Paul Ryan's FY15 Budget for the Rich and Against the Poor is DOA in Senate and White House

Since this came out on April Fool's Day, you might think this was a joke but leave it to Republicans to make sure it is no joke.  In Ryan's budget, the Republicans want to cut the high tax rate to 25% and cut the safety net of those who are not wealthy.  Will someone please explain to me why anyone on social security would vote for today's Republican Party.  The GOP's abject worship of the wealthy is almost creepy it is so far over the top.  It is like the wealthy are the only people who count in this Country and the rest of us are here to do their bidding.  Words that could be used to describe the Ryan budget -- mean, cruel, inhuman, discriminatory, hateful, ignorant, unrealistic, unChristian and I am sure there are a lot more.

For a party who declares themselves to be Christian, they sure don't act it.  They would welcome the money changers to the temple and refuse to feed the poor and hungry the opposite of Jesus.  Or is their way the Mormon way?  Maybe someone can explain to me how making children and families go hungry is Christian.  What am I missing?

Los Angeles Times editorial nails Paul Ryan starting with the title of the editorial.  

Paul Ryan the anti-Robin Hood: Robbing the poor to help the rich

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) answers a question at a town hall meeting March 18 in Franklin, Wis. (M.L. Johnson / Associated Press / March 18, 2014)

By Paul Whitefield
April 1, 2014, 1:37 p.m. 

No, Paul Ryan isn’t Ebenezer Scrooge. But give him time; he’s young. And he shows such promise. 

On Tuesday, Ryan, the Republican tax-hatchet-man from Wisconsin, unveiled a new spending blueprint. Got a catchy title too: “The Path to Prosperity.” Its modest goal? To balance the budget in 10 years. 

Wow, you say, that must be hard to do. 

No, not really. Not if you’re as smart — and coldhearted — as Ryan. 

But look, I know you’re busy. It’s a Twitter world. So rather than make you slog through the pages and pages of Ryan’s plan, I’ve boiled it down. It really has just two basic premises:

1. Screw all the poor people.

1. Help rich people get richer.

Welcome to Ryan’s America. If you know your history, you might recognize it. It’s the Roaring '20s, redux. Or “The Great Gatsby” meets “Wall Street.” Because in Ryan’s America, greed really is good. 

How so? Well, in a nutshell, here’s Ryan and the Republicans’ vision, per my colleague, Lisa Mascaro: 

“House Republicans will return to the core ideas from Ryan, the Budget Committee chairman, that have come to define the party’s approach: Cut federal spending on Medicare, Medicaid and other programs that make up the federal safety net, while reducing top individual and corporate tax rates to 25%, which Republicans argue will spur economic growth.”

Holy Ronald Reagan! The Gipper may be gone, but his trickle-down economic notions are alive and well. 

As is his love of guns but not butter: Ryan’s budget will target the poor but not the military; it proposes to cut food stamps but beef up the Pentagon’s budget. (Geez, do Republicans all own stock in defense contractors?) 

(snip)

You see, in the Republicans’ world, the poor — affectionately known as “takers” or, to Mitt Romney, the 47% who rely on the government and so didn’t have the good sense to vote for him because he was a nice guy even though no, he didn’t have any use for them but still would’ve been happy and proud to be their president — should either get busy working or get busy dying. 

(snip) 

But, well, uh, doesn’t this whole concept seem just a little bit, oh, what’s the word: cruel?
I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. But if the road to a balanced budget means building a new freeway to the poor house for many Americans; if it means a bigger military but more hungry kids; if it means chopping healthcare so Sheldon Adelson can keep more of his millions, so he can spend those millions to buy more politicians — well, that just doesn’t seem like a road worth taking. 

If that’s America’s Path to Prosperity, then stop the car, I want to get out.

Excerpt from Editorial at the LA Times 

Excerpt from Think Progress has this today on the Ryan budget:

The budget blueprint that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) released on Tuesday rehashes several of the same economic policy ideas from his past two “Path to Prosperity” budgets, despite drastic improvement in the nation’s fiscal outlook in the intervening years. 

The format, structure, and style of the budget documents have changed slightly each year, and the Fiscal Year 2015 version includes specific numbers more often than the FY2013 and FY2014 editions. But a review of the past three editions of Ryan’s Path to Prosperity shows 11 separate instances of repetition in the newly released budget document, including more than half a dozen taken straight from the version voters rejected in 2012:

Each of these ideas would have a negative impact on the economy, in ways ThinkProgress and the Center for American Progress have detailed repeatedly in the past. 

They also fail to account for big improvements in the country’s budget outlook over the years since Ryan first began releasing the documents. Deficits have collapsed in recent years thanks in part to the $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction Congress and the White House have enacted over the years since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives. The deficit fell faster last year than at any time since the end of World War II. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is much more optimistic about the country’s long-term deficit and debt projections than when Ryan first debuted his budget.

Read more at Think Progress

Without a doubt this Paul Ryan House of Representatives FY15 budget is DOA in the Senate and the White House.  I want to see these Republican members of the House go into their districts and defend this budget that hurts the poor and gives to the wealthy as the LA Times writer says the opposite of Robin Hood.

Want to see every last Republican stand behind this Ryan budget bill and take credit for a bill that is mean and cruel to those less fortunate in this Country.  They kept Ryan as the Budget Chair and now they own the budget.  Don't need to ask for my vote for any Republican for federal office because it is not for sale as I actually believe in helping those who need the most help.  How anyone can be so cruel as Ryan was when he talks about the school lunch program is a symptom of the Republican Party and why Americans are starting to tell the party of the white male to shove it.

Then there was Paul Ryan at CPAC who repeated a story about the school lunch program which was bogus.  Since he heard it from a fellow Republican, why am I not surprised?

In his vacuous, sloganeering speech today at CPAC, Paul Ryan argued that "the left" — the term he used to describe not the actual left, but the Obama administration — offers Americans "a full stomach — and an empty soul." What soul-emptying ways is "the left" filling people's stomachs? Ryan has a story from his fellow Republican, Eloise Anderson.

Turns out the story he recited is phony which sounded strange when I heard but the very fact that Ryan said the school lunch program offers students "a full stomach -- and an empty soul" makes me shudder. You cannot have kids going hungry.

I packed lunches for my kids because they didn't like the food at the cafeteria a lot of the time. Walking in the school I understood why as it smelled bad plus did not look appetizing but then my kids were used to good meals at home.   My kids do the same thing with their kids.  Whether I packed their lunch or gave money for lunch made no difference.  Packing their lunch didn't mean I loved them more and I resent anyone saying that about any child.  No child deserves to go hungry in this Country no matter what.  That is cruel!

25,000 Oklahomans rally for Education at the State Capitol

Will Republican dominated State Legislature and State Government Listen?

My guess is no -- hope I am wrong.

Yesterday while Oklahomans were rallying for education at the State Capitol to protest Oklahoma being the #1 state in cutting education funding since 2008 and 49th in teacher salaries, our illustrious hard right legislature was passing this out of Committee:

A bill that would have school children reciting the pledge to the Oklahoma flag as well as the pledge to the U.S. flag at least once a week was advanced by a House committee. 

Went to the link at the Tulsa World and most people who commented couldn't believe such a bill was coming up for a vote.  Are some Oklahomans still fighting the Civil War even though Oklahoma was not a state?   Someone needs to tell this legislature that state's rights do not override the federal government no matter how much they want it to happen.  I, for one, will not recite a pledge to any state flag and if I still had children in school, neither would they.  The arrogance of some of the people in Oklahoma State Government astounds me.

So happy every day that I live in Norman and not other places in Oklahoma because I would never make it in some places.  I am not delusional enough to think I would.

A former Congressman Mickey Edwards from OKC who was very conservative while he was in Congress now says he would be considered a liberal by today's standards. Know how he feels.

It was great to see so many people turn out for the rally!  Still cannot believe they have cut so much from the education budget in Oklahoma but now want to give another tax cut.  Thought education was supposed to be funded first and fully not last and under funded but then I never lived in a state with so many hard right elected officials in the legislature and state government.  The lack of common sense out of a lot of the legislature is disgusting.  We have a shortfall of $188M and they want to reduce taxes because today's GOP cannot raise taxes no matter what.  They instead give more tax breaks or keep ones like for horizontal drilling that should have gone off years ago.

Not impressed with Republicans in charge of state government -- this group here is the worst I have seen in all the states we have lived and I thought New Hampshire was bad on education -- caused us to move down to MA but today they look good compared to Oklahoma where Republicans seem out to destroy public education in their support of charter schools owned by hedge funds and GOP donors. Are some Republicans in this state for sale to the highest bidder like ALEC and the Koch Bros/Rove? Draw your own conclusions but these Republicans have changed since being elected to state government with common sense going out the window.

Really appreciate the facts we get from Oklahoma Policy which is a non-partisan group.  Here is another example on education and the shortfall on the budget.

For Immediate Release from Oklahoma Policy Institute: 

March 31, 2014 

Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt released the following statement in response to the rally for education funding today at the State Capitol: 

The tens of thousands who rallied at the Capitol today should be a wake-up call to legislators. Almost no one is clamoring for another tax cut, but Oklahomans do want to restore our state's investment in education. The popular support for education funding matches what economic experts and business leaders say is most important to boost the economy. 

Lawmakers are considering automatic tax cuts that would be triggered whenever revenue grows modestly. But we need a better trigger. How about no more income tax cuts until per pupil funding climbs back to where it was in 2008? How about no tax cut until our teacher salaries are no longer among the lowest? How about no tax cut until our students are no longer being taught from outdated textbooks? How about no tax cut until our college graduation rate reaches the national average? The message from Oklahomans is clear: "Don’t cut our taxes until you fund the services we need." 

In comments at the rally, Blatt emphasized that choices made by legislators to repeatedly cut taxes and let tax breaks expand have contributed to the state's current budget problems. "If we can start making the right choices, the money will be there to do the things that we know will strengthen our schools and ensure the next generation has even greater opportunities than this one," he said.  

A full transcript of Blatt's remarks at the rally is available here.

A recent OK Policy issue brief laying out options for filling the state's budget hole is available here.

We are extremely fortunate in Oklahoma to have the non-partisan Oklahoma Policy which gives us facts not spin on what is happening which gives all of us the opportunity to make up our own minds.  When my son recommended Oklahoma Policy he did me a huge favor and been a fan ever since.

Education has always been near and dear to my heart and have spent countless hours volunteering in various places we have lived and have to admit I have never seen such an anti-education legislature I have seen with the Republicans here in Oklahoma.  Took me a long time to admit even here in Norman that the people against the school levies were Republican when I ran into problems because I supported school levies and bond issues while fellow Republicans at the time did not.  

Our children's education should NOT be a partisan issue but every child should have the right to a very high quality education.  When we moved to Oklahoma, I checked out schools and Norman came out so far ahead of anyplace else there was never a doubt we were moving here -- no place else in Oklahoma. Our state legislature should ensure that every student is afforded a first class education and that our teachers do not rank 49th out of 50 in teacher pay.  Maybe if the legislature quit wasting our tax dollars on social issues trying to determine how we live, we would have more money for education -- just a thought.

Something needs to change on education funding in Oklahoma.  If it doesn't, then we need to change who runs the legislature and state government.  

Russian President Putin Blinked -- Calls President Obama on Ukraine

According to Bloomberg, Russia was already starting to feel the effects of the sanctions.  During this week's G-7 Conference, leaders of the European Union discussed even tougher sanctions against Russia which seems to have sparked President Putin to reconsider his saber rattling at least for now. Did Putin believe the loudmouthed Republicans that President Obama was weak?   If he did, he found out they like talk to hear themselves talk and espouse a narrative since they have a problem with facts. Best to ignore what they have to say because most of the time recently it has added little to the conversation.  When President Obama does something the Republicans want they then decide it is not such a good idea and go the opposite direction.  The credibility of Republicans in Congress is rapidly going into a black hole. So happy that today the President seems to just laugh it off as you cannot please these Republicans.  Today he once again is showing he can get the job done without their support.  

The President is proving to the neocons that diplomacy does work which is something they cannot seem to understand as today another Bush Administration official, Former Secretary of State Condi Rice joined Former Sec of Defense Rumsfeld and Former VP Cheney talking about being tough and trying to rally Americans to support another war.  Takes a lot of nerve from the trio that got us into Iraq on false pretenses to say anything at all.  Arrogance of former Republican leaders from the Bush Administration knows no bounds as we are seeing on an almost a daily basis.  Extremely happy that President Obama doesn't seem to pay the saber rattlers much attention.  Smart man!

The White House readout on the call is telling (Note: Russian Pravda has still not reported the call):

Readout of the call by Russian President Putin to President Obama from the White House: 

President Putin called President Obama today to discuss the U.S. proposal for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, which Secretary Kerry had again presented to Foreign Minister Lavrov at the meeting at the Hague earlier this week, and which we developed following U.S. consultations with our Ukrainian and European partners. President Obama suggested that Russia put a concrete response in writing and the presidents agreed that Kerry and Lavrov would meet to discuss next steps. 

President Obama noted that the Ukrainian government continues to take a restrained and de-escalatory approach to the crisis and is moving ahead with constitutional reform and democratic elections, and urged Russia to support this process and avoid further provocations, including the buildup of forces on its border with Ukraine. 

President Obama underscored to President Putin that the United States continues to support a diplomatic path in close consultation with the Government of Ukraine and in support of the Ukrainian people with the aim of de-escalation of the crisis. President Obama made clear that this remains possible only if Russia pulls back its troops and does not take any steps to further violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. President Obama reiterated that the United States has strongly opposed the actions that Russia has already taken to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The comments by Jason Easley, Politicususa, made my afternoon:

Bloomberg reported that the sanctions are pushing Russia’s economy towards a recession and that current sanctions will already hurt Russia’s economic growth for two quarters. Experts also suggest that the energy sector of the Russian economy could take a big hit if the sanctions are expanded. 

All of the Republicans who suggested that sanctions have been a pointless failure are wrong. The sanctions are doing what they are supposed to do. Putin is coming to the table, and he suggesting that he is ready to solve this crisis diplomatically. 

President Obama hasn’t needed troops or to threaten militarily. His administration has clearly targeted Putin and the oligarchs that control the Russian economy. Republicans have been like fanboys with their praise of Putin’s strength, but it turns out their new hero has been being brought to his knees by the intelligent and determined foreign policy of Barack Obama.

Imagine that -- sanctions are starting to work and there is zero need to even consider going to war. What do Republicans have to say now their hero, Putin, blinked?

The call from President Putin was made to President Obama while he was in Saudi Arabia today  on a formal visit with Saudi King Abdullah.   Wonder what made President Putin pick today while the President was meeting with Saudi leaders after yesterday when he met with Pope Francis?  Is Putin feeling world opinion turning against him?  Time will tell!

President Obama Bids Farewell to Pope Francis

Oklahoma GOP State Legislator Wants Oklahoma Science Teachers to Have the Freedom to Question Their Textbooks

Can I say I am tired of Baptist in our Legislature with their 6,000 year old earth and dinosaurs roamed the earth with humans theories?  Not saying that Rep Blackwell subscribes to these theories but know of plenty of Baptist in Oklahoma who won't allow their children to visit the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History on the OU campus because it dates the earth back millions of years.  They don't want their children to hear the truth preferring to feed them the hard right religious version of history of the world.

It is a fascinating place to visit and my children and now my grandchildren love visiting.  It is so well done making it easy to follow as the earth went from one age to the next.


Kids love going up in the elevator to the second floor to be greeted by the dinosaur head -- little kids get so excited. There is a workshop area for kids and on the second floor they cover the wildlife here in Oklahoma where you can hear the birds, see the buffalo, the snakes with their rattlers moving, roadrunners, and all kinds of animals on display that you have to look twice to see they are not real.  It gives a whole history of wildlife in this part of the Country.

Oklahoma used to be under water and today we have the Wichita Mountains which are actually 5,000 feet tall but have gradually been sinking into the ground.  Now the hard right comes along and wants to teach their version of science in our public schools -- how about confusing children or more important why are children of the non-hard right going to be forced to learn junk science that has been debunked. If my kids had not graduated and came home from school with a theory the earth was 6,000 year old from a a science teacher, that school principle would wish my kids were not in their school.  I value a good education and some things are not subject to interpretation and the junk science of the age of the of the earth being 6,000 years old is one of them.  It is mixing someone's religion and science no matter what Blackwell says as this has been part of the curriculum change in the Platform at the State GOP Convention for years.

Several years ago they demanded the Bible be taught in classrooms and made the mistake of asking which Bible and got told there is only one -- have a lot more then that in my home.  I find this bill goes against everything I believe about a public education and time the legislature got their noses out of the classroom.  If they don't like what public schools teach, then send their kids to a private Christian school.  This Country is not theocracy and was not founded on the Bible no matter how much the hard right wants to rewrite history.

Another example of a legislator in Oklahoma trying to tell schools what they can teach.

New bill gives Oklahoma science teachers the freedom to question their textbooks 

Posted on: 4:02 pm, March 27, 2014, by Paige Hill, updated on: 04:17pm, March 27, 2014

OKLAHOMA – The debate over how science should be taught in Oklahoma classrooms is back. 

Lawmakers say teachers need more freedom. 

The Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act makes its way on the agenda every year. It gives teachers the freedom to editorialize hot button issues like evolution and climate change. 

The author, Representative Gus Blackwell believes science is wide open to a range of theories, while science educators disagree. 

“This bill really is misunderstood by a lot of people,” says Blackwell. 

Blackwell says the bill’s current language doesn’t mandate teaching creationism in the classroom, but instead gives teachers the right to talk about it and other scientific theories. 

“We just say a lot of people say it so it must be true and that’s it and you need to accept it,” says Blackwell. 

Blackwell says his law is needed to protect educators who want to explore what he calls controversial scientific issues, like evolution and climate change. 

“Many times they just say, ‘I don’t want to do anything that might rock the boat. I’m worried about it,” says Blackwell. “I think this bill says no you do have the academic freedom to explore.” 

The Oklahoma Science Teachers Association is concerned. They say current text-books describing evolution and climate change are more than wild theories that you can pick and choose. 

Board member Bob Melton says, “There is no doubt, or discussion, or controversy about evolution or climate change.” 

Melton says this bill opens a door for teachers to stray far from accepted science.
“Established theories are that. They are explanations of how the world works and they’re based on solid evidence and that should be the focus of our science and structure,” says Melton. “Any controversy is actually a political controversy.” 

The bill will not allow teachers to teach their own opinion unless they use existing scientific theories. 

It also specifically states teachers do not have the freedom to promote a certain religion or religious doctrine. 

If passed, it will be in effect by next school year.

Freedom to the hard right I have discovered after living years in Oklahoma is freedom for them to say and do what they want and the rest of us have to follow along!

Won't be silenced nor will millions like me who have had it with the religious right and their version of history and now science.  The United States of America's Constitution says freedom of religion which means we are free to choose how we want to worship without state interference.   It would do Republicans some good if they remembered that but it would mean they would have to read and comprehend what something says which they have a hard time doing today.  Common sense has left the Republican Party.  We can thank President Reagan for that when he brought in the religious right types to win his primary and election.  The culture of the white male was  brought back to prominence -- we are paying a heavy price for that today.  Just ask women and minorities about the culture of the white male dominated society they want where they don't want any of us to vote.

We have a chance in Oklahoma to start to right the ship and bring some common sense back to our public schools instead of the nonsense from the heavy Republican Legislature and Governor.  Rep Joe Dorman is the person to get the job done -- he is going to need help of not only parents but all Oklahomans who value a good education.  Many of us have had it with the hard right school agenda they are trying to foster on our public schools!   Let's get behind Joe and take Oklahoma back Blue to Common Sense on November 4, 2014!

Note:  I am not paid or employed by any political campaign.  The views are my own. 

President Obama Calls for a Recommitment to Peace in Europe During his Visit to Flanders Field Cemetery in Belgium to Honor of Our WWI Soldiers

President Obama visits Flanders Field Cemetery with Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo of Belgium and His Majesty King Phillipe to participate in a wreath laying and tour the grounds. 
Following the tour, the President, Prime Minister Di Rupo and His Majesty King Phillipe delivered statements at Flanders Field Cemetery. Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War I cemetery on the southeast edge of the town of Waregem, Belgium. This is the only American World War I cemetery in Belgium and 411 American servicemen are buried or commemorated there.

My Grandfather on Dad's side was one of the soldier's gased in WWI and died from that gasing when my Dad was five years old.  I have a vase that he had engraved to my Grandmother that sits on our old German buffet that reads from Orie to Helen 1919 with roses on the vase.  The very idea that the Germans used chemical weapons in WWI and were allowed to come back under Hitler in the 30's shows a reckless disregard for lives of our military from all nations who refused to stand up to Hitler. There is a huge difference between appeasement they did to Hitler and negotiations/sanctions being imposed by Europe and the United States on Russia.  Shame some loud mouth Republicans cannot see the difference.  How much money was made in Europe from Hitlter by Americans before WWII and was that a reason not to stand up to Hitler?  Koch Bros Father was right at the top of that food chain from Hitler but so were others.  
Unfortunately some of that mentality to rush into war still exists in the Republican Party with comments being made about Ukraine from McCain, Graham, and now Rumsfeld who takes the cake for sleaze since he was part of the rush to war in Iraq knowing a lot of the evidence they were using was false.  He, along with Cheney, could have cared less they were sending young men and women to die in a phony war.

Former Bush Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wasn’t content with disagreeing with President Obama’s foreign policy. He felt the need to compare the first African American president to an ape.

Today's Republicans have the class of a gnat or less.  The crickets on the Republican side when remarks are made like Rumsfeld's paint a terrible picture of the lack of integrity in the Republican Party even today when we honor the men who gave their lives to defend the Belgian people.  Shame on the so-called leaders of the Republican Party to allow these crass comments to go unchallenged.  No wonder the Republican Party is beginning to show signs of disinergration with their lack of empathy and white males only matter mentality where they feel free to say anything they want no matter who gets harmed in the process.  There are no repercussions for bad manners/lies in the GOP today -- everything is fair game.

Our family proudly stands with President Obama and his stance that you only send in your men and women to fight when you are left with no other option.  Applaud the leaders of the G-7 who chose to not meet in Sochi, Russia, but meet in Brussels, Belgium, making it a G-7 not a G-8 meeting after Putin moved Russian troops into part of Ukraine.  G-7 leaders standing together give me hope for the future they will put diplomacy over rush to war and use sanctions not weapons.

As our dead and wounded from WWI are honored today, we need to remember in war more then just the solder feels the pain as it extends to families and friends.  My Dad grew up without a Father because of war.  This Nation has paid a terrible price over the years when it has rushed into war and escalated when there was no need.  We have to elect leaders like President Obama who will not be goaded into going into a war that could be catastrophic no matter how many names the Republicans choose to call him.  President Obama is the adult in the group not the name callers!

President Obama invoked Canadian poem "In Flanders Fields" as a call for a recommitment to peace in Europe.

Hobby Lobby For Profit Company Buys Merchandise for Resale from China the #1 Country for Abortion

Hobby Lobby Opposes Paying for Contraceptives for their Female Employees Counting some Forms Abortion before SCOTUS? Hypocrites?

Yesterday I made comments on one of the websites about Hobby Lobby's owner David Green who buys most of his merchandise from China where abortion is rampant seeming like a hypocrite.  Also was complaining about the Oklahoma Attorney General wasting our tax dollars to support a corporation.   It was posted to a Facebook page.   Don't post on Facebook generally speaking -- not my cup of tea much prefer Twitter. I post openly and don't hide behind a pseudo name on either site.   Some of the comments were laughable they were so off the wall but two things the religious right refuses to answer when it comes to Hobby Lobby:

1.  How can you buy your merchandise from the leading country for abortion and consider that a business decision to make more money but make it your business to tell your women employees they cannot have access to contraceptives from their insurance company because Hobby Lobby is a religious company?     

2.  How can you support your insurance company providing Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs as part of the insurance but not contraceptives for women?

Had graphics thrown at me and thought it was strange that it is 2014 and we are talking about birth control and contraceptives?  Feel like we are going back in time not forward.

Do the Texas Values Coalition understand where Green buys his merchandise?  How is denying contraceptives to women by a for profit company supporting religions freedom?  What am I missing?Where did these religious right come from who want to tell us how to live according to their standards? We are not supposed to have any beliefs of our own because we are not blessed like they are?   A neighbor has told me in the past if you don't go to church you cannot be a Christian.  We are not dealing with rationale people here.

This all white male movement in the Republican Party is starting to trouble me because you are hearing more and more that women shouldn't be allowed to vote -- only white males who are behind Hobby Lobby and the movement to deny women and minorities rights. Beginning to think most of the viagra users are white males the way they want to protect their access for free.  Heard on a country music station while driving a commercial about going to see a doctor for male problems with performance followed by a commercial for female lubricants. Think I need a new genre for music.

It is okay for men to have their prescriptions paid for by insurance but not contraceptives for women to keep from getting pregnant?  Is this about male dominance over women where women are supposed to stay home, be barefoot and pregnant especially in the Mormon Church.  Have some evangelical churches joined this movement who believe the reason to have sex is only to procreate.  If that is the case, then they don't need erectile dysfunction drugs when they get older, but yet they have demanded they be paid for as prescription from almost day one.  Guess it boils down to when you don't have a legitimate argument, those arguments you throw out sound stranger and stranger.

This group of hard right loudmouths are going to destroy religion if they keep this up -- they are usually angry and demanding you listen to them or you are going to hell -- such nice people (not).  They have all the answers if they pray hard enough they make a drought go away and get a flood just ask this Oklahoma minister who takes responsibility for the floods

People like him and others like him in Oklahoma are who are backing the Hobby Lobby attacks on women's contraceptives.   You sit here shaking your head remembering the days when these people were in the minority with loud voices in the GOP -- now those same people run the Republican Party which means that Party is no longer big enough to house them and a lot of more common sense people.

This article from Huffington Post shows women are not happy with the Hobby Lobby lawsuit -- hope they keep that in mind come November and start voting out the Tea Party and hard right from Congress and State Government:

Hobby Lobby's Facebook page turned into a social media war zone Tuesday afternoon. 

But people weren't fighting about crafts; they were discussing women's rights. 

The Christian-owned crafts supply chain is the largest of the companies challenging President Obama's health-care law in the Supreme Court. Hobby Lobby wants to be exempt from an Obamacare provision that requires for-profit companies to cover the cost of all FDA-approved contraceptives in their health plans. Hobby Lobby says certain forms of birth control are not in keeping with its religious beliefs. 

Most American women don't think companies should able to refuse to cover contraceptives, but the Supreme Court is having trouble ruling on the case, which will have wide-ranging implications on whether or not companies' religious beliefs should exempt them from federal laws. 

As the Supreme Court deliberated on Tuesday, Americans on both sides of the aisle took a stand on the issue on social media. Many shoppers flooded Hobby Lobby's page with thought-provoking dialogue: 

And snarky criticism (For the record, health insurance generally does cover Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs for men), as well as flat-out outrage while others called for a boycott of the store (some samples):

See Huffington Post for more comments

Will never darken the door of Hobby Lobby again and have bought a lot of items from them.  If they don't have what I am looking for at Michael's I will go on-line.  Not shopping Mardel religious book store which Green owns either.  He can keep playing to the hard right and they can spend their money there.

Cannot believe this is March 25, 2014, not March 25, 1954, the way the religious right is sounding when it comes to women's issues.

As for NRO, yes women died using coat hangars -- talk about head buried in the sand!  Little Green Footballs has the story.  The dishonesty on the right knows no end today.

Majority of Oklahomans Oppose Tax Cuts!

Will the Republican Governor and Legislature Listen?

Oklahomans are waking up to the fact these Republicans in State Government will bankrupt state entities in order to give their wealthy donors more tax cuts.  Voters are not happy as recent polling is starting to show:

Voter Support for Income Tax Cuts Falls
By MATT TROTTER

A new poll shows falling voter support for Oklahoma personal income tax cuts. 

Approval of income tax cuts fell from 52 to 46 percent. When surveyed voters were asked if they approve of cuts an analysis says would largely benefit the top 1 percent of Oklahoma households, less than one-third did. 

"There really is nobody at this point, no constituency out there clamoring for tax cuts," said Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt. "At the same time, you have a legislature that still seems hell-bent on passing a tax cut whether anybody's asking for one or not." 

Tax cut support among voters is even lower when asked which public services they favor cutting to support lower income taxes.

The poll also asked voters whether an educated and well-trained workforce or low personal income tax rates were more important to economic growth in the state. 

"People understand that it's an educated and well-trained workforce," Blatt said. "Seventy-four percent responded that an educated workforce is what's needed to create economic growth, compared to 17 percent who said low personal income tax rates." 

The poll of 610 registered Oklahoma voters was conducted earlier this month by Washington, D.C.-based Global Strategy Group.

From OK Policy Email, 24 March 2014:

Less than half of Oklahoma voters now say they support income tax cut plans, and opposition jumps to more than 60 percent when voters learn more about the plan. OETA reported on implications of a study that ranks Oklahoma near the bottom in the nation for family financial security

From Together Oklahoma Email, 24 March 2014:

Oklahomans Agree...
A new public opinion poll shows that less than half of Oklahoma registered voters now support the plan to reduce the state’s top income tax rate. Huge majorities oppose cutting funding for services like education, public safety, and health care to pay for tax cuts. Oklahomans know that isn't a good trade.

The poll shows that Oklahomans are starting to pay attention, but chances are high that our legislators haven't got the message. We are the anti-tax cut majority, but we won't be heard if we don't speak up! 

Tell your legislators: "Fund my services, don't cut my taxes!"

Haven't talked to my conscientious objector State Rep since he was elected and not about to start now.   The man joined the National Guard to have them pay for college and when he found out they were being deployed declared CO status not once but on two separate occasions.  He also lied about where he was living.  First time he ran we had a State GOP Chair who agreed a GOP CO should not be elected along with State House office holders. Then the hard right took over Oklahoma GOP and he got the support of the State Party.  Because he has an (R) behind his name some people here vote for him without any hesitation.   He has accomplished one thing -- help lead me to support Democrats for good.  Cannot take the hard right and their 'my way or no way attitude' which is prevalent in their ranks.

Maybe there is hope after all since people are waking up on tax cuts maybe they will wake up to the fact that our statewide Republicans in some offices in state government are costing taxpayers a lot of money.  Sill waiting for someone to explain why our state Attorney General is wasting tax dollars supporting a law suit by a Republican Major donor David Green who heads Hobby Lobby before the SCOTUS on the ACA mandate for birth control.  

Like many Oklahomans we are getting tired of social issues being the end all be all.  Many of us are upset that vouchers and charter schools are being pushed by the OK State School Superintendent Barrisi at the expense of public schools using text books from Bob Jones University which has been proven to be a fringe University years ago along with Beka Books.  These schools are teaching creationism and substituting conservative ideology for science.   At the same time we are seeing school funding cut by the OK legislature since taking over in January 2009 by over $600M -- why?  Have they gone that far right that normal voters are starting to wake up?  We can only hope!

Now will the Governor finally wake up and realize that Oklahoma cannot afford a tax cut?  We have our serious doubts since major donors are pushing for more tax cuts:

“Lets take this opportunity to show the country that lower taxes and limited government do work,” Fallin said. “We believe in them for a reason. The Oklahoma way and not the Washington way is the best way to support economic growth and help the middle class, Oklahomans and Americans.” 

Secretary of Finance Preston Doerflinger said the $7 billion budget contains $71 million in budget cuts. Cuts would include $47.7 million from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and $49.4 million from the Regents for Higher Education. 

In response to the budget released by the state, University of Oklahoma President Boren released a statement. 

“This budget will be very damaging to the future of our state if it is not modified in the weeks ahead. How can we afford another tax cut when we are already shortchanging the education of our children and grandchildren? Failure to adequately support higher education and all of education will discourage the creation of new jobs and investments in our state. Investors are looking for a highly-educated and trained work force. It is a tragic mistake to invest less per student in education than is being invested in surrounding states.” 

David Blatt of the Oklahoma Policy Institute responded that as Fallin calls for another tax cut, the budget is already $572 million below Fiscal Year 2009 after inflation. Oklahoma has jumped from a budget shortfall in a national recession to an equally serious shortfall of our own creation, he said. 

“Especially troubling is that at a time when Medicaid needs new funding just to continue existing services, the governor suggests cutting state funding for Medicaid while continuing to refuse federal funds,” Blatt said.

If the Governor was truly for limited government, she would tell the hard right there is a moratorium on social issues and quit wasting our tax dollars joining lawsuits against ACA which has been declared the law of the land by SCOTUS.  Gov Fallin knows in her heart the right thing to do for Oklahomans would have been to take ACA Exchanges but she caved to the hard right and now our Medicaid recipients are going to be cut even more along with education.  This is not responsible governing but putting your reelection ahead of what is best for the State of Oklahoma.  Count her as another Republican I was wrong about -- they are mounting up as they put re-election over doing the right thing -- shame on the whole bunch of them.  It is a joke that they say they are for limited government but want to tell the rest of us what we can do -- my way or no way attitude is on full display.

The experiment to put the Republicans in charge of states has failed -- please join in returning common sense to our state government -- no more social issues and fully fund education and infrastructure at the state level.  Today's Republicans have trouble with the facts when it comes to tax breaks: