When In the Course of Human Events, It Becomes Necessary

Hello Papamoka Bloggers! Well, I attended another dinner over the weekend where a political debate broke out and the minority at the event offered the rest of us a political and sociological glimpse into just how unyielding America's Republicans are today.

We - Democrats - were trying to make our case that today's problems are too important to be ignored - the way they have been by the GOP (and Blue Dog Democrats) for decades, but we didn't go there. No matter how hard we tried to make our case for real reform where necessary - health care, energy, environment, finance and the rest - they would argue in fear of taxes. Of course, pointing out our historically low taxes didn't matter one bit.

Of course, the money their party already spent meant nothing to them - neither did the majority of the debt the GOP CREATED, to be brutally honest.

It was a tiresome experience. Though it seemed like a well-reasoned political evening where people actually listened to one another, the discussion went nowhere fast. Despite all our efforts, the Republicans that evening wouldn't give an inch. They wouldn't support us, the Democrats or Obama on any issue, or help solve any problem. They also offered us no solution of their own. They were hard-headed to the point of severe annoyance.

It's true, they didn't seem to think a plan was necessary. They said the GOP didn't need a plan, because everything would "work itself out the way it always did." Incredibly, that was their answer to everything. They refused to accept the idea that legislative, government policy and systemic changes always proceeded societal and economic development. It didn't matter, they wouldn't listen. To them, it was all Democratic BS!

They want their leaders to stop us from changing the status quo, no matter how scary the data is suggesting a very dark future for most Americans. No matter how serious, they didn't care. One minute they would acknowledge a crises (while defensively refusing to be blamed in any way), and the next minute they would be talking about how "real people and the market would work it out." That was their STUPID and INSANE answer to everything.

A Republican doctor at the event kept rambling on about how horrible health care is in the rest of the world, scaring all the other Republicans at the dinner to death. After prodding he acknowledged no real experience with those health systems. After being exposed to data showing otherwise by yours-truly, he still wouldn't give an inch. Any change was bad. I finally gave up.

I must admit, I left the evening depressed. If intelligent, civilized, politically-aware Americans cannot sit together and find common ground, then what does our future hold? We seem to come from two different Americas these days. One cares about the majority, while the other focuses on its own interests.

Looking back, and this might burn a few bridges, but my conclusion is that it's Republican individualism gone wild. They're simply selfish. They are determined to reject any change to help their fellow Americans, or even America itself, if it requires them to compromise their lifestyle in any way, or costs them any money. It's that simple.

That was my conclusion. Individual Republicans seem to be heavily invested in the status quo. The last thirty years since Reagan have given them most of what they wanted, primarily low taxes and minimal regulation. It doesn't matter if it doesn't work for most of us, as long as it helps them personally. They refuse to sacrifice anything for the greater good, or for a better future. They also seem unable to imagine a better world for some strange reason. It's as though they lack imagination.

They are refusing to help their nation compete and succeed. There's only one way to describe that position, and the word is unAmerican! We don't want to, but due to Bush and the Republicans (and those annoying Blue Dog Democrats), we Democrats know that sacrifices are now necessary. Whether it involves money or lifestyle changes, we must act now!

We Americans for America must fight their spurious claims of socialism, government waste, and their worst claim of all, Democratic corruption. If necessary, we must move forward without them.

If we cannot find common ground, let's ignore them and move on. President Obama needs to stop relying on phony bi-partisanship and focus on success. We cannot stand by and allow their personal greed to ruin what are legitimate attempts to reform our system.

If that calls on us to use the same dirty tactics of the GOP, by calling them unAmerican and unPatriotic, then let's do it. I don't necessarily believe it (thinking them ignorant instead), but if it works it may be worth a try.

We need to fight fire with fire. We need to show them how the "party of no" is trying to prevent access to affordable health care, clean domestic energy, guaranteed food and water safety, safe regulated financial markets, and a world without the threats of global warming and environmental catastrophe.

We also need to show them that instead of Republican lies and debt without end, we Democrats are trying to forge a healthy, effective, prosperous and financially sound America.

They may be willing to gamble with our children's future - and the planet's, but we are not. We are determined to change what isn't working. If our current crop of Democrats fail to deliver, I suggest we work hard (like we did to elect Obama) to defeat them, and install new ones. That's right, let's threaten to FIRE THEIR ASSES! That should scare them.

I say let's forget bi-partisanship, for it's a dead-end. Let's focus on real problems, real solutions, and finding corruption-free, fair politicians willing to deliver.

It's my new mantra! The Republicans are a waste of our time and energy. Let's force the Democrats to do their jobs. If they don't, let's fire them and find new Democrats. Let's stop playing games. It's time to create a better America for the majority of Americans. That's patriotism. That's what this nation was founded on, the "unalienable rights" of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for ALL Americans. It is time. It has become necessary for WE THE PEOPLE to act.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

PS - What the minority Republicans and conservative Democrats don't realize is that most of us feel our leaders have turned their backs on us - ordinary hardworking Americans. Unless politicians focus more on WE THE PEOPLE and our concerns - instead of corporations and special interests - campaigns of change thwarted by the elite will ultimately give way to real revolution.

Those Silly Republicans and their Democratic Debt

Hello Papamoka Bloggers! Since I seem to have drifted into my summer season, which is more about playing outside than writing about politics, I'll still do my best to get angry about something. Let's see, how about what I like to call the most recent Republican Brainwashing Initiative (RBI 2.0). Let's face it, the majority of them (non-tea-party-folk) have been relatively silent for a while. I think that seems to be changing.

I think our Republican friends are beginning to stir a little more these days. It seems they've been listening to FOX "News" (RBI central) long enough now [since their election losses] for some of their more heinous brainwashing to take full effect. At least in my world, they've begun to share. They're beginning their usual blame game, and unfortunately facts have little to do with how they assess or assign blame.

The lies have begun to flow like girly-poop in a man-sized Texas toilet. In the same way Ronald Reagan's fake legacy blossomed after a a few years (I guess they forget faster these days - must be the drugs in our water), George W. Bush is beginning to emerge as a competent president who ran a highly successful foreign policy and economy. The signs are there that he is destined for honor and glory within the party. I must admit, you have to admire them for their ability to turn anybody, even the biggest loser, into a hero.

Unfortunately, and equally perplexing, President Obama is now the one responsible for everything bad that's happening in the world - especially the bad bits they're mostly responsible for.

I could ramble on (as I usually do - to get the facts right) with a laundry list of BS they're beginning to buy into again, but that would be exhausting for all of us, and I want to go play outside. So, let's focus. What are the far-right screw-ups - the ones who drink their own Kool-Aid - really annoying me most about these days? What propaganda pisses me off the most?

I know! It's that latest false factoid being spewed on FOX "News" day and night these days - not to menation the lesser media minions. Hannity, O'Reilly, Cavuto and the rest are all talking about it ad nausea. They even have their creepy-crawlies Coulter and Matlin carrying the water on other networks. I guess it must be an edict from the top, wherever that top is these days.

What is it? It's their claim - which my friends and family now believe - that Barack Obama has now contributed more to the federal debt than any president before him. It's BS, but they keep saying it.

The claim is outrageous. It has no bases in fact. The federal debt remains the responsibility of the Republican Party, since their leadership created over 90% of it. Barack Obama has contributed to less than 1% of the federal debt so far, and his annual budget deficit is still overwhelmingly the product of George W. Bush.

A matter of fact, George W. Bush is responsible for contributing the most to the federal debt. Now that's a fact you can take to the bank.

Of course, the far-right will ignore the obvious facts. A matter of fact (sorry, it's a fun word), I'm pretty sure we'll have somebody crapping those very same Republican BS-talking points in response to this very post.

As always, the Republicans are lying to the American people and to themselves. As you can see by the chart above, George W. created the largest annual deficits in American history. Incredibly, those annual deficits would be even higher if war borrowing had been included on the federal books. Barack Obama has included those negatives since taking office, which has increased the debt

I know it had to be done, but I wonder if the Republicans will get away with painting us with their own stink of irresponsibility. Unfortunately, our own honesty may become a liability in 2012.

In my humble opinion, because of these and other lies, the Republicans have no honor. They are liars, plain and simple. The Republican leadership/elite will do or say anything to regain their power, and that includes massive doses of propaganda. We can only hope the American people will not fall for it again. "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." Let's hope that shame remains a distant memory.

Just to be clear, the facts about the federal debt are simple. I have reviewed them on this blog numerous times. The overwhelming majority (over 90%) of today's federal/foreign debt was created during the leadership of the Republicans. They borrowed to lower taxes. It was done mostly under Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and George W. Bush. Bill Clinton lowered the debt. Those are the facts (see the chart below).

Like most Democrats, I can't stand the way President Obama is forced to spend to salvage today's broken economy, but to blame him for the debt is tantamount to blaming the Democrats for starting the Iraq War. They may have been involved to some degree, but the blame lies clearly at the feet of the Republican Party.

I will probably be writing about some of the other bits and pieces of propaganda the Republicans are pushing these days, but let's leave those for another time. Today it's all about the way they're lying about the money.

What do we ordinary American citizens do? We do what's right, and tell the truth. Please, keep talking to your friends and family about the facts. Tell the truth about the lies. I don't care how many times we have to say it, it's important to get our message out. WE ALL NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH!

WE MUST NOT allow those at FOX "News," or similar-slimy-corrupt-propaganda-fake-news-outlets, to poison the minds of the American people. We need to keep reminding our friends and family the truth about what really happened, and most important, about what really went wrong.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

PS - I know most have to work, but I'm taking a break at noon to join a group of protesters in front of Dianne Feinstein's office on Santa Monica Boulevard at noon this afternoon. If you're in LA, please consider joining us to call on her to support a strong public option as part of health care reform. If not, please think about contacting your representatives. It's the only way to prevent the private-sector from robbing us of affordable health care. Thanks - MB

Act Now! Paint the Republicans Red Before It's Too Late!

Hello Papamoka Readers! I grew up like most kids in America, believing in truth, justice, and the American way! Therefore, I always considered my fellow Americans a fair bunch when it came to politics, usually giving our politicians time to get the job done.

Unfortunately, it would appear that Americans are becoming more and more like the media today: short-sighted, somewhat fickle and very impatient. It seems our fast paced world, coupled with worries about the economy, are eating away at our national intelligence, and - in my opinion - we risk national failure if we can't control it.

The country has less trust in its leaders, probably for good reason after the past eight years, but we need to trust President Obama for a while if we're to see any of the CHANGE we voted for. He needs more time. We need to rediscover our long-held trust and patience, or we could spiral down into Republican-generated turmoil that has dangerous consequences.

Isn't it obvious to you by now the GOP thrives on chaos? They love it. Conflict creates opportunities for the military-industrial complex, and other devious people that roam the back hallways of power. There are many books on the subject. They're the dark lords of chaos who hate the Democratic Party and it's clean-up efforts, and see the American people as puppets in their game. I wonder what will happen when we're no longer useful. Scary!

Look at your calendar people! President Obama has been in office for less than 2 MONTHS, and some of you (probably many independents) are already second-guessing him? You're already listening to the boobs on the right who DESTROYED this great nation, and a lot of the world with it? It seems to many of us you're already willing to give their old, stale and broken ideas a chance again. What is the matter with YOU?! WAKE UP! Stop listening to their old, busted ways!

I realize I'm being somewhat melodramatic, but I had hoped that Americans would give President Obama a high approval rating for most of the year. I had hoped that Americans would look to President Obama to rescue us from what the Republicans did, and are capable of DOING AGAIN! Unfortunately, for the less patient Americans, time is already running out.

President Obama is slipping a little in the polls. Last week a major Opinion Research Poll for CNN showed his ratings decline to 64 percent from 76 percent in February. That's OVER TEN POINTS! We need to stop that decline NOW! His disapproval rating edged up to 34 percent from 23 percent. That might not seem like a lot, but we need him to remain as popular as possible to tackle the huge problems facing this country. We need every American to stop listening to the Republican BS machine and support the President!

Republican operatives around the country are busy at work RIGHT NOW crafting grotesque and dishonest schemes to foment chaos. We need to respond! The two-thirds of Americans who say Obama will succeed need to talk to their friends, and try to discredit Republican attempts to create chaos. More Democrats need to discredit the 24/7 "news" channels, and talk about why we voted for President Obama in the first place. We have a small window to recapture the debate and shut the Republicans down again - like last year.

HOW? I have a simple idea, especially for us, over-complex-loving Democrats. We need to shut down their strategy by painting the Republicans RED with the deficit they CREATED and DESERVE. RED NEEDS TO BE THE NEW GOP COLOR! The color of debt, corruption and lies.

I've written about it many times. It's a fact that the Republicans are responsible for over 90% of this nation's post World War II debt (see my Feb 2009 post entitled The Lies and Debt of Republicanism). They should not get away with being seen as fiscally responsible! Truth be told, they should be tarred RED, feathered and thrown out of the country! Short of that, how about at least blaming them for the damage they caused? WAKE UP Democratic leaders! Do your jobs! Paint the GOP RED!

Republicans are thrilled by the fact they have lied their way into getting millions of Americans to - ONCE AGAIN, despite all evidence to the contrary - think the Democrats are the big spenders. They know it's a joke, but it doesn't matter to them. Truth is inconvenient to them. It's simply their latest fake controversy.

I'm speaking of course about the latest brilliant GOP ideas, freezing government spending and lowering taxes on the wealthiest Americans. (Oh yea, that's worked in the past.) Those ideas have no basis in history or fact. They are reckless and borderline stupid. Respected economists worldwide agree, along with the majority of the American people, that only domestic spending, health care, finance and other overarching government reforms will rescue the economy, the middle-class, and ultimately the whole nation - including the wealthy.

Instead of respecting the election and letting us have our chance to create policy, the Republicans are reacting like spoiled brats. They claim we're "spending their money" and they "want it stopped." It's a joke, a crock! What the hell did they do while they were in power? SPEND MONEY?! It's called winning elections and governing with your own ideas you morons! Unfortunately, their latest crisis seems to be gaining support, so we need to stop it!

What do we need to stop? How about the latest Republican orchestrated anti-bailout protests that started last month when that grandstanding fool Rick Santelli of CNBC complained about Obama's $75 billion mortgage-relief plan. Santelli accused the government of promoting bad behavior and sarcastically asked people at the Chicago Board of Trade whether they'd like to pay for their neighbor's mortgage. His rant was picked up on the Drudge Report and posted on YouTube.

His call for a Chicago Tea Party along Lake Michigan spread rapidly via the Web, and people started planning mini-versions of the Boston Tea Party, which - of course - was a protest against unfair taxation from England. I guess Santelli and the idiot Republicans see Democrats in power as some kind of "royalists" who spend their hard earned money foolishly. I have news for you simpletons, it's our money too! Get a life and shut the hell up!

It's obvious to most observers that Democrats need a better plan, or at least a better marketing and communications plan. They need to start labelling the Republicans. They need to start putting out simple messages - to our simple, pseudo-modern press - blaming the Republicans for all the damage they did, and encourage the media and the American people to discover the simple truth. Republicans aren't the good guys they say they are.

Republicans do not represent the best of America. Unlike the past (it's true that many decent people are slow to realize and get out), it's clear these days they represent the worst. They are a small, regional party that loves to use lies and deceit to create chaos, thus gaining power and stealing wealth. Honorable Republicans and independent-minded Americans need to wake up and stop trusting the lies they're being told day after day. They need to do more to find the truth. I hope they wake up before it's too late, for us and the world.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

Today's Ugly, Lazy Politics

Hello Papamoka Readers! It's Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and a good time to give up something. Let's purify the soul. If you start with the seven deadly sins as a guide, perhaps we Democrats should let go of some pride. President Obama is causing an overload lately. Let's give it a shot.

Let's see, how about Republicans? I have a suggestion for our Republican friends. How about giving up sloth? Sloth is one of the sins articulated so well by medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas.

Think about it, it's the perfect sin to describe today's modern American Republican. Yes, SLOTH!

According to the Catholic Church, sloth is the "sluggishness of the mind which neglects ... sloth is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses." Wow, I don't know about you, but for me that is the nail that hits the proverbial Republican head. It's PERFECT!

The Church was referring to the idea that life requires work, and that work leads to salvation. You can interpret "work" any way you wish, but before I'm inundated with Republicans accusing Democrats of lacking a work ethic due to their desire for government leadership, allow me to say the work I find lacking involves Republican laziness related to FACT FINDING! Besides, I totally disagree with you Republicans that Democrats are lazy. American workers are the most productive on earth.

As many of you know I audit many of their news sources, and let me tell you their leaders, radio talk shows and various psychotic FOX "News" programs have been swamped lately with even more propaganda than usual. I call them the propaganda "elitists," to borrow a word the Republicans like to use on us. Well, the elitists are out-of-control and off the scale!

I've referred to Recovery.gov as a fact checker numerous times, and I am shocked by the amount of Republican BS that's being repeated ad nausea in some kind of retarded GOP-to-media-to-constituent daisy chain, or merry-go-round when they talk to each other. They are out of control and they don't even realize it most of the time. To be blunt, it seems like some kind of sick sociological experiment, to discover just how wrong politics, parties and their constituents can get when guided by unprincipled, desperate people.

The last few weeks have been the worst ever tainted by their lies, which has spurred them to be the least cooperative opposition during a crisis in American history. Their unwillingness to acknowledge the will of the American people after the last election is striking. They seem determined to stick to their broken ideas and stunted schemes. Their leaders have been despicable, doing whatever they can to stop a true economic recovery for their own political purposes. Their only concern is the next election and power, not the American people.

You see, there is only one set of facts. We Americans can debate them all we want - as to whether we feel they will help or hurt - but the fact remains there's still only one set of them.

I have a few questions for those Republicans who love to think they're politically smart these days, but in reality parrot the hyperbole of a few fanatic media dogs. Do you ever listen to yourselves? Do you ever think how absurd you sound when you try to debate politics using today's corrupt and discredited Republican resources? Do you ever get tired of ignoring factual responses, while resting on a crutch of media ignorance? Do you ever LISTEN?

Why don't you look up just a few key facts, which just might encourage you to cut President Obama and the Democrats a little slack? Try these first:

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about how Republican presidents and congressional leaders ran up WELL OVER 90% of today's post World War II government debt, which now tops off near $11 trillion? George W. Bush himself ran up over a TRILLION in the past fiscal year alone. If it's true, which it is, doesn't it stand to reason that Democrats should be allowed an opportunity to spend government money based on their own needs and policies? It's only fair.

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about what generates actual wealth in a nation? Republican leaders, the media, and my Republican friends keep talking about how World War II spending was the real reason why America pulled itself out of the depression. They like to say that Roosevelt's policies helped the poor, but in reality they prolonged the depression. That is a LIE!

Economists know that war spending does very little to create the economic conditions for domestic growth, since most of the money is wasted on products and services that are ultimately destroyed. Economies grow based on investments that are both renewable and long-lasting. Infrastructure investment, education investment, and good government policies are what most economists and academics credit with pulling America out of the depression. The fact is Roosevelt is responsible for those conditions. The Republican talking points to the contrary are deceitful, disingenuous and ignorant.

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about why tax cuts are not enough to spur an economy, especially one mired deep in a recession or a depression? Most economists believe tax cuts spur an economy, which is why President Obama included $288 billion in tax cuts in the stimulus, HOWEVER, most economists ALSO believe that government spending and smart policies can play a vital role in stimulating an economy in crisis. The Republican talking points that criticize government efforts have no basis in reality. They are LIES! It is a fact: government has helped in the past and it can help again. The Republicans are playing politics!

Why don't more Republicans make an effort to learn about how they themselves used the same tools of government intervention in the past to help the economy? There are many examples throughout history when Republican administrations and congressional delegations used government to help fix the economy. I'm not going to name them all, but suffice to say that Ronald Reagan (Savings & Loan Crisis - $160.1 billion, about $124.6 billion of which was directly paid for by the U.S. taxpayer) and George W. Bush (federal bailouts and guarantees totalling over $5 TRILLION) were the two most recent examples. Feel free to list your own. They used LOTS of government money to tweak the economy. If Republicans wish to be fair, they'll allow us the same tool box. Unfortunately, I suspect fairness means little to them.

Why didn't more Republicans worry about creating debt when they were in power? Don't they see their own hypocrisy and double-standard today? I guess not.

Why didn't more Republicans care about smart regulations and enforcement when they were in power? Why are they fighting it now? Don't they acknowledge the role their leaders played at creating this crisis? Why doesn't it matter to them? Why don't they question their leaders' competence more?

Why do Republicans keep saying the Democrats were responsible for our problems because they controlled congress during the last two Bush years? Are they stupid? Think about the time scale! Are they even aware how their party filibustered every significant piece of reform legislation over those two years?

Why do Republicans always believe - without question - that Democrats spend while Republicans save? The exact OPPOSITE IS TRUE! The Republicans have consistently outspent the Democrats while in power, and by their love of tax cuts are guilty of lowering their own taxes at the expense of future generations. IT'S A FACT!

Do Republicans understand how BIG the deficit could get if we don't stimulate the economy, and HOW LONG the recession/depression could last? There are plenty of historic examples where governments did nothing, and nothing happened. Republicans love to use the Japanese stimulus packages of the nineties and their subsequent slow growth as arguments for nonintervention, but they always fail to mention that Japan's economy is driven by exports, and how stimulating that market is difficult. I say get all the facts, or don't bother.

The Republicans like to call us Democrats socialists. The facts suggest otherwise. Republicans lie to their constituents, create myths about who they are, and lie about what they did moments after doing it. They are the CON ARTIST party. A good example is their passion for the "FREE MARKET." Sure they love it, when it benefits them. Republicans are famous for PRIVATIZING THE PROFITS and SOCIALIZING THE RISK. Democrats simply acknowledge that government has a role to play. We tell the truth. We do not try to con the American people.

The list of questions goes on an on. I might even add a few over the next few days. Feel free to suggest your own. The bottom line is that most Republicans are ignoring the facts these days, while believing lies from multiple, illegitimate sources. It's time for Republicans to step up, smell the coffee, unhook the old ball and chain, and free themselves of whatever is causing them to be so brain dead these days.

I have had numerous debates with Republican friends and family recently, and they all seem to be parroting the same lies. It's getting very tiring and annoying. As I said on this blog, modern American political discourse is being steered by political and media elites, who are often LYING! I'm begging average Americans, especially Republicans, to do their research, read more, and discover what really happened in the past, and what is really happening today.

PLEASE DON'T TRUST TODAY'S POLITICAL AND MEDIA ELITE! Get up, get active, and get better informed!

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog