Women, Wake Up!!

by Margarita Mercure Hibbs 

'When Jimmy Kimmel said, "This just wasn't Rick's year. 1954 is Rick Santorum's year." He is not kidding. The GOP wants to take women back to the 1950's and strip us of all our civic, healthcare/reproductive and labor rights!

Every woman's and Democratic organization better start hosting Voting Guide Open Houses with good hard copy articles, resourced charts and good training and candidate DVDs to go along with good food and drink to get them to understand the importance of voting. Too many of all voting age women are not even registered to vote!

Time to break out the template of presentations that Mary Kay Cosmetics uses. If they can sell makeup in an informal, cozy fashion in small groups of women 6-12, around a kitchen table or living room, then surely we can get them to see the importance of voting.  It is good to see Organizing for America doing something like this. Otherwise, women are going to find themselves without hard fought rights, freedoms and opportunity.'

I posted my opinion above and apparently a few men found it offensive. For this offense, I received two private messages telling me some very unpleasant things and another, quoted P.J. O'Rourke, of all people in the Conservative Realm, as an attempt to equate what a huge majority of women view as civil rights and freedoms, to "rations of slavery and human cattle"?! How charming?

After more than 1000 bills and proposed legislation in states and in the GOP Controlled House, if people really believe that Women do not have a legitimate reason to feel under attack, then this whole discussion is too ridiculous to even pursuit. Romney has stated along with his Extreme Right members of his party, that they have more than business, profits and a deficit on their agenda. Remember, he and his fellow Presidential hopefuls signed Pledges to "Personhood" and Grover Norquist.

Thanks to the many miles of video tape, we have a really good picture about what Romney intends to do from the perspective of his great expertise as a "Gordon Gecko" Corporate Raider with regards to the economy. Let us not forget, all the Chicken Hawk FOX Pundits ranting to push us into war with Iran, as if we don't know that this is nothing more than a craven pursuit for military industrial profits, at the expense of our sons' and daughters' lives.  While they hold down investment in rebuilding our own country and press for more and more tax breaks, they ask us to forget that tax revenue is our government's income.

Most of us women have to balance our household budgets every day and know that when we don't have enough income, we can't pay our bills.  When we don't take care of our credit rating, we have to pay more for our credit.  The GOP showed us that they are irresponsible in their spending when they are in control of the purse strings, especially if they own the White House, Congress and Senate and last year's Deficit Battle and the resulting S&P rating was proof of their ignorance or arrogance in managing our country's credit rating.

As women, many of us know quite well what that means and has meant to us from businessmen like Romney. You see, we don't hate wealth or wealthy people.  We hate greed that is bathed in craven indifference to the struggling, elderly, disabled and poor. We are working our asses off in a stark economy, that has been created and made worse by too many Corporate CEOs who focused on Profits to Shareholders and principals, over working people for the last 30 years.  Because of corporate types like Romney and Carly Fiorina, we have seen our manufacturing jobs shipped overseas for cheaper labor while demonizing organized Labor and walking away with Golden Parachutes; Wall Street Lobbyists bought our Congress and Senate to legislate in their favor, on taxes, trade and special access.

Do not insult our intelligence or frayed nerves by telling us that President Obama is a socialist, fascist or Nazi.  This is a Republic rooted in Democratic representation.  This is not a Dictatorship.  So as much as I want President Obama to be more liberal and progressive, he is not.  Sadly we are all too aware of how broken our government is now that some of the mega wealthy and Extreme Right are just plain greedy and don't want to pay their fair share of taxes.

The Extreme Right along with Wall Street, have also worked systematically to rig the lobbying, voting laws and the Courts while exploiting the many in our ranks through their faith communities.  They claim that the poor should know the dignity of work, as if the poor don't want to work.  They say that they represent Christ's greatest mandates; Feed the Poor, Clothe the Naked, Love One Another and then through hypocritical representatives such as Catholic Cardinal's threaten not to do these things because they oppose Birth Control coverage to their female employees.

It is an indisputable fact that the GOP has taken our country and economy to the very brink of more financial disaster, simply because they hate President Obama more than they love their country and their people.  He has been obstructed since the first day after the Inauguration.  There are miles and miles of documentation to prove this intent; "Our goal is to make sure that President Obama is a One Term President.  We will not compromise or collaborate on anything!  We want President Obama to fail!"

While raising children or not raising children, often working 2 or more jobs, we women have no intention of going back to Pre-Roe vs. Wade, simply because we are desperate to keep our jobs or businesses. But it is very clear that they also now think that we should not have access to birth control on the same par as men have to Viagra and Cialis, as part of a healthcare prescription plan. Nor will we let slip the attacks on Planned Parenthood. pay parity and redefinitions of Rape be changed to accommodate male chauvinism and control over our vaginas.  Birth Control is still the most effective way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

As you may have noticed, the "Marvelous Ryan Plan" includes a great many callous cuts to programs that help disabled, elderly, working families, poor women and children. For Romney and his GOP, sanctity for human life only applies to the babies in uteri. For the record, even though I happily acknowledge the many good fathers who raise their own children, you know very well, that it is the women who still do the majority of child rearing. If Romney and Ryan get their way, this will be all the harder.

If you are a woman or you love women and are not registered to vote, please register.  If you care about the War on Women and equal rights, please sign the petitions to support the Equal Rights Amendment http://equalrightsamendment.org/ and get involved in the National Organization for Women at http://www.now.org/ and We Are Woman at http://www.wearewoman.us/.  Contact your Congressman or woman and tell them how you feel about their actions and remind them that they work for us, not Corporate America.

When you’re Down and Out

By RF Schatten

Life sure is something! When you got it...you are the greatest thing in this whole “Wide World of Influence”; you're smart, handsome, a debonair man about town!...how to make friends and influence people type of guy. The sweet smell of success is all around you...and you can do absolutely nothing wrong! (even, if you are the greatest schmuck on the face of this planet) and above all, Lady Luck seems to be with you every minute of your life!

But! When you’re down and out…and you really don't have it anymore!…suddenly, you're Mr. Nobody; you were never that smart, you're really not that handsome after all, that debonair air smells more like the sweet smell of failure...you just can't do anything right, people start to see that you really 'are' a Schmuck!...and you can't for your life's sake get that “Lady” to shine some luck on you, even for a lousy 30 seconds in the day. 
And, for that final kick in the ass! ...you can't even influence that guy at the corner, the one with the cardboard sign that reads “Help me, need money, God Bless You”...as he tries to take ‘your’ corner spot away from ya! ...can't win for losing... Hey brother! Can you spare a dime?

The Chinese curse says: “May you live in Interesting Times”. Well! we definitely do live in ‘Interesting Times’. Life is really very tough these days, we see the increase of people literally begging in the streets, the homeless population has grown in this country...and, we're not in a Quieter and Gentler America anymore! 
When someone was down and out, the local community would rally around the person, or family, if that was the case...and lend them a helping hand. There was a kind of human respect back then between people...whether you were rich, or poor, everyone helped each other ...Civility, Moral Values and Ethics…I believe it was called!

Values have pretty much gone down the drain. In today's America, local communities are not as Quiet, usually bickering over issues, forgetting their past…and, with an exception now and then, ‘that’ helping hand is almost nonexistent ...also, people are not as Gentle anymore. When they pass someone panhandling in the street, you can hear; “Hey! Go get a job, you bum!”...could it be, that the reason for the panhandling in the first place, is that the poor guy lost his job? ...and, maybe, just maybe…is unable to find another one? Or, you hear the comment “this guy is just looking for a buck to buy a drink, God Damn Wino!”

You got to have a little faith, and trust in people...be a little more Godly, and Charitable. It's true that some people do take advantage, but in general, most do not...don't penalize them…be gentler, America!

I wasn't born then, but I heard stories from my parents about the Great Depression...and the horrors imposed on people in those days. What was impressed on my mind the most was…the existence of respect by everyone...the need to work together, and to help each other; in those days then, survival was paramount...this country really pulled together and got out of that deep mess of the 30s. It was a different era though, much more gentler times.If we get into a deep depression today...in this era, in these times!…how would we handle that mess?

Help Agencies, for the most part, do help...but, not to totally get you back on your feet. This is the system we live in today...the bureaucracy that is meant to slow your progress towards self-sufficiency, which 'is' suppose to be the main objective of the Welfare System; to work with you, help you find jobs through co-partnerships with Job Development Boards, train you if necessary for work, with the ultimate goal of making you Self-sufficient! Instead, the easy fixable flaws in the system just strap's you down into the Welfare Estate forever...I worked in Welfare once, and, like case workers jokingly say: “Welfare, is like the ‘Hotel California’...you can always Check Out, but you can never Leave”.

But…if you do manage to get back on your feet, and back on top...just watch all those friends, and family members, that you've not heard from in years!...all crawl out of the woodwork. “Hey buddy! I've been thinking about you, and decided that I just ‘got’ to give you a call, how are you doing old pal?”...YEAH! SURE! But, hey! ...you’re back on top again, you’re not that schmuck anymore! and…you really are that smooth, handsome, debonair guy after all. “Hey look!! I’m on top of the world, ma!!!!”

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Decision Time: Progression vs. Regression

by RF Schatten

On Monday, April 26, 2010, I was talking to a friend about American Politics, and wrote the following: “The Conservative movement, is genuinely scared, because, from the beginning of time, the greatest evil to the Conservative Elitism, has been “Reform”...they don't want Reform, they don't want to change the Status Quo...it is a very real threat to their very own existence. And, when that happens, their only goal, is the resumption of power, which they controlled, for so many years. If Obama, is successful, and the American Progressive Movement take full control, Conservatism, would be out of favor for 30-40 years...and for that, they 'will' do, whatever it takes to avoid that scenario...even, at the cost, of taking the Nation down”.

This was just my personal thoughts...much before the Occupy Movement, before 99% became a household word, before anyone heard of Gene Sharp, before anyone knew of the disastrous GOP Debates, and the cast of characters embodying the political stage...all, making fools out of themselves...wanting that coveted GOP Party nomination.

What is scary about those thoughts, is that today, more than 2 years later, many Pundits and Scholars, are genuinely talking and writing...exactly...about the same thing; and, they don't know or care who the hell I am!!!

Today, the GOP is no longer the same Republican Party, you and I grew up with. Social Conservatism has taken a hold of the Republicans, to a point where closet hypocrisy on issues, and on personal matters is considered the norm...where Bigotry, Racism, Hatred, and Fear reigns supreme. Where the old party moderates, are allowing their beloved 'Party' to be taken over by Radical Conservatism...all becoming Political Whores, just because they are now faced with a 'black man' as President...something they only thought about in their nightmares. The only place for a Black person in the Republican Cocktail Party is as a domestic, that comes and goes out the back door...heaven forbid, actually having to share bread with them.

Today, the GOP is championing the cause of the 1%...among those, the 400 individuals in the United States today, that have more wealth, in combined Cash, Stock, and Property...than the assets of 155 Million Americans COMBINED!!! Their entire stance in the 2012 Elections is, on keeping that Elite 1% as rich as humanly possible. Money, Money, Money!!! and this year?? Reduce the Tax for the Rich, Increase the Tax to the Middle Class and the Poor, cut Medicare for the Elderly, eliminate Medicaid for the Poor, kill Social Security completely, as it stands today. Their war against Women, is the worst in this Nation's History, and their attack on Gays, Hispanic, Blacks, Jews, Muslims...all religions, that are not White Anglo-Saxon Protestant...the Elderly, the Environment, and Education. All this, threatens the very existence of our Nation's progress, made in over 200 years. Yet, the most important issue, I see in this campaign season, is the very sinister and dark side of today's GOP...as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said... “the GOP will do whatever it takes, to bring the downfall of Barack Obama, even if we have to bring the Country down with it”... “I will not help pass any legislation, till Barack Obama is out of Office”. So much for your “Loyal Opposition”.

What we are facing as a Nation, if the Republican Party wins, is a country controlled by the very few...does the family named “Koch”, ring in your thoughts? A Ruling Class Society, in a Theocratic Fascist Plutocracy. Sieg Heil!! This is true evil...I'm not bullshitting. As I said, the continuous movement towards the elimination of Public Education, Social Security, and Welfare, along with Medicaid and Medicare...Health Care in general!! The threat to Women Rights, and the intrusion into People's Private Lives...and finally, the changing of Laws around the Country...limiting People's Right to Vote. WE TRULY ARE IN A CLASS WARFARE...it's time to get serious, and Vote for a real future, with real progress...not to regress to the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s...or even worse, to Germany 1933-1945.

Today, because of giant Political blunders by the GOP, and their inability to respond positive in government...the United States, no longer gets the respect in the world, it once had...why? Greed, Racism, Bigotry...what else do you want to include. The most respected man in the world, at this moment is Barack Obama...in the US? Obama, just verrryyy slightly. The world is watching!!! act like what everyone expects of you, America!, don't get screwed!!

Actually, the Republicans are giving this country, the biggest screw job of this Nation's History...it's the Tea Party, who is giving the GOP the Blow Job...and since the GOP, in 2012, are all degenerates, who condemn others in Society, while really being Closet Social Liberals, they love the Tea Bags to continue giving them that Blow Job!...they get highly aroused by the more Sadistic Evil Minded Wing of Conservatism. It's their way of justifying, why they have moved from Moderate Conservatism to Extreme Right Wing Conservatism. They really do love, the Extreme Philosophy of Conservatism...but, cannot resist those Closet Interludes with Liberal Minded thoughts.

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