Electronic Writer

when making fun of Sarah Palin . . . .

It may have already been a Democrat district, but the opportunistic Republicans were looking for another feather in their PR campaign against President Obama–perhaps a repeat of Massachusetts Senatorial race.

The Fox News talk show hosts were salivating–planning parties, and special round-the-clock coverage of yet another group of “disillusioned” voters who want to “take back their country”–a frabrication by Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, the “shutting the government down,” temper-tantrum-throwing leadership of the Republican Party, and profit-driven former Vice President candidates (in her defense, she might be the only one who doesn’t know the implications of her words–unless there was an article in Field and Stream about it).

All of it, cut short.

According to the NY Timess article, Democrat Wins U.S. House Race in Florida,

Ted Deutch had 62 percent of the vote compared to 35 percent for Republican Ed Lynch. No-party candidate Jim McCormick trailed far behind with just 3 percent.

On the surface, this certainly seems like a mandate . . . albeit, not the one that the Fox news hosts and Republan/Obstructionist party had been seeking.

Guess it is just more of the same old, “Yes, We Can” down in Boca Raton, Florida . . . and, I love it!

This graphic describes the unemployment in the nation since June of 2007 to the present . . . and, it is alarming to say the least. Watch the color of unemployment rates spread and spread and spread–in the worst kind of infection of a producing and healthy nation.

But, please remember that these are not statistics. These are not unemployment rates. These are out of work people–who have families, who are hungry, and who are running out of money.

Unemployment has to be the NUMBER ONE priority right now. Healthcare reform was a perfect place to start, and we are working on the economy–but, this has to be first.

If you can get us back to work, you’ll have your consumers again, and we will need more consumer goods and new homes to be built, and the government will get our tax dollars once more . . . and we can end this recession.

Democrat Legislators: Get us back to work . . . .

The Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas made the news recently with their protest of their shameless display of hate at the funeral of a recent serviceman, then winning the legal battle with the father, and forcing him to pay for their legal fees. In fact, everything about them is somewhat sickening–right down to their website address (god hates fags dot com).

By far, the worst thing about them is their shameless exploitation of the children of the parents of their church. An 8 year old child, marching with a sign and filled with hatred has had their childhood stolen from them . . . regardless of the strength of the convictions of their parents.

But, this is not a tale of woe and sadness. This is a tale of victory.

When the Westboro Baptist Church showed up with their signs and their children to West Virginia to tell the families of the miners who died that their loved ones had died because the country is too tolerant of gays, and that there are too many Catholics in West Virginia and that God hates them . . . they were met with a bit of a surprise.  (I SWEAR, I am not making this up . . . .)

The roughly 10 people filed out of a mini-van only to be met with a force of 500 West Virginians who were there to counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church and their message of hatred with . . . love, compassion and peace.

But, don’t take my word for it . . . watch the video and see for yourself.

The protest schedule for the Westboro Baptist Church [ed. of hatred] is on their website.  If you believe that peace, tolerance and love are more powerful than hatred, there may be an opportunity for you to test your hypothesis.  The people of Iowa did it . . . and had similar results to the good people of West Virginia.

Dear Mr. Boehner,

You may be in a position of power, but you do not speak for the majority of Americans.

Our Democracy was founded upon the principle of equality for all, and in November of 2008, when the entire country cast their votes of equal weight, the majority spoke.  We said we want change.

We did not choose the campaign who told us to be afraid and that only they could keep us safe.  Instead, we chose a promise of change and hope.  And, our leader, President Barack Obama, told us “Yes, We Can.”

It was a message unlike any I can remember.  Yes, We Can is not about a political party, or about a leader, or about morality–it is about us.  It is a message that summons us to greater things.  It expects us to fulfill our duties to this country, and challenges us when our service is needed.  And, it implies that our nation will not work without us.

We chanted Yes, We Can leading up to election day – it was our rally cry – and, we yelled it at the top of our lungs in exuberance after the votes were counted.  After eight long years of being silent and afraid, it was nice to hear our voice again.

From the moment our movement began, you started speaking louder–telling us to be silent.  Telling us that we should be afraid.  You have continued to raise your voice in your quest to silence ours.  Now, you shout openly.

But, simply repeating the same message does not make it true.  Regardless of your power, truth lies beyond your reach.  No matter how loudly you shout, you cannot change it.  And, the truth is that we, the majority of Americans, have spoken.  We want change.

It is time to stop shouting.  It is time to stop sowing fear.  It is time to end your obstructionism–and, join us.

Yes, We Can.

Roll up your sleeves, and get back to work representing your constituents.

Yes, We Can.

Even while we were shouting in exuberance, there was room for you and your values in our America.

Yes, We Can.

One more voice in a country founded upon dissonance and debate tempered with humility and acceptance.

Yes, We Can.

Join us, Mr. Boehner–you know the next line . . . .

Hear the Song . . . How it was Written

Have you ever wanted proof that the Republicans have lost sanity, clarity, and have become virulent and hurtful? (It is in this article.) Do you feel that one party has become so hypocritical and hurtful that they are destroying America and the democratic process–to further their political agenda?  (Proof is in this article.)  Do you feel that sometimes your politicians simply don’t reflect your values?

Well, proof is in this article.

Now THIS is a riot.  Well done . . . .

Clearly, Alan Grayson has had a case or two of this stuff . . . .

Massachusetts has become the Texas of the East Coast. In their choice to Vote in a Republican, they have sent a “clear and resounding message” that they intend to become an obstructionist state. They want to stop Health Care reform–at least the reform that exists in the present state.

It is an interesting time, indeed, when a self-proclaimed liberal state would choose to embrace the very politics it has despised for dozens of years. But, I don’t think this is problem with the people of Massachusetts. This is a problem with information.

Those people who voted in their obstructionist couldn’t trust a Democrat politician to be that obstructionist because . . . let’s face it, Democrats are voting party-line, too–even the Blue Dog Democrats, when it comes down to it. And, from all of the information that those voters have about the Health Care reform, it has frightened them that their kids are going to get taxed by this health care bill, that there are all sorts of weird things buried in the bill that no one knows, and they never heard any of the details about it saving the United States money in the long run. They honestly believe that it will increase our long-term debt.

Sound familiar? Well, it should. They are all Republican talking points (the official ones, too). While bloggers may be immune in the same way that a teenager who works in the mall no longer hears the elevator music in the background, those talking points were crafted by Republican strategists with the sole intent of scaring the bejesus out of those swing voters. And, apparently, it worked.

Why do those swing voters genuinely think this could be a reality of the Health Care Bill? Because they only hear sound-bites on television from Republicans. The Party of No has a unified and focused message. And . . . they get air time.

Your job, as a voter, is to make the best decision with the information you have. Can you blame the Massachusetts Independent voters? I voted to block Proposition 8 in California–because with the information I had, it was a terrible, homophobic, religious-based, and unconstitutional piece of legislation. The information I had told me clearly how I had to vote.

But, I read. And, read about it all the time. The typical voter watches the nightly news on a major news network. And, on those major news networks, Republicans are killing Liberals with their message. The air waves are dominated by Conservative Christians, Corporate Protectors, and Right-Wing, Anti-Government extremists. Centrist and liberal Democrats barely get a few seconds to respond–certainly not enough time to lay out their vision for America.

If the information that those Massachusetts voters heard continually says that our President is a selfish man with an agenda and he doesn’t care who he steps on in the process (which is what I frequently hear in the Party of No’s agenda), and there was no information to present the opposite, then I might make the same decision. Unfortunately, the message on the major news networks pretty much sends that stereotype about our President over and over again.

About 15 years ago, I looked into starting a coffee shop in Denver, CO where I was living at the time. They called coffee shops “specialty coffee,” in the industry. Starbucks was just starting to expand, but mostly, there were a handful of cool, independent coffee-shops dotted around cities where you could get a REALLY good cup of joe.

But, the numbers were really quite unbelievable. Specialty coffee accounted for only 3% of the entire market, and the best projects had it expanding to perhaps 11% of the total market in a 10-year projection. 97% of coffee drinkers drank Yuban, Columbia House, and Maxwell House–that rot-gut coffee that comes in a #10 tin can, already stale and reminding me of the coffee my parents made, my grandparents made, my other grandparents made, my childhood neighbors made . . . .

This is exactly what we are dealing with in politics. I love my MSNBC, but Rachel Maddow and other Cable News shows still serve news to only a tiny percentage of people. The bulk of Americans get their information from CBS, ABC, and NBC–and, all of the little newscasters who serve their masters by delivering the evening news. And, their message, whether directly or indirectly is typically conveying or discussing the focused, attack message from the Party of No.

So let’s be clear about this: We (liberals) need a more concise message. It needs to be focused. We need a machine that chops up the Republican lies and shreds them as they come out. We need someone to fight Ann Coulter–a liberal version. Perhaps someone who only says the truth–just non-stop truth to counter her non-stop lies. We need Al Gore to be on the television three times a week (every Sunday, at least)–delivering, in the face of Dick Cheney, our message–the new, concise message.

We need these things because we need access the people who watch network television. Without it, us Liberals and our “lofty-ideals” will always only be specialty coffee.

You can read the whole post here . . . .

There is no introduction necessary to this one . . . .