQDg&usg=AFQjCNHfEdZhZ1ketxdN-NpLac08ss8L3Q&bvm=bv.53217764,d.b2I"><span class="s1">House Republicans being drunk</span></a> on the House floor is despicable and every last Republican drinking before the vote should be resigning from the House but that will never happen as they only care about their re-election and celebrating their victory after the vote they know will shutdown government. Did leadership have to get drunk to push the garbage of a bill through the House since they all lack backbones? Are they ever going to admit that President Obama won the election, the Democrats picked up seats in the Senate and House, and that more people voted for Dems in House districts then GOP. Only through gerrymandering do the Tea Party GOP still control the House.</blockquote>
House Republicans led by Speaker Boehner and GOP Leadership are the most unethical members of the House I have witnessed. As a group, these Koch/ALEC Republican puppets put cutting taxes for the wealthy over what is best for all the American people. Note that<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCEQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2F2014%2F7%2F30%2F5952973%2Fted-cruz-is-killing-his-partys-own-border-bill&ei=rKfaU_n4IorD8AHt6YDgBQ&usg=AFQjCNG3esBIOpbXx5RsKjyNKm5ixNRxYA&sig2=DmsjHYbn92bea7rafuCM0A&bvm=bv.72185853,d.b2U"> Sen Cruz</a> who seems to be the defacto head of the House helped defeat the Border Bill today that House GOP led by Boehner touted -- imagine that! That 3 p.m. meeting before the Republican led House leaves DC for five weeks should be interesting as the Border Bill is discussed. If we get video of the spoiled brats posing as adults leaving the meeting, will post on here as an Update.<br />
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Moving forward to today's activities by the Koch/ALEC GOP House which is the day after the GOP in the House voted to sue the President over the same thing they supported President Bush on with his Drug Prescription Plan -- delay a portion for a year. This is why the Koch Bros/ALEC GOP House led by Speaker Boehner stands today as the most worthless house in my lifetime and probably the modern era. Want an example of worthless -- try the Border Bill which Boehner couldn't get passed today and then urges the President to take action. That is the same President Obama that Boehner/House GOP are suing for taking action delaying a small portion of ACA for a year. Confused yet? Maybe this article from <a href="http://www.nationalmemo.com/house-fails-pass-immigration-bill-asks-obama-act-alone/">The National Memo</a> will help explain what has happened today:<br />
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House Republicans pulled their embattled immigration legislation on Thursday, after failing to find enough Republicans to vote for the pared-down funding bill. The embarrassing defeat for Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) greatly increases the odds that the House will not do anything to act on the border crisis before leaving Washington for its August recess. </blockquote>
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The Republican majority will hold a conference meeting at 3pm EST, after which House leaders will announce whether they will try again to hold a vote. </blockquote>
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The House had planned to vote on two separate measures before leaving town: A $659 million funding bill to respond to the humanitarian crisis at the border, and a bill that would bar President Obama from expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which grants temporary work permits and relief from deportation for some young immigrants. But House leaders failed to gather the 218 votes needed to move forward.<br />
Ironically, Speaker Boehner — who, one day earlier, <a href="http://www.nationalmemo.com/u-s-house-representatives-votes-sue-obama/"><span class="s1">advanced</span></a> his plan to sue President Obama for allegedly exceeding his authority with executive orders — urged President Obama to act alone on securing the border. In a statement, Boehner and fellow House leaders Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), said: </blockquote>
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<i>This situation shows the intense concern within our conference – and among the American people – about the need to ensure the security of our borders and the president’s refusal to faithfully execute our laws. There are numerous steps the president can and should be taking right now, without the need for congressional action, to secure our borders and ensure these children are returned swiftly and safely to their countries. For the past month, the House has been engaged in intensive efforts to pass legislation that would compel the president to do his job and ensure it can be done as quickly and compassionately as possible. Through an inclusive process, a border bill was built by listening to members and the American people that has the support not just of a majority of the majority in the House, but most of the House Republican Conference. We will continue to work on solutions to the border crisis and other challenges facing our country.</i> </blockquote>
The House’s failure to gather enough votes for the bill represents a huge defeat in the first legislative test for McCarthy, the new majority leader, and Scalise, the new whip. The pair were apparently outmaneuvered by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/07/30/cruz-whipping-tonight-against-boehner-border-bill/"><span class="s1">reportedly</span></a> met with more than a dozen House Republicans on Wednesday night to press them to oppose leadership’s bill. </blockquote>
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Excerpt: Read More from <a href="http://www.nationalmemo.com/house-fails-pass-immigration-bill-asks-obama-act-alone/">The National Memo</a> on the craziness of the GOP worthless House!</blockquote>
Do you want to go through this bunch of nonsense for two more years? Know I don't and why I am supporting Democrats in 2014 to move the Country forward and show the wealthy Koch Bros and other wealthy Republican supporters/donors that all their money cannot buy the Country -- can only buy a group of unethical Republcians who put getting reelected over what is best for the Country. The Libertarian Koch Bros/ALEC are slowly destroying the Republican Party. <br />
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Republicans like Boehner, Senate Majority Leader McConnell, RNC Chair Priebus and Republican elected officials up and down the line have their heads so far buried in the sand to what they are doing to destroy the Republican Party that they cannot come up for air as they sold out the American people starting years ago. They will go down in history IMHO as the GOP officials responsible for the destruction of the Republican Party by selling out for greed, power, and getting reelected. <br />
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The legacies of President Dwight D Eisenhower, President Theodore Roosevelt, and President Abraham Lincoln will remain as good people with common sense try to pick up the pieces of a flawed Republican Party where greed, racism, and self importance made elected Republicans at all levels sell out the American people. Time to OUST the Republican Party of NO! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-7455644420111070302014-07-30T17:05:00.001-05:002014-07-30T17:05:14.782-05:00House Republicans Vote to Sue My President -- I Pledge to Donate/Volunteer/Vote to Oust the GOP from Leadership at all Levels<div class="tr_bq">
Been a busy summer and decided to take some time off from all the negativity of Republican politics against the President, Democrats, and all the American people. Still have been posting on Twitter. </div>
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Today I am back as the Republicans in the House chose to set a new precedent and low mark in politics even for Republicans by suing MY President and theirs even though they refuse to admit that President Obama is the President of all Americans. Is it because he is black or a Democrat or both? The 'my way or no way' Koch Bros Republican Party is the absolute worst I have ever witnessed and the biggest do nothings who get paid with our tax dollars. Republicans vote to sue the President and then only work 14 days between now and the election so the taxpayers are paying for their campaigning.<br />
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I gladly have <a href="http://www.dccc.org/page/m/1d63b65a/1b2d3391/156675a7a/4e484d10/1919478900/VEsB/p/eyJKU1ZGYldGcGJDVWwiOiJza2NhbGllbmRvQGljbG91ZC5jb20iLCJKU1ZHYVhKemRHNWhiV1VsSlE9PSI6IlNoYXJvbiIsIkpTVk1ZWE4wYm1GdFpTVWwiOiJDYWxpZW5kbyIsIkpTVkRhWFI1SlNVPSI6Ik5vcm1hbiIsIkpTVlRWRUZVUlY5QlFrSlNKU1U9IjoiT0siLCJKU1ZhYVhBbEpRPT0iOiI3MzA3MSIsIkpTVklUMDFGVUVoUFRrVWxKUT09IjoiNDA1NzAxMTMzNCIsIkpTVlBRME5WVUVGVVNVOU9KU1U9IjoiQ28tT3duZXIiLCJKU1ZGVFZCTVQxbEZVaVVsIjoiRVNDIExMQyJ9/">donated several times today to the Democrat Congressional Committee</a> to oust the lowlife Koch Bros Republicans from leadership of the House so the Country can be moved forward rather than be stuck on the wayback machine where women and minorities didn't have the right to vote. Please join me in giving whatever you can afford. <br />
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Years ago I was told my longtime Congressman in Ohio while I was in my teens that as a candidate you can get a few wealthy people to donate to your campaign and buy all the ads you want but if you want to make sure you win then asks everyone to donate even if they can only afford pennies as they have the same vote as a wealthy donor and people who contribute what they can no matter how small are going to go vote and vastly outnumber the wealthy donors. That was Cong McCullough from the 4th District of Ohio -- last of a breed of honest Congressmen who put their constituents first. <br />
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Now that district of farmers and small towns is represented by Speaker Boehner as a family member said wouldn't know a steer from a bull. My hometown is 90 miles from where Speaker Boehner resides and is part of a district in the western part of SW Ohio Republicans made sure did not cross into any major cities. Perfect example of gerrymandering and the person elected not understanding the district although I can point out a couple of local bars in my home town if he hasn't found them already.<br />
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Was going to write my Congressman Tom Cole and tell him what I thought about the vote to sue but I did that earlier on campaign financing and the reply back was garbage not answering my comments same with the Sen Inhofe's response. Now I am sending the link to this blog. The only response I received back on campaign financing that made sense came from Senator (Dr) Tom Coburn my other Senator who wants every donation online immediately no matter how much was donated and also called for term limits for Congress. I appreciated Dr. Tom's comments. He treats his constituents like we have brains even if we don't always agree with him. The other two -- Cole and Inhofe are arrogant with most of the replies coming from their staff.<br />
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Here are my comments to Congressman Cole that I decided to make public on the blog instead of wasting my time filling out his form and getting back a reply from an aide that made no sense to what I submitted. Instead I will send this link to my blog post to hid office:<br />
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Casting a vote to sue my President and yours too even if you won't admit he won twice, makes me roll up my sleeves and open my checkbook to Democrats from this day forward. </blockquote>
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You spineless Koch Bros Republican puppets of the wealthy and Tea Party have no backbone to stand up and tell the truth. </blockquote>
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Cannot wait to get a House that will move the Country forward not backward which means ousting Boehner from the Speaker and the GOP from the majority. The racist attitude of the GOP is the worst I have ever seen and beyond disgusting. </blockquote>
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You all made your bed, now you can lie in it. Women I know throughout this country, military, minorities, young people all want nothing to do with the Neanderthal thinking of today's GOP! </blockquote>
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Enjoy being the party of the biggest bunch of do nothings this Country has ever seen that have trouble with the truth but the internet catches all of you in your lies including on impeachment. Suing the President for a bill signed by President Bush has reached a new low even for Republicans </blockquote>
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Shame on all of you worthless Republicans in Congress and frankly in Oklahoma where oil/gas run the state and regular people are told to get lost. Going to catch up with the GOP even here before it is through. There will be a day when the hard right tells the rest of you to shove it because you didn't go far enough right and a lot of us are going to be laughing. </blockquote>
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Really dumb move!</blockquote>
The first link has a list of Republican incumbents and candidates calling for impeachment that flies in the face of Boehner/Rove lies while the second link shows how fast a Republican can change their mind on impeachment. Simply unbelievable Koch Bros GOP is this stupid even for a Party that has done stupid things in the past -- this one is one of the dumbest ever for a Republican Leadership Group who has a rating in single digits and have cost the American taxpayers millions with their votes to repeal ACA and obstruction on veterans jobs bills, job bills, infrastructure, and the list goes on. <br />
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From Politicususa: <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/07/29/republicans-deny-gunning-impeachment-roundup-impeachment-talk-speaks.html"><b>Crushing The GOP Lie: Here Is a List of Republican Incumbents Who Support Impeachment</b></a><b> </b>From Think Progress:<b> <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/home/2014/07/30/3465673/cnn-anchor-gets-house-republican-to-admit-that-house-could-impeach-obama/">House Republican Insists He’s Not Considering Impeaching Obama, Then Admits He Is, All In Less Than 60 Seconds</a></b></blockquote>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-37948882847885213152014-07-04T14:27:00.000-05:002014-07-04T14:27:44.274-05:00Happy 4th of July!<center>
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The words of the President are so true from our founding fathers that all men are created equal and it is imperative that we all keep that in mind. The color of a person's skin, their religious beliefs, their background of where they or their family came from should not matter -- what matters is that we are all Americans and time for racism to be sent packing once and for all from our political campaigns and government. If someone wants to be a racist, get out of politics and quit trying to tell the rest of us what to believe or what to do. </center>
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From the Thomas Jefferson Memorial:</center>
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On the panel of the northwest interior wall is an excerpt from "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Statute_for_Religious_Freedom"><span class="s1">A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1777</span></a>", except for the last sentence, which is taken from a letter of August 28, 1789, to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison"><span class="s1">James Madison</span></a>:</div>
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Almighty God hath created the mind free...All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion...<b>No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion.</b> I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.</center>
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Just maybe the SCOTUS needs a refresher course in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution since five of them seem to think that a business is a person and are taking the Court hard right into the land of religious right who have the common sense of a gnat. With ruling that a Corporation is a person it opens up all kinds of scenarios and a for-profit can be a religious organization opens up even more.<br />
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Does that now mean that there will be no more corporate tax breaks since they are people just like us? If businesses are people then we can start sueing them as they are no longer protected as they are now just an individual person -- no more limited liability companies? If a for-profit business is now a religious entity, then time to quit making religious organizations tax exempt. This SCOTUS is opening up Pandora's Box like no other to pay back the benefactors and forgot that SCOTUS is to rule on the law not overturn years of precedence and make new law in order to make the Court hard right. <br />
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On this 4th of July we all need to pledge to return common sense to Congress and the Supreme Court and reject this nonsense we are seeing out of SCOTUS to protect the wealthy just like the House Republicans. Hobby Lobby is not a Church or a religious organization -- it is a for profit company which the hard right on the SCOTUS cannot get through their heads. Monsanto and Koch Industries are not people no matter how many times SCOTUS says a corporation is a person -- it is not! People run corporations with board of directors but the corporation itself is not a living, breathing person. Koch's have gotten their money's worth with this SCOTUS since Scalia and Thomas attend their events and with Monsanto, Thomas used to be their attorney but none of them recuse themselves? Why not?<br />
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Now we are discovering that <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CGAQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2010%2F01%2F28%2Fleahy-slams-alito-for-und_n_440509.html&ei=Qee2U83xMsWQqgb614Ew&usg=AFQjCNFozU7W9hVTTGtGjd3VVC32emQloA&sig2=rzM3scMTl7zXCpVOVlC9Rg&bvm=bv.70138588,d.b2k">Justice Alito lied</a> during this hearings but so did Chief Justice Roberts. Worst part is that <a href="http://jonathanturley.org/2009/03/28/reid-says-chief-justice-roberts-lied-to-congress-in-confirmation-hearings/">Jonathan Turley nailed</a> the current Chief Justice for hiding (lying about) his hard right agenda but the Democrats led by Harry Reid wouldn't listen to the person most of us believe is the most honest commentator we have when it comes to the law. Majority Leader Reid refused to call people who would have stated how far hard right Roberts was preferring to keep his head buried in the sand. What a mess Bush 41 and 43 made of their Supreme Court picks to make the Court despised instead of respected. Like everything else Bush 43 touched, it is a mess.<br />
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We need to choose our candidates carefully because they hold the future of our Nation in their hands and right now we have a hard right SCOTUS making it up as they go and a hard right House GOP who are nothing but obstructions with a Speaker who now wants to sue the President for doing his job. You cannot make this stuff up.<br />
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If Democrats keep the Senate which I would bet they will, then Harry Reid needs replaced for a host of reasons starting with confirming Supreme Court Justices of Bush 43 without having real hearings and that beyond ridiculous filibuster that requires 60 votes to pass almost anything. Reid let the American people down and time for him to step aside and let someone who has a backbone run the Senate because he seems to have a hard time finding his. Wrong person for Democrats to have in charge of the Senate. My question is does Harry Reid listen to the Mormon Church or fellow Democrats and American people because if he listed to us, he wouldn't have cut a deal with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on the filibuster where McConnell won. <br />
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It is the 4th of July and if you do only one thing this year for the Country, vote out the hard right who are supported by the Koch Brothers. The Koch Bros "My Way or No Way" people in charge of the GOP across the Country want a Christian Nation where we have to worship at their churches and other religions are not recognized not to mention only white males should vote or be elected to office. They have said it enough times I believe them.<br />
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<a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/02/27/true-believers-continue-fight-america-christian-nation.html">Many Americans fail to realize</a> that true believers, particularly religious true believers, are convinced it is their mandate from god to transform America into a religious state with forced compliance to biblical edicts. There is a strongly-held belief among evangelicals, and Republicans perpetuate the idea, that there is a war on Christianity because the religious right is prohibited by the Constitution from imposing their beliefs on the people. Americans must understand that until there is rigorous response to the religious right’s war on the Constitution, their relentless attacks will continue including passing legislation teaching creationism as science, legalizing discrimination against gays, and mandating public school teachers force Christian prayers on our children.</blockquote>
Time to end this nonsense in November with voting out the hard right all across America. Our Nation and its people deserve better representation than what they are getting as more than 2% of the Nation do matter -- every citizen matters but the wealthy donors should not be allowed to try to buy elections. Time to show the Koch's and others they may have over $200M to spend, but we have the voters! <br />
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Happy 4th of July - pledge to turn this Nation back to We the People -- all the People not just white males!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-47150350589188426722014-06-24T18:21:00.000-05:002014-06-24T18:21:29.069-05:00Primary Election Day in Oklahoma - My Last Time to Vote as a RepublicanMy form to re-register as a Democrat from being a Republican since I first voted is sitting here on my desk all filled out and ready to file. I wanted to do it in person not by mail because I want to make sure that my new registration says Democrat and it doesn't get lost. BTW, my youngest daughter hasn't lived in this precinct in years after leaving in Jan 2008 but the GOP still has her on the voting roles. <br />
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As I voted today, was asked after showing my driver's license if I was a Republican or Democrat and said "Republican for the last time as I have had it with Republicans" -- you could have heard a pin drop but the lady in the middle was grinning from ear to ear and handed me my 'I voted' sticker before I voted.<br />
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There was one main reason I stayed a Republican until after this primary today -- wanted to vote against current State School Superintendent Janet Barrisi who wins the worst State School Superintendence along with most arrogant I have seen in the six states we have lived. Her claim to fame to be State School Superintendent was sitting on the Board of Education of a Charter school plus she is a dentist. She refused almost from day one anyone's suggestion to how on make education better in Oklahoma preferring to blame the Superintendents, Principals and Teachers. Never stood up for teacher pay raises until she was up for reelection this year and then it was only $2,000 a year which still ranks Oklahoma 49th in teacher pay. Oklahoma is #1 on cuts to education since 2008 and adding back money this session only gets us to 2009 funding levels. IMO the Republicans only did that because this is an election year as well. Some consultant was working overtime.<br />
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Barrisi's commercials on ESPN with lies have sent me through the roof along with her attacks on another opponent are beyond pale and no one who condones those nasty, unethical attack ads I have been getting in my mail is going to get my vote. All these years I have never seen anything like the Barrisi attack ads and lies out of a candidate for State School Superintendent who I took great pleasure in voting against. I voted for the person she has been attacking, former state Education Board member Joy Hofmeister, who Barrisi has relentlessly being going after. I just want Barrisi off the stage so I never have to see her or look at her again in an ad during a baseball game or any other time.<br />
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The ads running on TV from Republicans in Oklahoma are some of the most dishonest I have seen and hit the mute every time. I personally don't like any ads on ESPN but these GOP ads are beyond the norm with lies. If I hear one more Oklahoma elected official talk about repealing Obamacare, I am going to throw something at the TV. Does Lucas and the rest of the Oklahoma delegation think Oklahomans are that stupid to not to understand our State is shortchanging its citizens by millions of dollars by not taking the exchanges or even given a thought how it is hurting mental health and clinics around the state? How about Frank Lucas heads the Agriculture Committee who made the drastic cuts the SNAP Program for food benefits including young airman. Seems like all Republicans today care about is grandstanding and making the hard right GOP base believe they can repeal Obamacare after 50 times. Don't you think the base should get a clue?<br />
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Looking back on what started the downhill progressional of the GOP in my eyes has to start with putting Sarah Palin on the ticket with John McCain. I had supported Rudy as part of several groups and went to McCain when he asked but I didn't bargain for Palin who could see Russia from her front porch and only wanted to answer puffball questions. If you want my biggest objection was as a Mother putting her pregnant daughter through being on primetime TV at the GOP Convention. Still haven't recovered from that and it showed me that women in the GOP like Palin will do anything it takes to get noticed and get ahead. Once it started dripping, I began to doubt Republicans but not enough to jettison them in 2010 when they elected some of the worst Governors I have ever seen including right here in Oklahoma. I have a hard time fathoming at times what she is saying but one thing is for sure Governor Fallin and most of the GOP in Legislature are part of ALEC and do their bidding as we saw this last session. Our whole Oklahoma Congressional delegation is part of ALEC BTW.<br />
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After Republicans took over Congress and the State Houses/Legislatures in 2010, it has been downhill since and left a lot of us questioning just when this all started on a trek of the GOP to the hard right and are left with the Reagan people who encouraged the religious right to get involved in politics and now they are beginning to run states with money from the Koch Brothers and advice and money from Karl Rove. The 2+2 begins to add up. Have had people tell me recently that they believe the Reagan people took out Gerald Ford when he ran against Carter as he was too moderate and I sat here, thought about it, and it does make sense.<br />
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After 2010, I became really irritated with my support of the GOP all these years when I should have taken the blinders off earlier. Since joining Republicans for Obama in 2012 and supporting Democratic candidates instead of Republicans I no get in dust ups on the Internet with fellow Republicans and their stances I vehemently disagree with and have for years. Their version of right to carry goes way past the 2nd amendment IMHO and is on the verge of crazy.<br />
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Then we have Governors like <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CE8QFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcrooksandliars.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fbobby-jindahl-promotes-hostile-takeover&ei=iQCqU7qCNdSTqAbuuYHgBw&usg=AFQjCNGLlLRznmMyybGMspdKKgH_7BDbCg&sig2=NC1xbKfDZFpkrpbKq4dYiQ&bvm=bv.69620078,d.b2k">Republican Bobby Jindal</a> of LA saying that there touting a hostile takeover of Washington DC with an armed revolution as he whipped the audience into a frenzy. <br />
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From Crooks and Liars:<br />
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On Saturday night, Governor Bobby Jindal egged on religious militia freaks when he made crazed remarks about a coming revolution to our nation's capitol because of a "silent war" on religion. There's no denying that he consciously tried to whip up more anger and resentment from far right--violent fringe groups when he made these comments <span class="s1"><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/jindal-says-rebellion-brewing-against-washington-030823632--election.html">at Ralph Reed's faux religious Faith and Freedom Coalition conference.</a></span> </blockquote>
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<a href="https://news.yahoo.com/jindal-says-rebellion-brewing-against-washington-030823632--election.html"><span class="s1"></span></a><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Saturday night accused President Barack Obama and other Democrats of waging wars against religious liberty and education and said that a rebellion is brewing in the U.S. with people ready for "a hostile takeover" of the nation's capital.</i></b> </blockquote>
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<b><i></i></b><i>Jindal spoke at the annual conference hosted by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a group led by longtime Christian activist Ralph Reed. Organizers said more than 1,000 evangelical leaders attended the three-day gathering. Republican officials across the political spectrum concede that evangelical voters continue to play a critical role in GOP politics.</i> </blockquote>
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<i></i><b><i>"I can sense right now a rebellion brewing amongst these United States," Jindal said, "where people are ready for a hostile takeover of Washington, D.C., to preserve the American Dream for our children and grandchildren."</i></b> </blockquote>
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<b><i></i></b><i>The governor said there was a "silent war" on religious liberty being fought in the U.S. — a country that he said was built on that liberty.</i> </blockquote>
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<i></i><i>"I am tired of the left. They say they're for tolerance, they say they respect diversity. The reality is this: They respect everybody unless you happen to disagree with them," he said. "The left is trying to silence us and I'm tired of it, I won't take it anymore."</i></blockquote>
This is truly nutty stuff coming out of Louisiana's governor. </blockquote>
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Read More at <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CE8QFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcrooksandliars.com%2F2014%2F06%2Fbobby-jindahl-promotes-hostile-takeover&ei=iQCqU7qCNdSTqAbuuYHgBw&usg=AFQjCNGLlLRznmMyybGMspdKKgH_7BDbCg&sig2=NC1xbKfDZFpkrpbKq4dYiQ&bvm=bv.69620078,d.b2k">Crooks and Liars</a></blockquote>
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This country was not founded on religion but on religious freedom to worship or not worship how we want. No amount of rewriting history is going to change that fact. The more the hard right GOP pushes theocracy, the more they are going to see blowback coming it at them IMHO. I am sick and tired of the 'my way or no way' trying to tell the rest of us how to live and making laws because that is their religion. Last OK GOP State Convention I attended there was a plank in the platform to demand all public school teachers teach the Bible and I went off on that and other issues and got told if I didn't like it to leave the Republican Party.<br />
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To all of you who have said leave, I am going to be glad to oblige and will oppose all of you at every turn from the Democratic side of the House who believe in helping people not donors.<br />
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My first endorsement is Democrat Joe Dorman for Oklahoma Governor who will be there for all Oklahomans not just ALEC, oil, and gas and wealthy donors like the current Governor Mary Fallin.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-72070308111617628312014-06-18T13:09:00.000-05:002014-06-18T13:18:42.389-05:00Defense Budget Proposal for FY15 Already Meeting Resistance from Obstructionist GOP in CongressWill be taking some time off this summer from the blog to get ready to concentrate on elections this fall when the American people have a chance to oust a lot of Tea Party and hard right from the Congress, statewide offices, and legislatures across the Country. Time to return the Country back to having office holders with common sense as you will there is none in the second article posted today out of two of Oklahoma's Congressional delegation. First article is from the Secretary of Defense and talks about the budget of the Defense Department. Finally a Secretary of Defense attempting to bring sanity to the Defense budget which is a rare happening. From Jan 2001 - Jan 2009, the Defense Department under Bush-Cheney spent money on defense that was way beyond common sense.<br />
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Two fighters in production with numerous flaws were pushed by the GOP with the F-35 put into production before flight testing was complete and has cost mega bucks to fix the fleet when they find the problems during flight test. It was abject stupidity. Then there was Sen McCain's hold put on getting a new Tanker fleet for almost ten years when the planes should have been replaced years ago. Finally last year Boeing was given a contract for new production of new Tankers which was much more costly than if they had been replaced years ago. The old tankers have been an accident waiting to happen but thanks to Tinker Depot Maintenance, they have been kept flying accident free. McCain wanted a smaller tanker at one time which would never work to refuel the wide bodied planes. <br />
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Then there was AWACS which had not had a major upgrade in years and had actually fallen behind the European AWACS who had the upgrades. The amount of money Bush-Cheney and the GOP spent on new weapons systems should be a crime. The F-16 didn't need replaced by a plane that is not as maneuverable and with a stealth coating that will increase maintenance cost. Finally someone after Pres Obama was elected decided the F-16 was the best fighter we had and was going nowhere. Congress after much pressure finally capped the number of F-22's at a much lower number than the GOP wanted to save money.<br />
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Today we have a Secretary of Defense with a budget which is the beginning of common sense from DoD, but chances of getting it passed through the Obstructionist Republican House are slim to none:<br />
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<span class="s1"><b><a href="http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTQwNjE4LjMzMTk4NzYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE0MDYxOC4zMzE5ODc2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2ODUxMTQ4JmVtYWlsaWQ9c2tjYWxpZW5kb0BpY2xvdWQuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1za2NhbGllbmRvQGljbG91ZC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&100&&&http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=122497&source=GovDelivery">Hagel: Proposed Defense Budget Tailored to Meet Future Threats</a></b></span> </blockquote>
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<i>06/18/2014 11:31 AM CDT </i></blockquote>
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By Nick Simeone<br />
American Forces Press Service </blockquote>
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WASHINGTON, June 18, 2014 - After more than a decade of large, land-based operations driven by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the proposed Defense Department budget for the coming fiscal year focuses on new and emerging threats, including those in cyberspace, with the department proposing significant reductions in the size of the Army and Marines, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told a Senate panel today. </blockquote>
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"After 13 years of long, large stability operations, we must shift our focus onto future requirements shaped by enduring and emerging threats," Hagel told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, largely recapitulating the main points contained in the proposed Pentagon budget first unveiled in February. </blockquote>
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"We must be able to defeat terrorist threats and cyberattacks and deter adversaries with increasingly modern weapons and technological capabilities," Hagel added. </blockquote>
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Even so, Hagel said, the department is taking a $75 billion hit in its budget this year and next, and he warned lawmakers "we cannot keep our current force structure adequately ready and modernized" under the strict budget limits being imposed on the department. And unless Congress changes the law to prevent another budget sequester, he added, another $50 billion will come out of the department's budget every year through 2021. </blockquote>
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This, he said, could occur at a time when America's and the world's and security are increasingly being challenged. </blockquote>
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"Recent crises in Iraq and Ukraine remind us how quickly things can change in the world and they underscore why we must assure the readiness, agility and capability of our military," the secretary told the senators. </blockquote>
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Even so, as outlined in the president's budget request sent to Congress earlier this year, Hagel said the department still proposes drawing down the active duty Army by 13 percent over the next five years to as low 440,000 soldiers, which he said he believes is still adequate to defend the nation and respond to future threats. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Marine Corps, he said, will continue its planned drawdown to 182,000 members while devoting an additional 900 Marines to stepping up security at U.S. embassies around the world.<br />
The Navy will have 11 carrier strike groups, but 11 cruisers will be set aside for modernization and retrofitting, while the Air Force will see the 50-year-old U-2 surveillance plane replaced by the unmanned Global Hawk aircraft, as well as an end to the aging A-10 attack aircraft. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Compensation for those in uniform is being adjusted, Hagel said, with the department slowing the growth in pay increases, while subsidies for off-base housing will be reduced as well. Co-pays for retirees and family members under the TRICARE health care plan will face modest increases, but health care for active duty personnel will remain free, the secretary told the panel, adding that the adjustments are tied to resourcing readiness. </blockquote>
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"Under our plan, 100 percent of the savings from compensation reform will go toward ensuring that our troops have the training and tools they need to accomplish their missions," he said. </blockquote>
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But Hagel warned that if Congress does not provide the department the money it needs, "it will jeopardize the readiness and capability of our armed forces and shortchange America's ability to effectively and decisively respond when global events demand it." </blockquote>
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Today's hearing comes midway through a congressional calendar that is not likely to see final action on a Pentagon budget for months. </blockquote>
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(Follow Nick Simeone on Twitter: @simeoneAFPS)</blockquote>
Last night while checking weather at The Oklahoman, I came across an article on AWACS and pretty much went ballistic because two members of the OK Congressional delegation Cong Tom Cole and Senator Jim Inhofe are opposed to the Air Force's plan to deactivate a Reserve Squadron of AWACS. Right now seven of the AWACS are flown by the Reserve Squadron and those crews would go away to leave 20 active duty AWACS with active duty crews flying them. <br />
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When B-52's drew down, they had planes that they would put into rotation but drew down the number of crews and rotating planes without crews into the rotation which allowed for major overhaul of the B-52 fleet. When the Air Force went out with solicitations for upgrade proposal submittals, they included a larger number of planes then they were actively flying. It sounds like what they are going to do with AWACS. This would allow AWACS to rotate their planes into depot maintenance for major work and upgrades to lengthen the life of the plane. Makes perfect sense but not to Cole and Inhofe who are worried Tinker will lose some people -- where were they when we lost units to Texas during the BRAC from Will Rogers or demanding that AWACS be upgraded years ago when European AWACS had more upgrades than US AWACS -- like crickets chirping. <br />
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From the <a href="http://newsok.com/white-house-opposes-coles-rescue-of-awacs-planes/article/4926230">Oklahoman</a> on 17 June:<br />
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WASHINGTON — The White House came out strongly on Tuesday against the defense spending bill set to be considered by the full U.S. House this week and specifically cited a provision that would protect AWACS planes stationed at Tinker Air Force Base. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A statement from the White House budget office says a section of the spending bill authored by Rep. Tom Cole "would prevent the Air Force from using funds to divest or to disestablish any units of the active or reserve component associated with E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft. </blockquote>
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"This provision would force the Air Force to take funding from higher priority defense needs in order to operate, sustain, and maintain aircraft that are not needed and are unaffordable in today's constrained fiscal environment." </blockquote>
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The Air Force had proposed cutting seven of the 27 AWACS planes at Tinker. And, under the proposal, a Reserve unit at Tinker would no longer be allowed to fly any of the remaining planes.<br />
Cole, R-Moore, whose district includes Tinker, added a provision to the defense spending bill that would provide $34.6 million for AWACS operations and maintenance, $24.9 million for personnel and $31 million for parts and modifications. </blockquote>
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Cole is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and influential on the subcommittee for defense spending. </blockquote>
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U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, R-Tulsa, a former Navy pilot who has also fought the Air Force proposal, recently called AWACS “the only airborne asset capable of performing command and control and battle space management. ... If you take it out, we can’t fight, and we can’t win.” </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sen. Jim Inhofe, of Tulsa, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has added language to the Senate defense authorization bill to protect all of Tinker's AWACS. That bill is separate from the spending legislation that must follow. </blockquote>
We don't need 27 AWACS with crews when our allies also fly AWACS -- we are not fighting two wars, we do not have a no fly zone like we did in Iraq and there is absolutely no need today for 27 with full crews as 20 AWACS will work just fine. Are people going to believe politicians like Cole/Inhofe/Bridenstine or the people whose job it is to keep our Armed Forces armed and ready to protect this Country. I just wanted to scream at the three that we don't fly the only AWACS in the world in case they missed that part. It is always about politics with the Oklahoma Republican delegation not about what is best for America or the Department of Defense. <br />
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Same delegation that voted against Hurricane Sandy relief except for Cole and Lucas -- same delegation that voted against the veterans jobs bill and the list goes on but now they are in full attack mode to keep seven AWACS with Reservist and cost other programs in the Defense Department. Forgot Cong Lucas from OK chaired the Ag Committee that cut food stamps including for active military while keeping subsidies for big farmers.<br />
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If only the people in this state would wake up to the millions left on the table by Republicans by turning down the ACA exchanges and defeating common core, not to mention loopholes and tax breaks for wealthy, big business and oil and gas, Oklahoma would be in better shape. It is hard to figure out what these people support as they are so negative and selfish if it doesn't benefit them politically.<br />
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Wouldn't give you two cents for the whole delegation when I used to support some of them but they actually had common sense back then and were not part of the obstruction we are seeing out of the GOP in Congress today.<br />
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We were at Wright-Patterson AFB when the decision was made after studying various options to assign the new AWACS to Tinker AFB in the 70's as they had the room and ability to do the security upgrades required. In the early 90's they were joined by the Navy E-6's from Hawaii as they share the same platform and made depot maintenance easier as the Navy was a little bit slow with maintenance of wide bodied aircraft (told to me by a former Commander of the E-6's). After 9-11, we saw the European AWACS arrive here so our AWACS could be flying all the missions necessary for the US overseas. That right there shows the cooperation with our allies in making sure we all stay safe. <br />
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My more than two cents. I think Chuck Hagel is doing an outstanding job as Secretary of Defense against all odds with the obstruction by Republicans in the House and Senate who are more concerned about Benghazi then they are our active duty military and our veterans. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-17015350791459906812014-06-06T19:01:00.001-05:002014-06-06T19:01:18.738-05:00President Obama at Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 2014<center>
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Today we honor those brave troops who took to the beaches of Normandy to begin reclaiming the land and countries that the German Nazi's under Hitler had taken. General Dwight D. Eisenhower gave the go order and the beginning of freedom for the French began and spread to other countries.</center>
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God Bless the men and women who serve and have served. A special thank you to all who fought to free Europe from the tyranny of Hitler and bring freedom back to Western Europe.</center>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-60429863050756493462014-06-03T15:57:00.000-05:002014-06-03T15:57:44.195-05:00Taking Some Time Off but Wanted to Link to this Excellent Article About the Return of our POW<div class="tr_bq">
This is one of the best articles I have read about the POW that has been exchanged for five terrorists sent to Qatar who worked on the exchange. We don't leave American soldiers behind and as this article points out the people making all the comments from the right don't have a clue anymore then most people what happened. </div>
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If Bergdahl is guilty of desertion, he will be subject to the Code of Military Justice but what if he is not and these lunatics went over the edge against President Obama because he is black -- face facts that is the reason for a lot of the hatred coming from Congress which some now admit. One person on a site said Obama should advocate 'breathing' so the hard right would stop 'breathing' and pass out. Pretty well sums it up.</div>
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This is an excellent article about how far the right has gone in their hatred of President Obama. A Bush Administration official said that Pres Bush would have done the same thing and in fact, they released hundreds of prisoners. What does Cheney have to say about that? Condemns Pres Obama for releasing five prisoners as we don't negotiate with terrorists which is Bravo Sierra as there have been many instances including get our embassy people back from Iran. </div>
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The worst one to comment is Sen McCain who came back to this Country as a POW when they were released due to negotiations in Paris by Secretary of State Kissinger at the time, met by his father and whisked away. Then Lt McCain did not go through normal debriefing and has been under a cloud of suspicion for years about what he told the Viet Cong or the fact he was involved in multiple crashes of Navy planes or that he finished near the bottom of his graduating class at the Naval Academy and shouldn't have been in pilot training. How dare he even make a comment except to say we don't leave our soldiers behind.</div>
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For years groups have been combing the jungles of Vietnam looking for any signs that someone who was MIA is found so they can return their remains to their families. They have followed every lead trying to find the remains of our soldiers left behind. Many pilots who have flown the remains back to the States for identification talk about how heart wrenching it is but at the same time they are bringing our soldiers home which is a priority.<br />
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Read this article by retired US Navy Chief Warrant Officer Jim Wright and ask yourself which category you fall in -- do you condemn a soldier without the facts and say we shouldn't bring him home or do you believe we bring him home as he is still one of ours and find out what happened? What I have witnessed from the right is beyond pale as they have sunk to a new low on Bergdahl. <br />
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<b>Negotiating with Terrorists</b><br />
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Excerpt:<br />
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I get that they are so utterly terrified of the world that they piss themselves in abject fear at the mere thought of going to the grocery store without a goddamned gun stuck in their pants like an extra oversized prick. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than anything, I get that they are afraid of Barack Obama, everything about him, <i>every</i> single thing about the president terrifies them. Obama stalks their feverish nightmares and he is the very symbol of their shameful impotence – so much so that they’ve written him into their precious bible, in a starring role as the devil, the destroyer of worlds.</blockquote>
Please read his full article at <a href="http://www.stonekettle.com/2014/06/negotiating-with-terrorists.html">http://www.stonekettle.com/2014/06/negotiating-with-terrorists.html</a><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-76118529417196043182014-05-27T11:55:00.003-05:002014-05-27T11:55:59.303-05:00MSNBC's Joe Scarborough's Lame Apology to Unite Blue <div class="tr_bq">
<b><i>Not Accepted Joe by this Republican Longtime Unite Blue Member who Supports Democrats in 2014. The fringe is in the Republican Party not Unite Blue!</i></b><br />
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Will someone explain to me why Joe Scarborough brought up the union movement and then Unite Blue as there is no correlation between the two? Many of us in Unite Blue are current Republicans supporting Democrats in 2014 as GOP went too hard right embracing the hard right ideology, former Republicans especially women and veterans who have had it with the hard right attacks on both, independents, and Democrats who the GOP counts hard left but most I have met are not hard left yet we're all counted fringe by Joe Scarborough? Who is feeding him that garbage about Unite Blue? <br />
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We come from all walks of life -- met a lot of former Republicans and also Republicans supporting Democrats, military, veterans, consultants, writers, senior citizens, young people, middle age, doctors, lawyers, and the list goes on and on as Unite Blue is a cross-section of America. We come from all states including Red States who are joined together to try and bring some common sense back to Government because the GOP today has so little common sense it is hard to find. Want stupid comments? Look no further than the GOP and their candidates. <br />
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Former Congressman Scarborough's comments make zero sense to me and if this is an apology, I am missing something. Scarborough talks about hateful remarks from Unite Blue people or unions but what about the hateful remarks about veterans, women, LBGT, poor and the list goes on from the right. When is the last time he went after the hard right for their nasty remarks? Got news for Joe, the hard right was going after him long time before Unite Blue even came on the radar. Did he say anything then?<br />
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This morning(Tuesday) Joe Scarborough attempted to explain his recent demeaning comments that offended so many passionate UniteBlue members.</div>
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"I brought it up on Friday... I brought up UniteBlue, and I could find people in UniteBlue who said some terrible things about me over the past two, three, four years, but <span style="color: red;"><b>that doesn't mean there aren't great people in the union movement, that doesn't mean there aren't great vets and great people in UniteBlue</b></span>... Don't we at some point realize that there are some people who will try to associate them self [sic] with a bigger group and say hateful things that shouldn't be associated with the labor movement or UniteBlue?"</blockquote>
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Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe, 5/27/2014.<br />
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From Unite Blue: </div>
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While this was not the full-throated apology that thousands requested, this display of respect is a promising first step, and we will continue to call Joe Scarborough out when his commentary devolves into divisive and disparaging attacks. </blockquote>
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From Unite Blue: This morning (Monday) UniteBlue delivered the following letter to MSNBC's president Phil Griffin and 15 executives directly responsible for Morning Joe. After giving them time to respond, we are releasing our request as an open letter:<br />
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Mr. Phil Griffin<br />
President, MSNBC<br />
30 Rockefeller Plaza<br />
New York, NY</blockquote>
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May 26, 2014 </blockquote>
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Dear Mr. Griffin: </blockquote>
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Last Friday May 23, Joe Scarborough insulted thousands of honest, hardworking Americans who choose to organize under the banner of #UniteBlue, falsely alleging on MSNBC's Morning Joe show that "these people are on the fringes; they're freaks; they're hate mongers." </blockquote>
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Mr. Scarborough owes an apology to the mothers, fathers, retirees, veterans, soldiers, activists, professionals and all members of UniteBlue. Calling tens of thousands of good, decent people 'freaks' is a sweeping condemnation and makes him a hate monger. </blockquote>
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Half a million Tweets use #UniteBlue each month, more than #GOP or #TeaParty. Many of us are MSNBC viewers who were personally offended by these demeaning words and petty attacks. In response to the unprecedented outrage that resulted, Mr. Scarborough decided to double down instead of apologizing. This time he called each of us 'extremists,' and it's really deeply offensive. Your entire network is being poisoned thanks to this behavior. </blockquote>
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At this time, we are considering a number of petitions that have arisen calling for boycotts of Morning Joe and its sponsors. We have stood firmly against the promotion of hatred on the airwaves from others such as Rush Limbaugh, and cannot find any attempt on behalf of Joe Scarborough to move the political conversation forward meaningfully. </blockquote>
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We respectfully request that Mr. Scarborough personally and publicly apologize for his comments on air and offer the opportunity for a UniteBlue representative to explain who we are; real people who want a voice in our democracy.</blockquote>
That apology that links unions and Unite Blue together is not good enough for me. I am not fringe and neither are the people I have met from Unite Blue. In fact I left the fringe which has become the Republican Party of today. The Republican Party I grew up with wouldn't have mounted a war against women over contraceptives. Today's GOP disapproves of contraceptives and abortions but Viagara and pills like that are just fine for men. Blame the rape victim when a woman gets raped and deny a morning after pill or an abortion as it was the woman's fault -- heard that a lot out of the hard right in Oklahoma and now nationwide. How about domestic violence against spouses? Simple explanation it's the woman's fault for not doing what her husband wants in their small minds. <br />
<br />
Today's GOP attacks veterans refusing to pass the Veterans Job Bill while cutting the VA budget but expects veterans to line up to support them? Not happening. Cong Ryan's draconian budget cuts decimate social security and Medicare treating both like an entitlement when workers pay into social security and Medicare. The list goes on and on of the hard right attacks on regular Americans including the school lunch program where they only want the summer lunch program in rural areas not cities.<br />
<br />
Yet, the the same GOP in Congress and in States will bend over backwards for the wealthy. They treat the poor like it is their fault they are poor. How would the GOP and Scarborough like to work two jobs and still be below the poverty level with children they have a hard time feeding and keeping a roof over their heads because the minimum wage is so low yet Republicans in Congress refuse to raise the minimum wage. GOP continues to give subsidies to farmers while cutting the SNAP program that feeds veterans, the poor, and children.<br />
<br />
Then there is Oklahoma where the State Legislature passed and Governor signed into law that our cities are not allowed to have a higher minimum wage or give more sick and leave days. That's Republican State Government at work while on the flip side their just gave another tax break to oil and gas when three of them -- Devon, Chesapeake, and Howard Hamm threw a hissy fit threatening to leave the state if they didn't get a 5% tax cut for three years on vertical drilling and agreeing to raise horizontal from 1% to 2% when it was to go back to 7% in 2015. Once again Oklahoma residents got the shaft from the Republican dominated Government in favor of big oil because that is what the Chamber and ALEC wanted.<br />
<br />
Mr. Scarborough I appreciate what your office did in 2000 to help us with the overseas military ballots that were tossed in Florida to get the information on who the military were -- then I went to the military locator thanks to a very good friend to find their location so they knew their ballots were tossed by county election officials like in Hillsborough County. <br />
<br />
Today you have defamed me along with others who just want the best for all Americans not just the wealthy which separates us from today's Republican Party who are bought and paid for by the wealthy donors starting with the Koch's and Adelson plus the Karl Rove PACs including a dark money one who no one knows the donors. Do you think it is right for people to keep their donating anonymous so no one knows where the money being spent in campaigns is from or that businesses are people? Defense Industry has had PACs for years for their workers so the Citizens United ruling makes no sense even today. Why should the wealthy be able to give millions to buy elections because that is what the Koch's, Rove, and Adelson are doing?<br />
<br />
Mr. Scarborough you have insulted our intelligence and that lame apology is a joke! Think about who the extremists are today and you are going to find them in your own party. If you cannot see it, take off the blinders!<br />
<br />
<b>Note:</b> Will be switching my registration to Democrat following the Oklahoma Primary -- want one last chance to vote against some Republicans running in the primary like State School Superintendent Janet Barrisi and Senator Jim Inhofe.<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-49760244556504982152014-05-26T11:30:00.000-05:002014-05-27T10:30:18.370-05:00Memorial Day 2014<div style="text-align: center;">
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This year, 2014, marks the last year we will have combat troops in a war zone in Afghanistan as our troops will be home by the end of the year and the 13-year long war will be over. Please take a moment today to say a prayer for those who sacrificed it all over the years for all of us to be free. </div>
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<b>WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- </b>Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III send the following Memorial Day message to the Airmen of the U.S. Air Force and their families:</div>
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On May 30, 1868, the first official Memorial Day observance was held at Arlington National Cemetery to honor and to decorate the graves of those who died during the Civil War. Today, Memorial Day serves as an opportunity to pause and remember the sacrifices of more than one million Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who gave their lives to secure our freedoms.</div>
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As we remember our fallen, captured, or missing service men and women, we also express our gratitude to those who are currently defending our Nation. Among our all-volunteer force serving today, more than 75 percent of our Airmen joined the Air Force after 9/11 and have never known a peacetime military. The men and women who answered the call by saying, "Send me," exemplify the core value of Service Before Self.</div>
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In addition to recognizing the service of our Airmen and fellow service members, we pay tribute to the families of the fallen, as well as to our wounded warriors and their families. For these families -- the husbands and wives, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers -- every day is Memorial Day. To the loved ones of our fallen, captured, or missing service men and women, we owe a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.</div>
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On this day of remembrance, as we honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion serving our nation, we affirm our commitment to military family survivors, as well as to our wounded warriors and their families. To all of our Airmen, serving at home or abroad, please know that your sacrifices do not go unnoticed. We are grateful for your service and are privileged to stand with you, by you, and for you.</div>
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This is a day we honor our men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We must never forget their sacrifice or those of their family and friends. Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist sums it up in his email message today:</div>
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<b>Thank You was Never Enough</b> </div>
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Sharon --</div>
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The single hardest moments serving as Governor were when I met with the families of our Florida brothers and sisters who were killed in service of our country.</div>
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Every single one of them volunteered for duty. Many were the families of National Guardsmen, who by day were teachers, cops, bankers, and other members of our community -- and by night, they did heroic things to defend the freedoms we all enjoy. They all believed that defending an ideal was more important than their own lives. </div>
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They are heroes to all of us, including their families. But they are also parents, siblings, children, friends, and neighbors. A grateful nation can never fill the void they left behind. </div>
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I never knew the right words to say to those families. "Thank you" could never fully express both the sorrow and gratitude for their sacrifice.</div>
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Everything we do is because of those who gave their lives to our country. </div>
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So on this Memorial Day, let's all try to commit ourselves to honor their sacrifice a little more -- not just today, but everyday. Thank a soldier in an airport. Greet the woman wearing the "Proud Army Mom" t-shirt. Buy an extra baked good at the local VFW. </div>
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Treat each other with a little more respect. </div>
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And most importantly, be grateful and forever humbled by those who love their country so much that they would die for all of us.</div>
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God bless their memories, </div>
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Charlie </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-3016526920060096362014-05-25T12:11:00.000-05:002014-05-26T10:38:03.009-05:00Thank You President Obama!<center>
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<b>BREAKING NEWS</b><br />
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Sunday, May 25, 2014 12:30 PM EDT
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<br />
<b><a href="http://p.nytimes.com/email/re?location=4z5Q7LhI+KVBjmEgFdYACPLKh239P3pgdBE5O4idrYhYGOjzon3/BhvsSNQ/yTwqLtdQYuYbnuN85cay4Fgxs0DZetdsAYadKH7pilVGwlz7XJjO7t0/ZTrSWQXFk09G&campaign_id=132&instance_id=41905&segment_id=60114&user_id=676f11e9ddea7aaa5368920092ecb443&regi_id=52381520">Obama Makes Surprise Visit to U.S. Troops in Afghanistan </a></b><br />
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President Obama made a surprise trip to Afghanistan on Sunday to visit American troops there, landing at Bagram Airfield outside the capital, Kabul, for the first time since a visit in 2012 when he signed a strategic partnership agreement with the government there to bring the war to an end.<br />
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The trip was unannounced, and Mr. Obama slipped out of the White House secretly on Saturday evening in advance of what White House officials said would be a Memorial Day rally with the troops.<br />
Officials said the president is also expected to get an on-site briefing from his military commanders and visit wounded service members.<br />
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Officials said that Mr. Obama will rally with some of the 32,000 service members who are currently in Afghanistan, many of whom are due to return home at year’s end when the 13-year war is officially brought to an end.<br />
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Brad Paisley, a country music singer, traveled on Air Force One with Mr. Obama to Afghanistan and will perform at the rally on Monday. The president is expected to use the appearance there to offer thanks to the members of the military, but is not expected to make any major policy announcements.<br />
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Instead, Mr. Obama is expected to wait until he returns to the United States to offer his latest foreign policy and national security vision, during a speech that he is scheduled to give at the West Point graduation on Wednesday.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-50137273971514907192014-05-19T12:42:00.000-05:002014-05-19T12:46:06.457-05:00Armed Forces Day 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USAF Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS</td></tr>
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Saturday was Armed Forces Day honoring the the men and women who are serving, veterans, and their families. The reason I chose the picture of the Air Force AWACS is that we live about 20 miles from Tinker AFB, home of AWACS which was located at Tinker when I was still working for the Air Force. They had to increase security at Tinker in order for AWACS to makes its home here. Never thought then, we would be living just miles south of Tinker someday.</div>
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Almost every time I am out driving and come down Robinson, I look in the sky and see an AWACS headed in for landing or sitting here at my desk, I hear them take off. We have a replica of AWACS sitting in our home from Boeing as thanks to the work my husband did on AWACS. One of the few gifts you are allowed to receive as they make sure the amount stays under a certain sum. He was involved in surveillance aircraft for years but this is by far his favorite plane. </div>
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It is humbling to be around the military for all these years and realize the sacrifices they have given to keep this Country free. May not always agree with the political decisions that are made but I will support the men and women who serve and have served to the fullest. Our veterans deserve more than the rhetoric they are receiving -- they deserve a jobs bill to be passed and a VA Hospital system then can count on to give them the best care possible. Right now they have neither. We have to do better and work together to get it done. When it comes to veterans, compromise is not a dirty word which some Republicans members of Congress seem to believe today. <br />
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This message from Secretary of Defense Hagel Friday speaks for so many of us who support our troops and our veterans. If you get a chance, tell a member of the military or a veteran "Thank You" as it makes their day!</div>
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<b>Hagel Issues Armed Forces Day Message</b> </blockquote>
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American Forces Press Service </blockquote>
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WASHINGTON, May 16, 2014 - Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has issued the following message to service members, veterans and their families to mark the occasion: </blockquote>
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For the past 65 years, America has taken the opportunity each May to celebrate Armed Forces Day - a day when our nation expresses its deep and abiding gratitude for all those who help protect and defend our country and its people. In the words of President Dwight Eisenhower, "it is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation and the peace of the free world." </blockquote>
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To every United States Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsmen: On this day, and all days, you have every reason to be proud to wear the uniform. You are members of the greatest fighting force on earth, one that strives to make a better world for all mankind. You are respected and admired by your friends, your fellow countrymen and our allies. Your presence is welcomed around the world, and you are making a profound difference in the world. </blockquote>
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To our nation's military spouses, partners, children, parents, and families: Today we also recognize and celebrate the vital love and support you provide our men and women in uniform. We are grateful not only for their service and sacrifices, but also for yours.<br />
To America's veterans: Today we thank you for devoting so much to the country you love, and we renew our unceasing commitment to honoring you with the care, the compassion, and the dignity you deserve. </blockquote>
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As our nation marks its 13th consecutive Armed Forces Day at war, and as service members continue to return home from the battlefield, we reaffirm a basic responsibility that we all share. We must do more than merely hold these brave individuals in such high regard; we must support them in every way, knowing that whatever we do, we can always do more. </blockquote>
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We're proud of all of you.</blockquote>
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Chuck Hagel<br />
Secretary of Defense</blockquote>
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The United States let its guard down before December 7th, 1941, and the result was the attack on Pearl Harbor aimed at our Navy fleet and planes at Hickam. Before September 11, 2001, we let our guard down again with the so-called peace dividend following the fall of the Berlin War. That fateful day our Pentagon was attacked after the two World Trade Center towers were taken down and brave men crashed a plane in Pennsylvania that was headed for DC. <br />
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We must all remember that we have to stay vigilant and keep the latest technology as our eyes in the sky, at sea, and on the ground to protect the United States and all of us. We cannot afford to let our guard down again.<br />
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God Bless those who serve, veterans, and those who paid the ultimate price with their lives along with all of their families. Thank you to all who wear or have worn the uniform our our military services -- Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard!<br />
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past and the present meet at Pearl Harbor<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-49023509972425229922014-05-19T01:00:00.000-05:002014-05-19T12:43:47.227-05:00Voices will be on Vacation This Week!Will be back next week to report on the final days of the Oklahoma Legislature and see how they can continue to get their priorities wrong. Biggest problem I see is their pandering because it is an election year and taking it all back if they get back in office. Today so many of the Republican elected officials have the integrity, ethics, and credibility of a gnat. They have pandered so long to the wealthy and the lobbyist, they have forgotten the people who helped elect them but are now part of the opposition. They should have thought about consequences when they went hard right to become sellouts to the Koch's and their wide array of organizations. They didn't think twice of leaving more moderate Republicans in the dust aka Democrat conservatives today to show how far right the GOP has gone! <br />
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Republicans made a conscience decision to tell many of us to get lost as they pandered to the Tea Party and hard right of the Koch Bros. In the next few election cycles the Republicans are going to discover that it is payback time from a lot of us who will never support the Republican Party again. </div>
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Enjoy the week!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-47086638546622939002014-05-16T10:17:00.000-05:002014-05-16T10:17:08.810-05:00First Lady Michelle Obama is a Role Model for Young People to Dream High!<div class="p1">
<b><i>“She saw firsthand the impact of Brown v. Board of Education in her own life</i></b>,” said Valerie Jarrett<br />
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This is a tribute not only to Michelle Obama but to her parents who refused to keep the status quo and instead encouraged her to do well in school and qualify for the first desegregated magnet high school in Chicago. Sounds like in Chicago like Dayton, Ohio, whites fled the neighborhoods as soon as a black family moved in so you had your all black high schools on the west side and all white on the east. Both sides of town were filled with GM/Frigidaire factory workers who worked side by side but their kids were in segregated high schools in the city of Dayton. Never made sense. <br />
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To move out of your neighborhood because a black moves in left a lot of people outside of Dayton asking why? They sold their homes for pennies on the dollar -- Dad used to say it was real estate agents who were part and party to the scare tactics as they made money off the sale and again off the purchase of a new home. After dealing with them over the years, he was probably right.<br />
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Cannot even fathom what it would be like to be a young child and have a teacher tell you not to dream high -- every child in this Country has the right to have the best education we can provide them. It is time for Republicans to get with fully funding education for all students or get out of the way. We can no longer tolerate this mentality we are seeing out of our elected officials who keep cutting education and underfunding poor school districts to give the wealthy more tax cuts. It is imperative all kids get a good education to break the chain of low expectations for some.<br />
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Parents, teachers, educators need to follow the lead of Michelle's parents who taught their children to aim high and not settle. It is a tribute to her tenacity and willpower that she overcame the odds and is a role model for young people today of what they can accomplish with an excellent public school education to fulfill their dreams. <br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/16/us/a-decision-that-helped-shape-a-first-lady.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0">A Decision That Helped Shape Michelle Obama</a></i></b><br /><span class="s1"><b>By </b><span class="s2"><b><a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/sheryl_gay_stolberg/index.html">SHERYL GAY STOLBERG</a></b></span></span>MAY 15, 2014 </blockquote>
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WASHINGTON — She was born into the segregated Chicago of the 1960s, when public schools actively resisted integration. But in 1975, the city, under pressure to comply with the landmark Supreme Court decision desegregating public schools, opened a racially integrated high school for high achievers that changed the young woman’s life. </blockquote>
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Michelle Robinson, a graduate of that integrated school, is now Michelle Obama, the first African-American first lady of the United States. In this season of civil rights anniversaries — in particular the 60th, on Saturday, of the 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan. — she is talking in new and more deeply personal ways about race. </blockquote>
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“She saw firsthand the impact of Brown v. Board of Education in her own life,” said Valerie Jarrett, a senior White House adviser and close friend of Mrs. Obama. “What she appreciates is the strength of diversity, how important it is to be in a community, a classroom, where you are hearing from all perspectives.” </blockquote>
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On Friday evening, President Obama will meet privately at the White House with the families of the plaintiffs in the Brown lawsuit and two of the lead lawyers. Aides say he wants to pay his respects. Mrs. Obama will take center stage in Topeka, where she will visit the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site — formerly an all-black school — and address graduating seniors at the Kansas Expocentre. </blockquote>
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The anniversary comes at a time of historic milestones, including the anniversary of the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which have repeatedly put a focus on the Obamas’ place as the first black occupants of the White House. But Brown v. Board of Education had more of a direct impact on Mrs. Obama than on her husband and shaped her life in ways she does not always openly discuss. </blockquote>
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While Mr. Obama grew up partly in Indonesia and attended an elite prep school in multicultural Hawaii, Mrs. Obama was raised on the South Side of Chicago, first in a one-bedroom apartment and later in a house in South Shore, a neighborhood experiencing rapid white flight. By 1980, the year she turned 16, it was 96 percent black, and so were its schools. </blockquote>
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.... </blockquote>
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In 1969, Mrs. Obama started kindergarten at Bryn Mawr Elementary, her neighborhood school. Data from the federal Department of Education show that in 1970, out of 1,258 students, 1,214 were black. </blockquote>
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One of her kindergarten classmates, Dr. Theodore Ford, described their class this way in a 2012 article <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/16520071-452/kindergarten-with-a-girl-named-michelle.html"><span class="s1">in The Chicago Sun-Times</span></a>: “There were five little white faces and 23 shades of brown faces and one Middle Eastern face, a subtle shade darker than that of the Jewish kid to his right in our class photo.” </blockquote>
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The school appears to have had more resources than most. In the sixth grade, Mrs. Obama was selected to participate in its gifted program, which allowed her to take French, and to study biology at the local community college, according to Ms. Mundy’s book. She graduated as its salutatorian. </blockquote>
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But it was the creation of Chicago’s first public high school for high achievers — the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School — that really changed the trajectory of Mrs. Obama’s life, by getting her out of her neighborhood and giving her exposure for the first time to an educational environment that was truly diverse. </blockquote>
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“She often speaks about the importance of diversity as a strength, that her education was enriched by listening to people who had different life experiences and differences of opinion,” Ms. Jarrett said. </blockquote>
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Click <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/16/us/a-decision-that-helped-shape-a-first-lady.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0">Link</a> to read more</blockquote>
This is an amazing story of what a young person can do when they refuse to be told they will never fulfill their dream of where to go to college. Now it is time for all of us to put pressure on our elected officials to FULLY fund education and make this the most educated country in the world instead of a Country that fails so many of its students. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-82720094612730720052014-05-13T18:43:00.000-05:002014-05-13T18:43:05.960-05:00Concrete Piece Falls from Oklahoma Capitol into Basement Office -- Will the Legislature Fund Repairs to the Capitol NOW?The dome on the Capitol with the Guardian statute looks really nice but I have to question if the feasibility study that was done by a company that doesn't design domes was the right fit. Because now for the first time a piece of concrete has entered an office and there is still no solution to funding the Capitol exterior renovation. Are Republicans afraid of what might be found? <br />
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Here is a picture of the Capitol with the Dome:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Oblique_view_of_Oklahoma_Capitol_building.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Oblique_view_of_Oklahoma_Capitol_building.JPG" height="231" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is one of the few pictures I could find of the Oklahoma Capitol without the Dome:<br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQt3QBX5XEmITIiaa8Hcb5IIeTnlxaIRRZ1ctWGOm96k7KPNjk" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQt3QBX5XEmITIiaa8Hcb5IIeTnlxaIRRZ1ctWGOm96k7KPNjk" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cannot remember since the dome went on when entrances to the State Capitol were not shut down due to the danger of falling concrete -- now a four pound piece of concrete fell into a basement office through the roof. Will this be enough to get the Oklahoma Republican Legislature off the dime or are they waiting for a 100 lb piece to fall? Still cannot get over they spent millions to cosmetically renovate the inside of the Capitol last year knowing they had a structural problem along with wiring and sewer. If Oklahoma doesn't have some of the most hard headed legislators in the Country, I don't know what qualifies. This is beyond disgusting that this State Capitol building has been allowed to fall in such disrepair including poor wiring and water/sewer problems but spend millions to remodel offices and get new furnishings. Talk about stupid. <br />
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Why did Governor Keating insist on the new dome before the other problems were fixed? Would like to know if the dome could be contributing to the problems with the building shedding concrete which many of us have said in the past but what do we know. It just makes common sense something that is lacking in a lot of Republicans today.<br />
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://designbuild.construction.com/features/archive/2004/0404_feature3.asp">Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates P.C. (FSB), Oklahoma City</a>, completed a <b>feasibility study for the project in 1998 that determined that the existing structure could support the 5- million-lb, 157-ft-high x 80-ft-dia dome.</b> Once the feasibility study was completed, the Oklahoma legislature, through a special act, allowed the project to go forward using design-build. It was the first design-build project authorized by the state. FSB provided architecture and engineering services and two of the state's oldest construction companies, Flintco Inc. and Manhattan Construction, entered into a joint venture as Capitol Dome Builders, Oklahoma City. It was unanimously selected by the state in 2000.</span></blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: red;">Although FSB had never before designed a classic dome,</span></b> Schmidt says the firm has experience in designing long-span structures, especially engineering airplane hangars with long, column-free spaces. The firm completed its design for the dome in 2001 using Layton's old drawings as a template. However, FSB incorporated modern materials into its design, which cut the weight of the structure from an estimated 14 million lb to 5 million lb. A structural steel framework largely was responsible for the reduction. It was designed for fast and easy placement and a "wagon wheel" of additional steel provided a temporary platform for interior and exterior scaffolding. It later was removed through the windows of the dome. </blockquote>
<a href="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ok/state/guardian.html">Details on the Guardian</a> statute that tops off the dome: <br />
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<b>‘The Guardian,” which is the name of the statue, has a total weight of 5,980 pounds and a total height, including the lance and berm, of 22 feet, 9 inches. It took 3,000 hours, 300 linear feet of welding, 4,000 pounds of bronze and approximately $300,000 to create.</b> </blockquote>
Did the State Government ever consider they might want to get a second opinion from an out-of-state contractor about the feasibility of putting a 5 million lb structure on top of an 89 year old limestone building? Did we have falling concrete before the dome? Maybe the money should have been spent to upgrade the entire capitol before putting on the dome. Just a thought!<br />
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<span class="s1"><b><a href="http://newsok.com/concrete-falls-through-an-office-at-nearly-century-old-oklahoma-state-capitol/article/4748842">Piece of concrete falls in latest problem at nearly century-old Oklahoma state Capitol</a></b></span> </blockquote>
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Four-pound piece of concrete falls near desk sometime over the weekend at the Oklahoma state Capitol </blockquote>
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<span class="s2">by <a href="http://newsok.com/more/Rick%20Green"><span class="s3">Rick Green</span></a> </span><i>Published: May 12, 2014</i></blockquote>
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A four-pound piece of concrete fell through a ceiling tile and into a basement office at the state Capitol sometime over the weekend, in the latest problem at the nearly century-old building. </blockquote>
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Building management officials say nobody was hurt in the House media office where the accident occurred. </blockquote>
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The concrete piece landed near a desk, where the person who works in the office found it Monday morning. </blockquote>
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This is in the same general area where a floor drain backed up recently, sending smelly water up through the floor. </blockquote>
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The Oklahoma Legislature is considering proposals this session to fix longstanding problems in the building. </blockquote>
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Four House media employees will be moved out of their basement offices and into a new location on the first floor of the Capitol.</blockquote>
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How is the OK Legislature going to fund the necessary repairs to the Capitol or are they going to punt again to the next legislature like usual. Term limits cannot come soon enough for the social conservatives who don't want to fund anything but social issues. They have cost this state millions in bills that have been overturned by the Courts and keep coming back back with more bills that get a priority.<br />
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Even though the State has an almost $200M shortfall, the GOP Legislature made sure they had time to pass a tax cut that could kick in in 2015 and cost the state another $200M. Hate to call a legislature stupid but frankly any group that listens to ALEC instead of the citizens of the state qualify. <br />
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They have made a mess of education as we are witnessing, our infrastructure is falling apart, and we have an unfinished Indian Cultural Center because today's hard right in the Legislature rejected the agreement for the legislature to help fund from a previous legislature. That means the word of the legislature is worth zero, zip, nada to the next group of elected officials.<br />
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Oklahomans need to wake up and oust the hard right social conservatives from the legislature and return some common sense to Oklahoma starting with the Governor's Office. If you have never voted for a Democrat in Oklahoma how about going all in and voting for one for Governor who represents all Oklahomans not just the wealthy, oil and gas, The Chamber, and ALEC. Let's give Joe Dorman a chance! There is only one way for Oklahoma to go for Governor as we are at rock bottom with the current Governor and her 'my way or no way' attitude.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8141585427790096880.post-69555429449270880352014-05-12T19:27:00.002-05:002014-05-12T19:27:29.146-05:00Sen Warren (D-MA) Comments on Benghazi Select Committee head by Rep Gowdy<b><i>"So let me be blunt: that kind of seriousness is sorely missing from the no holds-barred political theater of the House Republicans." Sen Warren (D-MA)</i></b><br />
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Senator Elizabeth Warren has earned my total respect. After discovering that Cong Gowdy had already fundraised for himself off of Benghazi after warning others not to use it, you knew that ethics and honesty did not fit Mr. Gowdy. To read some of his questions for Elizabeth Warren concerning her being involved in setting up the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Must admit that I am really not surprised. This is nothing but a witch hunt the Republicans led by Speaker Boehner think is a winning issue. All it has done has brought up the embassy deaths that happened under Bush 43 and Reagan. Almost seems like Karl Rove is advising them after his meltdown in 2012.<br />
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This article from Senator Warren gives the background on Rep Trey Gowdy. He is more of a joke then I thought when I first heard him. Should have known that any Republican who still had a shred of ethics and integrity wouldn't touch this Benghazi Investigation with a ten foot pole. He is the worst kind of Representative who is arrogant and thinks only he knows the facts. Dangerous combination.<br />
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<a href="http://elizabethwarren.com/blog/benghazi">Benghazi</a>May 9, 2014 | By Elizabeth Warren </blockquote>
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Earlier this week, Speaker John Boehner announced the formation of a new select committee to investigate Benghazi led by Rep. Trey Gowdy. </blockquote>
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All three of my brothers served in the military, and I know firsthand how much Americans serving abroad -- and their families -- sacrifice. What happened in Benghazi on Sept. 11, 2012 was a tragedy. Four Americans died putting themselves in harm's way in service to peace, diplomacy, and their country. I look at what happened in Benghazi with sadness, with seriousness, and as yet another call to honor the men and women who keep us safe. </blockquote>
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So let me be blunt: that kind of seriousness is sorely missing from the no holds-barred political theater of the House Republicans. </blockquote>
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I know a little bit about the way Trey Gowdy pursues oversight. I was on the other end of it when I was setting up the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and I was called to testify before the House. As the Huffington Post reported at the time, Gowdy's interrogation of me "seemed to lack the basic facts" about the agency he was attempting to oversee. I'd like you to read their reporting on one of these exchanges just so you know what this Benghazi "investigation" is likely to look like: </blockquote>
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Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) grilled Warren on whether the bureau would make public the complaints it gets. She answered that the complaint issue was a work in progress, but that at the very least, there was progress in creating a system for large credit card companies. </blockquote>
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"Are any of the complaints public?" Gowdy demanded.</blockquote>
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"Congressman, we don't have any complaints yet," Warren said of the still-nascent agency. "What we're trying to do is build the system." </blockquote>
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Gowdy also seemed to think that Warren had written the Dodd-Frank law, and he was determined to know what Warren meant by defining "abusive" practices as something that "materially interferes" with the ability of a consumer to understand a term or a condition. </blockquote>
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"That suggests to me that some interferences are immaterial. Is that what you meant by that?" he asked a momentarily perplexed-looking Warren. </blockquote>
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"Congressman, I believe the language you are quoting is out of the Dodd-Frank act," she said. "This is the language that Congress has adopted." </blockquote>
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Still, Gowdy insisted on her answer, although the definitions and regulations required by the law are still being written. </blockquote>
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As a Senator, I take oversight seriously because it is powerfully important. But Trey Gowdy gives oversight a bad name. The House GOP is on a waste-of-time-and-resources witch hunt and fundraising sideshow, shamefully grasping for any straw to make President Obama, former Secretary Clinton, or Secretary Kerry look bad. This stunt does a disservice to those who serve our country abroad, and it distracts us from issues we should be taking up on behalf of the American people. </blockquote>
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Click on <a href="http://elizabethwarren.com/blog/benghazi">Link</a> for Full Post</blockquote>
As someone who has been around the military my whole adult life, I am appalled. One small example that we didn't hear\d the GOP say a peep including Lindsey Graham and John McCain plus Gowdy, Boehner, and the GOP House: <br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/13-benghazis-that-occurre_b_3246847.html"><b>Sep 17th, 2008, Yemen Embassy</b> </a>attacked with 18 deaths and 16 injuries. Two of those deaths were a young couple who had just gotten married. </blockquote>
How about Pakistan? <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/13-benghazis-that-occurre_b_3246847.html">March 2, 2006. Karachi, Pakistan again</a>.</b> Suicide bomber attacks the U.S. Consulate killing four people, including U.S. diplomat David Foy who was directly targeted by the attackers. (This is the third Karachi terrorist attack in four years on what's considered American soil.)</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2014/05/04/nancy-pelosi-slams-republicans-endless-exploitation-benghazi.html">Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi</a> had this to say about the Benghazi hearings in an interview with Steve Kornacki:<br />
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Rep. Pelosi was asked by Up host Steve Kornacki if Boehner had talked to her about the select committee on Benghazi that he was forming. Pelosi said, “That would be news to me. I have not been informed by the Speaker of his plans to establish such a commission is it? Benghazi is such a very sad event, more than an event — a tragedy. Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, Tyrone Woods, we carry their names in our hearts, pray for their families. And for the exploitation of it to just be never-ending by the Republicans is really hard to understand.” </blockquote>
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Later, Pelosi explained why Republicans are exploiting Benghazi, “I think people are tired of that. What are your ideas about job creation. They have none…They have no plans. They don’t govern. They have no initiatives for the future, so they have to make personal attacks. I think most people want to know. What do you have to offer?…I consider them to be stuck in a poverty of ideas. They have none, and that’s where they have to go.”</blockquote>
It is hard to understand how the <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.com%2Frachel-maddow-show%2Fthe-gops-embassy-security-problem&ei=iWVxU56IC-rG8AGq1YHQDg&usg=AFQjCNFISJMeiWh6KRG7lLx-ITdoiLpwFg&sig2=TRrax6arVSQNfrjd0cuF7Q&bvm=bv.66330100,d.b2U">Republicans in House</a> can be so callous because they are the ones who voted not to fully fund security for the embassies/consulates. Why not why investigate why they are too cheap to provide proper security for our diplomats overseas?<br />
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There were <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/13-benghazis-that-occurre_b_3246847.html">13 Benghazi's </a>during President George W Bush years killing almost 100 people but that was not investigated. Why? Those numbers don't include the attacks on the diplomats in Iraq after the US took over Iraq with the coalition forces after Saddam was ousted and arrested plus his sons who were so brutal were killed. It certainly doesn't include 9/11. Yet three people plus one Ambassador die in Benghazi, and it is the end of the world when it is the only one attack under President Obama versus eight (8) attacks under Bush for the same amount of time. Cannot even fathom what the families of the four victims must be thinking of Republicans fundraising off their dead family member.<br />
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Whatever drives Republicans today, I have no clue. It is not a Party I recognize or want to be associated with at either the Federal or State level. They have lost their perspective, common sense, integrity, reality, and ability to compromise for the betterment of the American people. They are a total embarrassment to a lot of us who used to call the Republican Party home. Many of us are realizing that things got worse in the GOP in 1994 when the Contract with America kicked in and the hard right started slowing taking over the GOP to where ethics, integrity, and honesty mean nothing to most elected Republicans. The end justifies the means no matter what. <br />
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