A couple incoherent thoughts to toss out. Last time, I determined a theme. Will I this time? We'll see.
Lately, I've been getting de-friended a lot on Facebook as a result of political discussions. The day after the ACA ruling was given I lost a total of 27 friends! Do I know who they were? Nope. I have many conservative friends, both in real life and online. Many of them are very capable of having an intelligent, cogent political discussion. Some even can do so without parroting the Limbaugh talking points. ;) So, the ones who go? See ya!
The strange bit (to me anyway) is that 99% of my FB friends are transpeople of some form.
I'm an educated woman, but I can't comprehend a transperson siding with the Tea Party Right that the GOP has become. Economics, that's one thing. A BIG thing, but just one aspect of the discussion. I understand economic conservatives (just don't know how a True Conservative can vote GOP, given their economic policies) and can debate that ad infinitum and chance are we'll both be right and wrong.
It's the SOCIAL part I don't get. Do transpeople REALLY think that the party of Bachmann, Perry and Santorum will have THEIR best interests at heart?
Examples:
“Don’t misunderstand. I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgender. We need to have profound compassion for people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life and sexual identity disorders.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, on homosexuality as a mental disorder, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/michele-bachmanns-top-ten-anti-gay-quotes/politics/2011/06/02/21233
Speaking at a press conference Monday, Santorum said same-sex marriage is "going to have a devastating impact on our children," illustrating his point by discussing a couple who say their second-grader has to deal with transgender children in the class. Therefore, he claims, with the legalization of gay marriage, children will be "forced" to discuss gender issues, which will be "devastating."
http://www.towleroad.com/2011/06/santorumsiouxcity.html
“Promoting special rights for gays in foreign countries is not in America’s interests and not worth a dime of taxpayers’ money.”
-Texas Gov. Rick Perry, criticizing a new Obama administration policy to defend the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who are imprisoned, brutalized and murdered in some countries. ABC News, December 6, 2011
Paragons of Tolerance? these are the Leaders of the Right! How can a transperson side with them?
The only comparison I can find in history are Jewish Nazis. Yes, they existed. And they died too. Much to their surprise, I'd guess. Now I know at least one person who will question this comparison of a Right Wing Political party that actively stripped an entire segment of the population of their rights (and eventually exterminated 6 million of them) to a Right Wing Political Party actively seeking to strip an entire segment of the population of their rights and not caring if they die (see: transgender suicide rate) as being Unfair or worse. Apples and oranges. I disagree.
Currently at 32 followers. We'll see what happens.
BTW: the GOP website calls itself a "Social Victory Center." I'm not kidding- click the link. I can't make this stuff up!
![]()
In Other news:
Having trouble sleeping lately. This isn't new for me. Back before I was diagnosed with depression, I used to have NASTY bouts of insomnia. I was prescribed melatonin, which works well for me. After starting depression meds, insomnia for the most part disappeared.
But since telling my wife about Sophie, sleep has occasionally been elusive. Usually my thoughts are racing. Self medicating with Alcohol doesn't help. Last night, I kept thinking about the Guy in the Bar. Yes, it still bothers me. It'll take time.
................
Southern Comfort Conference. I am really going to try to go. I've booked a hotel room already. Over $600. Ow! Figure overall it will cost me about $1,300 to do this. That's a LOT of ebay sales!
I really want to go. For one, it's the Biggest Conference. And I've never been to Atlanta. And so Many of the Women who have inspired me over the long years will be there. I may even have the courage to say "Hi!" to them! (I'm such a fan-girl!) And many of the seminars look wonderful!
.......................
It's the All-Star break, and my Phillies are in the basement. After a five year Golden Age, the team seems to be in free fall. Sigh. Doesn't matter, I'm still going on August 28th for LGBT night... as Sophie. Maybe Halliday will get healthy and the team will start hitting and they'll be able to make a go of it. And maybe flying monkeys will come shooting out of my butt. Ah well. I'm a fan. Thick and thin.
......................
We just finished an eleven day heat wave here in Philly. Not the record, but close. I love summer- heat and all. Summer always meant freedom to me, even after my school days ended. I still see the magic in Fireflies. And I love the sound of crickets at night.
![]()
.....................
This weekend is another Jen Bryant Raven Event. She outdoes herself every time. Alas, I work this time so I can't attend. My next Sophie time will be on the 21st at Laptop Lounge.
...................
Ok, time to close this exercise in free-form babbling. After a quick review, do i detect a theme? Nope. Just babble. My random thoughts as they stand on this Thursday, July 10, 2012.
Thanks for listening! ;)
Lately, I've been getting de-friended a lot on Facebook as a result of political discussions. The day after the ACA ruling was given I lost a total of 27 friends! Do I know who they were? Nope. I have many conservative friends, both in real life and online. Many of them are very capable of having an intelligent, cogent political discussion. Some even can do so without parroting the Limbaugh talking points. ;) So, the ones who go? See ya!
The strange bit (to me anyway) is that 99% of my FB friends are transpeople of some form.
I'm an educated woman, but I can't comprehend a transperson siding with the Tea Party Right that the GOP has become. Economics, that's one thing. A BIG thing, but just one aspect of the discussion. I understand economic conservatives (just don't know how a True Conservative can vote GOP, given their economic policies) and can debate that ad infinitum and chance are we'll both be right and wrong.
It's the SOCIAL part I don't get. Do transpeople REALLY think that the party of Bachmann, Perry and Santorum will have THEIR best interests at heart?
Examples:
“Don’t misunderstand. I am not here bashing people who are homosexuals, who are lesbians, who are bisexual, who are transgender. We need to have profound compassion for people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life and sexual identity disorders.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, on homosexuality as a mental disorder, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/michele-bachmanns-top-ten-anti-gay-quotes/politics/2011/06/02/21233
Speaking at a press conference Monday, Santorum said same-sex marriage is "going to have a devastating impact on our children," illustrating his point by discussing a couple who say their second-grader has to deal with transgender children in the class. Therefore, he claims, with the legalization of gay marriage, children will be "forced" to discuss gender issues, which will be "devastating."
http://www.towleroad.com/2011/06/santorumsiouxcity.html
“Promoting special rights for gays in foreign countries is not in America’s interests and not worth a dime of taxpayers’ money.”
-Texas Gov. Rick Perry, criticizing a new Obama administration policy to defend the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who are imprisoned, brutalized and murdered in some countries. ABC News, December 6, 2011
Paragons of Tolerance? these are the Leaders of the Right! How can a transperson side with them?
The only comparison I can find in history are Jewish Nazis. Yes, they existed. And they died too. Much to their surprise, I'd guess. Now I know at least one person who will question this comparison of a Right Wing Political party that actively stripped an entire segment of the population of their rights (and eventually exterminated 6 million of them) to a Right Wing Political Party actively seeking to strip an entire segment of the population of their rights and not caring if they die (see: transgender suicide rate) as being Unfair or worse. Apples and oranges. I disagree.
Currently at 32 followers. We'll see what happens.
BTW: the GOP website calls itself a "Social Victory Center." I'm not kidding- click the link. I can't make this stuff up!
Random Pic to separate topics
In Other news:
Having trouble sleeping lately. This isn't new for me. Back before I was diagnosed with depression, I used to have NASTY bouts of insomnia. I was prescribed melatonin, which works well for me. After starting depression meds, insomnia for the most part disappeared.
But since telling my wife about Sophie, sleep has occasionally been elusive. Usually my thoughts are racing. Self medicating with Alcohol doesn't help. Last night, I kept thinking about the Guy in the Bar. Yes, it still bothers me. It'll take time.
................
Southern Comfort Conference. I am really going to try to go. I've booked a hotel room already. Over $600. Ow! Figure overall it will cost me about $1,300 to do this. That's a LOT of ebay sales!
I really want to go. For one, it's the Biggest Conference. And I've never been to Atlanta. And so Many of the Women who have inspired me over the long years will be there. I may even have the courage to say "Hi!" to them! (I'm such a fan-girl!) And many of the seminars look wonderful!
.......................
It's the All-Star break, and my Phillies are in the basement. After a five year Golden Age, the team seems to be in free fall. Sigh. Doesn't matter, I'm still going on August 28th for LGBT night... as Sophie. Maybe Halliday will get healthy and the team will start hitting and they'll be able to make a go of it. And maybe flying monkeys will come shooting out of my butt. Ah well. I'm a fan. Thick and thin.
......................
We just finished an eleven day heat wave here in Philly. Not the record, but close. I love summer- heat and all. Summer always meant freedom to me, even after my school days ended. I still see the magic in Fireflies. And I love the sound of crickets at night.
With Jen Bryant at Raven in January. Pic: Jen Bryant
.....................
This weekend is another Jen Bryant Raven Event. She outdoes herself every time. Alas, I work this time so I can't attend. My next Sophie time will be on the 21st at Laptop Lounge.
...................
Ok, time to close this exercise in free-form babbling. After a quick review, do i detect a theme? Nope. Just babble. My random thoughts as they stand on this Thursday, July 10, 2012.
Thanks for listening! ;)
Sophie
ReplyDeleteLots of thoughts~no theme.
As an educated woman I would expect more from you than repeatedly equating those who are not liberal Democrats as being NAZIs. Your identical reference to the NAZIs and the GOP as a "Right Wing Political Party" is an untrue, hurtful, cheap shot. It is a common talking point employed by those who foster class warfare rather than rational and reasoned thought and discourse.
You have a right to your beliefs and opinions. Deamonizing the TEA Parties and the GOP with generic slurs is simply hurtful. I believe that they have the right to speech. If you disagree with their position of lower taxes, a smaller less intrusive federal government, more freedom and liberty, that is your right.
If you are a believer in the concept of 'sharing the wealth', that is also your right. Marx said that "Democracy is the road to Socialism". The cornerstone of his philosophy was "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs". 'Sharing the wealth', with the government making the decisions on how that wealth is shared is of concern to me. Does it concern you?
'Sharing the wealth' is an appealing populist concept. It is easy to demonize the so-called 1%. It is part of Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" (BTW ~ a book that was dedicated to Lucifer), to isolate and demonize an enemy.
My preference is to seek common ground. You have the right to think that government needs to be bigger, with more bureaucrats, regulations, taxes, etc. All I ask is that I not be called a NAZI if I believe in a smaller, less powerful, less intrusive, less bureaucratic government. We saw how these populist tools, the use of the premise of socialism, helped the communists achieve power in Russia, China, Cuba and the National Socialists achieve power in Germany. We hear many of those same ideas today.
We may also have differing views on Obamacare. What had been sold as a mandate and/or a penalty is now identified as the largest tax on the middle and lower class in US history. That is not in line with a campaign promise of not raising taxes on the middle and lower classes.
'T' people may be concerned that Obamacare, combined with the access to medical records that was part of the Obama stimulus may create security issues. Do you trust the government to keep your medical records, treatment and history a secret? Would you prefer that you or the government have control over your healthcare, records and treatment? Does paying for 16,000 new IRS agents to run the financial side of Obamacare concern you?
The spin on the 2004 comments by Bachmann have been recycled. Do you not believe that times have changed since 2004? The GOP, which you seem to dislike rejected the bids of Bachmann, Perry and Santorum. Do you think that Bachmann is not capable of growing? Of having her thoughts evolve? Of learning from the experiences of the past decade?
While the crowd yesterday did not agree with all that Romney had to say would you have been part of the NAACP audience that gave him a standing ovation at the end of his speech? Do you have a problem with his inclusiveness of All Americans?
We can see things differently but I see no benefit in slurs and name calling. I just happen to believe that the principals of liberty and freedom, limited government, less government intrusion, less regulations, less of a police state, less loss of rights in the surrender of our assets, less taxes, fees, mandates and penalties are good for all people, including 'T' people. A leader who divides and puts people against each other to achieve his political ends is of concern to me.
Peace,
Pat
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteYou are entitled to your opinion. At what point do I call YOU a nazi? I am drawing a comparison between elected officials of a party to another party from history. (Unless you are an elected official.)
You keep referencing the book "Rules for radicals." A book Rove could've written, btw. Demonizing... hmmm... how about making the term "Liberal" an insult? How about INCORRECTLY and CONSISTANTLY calling a democratically elected president a "socialist", implying he isn't an American citizen, or any of the numerous other slurs heaped upon the president by the GOP?
Speaking of which; You, as a thinking person, obviously seen to disagree with the statements I cited. yet you defend bachmann saying those statements are old. Has she grown since 2004?
No evidence to say she has.
Has she been rejected by the Party? Has Perry? No and No. Both still hold HIGH elected office and will probably continue to do so. And NO, I repeat, NO Elected GOP representative, past or present, have called either of these three for their divisive hate speech. EVER. So explain to me again how the GOP has repudiated them. Far from- they EMBRACE them AND their ideology of hate.
Want evidence?
http://www.texasgop.org/
Salient (but not only points)
On the “Voter Rights Act” [sic]:
"We urge that the Voter Rights Act of 1965 codified and updated in 1973 be repealed and not reauthorized"
translation: take away people's right to vote if they're not white.
On Homosexuality:
"We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans. Homosexuality must not be presented as an acceptable “alternative” lifestyle, in public policy, nor should “family” be redefined to include homosexual “couples.” We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin. Additionally, we oppose any criminal or civil penalties against those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction or belief in traditional values."
Translation: Feel free to beat, discriminate or murder people who are LGBT.
I await your defense of those points.
I also believe in the principals of liberty and freedom, less loss of rights, and full transparency. I ALSO believe that We NEED taxes for stupid little things like SCHOOLS, infrastructure, police, etc. As to less regulations- How do you think the economy got into this mess? GOP were paid to remove regulations so business could rob and pillage. And they did. Now they made it legal to bribe elected officials.
Also, Please tell me exactly what rights the president has removed from you. be specific.
In conclusion, I don't see President Obama as someone dividing. I see him as someone trying to fix what the GOP broke, and the GOP is doing everything in its power, legal and ILLEGAL, to remove him so they can return to pillage the Middle class some more.
My opinion. backed by easily found Facts, not talking points.
peace. :)
Saul Alinsky was a hero and model for both Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. They have both said so. It was Alinsky who wrote "Rules for Radicals" not Rove. Do you find the messages of Alinsky's writing so hateful that you would attribute them to Rove? Have you read Rove's books or is Rove simply reduced to a vilified creature of the left...a media created symbol to focus hatred?
DeleteIf you feel that being called a 'Liberal' is an insult, that is up to you. Many friends and family that I cherish are proud to be called liberal. Likewise, I have not mentioned the 'birth' issue. Labeling anyone who disagrees with the politics of Obama as a 'birther' is a calculated slur.
Is Obama a socialist? Tell me the distinction between Obama's concept of 'sharing the wealth' and Marx stating "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"? Both are strong rallying cries for class warfare. Hate the rich...demonize the enemy. It worked for Lenin, Mao, Hitler, Castro, etc.
You mention the Voter's Rights Legislation. The 1965 act was passed only because of the Republicans in the Senate. Most Democrats at that time opposed it, including Al Gore, Sr. Remind me who was president in 1973 when the updated version was signed?
Your translation, "take away people's right to vote if they are not white" is consistent with the Democrat Party's attempt to energize their base by dividing people through slurs and name calling. It is consistent with Holder talking last week to the NAACP about a 'poll tax'. This is thinly veiled code for calling anyone and everyone who does not toe the Democrat Party line with being a racist. It is the politics of division, of smearing the opposition.
Likewise your quoting Perry who believes that people with sincere religious beliefs should not be criminally punished for their exercise of their right to voice their beliefs by 'translating' his support of free speech into; "Feel free to beat, discriminate or murder people who are LGBT" is a huge stretch ~ but not an uncommon one being advanced by the left as they pander to specific groups. Your inference that people who may like his economics would '...murder people who are LGBT', is a translation that I reject.
We do not disagree with the need for schools. My issue is the control of local schools by the Federal Government. All of my education predated the creation of the Dept. of Educatation during the Carter years. Costs keep going up and the quality of education keeps coming down. This has been acutely felt by those who can least afford it.
Speaking of the creation of new cabinet level bureaucrats from the Carter years, how has the Dept. of Energy (created 1977) been working out?
Taxes on fuel were originally intended to finance infrastructure. Huge amounts of every dollar you spend on fuel do not go to build or maintain roads, etc. They go into the general funds of the feds, states and localities. Not unlike payroll taxes, originally designated to pay SS benefits, now go to the general treasury.
Your claim that the GOP is doing everything it can to ILLEGALLY remove Obama from office is not supported by facts...much like the Obama campaign claiming that Romney is a felon even though that falsehood was fully vetted.
Your aspersion that the GOP wants to 'pillage the Middle class' is also unsupported. Obamacare may be the largest tax on the middle class in history. Is the elimination of that 'middle class' tax equal to 'pillage'?
Like I said, I am fine with discourse and disagreement. My issue is the leaps that you seem willing to take, the 'translations'.
You are comfortable with equating the GOP with the Nazis. I reject your analogy.
Peace,
Pat
Hmmmm... the Romney thing HASN'T been fully vetted. Still in the news, more revalations every day. "Retired retroactivlly"???? Oh please. THAT'S why he doen't want to release his tax record- he drew a 6 figure salary the whole time, as CEO. And if he didn't, then his listing on the SEC filing is a felony. That's the law.
DeleteACA ISN"T the "largest tax increase in history. THAT'S a Rush statement. You're above that. How could it be if only 1.2% of the population are even ELIGIBLE for it? Proof?
http://factcheck.org/2012/07/biggest-tax-increase-in-history/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/02/no-obamacare-isnt-the-largest-tax-increase-in-the-history-of-the-world-in-one-chart/
The LGBT platorm plank you attribute to Perry is the GOP Platform for texas. Please read closer. I stand by my interpretations.
And I HAVE read Rove's books. And Cheyney's. I read them all. In fact Bush, Cheyney and Rummy's books have already been entered as "Exhibits A,B, and C" to the World Court. Charges: War crimes. In their books, they ADMIT to authorizing torture, which is a crime with a fairly stiff penalty. Ask Pinochet, the guy from Croatia, etc. There's a good reason they don't travel abroad, you know...
As for the GOP stopping people from voting, I refer you again to the PA Treasurer. Or isn't he high ranking enough?
be well! :)
Sophie
ReplyDeleteI am not sure I am ready to believe that there was no vetting of Romney when he ran for governor in Mass. As to the recent tax returns I am pretty sure that everyone already knows that he is wealthy beyond a level that you or I can fathom. He already qualifies as the 'hated rich' who we hear about from Obama as not wanting to pay their fair share.
His former partners seem to think that he left active management in Bain in February 1999 and there is no doubt that he was active in the day to day operations of the Salt Lake Olympics from that time forward. I do not think that he surrendered his equity in Bain to take the Olympic Chairmanship.
I would like to think that you share my belief that voter fraud should be eliminated. What is your position on the refusal of the Holder/Obama justice department to deal with the thugs with clubs outside the voting booths in Philly in 2008?
That type of tactic irks me. I knew a guy whose former wife was a wealthy heiress. During the 2000 election she bought a van load of cigarettes in Virginia and went to the poor areas of Milwaukee giving a carton smokes to every person who would accept her assistance to go vote for Gore.
While the odds of you and I strolling out of a bar some night so zonked that we are stumbling off our heels is infinately greater than us pulling the same lever in the voting booth I will support your right to pull your lever with my last breath.
Peace,
Pat
PS: One of these days Pat will find her way to eastern PA, either New Hope or K of P. The first drink is on you but rest assured my green will hit the bar and I doubt the night will end at 2 drinks each.
I look forward to that night! :)
ReplyDeleteAs to the Bain thing- he is registered as SOLE stockholde, chair of the board, etc, in 2002. So if he WASN'T, that's a felony. That's the law. As to his "former" partners, they'll say and do what they're told. And you know that.
Carville said it best: "The only one who's seen Mitt Romney's tax returns is John McCain, and he chose SARAH PALIN."
Want a republican side? George Will, on 7/15/12 said "The cost of not releasing the returns are clear. Therefore, he must have calculated that there are higher costs in releasing them."
We KNOW he's a .01 percenter. The question is: What is he hiding?
As to the Philly thing. As you can imagine, I heard all about this. And i know it was totally debunked within a day. Not only by the "liberal media" as Rush would say, but also by the Fox news affiliate AND the hard core Right owned and operated Philadelphia Inquirer. So my thought is this: nothing happened but conservatives trying to play a race hate card and losing.
As for the voting booth thing- thats what happened in Florida AND Ohio (one one of the things). Aperson would press the lever for Gore (or kerry) and the ballot would mark Bush. Documented in the Conyers report to Congress. And here as well (simple google search)
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/11/303479.shtml
I am all for fair elections. the GOP has demonstrated many times they are not. (See above) Citizens United anyone? Maybe if congress actually PROSECUTED Bush et al for election fraud after the Conyers report (they didn't as it was a GOP congress run by people now doing time), things would've been more cleaned up by now. instead, the GOP enabled more and more, so we have the current "purge the roles of anyone who won't vote for us."
:)
Be well!
I have always enjoyed Carville. Did you see him on Hannity the other night? He and Sean were great. I really like when Carville is on with his wife.
ReplyDeleteI favor transparancy. I am among a large and growing part of the GOP that would like to see the returns. I understand his concerns with them being picked apart and with the exposure to the innuendo machine but Will's position has merit.
Romney being a .01 percenter...more likely a .0001%...not that there's anything wrong with that.
We need transparency and fairness in our elections. I am still not sure anyone knows what happened in the Al Franken race in Minn. Extra ballots showing up on carseats, etc. We just had a tizzy in NY in the primary for Rangel.
We can talk about Citizen's United over our 3rd or 4th drink.
Peace,
Pat