Thursday, September 27, 2012

EVASIVE MITT

Trying to figure out where Mitt Romney stands is like chasing half-set Jell-o around a plate with a fork.  I kind of feel sorry for the guy.  He's trying to put himself forth as just an ordinary, hard working, straight talking, self-made dude like you or me and most other Americans when he clearly is not.

He's trying to be a master of evasion in a world of instantaneous information that shows him up for the haughty, superior- minded prevaricater he is.  He demands ten years of tax returns from his vice presidential hopefuls but will only show the last two of his and tries the innocent "trust me" approach all con-men use.  Sorry, Mitt, been around the block a time or two.  You want trust?  Verify!

He's had so many conflicting positions about so many things that figuring out what he really means has become an exercise in futility.  He's a political chameleon!  His position depends on the situation he figures he's in at the moment! 

I'm reminded of the kid who happened to come upon a tourist visually searching a tree.  He asked what he was looking for.  The tourist replied, "chameleons."  "Oh, you want a chameleon?  That's easy," replied the kid and he gave the tree a hefty shake.  Out dropped a half-dozen chameleons.

I picture Mitt sitting on a political branch and trying his best to blend in to the picture he wants people to see and accept.  Along comes something like Bill Clinton's convention speech or the surreptitiously recorded fundraising comments to shake his "tree" and he comes crashing to the ground!

I've had more rolling on the floor laughter from this campaign than any other I've ever experienced.  Mitt's a comedian's dream come true.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Sunday, September 16, 2012

WHY I LEFT THE CLOSET

If you've read much of my blogging, you know I am no closet atheist. For a while I was, but not after I saw how important the cause was. Besides, with my activist instincts and drives, staying in a closet is virtually impossible.

There was another good blog statement on Pharyngula this morning, and it sums up my feelings rather well:

"And so I finally crossed from atheism to anti-theism. I believe that religion is wrong. Wrong for every reason. Wrong for humanity. Wrong for our future. Any time a single human gives up their capacity for critical thinking to worship or obsesses we all lose. We lose their contribution to our innate humanity. Their ability to be a part of a critically thinking community.

Therefore I believe that any theistic belief system is a negative impact on humanity. Only by releasing ourselves to think critically can we improve ourselves. Only by questioning and re-questioning will the answers become apparent. Through this path, letting go of our structured belief systems, and testing them to break and transfigure will our true humanity reveal it’s place in the universe.

Think critically, test often, and enjoy the results."

That is why I am also an anti-theist. Theism is stultifying. It champions ignorance and the status quo. It sets this nation on a path to retrogression. Progress is impossible when education is hamstrung by bronze age myths shoved down innocent children's intellectual throats -- not just in home schooling of a few unfortunate captives to parents' misguided drive to indoctrinate, but forced into our public schools by activist school boards held captive by religious fanatics.

The chinese nation was once one of the most progressive kingdoms on earth. Then, an emperor came along who insisted on isolating the nation from the rest of the world of "barbarians." Progress stopped. The society became set in cultural and scientific concrete. It has taken centuries for them to begin advancing again, and the old culture had to be destroyed before it could even begin.

We are in a similar situation right now. There is a desire on the part of far too many powerful people to go backward and reverse course into old superstitions and repressive policies they label "conservatism." I have nothing against being truly conservative about truth and moral/ethical values. However, the "conservatism" being championed today is nothing more than retrogression into a repressive way of life our forefathers denounced and abandoned.

At it's core is theism. Theism has destroyed and brutalized every society over which it has gained control. It is well on its way to destroying and brutalizing my beloved nation!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

GAFFE A DAY MITT

Mitt Romney has shown himself up again as an oportunistic political hack who desperately grasps at any perceived straw when he sees himself drowning under a negative poll surge.

His lack of gravity and dedication to facts came shining threw again in the last two days. True to form, when his error became apparent, he doubled down rather than apologize for his hasty errors.

President Obama summed it up very well: "'There's a broader lesson to be learned here,' he said during a "60 Minutes" interview. 'And I think -- you know, Governor Romney seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later. And as president, one of the things I've learned is you can't do that. That, you know, it's important for you to make sure that the statements that you make are backed up by the facts. And that you've thought through the ramifications before you make 'em.' Asked if Romney's criticisms were irresponsible, Obama replied, 'I'll let the American people judge that.' So yes, yes they were." [CBS News]

Buzzfeed had this to say: "Mitt Romney's sharply-worded attack on President Obama over a pair of deadly riots in Muslim countries last night has backfired badly among foreign policy hands of both parties, who cast it as hasty and off-key, released before the facts were clear at what has become a moment of tragedy...'They were just trying to score a cheap news cycle hit based on the embassy statement and now it's just completely blown up,' said a very senior Republican foreign policy hand, who called the statement an 'utter disaster' and a 'Lehman moment' -- a parallel to the moment when John McCain, amid the 2008 financial crisis, failed to come across as a steady leader."

Even I, with very little political savvy, could tell that McCain was only grandstanding when he interupted his campaign and rushed back to Washington so he could be an ineffectual bystander in that part of the financial crisis. Romney has demonstrated the same kind of opportunism and lack of judgment.

It's easy to lead if you are the rampaging predatory executive of Bain capital who can destroy companies and jobs and walk off with millions in persion funds and a manifold amount of other pirated booty. It's not hard at all to assert yourself bombastically as a leader in an authoritarian cult.

It's an entirely different matter to lead a democratic republic and Mitt Romney has amply demonstrated that he has neither the character nor the skill to handle the job.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

IT'S ABOUT TIME!

I just got through chuckling up a storm over an article on Huffington post pointing out that reporters are finally doing their job with the help of bloggers and twitter to expose Rethug liars for the haughty, arrogant disemblers they are. Read the article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-melber/why-fact-checking-is-goin_b_1870999.html?utm_hp_ref=media

Here's a juicy little quote from the article: "Faced with nearly unanimous rebukes for its welfare attack, the Romney campaign doubled down, making several more ads with the same claim. Then, its pollster flatly told the press that the campaign would not have its strategy "dictated by fact checkers." That gambit -- call it honesty about dishonesty or "cynical postmodernism" -- may have taunted some reporters into even more assertive truth-squading. According to one source familiar with the White House's thinking, Team Romney's strategic mistake was not the lying, but offending the press.

For its part, the Obama campaign is now invested in veracity as a core attack. The president has plenty of impact over what issues are newsworthy, and his campaign is arguing that spin, lies and exaggerations show that the Romney-Ryan ticket can't be trusted."

Liars get so arrogant that they do a lot of dumb things, and getting the press mad at you is a classic example. People like me can blog our hearts out and be dismissed as cranks, but not well-known and respected reporters who tell it like it is and back it up with references to easily checked sources.

The obvious lesson: before you tell a lie, better check to see what's readily available on that pesky internet, etc.

I think it's time to have a toast to celebrate!

How sweet it is!

Monday, September 10, 2012

MY VOCABULARY GREW

I've sometimes come across a word I was until just today too lazy to look up. That word was "myrmidon." I saw it again in a blog comment and decided to finally find out what it actually meant.

The definition: "a person who executes without question or scruple a master's commands."

To my horror, that perfectly describes the person I was about fifty years ago. I bowed to every suggestion and command that issued from Herbert Armstrong's immoral, lying mouth. Of course, it wasn't until much later that I realized what a lying, immoral monster he was. At the time, I thought he was the epitome of righteousness and truth.

The world is filled with myrmidons, and they all have one thing in common. They have all been deceived and hypnotized by some purveyor of deceptive non-truth. Many of those deceivers rise to the top of political parties and nations. Religions are awash in them, especially at the top. They all have the goal of enslaving people for their personal wealth and power. They hunger to be virtually deified.

My myrmidon days are behind me, but I find I still have to be onguard against being deceived into accepting someone at the face value he or she tries to project. There is no end to the deviousness some humans are capable of.


PAUL'S RIGHT

Paul Krugman just stated a great truism. He said that the Republican Party is a bunch of elderly white men aguing with empty chairs.

No truer words were ever spoken. Clint Eastwood and his ridiculous convention farce is one of the best representatives of republicanism in existence. If you haven't seen this travesty, look it up on You Tube.

Contributions to Obama's campaign are also surging and the convention has given him a big boost in the polls. Now that we have them reeling, it's time to be relentless in our punching. The harder we attack, the more desperate and careless they will become and reveal just how inane and insane they are.

Friday, September 7, 2012

WELL SAID

Every morning, I surf certain blogs. It's a routine and I nearly always find something that resonates with me. This morning was no different.

I found my resonation for today on Pharygula, in its "Why I Am An Atheist" section. Here's the quote:

"My final thought is one that I presented to religious friend. If God appeared and there was sufficient evidence (of whatever kind we might want) that he/she/it was God I would not worship him. I would not obey him. I would not seek his forgiveness. I would demand his apology for famine. His apology for war. His apology for every single rape. Every single murder. Arguments about free will do not alter his ability to step in and prevent child rape or starvation or his ability to answer the cries of a lonely and desperate child. Until every apology has been made god would have my utter contempt. I meet good people every day who are disabled by a supernatural superstition that prevents them from learning and living and often loving who they want to. It must stop and I’ll continue to do my small part to help.

Paul Williams
United Kingdom"

This simple statement cuts through all the apologetic nonsense and gets right to the core as to why believing in the common conception of "god" is such an exercise in intellectual futility and nonsense. It's like an adult desperately clinging to the myth of Santa Claus as he or she surreptitiously places the presents under the Christmas tree and fills the hanging stockings with toys and goodies so they can enjoy the superstitious gullibility of their children in the morning.

Do I sometimes get nostalgic about the innocence of the past and my old superstitious certainties?

Not anymore.

I get far more mental and psychological comfort by accepting reality. It makes me appreciate the little bit of life I still have left before me even more. It makes even more urgent those few things I can still do to make this world a little better and a little more sane. History proves no "god" is going to intervene and do it for me -- or you. We're on our own. It's up to us!

I've matured enough to not need the psychological "fluff fluff" of the old fairy tales.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

OF LIES AND LIARS

I listened to the Democratic convention quite a while today. I was inspired by much of it, especially Bill Clinton's masterful expose of the plethora of Rethug lies and liars.

He had to be diplomatic and somewhat "nice" in his terminology aboout those lying bastards.

I don't.

I won't.

Romney likes to paint himself as a "job creator."

BULLSHIT!

Romney was never anything but a ruthless, unfeeling predator. His fangs drip with the financial life blood of thousands of American citizens his Bain Capital horror ruthlessly rode rough shod over so he could bask in the financial booty he and his like-minded dregs of humanity savagely stole from those innocent and helpless victims!

Yes, I said STOLE!

I mean STOLE!

It was legalized stealing he and others like him craftily got written into law so he couldn't be prosecuted like any ordinary citizen would have been!

Then, he stole from the United States of America he claims he loves by hiding his ill gotten wealth in tax haven offshore tax evading accounts. He stole so much that he dare not reveal his tax returns from all those years. They would show him up for the unpatriotic and unprincipaled disgusting creep he is!

When I see his hypocrite face, I automatically replace it in my mind with the face of the evil emperor from Star Wars! He's the same kind of deceptive, totally ruthless character! And, like that evil monster, he tells blatant lie after blatant lie with a completely straight face.

He cares nothing about the United States of America or any of its citizens, unless they happen to be members of his class, his family and his cult. All religions are stupid, but mormonism is by far one of the stupidest -- and most sinister. He is just as evil a character as the con man founder of that theological abortion, Joseph Smith, and those who followed him.

Ryan is no better. He is enslaved to that idiot "vicar of Christ" in the Vatican and all his insane, stupid, insidious garbage! He wouldn't be able to tell the truth if his prevaricating life depended on it. Nor, does he care a bit more about anyone than Romney does, or he wouldn't be associated with him.

Maybe reincarnation is possible after all. Nero and Caligula may have returned. Or, Hitler and Stalin.

I admit it. I am fearful. I fear what might happen to my beloved country and my descendants if these masters of lies and evil gain control. I know how dumb people can be because I was once just as dumb as many of them are. I couldn't see through the artfully contrived lies I was fed by a mesmerizing cult leader for over twenty years. Even after that, I was dumb enough to vote for "Dubya" twice!

Not because I was stupid. I had an IQ so high that my college dean wouldn't tell me how high it was. But, I was young, careless and gullible. I accepted a message that appealed to something within me because of false cultural and religious concepts that had been planted in my mind from infancy on. I just assumed the Bible had to be true and that made me ripe pickings for a master con man.

I fear that the deceptive message loudly hammered home by billions spent on lying propagands will overwhelm enough unwary minds that we will end up with these two epitomes of evil in control of my beloved nation.

The very thought could make one suicidal.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

LIE FEST

The Rethugs are demanding an apology! An apology from California Democratic chief, John Burton,

You see, John Burton told the truth. Rethugs don't like the truth anymore. Men like Barry Goldwater have no place in their party these days. He tried to tell the truth as he saw it. Outright lies would have been repugnant to a man of his character.

Burton pointed out the fact that modern Rethugs have mastered the Nazi tactic of the "big lie." Tell a lie big enough, often and loudly enough, and a large percentage of the population will believe it.

The Rethug convention was nothing more than a gigantic lie fest. History was revamped. Rethug obstructionism and blatant tactics of doing everything possible to frustrate anything that would solve the nations problems and make Obama look good and succesful -- even things they once championed -- had to be denounced and made to look evil. Joseph Goebels would be proud of their artful adoption of his tactics.

The Rethug party is a gigantic cauldron of theocratic fascism and deception. They are determined to return America to pre-Hoover times and British-style Dickensian class distinctions. They want to demolish the separation of church and state so religious dogma can be inculcated into law and used to control and terrorize the populace. The only way that can be accomplished is through deception -- convincing the average person that black is really white and vice versa.

What a travesty! Demanding that someone apologize for telling the truth!

I don't think so.