Day: December 10, 2012

Gay Marriage And Republicans: The Rapid Deterioration Of Opposition

Ronald Leave a comment

Every day, someone prominent in the Republican Party and the conservative movement is making clear that it is time for Republicans to stop resisting gay marriage, to accept it, and move on, as it is a losing battle.

So just in the past few days, we have seen loony talk show host Glenn Beck, Dick Cheney and Bush adviser Mary Matalin, and conservative intellectual George Will speak up on the issue, and this comes after many others are speaking out and advocating acceptance.

Of course, there are still many opponents, particularly the evangelical Christian right wing wing nuts, and they are furious as to the complete collapse of their hateful rhetoric, but that is one of the best aspects of what is happening. And certainly, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum will not stop his bitter opposition, but he is fast becoming superfluous, and will not be a serious candidate for President in 2016.

So there is real good cheer among gay marriage advocates, and the decision of the Supreme Court to accept two cases on the subject for final decision by next June portends a decision favorable to gay marriage, which will prevent states and religious groups from stopping the inevitable result, that gays and lesbians will be able to marry and have the financial benefits and commitments of marriage!

The “Right To Work” States: Mostly Republican And Very Backward And Abusive Toward Workers!

Ronald Leave a comment

When one investigates which states are “right to work” states,. which means anti-union and low paying states, one discovers that almost all of them are Republican states, and extremely backward and abusive toward their own population!

There are now 24 states, nearly half the nation, that have taken steps to move back to the 19th Century, even though we are now in the 21st Century!

It includes the following states by geographic section:

South—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.

Midwest and Great Plains—-Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota,

Mountain West—-Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming

Notice that the only states that voted for Barack Obama and the Democrats were
Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, and Virginia!

It is amazing how people who live in these 24 states do not rise up in outrage as they are being victimized by Republican governments in those states, and realize that even the five states which voted for Barack Obama all have Republican Governors and legislatures!

And the “right to work” laws promote economic progress? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Instead, it victimizes those stupid enough to vote the anti labor party, the Republicans, who have ALWAYS been anti labor, over and over again into state power!

Rumored Deal On Raising Medicare Eligibility Age Totally Wrongheaded!

Ronald Leave a comment

As the “Fiscal Cliff” deadline nears, there are rumors emerging that President Barack Obama might be ready to make a deal with Speaker John Boehner and the Republican Party, that in exchange for their support on raising taxes on those making over $250,000 a year by a few points, that the Democrats agree to raise the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67.

Some see this as similar to the “grand deal” between President Ronald Reagan and Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, adopted thirty years ago in 1983, that raised the Social Security age from 65 to 67 in graduated amounts over a long period of time.

However, that was a totally different situation, and only involved a delay in gaining full benefits on Social Security over a long period of years.

This involves a rapid move to 67, and with no benefits until that age for Medicare, while Social Security has always allowed a smaller benefit as young as 62.

Also, this is MEDICAL, not a check every month, and people in their mid 60s are more likely to have health issues, and many jobs are such that a person cannot be expected to work extra years (particularly physical kind of jobs), and will therefore have a gap of years without medical coverage, and any such coverage would be prohibitively expensive!

The answer is to tax a higher percentage amount for Medicare, as everyone should be entitled to Medicare at no later than 65!

It would be unconscionable to throw people nearing or in retirement off of guaranteed health care at a vulnerable age!

Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Tom Harkin of Iowa are leading the fight against any changes in the retirement age, and President Obama needs to have pressure brought to prevent such a radical change that would really hurt working class people, both white and minority!

Progressives and liberals need to let Obama know that they have his back, and that he must NOT bend to Republicans on this issue, and if he does, he will have lost much of his support which put him in the White House twice!

And this would anger this blogger as well! Let me make that perfectly clear!