Galesburg vs. Moline
Editor:
John Ring's article in this week's [March 4, 2010] Zephyr concerning the confrontation between
coaches after the Galesburg-Moline boys' basketball game at Thiel Gymnasium
focuses strictly on one comment made by an assistant coach and ignores all of
the goings on that preceded it.
Mr. Ring is correct in singling out Ryan Ricketts as a
"football player." I don't believe the Ricketts boy gets much playing
time but he was put in the game and proceeded to tell Mike Wismer "I'm going
to take out your face." You will recall Wismer's cheek bone was broken
during the Galesburg-Moline game at Wharton Fieldhouse and he was supposed to
be out for the season. Ricketts then proceeded to swat at Wismer's face at
least a dozen times during the game. I believe Ricketts ended the game with
several fouls. Some people might call this a strategy, others would call it
dirty play. One can only assume Ricketts was acting on orders from his coach.
As for Coach Reynolds, during the last few minutes of the game
he was already irate and screaming at his players. When the game ended, he then
launched into a profanity laced tirade (m-f seemed to be his expletive of
choice) while going down the line "shaking hands" with the opposing
team. When Derek Lindauer made his remark, Reynolds could have had some class,
taken the high road and walked away. Instead he used it as an excuse to take
things to the next level (or just lost control) and make an ass of himself.
I don't know what authority or right John Ring has to call the
athletic director at Moline High School and demand an apology, but if anyone
owes an apology to the Galesburg players and fans, it is Mike Reynolds.
Bridget
Arthur
Galesburg
Senatorial hypocrisy
Editor:
Is it any wonder voters hold politicians in such low esteem?
March 2, 2010 in The
Washington Post, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) wrote an editorial lambasting
the Democrats for considering the "reconciliation" process to pass
health care reform. "This use of reconciliation to jam through this
legislation, against the will of the American people, would be unprecedented in
scope. And the havoc wrought would threaten our system of checks and balances,
corrode the legislative process, degrade our system of government and damage
the prospects of bipartisanship."
Back in 2005 when the senate was considering the lifetime
appointment of a federal judge, Sen. Hatch wrote an essay in "Human
Events" magazine. "Four times during the 108th Congress, the Senate
failed to invoke cloture, or end debate, on the appeals court nomination of
Priscilla Owens. Had that happened again on May 25, 2005 [then Senate Majority
Leader Bill] Frist would have sought a ruling from the presiding officer (vice
president Cheney) that, after sufficient debate, the Senate should vote on a
judicial nomination. I would have joined a majority of my fellow senators in
voting to affirm that ruling ... this is a mechanism for changing Senate
procedures ... that has been used, directly or indirectly, for nearly a
century..."
Help me out here, is Sen. Hatch saying if he approves of the
legislation or issue it's all right to use "reconciliation" but if he
doesn't support the legislation, it would corrode the legislative process,
degrade our system of government and damage the prospects of bipartisanship?
Anyone out there have a better example of an elected official's
hypocrisy?
Chris
Stevens
Bradford
Resentful Tea Baggers
Dear
Box:
In their letters to Box One, Thomas Mosher and Louie/Larry
Anderson made it clear they would never vote for another Democratic candidate.
As if they ever had. They will be disappointed to learn their declaration has
caused no consternation in the West Wing of the White House.
As is true of most of the Tea Baggers, they are middle-aged or
elderly white men who are filled with resentment that an African American has
achieved so much more than they had ever dreamed possible for themselves.
The membership of this motley lot is not limited to men. There
is a female auxiliary composed of stoutish white women who believe they married
beneath themselves. For some reason they blame liberals and feminists for their
poor marital choices.
Somehow they have all become convinced President Barack Obama
represents a threat to their Social Security payments, or to their Medicare
coverage. It is especially ironic when one considers they have never supported
a Democratic candidate who worked to establish or strengthen these programs.
The white malcontents turn to born-again populist Republicans
to protect them. That is not surprising. Those are the people for whom they
voted in the hope they would be a bulwark against socialism.
I cannot end this letter without responding to Tim May, who is
fearful of losing his wife's money. He accused me of not knowing the difference
between a promise and a threat. I can illustrate that I do by saying Tim's
promise to attend his high school class's reunion is regarded as a threat by
his former classmates.
Christian
Schock
Galesburg
Agricultural chemicals
Editor:
While my writings to Box One are, for the most part, regarding
the distinct and unavoidable truth behind the causative role that vaccines play
in the autism epidemic, I want to talk about some other players in the epidemic
over the next couple of weeks. As we are all aware here in the Midwest, soon
the tractors, tillers, planters and combines will be out on our country roads
and fields in force. Many of the practices used today in modern farming are the
culprits in the epidemics we are facing as a nation. While this is most
certainly not going to make many in the community happy, I'm kinda used to it –
so here it goes.
Our farmers, with the help and control of Monsanto and other
bio engineering seed companies, are poisoning our communities, waterways,
ground water, air and the foods now offered on our grocers’ shelves. We must do
something about this. I am definitely not against farming, or farmers for that
matter. I want to make this perfectly clear. While I am unashamedly against all
vaccines, that is not the case here. My dad actually owns a lot of farmland in
the area and unfortunately utilizes many of the practices that I am against.
The farmers don't know what they are doing. They, like the pediatricians
vaccinating our children, are simply doing what the "experts" are
telling them to do to increase their profits and yield, all while being assured
they are helping the environment. This is the farthest thing from the truth.
We have a new administration in Washington D.C., a Democratic
administration. Democrats: the little guy's party, fighting for the family
farms and the blue collar worker. At least that's what they would have you
believe. While there is no doubt that Monsanto and the bio tech industry gained
approval by and "owned" the First Bush administration, Clinton did
horrible damage to the environment by allowing many policies to continue. “W”
was absolutely bought and paid for by the bio tech industry, and unfortunately,
the only thing that seems to have changed with this administration is the color
of the man's skin sitting in the Oval Office.
The FDA, under Obama's appointee, Margaret Hamburg, has
approved the livestock drug Ractopamine (aka Paylean and Optaflexx) for use on
pig and cattle farms. This drug was found to increase protein synthesis when
researchers of the potential "asthma drug" found it to increase
muscle mass in mice. Unfortunately it's also found to be responsible for
hyperactivity and muscle breakdown and has been banned in 160 nations due to
the fact that it is found to be unsafe for human consumption.
Unlike other drugs used in livestock, Ractopamine does not
require a "clearance period" to allow it to leach out of the pig or
cattle prior to slaughter. In fact, this drug is most commonly used just weeks
prior to slaughter. This drug is clearly marked "not for use in
humans" but has found its way into our food supply anyway.
The BT corn and soy beans planted here in the Midwest does not
stand for Bio Tech (as farmers believe) but rather, Bacillus Thuringiensis that
is genetically modified into the cell of the plant to combat the European and
Southwestern Corn Borer. What these farmers aren't aware of is that this
genetic modification is dangerous to humans and livestock. In fact, a recent
study from the International Journal of Biological Sciences clearly shows
increased organ failures in mice subjected to these three seeds: Mon 863, Mon
810 and NK603.These were the only seeds tested, all of them found to be
dangerous.
I will be talking more about this in the coming weeks and I
know that this is going to cause a huge stir in this community. I simply ask
you to think about your community, your children and grandchildren, and not
just your bottom line or your conscience when you realize what is going on.
Open your mind and get past the Monsanto salesmen. Truly look at the studies
and facts, and then decide for yourselves. Until you are certain, choose
organic foods free of genetic modification, herbicides and pesticides.
Educate, Don't Vaccinate.
Curt
Linderman Sr.
Galesburg
Relay For Life
Editor:
Few people can say that their lives have not been touched by
cancer. While not all of us experience cancer first-hand, many of us have known
close relatives and friends diagnosed with this awful disease. Because cancer
doesn't care who it touches, I Relay.
For the last nine years, I have put together a team for the
American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Knox County. Relay For Life is an
overnight event that raises funds for patient and family services in our
community, cancer support groups, tobacco control programs and lifesaving
research.
Rather than stand on the sidelines, I plan to celebrate,
remember and take an active role in fighting back against cancer. I am also
making new friends and having fun along the way. On July 23, 2010 side-by-side
with my family and team members, we will cheer on area cancer survivors walking
that first lap, the survivor's lap. We will share in the experience of the
Luminaria Ceremony. We will be energized and empowered by the Fight Back
Ceremony. And, because cancer never sleeps, many of us will take turns walking
the track throughout the night.
Relay For Life of Knox County will be held on July 23 & 24,
2010 at Knox College in Galesburg. There's plenty of time to get a team
together and join us for this fun, family-focused event that is making a
difference for cancer patients, survivors and their families now – and in the
future.
For more information on how to form a team or become involved
in Relay For Life of Knox County, please call the American Cancer Society at
1-800-322-4337 ext. 3 or visit our website at www.relayforlifeknox.com.
Erin
Olson, Tiny's Team
Relay
For Life of Knox County Publicity Chair
Galesburg
Lack of patriotism
Editor:
As usual, I watched all four days of the IHSA Girls Basketball
Tournament games the past two weekends.
I was deeply disappointed. Not by the play, sportsmanship,
officiated or fan behavior. What did disappoint me was the complete lack of
patriotism. The American Flag may as well have been taken down, for all the
attention it got. It’s getting worse every year.
There is plenty of blame to go around. Administration,
teachers, parents and, yes, the
students themselves.
How fortunate this nation is to have a flag that represents our
freedom! Wake up, folks! You’ve got two more weekends to become real Americans! Do so!
Larry
Anderson
Abingdon
Washington the Casino
Editor:
January 10th, 2011: Newly elected Congressman Joe Schmoe is
sworn in, along with 468 other freshmen Congressmen and Senators. The pundits’
prophecy came true last November as every single incumbent was thrown out of
office. Joe and his newly anointed brethren ran on a platform of
"change." Within moments after being elected though, they were on the
phone – raising money for the next election. Joe is under the illusion he is a
public servant.
As he walks up the steps of the Capitol he is nearly blinded by
an enticing and garish neon billboard that reads: "Welcome to the U.S.
Casino." Like it or not, Joe has become a slot-jockey. He is barely in the door when he is besieged by
lounge-lizards, a.k.a. lobbyists. The Casino employs lounge-lizards to entice
suckers like Joe with club memberships, free cash, cheap buffets, cheaper rooms
and a parade of half-naked babes dispensing free booze. The Casino is an equal
opportunity briber. Republican or Democrat – they could care less. Joe is
nearly shell-shocked as he is approached by Larry Schmuck, his defeated
opponent from Illinois. Larry was hired as a lounge-lizard within 24 hours
after losing his re-election bid to Joe. "Welcome to the family, Joe. Just
do what you’re told and you've got a job for life. You and your paid staffers
can seamlessly move from slot-jockey to black-jack dealer to lounge-lizard or
to the gaming commission, ya know, the feds. Hell, the Casino even planted five
ex pit-bosses on the Supreme Court. You can't beat 'em, Joe. They've got
thousands of casino's across the planet that conscript millions of Chinamen,
Indians, Central Americans and even Mexicans right here in America. The game is
fixed, Joe."
"Doesn't the gaming commission keep an eye on the
Casino," Joe asks.
"Are you kidding. Ever since Reagan, slot jockeys have
been tirelessly re-writing the rules put in place since the 30's. The Casino's
charter, stuck somewhere in the Cayman Islands, has only 10 words, Joe, 'Cut
taxes for the rich and unleash the free market.' You do your part to keep
transferring cash from the middle-class to the Casino counting room, and you'll
be taken care of."
Joe seems perplexed. "But Larry, I beat you running an
anti big government campaign."
"Joe, Joe, Joe, the Casino feeds off the venomous hatred
of the federal government. Broken government is a front-man. Tea-baggers are
Casino pawns. The middle-class has been duped – their wealth, jobs, homes,
healthcare and even much of their national security has been contracted to the
Casino's roulette wheel. Hell, we even vote on paper-less casino slots."
"Is there a
way to shut down the Casino?"
Larry leans in close and whispers those four magic words:
"public financing of federal elections." Before Joe can drop another
buck in the slot, three casino goons brazenly sweep in, throttle Larry and haul
him away to the Casino's silent room. Larry is never seen again and all the
"players" in the game are duly warned.
November 6th, 2012: Believing promises of real change, this
time, hapless voters replace 468 Schmoes and Schmucks with 468 new Schmucks and
Schmoes – their collective wallets already swollen with pre-paid casino credit
cards.
Mark
Hebard
Peoria,
Ariz.
Big spending bills
Editor:
Where are we, where have we been, and where are we going?
Without hearing a word from Rahm Emanuel, simply observing him and his
mannerisms, I peg him as a cheat. In my opinion he probably figures a way to
cheat at anything he does. Cards, pool, politics and drinking a glass of water.
He is a person I would never buy a car from, or leave alone with anyone I
loved. Of course this is simply my opinion, as I have said, he is probably
worse than that.
Now take David Axelrod, this man is probably the brains behind
the entire administration, highly loved at home and a personable friend. In my
opinion he is the Godfather of the Obama administration, a wrong look at or by
him could bring down your political career and possibly more. Maybe even the
scene where you wake up with a horse head in your bed. Actually, I feel that
old horse head in the bed trick may be a little too tame for this man.
In explaining my opinion of these two men, I wish to convey my
opinion of the entire Obama dynasty. If you have read anything at all about
these men you will find more of what I am alluding to. There is a love and
devotion between these men that goes much deeper than anything patriotic. They
have found each other and formed a bond where if one is successful they will
bring all the others along, no matter the cost. We have placed many billions of
dollars in these people's hands to do with as they will, and they will get home
with a good portion of it. The only losers will be the American people.
All these big spending bills will do America little good, much
like the eight hundred billion dollar job stimulus bill, what a laugh. Many
billions of dollars of that bill have already gone MIA, where did it go? If you
read some of the places it went, you can actually laugh, but as you continue to
read it feels more like tears may become more apropos. At this time I am
compiling a list of places some of the money went. Well, it is hard to tell
where it actually ended up, but you can tell where it was sent. Sort of like
one billion dollars to Goofy's dog house in Orlando, Florida. Not really but
that makes more sense than some of the real ones.
Just to give you a little of my own history, I grew up in
Galesburg, Illinois, and as a boy I delivered newspapers. Every day when I
picked up my papers, the first thing I did was sit down and read the front
page. I grew up loving newspapers. In doing this I picked up on all the
corruption going on in the government back then and began to focus on it. As I
grew older I witnessed the corruption becoming more sophisticated and the
dollar amounts became larger. Today they have this down to a science; they may
get caught with the wrong women but not much chance getting caught with your
money unless of course you step on the wrong toes. Like old "Cold Cash
William Jefferson." Ninety thousand dollars in the freezer, chicken feed,
or set up money, that was all that was. He didn't polish some one’s shoes after
stepping on them so he got hung out to dry. You can believe me or not, it makes
little difference to me. At my age, I suppose I can be labeled a doddering old
fool, this also bothers me very little. Almost every idea I have had about this
and other administrations has proven to be true, good and bad.
Tim May
Cherryville,
N.C.
Republican corporatism
Editor:
I had to laugh a bit when I read a couple of comments included
in the Letters Section of the Zephyr this last week. For one thing, Mr.
Anderson was attacking Barack Obama for stating at the Health Care Summit
"I am the President." Well, Mr. Anderson, perhaps you slept through
the last election because Barack Obama was elected President and did, indeed,
soundly defeat Senator McCain. To take this as arrogance is a real stretch
indeed. Senator McCain, meanwhile, is trying to move as far to the right as
humanly possible to defeat the ultra-rightwing talk show blatherer J.D.
Hayworth in the Arizona Senate race. No wonder old McCain is trying his best to
obstruct this President at every turn.
Secondly, another conservative writer accused Obama of wanting
to return American to the days of King George the III with a "share the
wealth" agenda. Frankly, I don't think any historian would agree that King
George the III ever wanted to share the wealth with anyone but his fellow
royals – that's one of the reasons for the American Revolution. I believe the
Republicans are closer to George the III because whenever they have been in
power for the last 30 years they have tried their best to redistribute the
wealth upward and have done a pretty good job of it, while the poor and working
classes have lost out. They continue to want to see the wealth concentrated in
the hands of a powerful few, which is certainly not what the Founders intended.
The Corporatism that is currently behind every Republican idea is so readily
apparent that one would have to be blind or in a total state of denial not to
see it; worse still is the Republican opposition to any effort to contain the
rampant out of control profit-driven health care industry.
With the recent attempt by Well Point to raise premiums as much
as 38% on policy holders, public sentiment in favor of a public care health
care option will gain a lot more support. When CEO's of these health industries
can retire as multimillionaires while the rest of us have to worry about
gargantuan price gouging, time is here for real reform. The filthy rich do not
need additional millions at the expense of the sick and dying. Oh yes, I might
add that I don't think anyone is talking about providing a Corvette to everyone
who asks, only that people deserve to be taken care of when they are sick –
healthcare indeed should be a right, whereas driving a luxury car certainly is
not.
Judith
Squires
Burbank,
Calif.
Health reform
Editor:
In response to several letters disapproving of President
Obama's conduct at the health care summit and decrying the Democratic reform
proposals: I did not find the president arrogant, merely assertive, and
assertiveness is something he and the Democrats in Congress will need if they
are to solve this country's problems. (For an example of arrogance, see George
W. "I'm the decider" Bush.)
Obama and the Democrats are also merely trying to pass a very
moderate measure of health care reform – I think their plan doesn't go far
enough, but if conservatives are labeling this plan "socialist," just
imagine what they'd say about single-payer, universal health insurance
coverage, as offered in such "socialist" countries as Canada, the
United Kingdom, Germany, and Israel! Anyway, the plan advanced by Senate
Democrats, as analyzed by the nonpartisan Politifact.com (a project of the St.
Petersburg Times newspaper) would leave employer-provided insurance in place,
create greater competition among private insurers through state-based health
insurance exchanges, and cut the number of uninsured people by half. I would
prefer that no one go uninsured, but this is a start. Also, according to
Politifact, for most people, insurance premiums would stay the same or
decrease.
This hardly sounds like less coverage for more money, which,
sadly, is what we're getting with the current system – I am paying more in
premiums for my group health coverage but I've also seen a rise in my co-pays.
Also, regarding food versus health care as a right: People don't usually go
bankrupt from buying groceries. Many have gone bankrupt, however, from the
combination of catastrophic illness and insufficient insurance coverage.
Oh, and P.S. to a certain Zephyr contributor: My point was that
in eighteenth-century England, King George III and the aristocracy were not redistributing their wealth to the
poor.
Trudy
Ring
Burbank,
Calif.
Bush v. Gore
Editor:
Mr. Schock ignores the reality of the Bush v. Gore case. His is
a passionate claim that "we was wronged." I don't intend to argue
further than to point out two salient facts.
First, the Constitution gives to the states the power to
determine how they select electors. It's not a matter of deciding federal law
vs. state law. It's a matter of the Constitution. That trumps all. The Florida
legislature had passed legislation that invoked the "safe harbor"
provisions of 3 USC 5 which implements Article 2, Section 1, cI 2 of the
Constitution. The Supreme Court called that to the attention of the Florida
Supreme Court.
Second, the per curium opinion on the issue of the 14th
Amendment was 7-2 (the 5 member majority plus Souter and Breyer). Was the
partial recount a violation of the equal protection clause? Seven members said
yes it was. Where they diverged was in whether or how to remedy the wrong.
The decision in Bush v. Gore has much that can be debated. One
can argue whether an interpretation of this or that idea is correct. However,
we all should deal with the same set of facts. With that said, I'll give you
that which you so desperately want, the last word.
Eric
Johnson
Wetumpka,
Ala.
Right to Repair
Editor:
Few consumer bills are as important to seniors as the Motor
Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (HR 2057). Older Americans often live on a
fixed income, and many rely on trusted, reasonably-priced neighborhood repair
shops to keep their vehicles serviced, repaired and operating safely. With
thousands of car dealers closed, and many others closing, those independent repair
shops are critical to keep seniors on the road.
The Right to Repair Act ensures that seniors can continue to
enjoy the affordability and convenience of having their vehicles serviced
locally. The bill makes certain that car owners, not car companies, retain the
choice of where to take the vehicle for service by requiring equal access to
repair information, safety bulletins and tools from vehicle manufacturers.
Without the Right to Repair Act, seniors may find their
independence severely compromised if they are forced to go to a car dealer for
service and repairs, particularly if there is no dealership in their area.
Worse yet, they may decide to forgo critical safety repairs because the
distance to a dealership is too great.
RetireSafe strongly urges Congress to pass the Motor Vehicle
Owners' Right to Repair Act to protect older Americans nationwide. We encourage
vehicle owners to make their voices heard by visiting www.righttorepair.org and sending a letter
to their U.S. Representative in support of the Right to Repair Act.
Thair
Phillips, President
RetireSafe
Washington,
D.C.
Mr. Moore goes to Washington
Dear
President Obama,
I understand you may be looking to replace Rahm Emanuel as your
chief of staff.
I would like to humbly offer myself, yours truly, as his
replacement.
I will come to D.C. and clean up the mess that's been created
around you. I will work for $1 a year. I will help the Dems on Capitol Hill
find their spines and I will teach them how to nonviolently beat the
Republicans to a pulp.
And I will help you get done what the American people sent you
there to do. I don't need much, just a cot in the White House basement will do.
Now, don't get too giddy with excitement over my offer, because
you and I are going to be up at 5 in the morning, 7 days a week and I am going
to get you pumped up for battle every single day (see photo).Each morning you
and I will do 100 jumping jacks and you will repeat after me:
"The American people
elected me, not the Republicans, to run the country! I am in charge! I will
order all obstructionists outta my way! If the American people don't like what
I’m doing they can throw my ass out in 2012. In the meantime, I call the shots
on their behalf! Now, Congress, drop and give me 50!!"
Then we will put on our jogging sweats and run up to Capitol
Hill. We will take names, kick butts, and then take some more names. If we have
to give a few noogies or half-nelson's, then so be it. In our pockets we will
have a piece of paper to show the pansy Dems just how much they won by in 2008
– and the poll results that show the majority of Americans oppose the
Afghanistan and Iraq wars and want the bankers punished. Like drill sergeants,
we will get right up in their faces and ask them, "What part of the public mandate don't you understand, soldier?!
Drop and give me 50!"
I know this is the job Rahm Emanuel was supposed to be doing.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have always admired Rahm Emanuel (if
you don't count his getting NAFTA pushed through Congress in the '90s which
destroyed towns like Flint, Michigan. I know, picky-picky.). He is what we
needed for a long time – a no-apologies, take-no-prisoners fighting machine.
Someone who is not afraid to get his hands dirty and pound the right wing into
submission. Far from being the foul-mouthed bully he has been portrayed as,
Rahm is the one who beat up the
bullies to protect us from them.
That's certainly what he did in 2006. After six long, miserable
years of the middle-class getting slaughtered and the poor being flushed down
the toilet, Rahm Emanuel took on the job of returning Congress to the
Democrats. No one believed it could be done.
But he did it. Big time. He put the fear of God into the party
of Rush and Newt. They had never been so scared. More importantly, though, he
instilled a sense of hope in the Democrats that they could actually score the
mother of all hat tricks in 2008 – and with you, an African American no less,
in the pole position!
It worked. The Darkness ended. The vast majority of the nation
wept with joy on the night of the election (those who weren't weeping went out
and bought a record number of guns and ammo). Unlike the last president, you
didn't "win" by 537 votes in Florida (although Gore won the popular
vote by a half-million), you beat McCain nationally by 9,522,083 votes! The
House Democrats got a walloping 79-vote margin. The Senate Dems would caucus
with a supermajority of 60 votes unheard of in over 30 years. The wars would
now end. America would have universal health care. Wall Street and the banks
would, at the very least, be reined in. Hardworking citizens would not be
thrown out of their homes. It was supposed to be the dawning of a new age.
But the Republicans were not going to go quietly into the night.
You see, instead of having just one Rahm Emanuel, they are all Rahm Emanuels. That's why they usually win. Unlike most
Democrats, they are relentless and unstoppable. When they believe in something
(which is usually themselves and the K Street job they hope to be rewarded with
someday), they'll fight for it till the death. They are loyal to a fault to
each other (they were never able to denounce Bush, even though they knew he was
destroying the party). They dig their heels in deep no matter what. If you
exiled them to a lone chunk of melting polar ice cap, they would keep insisting
that it was just a normal "January thaw," even as the frigid Arctic
waters rose above their God-fearing necks ("See what I mean – this water
is cold! What 'global *warming*'?!
Adam and Eve rode dinos ... aagghh!!. .. gulp gulp gulp").
We thought we were all done with this craziness, but we were
mistaken. Like a beast that you just can't cage, the Republicans convinced not
only the media, but you and your
fellow Dems, that 59 votes was a *minority*! Precious time was lost trying to
reach a "consensus" and trying to be "bipartisan."
Well, you and the Democrats have been in charge now for over a
year and not one banking regulation has been reinstated. We don't have
universal health care. The war in Afghanistan has escalated. And tens of
thousands of Americans continue to lose their jobs and be thrown out of their
homes. For most of us, it's just simply no longer good enough that Bush is
gone. Woo hoo. Bush is gone. Yippee. That hasn't created one new friggin' job.
You're such a good guy, Mr. President. You came to Washington
with your hand extended to the Republicans and they just chopped it off. You
wanted to be respectful and they decided that they were going to say
"no" to everything you suggested. Yet, you kept on saying you still
believed in bipartisanship.
Well, if you really want bipartisanship, just go ahead and let
the Republicans win in November. Then you'll get all the bipartisanship you
want.
Let me be clear about one thing: The Democrats on Election Day
2010 are going to get an ass-whoopin' of biblical proportions if things don't
change right now. And after the new Republican majority takes over, they, along
with a few conservative Democrats in Congress, will get to bipartisanly impeach
you for being a socialist and a citizen of Kenya. How nice to see both sides of
the aisle working together again!
And the brief window we had to fix this country will be gone.
Gone.
Gone, baby, gone.
I don't know what your team has been up to, but they haven't
served you well. And Rahm, poor Rahm, has turned into a fighter – not of
Republicans, but of the left. He called those of us who want universal health
care "f***ing retarded." Look, I don't know if Rahm is the problem or
if it's Gibbs or Axelrod or any of the other great people we owe a debt of
thanks to for getting you elected. All I know is that whatever is fueling your
White House it's now running on fumes. Time to shake things up! Time to bring
me in to get you pumped up every morning! Go Barack! Yay Obama! Fight, Team,
Fight!
I'm packed and ready to come to D.C. tomorrow. If it helps, you
won't really be losing Rahm entirely because I'll be bringing his brother with
me – my agent, Ari Emanuel. Man, you should see him negotiate a deal! Have you ever wanted to see Mitch McConnell
walking around Capitol Hill carrying his own head in his hands after it's just
been handed to him by the infamous Ari? Oh, baby, it won't be pretty – but boy
will it be sweet!
What say you, Barack? Me and you against the world! Yes we can!
It'll be fun – and we may just get something done. Whaddaya got to lose? Hope?
Retardedly yours,
Michael
Moore
Flint,
Mich.
P.S. Just to give you an idea of the new style I'll be bringing
with me, when a cornhole like Sen. Ben Nelson tries to hold you up next time,
this is what I will tell him in order to get his vote: "You've got exactly
30 seconds to rescind your demand or I will personally make sure that Nebraska
doesn't get one more federal dollar for the rest of Obama's term. And then I
will let everyone in your state know that you wear Sooner panties, backwards. Now drop and give me 50!"
Sociopathic leaders
Editor:
Let me begin by stating that I believe the Executive and
Legislative Branches of Washington are sociopathic
in their collective behavior. I am a licensed counselor,
licensed to diagnose mental illness. I have encountered numerous sociopaths who
are among the most dangerous of all humans.
To diagnose a sociopath, three or more of the following seven
characteristics must be met: 1) failure to conform to social norms, 2)
deceitfulness; manipulativeness, 3) impulsivity and the failure to plan ahead,
4) irritability and aggressiveness, 5) reckless disregard for the safety of
self or others, 6) consistent irresponsibility, and 7) the lack of remorse
after having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another person. I could argue a
very strong case that Washington's legislative and executive behavior meets all
seven of the above characteristics.
The follow are verbatim excerpts from The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, Ph.D., ISBN#O-7679-
1581-X: “…superficial charm ... to seduce other people ... a kind of glow or
charisma ... a grandiose sense of self-worth ... It is not that this group
fails to grasp the difference between good and bad; it is that the distinction
fails to limit their behavior ... but not to care at all about the effects on
society, on friends, on family, on our children ... guiltlessness defies the
imagination ... Sociopathy stands alone as a "disease" that causes no
dis-ease , no subjective discomfort. Sociopaths are often quite satisfied with
their lives and perhaps for this very reason there is no effective
"treatment" no intervening sense of obligation based in emotional
attachments ... Amoral and uncaring ... He is cold as ice… this is the essence
of sociopathic behavior and desire ... the only thing left – is to win ...
brilliant at winning. Can dominate, bend others to his will ... controlling
others – winning – is more compelling than anything (or anyone) else ... the
ultimate injustice that a person could be evil, and still feel fine about
himself ... Sociopaths are infamous for their refusal to acknowledge
responsibility for the decisions they make, or for the outcomes of their
decisions ... ‘consistent irresponsibility’ in the language of the American
Psychiatric Association – is the cornerstone of the (sociopathic) diagnosis.”
In her book, Stout cites case studies of very intelligent and cunning
sociopaths who maneuvered their way into very high positions of power and
authority, naming many world leaders. She states the “Tools of the Trade” are
charm, spontaneity, seduction, acting skills, presenting benevolence,
insightfulness, creativity, and addiction to risk-taking.
The impulsive aggressiveness to win, to run over every
American, to run over our Constitution and the guiding principles of our
founding fathers is absolutely appalling to me. Republicans, Democrats, and the
President have no heart in the cunning gamesmanship of governance. The game is
to win regardless of the health of our nation.
Six months ago I found hope for our country for the first time
in decades in GOOOH. GOOOH is an acronym for Get Out Of Our House. GOOOH seeks
to replace all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. It does not target
the Senate or the President. When there are enough GOOOH representatives in the
House our Congress and President will have to do the business of our nation by
a different value, moral, and ethical system. Unlike other patriot movements,
GOOOH has a vision, a defined goal, a specific plan, and is working that plan
only, none other. GOOOH has one focus, one target, the House. It's GOOOH time.
Go to www.GOOOH.com and see for yourself. In
whatever way you choose, get involved
and help save our wonderful country from the collective sociopathic scene in
Washington's abhorrent behavior. It's time to GOOOH!
Roy
Nichols
Ashtabula,
Ohio
Rape kits
Editor:
Violence committed primarily against women and children must be
taken seriously. Last year, an investigation by my office discovered that
thousands of unprocessed rape kits were sitting in police stations across the
state. We will never know the number of attackers who got away with these heinous
crimes or how many assaults could have been prevented if every rape kit had
been tested promptly and followed up on by law enforcement.
The justice system's failure to process evidence collected from
sexual assault cases sends a horrible message to survivors of these devastating
crimes. That needs to change.
Please help me make Illinois the first state in the nation to
require that every rape kit collected be submitted for DNA testing within ten
business days. Call your state senator and ask them to support Senate Bill
3269, the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act, sponsored by Senator Toi
Hutchinson, which is awaiting a vote by the full Illinois Senate.
Lisa
Madigan
Illinois
Attorney General
Springfield
Brady on women’s issues
Editor:
On March 9th several women's groups held a press conference to
denounce gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady's positions on "women's
issues."
His position on abortion bothers them, calling him
"anti-choice" and "anti-woman." He believes that babies are
human beings and not a "choice," deserving of a chance at life. As a
mother of three and grandmother of two, I wholeheartedly agree.
They erroneously claim he is opposed to stem cell research,
which is false. He supports using adult stem cells, which are already
successfully treating many life-threatening diseases. The truth is that he
opposes wasting money on embryonic stem cell research, which to date, has not
produced one successful treatment for any disease. Brady is right on both the
ethical and the financial aspect.
Then there's his position on marriage. He believes that one man
and one woman constitutes a marriage. These groups would like to redefine it to
suit their agenda, which is the normalization and acceptance of homosexuality.
To accomplish this, they want "same-sex" marriage. Bill Brady
sponsored the Marriage Amendment and that obviously upsets them.
It's worth mentioning that today's Rasmussen poll has Brady
leading among women by 17 points.
As a woman, these groups certainly do not speak for me. I will
support Bill Brady for Governor.
Kathy
Valente
Lansing