Tag: Democrats

GET OFF THE RAGG: Open Letter

On By Anne LeonardIn ANTI WAR, Democrats, EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUALITY, Justice, Liberals, peace, Politics, Progressive, RIght Wing Nuts, SUFFRAGE, Tea Party, WOMENLeave a comment

Dear Radical Right Republicans, Tea Partiers, Birthers, Posers, and Hypocrites:

Have you no shame.  We have endless for-profit wars over oil, special interests ruling our Nation, and American’s struggling to live, but all you want to talk about is Religion, Abortion, Guns, and Gays.

Allow me to address your issues on a personal level:

I consider myself a Progressive.   Being a Progressive does not make me a ‘baby-killer’, a GUN BANNING fanatic, or a radical enemy combatant.

Now to address the CORNERSTONE issues of the Radical RIGHT:

(1) RELIGION

I tolerate all religions (and there are MANY) that celebrate the Golden Rule.   I am an Atheist.  I am not a god hater.  You cannot hate what you do not believe in.

(2) ABORTION

What a woman chooses to do with her body, is a decision for her to make, after seeking the advise of her physician.  I am PRO-CHOICE/PRO –LIFE.   That does not mean that I advocate FOR or AGAINST ABORTION.  I simply think that a woman should have the choice.

(3) GUNS

Guns (alone) don’t kill people. Guns in the wrong PEOPLE’S hands kill people (with some exceptions).  We simply need to keep the guns out of the hands of the bad guys and leave the good guys with guns alone.

(4) GAYS

You don’t become gay-you are born that way.  It’s not a disease.  You either are, or you aren’t.  It’s the way you’re made.  Marriage is between two people who love each other, period (not genitalia requisite).

I am not alone in my beliefs.  There are millions more like me.   So, Dear Radical Right Republicans, Tea Partiers, Birthers, and Haters, please keep this in mind when you spread your messages of hate.  The TRUTH may eventually set YOU free.

GET OFF THE R.A.G.G. -Humanity is calling.

Love and Peace.

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Politicians for SALE: Wall Street vs. Main Street

On By Anne LeonardIn 99%, ANTI WAR, Democrats, EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUALITY, Justice, Occupy America, Occupy Together, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, Progressive, RIght Wing NutsLeave a comment

Politicians have been selling out to the highest bidder for years. Who are the benefactors? It doesn’t take a Rhodes Scholar to figure it out. The GOP represents Wall Street; Democrats represent Main Street. Republicans may reign supreme from time to time. But, for many, many years–Democrats controlled congress…

Democrats controlled the House of Representatives for 60 years between 1933-1995 (in all but four years); and, they controlled the Senate in all but ten years. If you wanted something done, you needed the support of the Democrats. Those were the good ol’ days- a time when Congressional leaders upheld public interest. Somewhere, along the way, things changed:

Republicans seized power in 1994 by raising massive amounts of campaign cash. Between 1994-1998, Republican candidates raised a record breaking $1 BILLION+ dollars (Kaiser, 2009. So Damn Much Money, p. 272).

In 1994 (for the first time since 1954), Republicans gained control of both houses. The power shift gave the Neo-Cons a taste of how much power they stood to lose, if they didn’t keep their sponsors happy. Perhaps, this could explain why the power hungry Neo-Cons turned their collective focus away from public interest, to their corporate bedfellows. After all, they had $1 billion+ favors to repay. But, the Democrats would not go quietly- between 1995 and 2010, congressional power shifted as many times in fifteen years as it had in the past forty-five years (Lessig,L. 2011. Republic Lost, p.94).

In 2008, Republicans were dumping campaign cash at any contender they thought could beat a Democrat (Hillary or Obama). It didn’t take long for Democrats to learn that in order to beat Republicans (and BIG MONEY), you’ve got to raise a lot of cash, too. Presidential Candidates – Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain – together spent more than $1 billion, an unprecedented figure. But, Obama didn’t win because of the massive amounts of campaign cash alone, he had a message. Of course, the cash helped Obama, no doubt, but he inspired Americans at a time when many of us had had a belly full of Bush, Cheney, the Industrial Military Complex, and failed Republican policies.

And, just when we thought we’d be able to loosen the Neo-Con stranglehold on humanity, enter the DRAGON: Citizens United.

The Citizens United ruling in 2010, was the proverbial nail in the coffin of public interest. All hail BIG BUSINESS. The landmark decision allows corporations and unions to throw endless amounts of cash at politicians. (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S.08-205 (2010), 558 U.S., 130 S. Ct. 876 (January 21, 2010)).

But, today, a silver lining appeared…today, Montana High Court Says ‘Citizens United’ Does Not Apply In Big Sky State. Lawyers attacking the Montana ban on direct corporate spending said the U.S. Supreme Court in its 2010 Citizens United ruling removed any barrier to corporate spending. But the Montana Supreme Court disagreed and took a more nuanced view:

“What was true a century ago is as true today: distant corporate interests mean that corporate dominated campaigns will only work ‘in the essential interest of outsiders with local interests a very secondary consideration.”

What does this mean? Time will tell. I can tell you that I now hold a new affection for the Big Sky State. All things considered, it’s still safe to say that Republicans will stop at nothing to defeat Democrats, and especially, President Obama. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” Therefore, I am duty bound to open up my checkbook and throw as much cash as possible toward QUALIFIED Democrats who do not worship at the altar of Wall Street, but work with us folks down here on Main Street. Please feel free to do the same, Main Street depends on it.

Cross posted on: www.definedontdefend.com and www.allthingsdemocrat.com

Occupy Demands Answers. Do you?

On By Anne LeonardIn 99%, Democrats, EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUALITY, Justice, Liberals, Occupy America, Occupy Together, Occupy Wall Street, Politics2 Comments

And, on the eighth day the Earth shook, the heavens parted, and mankind was split into two warring political factions:  Us…and, them (the 99% vs. the 1%).

Humanity is under attack.  The enemy is misinformation.  The attack is brief, but consistent. The preferred method of delivery is through intermittent blasts of twisted propaganda; the battleground is the human psyche; the weapon of choice, the media.  A movement so profound cannot (and should not) be reduced to thirty second intervals.  This sound bite mentality does not inspire thought; it only serves to polarize and excite. The collateral damage of these unfettered attacks is chipping away at the ideas, debate, and discussion borne of the Occupy movement.

Occupy is what happens when people decide enough is enough. It is an act of extremism born of frustration.  Extremism is not a foreign concept.  As a matter of fact, America has made going to extremes its national identity.  It could easily be stated that our founding fathers were extremists- liberty seeking extremists who turned the simple question: “What if?” into a national motto.  Yet, the Occupy movement takes the ‘what if’ question a step further, asking ‘why’… and demands an answer.

The Occupy movement is the catalyst for discourse underscoring the egregious disparities between the laboring 99% and the ruling 1%.   Productive discourse, tempered with reason, gives birth to ideas; ideas give birth to dreams; and dreams that come to fruition through determination and perseverance, challenge and inspire others.

The proliferation of merit less ideas or arguments for the sake of personal gain, ratings, and/or profit pollutes the Occupy message. The conversation began with the Occupy movement.  The American Dream is under attack. But, if the proverbial American Dream is to be realized by 100% of the people, credence must be given to the concerned voices of the 99%.  Don’t let the dream die…Occupy EVERYWHERE.

Annie Walker-Leonard (@JCDP18)

Forget the Boots, Save the Watches!

On By Anne LeonardIn PoliticsLeave a comment

I’ve always said that  if you want any Sh*t out of Perry, just squeeze his neck.  And, apparently, Perry has plenty to spare because his campaign trail is so littered, it’s impossible to wade through the enormous piles of manure he leaves behind at every stop.  FORGET THE BOOTS, SAVE THE WATCHES! It’s getting deep around here.

If you’re from Texas, you already know that Rick Perry is crazy.  So crazy, in fact, he’s often referred to as Straight Jacket Perry.  A glimpse into that empty pea brain of his reveals that, not only is this man one brick shy of a load, he is 100% certifiable. Here’s PROOF. Just take a peek at the whopper ideas that made the Think Progress Top 10 Weird List:

— 10. Social Security Is Evil.

—9. Conscription and Wartime Price Controls.

— 8.Medicare is Too Expensive .

— 7. All Bank Regulation Is Unconstitutional.

— 6. Consumer Financial Protection Is Unconstitutional.

— 5. Almost Everything Is Unconstitutional.

— 4. Federal Education Policy Is Unconstitutional.

— 3. Al Gore Is Part Of A Conspiracy To Deny The Existence Of Global Cooling.

— 2. Activist Judges Are a Problem.

—1. The Civil War Was Caused By Slaveowners Trampling On Northern States’ Rights.

http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2011/08/15/295427/295427/