Here is an ad that is running currently against health care reform and that touts the evils of socialized medicine.
This spot is paid for by Americans for Prosperity, which, as I noted in an earlier post, "are committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates". Their President is Tim Phillips. He is a professional political strategist. One of their Directors is is James C. Miller, a former Budget Director under President Reagan. This ad is currently running in 11 states and Washington DC and has a production budget of $1.8 million dollars. I could think of such more productive uses for that kind of money... but I digress.
After doing some research, we have discovered that the woman in this ad had a benign brain cyst, not a cancerous tumor. Other medical professionals have concurred that this form of lesion is not life threatening and do not require immediate treatment.
This just goes to show that you can bend the truth into whatever scary shape you want to if you try hard enough.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Rachel Maddow's First Appearance on Meet the Press
Rachel, host of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, was on this morning with host David Gregory, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Ret. Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD), and Ret. Sen. Dick Armey (R-TX). She came prepared with lots of notes most of them about Dick Armey. Check out this video of Rachel taking him to the cleaners over his Chairmanship at FreedomWorks and his idea that Medicare is tyranny.
Definition Day!
Here at TLC, we like to make sure you know what's going on, so we're starting Definition Day! Here are some definitions for commonly used terms in the current health care debate.
Socialism - a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
Communism - a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
Nazism - The ideology and practice of the Nazis, especially the policy of racist nationalism, national expansion, and state control of the economy.//-->
Marxism - the system of economic and political thought developed by Karl Marx, along with Friedrich Engels, esp. the doctrine that the state throughout history has been a device for the exploitation of the masses by a dominant class, that class struggle has been the main agency of historical change, and that the capitalist system, containing from the first the seeds of its own decay, will inevitably, after the period of the dictatorship of the proletariat, be superseded by a socialist order and a classless society.
Nihilism - the principles of a Russian revolutionary group, active in the latter half of the 19th century, holding that existing social and political institutions must be destroyed in order to clear the way for a new state of society and employing extreme measures, including terrorism and assassination.
Fascism - a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
Perhaps now we can have a discussion without throwing terms around incorrectly.
Socialism - a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
Communism - a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
Nazism - The ideology and practice of the Nazis, especially the policy of racist nationalism, national expansion, and state control of the economy.//-->
Marxism - the system of economic and political thought developed by Karl Marx, along with Friedrich Engels, esp. the doctrine that the state throughout history has been a device for the exploitation of the masses by a dominant class, that class struggle has been the main agency of historical change, and that the capitalist system, containing from the first the seeds of its own decay, will inevitably, after the period of the dictatorship of the proletariat, be superseded by a socialist order and a classless society.
Nihilism - the principles of a Russian revolutionary group, active in the latter half of the 19th century, holding that existing social and political institutions must be destroyed in order to clear the way for a new state of society and employing extreme measures, including terrorism and assassination.
Fascism - a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
Perhaps now we can have a discussion without throwing terms around incorrectly.
Given The Current Health Care Debate...
I thought this could be useful! Perhaps some of our elected officials should take a look at this so that they make sure they have the process down pat.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
When Will This Stop?
Before anyone starts ranting, let me say that I absolutely believe in the first amendment and the rights to the freedom of speech and press. As Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
I do, however, believe that there is a fine line where our freedom of speech ends and the protection of the public needs to begin. There is a reason that you cannot yell fire in a crowded theatre. You cannot use your freedom of speech to endanger the lives of others in an imminent fashion.
That is exactly what is going on right now.
I will go on record, and this shouldn't surprise anyone, that I am fiercely opposed to pretty much everything the conservative right stands for. They have every right to disagree with me. They have every right to voice that opinion. They have every right to show biased coverage of events in their media outlets. They have every right to protest.
They do not have a right to purposefully incite violence amongst a group of people. They do not have the right to use terror tactics to quiet the opposition. They do not have the right to push the American people to the breaking point and then back away, as if they are not responsible for this.
Right now, when you turn on the news, you see protesters at town hall meetings screaming and waiving signs. They have every right to be doing so. You see small children holding signs that their parents handed them with Nazi rhetoric on it. I find it disgusting, but they still have the right to whore out their children if they so choose to do so. You see people equating Obama to Hilter and the Democrats to Nazis. I don't understand the logic behind it, but again - it's their right to say these things.
Then you have the lunatic fringe. President Obama held a town hall meeting in New Hampshire on health care reform. Outside, a man, William Kostric, was protesting, as he has every right to. He also happened to have a loaded handgun strapped visibly to his leg, which he is allowed to do per the second amendment, as long as it is not concealed. He was also carrying a sign that said "It's time to water the tree of liberty". This alludes to the Thomas Jefferson quote "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Since he was there protesting, I think it's safe to bet that he wasn't insinuating that it was the blood of patriots that he was after.
Here is the video interview that he gave to Chris Matthews on Hardball on MSNBC.
When Matthews asked if the gun was loaded, Kostric responded by saying "Um, wow, who would be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?" Perhaps someone who only intended the visual message but had absolutely no intention of using it? When asked why he brought a gun to a Presidential event, he responded by saying that was not an issue. Not an issue? I can't believe this.
We should also mention the Kostric is a former Arizona resident. In that state, he was involved with and is listed as a member of the Arizona Chapter of the We the People Foundation. WPF has a stated mission of "returning America to its founding principles." On their website, founder Robert Schultz says, Robert Schulz says, "Our recent initiatives have focused largely on questioning the federal government's abuse of its Constitutional powers to incur debt, tax labor, create currency by fiat, conduct war and police the peace." This group has also joined a lawsuit claiming the President Obama is an illegitimate president because he is not a natural born citizen.
This is what is going on right now. Then, after all of this happened, conservatives have stood up, not to condemn the threatening actions of this right wing fringe, but to laud him for exerting his constitutional rights. Maybe I'm being a little touchy, but Americans don't seem to have a good track record when outspoken extremists bring guns to Presidential events.
When will the encouragement of this kind of behavior stop? Someone is going to get hurt. Eventually, someone is going to break and people are going to be injured or, God forbid, killed. Will it be an elected official, a police office, or perhaps an innocent bystander? This needs to stop and it needs to stop now. Stop encouraging people to speak out with hate. Stop encouraging the extreme fringe. Stop giving them the appearance of having supporters. Stop before it is too late.
I do, however, believe that there is a fine line where our freedom of speech ends and the protection of the public needs to begin. There is a reason that you cannot yell fire in a crowded theatre. You cannot use your freedom of speech to endanger the lives of others in an imminent fashion.
That is exactly what is going on right now.
I will go on record, and this shouldn't surprise anyone, that I am fiercely opposed to pretty much everything the conservative right stands for. They have every right to disagree with me. They have every right to voice that opinion. They have every right to show biased coverage of events in their media outlets. They have every right to protest.
They do not have a right to purposefully incite violence amongst a group of people. They do not have the right to use terror tactics to quiet the opposition. They do not have the right to push the American people to the breaking point and then back away, as if they are not responsible for this.
Right now, when you turn on the news, you see protesters at town hall meetings screaming and waiving signs. They have every right to be doing so. You see small children holding signs that their parents handed them with Nazi rhetoric on it. I find it disgusting, but they still have the right to whore out their children if they so choose to do so. You see people equating Obama to Hilter and the Democrats to Nazis. I don't understand the logic behind it, but again - it's their right to say these things.
Then you have the lunatic fringe. President Obama held a town hall meeting in New Hampshire on health care reform. Outside, a man, William Kostric, was protesting, as he has every right to. He also happened to have a loaded handgun strapped visibly to his leg, which he is allowed to do per the second amendment, as long as it is not concealed. He was also carrying a sign that said "It's time to water the tree of liberty". This alludes to the Thomas Jefferson quote "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Since he was there protesting, I think it's safe to bet that he wasn't insinuating that it was the blood of patriots that he was after.
Here is the video interview that he gave to Chris Matthews on Hardball on MSNBC.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
When Matthews asked if the gun was loaded, Kostric responded by saying "Um, wow, who would be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?" Perhaps someone who only intended the visual message but had absolutely no intention of using it? When asked why he brought a gun to a Presidential event, he responded by saying that was not an issue. Not an issue? I can't believe this.
We should also mention the Kostric is a former Arizona resident. In that state, he was involved with and is listed as a member of the Arizona Chapter of the We the People Foundation. WPF has a stated mission of "returning America to its founding principles." On their website, founder Robert Schultz says, Robert Schulz says, "Our recent initiatives have focused largely on questioning the federal government's abuse of its Constitutional powers to incur debt, tax labor, create currency by fiat, conduct war and police the peace." This group has also joined a lawsuit claiming the President Obama is an illegitimate president because he is not a natural born citizen.
This is what is going on right now. Then, after all of this happened, conservatives have stood up, not to condemn the threatening actions of this right wing fringe, but to laud him for exerting his constitutional rights. Maybe I'm being a little touchy, but Americans don't seem to have a good track record when outspoken extremists bring guns to Presidential events.
When will the encouragement of this kind of behavior stop? Someone is going to get hurt. Eventually, someone is going to break and people are going to be injured or, God forbid, killed. Will it be an elected official, a police office, or perhaps an innocent bystander? This needs to stop and it needs to stop now. Stop encouraging people to speak out with hate. Stop encouraging the extreme fringe. Stop giving them the appearance of having supporters. Stop before it is too late.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Oh Really?
OK - so I am stealing a bit from SNL but I think it is perfect here given the nature of the topic at hand. We are going to talk about the vandalism to the office of Georgia Rep. David Scott. Just so you know, the swastika is approximately 4 feet tall and was spray painted on the sign in from of his headquarters.
This vandalism occurred roughly a week after Scott was caught in a debate at a very heated town hall meeting on - wait for it - health care reform. Rep. Scott, a fourth term representative from Georgia's 13th district, is a very influential Congressmen, sitting on both the Financial Services Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as others. He also happens to be an African American. On top of this instance of vandalism, Scott has also been receiving hate mail that includes racial slurs and characterizes President Obama as a Marxist.
Now for the good part. You will not believe this. The murmurings from the right wing fringe is that the swastika was a political ploy and was in fact staged by Scott supporters, not by the opposition. The Weekly Standard's John McCormack gave this lunatic theory some street cred by posing this very question. Then, today, on his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said "I don't buy this. This is too convenient...I think the Democrats are doing this themselves."
Oh really?
Why on earth would the Democrats egg on the violent right wing fringe with which, at the rate we are going, violence is imminent by making them think there is one other person on the face of the earth that agrees with not only their stance but also their solution?
Why would someone like Scott, who has lived through so much and overcome so much put himself through the terror of being subjected to this kind of blind hatred at the hands of comrades? To prove a point? I think not.
Rush also said on his show that President Obama staged a town hall meeting yesterday and Democrats are staging town hall meetings all over the place to make it look like more people support them than really do.
Oh really?
Yes, Democrats are holding town hall meetings, but not with the nefarious intentions of the Republican Party. Has it ever dawned on you that we actually might want a real discussion on heath care reform? Of course, you could take a page from David Vitter's (R-LA) book and hold a perfectly peaceful and serene town hall meeting. It helps when you screen attendees and questions first.
Rush also said that no had equated Obama to Hitler and that the entire Nazi discussion was Nancy Pelosi's fault.
Oh really?
I have posted direct quotes and facts earlier in this blog that speak directly to the contrary. Own up to what you have done, Rush. Own up to inciting a mob - yes, I called them a mob - hell bent on using racial slurs and Nazi imagery to scare people into submission. SOH Pelosi only became involved in the Nazi discussion when asked what she was seeing at town halls. She reported seeing protesters with signs with Nazi imagery on them. How on earth does she garner responsibility for the right wing fringe, your disciples, and their poor choices in speech?
Rush, this is bull and you know it.
Yes, really.
North Carolina Might Want to Allocate a Larger Budget for Education
In a poll from earlier this week, 76% of self-identified conservatives in North Carolina responded no/not sure when questioned about whether or not they believed that President Obama was born in Hawaii and therefore an American citizen.
It gets better. I swear, you will not believe this. The people who conducted this poll deserve a standing ovation for their genius.
The follow up question to those same self-identified conservatives in North Carolina is astounding. Is Hawaii a part of the United States?
12% said no/not sure.
OH MY GOD
I am not making this up and that scares me more that I can express.
It gets better. I swear, you will not believe this. The people who conducted this poll deserve a standing ovation for their genius.
The follow up question to those same self-identified conservatives in North Carolina is astounding. Is Hawaii a part of the United States?
12% said no/not sure.
OH MY GOD
I am not making this up and that scares me more that I can express.
Perhaps This Will Make Them Think Twice...
As of this post, several companies, including Procter and Gamble, Geico, Men's Warehouse, Sargento, Progressive Insurance, and Lawyers.com, have pulled their advertising from the Glenn Beck show on FOXNews due to his comments on President Obama. On July 28, while appearing on "Fox and Friends", Beck stated that he thought President Obama was a racist and had a "deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture".
The group Color Of Change (www.colorofchange.org), a group dedicated to promoting african american involvement in politics, has been contacting advertisers in an effort to get them to pull sponsorship based on his offensive ranting and apparently it is working. You can go to their website, no matter your race (contrary to what some people will tell you - ahem - FOXNews), and sign an electronic letter to send to the CEOs of the businesses that advertise on the Glenn Beck Program. Here is the text of the letter:
To President/CEO & Board:
I want to alert you to the fact that Glenn Beck--whose show you sponsor on FOX--is using his platform to make outlandish accusations about the President and to advance baseless theories that prey on race-based fears.
He is claiming that President Obama is a "racist," that he has a "deep-seated hatred for white people," and that he is attempting to use our government to deliver "Obama-brand reparations." The claims are ludicrous, and the rhetoric is racially divisive and pollutes our public discourse.
I presume your company does not want to enable such rhetoric, nor have your products or services associated with the kind of views and tactics espoused by Beck. I urge you to immediately cease all advertising on the Glenn Beck Program on the FOX News Channel.
I wanted to alert you to the fact that Glenn Beck--whose show you sponsor on FOX--is using his platform to make outlandish accusations about the President and to advance theories that prey on race-based fears.
He is claiming specifically that President Obama is a "racist," that he has a "deep-seated hatred for white people," and that he is attempting to use our government to deliver "Obama-brand reparations." The claims are ludicrous, and the rhetoric is racially divisive and pollutes healthy public discourse. It has no business being aired or supported by advertising dollars.
I presume that your company does not want to enable such rhetoric, nor have your products or services and your company associated with the kind of views and tactics described above. If that is the case, I would request that you immediately cease all advertising on the Glenn Beck Program on the FOX News Channel.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
If you wish to make your voice heard and join this movement, please go to their site and sign up to support them. These current happenings with Beck's sponsors show that if enough people speak out, we can hurt them where it hurts the most - in their wallets. Perhaps if they refuse to listen to reason to reason, they might listen when sponsors pull their money from their show. One can only hope.
The group Color Of Change (www.colorofchange.org), a group dedicated to promoting african american involvement in politics, has been contacting advertisers in an effort to get them to pull sponsorship based on his offensive ranting and apparently it is working. You can go to their website, no matter your race (contrary to what some people will tell you - ahem - FOXNews), and sign an electronic letter to send to the CEOs of the businesses that advertise on the Glenn Beck Program. Here is the text of the letter:
To President/CEO & Board:
I want to alert you to the fact that Glenn Beck--whose show you sponsor on FOX--is using his platform to make outlandish accusations about the President and to advance baseless theories that prey on race-based fears.
He is claiming that President Obama is a "racist," that he has a "deep-seated hatred for white people," and that he is attempting to use our government to deliver "Obama-brand reparations." The claims are ludicrous, and the rhetoric is racially divisive and pollutes our public discourse.
I presume your company does not want to enable such rhetoric, nor have your products or services associated with the kind of views and tactics espoused by Beck. I urge you to immediately cease all advertising on the Glenn Beck Program on the FOX News Channel.
I wanted to alert you to the fact that Glenn Beck--whose show you sponsor on FOX--is using his platform to make outlandish accusations about the President and to advance theories that prey on race-based fears.
He is claiming specifically that President Obama is a "racist," that he has a "deep-seated hatred for white people," and that he is attempting to use our government to deliver "Obama-brand reparations." The claims are ludicrous, and the rhetoric is racially divisive and pollutes healthy public discourse. It has no business being aired or supported by advertising dollars.
I presume that your company does not want to enable such rhetoric, nor have your products or services and your company associated with the kind of views and tactics described above. If that is the case, I would request that you immediately cease all advertising on the Glenn Beck Program on the FOX News Channel.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
If you wish to make your voice heard and join this movement, please go to their site and sign up to support them. These current happenings with Beck's sponsors show that if enough people speak out, we can hurt them where it hurts the most - in their wallets. Perhaps if they refuse to listen to reason to reason, they might listen when sponsors pull their money from their show. One can only hope.
Rachel Maddow On Why We Are All In The Wrong Business
Watch the video below for some very interesting statistics on health care and the insurance companies. Hopefully this will make people think twice about speaking out against health care reform.
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