Thoughts On 911--A Decade Later

June 7, 2001. First round of Bush Tax Cuts.

August 6, 2001. President Bush ignored pre-911warnings like this daily briefing...

With no heightened security in place, the terrorists attack. Close to 3000 unprotected Americans lost their lives.
(Over 1000 human remains were never identified.)

Realizing his inside knowledge of these events, and that the terrorists had actually carried out their mission, Bush sat stunned and unsure. "They really did it..."

The response was incredible, many lives were lost in the effort to help.The dead were treated with respect.

 Americans, like Pat Tillman, rushed to serve their country with honor. Hoping their President's leadership would be sound and his mission true. This would later prove not to be the case.

When Bush’s jet touched down on the aircraft carrier, American casualties stood at 139 killed and 542 wounded. That was over 4000 US fatalities ago, and hundreds of thousands Iraqis.

May 23, 2003. With the "Bush Doctrine" firmly in place, and the country embedded in two hopeless wars, Bush was able to sneak in another round of tax cuts for the rich.

 

May 1, 2011. Bin Laden is finally killed by Navy Seals under President Obama's leadership. Across the country, families of the military fallen and the civilian innocent are finally given closure. Crowds show national pride. 
In Texas there's barely a whimper of celebration.

President Obama told the American people and the rest of the world that the U.S. would withdraw from Afghanistan and from Iraq, the wars will end.  The debate over WHY each war  begun and whether either or both should have been fought, continues...

UPDATE: The President ended the war in Iraq and authorized the killing of Bin Laden.  He is still working to end Afghanistan and clean up the messes left him by Bush Jr., both at home, and abroad...

 

 

The message was JOBS

Wednesday night we listened to hypocrites place blame on President Obama, pat themselves on the back, and list everything that's wrong with this country. All the while offering no solutions, no plans, no hope. Just grandiose lies about fixing huge problems on day one if elected.

Thursday night we heard the President offer solutions, encouragement, and an olive branch to those who so vehemently oppose him.
The message was JOBS.

His speech was pitch perfect. His leadership style, a patient, methodical approach to those who would harm him. His hair was graying, as often times a person with his job does.
There's gonna be a few more gray hairs before he sees any support from the right for his "Jobs Act ."
While it may have seemed that the opposition sat on their hands for most of his speech, he actually got several bipartisan cheers. A lot more than President "Larry the Cable Guy" used to get. How soon we forget...

Republican obstructionists have been screaming for a plan from the Democrats, even though they've controlled the House for quite some time. Now there's a plan offered.  Now the party of 'No' can get to work.

The American people are the ones who really need to get to work. Get these teabaggers out of office, write their congressmen, attend meetings and take an overall look at themselves. What can you do?
For starters, you can register to vote.
Sometimes I wonder, "how bad do Americans want it?"
The president has laid before you a blueprint for success that will guide you and your family throughout the rest of your lives. Are you gonna believe the naysayers out of spite, hatred, stupidity, ignorance, or just plain laziness?

Voting to elevate oneself can lead to a big fall for the rest of us.

Rich people don't create jobs. That's why their rich. Think about that the next time you're flying at 35,000 ft. and there's no FAA...

They're All Tripping

Me: The Republican Presidential Debate is on tonight, honey...
My Wife: Are you gonna torture me with that shit?

Feed the monkey-watch him dance.

Here's a collection of Facebook comments from my friends and I regarding the Debate:

"I'm making preparations to watch the Republican Presidential Debate, or as I like to call it, lies and the lying liars who tell them."

"Me like science!"

"Bachman wants to build a multi billion dollar thousands of mile long fence. That ought to work out great Michelle. Sure it won't be a complete waste of taxpayer money. Go eat another corn dog already."

 " Perry wants thousands of border patrol agents from the federal government, but does not want the federal government involved. My head is about to explode."

"Did Perry just say TX cleaned its air better than any state? Now I do need a drink."

 "25 minutes in and I'm still waiting for a truthful statement from anyone besides John Huntsman."

 "Palin not to outstage the debate in progress is having her own debate on fox tonight with herself. Should be a show stopper!!"

" Is it me, or did Rick Perry just blame declining graduation rates on Mexicans?"

"Did Perry really just boast about clean air in Texas? BAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"

 "If anyone needs socialized medicine, it's Ron Paul. Poor man reminds me of a senile uncle..."

 "Maybe he could go to Dr. Bachmann's reparative therapy clinic. After all, it's federally funded"

 "Yes, and they pray the senility away, completely non-invasive. And bipartisan too, yes? Excellent choice."

 "Just finished up the de-bait. I haven't been lied to this much since college...
I need a shower now."

"Some teachable moments in tonight's debate: One in four Texans are uninsured. One in seven Americans are poor. Mit Romney's state has socialized medicine and IT WORKS! Mexicans are to blame for Texas' increasing dropout rates. Ron Paul is a champion for those suffering with senile dementia. Michelle Bachmann, oh never-mind about Michelle Bachmann. Texas has clean air(who knew). John Huntsman sounds halfway sane. Someone should tell Newt Gingrich that these are his opponents."

 "I thought Newt was gonna make out with Romney and Perry. Let's hope that's as close as any of these clowns gets to Air Force One."

" I forgot to note that anytime you mention killing people in a room full of republicans, you're guaranteed applause."

 "Mock Perry if you want, but Americans vote for hair. We can only hope Congress does not declare a monarchy with Perry, or at least his hair, as perpetual ruler."

 "It's a toupee, you do know that, right?"

 "If Bush was cancer, and Obama chemo, Rick Perry is what it looks like when the cancer returns."

Perry: "I will always err on the side of saving lives" OK...what about the 45,000 who die every year because they have no health care?

OMG what did Michele Bachman do to her hair? I thought I stumbled on an ad for "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

 I love my friends. Keep it real.

Labor Day Wrangle

“We are tired of Labor Day speeches without action. Talking big at a Labor Day picnic where it is safe and convenient is meaningless crap. Tell the truth out there in the world about the class war that the gilded aristocracy of corporate executives and bankers is waging against the people. Tell the truth out there with passion and anger. Fight for the truth. Use your votes in the assemblies of government to defend the people against the powerful. Stop compromising with evil. Stand up and fight for us. Fight to tax the rich, stop the wars, defend workers and unions, restore the Constitution, defend the poor and the helpless, and protect the environment."

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes everyone had a fine Labor Day weekend as we bring you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff looks at a movement to end pensions for public employees.

Amy Price is one of just a few progressives running for Houston City Council in 2011, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs is helping her campaign.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows that the Texas GOP's next trick will be to come after pubic employee pensions to protect their wealthy campaign contributors: "Wisconsin-style" pension scheme coming to Texas.

My favorite Rick Perry costume is "tough cowboy who shoots coyote with laser pistol". Libby Shaw has some of the others at TexasKaos. Read all about it in her piece: Rick Perry's Colorful Costumes.

This week, McBlogger considers The Audacity of Hopelessness.

Neil at Texas Liberal noted the absence of Tea Party-sponsored highway rest stops between Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. Government plays a role in our everyday lives that some of us may only consider when they are constant attack.

With the beginning of the college football season this weekend, Citizen Andy asks "Why does Rice play Texas?" And how does it relate to the wildfires, Obama's cave-in on the EPA's smog rules, the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline protests, Hurricane Irene, drought and economic malaise, clean air, climate change, and a switch to a clean energy economy? Read up at TexasVox.

Closet Republicans and The Ass Messiah

In the dawn hours of an election year, the opposition has made it clear that they are serious when it comes to hypocrisy. They rant and rave about their brand of revisionist history. Myths about Reagan, 'trickle down,' and 'Job Creators' abound. Obama's a Socialist Muslim from outer-space, sent here to eat our young and euthanize our old. Yada Yada Yada...
I'm used to all that. What really amazes me are the people around me who, for whatever reason, appear sane at one moment, then shift and flip-flop in such a manner it's downright scary. They morph into the same talking heads they claim to despise.
I'm talking about 'closet republicans' who don't have the cojones to own their political party, embrace it, and fix it...

Living inside the bubble(Texas) can be tough for a progressive like me. I understand politics as a science and treat it as such. I don't hide behind lies and self righteousness. I'm a proud democrat who knows his party's and state's histories. It's records of successes and failures. I know why I'm a Texas Democrat.
I own it.

Then there are others-whom I mostly know to be Republican-who play the same game of whack-a-mole every election year. Does this sound familiar; "I think both parties suck, I just think the republicans suck less." or, "I can't stand Rick Perry-he's a crazy embarrassment, he'll never win." Then there's my favorite from the Tealiban, "I'm a Libertarian." "Down with government!" "Down with socialist dictators!" "Read the constitution!"

Are you a real American? Yes, you are Mr. Teabagging Libertarian. You big, moderate, stud you... You picture of balance and common sense for all. You pillar of industry, you portrait of self sacrifice and self-made success. You don't need government for the people, you need government off your back!
You've pulled yourselves up by your bootstraps and made this country work all by your own damn-self!
What would we all do without you and your self-proclaimed, magnanimous approach? (If you run into one who served any time in the military, then you're really in for some back patting.)
Yep. Living in the bubble, you hear it all.

Now the GOP has it's 'clown-car' up and running. Guess who the driver is? Oh, it's that guy we all hated and thought was crazy. What day is it? It's that magical time in Texas again, when memories fade, coats turn color, people eat people, and greed cometh from elephant shit.

THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ONCE BLASTED PERRY, WILL GET BEHIND HIM WITH ALL THEIR SUPPORT, AND CROWN HIM THEIR ASS MESSIAH.


So get ready.
Funny thing is, they're the ones who elected him governor too,  then they bitched about him everyday since.
Like the 'dirt farmer' who voted for Perry, then had half of his family's acreage seized for the building of a toll road and was left with almost nothing. Such a weird dichotomy in this state. So many big hypocrites and so many big problems to solve. All the progress mired in hate and ideologue.

So pony up, Texans! Pat yourselves on the back! You're in for a well-deserved, treat. I can hear it now: "I like Perry, he's done a pretty good job, he knows how to stimulate an economy, he can restore honor to the country and create jobs." "He's a triumph for the poor and sick." "Perry is a peoples president." "Rick Perry is a visionary on a mission from God." "Well he's certainly better than that n*****."
*Elephant Pissing*