Nothing could be more truthful in today's political climate!  I think it is pretty easily assumed that most 'citizens' think of politicians in general in this way.  One can also assume that probably most constituents think fairly well about their own representative regardless of the job they are doing.  (take someone like Joe Walsh - what a horses patoout!)

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

It is almost time again for the United States to hold open enrollment for their own form of healthcare (legalized extortion) insurance!  So let's take a quick look at how this works in a supposed world where it is taught to be a "smart consumer", to shop wisely and ultimately be satisfied with spending a given amount for goods or services. (I think they call it capitalism?)

You don't even have to scratch the surface of the current political regime in Hungary to see that what is happening there is another chapter in the ugly history of modern Europe!  We can not allow this kind of fascism to be normalized or accepted. The EU must continue to take resonable yet the strongest of actions against its member that has taken a bad turn and is seemingly repeating an ugly history.

Mike Bloomberg has announced he is running for U.S. President, but what is he and what does he really stand for?  Another rich, out of touch with the real world, holier than thou, I can do anything I want "businessman".  Yeah just what this country needs again is another rich, megalomaniac.  Mike (may I call you Mike?), Mike has shown his elitist stature at the climate talks in Spain. Announcing a news conference at the summit in Spain and then taking not a single question from the media was brilliantly stupid!  It was very "Trumpian" in its fascist, moronic, absurdity.  This is yet another rich individual (jackass) that wants to be the President of the United States. Another rich guy that does not have the wherewithal to answer a simple question (maybe because it was from a Democracy Now reporter - one he might deem as an undesirable) about what "he" would do about climate change while at the climate change conference after announcing he would have a news conference!

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Acting more like North Korea than South Korea...

Let's face it, our political system is one big mess!  Conflicts of interest are just the tip of the iceberg - not that that is anything new.  It's just that it has become a problem again along with the level of discouse, the unashamed, unabashed, unadultrated lying by our political leaders, the authoritarian leanings of our Congress and a general lack of integrity - the likes we've haven't seen in quite some time now. 

Most are saying, "let's wait and see what happens with this new administration" but it will be no surprise as to what is going to happen. Perhaps the specific details are yet to be observed but the general sense that things will come unhinged seems to be a sure thing.

Until "the people" demand that their political leaders (to start with) must have integrity, display honesty and work for their constituency we are doomed to fail. There are enough "people" that want and see what is required but I fear that we as a people will suffer before anything is done. Let's hope it ain't too late...

(Originally published 2-18-2012) Irregardless of the stock market (yet another scam on the working class) or the current state of political discourse.  Well it is obvious to most real thinking people that are willing to look at truth as opposed to a rationalized 'truth' that strokes their own narrow perception of the world!

Our Congress has shown the world that they are perfectly willing to not govern as a democratic body and will (as stated in public by a number of Senators and House Reps, like Mr. McConnell) not only hold the American public hostage but will extort them through minority rule, in a non-democratic fashion from now on and that their only purpose or number one goal is to defeat the opposition party incumbent! 

I don't understand how anyone that has conservative ideas, like being fiscially responsible (to me an irony, but none the less) and other conservative ideas - how they can accept the behavior of their party in the United States Congress in recent years and particularly right this minute!  How can an American, one that believes in American ideals believe in hidding or discouraging truth, divirting attention from the truth being examined and peverting majority (or for that matter respect for the minority whichever that party is at the time) rule. It has become, over time a greater pevertion of democracy with at its end - true facism. Will our current president postpone elections if he thinks they will not end to his liking? He has already peverted and disgraced the office of presidency. He maligns and perverts law enforcement, justice and many of the pilars of our once but no longer proud democracy. He is divisive, stokes fear and hatered, but his party in Congress has done little to nothing to stand up to this disgraceful behavior. Anyone and anything that disagrees with him or suggests that he has run afowl is instantly labled "fake" or becomes a "witch hunt". He is a farce and now his party has become a farce, taking on his own dispicable characteristics.

[Orinially published 3/29/2012]
We rely on a number of people to act honestly and fairly as our representatives in government. This is something we take for granted, but need we re-examine this faith in our individual government representation? There have always been those who look to game the system, to cheat and thereby redeem some type of profitability whether monetarily or otherwise. From our elected representatives we assume a sense of fairness and honesty. In the past we’ve held these elected representatives accountable by either reelecting them in the next cycle - or not. Perhaps there must be a greater point of accountability from our elected officials since the damage they can create by breaking the trust between constituents and those that they elect can only be remedied after the fact, after any such damage is long done.

For those who don't believe in our government (helping those who need the most help), listen up!

"Thou shalt not bear false witness"

Well it appears to be another case of a politician (aka, bull shitting liar. i.e., Sarah Palin) that wears their religious beliefs on their public sleeve that is so antithetical to the religion they tout

[Updated 1-6-2021]
So Mike Pence finally put on his big boy pants and is going to do the right, the proper, the legally required and the moral/ethical thing. The radicalized and fanatical in his party now hate him and some apparently want to do him harm.  Is this a political party or a cult?

It has been very hard to keep up with the politics and general status quo these days.  There is so much fear and hate... and yes anger.  I know some wonderful Christians, Jews, Muslims, Catholics and people of most faiths but there are those that want to speak for the masses of Christians or Jews or Muslims or what have you - and they are often times loud - and I hear a message of hate and fear from them.  Sometimes those voices are more moderate but like the proverbial squeaky wheel, it is the ones that are loudest that seem to get the most attention.  Those are the ones that might cater to our base instincts, our fears, prejudices and dissonance.  I wonder, where has moderation gone?  What has happened to create a loss of intelligent, civil discourse and moderation.

Almost unlimited money in U.S. politics and a party asking political members to take an oath to the party!  Just a couple of the perversions of todays political arena. Watch Bennie's discussion of these issues and then think, please...

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They say you dream about the subconscious, that may be true and if so perhaps very telling. My dreams of late are much like the one I'm about to describe and that is certainly very telling.

Having now to deal with a persistent, chronic illness last night's dream starts in the office of a specialist physician. The physician begins telling us excitedly, about new research and how the latest technology is creating huge advancements in the area of our specific condition. This certainly piques our interest as we listen intently for more detailed information, which we quickly learn is dependent on one specific thing. That one very specific detail, our physician informs us is that we must maintain our premium payments otherwise for certain we will be excluded from the benefits of any advancements in the area of our disease management or cure.

They say you dream about the subconscious, that may be true and if so perhaps very telling. My dreams of late are much like the one I'm about to describe and that is certainly very telling.

Having now to deal with a persistent, chronic illness last night's dream starts in the office of a specialist physician. The physician begins telling us excitedly, about new research and how the latest technology is creating huge advancements in the area of our specific condition. This certainly piques our interest as we listen intently for more detailed information, which we quickly learn is dependent on one specific thing. That one very specific detail, our physician informs us is that we must maintain our premium payments otherwise for certain we will be excluded from the benefits of any advancements in the area of our disease management or cure.

This is (unfortunately) a world dictator that we have had to deal with for some time now, but now have to dealt with this horrific, monster of a human being that heads a nuclear power and in a word... "poorly"!  We have given this insane, maniacal despot credibility, stature in the rest of the civilized world, helping his dictatorial rule to continue. We have normalized dictators like him allowing them to function in a supposed civilized world, ignoring him and other barbaric despots to rule in their countries and around the world.  We have helped to elevate China's economic and political stature in the world and so we have done the same with Russia.  We have helped nurture and create the monsters that live among us and wreak their destruction of humanity and the world we share.

Listen to an audio interview here of The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer interviewed by Mehdi Hasan

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Social Security benefits are not an entitlement, it is insurance YOU paid for! But Congress believes that the funds for Social Security and other social programs are an entitlement for them to raid! The want to make cuts and raid any surplus for themselves and then NEVER pay it back!  SHAME on Congress!