Bush In Retribution Will Veto Anything Congress Passes

George W. Bush is the ultimate sore loser. He will take anyone he can down with him by vetoing any bill congress passes. This is from USNews.com:

Senior Bush advisers tell the US News Political Bulletin that President Bush's best hope for recovering from his slump in the polls -- and proving he isn't a lame duck -- is to demonstrate that he remains a player on the Washington scene,. "The real problem for Bush now," says a senior administration official, "is that it looks like he doesn't have control over the government." He has endured a series of setbacks recently that suggest he is heading toward irrelevance in Washington -- at least that's the way many mainstream media outlets are portraying his situation. Among setbacks: continuing bad news from Iraq, the defeat of his immigration bill, the continuing harsh criticism of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and this week's contempt citations from the House Judiciary Committee directed at White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former legal counsel Harriet Miers over executive privilege.
White House officials say Bush will emerge from the doldrums as he begins to confront the Democrat-controlled Congress with vetoes of spending bills that he considers excessive. They also expect him to get a lift in the polls for being a strong leader, at least in the view of conservatives, as he continues to block anti-war legislators in Congress from requiring a fast withdrawal from Iraq.

Any supporter of America's armed forces that still supports this president and his 'mission' is worshipping the wrong god. This man is not concerned with any sanctity of life, liberty or anything other than his own historic image. George W. Bush couldn't care less about you or the troops. His reputation is the only thing on his mind.

Shop Lowes.

Lowes knows. They made a business and moral decision.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/27/205510/101

Thank you, Lowes.

Caught! Rove's Arkansas US Attorney Pick Was Caging

This poor sap cried in front of cameras and made jokes about 'caged animals.' Silly chump:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072607A.shtml

G U I L T Y .

Borrow & Spend Like A Drunken Republican

I'm telling you, something's gonna pop. The Roaring 2000's have seen people overextend themselves on housing, run up huge credit debts and otherwise live beyond their means. This philosophy of "borrow & spend" is not limited to individuals and families. Our country as a whole has done the same thing. Where is all the money (trillions of dollars) for 2 wars coming from?

The Dow and it's related stocks are overvalued. That makes for nice reading when the 401K statement comes in the mail, but eventually imbalances correct themselves. A run on stocks over a weeks time results in this kind of correction:

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/07/26/724281.html

A decade-long run on credit spending by an entire nation results in a correction similar in type but much larger in size and scope. The Roaring 20's ended in the Great Depression of 1929. How will the Roaring 2000's end?

Shop Lowes, Fly SWA Instead of Home Depot, JetBlue. Let 'Em Know.

Bill-O should not be rewarded with advertising dollars from Home Depot and JetBlue:

http://www.americablog.com/2007/07/oreilly-banned-me-for-exposing.html

Give 'em a piece of your mind.

"Moderate" Baptists To Gays: Don't Call Us, We'll Call You (or not)

While anti-gay sentiments in the Baptist Church are not necessarily newsworthy...

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (ABP) -- The organization sponsoring an upcoming historic pan-Baptist gathering has told two gay-friendly Baptist groups they cannot participate in an official capacity.

The North American Baptist Fellowship, under whose auspices next year’s “Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant” is being held, has informed the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America that they cannot join NABF. Therefore, they cannot be official participants in the event.

...Listen to this patronizing statement by the North American Baptist Fellowship:

“This is not a rejection of either organization or the people in those organization[s],” wrote Alan Stanford, general secretary of the NABF, in a July 18 e-mail alerting leaders of the two groups to NABF’s decision. “[I]t is a recognition that we can not hold together the large coalition of Baptists needed to create a new Baptist voice in North America and address the issue of sexual orientation at the same time. We ask for your forbearance and understanding.”

This statement clearly shows that the organizers of this "Celebration" think that gay-friendly Baptists would have nothing to contribute to the stated goals of the event, or would usurp the discussion with topics of their own. All the leaders of the event would have to do is limit discussions to the Fellowship's 'socially imperative' topics. If they mean what they suggest, that is gay-friendly Baptists would only talk about gay issues, then they admit their own incompetence in being unable to control the discussion. Or, they admit that the very presence of gays or gay supporters would offend the other participants.

When the first sentence of the explanation is a disclaimer (“This is not a rejection of either organization or the people in those organization[s],”), it gets me wondering if the writer is actually denying his own true motives. Such is the case many times when it comes to say, passing gas. "He who first smelt it, dealt it." Right? I suppose there is room for speculation there.

In any case, this policy is a real stinker. I'm really disappointed that Presidents Carter and Clinton are involved in this - Bill Clinton especially. He holds little to no allegiance to those who supported him. As for these North American Baptists, their seemingly worthy agenda comes with a particularly offensive odor: That is, you can't effectively address society's problems from a prejudiced standpoint.

Read the whole article here:
http://www.abpnews.com/2675.article

(Hat tip to BoxTurtleBulletin)

Death Threats Against Hillary From Right Wingers

John Aravosis over at Americablog.com is keeping track of a developing story about death threats made against Hillary Clinton on Bill O'Reilly's website. Sadly, I'm not surprised:

http://www.americablog.com/search/label/Bill%20O%27Reilly

The party of "God Loves Guns" (R) has a serious problem. Its base is made up of people with very little respect for lawful protest and civilized discourse. Violence, naturally takes the place of reasoned debate, when reason is absent in the mind of the debater.

Ex-Gay Or Ungrateful Toward God?

What an inteteresting context Rev. Maneker put the "ex-gay" movement into, in this article:

http://www.christianlgbtrights.org/2007/07/sexual-expression-as-sacrament.html

Can we, by extension of this line of thinking, assume that those who call themselves "ex-gay" or reject their homosexuality in favor of celibacy are ungrateful when it comes to God and his gift of sexuality? They will promptly say that God gives that gift only to married procreating hetero people, which is horse **** since no switch exists that flips on one's sexual equipment and abilities when the words "I do" are spoken.

Ex-gays are ingrates? Should we go there? I happen to think its between God and them. And after all, they would never go out of their way to make self-accepting gay people's lives more difficult, would they?

5 Stages Of Political Grief

I like this post on Good As You for its frankly accurate description of what the targeted, vs. non-targeted people experience after being attacked during a political campaign:

http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2007/07/video-anti-gay-.html

I guess the video is kind of funny too. Can't watch it here at work, but will check it out later. Apologies in advance if it contains any salty language.

The Roaring 2000's?

This article in The Guardian of London examines America's super-rich and the widening gap between the rich few and the working poor.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2131974,00.html

It's interesting that they refer to the Roaring 20's as being analogous to our current American socio-economic situation. The scary question is, how will it end? In 1929, the Great Depression brought the Roaring 20's to a screeching disasterous stop.

Bill O'Reilly's Audience

If you're one of those folks who watches Bill O'Reilly for the 'entertainment value' of his spew, just take a look at who you're sitting on the virtual sofa with:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/23/152412/873

There are people behind these comments. These are the people who make up the 25% of the country that still support George W. Bush, the Iraq occupation, killing undocumented immigrants, destroying San Francisco, and hating gays. They are real, they are a threat to this country's well-being, and should be taken VERY seriously in terms of identifying their objectives and stopping them in their political endeavors.

To Those Who Snicker and Roll Their Eyes:
It is not acceptable or smart to just laugh these people off. You can't just 'ignore them', like some of my friends and family say. When these people get done with Muslims, Mexicans, the City by the Bay, gays, and atheists, YOU, YOUR KIDS AND YOUR GRANDKIDS ARE NEXT. Wake up! Stand up! Speak up! Because, before long, it will be your divorced butt, your Mormon butt, your Jewish butt, your adopted butt, or whatever kind of butt you may have that does not meet their expectations. You may not have the kind of butt they're gunning for right now, but you can bet your sorry one that if you ignore these people, yours is next.

What's Another War, Anyway?

Wouldn't it be prudent to actually WIN one of these things before moving on to the next one? Surely even warmongers have some regard for getting one war right (or two, as we currently have in Iraq and Afganistan) before moving on to the next hapless country (Pakistan):

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/22/terror/main3086282.shtml

What ever happened to Iran? Must be on the back burner for now. Help us, Lord.

Skip Jamaica

I doubt that I would ever take a carribean cruise, given the region's notoriously bad attitude toward gays. But, if I could pick and choose among carribean destinations, I might give a couple of the more progressive spots a chance. Jamaica, however, is out of the question:

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20070721T200000-0500_125498_OBS_BEENIE_MAN_DENIES_SIGNING_DEAL_WITH_GAY_GROUP_.asp

I've read other stories in the Jamaica Observer which were tainted with the same poisonous reporting style: Uncritical coverage of a foul-mouthed bigot's statements. I urge progressive and centerist Christians to avoid Jamaica and its 'products', such as this entertainer's music. Let the fundamentalists go there to have their pockets picked while supporting Jamaica's hate.

Goodbye Miss Tammy Faye

Our world lost another true representative of Christ.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2126310320070722

If you get a chance, look up Jay Bakker. He's Tammy Faye Bakker's son. I saw him preach here in Little Rock a year or so ago. I believe he possesses her spirit and commitment to true Christian evangelism. Still, this world won't be the same without Tammy Faye Bakker Messner.

Please keep her family in your prayers. She is undoubtedly in a much better place now.

A Still, Small, Courageous Voice

Tammy Faye Messner speaks softly, but the wonder and weight of her words carries within it the true spirit of Christ.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0707/19/lkl.01.html

That still, small voice drowns out all of those blaring, counterfiet voices that make up the antichrist's 'Religious Right.' God bless Tammy Faye.

Young Fools

College Republicans. Young people who embrace the failed worldview of the neocon right wing deserve the full life of failure that lies before them - very sad. But, it's their life to dispose of as they wish.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/generation-chickenhawk-t_b_56676.html

More GOP Fascination With Hookers

This is turning out to be quite the 'Year of the Hooker' for Republicans. Another sleezebag exposed:

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2370

GOP's Morality Mavens Continue To Succomb To Themselves

Warning: The link takes you to the DownWithTyrrany blog. You get to read about the good senator's lurid sexual transgression (some lascivious language is used) as well as the blog's reader comments - some of which contain profanity.

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2007/07/third-republican-legislator-in-sex.html

I wouldn't normally link to stuff like this, but it's important to witness the moral disintegration of the Republican party. The Lord has given these people over to their shameful behavior in repayment for their judgemental treatment of others.

You Know It's Bad When Conservatives Cuss Publicly

George Voinovich, R-Ohio, drops the "F" bomb on W and company:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/07/16/gop-senator-to-rove-bush-legacy-on-the-line-in-iraq/

A Happy Story

I should try to devote more blog time to happy stories. They've been somewhat scarce, but maybe that is about to change? In any case, this one is awesome:

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-12/118449451566160.xml&coll=8&thispage=1

Western Michigan is bizarre. Granted, it's a rural-small town area on the other side of the state from Detroit. But it is a northern state - Yankee territory - which makes it seem strange that it is so stridently conservative. Anyway, as the story indicates, good things can happen there.

Neo-Con Diseased Diatribe Of Death

Peter LaBarbera is a neo-conservative Christian activist, specializing in raising homophobic capital for the neo-con movement at large. One of the hallmarks of neo-conservatism has been to erase any hesitancy in its followers to capitalize on others' pain in their quest for culture domination. Whereas, traditional conservatives will acknowledge the value of dignified debate, neo-cons care nothing about civility, telling the truth, duty to the greater good, or anything else that would limit the extent to which they can go to achieve their goals.

http://bloggernista.com/2007/07/15/absolutely-sickening/

America is developing as sort of 'auto-immune' resistance to this sort of treachery. Evidence of this came during the mid-term elections in November of '06, and more proof is to come in 2008. Any party that embraces the purulent rhetoric of neo-conservatives is to see no successful venture of any kind. It's time for the GOP to wake up and smell the coffin they're in.

So, Who's Fault Will A Terror Attack In The US This Summer Be?

John Aravosis of Americablog states it accuratetly, quickly and to-the-point. Most people I know agree:

http://www.americablog.com/2007/07/next-911-is-bushs-fault.html

More GOP Solicitation Charges

This time it's Bob-Allen(R) of Florida. Check out the story and comments from Joe's blog:

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2007/07/homoquotable-bob-allen.html

Pam's Weekend.

I would like to point you toward one of the best gay blogs out there. Pam Spaulding is the blog's author, and her site is quickly becoming one of the most watched gay weblogs out there on the www. She and her partner took the weekend off to visit family and friends, and ran into some disturbing opinions. Even on vacation, gays get the verbal equivalent to a slap in the face:

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2236

I'll say this: The nice old lady is probably trying, in her own way and at her own pace, to catch up. But it galls me how conservatives think nothing of saying the most caustic things at the worst possible time. This poor old woman has been pumped full of conservative intolerance. Pray for her ability to see the wrong in what she was led to believe. Pray for patience for Pam and her partner. They did nothing wrong by driving hours to see their familyand friends, yet they were rewarded for their efforts with conservative, intolerant, un-Christian venom.

Every Now And Then ...

We find reasonable people who post comments on conservative blogs. This was posted by a user named Polly on townhall.com in response to a venomous Dennis Praeger article about outing gay conservatives (link to the article and it's plethora of vitriolic comments from Town Hall's neo-conservative readers here: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/column.aspx?UrlTitle=on_outing_gay_conservatives&ns=DennisPrager&dt=04/03/2007&page=full&comments=true)
Polly writes:
Tuesday, April, 03, 2007 6:09 PM
Homosexual as sinner/abomination
For the record, since I firmly believe homosexuality is NOT a choice, then homosexuals are as God created them. So when you say gays are an abomination, you are insulting God's work. I know He does some cruel things, but to purposely create an abomination--unspeakably cruel.What if, in reality, He just wanted to see how you would treat his creations? What if YOU are the ones being judged?I wonder if He sees justice when a liberal "outs" a conservative gay "because he/she deserved it." Or is it more like hate?

Thanks, Polly. Your still, small voice is one that reinforces my belief that God is Love.

Insight: The Mind Of A Neo-Conservative Christian

There's a reason that fundamentalist Christians are labeled in exactly that order: Fundamentalist first, Christian second. Here are the American Heritage Dictionary definitions:

fun·da·men·tal·ism (fŭn'də-měn'tl-ĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key n.
A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism. http://dictionary.reference.com/help/ahd4.html

Chris·tian (krĭs'chən) Pronunciation Key adj.
Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

Neo-conservatives, however, place an inordinate emphasis on the former, while treating the latter as an optional afterthought. Consider this posting by a reader on mediamatters.org in response to liberal criticism of Michael Savage's radio show tirade against Media Matters, in which he called the website "the homosexual mafia." http://mediamatters.org/items/200707060002?f=h_side

My neo-conservative opponent stated the following. My commentary appears in red, brackets:

I've never heard Limbaugh or Hannity talk about the gay marriage issue, and I listen to both of them fairly often. I just made my own observation. Marriage has always been a committment between one man and one woman.[Wrong. The Bible is rife with examples of polygamy - 1 man, many women] Gays have the same rights as everybody else has. The have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex. [Gee, thanks. That's exactly what I want, not to mention what an unsuspecting hetero woman wants.] Letting gays marry would give them special rights that no other minority interest group has. [Religious right-wing talking point number 1; makes sense only to homo haters.] If you let gays have the right to get married, you would have to give the same rights to other minority interest groups such as polygamists, NAMBLA types, animal lovers, etc. [The fallacy of the Slippery Slope: Logic 101 covered this when I attended NIU]
- RINO Hunter / Friday July 6, 2007 02:18:09 PM EST

How is it that an argument this simplistic and flawed can prevail in America policy-making? The answer is: It Isn't Prevailing! http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/55254/

Rino Hunter faces the challenge of valuing his or her own marriage, while sharing the civil part of the institution with the likes of me. Poor guy. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator II): "He'll live."

How Much Real Homeland Security Could We Have for $1.4 Trillion

How much universal healthcare, for that matter? The first comment on Think Progress' article asks the 1.4 Trillion dollar question.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/06/iraq-war-costs-could-top-14-trillion/

How much of the future of the Medicare Trust Fund could be guaranteed with this much money? How much of the Social Security Trust? The neo-conservatives hate universal healthcare and public programs. The Iraq war is an ingenious way to bankrupt the country and prevent us from being able to afford what Americans really want: Health insurance for all and the programs that serve as a safety net for the most vulnerable in our society. It's time for these people to go.