A dearth of Experience

Ok. It's late. I should never do this when I'm tired. But what the hell. Only six people read it anyway! SO I'm watching Frontline on PBS tonight and its a side by side bio of Kerry and Bush. OHMYGOD1 if every one saw this - there would be NO indecisions.

Kerry - we see as a young man driven at yale to be something - serious (I'd like to see his sense of humor) the growing unease with the war in Vietnam. We hear from friends who tell us why he decided to join - a sec. of defence friend came and spoke to him and two friends about how important they were to the war effort. Military recruiters are the same scum everywhere! He joins. Serves one tour state side. Then asks to be sent to vietnam. A good friend dies there.

Bush - we see a goofball who cares squat about thinking but lots about drinking, partying and meeting lots of people (this he continues to do well and the moderator says this is why he makes a good politician). Drinks his way through Yale and then Daddy pulls rank and gets him into the national guard. He becomes a fly boy - and folks who knew him said :" He loved strutting around in his fly boy gear.' Still does!

It follows both lives and the more we saw the more you realize -Bush is the accidental president - the one who can't do anything else but run for office! Cause he's not good at ANYTHING else!

Why in the world do we expect and demand experience from all other occupations - and laud it! Extole those who have lots of experience (docs lawyers teachers - would you want to have a doc operate on you who had only PLAYED doctor all his life?) Yet when it comes to running a country or a state - we want - no DEMAND stupidity ! (I feel like I could have a beer with BUSH) Instead of - well, he's worked on foreign affairs for over 15 years; knows his way around a bill and knows how to build coalitions. NOPE. Not Americans. We want to put the LEAST experienced folks up there on capitol hill and on Pennsylvania ave - then complain when the shit hits the fan! GO figure.

Our Sensitive Local Media

Ok. I'm sitting with my lap top on my lap (wow!) and I'm switching between Daily Show (the only real/fake journalism show on TV) and Channel 5 (CBS). The 'prenews' comes on and - honest to god i'mnotmaking thisup - "Kerry has new plan that is rocking Missouri......Hostage in Iraq pleading for his life.....When will it feel like fall?'

So sandwiched in between the campaign horserace and autumn, Channel five mentions the fact that another hostage is about to get his head cut off! Maybe because this guy was a Brit that they seemed so, I don't know, callous?

Is anyone actually watching the drivel on TV now? While the world goes to hell in a hand basket, are most Americans really wondering who will be fired by The Donald? Who will win the 2007th Survivor?(If you can sit through the damn show, you should win an emmy!) While companies continue to go bankrupt (United, St. Bakeries, right here in KC, Delta) while Medicare premiums go up 17% and NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT IT ON THE DAMN TV???? We're worried that Dan Rather is imploding? Yes, let's make this about the messanger - let's continue to prove Karl Rove correct - that AMericans are sheep and can be lead to whatever poisoned watering hole he wants - fade, and dodge - keep them off balance, because then you can control them.

Stop it. Turn it off. I know it's hard. OHOH I know it's hard (I'm already having a Law &Order withdrawal) But tell me how much creativity can be had on TV? They've spun two shows into about 30, right? Law & Order cubed/CSI cubed/reality TV ad infinitum or ad nauseum)

Get a book. A good book. Begin with the classics. I'm reading Twain's Puddin' Head Wilson right now and wow! Sometimes I forget how great it is to enter another world - and not one inhabited by neocons and pseudonazis......
Thinkingdem

Posit1

This is to all those creative minds out there longing for a problem to solve.

How do we fund education so that all public schools are funded, not only adequately, but satisfactorily? Funding means: books, materials, technology, buildings, teachers, principals, staff, extra ciricular?

Should it continue come from only property tax? I've heard tax experts say the best way to fund is a combination of : income, property and sales. That still means that poor areas get less.Should we forgo Federal funding for more state control? Should the Feds have any control over education? (not according to the Constititution) What about ciriculum? What is the best way to teach? Is the bar set too low for city and country kids? Are we doing anything with out manic obession with testing?

How do other countries, who out test us, and out-graduate us, fund and set teaching standards?

This is our first problem to talk about.
thinkingdem

Another Double Standard and the Press Caves

Ok. Someone in the Bush White House is afraid the docs of his inadequate service to his country are forged. Check it out. Fine. BUT DID ANY ONE RAIL AND GET ONE IOTA OF SATISFACTION WHEN THE SWIFT LIARS BEGAN THEIR RANT ON KERRY - WHICH WAS NOTHING BUT A SERIES OF LIES!??????
Never explain - Rather should stick to his guns. These things should've been vetted before anything went on the air, if they weren't, then there's a problem. But I can't believe Rather would put something like this out there without throughly vetting it beforehand. Which means, folks, that the Bush PR gang is at it again! Don't let them get a way with it. SUPPORT RATHER! They are making a mockery of the press - and making Rather the story, which is what they do.. Never explain only attack!
Our turn! America was attacked on Bush's watch! America was attacked on Bush's watch. He refused to increase spending for terrorism. AMERICA WAS ATTACKED ON BUSH'S WATCH!!!
thinkingdem

When will we Learn?

If you think American's attention span is that of a gnat. If you think our memory is only as long as the next Survivor show. If you think we live to repeat the mistakes of the past because we have put education lower than profits, you're right.

We will not begin to pull out of this downward spiral until we realize we are all in this thing together - not just Americans, but the English, French, Nepalese, Kenyan, Chinese, Australian.....our world is becoming increasingly smaller and we are beginning to fight like people who have been stuck in a room that should house four but is housing 20. What one does, whether it is consuming too much of a resource, or cheating workers out of a living wage to make sure some stockholder somewhere stays satisfied, affects,not tens, but millions of people.

A Republican president, and a military general, Dwight D Eisenhower, saw this fifty years ago. What have we done since? We fight for power over our neighbor; over another race; another gender; another religion. We haven't, as collective governments, come together to try to solve so many of our societal and economic problems. Why? Because the wants of the few have outweighed the needs of the many. Because of the wants of the few, our resources are being depleted worldwide.

We refuse to spend money on real research into alternative, sustainable fuels or better - a mass transportation system that could eliminate the need for families to own 3, 4 cars (auto workers would begin making and repairing train and buses); We refuse to hold corporations accountable for their continued refusal to clean up their act, whether that be in pollution controls (finding new ways to make things without toxic materials http://www.mcdonough.com/ or reigning in the greed that causes CEO pay to force benefit and labor reductions to pay for it! We refuse to realize the chemicals we continue to put in our water and spray on our food is killing us and making our health care costs skyrocket http://www.enviroeducation.com/interviews/john-todd/

So what will it take to change? Simple. Your involvment. Your voice raised at a neighborhood, city council or state meeting. Your voice put down in a petition or letter sent to representatives who make these decisions. But most importantly - your voice manifested as a VOTE come November 2. The world we ultimatetly end up with is a direct product of the leaders we choose.

George Bush was in charge when America was attacked on Sept. 11. He wants to run on his record. Let's examine it. Bush and the environment http://www.detnews.com/2003/politics/0304/25/politics-141332.htm -http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/24/politics/main526807.shtml
http://www.tylwythteg.com/enemies/Bush/bushenviron.html
----- On his record: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/24/opinion/polls/main619122.shtml This is very telling. these are the highlights of this year. Tell me what he has done as president to make the country better or safer?

We decide what kind of world or community we want to live in. Every time you throw trash out of you car, you're telling somebody you dont' care. Everytime you don't vote in an election - school board, mayoral or state - you're telling the leaders you don't care what they do. Everytime you throw out something that could've been fixed or recycled, or reused, you are telling your children they live in a throw-away world.

Choose a better way. Be a better neighbor. Live a better life. Vote in November.
vicki
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Excerpts from a speech given by President Dwight David Eisenhower 1953

......... a life of perpetual fear and tension; a burden of arms draining the wealth and the labor of all peoples; a wasting of strength that defies the American system to achieve true abundance and happiness for the peoples of this earth.

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms in not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.

The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway. We pay for a single fighter with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.

This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.

These plain and cruel truths define the peril and point the hope that come with this spring of 1953. This is one of those times in the affairs of nations when the gravest choices must be made, if there is to be a turning toward a just and lasting peace.

It is a moment that calls upon the governments of the world to speak their intentions with simplicity and with honesty. It calls upon them to answer the questions that stirs the hearts of all sane men: is there no other way the world may live?

We're Right! Stop Excuses for Being Right!

Folks, we have done nothing but play DEFENSE! Can we stop, please? We're facing the worse candidate since George Wallace ran!!! He's made promises and kept none - he was supposed to create 5.3 million jobs - NOT; he was supposed to have the economy on tract - NOT - instead we have the LARGEST deficit in the history of the country! He said during the first campaign that 'the army should be used for nation building." Good LORD, the DAILY SHOW had the clips of his flip flop on that little tid bit. He took us to war for no reason and continues to lie about it; He refuses to address where the hell he was during the time he was supposed to 'protecting' his country (campaigning? this is patriotic? This is acceptable? While Kerry and thousands of other guys were being drafted OR volunteering - Bushy Baby is playing in Alabama!) SOMEBODY GO ON THE OFFENSE PLEASE!!!! WE HAVE THE GOODS ON THIS GUY _ USE THEM!

Karl Rove - again - has successfully taken OUR eye off HIS ball - and if we get it back on there - that ball can be easily deflated. Do IT. STOP talking about what KERRY has or doesn't have. IT's about BUSH. HE MUST defend his record! Has HE? NO! Because he HAS no record! Start using the IRONY of this sham administration run by good ol' boys who want to salute the flag, talk about patriotism and PLAY army, because NONE of them have ever actually DONE IT.
(Wayne Slater, author of Bush's Brain)
It's time, folks to get off the pity potty and get on the ____wagon and starts throwing some of our own. Bush has earned it! DO IT!
Karl Rove says - and he's right - If you have to explain - you're dead. We've been EXPLAINING since Dean quit. DONT". He also says - don't attack your opponents weakness - attack his STRENGTH - Look what he's doing to Kerry? He's attacking his record as a war veteran who won medals! Don't attack Bush on his stupidity, or his lack of English verbal skills. Attack him on what HE Believes is his strength - his record. OK - WE WERE ATTACKED ON YOUR WATCH, MR. PRESIDENT. I think that ALONE, should settle the deal. If you can't keep us safe- the WORST attack on American soil happened on your watch, Mr. President, and instead of actually keeping us safe, you have tried to keep us scared. We're not scared anymore, Mr. President. You've done a remarkable thing! You've managed to piss off several million people enough to motivate them into volunteering for things they've never done before, to go up to doors of strangers and ask: Do you feel safer than four years ago? No? VOTE FOR JOHN KERRY!!!
thinkingdem

Folks, we have done nothing but play DEFENSE! Can we stop, please? We're facing the worse candidate since George Wallace ran!!! He's made promises and kept none - he was supposed to create 5.3 million jobs - NOT; he was supposed to have the economy on tract - NOT - instead we have the LARGEST deficit in the history of the country! He said during the first campaign that 'the army should be used for nation building." Good LORD, the DAILY SHOW had the clips of his flip flop on that little tid bit. He took us to war for no reason and continues to lie about it; He refuses to address where the hell he was during the time he was supposed to 'protecting' his country (campaigning? this is patriotic? This is acceptable? While Kerry and thousands of other guys were being drafted OR volunteering - Bushy Baby is playing in Alabama!) SOMEBODY GO ON THE OFFENSE PLEASE!!!! WE HAVE THE GOODS ON THIS GUY _ USE THEM!

Karl Rove - again - has successfully taken OUR eye off HIS ball - and if we get it back on there - that ball can be easily deflated. Do IT. STOP talking about what KERRY has or doesn't have. IT's about BUSH. HE MUST defend his record! Has HE? NO! Because he HAS no record! Start using the IRONY of this sham administration run by good ol' boys who want to salute the flag, talk about patriotism and PLAY army, because NONE of them have ever actually DONE IT.

It's time, folks to get off the pity potty and get on the ____wagon and starts throwing some of our own. Bush has earned it! DO IT!
Karl Rove says - and he's right - If you have to explain - you're dead. We've been EXPLAINING since Dean quit. DONT". He also says - don't attack your opponents weakness - attack his STRENGTH - Look what he's doing to Kerry? He's attacking his record as a war veteran who won medals! Don't attack Bush on his stupidity, or his lack of English verbal skills. Attack him on what HE Believes is his strength - his record. OK - WE WERE ATTACKED ON YOUR WATCH, MR. PRESIDENT. I think that ALONE, should settle the deal. If you can't keep us safe- the WORST attack on American soil happened on your watch, Mr. President, and instead of actually keeping us safe, you have tried to keep us scared.
thinkingdem

Conditional Morality part 2

I just you'd like to see the letter sent before the primary to catholic churches. I particulary like the 'conditional ''yet'' after the phrase,"The catholic church in the united states has never endorsed political parties or political candidates." I also like the part where they say "People of conscience may disagree over specific policies.....the poor, welfare of children at risk or proper care of disabled and elderly.' Even the War in Iraq can be 'legally' disagreed with.'

But those 'evils' that cannot include stem cell research (to help cure disease and alleviate pain and suffering of millions); abortion, and that evil upon evil - the corruption of the most fundamental of human institutions - marriage- by gays and lesbians, because we know they aren't human. Voting for a candidate who supports these "non-negotiable' items cannot be morally justified, according to the church.

I just love it when churches adopt the 'optional morality' clause. "Abortion - bad; Taking care of babies through the state - optionally bad; Sex education -teaching kids how to NOT get pregnant and therefore NOT have to choose an abortion - bad; contraception that lets you decide WHEN to get pregnant - bad; Teaching kids that they are bad to ever think about having sex until they are married (and we all know how well THAT works) - good! Supporting cutting funds from family clinics that take care of moms so they will have healthy babies, or do cancer screenings - bad (why? Because clinics have the same name as bad Planned Parenthood); Stressing importance and goodness of lifelong committment - good - but NOT for everyone;
sorry, just had to share that with you guys. Below is the actual letter sent out to churches.
ThinkingDem

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Pastoral letter from KCK Archdiocese bishops to Catholics in this diocese concerning the upcoming election:
CATHOLIC CHURCH OFFICES ARCHDIOCESE OF KANSAS CITY IN KANSAS 12615 PARALLEL PARKWAY KANSAS CITY, KANSAS 66109 (913) 721 - 1570 FAX (913) 721 – 1577
July 15, 2004
Dear Friends,
The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in November, 1998 in a statement entitled "Living the Gospel of Life" challenged all American Catholics to take seriously their civic responsibilities. The bishops stated: "We encourage all citizens, particularly Catholics, to embrace their citizenship not merely as a duty and privilege, but as an opportunity meaningfully to participate in building the culture of life. Every voice matters in the public forum. Every vote counts. Every act of citizenship is an exercise of significant individual power. We must exercise that power in ways that defend human life, especially those of God's children who are unborn, disabled or otherwise vulnerable. We get the public officials we deserve. Their virtue -- or lack thereof -- is a judgment not only on them, but us. Because of this, we urge our fellow citizens to see beyond party politics, to analyze campaign rhetoric critically and to choose their political leaders according to principle, not party affiliation or mere self-interest."
As your pastors, we remind you of your responsibility to not only vote but to be a well-informed voter. The Catholic Church in the United States has never endorsed political parties or political candidates. Yet, the Church is obligated to help form properly the consciences of her members. The Church, therefore, must help Catholics understand the ethical dimensions of public policy issues as well as to help Catholics evaluate the moral importance of some issues in comparison to others.
There are many public policy issues with important moral dimensions where Catholics and people of conscience may disagree over specific policies. For example, every Catholic must be concerned about the poor, the welfare of children at risk, or the proper care for the disabled and elderly, but may disagree over which specific public policies best serve these vulnerable individuals. The War in Iraq is a public policy issue with enormous moral importance. Yet, good Catholics can and do disagree whether this war conforms or does not conform to the moral criteria for a just war.
However, there are some issues that are intrinsically evil for which there can be no authentic moral justification of defense. It is always wrong for a Catholic legislator to support public policies that permit or promote such intrinsic evils and similarly a Catholic voter cannot in good conscience vote for candidates who support such public policies.
Legalized abortion and euthanasia cannot be morally justified, because they permit and promote an intrinsic evil -- the killing of innocent human life. Similarly, fetal stem cell research and human cloning can never be morally justified because they involve the killing of innocent human life and manifest a disregard for the dignity of the human person. Also laws that seek to redefine marriage undermine the family -- the most fundamental of human institutions and are offenses against God who instituted marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Support for these public policies that are non-negotiable items for a Catholic should disqualify a candidate from consideration for our vote.
We urge all Catholics to register to vote, to be well informed about issues and the positions of candidates, and to vote. Finally, during this election year we ask all Catholics to pray that we choose wisely in selecting those who will represent and lead us in our national, state and local governments.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend James P. Keleher, Archbishop
Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, Coadjutor Archbishop

Garrison Keillor...

...nails the problem with the Republican Party. Recommended by Vicki.

Conditional Morality

Republicans are living in a world of 'conditional morality.' They pick and choose when and what they believe is 'moral.' If it doesn't fit their 'frame' it doesn't make the grade.