Enough of Joe (Weaselman) Lieberman

The attention whore Senator Joseph the Weasel Lieberman is at it again. Apparently he can't stand that moderates like Olympia Snowe and others are taking away all his attention. So the weasels latest is to threaten he will block Health Care Reform if it contains a public option.

Forget the fact that the only reason this traitor still holds a chairmanship and is allowed in the Democratic Caucus is that supposedly he agrees with democrats on all issues except military related ones. Well he has now proven that to be a lie as well.

This weasel will do anything, say anything to get attention. He has back stabbed democrats over and over again including the democrats in the state that elected him. I was against threatening taking chairmanships away from other Democrats over health care votes, but Weaselman is no democrat, kick his ass out now and forever. He has screwed us over for the last time.

But Seriously, Art Schlichter?

I am on the same side of most issues as progress Ohio 90% of the time. Issue 3 is one issue on which we disagree. But boy have they jumped the shark highlighting a video of Art Schlichter as a spokesman against issue 3. Making Art as some sort of a victim in the first place is hard to swallow but where his reported addiction began was at horse tracks. The last time I looked those have been legal in Ohio for decades. He lost his career and hundreds of thousands of dollars to mob bookies betting on sports. Though I have seen legal sports books in Vegas, never have I seen those in any casino in Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia or Pennsylvania and I doubt seriously they will be involved in Ohio's four casinos. Art gambled illegally that's why he went to prison. It is unlikely having legal casinos would have changed his fate in any way whatsoever.


So they want to make the argument that gambling is gambling and it all should be stopped to protect "victims" like Art Schlichter. Ok well lets ban all cell phones because wasn't stealing a cell phone that started Maurice Claret's, slide? How about bringing back prohibition after all there are alcoholics and drunk drivers. While we are at it lets ban peanuts and all peanut butter, is risking the consequences to those that have peanut allergies really worth the rest of us being allowed to have a Reese's cup?

Gambling is there, it will always be there. There are some that are irresponsible with it. Yes even some that have an addiction. But that is no reason to outlaw it for the rest of responsible society in Ohio or anywhere else.

Yes on Issue 3.

The Best Speech on House Floor I Have Ever Seen

Yes I am a CSPAN geek. Often I have it on throughout the workday and find it good background noise as often very little is said of interest. Often when something is of interest it is negative. Often I write posts negative posts on my blog based on those.

But I have something different. Last week Congressman Alan Grayson had a followup speech to his well reported "Die Quickly" speech. This one made the most sense and had more truth in it then I have heard any Congressman or Senator speak in years.

We need to support people in Congress like this. Donate to Alan Grayson's campaign

The World Has Found a True Leader

Much to the surprise of many, our President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. Because of the relative newness of his Administration even he has acknowledged this award is not about what he has accomplished to date. It is however about a vision, it is about leadership, it is about respect.

The world had lost a lot of faith in the United States and its leaders through the 8 years of the Bush Administration. They watched in frustration as the United States Government took a path rejecting diplomacy and peace then lied to the world to start a war. They watched as the government that was once the beacon of justice and human rights, began to torture detainees. The watched as the Country the world often depended on in times of disaster let one of its own cities drown.

However a new young voice began to be heard. I wrote in August 2006 about a young Senator who unlike our leaders of the time was being cheered in the streets of a foreign capital. A man that brought hope, and understanding and belief once again to not only Americans but to the world. A man that had a vision for improving the world for the betterment of all.

Over the next 3 years that man spoke to crowds of a quarter million in Berlin, was cheered around the world as he was elected President of the United States, gave of vision of peace and understanding in Cairo, and spoke of a commitment for peace and nuclear disarmament at the United Nations. The hope and vision of our President, our leader has now been embraced in a very public way with his being named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

For those of us Americans and citizens of the world that have hungered for such a leader, today is a moment of rejoicing. It is also as the President said today, "A Call to Action." A Call to make the vision he represents a reality. This is not a time to relish in accomplishment but rather a recognition of the opportunity we have as a country and as a world with a man such as this in the White House.

Those with selfish interests and hate for anything other then their own political agenda are scoffing at this moment. Their blind partisanship once again is showing their true motives. They have never been about loving their country, they are about scoring political points. Their clear lack of love for their own country became evident last week as they cheered against it over the Olympic bid and today when our President, Our leader has been recognized with such a prestigious honor by the world community.

But one thing is clear those people every day are becoming an isolated minority in this country and the world. They can choose to scoff, throw out their snide distortions and whine, meanwhile the rest of us will continue to work for a better world.

One Bush Mess Even Obama Can't Fix

The first 10 months of the Obama administration has been primarily tasked with fixing the incredible amount of damage caused and left by the Bush Administration. Obama has been quite successful in doing so in a myriad of areas yet perhaps there is one mess even he can't fix.

Successes of the Obama administration thus far are many. When he took office the economy was on the brink of depression, the banking system was crumbling and the auto industry was about to destroyed forever. Despite the wasteful deficit spending of the Bush Administration. President Obama had to make tough choices to spend more money to fix the leaking roof on the house of our economy to protect the structure. The stimulus has been very successful in doing that. The Banks are now lending again, the stock market has recovered 50% of the losses it occurred under the Bush recession, the auto industry has been saved and even sparked by the incredibly successful cash for clunkers program.

In the area of foreign policy again there is a long list of successes by Obama in fixing damage caused by the Bush Administration. Our credibility is being restored by the ending of torture, working to close Guantanamo Bay, winding down on schedule our occupation of Iraq. There are positive steps reigning in Iran on its nuclear program. Israel and the Palestinians are at least talking again, and we are now getting cooperation from countries all over the world including Russia and China.

But that leaves Afghanistan. Though going into Afghanistan was the right thing to do, as that is where those that attacked us were located, 8 years of neglect by the Bush Administration have created a quagmire that may never be navigated. The new government of Afghanistan is corrupt and ineffective. While we were wasting our resources in a war of choice in Iraq we have let things in Afghanistan deteriorate causing us to lose the will and the trust of the Afghan people. It is clear the window of opportunity in Afghanistan closed during the Bush Administration. So Obama is left with a list of choices that are all bad options. It would take years, lives and money we don't have to start that war all over and start from scratch again. Keeping the status quo is clearly not working, causing even more distrust and American lives, and just pulling out is not an option either as we cannot allow that country to become a safe haven for terrorists once again.

President Obama has done an effective job fixing the messes left by the Bush Administration. But Afghanistan is not fixable. It is time to limit our presence to a base or two for which operations against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan can be carried out. Leave the stability of the rest of Afghanistan to the Afghans to figure out, thats what the people of that country want, thats what the people of this country want.

Innocent Until Proven guilty

Today House RepubLIEcans put a resolution on the floor demanding that Charles Rangel resign as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee pending an ongoing investigation by the House Ethics Committee into questionable tax and finance reporting by the Congressman. Apparently the RepubLIEcans have decided to suspend the Constitution and assume quilt prior to the outcome of an investigation.

This is a continuing pattern with the RepubLIEcans earlier demonstrated by the cutting of funding to ACORN when there has been absolutely no proven quilt by that organization in any court of law.

The Democrats however this time upheld the Constitution and referred the resolution to committee giving the Ethics Investigation time to conclude its business.

What I find concerning is that among the "proof" the RepubLIEcans listed in their bill were articles by Rupert Murdoch owned tabloids, the New York Post and the Washington Times. Both papers that have a proven record of pushing an agenda over facts and have as much credibility as the National Enquirer.

This once again shows a pattern as the ACORN action was based on shady reporting by the Rupert Murdoch owned Faux News Channel. Apparently the RepubLIEcans in Congress intend to turn over our justice system to Murdoch.

RepubLIEcans have forgotten that we are a nation of laws and due process. Despite the fact there do seem to be concerning facts regarding the disclosures of Rangel, due process must be allowed to take its course.

This is another grandstanding distraction by the RepubLIEcans that has no value to the American people or to our republic.

Senate Finance Committee delays and more die

Once again the Baucus junta has delayed passing its version of the Health Care Reform bill, though their version would be better titled the no choices, Big Insurance Profit Protection Act. Despite the fact this version of the bill is an incredible insult to the intelligence of middle class Americans, until it is passed Health Care Reform is dead in the water. Once this bill is moved out of committee it can be merged with the actual Health Care Reform bill passed by the Senate Health Committee and hopefully morphed into something real, something helpful and a real positive change to middle income Americans.

But as long as Baucus and the Republicans hold America hostage with their version nothing can move forward.

So what is one more week? In that week 98,000 more Americans will lose their insurance coverage, 13,986 will go bankrupt from health care related expenses and 863 Americans will die. Good job Baucus and Senate Republicans.

FL 08: Support Congressman Grayson

As the repubLIEcans attempt to scapegoat Congressman Alan Grayson of Florida for telling the truth concerning the deaths resulting from lack of health care. As he shows the damage the Republicans political games and being the party of no is doing to the citizens of our nation. It is time to support such a man.

Its about time someone fought back. After months of listening to RepubLIEcans telling lies, using words like death panels and false claims of government takeover of health care, Congressman Grayson stood up and fought back. Unlike RepubLIEcans he used the truth.

Any attempt to compare this to Congressman Joe the mouth Wilson's clearly inappropriate disrespect of the President of the United States during a national televised speech is laughable. Congressman Grayson's comments came when he had the floor, at a time reserved for Congressmen to speak on the issues. Just like many repubLIEcans do every day, spreading lies and hate.

It is time to support one like Grayson for standing up. For being one of the seemingly few Democrats with a spine. I urge you to donate to his campaign.

Donate to Alan Grayson's campaign