Our Myths of Democracy and Flag

We call our nation a democracy and our leaders talk about the ‘democratic tradition’ incessantly. We even go war to ‘bring democracy and freedom’ to other nations.

But, let’s take a good long, hard look at the actual definition of ‘democracy’:

From Wikipedia:  

“a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives”

From Dictionary.com:

“1. by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

2. a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies.

3. a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.

4. political or social equality; democratic spirit.

5. the common people of a community as distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.”

But, are we actually a democracy by these definitions? Really? Of course not! Not even close, by any definition!

Are we all treated equally in the decisions that affect our lives? Get real. Let’s read the fine print and get reacquainted with actualities and realities! Wealthy people in our country - and throughout the world for that matter - can buy far more influence over the political decisions which affect all of us.₁ Whether we like it or not, money is power, and thus it has always been so. A few powerful wealthy people working behind the scenes can and do influence and produce legislation favorable to themselves and onerous to everyone else, almost on a daily basis. Now that corporations are officially defined as ‘persons’ in the United States by the US Supreme Court, that is doubly true. In fact, corporate influence now has far more influence over the laws, regulations and political decisions than any other group of interests. There are hundreds, nay thousands, nay even more than thousands of instances of this. The total amount of public treasure expended on behalf or corporations and special interests is beyond calculation. And this has been true almost since corporations first came into existence. That is reality. Money = power = political influence. Period!

We are constantly propagandized about our ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’, none of which are actually true. We are all beholden in one way or another to those working furtively and secretly behind the scenes pulling strings which affect everyone. Most of their activity is for their own interests, with just enough benefit provided to common citizens to avoid actual revolt or revolution. Sometimes the powerful overstep themselves and heads roll, literally. History provides examples, as with the French revolution in 1789 and Russia’s in 1917 and Communist China in 1946 being noteworthy. Historians claim our own revolution of 1775 was about taxes and representation, which of course it was, but it was more than that. Our own revolution was really a revolution by the wealthy and the business entities of the day pulling the strings behind the scenes. And their coiled rattlesnake flag on a yellow field with its belligerent ‘Don’t Tread On Me’ inscription is even being fiercely recycled today by the exact same type of behind-the-scenes manipulators, i.e., the Koch brothers, et al. Yes, history really does repeat itself sometimes! The monied classes of the 18th Century were no different from any other time - and money respects no national boundaries. More on that point later.

You see this today with all the so-called ‘offshore corporations’ operating world-wide with impunity, and by their own rules, being more powerful than many nations. If there is a hassle with any government anywhere, they just paper over it with money, buying influence where needed in accordance with their objectives, with common citizens usually taking it in the shorts. 

The money invested in influencing legislation or buying favors by whatever means necessary is generally repaid back to them many times over. A corporation’s sole reason for existence is to ‘make money’ and there is nothing wrong with that as far as it goes. But, the power of money apparently mesmerizes those who wield it, and at some point often turns corrupt. Once that happens, the corruption seems to take control. That seems to be the greatest fault of the so-called ‘capitalistic system’. At some point the powerful always seem to default to a greater or lesser degree of corruption. The excuse many times is, ‘but, we have to do it to compete’. Sometimes there is serious kickback, as in the Russian revolution, and Cuba, and more recently with Venezuela. When that happens political leaders of ‘democratic’ nations go into hysteria-driven overdrive. All the propaganda organs start screaming ‘socialism!” and ‘Communism!”, which of course it usually is, thereby providing even more fuel for the hysteria, and a ‘cause’ to fight for.

It is a vicious cycle, and darned if I am not now almost convinced this is what our controlling masters have designed into the system. If we did not have those rogue nations to go into conniption fits over, they would probably need to invent them.

I am currently reading a book called ‘Critical Path’ by R. Buckminster Fuller which clarified some of these notions for me - wiped the scaled from my eyes so to speak. Fuller was definitely a ‘maverick’ type who was never shy with his opinions. He died in 1983 but left behind many unusual inventions and a large body of writing. 

Fuller had a tendency to invent words and ways of using compound words which makes him hard for many to read. He also had some quirky notions such as ‘devolution’ wherein he believed humans were first and some then actually ‘devolved’ back to the ape and monkey stages. But, he also had unusual access to economic statistics and figures on the national and international levels, and was amazingly prescient on many topics, especially energy and climate change. He was a sort of economic historian as well, tracing trends and the evolution of economic systems. One thing really jumps out to me in his book, and that is how our national flag actually came to be, and how iconic it is for what our country is today. Forget all the Betsy Ross myths - mostly due to her grandson’s claims, and stories about how George Washington ordered a flag to be made.

Hold on to your socks now, because this little largely unknown truth may short you out!  You earnestly and sincerely believe the myths and stories about our flag and its stripes being based on the thirteen original colonies? WRONG! Our US national flag is actually a corporate flag based on the British East India Company’s flag! What could be more fitting and  iconic for our *corporate ruled nation today? 

The way our flag actually came to be is this way: The  Boston Tea Party (1773) story was not really a protest by citizens as we are commonly propagandized, but by a group of Boston merchants calling themselves the ‘Sons of Liberty’. Their motivation being the tax on tea levied by the British Crown in the Crown’s attempts to derive revenue from colonial citizens - sound familiar? It so happened the British East India Company had three ships in the harbor loaded with tea at the time. The merchants first boarded a ship named ‘Dartmouth’ and threw a few cases of tea overboard. Someone noticed the company flag flying at the masthead - the traditional place for a company flag as the national flag normally flies at the stern of the ship. A man was sent to the masthead to bring down the flag as a trophy. The company flag consisted of thirteen red and white strips with a blue field in the upper left corner, with a combined St. George and St. Andrews cross in white sewn in the field - exactly like our flag today except for the cross in the place of our stars.

Don’t believe me?  Here it is:

Strange, eh?

This flag trophy was given to an officer in the Continental Army, and eventually made its way to General Washington. Washington thought it could be used as an appropriate flag for our army, while not a British flag per se, it still showed an implied loyalty to the crown which was a common hope at the time. The flag went through several iterations over time until **1777 when thirteen stars were officially added to represent the thirteen colonies - and not inspired by Betsy Ross!

What can be more fitting today than to have the flag of a corporation flying over today’s White House?

(Thanks to R. Buckminster Fuller for pointing this out to me!)

* ”Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini

**Congress passed the Flag Act of 1777 on June 1: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."

Interesting links:

₁http://www.rumormillnews.com/WHO_OWNS_FED.htm

http://www.dannion.com/fyi-the-british-east-india-company/

Republican Election Day Meltdown

Though most are being unusually quiet lately, a few ‘conservative’ friends and relatives continue sending me RW propaganda.  Some are really sweet fantasies, and maybe it helps to sooth all the burning new assholes Republicans received on election day all over the country. If so, to all my RW friends and relatives, welcome to your solace. I hope it helps.

However, I have taken the liberty to answer by sending them the ACTUALITY as coming from a conservative Republican viewpoint. A link* is provided at the end for anyone who wishes to enjoy the unedited entertainment value of reading it in its entirety from the source. And, I gotta tell you, it is about the most entertaining thing I’ve read in quite a while.

(This comes from *“Hillbuzz.org”, a blog written by someone many conservatives love because he is a foaming-at-the-mouth far right conservative gay. The guy’s name is Kevin DuJan and he describes himself this way:

“Gay conservative political analyst, essayist, author and radio and TV commentator on politics, pop culture, LGBTQ issues, and current events.”)

The following is Dujan’s live blogging on election day starting at 4PM. It is most entertaining and enlightening to watch because it demonstrates so well the doctrinal blindness, self-deception, denial and outright obtuseness of repeating failures which led to the Republican Meltdown this past election in the first place. Many conservatives have already thrown Karl Rove, Chris Christy and Charlie Crist under the bus, big time and continue daily to eat their own.

Much of the blog and timeline is left out here or truncated, but the following gives the gist of it and, not meaning to gloat, it is all hilarious - at least to me. Not so much perhaps, for ‘conservatives’.

In the timeline below Kevin DuJan’s remarks are in red, interspersed with comments from those subscribing to his blog in black. From an Independent, liberal or Democrat viewpoint it is an wonderfully perfect look at how the meltdown went down for the far right. The saddest part is that the commenters don’t seem to have learned anything from their traumatic experience, and seem to be plodding along with their ‘if you fail at something once, just keep on doing it forever” philosophy.

I now understand why some righty loonies committed suicide after this election, thereby in my opinion, improving the overall gene pool somewhat. My guess the ones we know about are only the tip of the iceberg. This gets really fun along about the 8 PM timeline.  Enjoy!:

(Begin quotes):

“What:  This is the official 2012 Election Results Watch Thread

When: 4pm CST – midnight (or longer) on Election Day 11/6/2012

Format:  This is a live transcript for history of the Election Results as they were reporting on MSNBC on Election Night

****************************************

Kevin Dujan: Below you will find my live coverage of election night, as the results start coming in.  I’ve been up since 9am covering everything MSNBC did today. 

400pm CST — MSNBC is reporting that Barack Obama is spending time with Reggie Love right now at the East Bank Club, “playing basketball”.  I swear that’s not a joke.  They’re really talking about him and Reggie spending time together on Election Night as a tradition.  Isn’t that something you have with your wife (or boyfriend)…an intimate tradition like this?  WEIRD.  You’d almost think Obama was gay or something (wink).

Chris Matthews’ Hardball is starting soon. I have been waiting for four years to see Matthews meltdown when Obama loses.

Throughout the day, Democrats have kept pushing that Nate Silver is a prophet and if you do not agree with his projection that Obama has a 90% chance to win then you are a witch who must be burned!

Chris Matthews is going on right now — at 413pm CST — saying that his brain can’t see any way for Romney to win.

********************************

Obama decided against having a giant rally in Grant Park like he did in 2008.  Why hold the election night event in the fortress-like convention center that’s cut off from the city by a giant highway and is MUCH harder for people to get to than Grant Park?  Makes no sense…unless Obama knew they would not be celebrating and would instead be giving a Concession Speech to a small crowd.

*********************************

430pm CST —  . . . something interesting happened:  they started talking about how President Romney won’t be that much different than Obama because Congress never wants to get anything done and he won’t have more success than Obama.

It felt like they were starting to enter into ACCEPTANCE a little bit in the stages of grief.  

440pm CST — Reince Preibus the RNC Chair says that he expects the election to be called for Mitt Romney at 1030pm.
  

I’ve noticed something today:  all the Democrats who come on look like death and the Republicans look calm and confident.  Are you noticing anything like this?

***********************************

WARNING!!! MSNBC is starting the exit polling freakout game.  DO NOT BE FREAKED OUT.

They are playing games now to affect the votes out west.

DO NOT GET FREAKED OUT!

**********************************

I can’t stand John McCain and everyone from his campaign.  The only good thing John McCain ever did in his life was to elevate Governor Palin to the national scene.

**********************************

532pm CST — Please consider saying a little prayer for our country right now.  .

I am visualizing every saint, angel, and soul I’v ever known swooping down from Heaven to make the numbers go up and up and up for a President Romney.

I picture all of our great presidents intervening with energy to direct the election to their chosen successor, Mitt Romney.

Please pray for our country in your own way too, if you are so inclined.

************************************

544pm CST — I have a friend in McCormick Place right now.  That’s where Obama is having his Concession Speech. It is nearly empty in there.  People are on edge and “look like they are going to throw up”.

Not much going on there. No energy.

**************************************

547pm CST — this is nonscientific, but every Democrat out there speaking tonight looks like they are going to throw up too.   The tension is thick.

****************************

MSNBC is filling time until Virginia’s polls close.  When Romney wins it, Maddow, and Matthews, and Alex Wagner and those people are going to FLIP  OUT.

************************************

553pm CST — it’s a commercial break, so let’s check to see what the Left’s doing on Facebook.

HuffPo has called the election for Romney, and the Left is angry at HuffPo for writing that.

**********************

600pm CST — Virginia still too close to call

Romney wins INDIANA

Romney wins KENTUCKY

Obama wins VERMONT

Claiming it is too early to call Georgia (weird!)

South Carolina too early to call

Romney 19 EVs, Obama 3 EVs.

**********************

602pm CST — So far MSNBC is not freaking out.

Okay, Chris Matthews look like death right now.  Earlier he opted not to guess who would win.

Rachel Maddow looks like she has no idea what’s even happening.  Matthews is white and pale and sweating.

I know you are feeling tense right now.

Just breathe deep and trust in God and the good of the American people.

Breathe.

We are in this together.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Fail.

*************************

        John Grady Cole says:

2012/11/06 at 6:12 pm  (Quote)

Lines out the door all day here in South Florida. Our voting location ran out of ballots mid afternoon Some people left out of frustration.

Catholic Churches in Dade, Broward and on the Southwest coast around Naples are giving out voting guides and asking congregation to vote out Obama over Religious freedom issues. This confirms earlier reporting that is is happening across the country.

Steve L says:

2012/11/06 at 6:14 pm  (Quote)

I caught a glimpse of MSLSD early this morning before I voted. It wasn’t what they said but the look in their eyes that gave it away. Chrissy and Angry-a looked totally spooked!

Any of you living around Juneau, Alaska driving the Glacier Hwy north of Auke Bay tonight, look on your left toward Lena Point – my sister and brother-in-law will be shooting off a huge box of fireworks as soon as the election is called for Mitt.

635pm CST — STILL TOO CLOS TO call in Ohio. Friends of mine on the ground in Cleveland say local news is reporting HIGH voting in the Cleveland suburbs and low turnout in Cleveland itself, which would be for Obama.

Only state Obama won so far is Vermont.

Romney just won South Carolina.

Clevelanders are actually a lot like me.

Abbey on the ground in Cleveland says that the local news looks sick on tee-vee.  They are upset.  They want Obama to win, so them being upset is a good thing.

*************************

643PM CST –

Cleveland city of light, city of magic…don’t fail us.

650-724pm CST —Charlie Crist is accusing people of voter suppression. This guy is such a sleaze.

From what I am reading, Romney wrote no concession speech but Obama did.  Romney confident of Florida and Ohio wins.

728:  Charlie Crist says that Republicans engage in voter suppression.  He wants to run for Senate as a Democrat against Rubio.  We really need to go after this guy in the future.

**********************************

         scrubjay says:

2012/11/06 at 7:01 pm  (Quote)

Via The Blaze:

Romney Expresses Stunning Confidence: I’ve Only Written a Victory Speech

That’s the spirit!

         papacooljing says:

2012/11/06 at 7:03 pm  (Quote)

I am just listening to some mars hill church sermons and keeping out of the news viewing till no earlier than 9pm est

R&R will win so go to a movie or out for dinner and relax.

732pm CST — Arkansas is for Romney.

Chris Murphy won the Senate race.

This was a surprise, because I thought McMahon would pull it out.

Charlie Crist, man.  What a skeeze.  I can’t get over what a lizard he is.

Karl Rove is saying Ohio, Florida, and Virginia look strong for Romney.

I know that Mitt Romney wrote no concession speech but Obama did.  I know that Democrats look like they are going to throw up and Republicans are being calm. I also want to make sure that every terrible thing Democrats did in this election is documented.

**************************************

740pm CST —  Exit polling is bunk.

She’s talking Chris Christie hurting Romney.  They are doing this to damage Christie going forward.  They want Republicans to attack Christie and start a Republican civil war.

This is because Democrats will have a civil war come November 7th between the Clinton Restoration and the Obama Remnant.

***************************************

Folks, I know you are stressed out, but my home town of Cleveland has got this for us.

Cleveland will not let you down…it will not give the Democrats the votes they need to win the state and Romney will take Ohio and the presidency.

Believe in the Cleve.

Believe in the Cleve.

Believe in the Cleve.

*******************

         Tonawanda says:

2012/11/06 at 7:43 pm  (Quote)

At 7:41 EST I am watching MSNBC and am euphoric. The Leftist panel is talking about why BO SHOULD HAVE won. They are so unaware, they don’t get what they are doing, which is implicitly admitting defeat.

These folks look terrible. Chrissy needs a lot more scotch, that much is obvious.

746pm CST — 749pm CST —Coming up next is the batch of states with Wisconsin and Michigan.  I really think we get a win in Wisconsin. If there was ever a year we could get one, it’s this one.  It makes no sense that Scott Walker won the recall but Romney won’t win the presidency.

So far we have had no surprises.  All the really interesting races are being held back.

I think this might be for drama’s sake.

Remember:  news is a business.  They are making decisions on what states to call and which ones not to.  Polls are still open on the west coast and in the western states.  They won’t want to reveal Obama has lost until those states close so that it does not collapse his support there.

*************************************

800pm CST — Romney wins Texas, Obama gets NY, Romney gets LA and KS…Obama got New Mexico easily.  Romney gets Nebraska, at least 4 of votes there.  North Dakota Romney.  South Dakota Romney.  Wyoming is Romney.  Romney leads Arizona but too early to call.  Obama lead-in Minnesota.

OH, VA, NC, NH still close to call but Romney leading more or less.

Missouri has Romney in the lead but too close to call.

New Mexico is officially as safe for Democrats in the future as Delaware is.  That’s one I expected.  Not sure why that is, but it is.

Michigan went to Obama…Wisconsin too early to call and Colorado too close to call.

Racine Wisconsin ran out of ballots and lines are too long.

Romney’s in position to win Florida, Virginia, Ohio, and Colorado.

805pm CST — Chris Matthews says “the polling has been really good!”.  None of the swing states are called yet.  Matthews is telling people to stay in line.

811pm CST — UPDATE:  Cuyahoga County’s votes are in for Ohio….so that was the big area that Obama needed to win the state.  It did not give him enough to sustain him for a win. The republican counties in Ohio are still coming in.  The panhandle of Florida is not in either.

**********************************************************

         JoleneAL says:

2012/11/06 at 8:05 pm  (Quote)

I just turned it off Fox — my BP is already spiking .. Dear God please —

         Tired Warrior says:

2012/11/06 at 8:06 pm  (Quote)

All of these networks have special complex computer models loaded with an something called bullcrapium. It’s just mathematical guessing based on previous results. Which in this election DON”T COUNT!

I just patiently wait for the real votes to go up.

         Kelly says:

2012/11/06 at 8:12 pm  (Quote)

I’ve already consumed a half a bottle of red and can hardly take the drama. If it weren’t for frequent updates from my 14 year old I’d be happily oblivious until tomorrow,.

815pm CST — Obama won Pennsylvania.

It’s official.  Pennsylvania is not a swing state ever. If it did not go Republican this time, it never will.  It is not going to go Republican for a very long time if this year it didn’t go to Romney.

************************************

821pm CST — Stephanie Cutte in Obama headquarters is talking.  They show the campaign office behind her.  They don’t look excited or happy…they look terrified. No smiles….they are staring at screens and are shaking.

         Christopher Hedges says:

2012/11/06 at 8:23 pm  (Quote)

Kevin, I am watching the live cast on The Blaze, and I am really worried. Tell me to just take a breath, please!

         Zac says:

2012/11/06 at 8:26 pm  (Quote)

I can’t take it Im too nervous I need a Xanax. How could one person vote for Obama is Beyond me. I don’t know what to do. Im stressing out huge do you guys really think R& R will win? Im getting really down here

 826pm CST — Romney takes lead in Florida!!!!!

832pm CST — Wisconsin goes to Obama.

That is disappointing. It was a dream to win that state.  This means that Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and Michigan can never be considered swing states.

Be calm.  Deep breaths. This is much closer than it should have been because Americans do not understand the dangers of unlimited spending and big government. Which is scary.

         Zac says:

2012/11/06 at 8:30 pm  (Quote)

why is Obama is the lead now, this cant be possible how long will it take to get the final results in 6 hours? Im freaking out, really I dotn know what to do.

         Kathy says:

2012/11/06 at 8:31 pm  (Quote)

Carl Rove just saying on Fox that it’s good news so far for Virginia, Florida and Ohio. Some of the counties that needed to come out for Obama in Ohio have almost half the turn out which mimics the anecdotal info from the ground there. If all the other anecdotal evidence I’ve seen in the other states holds it will be a great night….I’m starting to breathe a little easier.

         Nola Girl says:

2012/11/06 at 8:35 pm  (Quote)

7:33 pm CT — Thank you Karl ROve for your insight into FL & OH. Hope alive and growing!

****************************************

942pm CST — The big takeaway so far folks is that the Left is much more powerful than we ever thought.

Have faith.  Be calm. Breathe deep.

It’s in the hands of God and the voters.

The election really will be close, but Romney will win.

****************************************

         Tonawanda says:

2012/11/06 at 8:43 pm  (Quote)

A person I really do not like (but sort of do), Mike Huckabee, just stated (about 8:35 PM EST ) that this a Chik-Fil-A election!

(A Hillbuzz poster [I don't remember who] used that comparison earlier).

Absolutely. Hukkabee said the outer regions of states will be reported later and will be for Romney.

Exactly.

952pm CST — Minnesota goes to Obama

The big questions to see resolved now are if Nevada and Iowa are really permanent Democrat states.  Is Iowa really a Democrat state, or did it get swept up in the Obama fad 4 years ago?

Does America really want four more years of weirdness and suffering?

It’s a bizarre and unthinkable thought.

A friend has told me she thinks this will all end up in courts.

So we might not really know the result tonight.

*******************************

         Zac says:

2012/11/06 at 8:53 pm  (Quote)

Im hyper ventilating and pacing around the house, I live in Florida Dick Morris says were behind? is that true I cant look Im only on this site. has Ohio Gone red yet?

         Paul in N. AL says:

2012/11/06 at 8:58 pm  (Quote)

This is way too stressful.

         Tonawanda says:

2012/11/06 at 8:59 pm  (Quote)

Folks need to calm down.

This is a Tea Party election.

The big voter turnout is a Romney turnout.

There is no question that demographic changes have been significant. That is why this is a 1980 election, but without the gigantic 1980 results.

         Kiki says:

2012/11/06 at 9:09 pm  (Quote)

Dear Kevin:

The talking heads are making me crazy. The exit polling data does not sound good. Sounds like women are voting with their “lady parts” and “the folks” think that The One understands them better. I have been praying so hard all day. Thank goodness you are here. I was actually hoping we could pull out NH and MI. UGHHHHH!

         Dorothy Margaret says:

2012/11/06 at 9:28 pm  (Quote)

Obama just won Wisconsin.

I’m getting depressed.

         Lee says:

2012/11/06 at 9:44 pm  (Quote)

Oh God, what are we going to do if O wins? I don’t know how we’re going to survive. My husband and I are 69 and 64. We were going to retire. I don’t think we’ll be able to if O wins, and we can’t keep working forever. And there’s Obamacare.

I’m so scared I can hardly think and so is he.

         Leanie says:

2012/11/06 at 9:52 pm  (Quote)

Fox is playing other games as well. Hard to take.. They just announced Murdock lost to Donnelly and I am not sure whether to believe them.

Fox is easier to watch because they don’t have as many nutzos but they seem to like drama also. Go Romney.

         Justin says:

2012/11/06 at 9:55 pm  (Quote)

I’m freaking out a little bit here they have called WI for O and it looks like PA is out and OH is slipping tell me why I shouldn’t be losing it right now

1000pm CST — Romney wins North Carolina

Romney wins Idaho

Obama wins Washington and Hawaii

Obama wins California.

They didn’t call it, but Obama will win Oregon and Romney will get Alaska.

George Allen lost the Senate race in Virginia, but Romney has a slim lead there.

         Help! Married to an Eeyore says:

2012/11/06 at 10:09 pm  (Quote)

I honestly thought this *would* be a Chick-Fil-A election. I am in shock. Hellllp!!!!

         Tonawanda says:

2012/11/06 at 10:10 pm  (Quote)

Fox is saying basically that Romney needs to draw an inside straight to win (10:10 PM).

Amazing.

But here we are.

         Jacquelyn Nicholson says:

2012/11/06 at 10:13 pm  (Quote)

FL and OH not looking very positive at the moment – I would love to see Rove’s county by county analysis right now as I am nauseous…

10007 pm CST — Missouri for Romney

1014pm CST — Barack Obama has won Ohio, and with it reelection.

This is stunning.  Absolutely stunning.

        myengine says:

2012/11/06 at 10:20 pm  (Quote)

Any hope left? Florida and Ohio look lost.

         Derrick Ruiz says:

2012/11/06 at 10:43 pm  (Quote)

I can’t watch or listen to anything but hillbuzz. Trying to stay away from fear porn, not easy. God be with us.

         bob loblaw says:

2012/11/06 at 10:48 pm  (Quote)

“But I believe Romney will win Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida and be our next president.”

From your keyboard to God’s eyes, Kevin. Praying . . .

         Jim says:

2012/11/06 at 10:50 pm  (Quote)

Okay, we lost. Now, where do we go from here? Clearly the demographics don’t favor us, but here’s something to consider: whites are still 72%. So is the problem that we don’t get any minority votes, or is the problem actually that we still have 40% of whites that have no clue what’s going on? We need to inform whites of what is actually going on in the country.

         Me, That's Who says:

2012/11/06 at 11:06 pm  (Quote)

This is depressing.

         Nich says:

2012/11/06 at 11:28 pm  (Quote)

Karl Rove on Fox right now saying that Romney campaign is NOT yet conceding Ohio. This is at 11:27 pm EST

         Ben in MN says:

2012/11/06 at 11:30 pm  (Quote)

Everyone, calm the f*** DOWN! This is not over. 20% of the vote is still out in Ohio and this is looking like 2000 all over again. REPEAT, IT. IS. NOT. OVER.

         jenb says:

2012/11/06 at 11:32 pm  (Quote)

Wow…I cannot believe this. I cannot stop crying. Please tell me this is a very bad dream.

         Debbie says:

2012/11/06 at 11:36 pm  (Quote)

I am literally nauseous.

Now, we push Bengazi.

         RWC says:

2012/11/06 at 11:52 pm  (Quote)

First off, Kevin, F you!!!

Ok, now that i got my frustration out

WTH happened here folks?

Seriously, i didn’t think we were that far gone.

Only silver lining is that Obama will be front and center when all of the new EPA regs drop, Obamacare is fully implemented, etc…

Like an addiction, there are many trap doors to fall through before you truly hit bottom. And we WILL hit bottom in the next 4 years.

God Bless America..we are going to need it.

(and I am damn glad I bought my AR before the election)

         cocozines says:

2012/11/06 at 11:53 pm  (Quote)

Wow, when/where do we secede? This makes me want to throw up.

         Willow says:

2012/11/06 at 11:56 pm  (Quote)

Romney is ahead in OH and Fox still has it in Obama’s column.

This is fear porn to keep us refreshing all night.

         Amy says:

2012/11/07 at 12:04 am  (Quote)

Wait. Both CNN and Fox Maps show that Romney is up by about 20,000 votes in Ohio. Maybe they called it too early.

         Kevin DuJan says:

2012/11/07 at 12:12 am  (Quote)

If it was just Ohio, it would be litigated…but Colorado was just called for Obama. Florida will now probably go to him too, so Romney will concede tonight most likely. No courts now.

         Erin says:

2012/11/07 at 12:23 am  (Quote)

I hate ALL media and that now includes Fox News.

         flyegirl says:

2012/11/07 at 12:34 am  (Quote)

I agree Kevin, this is stunning. Maybe the polling was off all along? Maybe we don’t understand the American person any more? I don’t know. We came close, much closer than last time. But close is not good enough for next time.

HillBuzzers, take the time you need to de-compress, we will live to fight another day.

God Bless

         Mimi says:

2012/11/07 at 12:47 am  (Quote)

During the last presidential debate I became very frightened by Romneys behavior. He look like someone had gotten to him like perhaps the Bilderbergs who may have told him, look, you have been used. You are not going to win so don’t make our guy look bad. It was like Romney was agreeing with all of Obama’s foreign policiy decisions and had no issue with Benghazi and Spring Time for Hitler and the Muslim Brotherhood. I also believe that the Bushes set Romney up for defeat. H. Bush lost re-election because he was not a true conservative. They new if Romney was the nominee he would lose to Obama and their son Jeb could run in 2016. The Bushes are evil progressievs and are the reason we have a Barak Hussein Obama for president. They are global elitist, progressives and destroyed the party from within just like Communists and Free Masons corrupted the Catholic church from within. Sarah Palin is right. The republcan party will go the way of the Wiggs if they don’t find the courage of their convictions.

         Heidi says:

2012/11/07 at 12:48 am  (Quote)

Tomorrow we are going out and buying more ammunition, This is one of the saddest days of my life.

         ElinorRose says:

2012/11/07 at 2:46 am  (Quote)

To add to the sadness of the situation, Lt Col Allen West has lost his house seat.

         backhoe says:

2012/11/07 at 4:04 am  (Quote)

Well, it just means we now work on impeachment.

         Nelson martin says:

2012/11/07 at 6:35 am  (Quote)

I am inconsolable. I don’t know what’s going to happen to our country. First thing I thought….. Supreme Court appointees.

We’re doomed….done.

         BostonRN says:

2012/11/07 at 10:08 am  (Quote)

I am sad and dismayed like all of you too.

I am beginning to seriously reassess End Times in the Bible.

What is ethical and of value does not mean anything …

Eliz. Warren took MA and that says it all right there.

Deception and lies and having no experience counts far more than truth, a good and solid work background which is all inconsequential today. Bluffing and good sound bytes even if it is all lie count.

Good guys finish last, for sure!

         olgawankenobi says:

2012/11/07 at 10:15 am  (Quote)

Is this a bad dream?

         Mr Lucky says:

2012/11/07 at 10:28 am  (Quote)

Folks, Christie destroyed Romney. That was the plan by the crime syndicate of Rove and the Bushies. They want to run Jeb in 2016, and in order to do so Romney had to go down in defeat. Christie was promised the vice-presidential slot if he stuck the knife in Romney. Et Tu Fattie?

         B Rock "The Islamic Shock" Superallah Obama says:

2012/11/12 at 2:02 pm  (Quote)

Thanks for the laughs! I read the entire thing for pure schadenfreude!

Hillary 2016!”

(End quotes)

Pardon me while I recover myself . . . . .

*http://hillbuzz.org/1018pm-cst-barack-obama-declared-the-winner-by-fox-news-2012-official-election-results-watch-thread-73447

Our Breaking Political System

It is obvious to everyone. The US political system is breaking down. To some, it is already broken.

No one trusts politicians of either party - and with good reason. Congressional approval ratings are in the toilet and have been for a long time. The country is polarized into warring factions. No one will have a reasonable discussion with their opposition. Avarice, greed, fraud and corruption are the hallmarks of today’s political scene on all sides. Most people today wouldn’t trust the typical politician to watch their dog.

Dollars now decide most elections and large multi-national corporations spend lavishly to control politicians;  They sponsor and achieve legislation in their favor at the expense of everyone, and have become 'too big to fail monsters' in their own right;  Corporations are now ‘people’; legally, but, corporate political decisions are made by their CEO’s and board members who ruthlessly ignore the political wishes of many of their stockholders; ‘Freedom of Speech’ today means that dollars can and do vote, and very copiously at that. The environment and quality of life for all citizens suffers while corporations take advantage and fight any and all efforts at protections. The top leadership of corporations pay themselves at several hundred times the rates of their lowest paid employees;

Corporate kingpins live on an elevated plane, isolated from the problems they have willed for all others; They hide their wealth overseas while taking advantage of favorable legislation paid for with corporate dollars for their personal benefit; They fight tooth and nail against anything benefitting others while demanding further tax cuts for themselves; They engage in massive, expensive and duplicitous propaganda campaigns to enlist the help of the very people they economically control to protect their own special interests.

Big Money are deliberately employing hot button ‘red herring’ issues like abortion, immigration and homosexual life styles to divert, divide and control the electorate in political sleights-of-hand designed to cloak their true designs. If you doubt this, do a little research for yourself on the ALEC group.

‘Capital’ is now in political control in the US and much of the developed world for all intents and purposes. Capital is busily solidifying its grasp by whatever means will work for it. It is a classic and obvious case of ‘the ends justify the means’ from the standpoint of capital. But, since the system is breaking, it is also becoming seriously and increasingly out of balance. Things which are seriously out of balance can not sustain for long, and unless brought into equilibrium again, will end up destroying themselves and things around them. Guaranteed. It is not unlike a flywheel out of balance which if not repaired, will eventually disintegrate, tearing out its shroud, freezing its engine and bringing everything to a crashing and disastrous halt.

That’s precisely where we are today. The world is impacted by myriads of problems, from over-population, to global warming, to water shortages, wars, starvation, human diseases, lack of access to medical treatment, endangered food resources, to ‘ethnic cleansing’ and racial injustice, nuclear proliferation, and so on and on and on. Meanwhile, our systems for dealing with such problems has been captured, and their resources diverted to the further enrichment of empirical corporations and those who run them. Indeed, rich corporation often find things to their financial advantage to quietly ignore problems, or encourage things like warfare and disease. Keep one thing always in mind: The bottom line is the one and only thing that really actually matters to any large corporation.

One might think the rich could see where this is heading, and the danger that is in it for them. Several times in the world’s history similar situations have arisen on national levels, and the results have not been pretty for the people who were in control at the time. In fact, historically, this has always, without fail, resulted in oceans of bloodshed, followed by a ruthless retrenchment of society more draconian than the one it replaced. But, apparently our ultra-rich today are oblivious to history, or believe they are smart enough to maintain control forever. They may be right, but I seriously doubt that - and no sane person who studies history should. 

Both the Occupy Protesters and the Tea Party people on their respective sides of the political spectrum are manifestations of social dissatisfaction with the political status quo. There is a growing consensus in the nation that we are being ‘had’. Big Money has attempted to use the Tea Party of advance their agendas, not realizing the danger they may be unleashing upon themselves. I believe they are now starting to perceive this which is one reason the Tea Party has quietened down lately - their backers have backed off.

The pressure is building, and it is past time for ‘We the People’ to take back our country - peaceably if possible - but take it back we must. Otherwise, we are in for a bloody explosion sometime in our future, and fairly soon in my opinion. 

Who can fix things? Not me, certainly, but I have been giving this some considerable thought and believe I have some ideas which can help. I will lay those out in a future blog posting as soon as I can find the time to write them down.

You might be a Modern Republican if , . . .

You know more than one woman under the age of thirty-five named "Ethel";

 You can whine and eat at the same time;

 You can whine and sleep at the same time;

 Your pickup truck has a gun rack inside the cab and a cross and/or fish symbol on the bumper;

 You use any kind of "anti-gas medication"; 

You know two or more guys your age you call "Bubba";

 You have ever had a "Charlton Heston Is My Other President" bumper sticker on your car;

 You are over fifty and watch "Toddlers in Tiaras";

 You have a picture of Goldwater, Nixon or Reagan anywhere in your house or office;

 You have always really liked sausage gravy;

You have any relative of either sex named "Butch";

 Your golf clubs or watch cost more than your wife's car;

 You believe taxing employees at far higher rates than their bosses is just and fair;

 You take Viagra AND acid reflux medication;

 You think the 'Real Americans' may be found in the rural areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Georgia;

 You think serving red, white and blue cupcakes makes you patriotic;

You think Ronald Reagan really did 'hang the moon';

 You can say "compassionate conservative" with a straight face;

You think 'a thousand points of light' actually is a good quip and slogan;

 You think Rush Limbaugh should to do a calendar;

 A five second sound-bite is the maximum limit of your attention span;

 You have a genuine Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity autograph;

 Being a 'good Christian' places no limits on your interest in sexually perverse web sites;

You are secretly FEATURED on one or more sexually perverse web sites;

You drink Budweiser beer because it's American beer by God! (But don't know the brewery is owned by a European company);

 You think Sarah Palin was unfairly blindsided by Katie Couric in their interview;

 You sincerely believe Sarah Palin would be a far better President than Obama;

 You believe Sarah Palin's children should not have media attention, even though Palin herself paraded them before the public;

 You defend Richard Nixon as 'a great guy who let himself be trapped by his liberal enemies';

 Your favorite sarcasms are calling people 'professor' or 'intellectual';

 You think Joe McCarthy was right and got a raw deal from communists in Congress;

 You watch Fox News because they are your only source for 'fair and balanced' news;

 You sincerely believe publishing fake stories of weapons of mass destruction is plenty enough reason to attack another country with your own weapons of mass destruction;

 You believe all the 'lamestream media' (everyone except Fox) is controlled by communists, socialists or liberals;

 You believe getting a blowjob from a White House intern is far worse than an illegal invasion of another country killing hundreds of thousands;

 You believe all Democrats are left-wing;

 Your favorite vehicle is a Hummer;

You HAVE a vehicle named after an oral sex act (Hummer);

 You have an American flag decal on your Hummer; 

You think tax breaks for the rich will create jobs;

 You think George W. Bush is just a misunderstood intellectual with poor verbal skills;

 You think parts of the Bill of Rights are unnecessary, probably socialist and should be repealed;

 You believe 'socialists' and 'fascists' are the same thing;

 You get a hard-on every time you see an 'Occupier' protester being beaten by police;

 You think it's a darn sin and shame the way Tea Partiers are disrespected; 

You ARE a Tea Partier;

 You believe 'liberals' and 'socialists' are the same thing;

 You sincerely believe the United States is a 'Christian' nation;

 You believe bailing out corporations is good, but helping poor people is bad for them;

 You believe it's their own damned fault poor people can't afford health insurance;

 You believe government should be run as a business;

 You think 'tax cuts' and 'trickle-down economics' are the only economic policies the country needs; 

You believe 'Freedom of Religion' means freedom to practice Christianity only;

 You favor funding prisons over funding schools;

 You believe the best educations are gotten at home or religious private schools;

 You hold many strong opinions you can not explain;

 You proudly display a 'Buy American' bumper sticker on your Beemer;

 You think Rick Perry is a real Texas cowboy;

 You can justify Jesus as a welfare hating militaristic capitalist;

 You can physically hear, but are incapable of listening to opposing views;

 You believe the NRA defends constitutional rights and the ACLU are communist traitors;

 You can call yourself as a "ditto head" without a feeling of irony or shame;

 You believe the poor, and sick or hungry children don't exist if you can't see or hear them;

 You own more than one hand gun;

 You have an assault rifle in your closet;

 You have never noticed the physical resemblances between George W. Bush,  Howdy Doody, Coco the Monkey & Alfred E. Neuman;

 You think hate is an perfectly acceptable Christian virtue;

You believe Americans are God's chosen people - no matter what those damned jews claim;

 You actually believe invading another country doesn't create more hate and terrorists;

 You believe George W. Bush is a 'real Texan' who made it good all on his own;

 You believe welfare and tax breaks are OK for corporations because they 'create jobs';

 You believe corporations are 'people';

 You still wonder why Archie Bunker in the 'All In The Family' show was so funny to some people; 

You haven't had a library card since grade school;

 You think "shock and awe" is the greatest military strategy ever;

You celebrated when 'Mission Accomplished' was announced;

 You believe planning an invasion without an exit strategy is great military policy;

 You think all unemployment would disappear if only the minimum wage were lowered;

 You believe capitalism, Christianity and the Free Market can solve everything;

 You think separation of church and state is an assault on religious freedom;

 You don't believe in government regulations except for women, Democrats and dark-skinned people; 

You believe owning a .50 caliber assault weapon is a 'God-given right' guaranteed by the Constitution;

 You think letting your kids watch Sesame Street or Teletubbies can make them gay;

 You think requiring a driver's license is OK, but a gun permit is an infringement of your rights;

 You are a pro-lifer and a fervent champion of the death penalty simultaneously; 

You believe dark-skinned people don't have the same rights as white people;

 You can shamelessly pray to God for personal favors right after cheating on your spouse;

 You think Ted Nugent is a great American and actually makes good sense;

 You can use 'God', 'glory' and 'guns' in the same sentence;

 The most heroic persons you can think of are John Wayne and Chuck Norris;

 You sincerely believe the best way to bring "democracy and freedom" to another nation is to bomb the living bejesus out of them;

 You avoided all military service for yourself but loudly and proudly support 'our military';

 You believe your own fixed opinions constitute 'critical thinking';

 You are AGAINST teaching critical thinking in schools since it challenges students' fixed belief systems, and are glad the Texas GOP has actually stated that as official policy;

 You are totally convinced health care for all is a socialist scheme which will destroy the country;

 You think scaring the public with fake alarms is the best way to get their votes;

 You can believe in 'faith based initiatives' and keeping government out of churches' business at the same time;

 You can claim Larry Craig 'just had a wide stance' with a straight face;

 You sneer at Obama using a teleprompter, but ignored George W. Bush's gibberish even when he used one;

 The only blisters you ever had on your hands came from your tennis racket;

 You refuse to acknowledge Jesus was actually a long-haired, dark-skinned hippy type Jewish guy; 

You think flying a Chinese made American flag on your front porch makes you a patriot;

 You believe the more flags you can display, the more patriotic you are;

 You believe the GOP's first priority is to block any legislation introduced by Democrats, even if it is the exact same thing Republicans introduced themselves earlier;

 You believe 'defeating Obama' is far more important than the business of the nation;

 You are secretly envious and jealous of Bill Clinton's sex life;

 You believe Bill Clinton's sexual adventures almost destroyed democracy as we know it;

 You believe the Earth is 6,000 years old and anyone saying otherwise is 'attacking Christianity';

 You worry about your job being 'outsourced', yet vigorously support tax cuts for your company's CEO;

 You believe the 9/11 attacks on George W. Bush's watch were Clinton's fault;

 You are now convinced Dwight Eisenhower was really a 'RINO';

 You think Sarah Palin, George W. Bush and Dan Quayle are all very bright people who simply have trouble expressing themselves;

 You secretly think Sarah Palin makes George W. Bush look smart, but won't admit it;

 You believe patriots must always support their government 'right or wrong' unless a Democrat is in charge;

 You think marijuana users should all be jailed but Rush Limbaugh just made a completely understandable and unfortunate mistake by  taking drugs illegally;

 You sincerely believe 'God' is always on your side;

 The only Constitutional Amendments you actually know are the first two;

 You can not see the irony in ranting about 'communists' while your own party's official color is 'red'; 

You believe your right to 'free speech' is for everyone except your opposition;

 You believe repeating proven lies often enough will make them come true;

 You claim you love 'democracy', yet want to disenfranchise all liberals, dark-skinned people, Muslims, socialists and Democrats;

 You fantasize about getting it on with Saran Palin, Michelle Bachmann or Ann Coulter;

 You secretely fantasize about getting it on with Ted Haggard, Arnold Schwartzenegger or male strippers while trying to make love to your wife (or husband);

 You believe intensive education leads to snobbery and elitism and must be resisted;

 You think homosexuality is a choice which is spread by homosexuals;

 You sincerely believe prayer will 'cure' homosexuality;

 You support the National Rifle Association but demonize the National Education Association;

 You believe all undocumented persons should be rounded up and deported somewhere, even if born in this country - except your cook, gardner or nanny of course;

 You believe 'abstinence only' is better than sex education and condoms in preventing unwanted pregnancies;

 You think 'greed' is the most required and beneficial attribute in any capitalist society;

 You believe choosing a career not motivated by profit means you are communist;

 You call women who demand fair and equal treatment 'Feminazis';

 You believe the best way to help poor people is giving more money to rich people;

 You believe scientific textbooks must and should be edited by scientifically illiterate political hacks; 

You believe 'protecting freedom' is best done by thugs with automatic weapons and official badges; 

You believe voluntary pollutions standards work;

 You insist saving 1.5 million American  jobs with the GM and Chrysler bailouts is 'socialism';

 You consider those who disagree with you as treasonous liberal wienies, and communists;

 You think people should go to prison for smoking any vegetation besides tobacco;

 You get a hard-on watching NASCAR races, football, wrestling and boxing matches;

 You think military force should be the first tool used in international diplomacy;

 You think there is rampant voter fraud which can be cured by picture ID's;

 You insist there there is no voter fraud at the local level in GOP districts;

 You think eliminating welfare, Social Security, Medicaid and programs for the needy will return the country to prosperity;

 You cheered when Congress attacked NPR, Planned Parenthood and gay rights;

 You scream Obama is a 'Kenyan Tax and Spend Socialist' even while taxes are the lowest since 1950;

 You think money is the exact same thing as free speech;

 You say the Christian God protects 'the faithful', while ignoring most natural disasters seem to occur in the Bible Belt;

 You call Al Gore and Michael Moore 'fat traitors' but think Rush Limbaugh is a 'great patriot';

 You actually can listen to a complete Rush Limbaugh broadcast without barfing;

 You think corporations are 'people' but laws which put 'people' in jail don't apply to them;

 You aren't bothered that our nation's rich 'jobs creators' are creating all their jobs overseas;

 You believe that it is their damned own fault people are born into poverty, and it serves them right by God; 

You think the 95% of all scientists who warn of global warming are part of a vast, conspiracy;

 You think an "HMO" may be either a cable TV channel or a queer;

 You think trading with Cuba is treasonous, but trading with communist China or Vietnam is OK since it is 'free trade' and good for business;

 The support NO TAXES except poll taxs;

 You believe in 'states rights' except rights for women or gays;

 You believe the best way to save health care tax money is not provide health care;

 You think digging the hole deeper is the best way out of it;

 You have ever been 'born again';

 You think the ACLU is anti-American except for the times they defended Oliver North and Rush Limbaugh by mistake;

 You believe regulations for multi-national corporations are anti-American, communist inspired plots; 

You think that everything has really gone downhill in the country since 1900;

 You believe Saudi Arabians are our democratic freedom-loving friends in the Middle East;

 You believe Republican sex scandals are 'private matters' but scandals for all others must be fully exposed and publicized; 

You seriously insist the welfare of its people is not the business of government;

 'Progress' to you means returning to how things were 75 years ago;

 You believe ignoring the needs and welfare of its citizens is good for the country;

 You believe "Intelligent Design" can be proven through fossil records;

 You insist 'Creationism' be taught in school but evolution and climate change are 'junk science' and  must not be taught;

 You support eliminating sex education, birth control and abortions in the same breath;

 You think HMOs and insurance companies have the public's best interests at heart;

You believe Jesus hates queers, socialists, liberals and Democrats, and anyone else you don't like;

 You think George W. Bush deserves all the credit for hunting down and killing Osama Bin Ladin;

 You think Christian prayer in schools should be required, but nothing else, most especially no Muslim prayers;

 You think 'progressive' is a dirty word;

 You sincerely believe cutting taxes on rich people will increase tax revenues;

 You believe big corporations are motivated by compassion for people, ever;

 Reading the above makes you see 'red';

 You haven't laughed at any of the above!

My Uncle Bud

I sure get a kick out of my Uncle Bud Seawright. Oh, he’s not really my uncle, just a really good, long time family friend. The thing about Uncle Bud is, he calls things just exactly like he sees them. There’s no ‘finesse’ bullshit about Uncle Bud. And, Uncle Bud has a good bit to say about the current state of affairs in these good old United States of America today.

“Ain’t never been this bad before,” he says. “never, no time.”

One of his favorite topics lately is the Tea Party phenomenon. “What in Hell are they talking about they ‘won’t stand it anymore’?” he says.  “Hell, most of ‘em never had it so good in their gol-damned lives! That’s how come they got the time and wherewithal today to have them rallies they call ‘Tea Parties’ where they stand around and holler about how they’re gonna ‘take back their country’! Damnation! Pure dog ignorance oughten never to be a point of view!”

Uncle Bud says the only tea parties he ever knew about were for sissy little girls and their imaginary friends. And the more I think about that, the more sense it makes to me.

Uncle Bud says, "it’s gol-damned well obvious some folks never get too old to learn something stupid, on top of them already being dumber than a half can of five-year-old house paint to start with." I guess you might say he doesn’t have a whole lot of use for the Tea Partiers.

“Hell, most of ‘em’s on the social security rolls anyhow.” he says. “They’re just all churn and no buttermilk, and letting the demagogues run ‘em around like lab rats in a maze.”

And don’t get Uncle Bud started on what he thinks about today’s Republicans. “Hell, I used to think a lot of Republicans.” Uncle Bud says. “In fact, I voted Republican more times than not, back when they had some damned sense. Back a while you could count on most Republicans to do the right thing, but now, all they do is whore for the banks, the rich and big business, and talk gloom, doom and calamity with a black Democrat in the White House. That is, what time they ain't chasing restroom queers and little boys, and every damned one of ‘em preaching ‘family values!’”

“I remember what that Republican Senator Margaret Chase Smith told that godawful slimy toad Joe McCarthy back in the ‘fifties.” Uncle Bud says. “She told him, she was a Republican, but damned sure didn’t want to ride to victory on the four horsemen of calumny - fear, ignorance, bigotry and smear. I was mighty proud of that little woman when she told him that, I tell you, still am, God rest ‘er soul. But, it sure looks like the Republicans have resurrected those horsemen lately.” 

Whenever I catch Uncle Bud mentioning ‘God’ or religion, I never say anything. I don’t want to get him started off down THAT road. 

Uncle Bud says religion, and especially the Christian flavor “Ain’t nothing but fairy tales based on myths writ down by goat herders thousands of years ago, and served up today by self-serving charlatans, to the naive and scairt.”

You can see why I don’t want to get off on that topic. He’s bad enough about it without my mentioning anything. The last time he got off on the subject of American Christians he got so mad he started shouting at me. Me, his loyal friend!

I said, “Uncle Bud, hold on just a minute. You know all that religion stuff is not MY fault?”

And, he just snorted and said, “I never said it was your damned fault! I just said I was blaming you!”

The Evolution of Everything

Charles Darwin published his “On The Origin of Species” in 1859. And, the desperate  battles by religious people were begun in attempts to disprove ‘evolution’ as it came to be known. Most religions, and most particularly the Christian varieties, must argue against evolution since their messages insist otherwise. Most fundamental Christian religious cultures maintain ‘God’ created our world and everything in it or on it around 6000 years ago in spite of all evidence otherwise. Their battles against the reality of evolution continues to this day.

If you doubt this, all you need to do is visit the comments sections of web sites where this subject is discussed.

The Christian argument is based upon ‘The Book’ -  the bible and on their ‘faith’, or belief. That they can not present empirical evidence of any sort does not slow them from fighting fiercely for their convictions, and some can even name the date God created ‘everything’. Many Christians insist that faith alone is all the proof needed. It says so in ‘The Book’, therefore it is so. Some Christians demand their ‘Creationist’ viewpoint be taught to schoolchildren as a ‘theory’ as in ‘Creation Science’ and ‘Intelligent Design. This as a counter argument against evolutionary theory, which they insist is unproven - though there are volumes of scientific evidence to support it, and not one scintilla in support of creationism.

But, that does not matter when it comes to matters of faith, which by definition needs no evidence. The creationist argument reminds me of the ‘Flat Earthers’ who insisted the Earth is flat, and could not be round. A 'spherical Earth' notion also went against the prevailing cultural opinions of the time - even though there was plenty of evidence otherwise for those who were observant. Indeed there were many adherents to a flat Earth theory well into the 20th Century. Some Christians based their flat Earth convictions on references in The Book to the ‘Four Corners of the Earth’. One example: Joshua Slocumb was introduced to President Paul Krueger of the South African Republic during his 1897 sailing circumnavigation of the Earth. ‘Oom Paul’ (Uncle Paul) as he was known by his people, strenuously objected, “You don’t mean round the world, impossible! You mean ‘in the world’!” Krueger even sent around a deputation of clergymen from his sect ‘Reformed Churches of South Africa’ to convince Slocumb he was mistaken, even though Slocumb himself was empirical proof! Such is the power of denial by faith.

And, so it goes. ‘Faith’ convictions are never overturned until totally overwhelmed by reality beyond any and all doubt or argument. So long as there is the slightest iota of doubt - real or invented - already convinced people will deny reality in favor of their convictions. But, eventually there does come a tipping point, and the firm conviction gives way to unavoidable rationality. Few people today still argue for a flat Earth, at least and still be thought rational. And so it shall be with religion in time. We already see a strong tendency towards secularism in the western world today. People claiming a religious faith in the US are now less than half the population - down considerably just in the past two decades. In most countries in Europe, the percentages are far less. I view this as an ‘evolution’ in terms of human thought - our species is becoming more rational over time.

I think this holds true for other issues too. As a species, we tend to evolve our societies towards more rational and more protective concepts for the society as a whole. A recent report in Scientific American hinted at altruism in rats. Free rats would try to free another rat trapped in an enclosure, even if it meant then having to share food with the trapped rat. And those who argued against actual altruism in rats still make my point about evolution of the species, i.e., “Either the rat is freeing the companion to end its own stress (caused by an alarm signal) or it is doing it to end the perceived stress of the caged rat.”

The outcome is the same: Freeing the trapped rat is ‘better for the species as a whole”.

Overall, our world is evolving towards the betterment of the whole. You can track this from the family level, through local neighborhoods, states, regions, nations, and even the entire planet. And, even though we often experience setbacks, and sometimes major ones, the mean path always tracks towards ‘better’. If you take the long view, you will see this in religion, science, politics, technology, manufacturing, societies, cultures and everything else; the tendency is always to ‘evolve’ to a higher and better level over time. The pace of evolution is often tedious, sometimes taking decades, even centuries, but the path is inexorably ‘onward and upward’.

So, in spite of all the ills we see around us daily, the planet and everything on it evolves always towards the ever fitter overall, for ‘this too shall pass’. This gives me calm when I think about the legacy the present human generations are leaving for our grandchildren and descendants.

God is on Rick Perry’s Side!*

Rick Perry was interviewed by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly shortly after the debate hosted by ABC on December 10, 2011:

O’Reilly: Welcome Rick!

Perry: Thank you Bill. Glad to be here.

O’Reilly: Well Rick, you sure gave a better account of yourself in the last debate.

Perry: Well thanks, yep. I studied up for this one and I guess it showed.

O’Reilly: Sure did. At least you didn’t make a stupid mistake like you did when you listed off three things then could only remember one and a half of them.

Perry: Yep. That was a real ‘oops’ moment for me there. Made me look foolish and stupid.

O’Reilly: I cringed for you when that happened. I said to myself, ‘Gosh. That sure did make Perry seem stupid.’

Perry: Ain’t that the truth? But, I ain’t really a stupid man - I just play one on TV sometimes. Just can’t seem to help it now and again.

O’Reilly: (Laughs) I’m saying one thing though Rick. You sure do have the presidential look to you.

Perry: Well, that ain’t an accident Bill. I practice looking like that. My mama used to tell me, ‘you got to look like what you want to be.’ ‘Course, she wanted me to be a preacher, and I guess you could say a preacher look is a lot like a presidential look in many ways.

O’Reilly: Yes, you sure seem to have that part down. I don’t believe any of your competition look as much like a president as well as you do.

Perry: Nope, I agree. But, remember another thing Bill. In a way being a president is a lot like being a preacher. Or, a governor. I mean being a governor is like being a preacher too in some ways. 

O’Reilly: How so?

Perry: Well, you know we give a lot of speeches and talks standing behind a podium like a preacher. It’s what I like to call it the ‘godly look’, and I practice that. And, you know like hand gestures. Holding your hands in a prayerful way, and moving out from behind the podium to make a point like a preacher. All that promotes the godly look. I have to confess I sometimes practice my godly look in front of a mirror.

O’Reilly: Godly look?

Perry: Yep. And, it ain’t an accident either. I AM a godly man. I brought God with me back into the Texas statehouse. I did that because God told me to do it.

O’Reilly: God told you?

Perry: Oh, yes. I’ll never forget it. He said to me, ‘Rick’ - we’ve been on real familiar terms since I've been governor - He said to me, ‘Rick, I’m counting on you, and I want you to save Texas, and steer Texas back onto the path of righteousness. Texas has been losing her way under democrat influence, and the queers, and you got to put a stop to that!’

O’Reilly: Oh, really? I mean, God talks to you in person?

Perry: Sure does. Every day. Oh, I know there’s plenty who’ll say it’s just in my head. That I’m hearing God in my imagination. But, I’m here to tell you God picks out some people to do his work here on Earth, and I’m one of them. No doubt about that. And, that’s why I’m doing all I can to do God’s work.

O’Reilly: Well, Michelle Bachmann says exactly the same thing.

Perry: Michelle is just a wannabe, and she doesn't really have the platform like I do. Saying it's so doesn't make it so. There's no way God would pick her to do His work.

O’Reilly: His work? You mean like having an official Texas day of prayer for rain to combat the drought?

Perry: Oh yes. That was just one of the things God told me to do.

O’Reilly: Well, some folks will say, in fact a lot of folks will say that hasn’t exactly worked out. They’ll say the Texas drought is now actually much, much worse now than before all the prayers. And, they’ll say it is much worse in Texas than anyplace else.

Perry: Well they can say anything they want. It’s a free country. But, my answer to that is God has his reasons. There’s a mighty good reason God wants a drought in Texas. We just don’t know His reason. Maybe it's a way to bring folks back to God's house. Sure has worked out that way.

O’Reilly: But, if God wanted a drought in Texas why would He ask you to have the entire state pray for rain?

Perry: Bill, like I said, maybe it's a way to bring people back to God. But, it is not for man to question God. Ever. Like I said, I don’t know why God wants there to be a drought, but He wants one or else we wouldn’t have one. I do know we can’t second guess God. God works in his own mysterious ways and and I can tell you He has his reasons, I know they are darn good reasons too, and if and when He wants us to know, he’ll let us know. God does not answer to man, but man must answer to God.

O’Reilly: Amen, Rick. But, I also wanted to ask you about that ad you got so much criticism over from gay people and non-Christians.

Perry: What about it?

O’Reilly: Well, many people are saying it was over the top, that you emphasized Christianity too much and were disrespectful to gays.

Perry: Well, this is a Christian nation Bill, and I was just pointing that out. And gays and lesbians are an abomination in God’s eyes, and this administration lets them serve openly in the military.

O’Reilly: Well Rick, I’m going to play devil’s advocate here. Many people dispute this is a Christian nation, and surveys show up to 25% of all Americans are homosexuals. Are you telling me you would rule out one quarter of the population from serving the defense of the country?

Perry: I don’t care how many people dispute anything.The majority of Americans are Christians, and the majority rules. If the majority wants this to be a Christian nation, then that’s what it is. As for the queers, that’s where I agree with the Taliban. We need to take them all out and stone them to death.

O’Reilly: Kill 25% of all Americans?

Perry: Damned right! People are always complaining about over population anyway. Why not kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, if you’ll pardon my pun?

O’Reilly: Pardon accepted as I happen to agree with you. OK then, back to the Christians. The First Amendment to the Constitution says, ‘"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Perry: That’s exactly right! Congress doesn’t have any right to say this ain’t a Christian nation! And if the Constitution did, it would need to be changed!

O’Reilly: But, there are lots of Jews and Muslims and a lot of other religions in this country who could be offended if this were declared to be a Christian nation.

Perry: Did you not hear what I said Bill? Majority rules! If those others don’t want to be Christian to live in a Christian nation they can leave, by God!

O’Reilly: Gosh, Rick. Research shows 60 to 70% of Americans claim to be Christians of one sort or another. Population in the US is around 310 million, so if  say 35% are non-Christians, we’d be left with around 200 million. Then take out 25% of those as being homosexuals stoned to death, that would leave just 150 million people in the country - less than half of today’s, and actually less than what we had back in 1950. That would be turning back the clock 60 some odd years!

Perry: Yep. And that’s what I’d call being just about a perfect world Bill. The 1950’s were some glorious years in this county Bill. Of course I don't remember them well myself since I was a small child, but that's what my folks tell me, and they were just good Texas Christians.

O’Reilly: Well, I'm a year or so older and I remember them, and it is true the 'fifties were some great times. I can’t help from being nostalgic for the Joe McCarthy years myself. He was just a half century ahead of his time.

Perry: Oh yes, well, we’ve got a chance now to set things right again, if you’ll pardon my pun. When I’m elected President of the United States that’s just what you will see.

O’Reilly: Well, you’ve still got a lot of opposition, and you are still down in the polls.

Perry: I don’t pay attention to polls Bill. I don’t need to since I’ve got God on my side.

O’Reilly: Yes you do. I wish you luck Rick.

Perry: Like I said Bill, I don’t need luck. I’ve got God on my side.

* This is a parody on the bizarreness of some potential GOP nominees. If we can't make fun of the these bozos, we are in some real trouble.