Doing Coast to Coast brought a lot of conservative readers to this blog. I want to clarify for you that I was raised in a conservative family, in a conservative neighborhood and I am married to a man whose parents are also conservatives. When I’m talking about Republicans I am not talking about people who are the voter class – I’m talking about the leadership class. It’s my experience that people are people and when given the hard truth do the right thing no matter what label they may take on when they go into a voting booth.
I know Republican voters believe in hard work and personal responsibility – so do liberal people – the big difference is liberal/progressives believe there are some people who can’t pull themselves up by their own bootstraps not because they are lazy, but because circumstances are too great and overwhelming to do so alone. I would really encourage everyone to watch the Ken Burns documentaries on PBS about the dust bowl. The dust bowl happened in a very maverick part of the country – where people believe in personal responsibility and were and still are very hard-working and believe in contributing to society. However the scope of the problem (and seriously just look at pictures and you’ll see how enormously devastating this ecological disaster was year after year for about a decade) was just too enormous for any one family no matter how big their extended family. It was as if every other day a major hurricane or tornado devastated the region – this went on for a decade. These dust storms were miles high and would drop 3 feet of earth over everything making all farming impossible. It was so enormous that the storms actually dropped earth from Kansas and Oklahoma in Washington DC and New York City. The government stepped in to save lives – children and elderly people were dying of “dust pneumonia.” The story is almost too much to bear but I suggest people take a look at this because the parallels of the Great Depression and our situation with the Great Recession are enormous.
So for those who think I want only blessings for people of like mind that is more than insulting it’s insane. However I am equally insulted when we have Republican politicians who want to take away benefits to Veterans, raise the age of social security, take money and medicare away from the elderly and make the middle class pay an extra 2000 a year in taxes when they are struggling like never before. All so the wealthy one percent (who pay less than anyone else in taxes) can keep their tax breaks. It’s disgusting.
The SIN of AVARICE and GREED are at the heart of these ideals. These are not Christian values and they are not Spiritual values which is why I am against them – that is why I take issue with these spiritual diseases that I see as eating away at the fabric of our world. These evils have somehow (in the past 30 or so years) turned from being society’s seeing Greed as despicable and shameful to a virtue.
Well, I want to remind everyone GREED IS NOT A VIRTUE! In no religious text and on no spiritual path is GREED considered anything but one of the roots of EVIL And what we have seen during the Bush jr. years was a ramping up of this disease to the point where we the average American tax payers are being asked to pick up the tab for the frat party on Wall Street. Lots of people got rich scamming the middle class and the poor. And now we are being asked AGAIN to pay for IT! TWICE – seriously how is that good for anyone? Except the shameful few.
So now onto my prediction about the fiscal cliff. Democrats will stay firm and there will be a period of inaction until Republicans are forced to go ahead with the program. Republicans will come to realize if they stick to their guns there will be civil unrest and if they keep with their ridiculous “plans” they will not just be killing their future careers, but putting the nail in the coffin of their party for years to come. Which honestly I do not want to happen.
Democracy needs a viable two party system – but Republicans are making a huge mistake playing to the one percent and then using trickery to try and cover their tracks. The cat is out of the bag now and continuing on this path is suicidal for their party. This will have a long-term effect on the political system and will put them into the position of being a very small minority party for years to come. My compliment to them presently for at least honestly showing their hand instead of hiding behind the BS “Trickle Down Economics,” stuff. At least they are clearly showing that they have no compassion for people who were either born after 1960 or born into families without an express lane to Harvard or Yale.
The biggest disgrace in my opinion is starting two wars, destroying hundreds of thousands of lives, forever injuring those who served along with their families not to mention the highest cost – all the people who had to die for what? Both our troops and all the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of the Bush/Cheney oil grab that turned into a reckless pointless war which the Bush/Cheney administration lied us into.
All of us whether we want to admit it or not actually rely on systems to help us evolve whether that is the family system, the educational system or in the worst case scenarios people who are forced to take help from the government. No one wants to be in that position despite the propaganda of “welfare queens,” welfare has been reformed so that people can’t stay on it for any length of time. Not to mention if you have ever known anyone who has had to take government assistance (which includes social security, disability, medicare, food stamps, unemployment) they do it because they need to generally they aren’t proud of it. Many people are embarrassed about having to use food stamps, or get help of any kind.
Everyone wants to be independent and we must remember that if we are to be a “Christian Nation,” as is the herald of the Republican party, then we must actually posses those Christian values. If you have any doubts about what they are just ask yourself, “Would Jesus walk past a poor distraught person without helping him? Would Jesus want to rob the poor to give to the wealthy?” No. That’s the answer. If you are a Christian I can’t see how the current Republican plutocratic platform in any way conforms to your values. Either the Republican leadership needs to change or those who are staying loyal to a party they once believed in need to take a closer look at what is actual and factual and see if it squares with their real values. I contend it does not.
I do not think that 98% of Republican voters would vote that way if all the facts were broken down without the incendiary rhetoric that is used to make the leadership appear to be in the same camp as the good people who vote for them.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Yule and anything and every other holiday I am forgetting or don’t know about – Have a great holiday season.
Many blessing to all,
Denise
Astrology and Psychic Predictions 
Hi Denise, thank you for your insight into the current stalemate on the ‘fiscal cliff’ I hope you are right about the Republican party coming to their senses. I feel though it will be years before they do. First thing they have to realize it’s Grover Norquist and the Tea party influence that is ruining any possibility of negotiating in good faith. This country needs to move forward, and the middle class deserves a tax break for a few years.
It’s good to know that Republican influence is waning. For years, I have patiently waited for those who share at least some of my values – helping those in end, the environment, etc – to have some influence in American politics. It seems like abortion and a few other issues have allowed the Republican leadership dupe the small guy into voting for them over and over. It’s like a pick pocket waving one hand in someone’s face while robbing them with the other.
Dear Denise
It will be interesting to see how Obama deals with the fiscal cliff. Perhaps I could quote the final stanza of my poem GREED which I wrote over twenty years ago:
‘In Britain nearly all the wealth
Is held by one per cent.
In Heaven, so I read somewhere,
There’s a different arrangement.’
Best wishes from Simon
Ronald Reagan raised the debt ceiling 17 times and when he left office he handed his predecessor GH Bush the keys to a federal deficit budget. the deficit was a mess and Bush sr. spent his four years cleaning up the Reagan’s budget mess, cleaned up the Savings and Loan debacle AND he raised taxes on everyone. But Bill Clinton stole the WH from Bush sr because Clinton had a better idea? or was it because Clinton radiated warmth which helped him get elected? even Clinton raised taxes twice and the economy flourished under Clinton.
point I’m trying to make here, is that Bush sr raised taxes. Bill Clinton raised taxes and the country does better when there is a healthy balanced between the rich and the middle class.
you can’t give the very rich a tax break and build up two wars thinking the economy is not going to go into a free fall. while Bush jr was the governor of Iraq, the sub prime rate for mortgages was a ticking time bomb and yet they refused to accept any responsiblity for the messy deficit. Bush jr took way too much time off and left the big responsibility to his team of crooked managers. During the two presidents Reagan and Bush jr were the biggest mistakes this country had to endure. Reagan was an actor and he did a good job of acting and fooling the country. He hired Grover Norquist in 1985 and that is how the ‘trickle down economy’ was born.
Grover Norquist has a sophomoric arrested personality and gives me the impression he is a Mama’s boy. probably a narcissistic mother. Norquist is a narcissist, and if you look closer the rest of the GOP’s have narcissistic qualities which would explain their selfishness and greed and this new GOP are a different breed of cat…. they’re a nasty.
I completely agree with this — and all — comments on here. The GOP is, indeed, a different breed of cat. Actually …. since I very much LIKE cats — I believe it’s an insult to my innocent furry feline friends to compare them with SNAKES — for THAT is what the vast majority of the Republican party’s operatives and leadership and politicians have truly become. And let’s be CLEAR about this, ALSO: Anyone who would, for ANY reason, knowingly choose to actively support this type of corruption and moral bankruptcy with their votes at the ballot box …. have CONDONED it and ALIGNED themselves WITH it. Which, in the final analysis, makes them NO BETTER. I have severely and permanently cut my ties with those I know who, in SPITE of the obvious FACTS, still choose to vote for Republican candidates. Because the old wise saying ‘Birds of a feather flock together’ holds more than just a kernel of TRUTH ….. and in NO WAY do I want to “fly” with THAT bunch!!!
http://www.alecexposed.com
read into the link above and it will explain clearly on what is happening and how it is happening. American Legislative Exchange Council operates as a charity foundation and claim it’s a community of leaders to meet with state politicians who become members of ALEC and their goals are to dismantle popular long standing programs that democrats tend to rely on.
They are really lobbyists that pandering to politicians to help write laws into bills that will favor the Corporations, and done in a very sneaky way.
Take a look at the “Stand your Ground” Law passed in the state of Florida. that was passed through the Republican legislation and backed by members of ALEC and are financially backed by the famous Koch Brothers.
yep, they are trying to take over America, and unless you wake up and do your part, you are going to be on the losing end of the stick.
take action, and demand that you know who your state senators and reps and if they are members of ALEC, tell them to discontinue. 43 corporations so far have dropped out of ALEC, but many more are still members. AT & T and Verizon are members of ALEC.
Take action now!
I meant to add the letter “s” to the word ‘cat’ “they’re a different breed of cats”
I wish to add on the article on American Legislative Exchange Council is run by Corporations. ie; Koch Brothers are very actively involved with ALEC. They’re not really community leaders as filed with the SEC as a charity non-profit organization, but really operating as lobbyists promoting Corporate agendas. For example, the recent ruling on a house bill for the state of Michigan that was sneakily passed and the wording of the bill was designed to fool the public. The politicians that are members of ALEC are 90 percent Republican. What fools the public and even the state independent or democratic lawmakers are lies to have you believe the elected GOP politicians drafted the bill and voted on the bill, when in fact, it was designed by the lobbyist acting on behalf of the corporation ie Koch Brothers or Verizon. “The Right to Work” bill is promoted by ‘special interest’ groups and everyone should be on guard and to remain involved if you wish to not see a Corporate America. I for one, can’t and I’m appalled that the far right demands to cram down their beliefs. Amazing they do not see themselves as “fascists” and taking away our very basic human rights, and that is “collective bargaining” which is unconstitutional to take away anyone’s basic rights. Another crazy new law ‘collective bargaining’ for public school teachers is currently being debated for the state of Wisconsin’s supreme court. Scott Walker who is Governor of that state is a member of ALEC. There are many more Republican Governors are members of ALEC, so please if you live in their state, take action and demand their lawmakers to discontinue this so called charity work
it’s really illegal, and this organization in my opinion are violating federal and state laws with subtle bribery , these folks belong in jail.
Jan Brewer – Arizona; Nicki Haley – S. Carolina; John Kasich – Ohio; Rick Scott – Florida;
These are just a few and there are many more, especially in the state of Texas. for further info on states, politicians, and corporations membership is listed below.
http://www.alexexposed.com
Dear Denise
At the risk of self-promotion, I wonder if I could post the whole of my poem ‘GREED’ which I wrote in March 1992. We teach our children not to be greedy and selfish but in the 1980’s the Neo Cons brainwashed an awful lot of gullible people into believing that ‘Greed is good!’
GREED
Is it the Rock Star’s destiny
To be a billionaire?
Is it ours to be sucked into
A vortex of despair?
Is it the Film Star’s fortune
To be as rich as teak?
While others have to face the fact
They won’t survive the week.
Is it the Supermodel’s beatitude
That swells her bank account?
It’s bound to change your attitude
When you’re ‘earning’ that amount.
Let’s not forget the landowners
Who don’t let you and me
Set foot upon their huge estates
Or enjoy the scenery.
I’m reminded of Boethius
Whose words are true indeed:
‘Nature is satisfied with little
But nothing satisfies greed.’
If these celestial superstars
Gave something to the poor;
Just think how many human beings
Could have a little more.
The wheel of fortune used to turn
With a reassuring click.
A favoured few found wealth to burn,
The rest of us felt sick.
Now inequality is so entrenched,
Most cannot change their luck.
I think that in the seventies
The wretched wheel got stuck.
In Britain nearly all the wealth
Is held by one per cent.
In Heaven, so I read somewhere,
There’s a different arrangement.
Best wishes from Simon
I love your poem, Simon. I was talking to my Republican uncle the other day about the Christmas season earnings for big business. He said it had not gone well. I said they always says that if they make less than 2 or 3 thousand percent profit. I said there’s never enough money for them. How much money would be enough? He looked at me like I was completely insane to even suggest that there could be an amount of money that was enough.
IMO, one of life’s greatest secrets to happiness is to know when you’ve reached “enough.” Of course, my tea bagger family has huge issues with me over this concept – and many of them are well off.
Thank you for your thoughts on the Fiscal Cliff. I check into your blog periodically for spiritual support and when I want to feel less alone.
When President Obama was re-elected, I felt such a sense of relief and peace, knowing that our country was now going to be on a path, with a leader who encourages the ideals I find so important to our human evolution.
To steal from Elizabeth Warren. “when all of us are better, all of us are better.” We are inextricably connected to each other, the planet, the universe so we must have policies that help everyone achieve a better life (not a richer life) a BETTER life. Because WHEN ALL OF US ARE BETTER..ALL OF US ARE BETTER.
Hi…wanted to comment about your dream (the black spaceship off the coast of Oregon); if you google the Arcturians, you’ll get some information that will help you figure out your dream. By the way-your dream was on the money.
SIncerely
A good one from Dowd in the NYT on the Republican party — let’s hope she is right:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/opinion/sunday/dowd-a-lost-civilization.html?hp&_r=0
Dear Denise
I predict that America will fall right over the Fiscal Cliff and it will all be the fault of John Boehner and his cronies. I’ve checked his horoscope (17/11/49) and the man is about as flexible and receptive as a chunk of concrete.
Best wishes from Simon
I was starting to think that is where we are heading the fiscal cliff. It’s obvious now, the Teapublicans are not going to bend, and John Boehner has to decide if he want his speaker post more than what the majority of voters want, and in the best interest of the country. Their mantra and stance amazes me when history shows they have been the biggest spenders and trying to hide their waste behind the entitlements programs is appalling. however, Obama already knows and has made his own predictions and so far he was right that they will just not say yes to him, but Boehner has enough Republicans that are willing to vote ob Obama’s plan and join with the Democrats and get the bill passed. Boehner is up to his ears with conservatives pressuring him. He could go down as the worst speaker in modern history.
Howard Dean has had some interesting things to say about the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ …. and how just letting it happen and not stressing about it now will ultimately work out to the Progressives’ advantage early in 2013 — and beyond. I cannot explain it as well as Mr. Dean has ….. so to read and understand it from his perspective, just google his name or go to his page on Facebook. Hearing him explain it was as a soothing balm to my raw nerves …. in much the same way that listening to Bill Clinton’s speech at this year’s DNC convention was. With highly-intelligent people like them in the Democrat party ….. coupled with objective intelligent Progressive media spokespersons and voters — common sense CAN ultimately prevail …. with MANY MORE Teapublicans voted OUT in 2014!! That MENACE to our society and the rest of the world needs to GO!!!
I’m so tired of Republican drama. Everything is a soap opera with them. I once heard the Republican party referred to as a reality tv show. Time to vote them off the island.
I agree they’re a bunch of sophomoric frat brats. They can’t even admit that the Bush tax cut for 13 years straight and two wars on a credit cards does not bring in revenue. they can’t find revenue, so they will find benefits to cut, cut and cut. what a bunch of a s s h o l e s they are. and they think we don’t see it?
Hi, forgot to enter my name Marie for the above post “unicorntearoom” is the name of my psychic room. did not mean to enter that sorry.
I agree they’re a bunch of sophomoric frat brats. They can’t even admit that the Bush tax cut for 13 years straight and two wars on a credit cards does not bring in revenue. they can’t find revenue, so they will find benefits to cut, cut and cut. what a bunch of a s s h o l e s they are. and they think we don’t see it?
Traditionally …. the so-called “silent majority” out there HAVE EARNED that moniker. For the MOST part — they HAVE remained “silent”. They were brainwashed from from the time they learned to talk …. to basically keep their thoughts to themselves and their mouths shut. That B.S. never worked very well on ME …. and as a consequence — I have paid quite a dear price for it all my life. However …. I would lose my self-respect if I DIDN’T step up and speak out — so I usually just sucked it up and dealt with it. I feel gratified to see MORE people doing the same now! I credit the internet and television networks like ‘MSNBC’ for helping to establish it. And while I very much enjoy listening to Coast2Coast …. I regret that I have to tune into the FOX radio network to hear it.
Dear Denise
There are around 36 hours left before America plunges over the Fiscal Cliff. As I confidently predicted, Boehner has proved about as flexible as Stone Henge and if Obama is somehow able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at this perilously late stage, he will make Harry Houdini look like a blundering amateur!
Best wishes from Simon
This 80-minute documentary focuses on the growing “wealth gap” in America, as seen through the eyes of filmmaker Jamie Johnson, a 27-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune. Johnson, who cut his film teeth at NYU and made the Emmy®-nominated 2003 HBO documentary Born Rich, here sets his sights on exploring the political, moral and emotional rationale that enables a tiny percentage of Americans – the one percent – to control nearly half the wealth of the entire United States. The film Includes interviews with Nicole Buffett, Bill Gates Sr., Adnan Khashoggi, Milton Friedman, Robert Reich, Ralph Nader and other luminaries.
“The One Percent”
Thanks for posting this, Marie. 🙂
you are very welcome Juno.. stay tuned 🙂