What A Romney Presidency Would Look Like

I know it's a scary thought, but you need to know what's ahead if you vote for Romney: 1) Foreign Policy--In this area Romney would turn over all decisions to John Bolton, Secretary of State. Who is John Bolton? A modern-day Attila the Hun. A neocon who advised W to go to war in Iraq and who stands by that decision to this day. Under Romney we would be at war with Iran within five months. We would be on a wartime budget again, with slimy defense contractors coming out from under their rocks. Say hello to Halliburton again. And you can double the current deficit. The entire Middle East would get involved this time. The nuclear option would be on the table. Think 1962 and Cuban Missile Crisis redux without a cool, smart, deliberate commander-in-chief to keep us out of global thermonuclear war. 2) The Economy--One word: Plutocracy. The rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer. We would return to no-trickle-down policies. The right wing has for decades tried to convince us that tax breaks for the wealthy and for corporations would create more jobs. This is, of course, nonsense. It is just another scam that capitalists perpetrate on the proletariat. The way corporations get rich today is by cutting jobs, not adding jobs. The more tax breaks the plutocrats get, the more they put in their own pockets. They couldn't care less about the middle class. 3) The Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade--Ruth Bader Ginsberg is just barely hanging on, and she is all that stands in the way of the overturn of women's abortion rights. Romney would be forced by his Tea Party backers to appoint a right-wing nutjob to the Court, and Democrats would not have the votes to stop him. Imagine women being unable to get abortions. Imagine employers being able to restrict access to contraceptives. Imagine rape victims being forced to carry to term. We would have a second baby boom--most of them born to poor families. Entitlement programs would be cut. Poverty and homelessness would be rampant. We could have people starving to death in America. 4) The middle class would be gutted--In order to pay for his tax cuts for millionaires, President Romney would eliminate the mortgage interest deduction. Middle class taxpayers would pay an average of $10,000/year more in taxes. Home ownership would lose its appeal. A severe housing market decline begins. The gains made under Obama would be wiped out. The middle class is forced to work harder to keep less of its money and loses the incentive to own a home. 5) America longs for the good old days of the George W. Bush presidency. Don't say I haven't warned you.

Another GOP Rape Expert Surfaces in Indiana

Say what you want about white Republican males running for the Senate, they know more about the science and religion of females getting raped than anyone alive. They must know more, because they keep pontificating about it publicly. They are almost obsessed with the topic. The latest rape expert is Richard Mourdock of Indiana, running for U.S. Senate. He says that rape is God's will. Mourdock is probably referring to an obscure passage from Genesis, "Go forth to be molested and multiply," or possibly this one from The Old Testament, "And it was said unto Abraham, take your women by force so that ye may impregnate them." Using the Bible to justify crimes against whole groups of people who seem to lean towards the Democrats is a savvy political strategy; I am surprised more Republicans have not adopted it. For instance, why hasn't Scott Brown insisted that Elizabeth Warren be stoned to death in a public square for having the temerity to run for public office. He could cite the passage from Leviticus, "Let those harlots who dare to challenge the authority of conservative men be put to death." Come to think of it, why hasn't the NRA declared that shooting liberals should be legalized. After all, didn't Jesus himself unload an AK-47 on union leaders who did business in temples on the Sabbath? And why doesn't Jan Brewer, Republican Governor of Arizona, simply drown illegal aliens; Noah didn't take Mexicans on the Ark. In Missouri Todd Akin just called Claire McCaskill a female dog, and we all know God hates dogs. The voters in Indiana and Missouri, most of whom are acknowledged Biblical scholars, agree with this strategy; they have Akin and Mourdock well ahead in their Senate races. Praise be to Jesus.

Akin Makes Crazy Seem Normal

Just for fun, let's review Todd Akin's Top 10 Extreme Quotes. My comments follow each quote: 10. "[Social Security and Medicare] are enslaving people and destroying people’s lives… Basically we fought a war for slavery already, we don't want that anymore." (1/10/12) YES...those old people who can't afford to live or get healthcare without Social Security and Medicare need to be free of those government chains, so they can starve to death or die of disease. 9. "[Doctors are] giving abortions to women who are not actually pregnant." (1/22/08) Huh?? 8. "I think [food stamps are] destructive; putting people in chains to the welfare state is not compassionate and it needs to stop." (6/11/12) Yes poor people need to be free of government handouts so they can starve to death. 7. "One of the things that did distinguish me from some of my colleagues here was the fact that I would support a repeal of the 17th Amendment." (6/11/12) The 17th Amendment provides for direct election of Senators. Todd thinks he was appointed by God. 6. "Our freedom is seriously threatened right now… I hope we will fight the battle with ballots and not bullets, but the Second Amendment is our last ditch of defense." (4/24/12) We need to take up arms against the negro president. 5. "[Claire] had a confidence and was much more ladylike [in 2006], but in the debate on Friday she came out swinging." (9/26/12) Todd thinks broads are meant to be seen not heard. 4. "The Federal Government is destroying things right now. It's paying women to have children out of wedlock. What you pay for, you get more of. That's nuts." (5/25/12) But Todd will not let you have contraceptives or abortions! 3. "The bottom line is you've got a conservative House, you've got a bunch of socialists in the Senate, and you've got a commie President. That's where we are." (4/16/11) And we've got a fascist running for Senate in Missouri. 2. "[Student loans are] the stage three cancer of socialism that is threatening our freedom." (6/2/12) Damn socialists...how dare they try to educate the middle class. 1. "From what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." (8/19/12) The doctor Todd is quoting is Dr. Mengele. Honorable Mention: "I don't believe in [global warming] at all, okay?... I just don't think the evidence is good there from a scientific point of view." (8/1/12) And Todd knows all about science. By the way, did you know the earth is really flat and only 2,000 years old.

Sleazebag Akin Now Selling His Vote For PAC Money

When deciphering the true meaning of politicians' public pronouncements, one must read between the lines. What GOP Troglodyte Todd Akin meant when he said that "Women who are legitimately raped can't have abortions," is women who get raped are asking for it...they deserve what they get...and they are nothing but whores. Well, who's the whore now? Turns out, Akin has done a 180 reversal on earmarks so that he can fill his pockets with conservative PAC money. That's the deal he struck with Jim DeMint. Akin has always been against earmarks, but Toddy suddenly changed his tune when a PAC john came to him waving dollar bills. Toddy spread his legs and told DeMint, "Give it to me hard." Now Akin has no problems with earmarks; thus proving that he is not only stupid, antiquated, and narrow-minded...he is also corrupt. AND HE IS NECK-AND-NECK with Democrat Claire McCaskill in their Missouri Senate race. What is wrong with Missourians? How can they vote for this jerk? He wants to abolish Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, public schools, student loans, and access to contraceptives. He believes all children should be home schooled. He believes the earth is flat, and the Civil Rights Act is unconstitutional. He thinks Jesus was a free marketer who walked with dinosaurs and carried AK-47s, barrels loaded. I guess Missourians are too busy fornicating with farm animals and blowing up meth labs to pay attention.

Most Of the "47%" Will Vote For Romney

In yesterday's New York Times, conservative columnist David Brooks claimed Mitt Romney is as obliviously "wealthnocentric" as Thurston Howell III...and for good reason. Speaking to a smoke-filled room of 1 percenters, who buy politicians as if they were lap dancers, Thurston Romney said this, "...47% of the country are people who are dependent upon government, who believe they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to take care of them, who believe they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it." What is more appalling than the words is Romney's complete lack of awareness of his audience. He was speaking to the very people who receive most of the government handouts. Government giveaways for the wealthy add up to more than $1 trillion each year. Capital gains tax breaks account for 5% of this amount. Regular capital gains are taxed like regular income (35% at the upper bracket), but capital assets held for more than a year are considered long-term capital gains and get taxed at a significantly reduced 15% rate. This is a huge windfall for the investor class, and amounts to a quarter of a trillion dollars in lost tax revenue over five years. Another huge government giveaway is the depletion allowance for big oil companies, the last people on earth who need tax breaks. 15% of their gross income can be deducted right off the top, but the IRS does have its limits. The depletion allowance can be no more than 100% of taxable income...meaning that the government refuses to give big oil companies tax refunds. How courageous! I think it is safe to say that the investor class and the CEOs of big oil companies overwhelmingly vote Republican. So when Romney lashes out at the 47% who depend on government, he is lashing out at his own constituency. When he lambasts the 47% for feeling like victims, he must be referring to plutocrats like himself who feel unfairly picked on by government regulations. And when he refers to those who believe the government should take care of them, he must mean that the government is not doing enough to coddle the rich. Or it just could be, as Republican sympathizer David Brooks puts it, "The comment suggests that [Romney] doesn't know much about the country he inhabits...[and] doesn't know much about the culture of America...The people who receive the disproportionate share of government spending are Republicans." Brooks eviscerates Romney's comment with this, "It's what self-satisfied millionaires say to each other." However, Brooks is off-base when he criticizes Romney for his lazy logic which reinforces the notion that "People who are forced to make it on their own have drive. People who receive benefits have dependency." Here, without his realizing it, Thurston reinforces a truism. The blue-collar, middle-class working stiffs have the drive to make it on their own without the influence or wealth to attain government handouts; the owner class, on the other hand, has a huge dependency on government benefits and has learned that it cannot thrive without them.

Why Do Republicans Care So Much About Zygotes?

Republican idiot Todd Akin aside, why does the GOP want so desperately to deny women access to abortions? The Republicans' public justification, of course, is that they fervently want to protect life in all forms. But this contradicts all their stances on all non-zygote forms of life. Republicans apparently don't care about life in the form of old people; they want to eradicate Social Security and gut Medicare. If the GOP had its way, old people would be dying in our streets of starvation and untreated diseases. Republicans don't care about life in the form of college students; they want to abolish federal student loans. They don't care about kids; they want to cut government lunch programs for needy youngsters. They have no regard for the well-being of women; they want to restrict access to contraceptives which not only prevent the need for abortion but also help regulate women's reproductive organs. Republicans despise brown people of all ethnicities; they want keep them out of the country, prevent them from voting, and make it difficult for them to access public transportation which could be used to make a better life for themselves. And, most callous of all, Republicans have no problem with putting all forms of life in danger with their "Wild West" gun policies. They assiduously protect the rights of maniacs to buy AK-47s, but they could not care less about the rights of the rest of us to "life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness," and a feeling of safety in our own neighborhoods, churches, movie theaters, and schools. In short, Republicans care only about life before it begins. After you are born, you are on your own...and Republicans will make it as hard for you to survive as they possibly can. What sense does this make? Why do Republicans value life, respect life, and protect life only until one comes into existence? It is non-logical, but what would you expect from the party of Todd Akin. Finally, there is this: You would think that with demographics trending towards white people being outnumbered by people of color by 2020, Republicans would be handing out contraceptives on street corners and opening up abortion shops in every town. By forcing women, even rape and incest victims, to carry to term, Republicans are repopulating America with the very people who will eventually vote them out of office. Wealthy white females will always have access to contraceptives and abortions; it is the poor and minorities who will not if Republicans have their way. In a way, Republicans are trying to legislate themselves out of existence. Fine by me.

Parlez vous Tea Party?

While on vacation in a small seaside village in France, my wife and I received news that the Supreme Court had endorsed Obamacare (since when can the Supreme Court rule on Presidential policy?). By "received word," we mean we saw it on French TV, without English translation. Our bilingual concierge confirmed that "validee" meant "okayed." The concierge giggled, and we asked why. "You Americans. Such a big deal over what should be obvious. We French think nothing at all of national health care. Why the...uh...le guerre?" We tried to explain the Tea Party to her. She laughed again. I shame-facedly felt like I was telling her why it was so hard for American troglodytes to accept the fact that the world was not flat. "Ah, oui. Ze barbarians," she said. "I demand my right to die before it is time. I demand my right to have ze financial ruin because I must be in ze hospital for a long time. I demand my right to be, how do you say, excluded because ze illnes is not covered. I demand my right to be sick. I demand my right to be cheated by insurance companies. Haha, your Tea Party is funny. Reminds me of small children with tiny brains who refuse to get along with ze others and do what is best for all. They can't stand to see others benefit or do well; the greater good means nothing to them. They are infantile and greedy. You have many like this, no?" I admitted there were millions and millions of them. So many that it makes one wonder from where they all come. "I am an American expatriate for many reasons," continued the concierge, "and this is one. America is a nation of 'me.' France is a nation of 'us.' Only don't tell this to an American, or they will surely wave a flag in your face and tell you that America is the greatest country in ze world. Even though you hate one another and wish each other ill." "Not all of us are that way," I replied. "We elected a progressive man, a man of color, no less, who seems to have the greater good at heart." "Oui. There are people of goodwill, but they are too civil...and afraid of the loud, rude, violent barbarians. Like here, during ze war. Too many of us were afraid to stand up to the Nazis, and they conquered us. You must fight them." "We do plenty of that. In fact, that's about all that ever gets done in Washington." "We have our differences here, but we are fond of our fellow Francos. You have many who speak of the Bible in America. Doesn't your Bible tell you to love one another and share. Yet you have so few with everything, and so many with so little. I don't understand how your Church and rulers get away with this. If the Bible tells us anything, it tells us that capitalism is evil. The rich man has ze same chance to enter heaven as the elephant to pass through ze needle." She stopped and smiled "C'est la vie...it can be no other way in America, for that is the nature of capitalism. The tiny number of wealthy must own the great number of masses...not everyone can be a king or a CEO, for ze rest must work in ze king's factories, make his bread, shine his shoes, manicure his lawn, collect his trash, bow at his foot. It works no other way. Few receive and many serve. Ze ruling class maintains this order by making scorn of any talk of all receiving and all serving. This is ze talk of ze socialist devil, no?" She smiled and politely excused herself. "You Americans...au revoir; bonne chance."