Only the real facts.

Why is the truth in today's political and journalism scene such a foreign concept? You witness ads that blatantly mislead the public. One has only to watch the Wisconsin Governor in one of his TV ads to see this.

Do these people forget we are living in the information age where one has only to type in a few words to get the latest news? News not only from this country but from many sources outside the nation .......... all this from a simple search.

Those in politics bank on their fans and followers wearing blinders and are not willing to see the other point of view ....... in other words being uninformed. It is easy to misguide one's fans if they are ignorant and unwilling to become educated. One has only to look at those who strap on a case of explosives or drive a truck into a crowd and detonate it to witness how easy it is.

In this age of instant information why is it so many choose to remain un-enlightened? Could it be they are not unable to read? ........ or perhaps they cannot comprehend what is being said?

I see it as they are, and have always been, followers. They are the type who, unless directed, would simply walk off the cliff to their death. It is easier to lead the uneducated and witless than to lead an informed and thinking public.

This may have been the reason some media sources, like the Fox network, fought so hard to be allowed to publish lies as factual news. We have radio jocks with shows that spew half-truths and outright lies to the American public with no fear of sanctions.

We need to demand that only the truth be allowed to be published, not the truth as seen through the eyes of the basis, but the real facts. We need real punishments to force compliance. Just as we need truth in advertising we need truth in the media as well.

Our President Rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline!

Today, January 18^th, amidst the blackout of many information pages, our president announced the rejection by his Administration of the Keystone XL pipeline project. Those of us that protested, signed petitions and mobilized to stop this environment assault to our country are justifiably rejoicing, at least momentarily, from this good news.

The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, announced in not uncertain ways, the rejection of this project and clearly stated the reason for his decision:

“I have determined, based upon your recommendation,” [the Secretary of State] “including the State Department’s view that 60 days is an insufficient period to obtain and assess the necessary information, that the Keystone XL pipeline project, as presented and analyzed at this time, would not serve the national interest.”

I am so proud of our President for listening to us in this so very important cause! This project, regardless of what Republicans and the oil industry have to say, represents a clear and imminent danger to our wildlife, water supply, our land and our environment.
In the official Statement from The White House also released today, the President said, “I’m disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my Administration’s commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil” – so far so good. Bravo Mr. President!

My enthusiasm took a turn downwards when in that same statement, Obama makes clear that he is for other similar and equally dangerous ventures, when he said: “ – including the potential development of an oil pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico”; even though the aforementioned pipeline will cause less damage than the Keystone XL pipeline, it will still represent a danger to our environment.

As it was expected, the Republicans are raising hell over this rejection by the President. The rhetoric that this pipeline will create much needed jobs, which up to a point and not in the numbers they claim it could be true, the claim that it will reduce in any way our dependence in foreign oil is ludicrous. To begin with, this dirty oil is not ours it belongs to Canada and once it’s refined in Texas, it will leave our shores to be sold somewhere else, the taxes of this sale will be abroad so this nation will not receive a penny from it, as usual, and the citizens of this country will not save a penny at the pump – the financial benefits will only be seen by TransCanada and their allies, the oil magnates that have never looked out for our benefits or that of our nature. One needs only to see what their greed had done in the past to our shores to recognize that all that moves these companies is the profit they can obtain with complete disregard to the environment.

According to Steve Hargreaves from CNN Money, the President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Thomas Donohue, said in reference to the President’s decision of rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project that “The president’s decision sends a strong message to the business community and to investors: keep your money on the sidelines, America is not open for business.” I find this statement offensive. Our nation has been ripped, raped, abused, neglected and usurped by corporations for decades. Foreign companies have been allowed to merciless annihilate our manufacturing industries by allowing them to import their cheap junk to our land, by exporting jobs (that’s the only thing they export), by avoiding fiscal responsibility which has rendered this nation almost bankrupt and as of lately, the greatest insult for the citizens of this country, the Supreme Court even have granted these companies the status of ‘personhood’, something never done anywhere else in this world… but rejecting ONE project is sending a message that “America is not open for business”? Really? Maybe that could be the best thing that will happen to this country, that these ‘people’ leave and we can return to being an industrialized nation instead of a consuming nation which only purpose is to line with our blood and sweat the pockets of these greedy corporations, sorry, “people.”

To read the complete CNN article, click here
To read the complete Memorandum for the Secretary of State, click hereTo read the complete Statement by the President on the Keystone XL Pipeline, click here

I had a dream

by Independent Thinker 

Today marks the birthday of whom, in my opinion, has been one of the greatest figures of my time. A man that against all odds, and in a peaceful but strong manner, shaped the future of this great nation: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King grew up at a time where being black was considered by the white majority as a stigma, where blacks were ‘second class’ citizens, where in the South atrocities where committed against blacks and the perpetrators went unpunished. Yet, Dr. King had the integrity, the courage, and the dignity to stand up and raise his powerful voice nonviolently, peacefully but effectively. He was able to stir the conscience and change the views of many white Americans that joined the Civil Rights Movement.

Dr. King never endorsed a political party, but he admitted he always voted Democrat even when he felt that both parties had historically betrayed blacks in this country. Today, many of the new Republicans claim that Dr. King was a republican; one has to wonder where these people get their information. 

Throughout Dr. King’s life, he encountered many attacks obviously from people that were afraid of his presence, the truthfulness of his messages, the force he represented and the change he was making. Dr. King endured bombings to his home; a stabbing and numerous arrests, but he maintained his position against violence until the last attack he endured, which cost him his life. 

Our government, who kept a close eye on him and wiretapped his home and phones, also attacked Dr. King; who in 1967 was confronted by the FBI that tried to intimidate him by accusing him of adultery, I guess they resorted to blackmail in the absence of anything else – the right has always tried to mix personal life with political life – in an effort to force him to terminate his involvement with the Civil Rights Movement, of course, Dr. King’s integrity could not be bought much less negotiated. Soon after, Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize. 

It is questionable the involvement that some government agencies might have had in the assassination of Dr. King – many have doubts about this – in that fateful evening in April 4, 1968, while Dr. King was in Memphis, Tennessee the area was surrounded by FBI Agents, all armed and watching Dr. King. However, the assumed perpetrator of this crime, James Earl Ray, was caught and sentenced and spent the rest of his life in prison. 

The legacy Dr. King left to future generations is irrefutable. It is because of him and the brave men and women that marched with him in the 60s, that made it possible for a black man to be President of the United States of America. It explains why our President has such a calm and collected attitude even when being relentlessly attacked by the Far Right; one must understand the history of the black people of the United States what they have gone through, to comprehend that Mr. Obama has as a model a great man that emulated peace in the face of hostility, intellect against ignorance and integrity against dishonesty. Mr. Obama can’t and should not be any other way.

Dr. King had a dream and Mr. Obama is the culmination of that dream!

To listen to this wonderful speech, click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb3VQ4BZHLI&t=6s

The left must unite or we will lose our country!

© copyright

I keep hearing that Obama must start working for "WE the people" and how he hasn't done all he has promised, believe me, I have been one of those too... until I stopped and analyzed the situation he finds himself in.  First, and this is important, he is the President of the United States of America, he is not the President of the United Democrats of America or the President of the Liberals of America, or whatever party you may choose to insert in substitution for a political ideology.  Yes, it was us who put him there but, he said it clearly during his campaign and we must admit it, we loved it when he said it:  "Now even as e speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes.  Well I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America.  There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America - there's the United States of America." - I remember wanting to cry when I heard him say this.  Now, 3 years later, we criticize him for listening to all sides.

Then, there has to be a super majority of votes to pass anything through Congress and the Republican's, whose #1 objective, openly admitted, is for Obama to  be a one term president and in order to achieve their goals, they vote NAY on everything that might be beneficial to this country and therefore, for Obama.  And we blame Obama.  We blame Obama because we want him to break the rules to do what we want - and need too, don't get me wrong - but according to the rules of Congress, he can't.

And now, how are we reacting?  By splitting the liberals and democrats, as if we will gain something by it.  If we keep doing this, we will have no one to blame but ourselves when a Newt, Romney, Paul or any other nut in the GOP walks into the Oval office and take charge of this country, taking it back to before the '60s.  I know a lot of you will blame Obama, it is always easier to blame someone else for our own demise.  I hear people saying that they will either not vote or vote for a 'green' candidate or anyone else, even if that candidate has no chance in winning; the results?  We're split, but not the far right.  Way to go!!  We might as well place the White House on a silver platter and hand it to the next son of a bitch from the GOP that will make our lives a living hell.  You think we have it bad now?  Allow this to happen and you will really learn what hell is all about!

(the picture depicted in this article has been copyrighted and is the property of this author - not for distribution unless authorized)

Religious hatred

Are we ready to be dragged back two hundred and fifty years ...... a time when even the right to vote, hold office, or own property was ruled by whether you belonged to the state church or not.

That is what the religious right is proposing. They wish to force their beliefs onto every American citizen. They want to rewrite the Constitution in their own narrow-minded concept of creating a Christian Sharia law where gays can be put to death and women are less than equal and cannot be allowed to make a decision on their own.

They have become so misguided in their beliefs that they no longer hold with the teachings of Jesus but follow the merchants of profit instead. They sell out for a few pieces of silver just like Judas.

It is sad that those who profess to be Christians have turned from the real meaning of Christianity to follow hollow and soulless false prophets who use the word of God to make gold. Do those men then use the gold to better the lives of the needy? No ..... they horde and covet that gold for themselves. Their lives are filled with luxury while they condemn those less prosperous or of another faith or culture.

It had always been my understanding that churches were considered non-profit organization. Today, however, they have become huge money hoarders ....... from the Vatican to the mega TV evangelist Churches. Wasn’t it Jesus who destroyed the markets because of their greed and corruption?

Thousands of years later the same type of con men are once again busy fleecing their followers. Why are there so many gullible people in the world? Have they lost all ability to reason? Is it just that they are lazy and prefer others to do their thinking for them?

Soon this nation will be a country with as much religious hatred and extremism as is seen in many Middle Eastern nations. You say it can’t happen? Pay close attention to the demands they are placing on the government by such demands as declaring that gays have less than the same rights they enjoy. Does that sound like the America where all men are created equal?

How about denying a woman the right to save her own life in the event her pregnancy goes wrong ...... or what if she miscarries? She could conceivably face criminal charges.

Race is also becoming an major issue and is becoming a topic of conversation more every day. No wonder people have chosen to depart from today's religious teachings, which have become as radical as the Muslim extremists in their practice of Jihad. We can still exist together, but not if the religious radicals have their way.

What has the Republican Party offered us this year?

Where are the candidates who will address the real issues confronting the nation? Is there even one who can speak with knowledge about the very real problems facing the American public? What we are seeing is the same old talking points and finger pointing with no real facts to back them up.

We have heard from some of the presidential candidates that the reason for the economic crisis is because God wants to punish us because some of us are gay. We've also heard that we must allow corporations to be unregulated and unburdened with taxes in order to get Americans back to work.

These issues weren't the reason for the collapse of the financial sector. Instead of putting out ideas as to how we find a solution, they are pandering to the extremists for votes and they are also bashing gays, both poor and middle class, blaming them for the crisis instead of the corporations who outsourced jobs, gutting the revenue of the government.

The religious right demand that this nation revert to a strict Christian base and deny others religious choice.

Where is the one who will save this nation? The one who has something different? The one who has a fresh and a firm base to get the nation started. Well it isn’t the republicans. They have not proposed any ideas to get the economy rolling. They have done nothing but push the blame toward others and pamper the wealthy and religious gluttons.

The choices given to the American public are the same ones that have already failed for, oh so long. The one man who has taken the few steps allowed to him and fought for us when he could has just now begun the long hard effort to repair this torn nation.

Unfortunately those on the opposing side, out of racism and hatred, refuse to allow him even the tiniest amount of slack. They have shown that their loyalties lay, not with the American people, but with a small faction of the rich and powerful. .......the same faction that that uses money and threats of financial ruin to pander support.

Both sides can co-exist ..... not as they wish, but as equals. That is how the founders wished this nation to be.... all men created equal whether you’re Donald Trump or William Smith. You should have the same rights and opportunities.

We have become a society of classes. Those who have more wealth get a bigger share of the rights simply because they can afford to influence the governing of the nation.

History making in Wisconsin.

In a few days the recall effort against Governor Scott Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch will be over and we will know for certain that the people have spoken.

There will be attempts by the Republican party to reject as many signatures as possible but volunteers have done an awesome job getting them while being harassed, not only by the weather but some of those who support the governor.

The volunteer signature gatherers have shown determination, courage and strength far beyond the Republican attempts to stop them. Stopping them has been an all out effort by the right wing, as they feel threatened and are fearful of losing the power they gained last year.

One of the things they have proposed is removal the election board, known in Wisconsin as the Government Accountability Board, a body the Republicans themselves put in place several years ago.

Why would they do this? Because they are not happy with how the board they set up worked against them. They have also filed a lawsuit to help them in this recall by forcing the taxpayers to pay for the verification of the signatures instead of the Republican Party.

This is an attempt to sway public opinion against the recall effort. Walker has been able to rake in millions from outside Wisconsin at the same time he was telling the public that those against him are being funded from out of state. This has been proven false.

The millions walker has spent on ads this time have not stemmed the flow of signers, but may have helped to put even more nails in the coffin lid. They know from the Senate recalls last summer that didn’t go well for them they have to change tactics, but again they are relying on the flood of money to buy the public.

Are the people willing to sell out? I say no. The public has seen what Walker has to offer and it isn’t progress. At the rate the job outlook is going it will take nearly a half century to create the 250,000 jobs he promised in his first 4 years. I am thinking a 25 year old isn’t going to wait until he is 75 to get a job.

The efforts the people have made may not have all been victorious, but it has shown the nation what the people can do if they come together and work toward a common goal.

In addition to the recall of the Governor and the Lt. Governor, we also have people collecting signatures to remove 3 more senators.

Walker is giving us more ammo in this battle every day. He just can’t help himself. He keeps supplying the people with even more to force his recall and generate more hatred for himself. In this fight he is his own worst enemy.

We have a long road ahead but we are seeing a glimmer of light shining through. In the meantime the people have learned a valuable lesson about democracy. One can never take liberty and freedom for granted. It must be protected and defended.