of some non-catholics, non-democrats, and non-democrat catholics

This is my 400th post. I can continue, and comment about many things, but I only comment on some. But, even obvious things are not, admittedly, seen and understood. People will disregard truth, and, even, more loudly affirm falsity. The thoughtful, accurate, statement is derided, and dismissed, in favor of the loud and cocky, though often bullshit, statement.

In one endeavor after another, I have seen a form of steam rolling. I have, and am experiencing it. It is a situation resembling a mixture of Alice trying to debate with characters in Wonderland (Humpty Dumpty, White Queen), and the chicanery of the bush-cheney régime.

Now, I am proud to be a Catholic. I am proud to be a Democrat. I have continually seen, heard, and read many Democrats ignorantly, obnoxiously and falsely deride catholicism. I have continually seen, heard, and read many Catholics ignorantly, obnoxiously and falsely deride (*) democracy and Democrats. I feel revulsion for such practices, and their practitioners.

In the american public the more noticeable, and frequent, of these parallel behaviors is the defamation committed by the self proclaimed ‘conservatives’, whom are just intense Republicans, and as such combine several unpleasant, even vile, qualities. Another parallel is, when these [Republicans] are supposedly religious claim catholicism, they are a party of pharisees and hypocrites.

Now, Benedict has just released an encyclical, which amongst other things, blasts capitalism. Benedict and John Paul II were 100% against bush’s war, and certainly, cheney’s torture. These conservatives have not heralded these, and other, positions clearly stated by the Magisterium. No, they have their own cafeteria, where they pick and choose the selections, and other diners are not welcome. Such is the way of pharisees and hypocrites.
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postscriptum: some similar mini-essays can be read at: http://rustbeltvoice.blogspot.com/

Cindy Sheehan at St. Colman

Yestereve, in the basement of St. Colman's (Cleveland, O.), there, visited Cindy Sheehan. She is on a national speaking and book tour. The local media, here and elsewhere, have maintained a blackout on the events. As is usual, a few peace groups sponsored the event, and presented an-anti war art exhibition, and disseminated literature. Ohio has had 177 troops die in bush's iraqui war. The empty boots signifies their absence.

Cindy was in good humor, feisty, impassioned and slightly disorganised, perhaps on account of fatigue. She affirmed her position as the "biggest bugger of george bush", and fully stating this war criminal should not escape constant reminding of his crimes. She also pointed out, Obama has not changed the course bushjr started.

Ms. Sheehan had some special animus for Nancy Pelosi, of whom, she invited the audience, of about three hundred, to hiss. She, also, spoke about the myths of America. The chief and foundational myth being that this is the greatest nation in the universe. This myth, as the others, benefits the robber class, which controls the country, and which creates other myths to sustain itself. It is virtually identical with the military industrial establishment. The robber class is united, and they divide the rest of the country into quarreling amongst itself.

She quoted Ralph Nader, in that, there is not two political parties in the US, but only one with two wings. She also echoed Nader in urging people to focus on their localities, where they have far better chance to effect change.

Ms. Sheehan also spoke of the lie of the volunteer army. In voluntary organisations, one is not imprisoned for attempting to leave. Also, with the "stop gap" programme enlistments are extended beyond the legal contract and agreement of service. The US government's prime focus is the support of a militaristic empire. The peace movement that stands up to it is weak and disorganised. She wishes for a better America, but seems to recognise, that, it will be what it is.

Senator Sam Ervin

The Watergate hearings began on the 17th of May 1973, and were widely watched. Some people thought they were a commercial soap opera programme. At times they had high tension. Slowly, but steadily, it was shown that all about Richard Nixon's circle, there was corruption that was willing to smash the guaranteed, legal freedoms of the nation, and its citizens.*

They were chaired by a veteran of the war to end all wars, a Harvard educated lawyer, who greatly studied, and valued the Constitution, a man, who often referred to himself as ‘a country lawyer.’ Samuel Ervin, senator from North Carolina, slowly spoke, and stuttered in a southern speech pattern. He was very capable.

John Ehrlichman was the chief advisor on domestic affairs to president Nixon. Ehrlichman gave authority to burglarise Daniel Ellsberg's doctor's (Lewis Fielding's) office to gather evidence on Ellsberg on reasons of national security. Ellsberg had been a Pentagon analyst. He came to the opinion, that, the war was wrong and should be ended. He lobbied Senators to release certain information, they did not. He went to a New York Times reporter. The story of the Pentagon papers broke, and Nixon and his cadre wanted revenge. In the hearings explanations were called for.

This was one of the many topics discussed in the senate hearings:

Senator Sam Ervin: The foreign intelligence activities had nothing to do with the opinion of Ellsberg's psychiatrist about his emotional or psychological state.

John Ehrlichman snottily: How do you know that, Mr. Chairman?

Senator Sam Ervin: Because I can understand the English language. It's my mother tongue.

The parry and thrust of Mister Ervin's words, in pique, were devastatingly effective. Ehrlichman's haughtiness was deflated by an obvious answer, an almost reflexive tautology, to an insulting and stupid question.

Richard Nixon was a troubled man with ability, and more than a modicum of decency and dignity. There has, hardly, been a better Republican since. Nixon abused the Constitution, and deserved impeachment, and a guilty sentence, and removal from office. He saved the country, and himself, some of the ignominy by resigning. That being said, the events of the régime that seized power during the eight years, that have recently ended, deserves greater scrutiny than anything concerning Nixon and Watergate. It is a great scandal that there has not been many investigations.

The price of freedom is vigilance. Justice has not been active. Obama is but an amelioration of bushjr. The nation deserves more. To-day is the anniversary of our declaration of freedom, the Declaration of Independence. One can recall, on this remembrance of that clarion day, the freedom of our civil liberties against a corrupt, and tyrannical government. Senator Sam Ervin did his nation much service.
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*What people remember as, “there’s a cancer on the presidency ”, was:
"I think, I think that, uh, there’s no doubt about the seriousness of the problem we’re, we’ve got. We have a cancer–within, close to the Presidency, that’s growing. It’s growing daily. It’s compounding, it grows geometrically now because it compounds itself."--John Dean, (21 March 1973 to Richard Nixon)

Obama's pick for Justice, Republicans, abortion

“The essence of being a Republican is the belief in free markets, the belief in individual responsibility, the belief in the faith of the individual. This is what our party is about.” -- Eric Cantor, on whether there can be pro-abortion Republican candidates. -- reported 14 May
***
Republican party chairman, Michael Steele: The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life, or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.

Q by Lisa DePaulo. March 11, 2009 : Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
Michael Steele: Yeah. I mean, again, I think that’s an individual choice.
...
Q: You do?
Michael Steele:Yeah. Absolutely.

Q:Do pro-choicers have a place in the Republican Party?
Michael Steele: Absolutely!

Q: How so?
Michael Steele: You know, Lee Atwater said it best: We are a big-tent party. We recognize that there are views that may be divergent on some issues, but our goal is to correspond, or try to respond, to some core values and principles that we can agree on.
***
“A vacancy on the Supreme Court. This is something we haven't seen in awhile. Let's just hope the president is better at picking a justice than the justices were at picking a president.” --Jay Leno. 1 May

I do not wish to constantly revisit this topic. I am a catholic. I am a democrat. I am pro-life. I am anti-abortion. I have maintained that the distinguishing principle of the Republican party is hypocrisy. I also maintain, that, many so called pro-life, or anti-abortion, Republicans are only Republicans. President Obama has been reflexively attacked by catholic Republicans, including the episcopacy over this. Now, with the following two additional facts, we may see which master they [catholic Republicans] serve.

I lifted this directly from the Wikipedia to-day:

In Center for Reproductive Law and Policy v. Bush[40], Sotomayor upheld the Bush administration's implementation of the "Mexico City Policy" which requires foreign organizations receiving U.S. funds to "neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations". Sotomayor held that the policy did not constitute a violation of equal protection, as the government "is free to favor the anti-abortion position over the pro-choice position, and can do so with public funds".[41]

I lifted this directly from christianitytoday.com to-day:

In 2004, she ruled that a group of clinic protesters could proceed with its suit.
Ted Olsen | May 26, 2009 9:30AM

In 1989, members of Amnesty America entered an abortion clinic in West Hartford, Connecticut, chained themselves together, and blocked the entrance. When police arrived, the protesters used passive resistance to continue their protest (among their techniques: covering their hands in maple syrup to make handcuffs less useful).

The police dragged the protesters out anyway, and Amnesty America members sued, saying several of them suffered lasting physical damage from the police officers' actions (among the claims: an officer rammed a protester's head into a wall).

A district court issued a summary judgment for the town of West Hartford, but Sotomayor's Second Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the judgment and sent it back to the lower court for a jury trial.

"It is entirely possible that a reasonable jury would find, as the district court intimated, that the police officers' use of force was objectively reasonable given the circumstances and the plaintiffs' resistance techniques," Sotomayor wrote. "Because a reasonable jury could also find that the officers gratuitously inflicted pain in a manner that was not a reasonable response to the circumstances, however, the determination as to the objective reasonableness of the force used must be made by a jury following a trial."

Sotomayor also warned the group that its lawyer was unprofessional. He "has hardly acted as an effective advocate for his clients by presenting briefs so haphazardly prepared that they contain almost no legal argument," she wrote. His behavior was so bad, she wrote that, "we would be within our discretion to summarily dismiss this appeal. We opt, however, to consider the merits of this appeal because plaintiffs' claims are substantial enough to merit a trial, and declining to consider this appeal would unfairly penalize plaintiffs for Williams's failings as an advocate."

Pro-lifers seem unimpressed by the decision. "Though not concerning abortion policy directly, the case is viewed as a stand against free speech for pro-life advocates," says a briefing at LifeNews.com. Eh? It's hard to see the decision as anything but a good thing for this particular pro-life group. The question is more about how large the decision's implications are.

President Barack Obama was attacked for having the temerity to speak at Notre Dame. He spoke of a common ground. The Republicans were against any selection Mr. Obama was going to make for the Supreme Court, they were preparing, at least, since the announcement of justice Souter retiring. We will now see, how they will react to, or merely attack Sonia Sotomayor. It is, certainly within the realm of possibility, that Ms. Sotomayor is not in favor of abortion. It is to be remembered that Alito and Roberts were evasive on the issue, and that bushjr stated, that, he had no idea, whether Miers had an opinion. Also note: I have not seen, or expect logical continuity, or coherence, or consistency, or one to one correspondence, concerning Republicans’ words, or words and deeds.

Demjanjuk

The current prosecution of John Demjanjuk has nothing to do with justice.

Inconvenient facts:

Sobibor was a concentration death camp, that was in existence for eighteen months during World War II. Approximately one hundred germans, and two hundred prisoners of war, formerly members of the soviet army (mostly ukrainians), operated the camp. Each and every german outranked each, every and all ukrainians, et alia. The ukrainians were prisoners of war. Prisoners of war do not create policy for their captors.

The germans have tried some of the geman personnel. The vast majority were either freed, or spent less time in prison than Demjanjuk had in Israel. The russians, under the USSR, tried some ukrainian guards, most were killed by the state under the imposed, death penalties.

Israel had Demjanjuk tried as Ivan Marchenko, a notorious guard at Treblinka's camp. There were eyewitnesses, Treblinka survivors, who testified, that, Demjanjuk was Marchenko.

Demjanjuk lived in Indiana, and then the Cleveland (Ohio) area, from 1952 to 1986, after which he was deported to Israel. In 1988 he was sentenced to death. In 1993 the Supreme Court found doubt, and he was returned to the US.

In the 1970s the US's Immigration service wanted Fedor Fedorenko, a former Treblinka guard, deported, and Demjanjuk's picture came up. In 1977 Demjanjuk was targeted for revocation of citizenship. This came to be a cause célèbre, that has not ended in the Cleveland area. A few hours ago the US had a plane carry Demjanjuk to Germany. He is now imprisoned in Munich.

[How to write the rest of this without being accused of being an anti-semite?] (I am not writing a dissertation, and am not going through old newspapers, so I am not researching each date.) Somewhere along the timeline CBS's 60 Minutes, gathered the evidence, witnesses, et cetera, to show that Marchenko was dead. Youngstown, Ohio area congressman James Trafficant (currently imprisoned) became involved in the case.

In Israel, the trial was a spectacle. A defense lawyer was attacked with acid, if I remember correctly. It was a show trial. It was propaganda. It was used to impress young israelis, and the outside world.

In Cleveland from 1977 on, though waning at each new chapter, sides were drawn. Vocal jews and zionists wanted centerstage. Some ukrainians counter demonstrated. The local news media followed attentively. It has again made the news. There is an absolute presumption of guilt by many, to whom this is new to, and the local media does not have to look far to present an angry, jewish voice.

What came out was--that, at some point in time, it came apparent to Israel, and the US, that Demjanjuk was innocent of the charges accused. Then the point became that none of that mattered. If he was not that Ivan, then he was another Ivan. Still now, the unrelenting arguments are to imprison, and try him. The past judicial mistakes are glossed over, denied, or equivocated away. The US's contention is, that, he lied in his documentation in 1951, therefore...

What is Germany's interest? Have they tried another ukrainian guard before? Is there an element of double jeopardy? What prompted Germany to prosecute, now?

Is there a word that we don't have, or my memory can not grasp? What word is there for the inability to abide, and allow to exist, someone that you want destroyed? an imperiousness of hauteur and hatred? a vindictive vengeance? an invincible spite? Perhaps english needs to borrow. There is a strong, german word for spite, ‘gehässig’. These instances do not occur only on a human level, but also, on an institutional level: the power of the state of its highest reluctance to admit error, its overweening desire, and feeling of intensive necessity to execute its will, regardless, irrespective and irrationally, but completely.
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addendum: 14 May '09. This is not the only example. Don Siegelmann was the governor of Alabama. Karl Rove, and Republican lawyers and judges under his control, had him imprisoned. Since then, in March, a three judge panel threw out two charges. They permitted some of the rubbish. Now the busheviks want Siegelmann to receive an even, longer sentence. Justice has little place in the Justice Department, political vendettas and gehässiglich gall trump justice.

Perhaps, the foremost reason I detested the eight years of the imposed bushevik regime was its total disregard for the law, after all, it was not legally installed. Now, Obama and his attorney general Holder have the opportunity to uphold the Constitution and other laws. They have done little, not nothing, but little to this point. This is why it is is so ridiculous, that the anti-Democratic party holds so much venom for Obama, and the Democracy.

postscriptum: Demjanjuk died 17 March 2012 in Germany waiting appeal of a conviction in a German show trial. I have encountered many people claiming his guilt a priori, and totally disregard the myriad irregularities of his prosecutions. Guilt has been assigned.

Elixir of texas tea(baggers)

Every year there is an anti-tax protest at some state house or public park, but this year they were organised by a television network and professional mouthfoamers. Much coverage was aired. There were years of much larger anti-war protests, that, they and others ignored. We report, you decide.

These hypocritical idiots without intellectual consistency complain about taxation and spending. The number one funded department is that of the military, the department of war, the Pentagon, or euphemistically, defense. It is well over 50%, near if not exceeding 60%, depending on accounting methods, and their degree of transparency. To all intelligible people, that has to be the place to start. Was one protester protesting military spending? Was one person brandishing a poster, banner or sign against useless, wasteful military spending? or criticising the merchants of death? Besides the military, there are other perennial snouts at the public trough. Any protesting agricultural subsidies to millionaires? Any protesting aid to Israel?

Any protesting about their states and communities that receive more than they pay? Alaska receives almost double in receipts, from its outgo, to the federal government. Alaska has an idiot opportunist as governor, who has claimed Alaska to be a sovereign state, she also has an husband, whom, belonged(s) to a secessionist party, did she also? She wants [stifle your guffaws] to be president of the United States of America. Where is there logical continuity in this, anywhere?

Further, the protests gathered smaller crowds, than those held for the legalisation of hemp and marijuana, or the right to ride motorbikes sans helmet. I am sure, that, to-day 4/20, there will be a sizable crowd, somewhere, in the country protesting something. I once participated in a labor rally, at the Ohio State House, on one cold Saturday, years ago. Downtown Columbus was abandoned. We marched in solitude, except for the many police forces to watch us. There were speeches by a Representative in Congress, Marcy Kaptur, and labor leaders, including Richard Trumka. No media coverage, save for a couple sentences buried in a Columbus paper.

These sideshows of teabaggers were orchestrated and pumped up, but the balloon will not fly. In addition to what they purported to be, they were anti-Obama rallies. The man just took office, and legally so. bushjr stole office without public demonstrations against it, there was one in Florida to aid the theft, though. There were insane accusations and villifications of Obama. The klan was out in their civvies, not in their dress whites. In the bizarre dystopia of the crazier than shithouse rat Republicans, anything less than a complete, fascist dictatorship is appalling, an elected democracy is anathema, and deserving of subversion and annihilation. They accused Obama, simultaneously, of being a fascist (an absurd situation of a cauldron calling a teakettle black), and a communist. Have they ever opened a dictionary? They sense that ‘fascist’ is an extreme political insult, while they blindly stare into the mirror. When a vote is taken, and the votes are actually counted, the winner is not a non-democrat.

Tejas, texas, taxes; other idiots, of the outrageous, reprobate Republicans, gave cover and support. The chief elected one, Rick Perry*, wants a third term as governor of Tejas. He was talking secession. Perry is not John C. Calhoun, or one of the literate fireaters of the antebellum south. People, carrying union [not labor, certainly not] flags, talking of secession, does not anyone see the irony, well, back to the point, Texas already seceded once—it was an extremely, bloody failure. Have they ever read a real history book? And Texas, is there any one state that has caused more disaster for America, at least in the last several years?...Armey, Baker, bushes and bushes, Cheney, Delay, Gramm, Halliburton.... If Texas wanted to leave, it would have behooved the world, far more so, if it had been done a generation ago. The combination of arrogance, ignorance, callousness, worthlessness, belligerence, incompetence, gall and the damnedest stupidity is utterly jaw dropping! Really, every anglo leaving Tejas needs to be tested for rabies.
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*former Texas Aggie cheerleader, who may or may not be aware of:
Texas v. White, 74 U.S. 700 (1869), in which the Supreme Court ruled that a state cannot secede.
When, therefore, Texas became one of the United States, she entered into an indissoluble relation. All the obligations of perpetual union, and all the guaranties of republican government in the Union, attached at once to the State. The act which consummated her admission into the Union was something more than a compact; it was the incorporation of a new member into the political body. And it was final. The union between Texas and the other States was as complete, as perpetual, and as indissoluble as the union between the original States. There was no place for reconsideration or revocation, except through revolution or through consent of the States. ― Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase

Postscriptum: 26 April 2009. There is stupid, and there is hypocrisy; and then there is Texas stupid, and Texas hypocrisy. Yesterday, the governor [sic] of Tejas, Mr. Goodhair, Rick Perry requested the federal (that means, the national government of the United States) bureaucratic agency (funded by tax dollars from the 50 states) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide Tejas, from the national stockpile, 37,430 courses of antiviral medications for the swine flu crisis. His words, “We will continue to work with our local, state and federal health officials to ensure public safety is protected.” How quickly, Tejas petitions (begs) the Union for help and material, that Tejas does not provide texicans with. Maybe crow is the meal meant for tea.

Shame on Obama and Holder

Some of the officially, documented evil committed, by the busheviks, by members of the CIA has been released, and has confirmed much of what has been known, and denied.

"This is a time for reflection, not retribution. I respect the strong views and emotions that these issues evoke...But at a time of great challenges and disturbing disunity, nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past." -- President Barack Obama

"It would be unfair to prosecute dedicated men and women working to protect America for conduct that was sanctioned in advance by the Justice Department."-- Attorney General Eric Holder

These statements do several things: they are protecting the guilty; Obama is not much different than bushjr on too many important matters; the rule of law in the US of A is fiction; and the Nuremberg defense will succeed for american fascists, where it did not for german fascists. Well, Obama and company are wrong, deeply and gravely wrong, they are excusing, and condoning, the evil of the busheviks, and their ultimately demented, and vicious supporters; and still it will not lessen their [that of fervent Republicans] hatred for him. Obama has shown a steadfast loyalty to the financial and imperial enterprise that this country has become.

He is a vast improvement over the last occupant, he may yet accomplish great things, he is a compromising politician, and in his compromised positions, he has done great ill. He acts in favor, and defense, of those whom vilify him, and have besmirched and corrupted the country. Does Obama suffer from Bill Clinton's need to be liked? These people will always hate him, and far more disturbing, by serving them, he does great disservice to the nation and the world, or has Obama been co-opted by the entrenched ruling class?

Some thoughts on the Republicans

In an earlier number, I put the question: Now, who would be the craziest Republican? As it is approaching the 1st of April, and the public frequency of ridiculous inane statements of madness made by Michelle Bachmann. I must submit, that, the mad minnesotan is more a loon, than the state bird.

To guess the future: the 2010 US senate elections will have a minimum plus 5 for the Democrats. The Republican party 2012 primary campaign will have the moneyed wing support Romney, the collection of idiot factions will go to the alaskan chick. Either candidate, or another, would be greatly defeated by President Obama.

As Jesus said, man can not serve two masters. Mammon is the god of the anti-Democratic party. So much of what they promote is in that regard. Do not go that path. When christianity conflicts with the party, christianity is jettisoned.

Furthermore, the Republican party is indistinguishable from a criminal conspiracy. Their propaganda and their parrot and lemming following cannot be suaded by facts, truth or glimpses of reality. It is a waste of time and effort to engage intercourse with these fascists. Virtually insane vituperation is the response. But their idiocies and lies cannot go unchallenged. Republicans do not allow any facts to cloud their ‘thinking’ and beliefs.
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postscriptum 4 29 09: on 27 April 2009, the minnesotan loon, Bachmann made this statement:

"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president Jimmy Carter. And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence."

Rhetorically, the fallacy here is an ad hominem attack by association. She creates a false innuendo, it is a non-sequitur, and its premise is false. There will be people who will believe and repeat her bullshit, they will vote. For those with a memory, or ability to read: in February 1976, swine flu appeared at the army bade, Fort Dix, New Jersey. Certain medical spokesmen urged the president to act, and a media panic occurred. Immunization began in October, after a few days 40 million were inoculated, a few people died after inoculation. Another media panic occurred. A general election took place in November. The programme was ended in December. The president, for the entire year of 1976, was Gerald Ford. Gerald Ford was a Republican. Michelle Bachmann is a Republican. Michelle Bachmann is an idiot. Michelle Bachmann is a liar. Jimmy Carter received a Nobel Peace Prize and is a good man.

Portrait of a smear

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States. — US Constitution. Article II. Section 1.

Again, and again, there has been shown by reoccurring examples, that, many Republicans and their supporters do not read, understand or respect the Constitution of the United States of America. Again, and again, there has been shown by reoccurring examples, that, many Republicans and their supporters will state untruths as truths. The wording to one adage of experience is something near to: do not ascribe malevolence to something that can be explained by ignorance. The mind is constructed to recognise patterns. The patterns are: Republicans have no scrupulosity about truth, and run continuous black propaganda meaning to deceive, and will not relent in repeating falsity.

Richard Shelby was a Democratic senator from Alabama. In 1994 the Republicans did well enough, at the polls, to become the majority party in both houses of Congress. Since then, Shelby has been a Republican. Saturday, past, he spoke at a steak house in Cullman County, Alabama, and answered questions. Someone brought up a rumor, that, has extensively, and has repeatedly shown to be without merit, and utterly false. Shelby is quoted saying:

“Well his father was Kenyan and they said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven’t seen any birth certificate. You have to be born in America to be president.”

Well this will not end, and it is not meant to end. Once a story has been made, it exists, and as existing, someone will encounter it a first time, and then another... Truth is not a prerequisite for a story’s continuance. This story is put out, and is meant to cause doubt concerning the legitimacy of Barack Obama as president. This has been a continuing Republican tactic. gwbushjr stole two elections, and we have emerged from eight years of criminal conspiracy, and the press will not discuss that.

Beyond that, to say “his father was Kenyan” is meant to say “his father was a black african, not born in the US”. That is meant to rekindle the country’s bigotry against negroes, mulattoes, non-nativists, and the children of immigrants. Beside that, at the time Kenya was a british colony, and kenyans were british subjects. Republicans do not say, “Obama had a british father”.

Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. The document exists and has been made public. Is Shelby the officer in charge of examining candidates’ documents? Does Obama need to send every Republican a copy of his birth certificate? Have you seen Shelby’s birth certificate. Hawaiʻi was annexed to the United States by Senate vote on 6 July 1898, 42 to 21. On 21 August 1959 territorial status changed to that of a state. Obama was born 4 August 1961.

Shelby’s statement is untrue on several points. Shelby’s statement is malicious on several points. Barack Obama was qualified as a candidate for the presidency, de jure and in ability, and was legally elected and installed, unlike the previous occupant. Obama did take the oath, unnecessarily a second time, probably to stem idiotic statements, that, he was not properly inaugurated. The only unresolved item is whether: Shelby is ignorant and idiotically so, stupid, mean, mean and stupid, or cunningly malevolent?

The press conference

President Obama had his first, evening, press conference, within a month, of his inauguration. It was, in great to part, to egg on the passage of the spending/stimulus bill. The previous occupant, of the office, had a first conference, a month after New York City, and Washington D.C. were attacked.

Mister Obama answered questions six times longer, than his prepared speech. His answers were fluent, firm and well stated, logically phrased, and said with articulate, and unhalting diction. This, again, was in remarkable contrast with the previous occupant.

He took several questions, mostly from younger reporters, and younger than himself. There was some apoplexy*, on account of a question, a very fine question about Senator Leahy’s possible investigation on the criminal behavior of the past regime. The question came from an, electronique, news service writer. Mister Obama also called on Miss Helen Thomas, a woman who was shamefully ignored, and demonised during the now, recently, past usurpation; he sidestepped the questions, in a fashion of previous, and longstanding american policies. The discontent, with the questioners, came from the bizarre, cloud, cuckoo land of the Republican, extremist media, although, Obama did take an obnoxious, speculative question, from that regiment, which was, meant to embarrass, not only himself, but the vice-president, and the stimulus programme. Mister Obama would do himself, and the country benefit, by not engaging, with such belligerent, and malevolent lunatics.

Earlier in the day, he was in Elkhart, Indiana taking questions from an unscreened (again, a great departure from the previous regime) group of residents. He genially answered an, unfriendly, accusing question, by a confessing follower of a television and radio republican. Two great points of difference here: first, in the demeanor, and openness of President Obama; secondly, the unrelenting hostility of the anti-democratic populace.
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*There was even displeasure vented, on account, of other reporters being seated. There was no such convulsions, when bushjr took questions from the male prostitute, Jeff Gannon, née Guckert, who posed for two years in Ari Fleischer’s press briefing room.
postscriptum: One of the points Mr. Obama emphasized was, that, of Franklin Roosevelt’s response of decisive government spending, in a time the economy failed, and private spending dried up. The spending was necessary, in part, as a last resort. It is also necessary, to remind people of a successful prior response by a president, and a country, to a similar set of problematic events. It is further necessary to remind a nation that has been falsely, yet effectively, propagandised by the ilk of Grover Norquists, whom have foisted Ronald Reagan as the avenger against the New Deal. There is an ongoing campaign, to change the facts of history, concerning Franklin Roosevelt. One current example, is that of, the new, idiotic congressman from Ohio (2, 3), Steve Austria, who has been called, on his part of this campaign of disinformation. He graduated from Marquette (did he take any american history courses? or pay any attention? or are some people so obdurate, that, even, the Jesuits can not teach and learn them?); and before that a catholic high school. To graduate from high school in Ohio, at that time--1977, one needed a year of american history, and a half year of civics(government). People pay tuition for their children, buy them books, and what? They chew the pages and make spitballs.

The State of the Democracy Returned

The Obama presidency began on a musical interlude, an arrangement of the religious hymn, Tis A Gift To Be Simple, played on cello, violin, piano and clarinet. On a cold day, in mid-winter, democracy returned to the United States. Two million people came to see the moment.

Polling began on the approval of the occupant of the executive mansion in 1938. Final approval rating of the last occupant was 22 percent, and disapproval 73; no president had a lower yea, nor higher nay percentage. bush junior has been shown exceptionable.

As joyful and hopeful the crowds were for Mister Obama, they did show contempt and disdain for what he replaced. When gwbjr came out of the Capitol runway, audible booing was heard. When the heliocopter took him away, the crowd sang, “na na hey hey goodbye”.

A fortnight and more has passed. Some of the atmosphere is new and clear, and some of the smoky, sulfurous clouds linger on. Darth Cheney will not stop his unrepentant, propaganda campaign. The placement of busheviks burrowed, into the bureaucracy, lay in wait to sabotage.

John Cornyn delayed Holder’s nomination as attorney-general. That office of government is encharged to police the law. All members of the government are sworn to uphold the Constitution, but that department is to investigate and prosecute those who have transgressed. These last eight years the Constitution has been battered. The last administration used the Department of Justice as a compliance auxiliary to their party. Naturally, those involved do not want to be brought to justice, and part of the country does not want the sordidness viewed, nor remembered. Cornyn and his ilk approve of torture and other criminal government behavior, and they do not want to be held responsible, nor reminded, nor restrained.

Karl Rove and his political circle will not answer subpœnas. The Republicans want their political crimes buried. The Democrats have been obliging. A scrupulous and active attorney-general would not be.

Labor Secretary nominee Hilda Solis has been held from even committee discussion. Likewise, a scrupulous and active labor secretary is a great threat to their party, and economic masters.

Tom Daschle has been scratched from Health and Human Services. Doctor Howard Dean has been neglected for his ability, success and intensity. He would shake up things and get things accomplished. The Republicans hate him, and Obama’s circle have shunned him. Doctor Dean would be a good and worthy administrator. bushjunior got repulsive, dishonest and incompetent nominees to major jobs. Obama should push back, after all he won and was legally installed as the first president in the new century.

The junior senator of Minnesota, Al Franken, has not been seated. The 60th vote is being held back, because he is the 60th, and he has a quick wit and a sharp mind. The Republicans fear all of that. Coleman has criminal investigations pending about him, this gets very little notice, while he, and his team, contradict themselves in ridiculous ways in trying to first delay a count of votes, and now to overturn the count. Every day that Franken is not sworn in is an injustice to democracy, and a bonus to the Republican party.

Barack Obama has chosen Republicans for his cabinet: he has held over Robert Gates and the pentagon establishment; he has chosen a Republican congressman for transport, Ray LaHood; he has nominated a Republican senator for commerce, and has acquiesced to have a Democratic governor to replace Judd Gregg with another Republican.

Barack Obama has extended his hand, to the Republicans* again, and again. At this rate, he will have far less digits than Boris Yeltsin.
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* “Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban. And that is that they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person’s entire processes. And these Taliban ― I’m not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban ― no, that’s not what we’re saying. I’m saying an example of how you go about is to change a person from their messaging to their operations to their frontline message. And we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with.” ― chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Pete Sessions

The stimulus bill passed the House of Representatives easily, but with zero Republicans voting for it. Many Republicans were jubilant and boastful, yes I see that there is no normal segue between those two sentences.

Bombing Gaza

a cartoon from Brasil’s Carlos Latuff. see: http://www.wakeupfromyourslumber.com/node/5916

There is a ruthless, virtually merciless, zionist war party that is the government of Israel. Now, there are many israelis who are for peace and justice; it would not be surprising, that, they are greater in percentage than in any moslem state, or the United States; but the peace party, within Israel, never exercises governmental policy.

There are several points that can be discussed at length, herewithin is only a partial listing:

Whenever Israel commits hostile acts their propaganda is constant. They (fill in the blank) are killing us. They have made us kill them. We have done nothing wrong. We are suffering. We have our exquisite citizens martyred and murdered. We kill the guilty and the innocent, the guilty deserve it, and we do not consider the rest, except to say, that they are unfortunately dead, and we are not responsible. We are not responsible for anything we do. We have never been guilty of anything; all those who oppose us are guilty. This argument is effective in only the United States, where many people share affinity with those sentiments, and with the jewish people of Israel.

Israel is not concerned with the world’s censure. Some places have mentioned the idea of proportionality. This idea is part of the just war doctrine, and the eye for an eye ethos. The response of Israel is: they have transgressed us, we have no limits to our response.

By accident, the 28th of December is the Massacre of the Innocents (on the christian liturgical calendar). This commemorates the event, when, the judaen king, Herod the Great ordered all male babies, and toddlers, about the area of Bethlehem killed, so as, to eliminate a perceived threat to his throne. The news of the Gaza strike was in the papers on the same day. This biblical co-incidence is not unique, in 2006 Israel bombed Cana.

President Obama does not hold office yet; the bushevik regime has indulged, humored, accommodated Israel. It is an opportune time for an attack. The busheviks will never hold Israel to any standard.

For Gaza shall be destroyed, and Ascalon shall be a desert, they shall cast out Azotus at noonday, and Accaron shall be rooted up. ― Sophonias ii.4.

Republic Windows & Doors

A peaceful, and non-violent six day sit-in, at Republic Windows and Doors, Goose Island plant, Chicago, Illinois has ended. In the afternoon, Tuesday, 2nd December the workers,who are members of the United Electrical Workers, Local 1110 were told, that, the factory would close Friday, 5th December, and the Bank of America would not allow management to pay them, what their contract, and the law promised. So, just go ...

They did not go; they stayed. The 240 workers acted as determined brothers. They were unanimous. They acted as americans had acted in the mid to late 1930s; they would not be moved. They wanted their jobs, though they believed them gone, but they were owed a few thousand dollars, and medical care. They wanted their legal remuneration. Wednesday, 10th December, an agreement was so reached. It could have come a bit earlier, but Richard Gillman, the chief executive, wanted the leases of several luxury cars picked up and eight weeks of salary. He backed down.

The Bank of America was given money in the bail-out. The bail-out was supposed to have banks extend credit, so as to, move commerce along. The Bank of America bought Merrill Lynch instead.

Republic Windows & Doors was going to close the unionised, Illinois’ Goose Island plant. They were buying a scab (non-union) plant in Iowa, they had already sent equipment there.

Now, this is in the same vein as the auto crisis. German, and japanese companies, have unionised plants in their countries, when they move to the american south, they open scab plants, with state, and local government, financial inducements.

See, labor-management contracts are binding. Laws of the federal government are binding.* Treaties made with indian tribes were binding. Moneyed power believes itself above the law, or outside of the law. Government, especially Republican controlled government, is of the same mind. Now, in this case, many community leaders†, including the mayor, Richard Daley, President Obama and others spoke in behalf of the workers.
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*Some applicable provisions: The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) was enacted on August 4, 1988 and became effective on February 4, 1989.

Plant Closing: A covered employer must give notice if an employment site (or one or more facilities or operating units within an employment site) will be shut down, and the shutdown will result in an employment loss (as defined later) for 50 or more employees during any 30-day period.

Penalties: An employer who violates the WARN provisions by ordering a plant closing or mass layoff without providing appropriate notice is liable to each aggrieved employee for an amount including back pay and benefits for the period of violation, up to 60 days. The employer's liability may be reduced by such items as wages paid by the employer to the employee during the period of the violation and voluntary and unconditional payments made by the employer to the employee.

An employer who fails to provide notice as required to a unit of local government is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500 for each day of violation. This penalty may be avoided if the employer satisfies the liability to each aggrieved employee within 3 weeks after the closing or layoff is ordered by the employer.

Enforcement: Enforcement of WARN requirements is through the United States district courts. Workers, representatives of employees and units of local government may bring individual or class action suits. In any suit, the court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing party a reasonable attorney's fee as part of the costs.

†The city had given over $10 million to the company in development funds.

Job 1 for President Obama

Mister Luckovich created supra, and he often demonstrates, that, there are some great and succinct editorial cartoons, that, tell so much more, and with actuality sometimes remiss from the standard, talking head ‘expert commentators ’.* Eight years of the treasonous misrule of usurpation are nearly over. Still, the reprobates can do great damage, in addition to the lingering damage already done. Six more weeks to wait.

It is not so much that they were wrong in programme, but that they knew no law and despised those whom did. Virtually nothing appeared in the campaign on this most important issue. The press was timid. Many people were interested, only, in their pet issue. The bishops had been co-opted by the Republican party, and were devoted only on abortion, and ignored their pastoral and prophetic duties to speak on other issues. After Obama won the election, in this period of deep, economic recession, the gun enthusiasts, quickly, purchased more weapons.

Mister Obama has been left a country with far more problems, and far less resources, than, that of which, Mister Clinton left when he relinquished the presidency. This interregnum has been a disaster.

Mister Obama has quickly been assembling a new administration. In the forefront of his planning is that of the economy and ‘national security’, but, perhaps, the greatest damage that the busheviks have committed was that done to justice and law. The justice department was whorred out. Intensive repair, recovery and rehabilitation, there, is needed. Those responsible should be found out, and made to bear their guilt and responsibility.

I am sure, that, after the 20th of January there shall be more than a dribble, but not the torrent, of information on the depth and breadth of illegality and corruption, that has been the last eight years. I remember Ronnie Reagan wore dress morning clothes for his inauguration. There are horizontal, black and white, striped suits a waiting for the out-going Republicans.
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*Instead of presenting the blowhards, and propagandists that network and cable television foist upon us, it may be better just to have the camera linger on good cartoons, when they appear.

Restore the Constitution

Barack Obama is the first man to win the presidency since 1996. This eight year period of usurpation, seems to be ending. The standing of this country has suffered in the interval. The populace is gripped in economic trepidation and financial crisis. The rest of the world is rejoicing in the upcoming transition, with near unanimity, that, is far beyond the national evaluation.

Barack Obama has shown calm calculation and poise. He is speaking of conciliation. What he has given barely a public clue to is — restoring and defending the Constitution.

The interloper is shameless. He has been accountable to nothing. The current economic troubles were created by his incompetent policies, and now he tells the world, that, capitalism, his term – free markets, have no cause to be blamed.

The man who practises pre-emptive war is without remorse. The man who knows no law, but his own will, is unbowed. There is still two more months until the return to democracy. In those two months great mischief can be made.

Will Barack Obama undo and, even prevent, some of bush junior’s unique concoction of evil, malevolence, arrogance and incompetence? Perhaps verbal reticence is a shrewd tactic. And of course, though weakened, his political party still exists, and it too, is unrepentant. Obama is speaking only of unity.

The Great Wave

Katsushika Hokusai. Kanagawa oki nami-ura (The Great Wave Off Kanagawa). c.1826. Hakone.
Yes, I do believe it is coming. Obama, and the Congress, nooks and backwaters will be awash and Republicans swamped. The tide, full of foam and froth, oh, if it will clean and wash the filth and dreck and offal of the last eight years of usurpation and degradation, then may the rule of law return, and the miscreants be hung out to dry.

Why so much early voting?

Several states have encouraged early voting, some in person and some by post. I will be on the road, working out of town and staying in a motel, on election day. I have voted absentee, for the first time. The television has shown long lines at boards of elections, some with only black people in lines.

I know why. The black electorate is enthusiastic about the candidacy of Barack Obama, but, that is not the main rationale. They, as I, do not trust the polling places on Tuesday. The fascists have tried to rig and steal elections. Remember, Florida in 2000, and Ohio in 2004 and other places, by computer fraud, disenfranchisement and discouraging voters, by any means necessary. The special targets are negro citizens, though, not exclusively. I cannot be confident, that, my Democratic vote will be counted as a Democratic vote. Ohio is the home of Diebold, the company, that, makes automated teller machines that photographs users and dispenses receipts, yet makes unverifiable voting machines; they currently use another name for that division.

The early voting is an attempt to pre-empt Republican chicanery. The false charge of voting fraud is there to muddy the waters and cause doubt of real votes. One may be wrongly and falsely registered, even multiply so, but that is not voter fraud; that is registration fraud, at most. Most, virtually all, of the bad registrations will never vote. A person, out of ignorance, may be multiply registered; he will vote once, if at all.

scurrilous, scabrous, scandalous slander

The Republicans are desperate and losing badly in this presidential race. They are resorting to their bag of slime: scurrilous, scabrous, scandalous slander and the pejorative aspersion has always been their weapon of choice.

# 1 John McCain
At the Hofstra event, he falsely used the term ‘class warfare’, and accused Barack Obama to be desirous of wealth distribution. After Wall Street is slated to receive hundreds of billions from americans, after they scammed, skimmed and stole as much as they possibly could, McCain did not worry about wealth distribution. No, when Republicans, plutocrats, their aspirants and lackeys speak of class warfare, they fear the possibility of economic and social justice. There was the signal, that, the Republicans would red bait and declare all those against them, against the country.

# 2 Sarah Palin
“Senator Obama said that he wants to spread the wealth and he wants government to take your money and decide how to best to redistribute it according to his priorities. Joe [the Plumber ?, Biden ?, Lieberman ?, Blow?, Mama?] suggested that sounded a little bit like socialism.”

# 3 George (the pudding) Voinovich
“With all due respect, the man[Obama] is a socialist.”

# 4 Michele Bachmann
“What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out if they are pro-America or anti-America.”

Now, the term ‘socialist’ can mean many different people and ideas. There are christian socialists, a term, for a political party, that has not made inroads into public discourse, in this country. After the hate filled, murderous disaster of hitlerism in Germany, there arose the Christian Democrats under Konrad Adenauer to lead that country, and there are such parties in other lands. Adenauer of Germany, and Charles de Gaulle and Robert Schuman of France led Europe out of the ashes. These Christian Democrats were sometimes socialists, sometimes not. Generally when a country has two strong parties, of socialists, the christians are conservative and the “social democrats” are not, yet both can be democrat[ic]. There are social democrats, now, that term is foggy. Some are democrats and some are communists or damn close, especially in those countries that have been freed of communism in the great movement of 1989 and quickly thereafter.

In the US, the latter type, the marxist, leninist, cæsarian, militarist, stalinist kinds are the only ones referred to. This is what these current, vituperative attacks allude to. Remember, the Republicans used to call Roosevelt and Truman, Kennedy and Johnson ‘communists’. Franklin Delano Roosevelt saved democracy and capitalism in this country, and defeated fascism, and hitlerism in Europe — all this to the displeasure of the Republican party. Also, remember, that, the supporters of gwbushjr love comparing chimpy to Truman, and Truman distrusted, and disliked Republicans immensely.

Road trip about the Ohio

I, and a friend, took a 450 mile road trip in the tristate area about the Ohio River. We passed the Lordstown , the Stratton and Cardinal plants. We signed books, in order to seek work, in Steubenville, Wheeling and attempted Belle Vernon, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. In Steubenville, the form included the line on racial identification, the old, and presumably out of favor, terms: Negro and Oriental.

We encountered much roadkill, especially deer and coon. The leaves of the trees on the appalachian hills were brilliant in the sun, on a very warm day, in mid-October. Approaching the river, towards Steubenville, a fog sat over the river and up the banks to make the river invisible. There was a chemical stench that would not lift. Martin's Ferry seemed small and stolid, and we passed Mingo Junction, hardly noticing. I sang some of the lyrics of The Banks of the Ohio.

The towns were proud to note their favorite sons: Lou Holtz, Dean Martin, Robert Ulrich, Bill Mazeroski, Stan Musial. A good deal of livestock was visible on farm hillsides. Wheeling looked past its prime and cramped. We also crossed the Monongahela, and pumpkins were available from farms. Dried cornstalks stood in fields.

Along route 7 and elsewhere there were signs for local candidates. One for prosecutor had a visage, very similar to Terry Bradshaw. Over all we saw more Obama signs than McCain. The union halls in Cleveland, Steubenville and Wheeling all had yard signs, available, from the Trumbull county Democratic party. Somewher on the Ohio side, there was, on a billboard, the Quaker dove, stating “War is not the answer”, the same side was in Wheeling. At St. Clairsville, we heard a radio advertisement, by bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley, advocating Barack Obama. At a gasoline station, in Ohio, there came out of the family truck, with Pennsylvania plates, a very tall, and slightly husky, pizza complexioned kid. He was wearing a black tee shirt, with the printing: No communists No socialists Nobama

the republican mob

It disgusts, but does not surprise. In recent McCain and Palin events, the crowds have exhibited some ugly and hateful outbursts of hostility.

The Republican party is the american fascist party, and it shows. There is a basic meanness. They are nationalists, racists, xenophobes and imperialists. They fundamentally do not believe in democracy. The democrats have a surging wave building. The busheviks stole two, close elections; this election will not be close. This base core of lumpenfascists is not accepting this as an outcome. One of the basic tenets, and claims, of these volk is, that, they possess monopoly on patriotism and americanism. They wish to dictate, and decide, on to whom, the identity of american can apply.

Palin is a glib and banal character. She appeals to these rough and vapid masses, whom are becoming mobs. They are disdainful of any press, that is, not in the republican, true believer, wingnut or knuckle dragging camp. Eventually journalistic crews will be physically attacked. An outsider will be taking a gamble on his safety and well being. I hazard to extend the metaphor.

Republicans have been yelling, "socialist","treason","terrorist" and "traitor" at the mention of the next president's name. This could escalate to much worse. These people would certainly not accept these epithets for bush jr., but the double standard is the standard Republicans employ.
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postscriptum: A couple hours after writing this, I saw on television, John McCain trying to neutralise some of the adamantly, stringently stupid. He was trying to defend Barack Obama, from blatant falsehoods, from his supposed supporters. He was booed. Booed by your own partisans, clearly, he is not rabidly, Republican enough. Rove, bush, Fox news [sic], et alia have created monsters. He may also be acknowledging to himself, that, the game is lost, and is saddened, by the part he has played. McCain may be a Republican, but some of the ilk of his co-travellers disgusts him, none-the-less. McCain, after bushjr, was the only chance his party had for victory. The other candidates, with the possible exception of Ron Paul, were wretched. His selection of Palin could not have come from the top of his depth chart. He has tried stunts to gain attention, but without substance, and they did not hold. He will have to work, after November, for self redemption.