The Book of WTF?

This is an excerpt from a book I've been reading:

"Although the text was written in an exotic, long-dead language described as 'reformed Egyptian', Moroni had also given Joseph a set of 'interpreters': divinely endowed spectacles that would allow the person wearing them to comprehend the strange hieroglyphics.  By means of these magic glasses, Joseph began deciphering the document, dictating his translation to a neighbor named Martin Harris, who acted as his scribe.  After two months of painstaking work they completed the first 116 pages  of translation, at which point the two men took a break, Moroni retrieved the golden plates and magic spectacles."

No, this is not "Harry Potter and the Magic Spectacles", this is and excerpt from "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer from the part of the book that explains the story of how Joseph Smith translated 'The Book of Mormon' from the golden plates he claimed to find.  Mormonism would then become the most successful "American" religion.  This is why I stand behind the notion that most Americans are really, really stupid. I mean, come on.  The Angel's name is MORON with an I on the end!

If you haven't read this book, please do.  It is the story of how far a fundamentalist sect will go to control people for power in the name of God and the horrible problems that arise from it. 

Just a Few Questions From a Progressive

Okay...excuse my language...but what the fuck is going on in this country?  I cannot even wrap my head what has gone on in the past 6 months.  I think about it a lot and it's scary.  I hate to pull a Carl Paladino here, but I'm mad.  I'm really mad and I have some questions for the republicans. 

You say you want to save money.  You say you want us to live within our means.  If that is the case, then can you please explain to me how a person is supposed to live within their means when you keep asking them to pay out of pocket for things you get for free?  Can you please explain to me how cutting health care to women's clinics is not an attack on women and the poor in general?  Can you please explain to me how controlling my health care choices fits into your 'small government' argument?  Can you please explain to me how causing more unintended pregnancies, which a good percentage will eventually be put on welfare/medicaid, will save you money?   Can you please explain to me how much further you will be going and what is your endgame? 

I might be able to form more rational thoughts within the next 24 hours and make a nice progressive argument against this bullshit, but right now I'm just a little mentally worn out.   Rank hypocrisy will do that to you.

Santorum...There's a Reason This Guy's Name Means What it Does

I tuned in to Meet The Press today, as I do every Sunday because I'm a huge nerd.  But this week was especially exciting because I wanted to see Rick Santorum crash and burn.  He didn't disappoint.


There was so much wrong with the interview today but my main takeaways were:  

1.  Deficits matter now, but not in 2002 when they were trying to start the Iraq war.
2.  No abortion even in cases of rape and incest and doctors should be criminally charged.
3.  He'd get rid of the Affordable Care Act including the 'pre existing condition' protection. 
4.  He prefers home schooling over public schools because of 'weird socialization' public schools create, and he wants to overhaul public schools and make them more like a "one room school house experience".  

Not kidding, my jaw was on the floor through most of the interview.  Good thing no one takes this asshole seriously.  And if you haven't Googled his last name yet, please do it, it's hilarious. 

It's NOT okay

Here's a comment that is currently making the rounds on Facebook:

Florida is the first state that will require drug testing when applying for welfare (effective July 1st)! Some people are crying this is unconstitutional. How is this unconstitutional yet it's okay that every working person had to pass a drug test in order to support those on welfare? Re-post if you… agree!!! Let's get Welfare back to the one's who NEED it, not those that just WANT it.

Since a lot of my friends are re posting this 'I'm okay with drug testing for welfare' thing, here's my blanket comment to you:

Sure, this SEEMS like a good idea.  Like Rick Scott says, we don't want people getting assistance and then laying around all day watching TV.  But not everyone working has to pass a drug test, trust me on that one. The government obtaining your bodily fluids and violating your privacy without probable cause is against the 4th, 5th, and 14th amendment. It's also been reported that Rick Scott, governor of Florida has ties to a company that makes profits off of drug testing materials. 


Here's another concern, and this is just me stretching my own logic, but it makes sense to me.  If you take a drug test, it's possible that the government COULD extract your DNA.  I know this sounds like a conspiracy theory on the Glenn Beck level, but state governments have said before that they wanted to create a DNA database to assist the police in catching criminals.  With all that the new republican governors have done already this year, is the really such a stretch?  While I'm all for catching criminals in crimes where DNA could be a factor (murder, rape, etc.) obtaining a match with DNA provided during a welfare screening (or any other prerequisite test) could be thrown out due to its constitutionality (see previous sited amendments).  Then that person would most likely get off.


Back to the issue at hand.  The whole reason Rick Scott wants to do this is because of the Florida budget.  This is the same argument that I made in Wisconsin but I'm going to say it again, this is not about the budget.  If it was, the governor would not be suggesting that they pay all of this money to test the people who are asking for assistance.  I'm all for means testing, but all us progressives are saying is do it in a logical way that won't cost the state even MORE money (by paying for the testing).  


This is just another 'big government' solution brought forth by people who ran on 'little government' issues.  Just because hypocrisy coming from the right is constant, doesn't mean we should get used to it.  

My New Rule: Re-redistribution

New Rule:  When Progressives talk about taxing the rich, conservatives can no longer call it income redistribution.  It must now be referred to as Income RE-redistribution.  See, because the money has been moving up to the rich for about 30 years now thanks to Saint Reagan.   The more people that understand this, the better.

Real Comments from Rank and File Republicans

Okay, seriously.  Check out the crazy that is out there right now.   I think these comments speak for themselves.

 

Sarah

Happy "The government takes all your money to redistribute to people who don't work & to programs that are ridiculous" Day! :)

 Cassi  Yaaay! I'm so happy for the people that sit on their butts all day and collect welfare for years and years and years! It makes the months my husband spends away helping to protect this country so much more worth it!

Deantha

I am a compassionate conservative. I enjoy and feel called to helping people who need help. I do resent the government stealing my money from me and giving it, not to the true poor who need assistance, but to corrupt government workers wi...th permanent jobs that refuse to work for their pay and to citizens who abuse the government assistance programs. Give me my money and teach me godly ways to support those with true needs, don't give me a corrupt top-heavy government and an populace suffering from "learned helplessness".

Sarah  I agree with helping people however the vast majority of those receiving government assistance have figured out how to work the system and could live without the assistance if they used the program effectively...one girl at work told her supervisor that she couldn't exceed her sales goals to get incentive bc she would make too much & lose her welfare...not exactly the intent of the program!

Deantha  I agree. It is unfortuante, though, that many of us who are commanded to help those with real needs neglect our opportunities to do so, leaving it to a government institution that simply cannot govern itself in implementing such programs and end up creating a dependent populace.

Stephanie  It hurt my soul to write that check to Uncle Sam. A lot.

(ME)  Jill Kresl   Well, Stephanie, then you should be mad at the corporations who didn't have to pay ANY. Public workers pay taxes just like the rest of us.

Sarah I've been waiting for you Jill! Lol

Jill Kresl I'm really trying to restrain myself out of respect for you...seriously, did you guys not watch the budget debate at all?

Deantha corporations provide jobs government provides dependency

Stephanie Oh, trust you me, I'm very mad Jill! I told my husband I'm just going to quit working.. Its more profitable.. Lol

Jill Kresl Sure, it provides jobs for people in the Philippines and India. And you're right, it provides dependency for defense contractors for sure. And on a much larger scale then the one you're worried about.

Deantha oh yeah! you are so right. American corporations provide no jobs in America. :P perhaps if the unions hadn't sucked the employee base into excessive and unreasonable expectations some of those jobs could have remained here. take a walk in our social programs and see how many people your dependency system has destroyed. hold yourself accountable for that horrid vote you cast.

Jill Kresl Sounds like someone took their daily dose of fox news. I'm done here crazies. Happy tax day.      

I mean really, how do I argue with that?  A friend of mine today said, "You can't make them see.  They see what they want."  And unfortunately, that is the truth.

Just One More Reason I Heart Bernie Sanders

Writing this I realized that it's not going to come off as cool as I think it is.  But I wanted to put this out there mostly because it made me laugh, but because it shows how misinformed the mainstream republicans are.  And when I say mainstream, I mean middle of the road conservatives, not the super right wing fringe.  

Former RNC Communications Director, Doug Heye:   "I don’t remember any negotiations on Health Care.  I remember they were using the old Charlie Rich song “Behind Closed Doors” where Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were negotiating between themselves but not allowing Republicans in the room.  We were not a part of that process." 

Senator Bernie Sanders:   "Doug, I am on the Health committee.  There were days and weeks and months of debate many republican amendments were accepted.  Trust me.  Republicans were part of the debate."

This was from tonight's 'Real Time with Bill Maher'.  Yeah, I know, clearly I have a lefty bias.  That being said,  I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to take the word of the guy who was in the room at the time. 

@SenatorSanders, @billmaher, @DougHeye