I have been absent as of late. No excuse except my own inherent laziness. I hope this finds everyone who reads it well. Sadly, 2010 has already witnessed its first disaster.
By now, everyone has heard about the earthquake in Haiti. I'm sure everyone has also heard the responses from folks like Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh.
Their lack of compassion and common decency should be self evident to everyone.
I won't respond to it, mostly because Jon Stewart has already done so with his usual good humor and common sense.
Luckily, most Americans are decent and compassionate, as evidenced in the great outpouring of support and help from those who have little to begin with. Those that don't feel this way all seem to be posting on Craigslist's R&R
section. Let them.
This morning I watched an interview with former Presidents' Bush and Clinton on Face the Nation. They have been appointed by President Obama to coordinate and expedite relief efforts. Both men are a great example of putting aside political differences for the greater good, and America is fortunate that they, and those like them, are willing to serve when called.
And so, I urge everyone reading this to check the sidebar and give what you can to the Red Cross. We live paycheck to paycheck, and have done so. If we spend a couple of weeks eating more beenie weenies and top ramen than normal, we still have many, many blessings to count.
Actually, I should thank them...
Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving. I thoroughly enjoyed mine. I ate, then slept, then woke up, then ate... See a pattern here? To the male of the species, Thanksgiving dinner is like sex. We have little choice but to sleep afterwards.
Spent the weekend putting up the tree and the lights. Both pitiful, but ours.
Had a nice first day back to work, charming little old ladies, and hot college chicks (for both of whom my fondness knows no bounds)
Then I get home and check my email. Awaiting me was a little blurb with the words "Let's take back America before it's too late!" (those words are never a good sign, no matter who says them). Attached was a link to a Youtube video (I will spare you that), replete with images of eagles, waving american flags...and teabaggers (why do I do this to myself?). All of this was accompanied by a butchered version of "New York, New York" (for this alone, they should get whacked).
It was such an incredible piece of dreck, both in execution and intent, that my response was somewhat...testy. I remember saying something about their inherent lack of credibility...the rest is a bit of a blur. I was that pissed.
Liberalism and Conservatism. The Ying and Yang that once made America great (or at least tolerable). Look how they've gone and fucked up the balance.
And for that, they get from me a Chuck Heston sized "Damn you all to Hell!".
Rep. Alan Grayson is my new hero.
Rep Alan Grayson, D-Fl., opened a can of whup-ass on Republicans and a number of weak-kneed Democrats yesterday. Listen up (the transcript follows).
Alan Grayson: "If the President has a BLT tomorrow, the Republicans will try to ban bacon."
Alan Grayson: "If the President has a BLT tomorrow, the Republicans will try to ban bacon."
"Madame Speaker, I have words for Democrats and Republicans tonight."
"Let's start with the Democrats"
"We as a party have spent the last six months, the greatest minds in our party, dwelling on the question, the unbelievably consuming question of how to get Olympia Snowe to vote on health care reform. I want to remind us all that Olympia Snowe was not elected President last year. Olympia Snowe has no veto power in the Senate. Olympia Snowe represents a state with one half of one percent of America's population."
"What America wants is health care reform. America doesn't care if it gets 51 votes in the Senate or 60 votes in the Senate or 83 votes in the Senate, in fact America doesn't even care about that, it doesn't care about that at all. What America cares about is this; there are over 1 million Americans who go broke every single year trying to pay their health care bills. America cares a lot about that. America cares about the fact that there are 44,780 Americans who die every single year on account of not having health care, that's 122 every day. America sure cares a lot about that. America cares about the fact that if you have a pre-existing condition, even if you have health insurance, it's not covered. America cares about that a lot. America cares about the fact that you can get all the health care you need as long as you don't need any. America cares about that a lot. But America does not care about procedures, processes, personalities, America doesn't care about that at all."
"So we have to remember that as Democrats, we have to remember that what's at stake here is life and death, enormous amounts of money, and people are counting upon us to move ahead. America understands what's good for America. America cares about health care, America cares about jobs, America cares about education, about energy independance, America does not care about processes politicians or personalities or anything like that."
"And I have a few words for my Republican friends tonight as well. I guess I do have some Republican friends."
"Let me say this; last week I held up this report here and I pointed out that in America there are 44,789 Americans that die every year according to this Harvard report published in this peer reviewed journal because they have no health insurance. That's an extra 44,789 Americans who die who's lives could be saved, and their response was to ask me for an apology."
"To ask me for an apology?"
"That's right. To ask ME for an apology!"
"Well, I'm telling you this; I will not apologize. I will not apologize. I will not apologize for a simple reason; America doesn't care about your feelings. I violated no rules by pulling this report to America's attention, I think a lot of people didn't know about it beforehand. But America DOES care about health care in America."
"And if you're against it, then get out of the way. Just get out of the way. You can lead, you can follow or you can get out of the way. And I'm telling you now to get out of the way."
"American understands that there is one party in this country that is favor of health care reform and one party that is against it, and they know why."
"They understand that if Barack Obama were somehow able to cure hunger in the world the Republicans would blame him for overpopulation"
"They understand that if Barack Obama could somehow bring about world peace they would blame him for destroying the defense industry."
"In fact, they understand that if Barack Obama has a BLT sandwhich tommorrow for lunch, they will try to ban bacon."
"But that's not what America wants, America wants solutions to it's problems and that begins with health care, and that's what I'm speaking for tonight."
"I yield back the balance of my time"
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