Behavior of a public figure, an example to all

It's nice to see an elected official, & member of a public safety organization going out of his way to be a prick.

Big scary words

For centuries there have been fables and common sense wisdom warning us to be weary of things that sound too good to be true or too awful to be true. Yet today it seems we just can't see the wolf in sheep's clothing. For the benefit of society I present buzzwords that notify you to stop paying attention.

Big government. When someone uses the term "Big Government," what they are really saying is "I like collecting a handy government paycheck, but really hate having to think or answer to my constituents." If any Senator, Congressman, or other elected official really was against big government their first and only accomplishment in office would be eliminating their own job and others. They're not doing it.

"It's too long & complicated": We've heard this a lot lately regarding health-care reform legislation. Also, people say the same about our tax code. "It's too complicated for people to understand." "I couldn't read the whole thing." First of all, if your representative says they couldn't read a piece of legislation because it was too long, fire him (or her). Seriously, that is what they are paid for. If you didn't do your job, you'd get fired. That's a representative's job.

The national debt is $100,000 per person: Guess what, you're not going to get a bill in the mail for $100,000, so why look at national debt that way. Anyone who says this is just trying to scare you into supporting an irresponsible government who is not accountable for anything.

Family values: I shouldn't even have to touch this. How many Senators, Congressmen, and government officials have been busted for their questionable ethics? When one of them cries family values, you know they are just trying to take your attention off of real issues.

Tax cuts: Almost all of you are paying less in taxes now than you would be during the Reagan administration. You will continue to pay less taxes in the foreseeable future. If you really think taxes are what is going to push you into poverty, it's time for you to move to another country or become a hobo. You are more likely to find needles in Halloween candy than you are being taxed to poverty. Yes, taxes seem like a burden, but it is something that helps finance society. Could they be lower? Most likely, but they won't reduce without proper management and responsible government.

Immigrants are stealing your jobs: They're also stealing your yard tools, impregnating your daughters, destroying the sanctity of marriage, and poisoning the water hole. Seriously, have you ever filled out employment paperwork? You had to provide identification, social security number, even a birth certificate. So how did an illegal immigrant take that job from you without proof of citizenship? Stop believing that the boogie-man is out to get you.

Tax & Spend Democrats: Do you honestly believe that there are representatives who really get off creating useless reasons to tax you? What does that accomplish for them personally?

Christian nation: Go back to your history books and refresh your memory. Settlers left England to get away from an oppressive monarchy and its over-bearing Christian religion. First amendment people: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." That means a neutral nation who does not support or condemn any belief. Period.

Unconstitutional: This is a tricky one, but I can tell you the last thousand-plus times someone has stated something was "unconstitutional" they couldn't even quote the part of the constitution that would involve the subject. When someone throws the constitution card, run the other way.

Socialism: The red-scare lives on. It's time to let it die, just like communism.

Wealth redistribution: Along with the previous word, this is just another way to frighten us from demanding the government do its job.

These are the buzzwords that special interests have found will stop people in their tracks. Everyone gets so frightened when these things are mentioned that they take their attention off what is really best for society and themselves, and they roll over allowing progress to be squashed. Rather than running scared when someone says "big government" how about taking the time to learn what is actually happening on the hill and how it will affect you. Turn off the cable and write your representative. Tell them you want improvements, not talking points.

There are real problems in our government, let's discuss the real problems rather than these make-believe distractions the less-responsible members want us to pay attention to.

Liberal madness

A group of chemically imbalanced lawmakers in Utah have discovered the word "liberal" in the Utah State Constitution. Many rules and statutes state that the rules should be "liberally construed." Sen. Howard Stephenson and Rep. Curt Oda will be wasting taxpayer dollars to discuss the removal of all instances of the word liberal from the document.

Liberalism, from the latin word liberalis, meaning of freedom. Historically, liberalism has meant the opposite of communism, supportive of capitalism and free-market. The founding fathers of America stated they wanted a nation based on liberal principles. Even the supposed overlord of the modern republican party, Ronald Reagan was called a pioneer of economic liberalism.

The word liberal is pretty simple. It means given freely or abundantly. Who doesn't like a lot of something? Really? The United States is in love with the concept of liberal. Dining out? Portions here are quite liberal. A serving of ice-cream is only 6 oz, but order it anywhere and they're sure to give you a liberal serving. We aren't happy with 24" televisions, we want a liberal amount of screen space. Homes in most U.S. cities aren't conservative with space, the homes and yards are liberally sized. The U.S. is liberal about everything. Look at the size of our muffins!

Talking politics? It's a pretty liberal nation who allows people the freedom to pack heat, be as wealthy as Bill Gates or Jay Leno, or allow their president to declare war without adequate evidence of hostility. Okay, back away from the politicizing...

The point is, the word liberal means all the things America loves, but fear-mongers are actively trying to put fear in our hearts. It does not mean communism and denial of freedom. Once again, when something sounds too outrageous to be true, it likely is. Don't buy into the hype.

P.S. The name of the blog does not refer to a political philosophy, but refers to something we should all be fighting for. Our freedoms should be given liberally. Government should not be able to tell us how many ounces we are allowed to drink. Make mine A Liberal Pour!

You're going to hell

Although my progressively growing frustration with the lack of humanity among people has prompted me to be silent from this blog for a while, I came across a story that needs to be shared with others. Religious in nature, but that is my point. Today, politics in America have more to do with faith and ignorance in upbringing rather than the rational thought that should be driving people to vote in their own best interests.

Please read Dave Gorman's experience, and think about your own beliefs or those around you. If you have ever looked at someone and believed they are living in a way that will cause judgment by your god, you need to re-evaluate your life and beliefs. You've taken it too far. If you know someone like this, perhaps it is time to step up and talk to them.

The myths that paralyze us

“The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived and dishonest – but the myth – persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the clichés of our forbearers. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”

-- John F. Kennedy, June 11, 1962 at the Yale University’s commencement address.

What myths are pervasive in out nation? One does not need to look too far before running into one of these myths that prevents our people from achieving progress.

Why does the rest of the world hate America?

My apologies to the weak of heart, or those who do not read the actual message.

Can we give rational people any more reasons to hate America? There's the image you get from television and movies of the ultra-rich and indifferent characters who live in giant houses, all have staff waiting on them, drive the best cars, and eat out at fancy restaurants every night. But many can reasonably understand that's all for show and not the norm of the American population. A vocal minority of Americans have to give the world real reason to think we're morons.

"Obama is a socialist!"

"This fascist Democratic party!"

"Don't let the government control my body!"

The nonsense goes on and on. There is no reason for any of this kind of talk. No reason at all.

What a slap in the face to the nations of the former U.S.S.R. who lived under communist rule. To the people who have truly been oppressed. To people who have no opportunity to build their own wealth. To those who cannot choose what they want to do with their lives. To nations who have struggled for their sovereignty.

Fuck you America!

Many are heading to town hall events carrying guns because they are afraid of having their rights taken away. In many other nations, that type of behavior would result in being imprisoned or executed on site. Is anyone trying to take away their rights? No! Never has President Obama said he seeks to eliminate the 2nd Amendment. He has stated that there needs to be controls to keep people safe. Is that horrible? That our leader wants people to live in safety? It must be, seeing that our President wanting people to not be ripped off by our multi-billion dollar private insurance industry that is responsible for thousands of deaths.

Fuck you America!

Is it any wonder why people in other nations look at America with disgust? We have people complain about things that aren't even real problems. We have right-wing politicians who grand-stand over issues that the rest of the world cannot fathom. And many of our citizens are too blind and ignorant to see the truth while they jump on board and show disrespect to the people who have truly suffered.

Our nation can be truly great, but to get there we need to stop acting like victims to problems that we have absolutely no idea about. If President Obama got his way in everything he wanted we would not be anywhere near fascism, we still wouldn't know what socialism really looked like, and we would still have more freedom and opportunity than any other nation on earth.

Does the entire world really hate America? No. Which shows there is a compassion among people that needs to exist in each and every one of us in the U.S.A. Stop mocking the pain that so many others have suffered.

Read a book America. Just try to put yourselves in the shoes (or lack thereof) of people who truly lived through oppressive government atrocities.

We're here to kill your grandmother, and Stephen Hawking

Is anyone listening to the real citizens of Canada, United Kingdom, France, and other nations who are being used as examples against healthcare reform in the U.S.? Yes, the real people who do not live in fear of bankruptcy if they get sick. The ones who only have the worry about getting better, and who have working hospitals and doctors that have all the technological advances and time to cure them.

Not the missionaries and other U.S. residents who have their tales of "when I was in X Country..."

People outside of America cannot fathom paying what we do for healthcare, and that all that money we pay in magically disappears when we are laid off without any notice. But that doesn't stop the GOP (with funding from the insurance companies) from spreading rumors about how horrible healthcare is outside of the U.S.

Twitter users in the UK have been criticizing America and the republicans for this nonsense. That's right, people in the UK are talking about how much they love their healthcare.

But what will you believe? The politically motivated, and lobbyist paid lies of the right-wingnuts? Or Stephen Hawking, who set the record straight? Wing-nuts have been claiming that government involvement in healthcare would kill people with severe handicaps, and those who are elderly and burdensome on the healthcare costs. Some even pointed to Stephen Hawking himself, who rebutted the notion, saying he is only alive today because of the UK's National Health Service.

Out of the 110,000 preventable deaths in the United States each year, that could have survived if they had access to proper healthcare, how many of those could be contributing members to the scientific community? How many could be entrepreneurs? More importantly, how many of them are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends to people that lost them before their time? Think about that, I'm sure there is someone in your family, amongst your friends, who cannot afford healthcare. Someone who cannot visit a doctor before things get too late, and their only choice is rushing into the emergency room at the last minutes of their life. How will it affect your family when someone is lost? Truth hurts. Ignoring it hurts even more.