JFK Killed 50 years Ago Today

Majority Should Rule

Although the rule allowing a filibuster in the United States Senate was created in 1789, the first Senate filibuster occurred in 1837. Clearly the intent is to stop the Senate from conducting its business. Since 1917, the minority has enjoyed the right to unlimited debate on legislation and nominations until the majority can amass a super-majority. In recent years, that has meant 60 votes.

One senator can impact the wishes of the majority. It is clearly an undemocratic procedure.

There continues to be a debate about the rights of the minority in a democracy. It revolves around the argument that even minorities have rights. While that may have some validity, the opportunity to vote should not be denied. The results of any election, whether in an elected body or the total electorate should determine a course of action. Flibusters deny that opportunity.

I celebrate the Senate’s vote (52-48) to change the filibuster rule to change proceedings so that only a simple majority was required to clear the way for a final vote on all appointments except Supreme Court nominations.

In California there are regulations that require a two-thirds majority to change tax laws. That too is undemocratic. Thus we have tax laws that are almost impossible to change.

This rule change should not only apply to all senate business, it should apply to all elections and all representative bodies. “Majority rule” is what democracy is all about.

No Defining Issue

Does Every Vote Count?

Why should I vote? It’s the favorite question for everyone who fails to vote. After many non-voters say that no matter who wins nothing changes.

In my own state assembly district there was a special election to replace the assemblyman who now holds a Los Angeles city council seat. The results separate the Democrat, Now leading, from the Republican by 173 votes. It wasn’t immediately known how many provisional ballots remained to be counted. So results are not final. This situation has occurred in a district that has historically been Democratic.

Neither candidate has held elected office. The candidates had a difficult time defining their differences. Neither offered a clear message answering the question, why should I vote for you?

Perhaps that is the reason elections are close. There was no defining issue.

Democrats are Celebrating

The Republican Party seems to be living in another time when White conservative Americans were a majority and their beliefs dominated all others.

Their reference is the world of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, William F. Buckley and Barry Goldwater.

Today is a totally different time. Large numbers of immigrants from non-White countries along with a more successful Black American society are the growing population. The population of Hispanics has become equal to the population of Whites in the most heavily populated state in the union.

The Huffington Post reports Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaking more than a year after he lost to President Barack Obama, acknowledged Friday that his campaign failed to attract minority voters.

“The place that my campaign and I fell short was probably in being able to speak openly and effectively to minority populations. We didn’t get as many African-American voters as we should have, didn’t get as many Hispanic voters as we should have,” he said on “CBS This Morning.” “Across the board, we need to do a better job explaining why it is that our policies will lead to higher wages, better health care, better schools.”

Perhaps Mitt Romney does understand the need to change now. However his comments about the 47% will dog him for the rest of his life.

The Tea Party agenda is in opposition to the changes the GOP needs to make in order to win elections in the multi-cultural society of 2013 and beyond.

Democrats are celebrating.

545 People Responsible For All Of U.S. Woes

Written by Charley Reese, a conservative, in the Orlando Sentinel in 1985. He is now deceased. Everything remains the same.

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why if all politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don’t have Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don’t write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don’t set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don’t control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices — 545 human beings out of 235 million — are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excused the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered by private central bank.

I exclude all of the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it.

No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislators’ responsibility to determine how he votes.

Don’t you see the con game that is played on the people by the politicians? Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of Tip O’Neill, who stood up and criticized Ronald Reagan for creating deficits.

The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating appropriations and taxes.

Those 545 people and they alone are responsible. They and they alone should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses — provided they have the gumption to manage their own employees.

Some Funnies

The constant negativity in this world demands we get a few laughs. These gems might help for a minute or two. They were e-mailed to me so go ahead and share them if you wish.

While I sat in the reception area of my doctor’s office, a woman rolled an elderly man in a wheelchair into the room. As she went to the receptionist’s desk, the man sat there, alone and silent. Just as I was thinking I should make small talk with him, a little boy slipped off his mother’s lap and walked over to the wheelchair. Placing his hand on the man’s, he said, “I know how you feel. My Mom makes me ride in the stroller too.”

*****

As I was nursing my baby, my cousin’s six-year-old daughter, Krissy, came into the room. Never having seen anyone breast feed before, she was intrigued and full of all kinds of questions about what I was doing. After mulling over my answers, she remarked, “My mom has some of those, but I don’t think she knows how to use them.”
*****

Out bicycling one day with my eight-year-old granddaughter, Carolyn, I got a little wistful. “In ten years,” I said, “you’ll want to be with your friends and you won’t go walking, biking, and swimming with me like you do now.

Carolyn shrugged. “In ten years you’ll be too old to do all those things anyway.”

******

Working as a pediatric nurse, I had the difficult assignment of giving immunization shots to children. One day, I entered the examining room to give four-year-old Lizzie her injection.

“No, no, no!” she screamed.

“Lizzie,” scolded her mother, “that’s not polite behavior.”

With that, the girl yelled even louder, “No, thank you! No, thank you!”

******
On the way back from a Cub Scout meeting, my grandson innocently said to my son, “Dad, I know babies come from mommie’s tummies, but how do they get there in the first place?”

After my son hemmed and hawed awhile, my grandson finally spoke up in disgust, “You don’t have to make up something, Dad. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer.”

*****

Just before I was deployed to Iraq, I sat my eight-year-old son down and broke the news to him. “I’m going to be away for a long time,” I told him. “I’m going to Iraq.”

“Why?” he asked. “Don’t you know there’s a war going on over there?”

*****

Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children stricken with cancer, AIDS, and blood diseases. One afternoon, he and his wife, Joanne Woodward, stopped by to have lunch with the kids. A counselor at a nearby table, suspecting the young patients wouldn’t know Newman was a famous movie star, explained, “That’s the man who made this camp possible. Maybe you’ve seen his picture on his salad dressing bottle?”

Blank stares.

“Well, you’ve probably seen his face on his lemonade carton.”

An eight-year-old girl perked up. “How long was he missing?”

*****

And my personal favorite…

God’s Problem Now!

His wife’s graveside service was just barely finished, when there was a massive clap of thunder, followed by a tremendous bolt of lightning, accompanied by even more thunder rumbling in the distance. The little, old man looked at the pastor and calmly said, “Well, she’s there.”

Keep a SMILE on your face ~ And a SONG in your heart!

A smile – is a sign of joy.

A hug – is a sign of love.

A laugh – is a sign of happiness.

And a friend like me? – Well that’s just a sign of good taste!

We’ll be friends until I am senile.

Then we’ll be NEW friends

What happened in Benghazi?

The 60 Minutes report and apology was of no import. I do not care what Dylan Davies told them or what was written in his book. It did not answer the primary questions.

Why was there such poor security at Benghazi?
Who was the person outside of Libya who made the decision to not reinforce the security?
How long did the attack last?
Was there time to send aid?
Who made the decision not to send aid to Benghazi while the attack was occurring?
Who makes the decisions on security at our embassies and consulates?

Congress is entitled to know the answers.

The Stock Market is thrilled – You should not be …

In case you were hoping that America’s three-decade-long trend toward extreme wealth inequality was starting to reverse itself, Pew has some bad news for you.

Nothing has changed.

The rich are still getting richer… and everyone else is still getting hosed.

Today’s monthly job report reinforces that fact.

Out of the marvelous 204,000 new jobs “Leisure and hospitality employment rose by 53,000 in October. Within the industry, employment in food services and drinking places increased by 29,000, the same as its average monthly gain over the prior 12 months.

Employment in retail trade increased by 44,000 in October, compared with an average monthly gain of 31,000 over the prior 12 months.”

In other words of the 204,000 new jobs 97,000 were in low paying positions. Most of these jobs pay less than $15.00 an hour. At $600 per week (15 x 40 hours) their total annual income is $31,200. That number is below middle class. Those in the $10 to $12 hourly pay rate are clearly part of the poor.

So celebrate the number of new jobs if you must. Just realize that this society is creating a nation of poor people.

Wal-mart is making money and so are the owners of corporate stocks.

Destroying the United States

The Tea Party wing of the GOP is at it again. Their primary mission is lower taxes at any cost. They have no regard for the consequences of their desire to reduce the taxation.

Tea Party Patriots are now promoting the Repeal 16 Coalition. It is a proposal to repeal the 16^th amendment to the Constitution. That amendment came into effect in 1913. The amendment gave Congress the power to impose income taxes.

The amendment states:

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Cornell University explanation:

Congress has power under Article I, Section 8 to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare. Under the 16th Amendment, Congress can collect taxes on incomes that are derived from any source. As long as Congress has the power to regulate a particular activity that it wishes to tax, it can use the tax as a regulating device rather than in order to raise revenue. Even if Congress lacks the power to regulate a particular activity, the tax will be upheld if it has the “dominant intent” of raising revenue. In other words, even if a tax might have a substantial regulatory effect, if it raises revenue, it will be considered valid.

The requirements to amend the Constitution (as defined in Article V):

two-thirds of both houses or two-thirds of the several states and ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states.

This is a tough barrier to amendments and is obviously the reason there have been only 27 amendments and ten were immediately passed as the “Bill of Rights.”

This proposed repeal has little chance of passage. That there is a group of people who would propose this amendment sends a message of the length the Tea Party will go to reach their objective.

Is their real objective to destroy the United States?

What has happened to Mickey Mouse?

The mouse that scored

By Al Martinez | November 1, 2013 12:05 AM | From LA Observed

There has been much ado on Facebook this week over a comment attributed to Sarah Palin that Jesus Christ had celebrated Easter during his time on Earth, even though just about everyone knows he was crucified three days before what became Easter. Ridicule, animosity, name-calling, hatred and other misanthropic adjectives darkened cyberspace when the story appeared, even after it was disclosed that the report was a fictional piece published in a satirical blog called the Daily Currant.

I, of course, as a registered Weeping Liberal, joined right in using terms like “horse’s rear end” and “stupid baby ass,” my granddaughter’s phrase, to describe the unfortunate woman who, shudder, aspires to become president of the United States someday. Then I checked out the Currant story, discovered its satirical intent and placed the truth on FB, but was told to “rot in hell’ and the animosity continued anyhow and is still sputtering away.

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