Some other thoughts.

I am a student of history, with the philosophy that when we forget or ignore the past, we will repeat it.  Sometimes it is not a bad thing, I mean if we were to go back to spending massive amounts on infrastructure projects, we might once again return to a booming economy.  But for the most part we tend to ignore or forget the good, and the bad, instead opting to true the bad stuff repeatedly. 

Other Thoughts, Concerns, and or Considerations

I often hear the poor want to be poor.  The homeless want to be homeless.  This is not true for the majority, only a minority which is overly exaggerated by the libertarian and conservative side of politics.  Few people want to be poor, to go from hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck.  You will have a few, you always will think that is all they are worth, or are perfectly satisfied with that situation.

Been Thinking

I took a few days away, due to some personal issues.  They happen to everyone, but under many circumstances, I can just set everything aside and get something committed to paper.  But these issues that arose, not so much.  No, I do not feel like talking about it.

Do you remember?

Do you remember this post, Homelessness, where I said

How many of you knew that Utah will likely end homelessness by the end of next year (2015).  I was surprised to hear that, given how conservative the state appears on the surface.  I jokingly shared the link on my facebook stating that Utah was a haven for socialism.  Really, it was a money saving scheme, but hey socialism is socialism.  Turns out that Utah did some research and found nearly a $5,000 savings in ER costs alone, when they outright gave apartments to homeless persons or families (http://www.nationswell.com/one-state-track-become-first-end-homelessness-2015/).

Welfare Queens and Stereotypes

We have all heard of stereotypes.  We have all likely used them before.  They are a fixed view of a group of people, generally based on race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, occupation, etc.  But here is what is bad about them, they tend to lead to discrimination.

The Wrong Priorities

We have homeless, we have hungry, we have the poor trying to struggle through their lives.  But where ever their is a problem, rest assured that a charity will immediately spring up to help.

The Fair Tax. I think not.

So, while researching the candidates for the Senate Seat for John Rockefeller, I noticed one candidate supported the Fair Tax.  Now I vaguely recall reading a flyer for it while at work one night, but outside of being bored out of my mind on a quiet night, sitting on a mine, it quickly exited my mind.

Senate Race. West Virginia

SO we are going to start our breakdown of the Senate and House races for the United States.  Early I know, but look, it is beyond important for everyone to hit the polling stations this year.  What we are going to attempt to do is tell everyone who is running for what, and where they are running so you can make the choice well before hand, and you might be able to influence people within your sphere of peers.  Now we will revisit these after the primaries so that everyone will have a better idea of who is still in, who is running independent because they feel they got jived, and what these candidates are now about.  In other words what have they added or changed from their view.  I will also add that due to the way most in the Mountain State vote, if you are elected you retain your seat, until you retire or decide to run for a different office.

Paycheck please?

I wanted to write about this yesterday, but I really don't know how I want to go about it.  It isn't something that I am exactly comfortable with, I mean there are many things I can just muscle past, but some things, not so much.

And here we go...

Ah, the westboro baptist church.  The insane group that protests funerals, claims that everyone that dies in a disaster died because of support for the Jewish people, gays, and just about anyone they dislike, which is just about everyone. 

Changes...

Times are changing, and we are once again seeing a shift in the political parties.  Rather than a change as previously seen, where the GOP switched from Liberal to Conservative and the Democratic Party switches from Conservative to Liberal, we are seeing the changes move more Conservative, or further left.

Election 2014

Ah, we have entered the House and Senate Election cycle here in the US.  Hey, if you can vote early, vote correctly, and if you live somewhere, where people are paranoid about election fraud, tell your friends and family you voted often and on their behalf.

We have a winner, by a country mile...

Here we have Mr. Phil Jensen, State Senator of the state of South Dakota.  A regular joe as it appears.  Conservative, white, christian, all the things the tea party, and Republicans looks for in a member of their country club.

Did you know?

With some of the recent rulings from the highest court in the land, I got to thinking, is it possible to impeach a justice of the Supreme Court?

Social Security, the Fix.

Ah, more calls for privatization.  It has worked so well for countries like Greece and the UK, that American Exceptionalism dictates, "Hey y'all lets try this".  Recently some persons who will remain nameless have expressed some views about Social Security to me, and not in a way I agree with.  As a whole there is one person, who seems to think its not worth fighting back, just let the tide rise, and while I share the sentiment, I am a contrarian, but I take it to a whole other level.  If what he thinks is coming does, I will go out kicking and screaming to the bitter bloody end.  It is in my nature to do so, and it is my belief that no labyrinth is inescapable.  There is always a way out, a solution to the problem, you just have to bide your time, and think.

Sometimes they open their brain...

...  And its worse when its writing then when it is spoken.  So who is the offender now.  Did Bachmann say something, or Palin maybe?  It has to be John Boehner, Newt, or Bush "W", Could it be Dick Cheney?  When I say the title, thats what I was thinking, but no, they are all not guilty this time.  This time the person who opened his mouth, and committed to paper the asinine comment was Mr. Andrew Brenner from Ohio.  Yet another reason for me to never be caught dead driving through or flying over that state.

What happened to?

Ah Gandhi, a very wise man, decades before his time, well, even today I do not see the man fitting in.  A nonconformist of the highest, and most exalted level.  I am not a christian, I do not really know much of the New Testament, and well, I was always under the impression that the quote there, from Gandhi, was in that text.

Your rights and You

So, another case of, I don't even know what to call this one.  Certainly it is something.  I want to say racism, but maybe also povertyism (I had to check), but at the very least profiling of some kind. 

Rand Paul

So this internet meme has been making its rounds the last few days, so, I decided to look into it.  Now if you are of a similar mindset to my own, you instantly say, sounds legit, might not be, but more than likely it is.  So, I see it, figure its true, but wanting to do a bit of research on it, only to confirm that it is true.  And not just from "Liberal Sources."

What is....?

So what is the PPACA, more exactly the ACA section of the bill.  I mean we hear it called Obama-care by detractors, we hear it called unconstitutional by other detractors, but what is it, what is it's history?  Well, lets jump in our way back machine, and find out shall we?

Churches without hold Charity over...

I have said it many times before, I will keep repeating it.  Part of your "duty" to any deity you may or may not worship is charity.  Some call it being a decent human being, others call it just being nice.  Call it what you will, there is some major issues with the Christian community.

Robbed.

You know, I do not advocate stealing, but I would love to ask Mr. Osteen how it feels to be stolen from.  Yeah, as far as I am concerned he has made his bones, built his church on the theft from others.

Ben Carson Presidential Hopeful for the GOP

So everyone gets the general understanding.  I am an equal opportunity offender.  I do not care what race, sex, sexual identity you are, if you are conservative, and you say something ignorant, I will call you on it.  It might take me a while, given my situation, but I will make sure I bring it up.  Now some people were put off by the fact that I said what I said about Michele Bachmann. 

Soul Crushing

So many things are "soul crushing" in this world.  But on the top of that list is constantly dealing with ones on poverty, homelessness, or racism and bigotry they are forced to endure.  People seem to think that the event happens, and then its gone, but the truth is that these things tend to linger and add weight.  They never really go away, they just fester.  The longer it happens, the more your soul dies.

Yet another Minimum Wage Post

Yeah, I am going to get back onto beating this dead horse.  It needs to be done.  While we have people who seem to feel minimum wage is acceptable in the United States because, well, mostly unskilled teenage labor works it.  This my friends is not entirely true.  They are cherry picking, again.  The fact is, the economy is not static across the nation.

The 7 Deadly Frauds

Ah the economy.  Its stinks, but is slowly improving so the story goes.  But that is not what I am talking about today.  No, today I am going to discuss the deficit in the United States.  Just to be clear, I do think the budget needs to be balanced, and I do feel that we should pay off the majority of debt, just so that it is not constantly held over our heads.  But, I want to point out a report that was brought to my attention recently.  This report is from 4 years ago, and discusses the debt in a way I was not familiar with.  I also want to point out that the GOP which is now railing against the debt also has some interesting perspectives on it.

2014 CPAC Review... A Race to 1950

So, the first thing I notice.  We have a few minorities speaking, alright.  So, lets see who said what.  And no, this won't be in any specific order, just how I get to them, since many of these were not listed on the schedule I found, that I could read.

2014 CPAC: The race towards oblivion. Sponsers and Speakers

Chris Christie at the 2014 CPAC

 

This particular event had slipped my mind.  I mean when it comes to the Right getting together for a conference or meeting, it just seems so.. Underwhelming.  I know I know they have a vision, and no matter how out of touch the majority that vote for them, or they are, we still get to listen to them spew forth like projectile vomit.

This is a call to arms!

I repeat.  This is a call to arms! For every able bodied man, and woman, 18 to 120, no matter where you stand, no matter where you are in this country, straight or gay, black, white or brown, Atheist, Jewish, Christian or Muslim, this is where we must draw the line in the sand.  If you are not political, you must become political.

Owsley Kentucky

Yeah, so there is this place, a mostly white, christian, republican place, in the USA.  I mean literally all white, almost completely republican, and christian, and they are largely on SNAP, aka Welfare.

Welcome to the Third World... America

America, the third world country.  Welcome to our humble land, we hope you enjoy your stay.  Oh yeah, if you hear gun shots, hit the deck.

Jesus is.... Homeless?

Photo from WCNC

Way to go all your Christian faithful of North Carolina.  A group of church goers splurged on a sculpture for their church, Jesus.  Under most normal circumstances I would mock and ridicule them over the waste of money, but this one actually serves a purpose.  It is something that should make a statement, prove a point.  Actually, this statue serves two purposes, it is a memorial of sorts for a deceased member of the church.

The War on The War on Poverty part 2

Here is part two of the report on the War on Poverty, according to Paul Ryan.  Wait, wasn't he married to 7 of 9 on Voyager?  Wasn't there some kind of sex scandal...  I forgot how good looking his ex-wife is.  Wait, wrong Ryan.  Damn all these Republicans act and look the same.

Suicide

That is, or more exactly was Richard "Dick" Trickle, former NASCAR driver.  Almost a year ago, on a pleasant day in May, a Thursday morning (May 16), he drove to a cemetery, drove to the back.  He calmly dialed 911, and reported a suicide, tragically it was his own.

The war on the war on poverty.

So today Mr. Ryan, and some of his other buddies in the Grand Ole Party released a critique of the War on Poverty.  Solutions in the report, MIA/KIA.

Facebook and Guns

Are you a fan of people like Eric over at +Iraqveteran8888, +hickok45 (the kindly gentleman who reviews various firearms for our pleasure) or others on Facebook?  Well, I I potentially have some bad news for you.  It appears that Mayors Against (Illegal) Guns, and Moms Demand Action, are putting pressure on the social networking site to outright ban "gun themed pages" on their site.

Coupon Madness

You know, I do not begrudge anyone of trying to buy food on the cheap.  I don't begrudge anyone of using coupons to save a few bucks.  But this behavior can be taken to far.  And while it is a right people have, sometimes it is just going to far.  When you walk into a store, buy two thousand dollars worth of goods, then have to find $1.58 because the store doesn't do negative balances, and you have no money on you, that's going way too far.

Did I cover this already?

You know I write and talk about a lot of things.  Sometimes I will write something, or talk about something and a few weeks later I will again bring the topic up, discuss it or write about it again, and not recall having done it before. If I have, I am sorry, but it would be something that I feel needs to be repeated again.

Really, what is this?

We have so many issues and this...

While we are on the subject...

Previously posted here, we discussed the prison system.  There is another trend in this system.  For profit prisons.  Basically, anyone and their brother can start a company that specializes in incarceration.  You can get a contract with the state (both state and federal governments), and get paid to house inmates.

You do the crime, you do the time.

Everyone remembers that old adage, "You do the crime, you do the time," but there is more to it.  You may or may not be aware of it, but that adage is not all that true.  The truth of it is, you do the crime, you do the time, and you keep doing the time till the day you die.  And that is mostly wrong.

Cold War.

Ah.  The Cold War.  A time where the United States and Russia (then the USSR) postured and threatened each other.  Americans scared of the "Red Hordes" coming into this nation, nuking it, and a bunch of other things.  Who knew, maybe your neighbor was secretly a communist, maybe your parents were Ruskkies. 

Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs

Pictured above is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  If you ever study Psychology, at tome point this will be a focus in class, or reading.  Now from some extent this can be considered true, but the truth is by scientific standards it may or may not be the case.  But I want to discuss it just the same.  Who knows, it might help some of us better understand why some people simply roll over and die, rather than fight.