Right Wing Extremism

The Turnaround In California: Liberalism at Work Under Jerry Brown!

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Just a couple of years ago, California was called the classic example of the failure of liberalism, and conservatives and Republicans denounced the largest state as a total disaster financially, which it had been under Arnold Schwarzenegger, and also a victim of the Great Recession.

But now, under Governor Jerry Brown, California has had a renaissance, seeing a massive debt become a massive surplus, with liberal ideas, including higher taxes, and more regulations, and it has become a model of a “blue” state.

Not bad for a governor who was in office from 1975-1983, and then came back 28 years later, and is now seen as a hero and a genius, in regards to improving the future of California.

Understand that this author is not saying that California has no problems or issues, but it has seen an amazing turnaround, at a time when “red” states are in worse shape than “blue” states in all kinds of statistics.

It is not time to say that liberalism and the Democratic Party are dead, and we will see a revival of the story in California elsewhere, as soon as the citizenry realizes that they have been bamboozled big time.

Even the state of Kentucky proves this, where monstrous Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul rail against ObamaCare, but the Democratic Governor, Steve Beshear, has made ObamaCare a great success story, and is a hero!

Government is NOT evil, and it is time for voters to throw out the right wing extremists and return America to optimism and belief in the future!

Des Moines Register Poll On Presidential Race Of 2016

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The Des Moines Register, the leading newspaper in Iowa, has started to poll on who is favored in the Iowa Caucuses, the first vote of a presidential election year, always held in January, which can catapult a candidate all the way to the Presidency, as it did for Barack Obama on January 3, 2008.

Of course, polling this early is no real indicator of what will happen in two years, and in fact, being an early leader is a hex, and usually means that someone else will end up winning the Iowa Caucuses and have the edge to be the Presidential nominee of a political party.

But, if for nothing other than political discussion and debate, the poll shows Hillary Clinton in the lead, with only Joe Biden being competitive with her in any fashion. The other names listed, really “dark horses”, are Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and, surprising to some, former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, both of whom have shown interest in running, with Schweitzer being much more open about it.

On the Republican side, five have a positive rating of more than 50 percent, including in order, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan (VP running mate of Mitt Romney in 2012), former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (now a Fox News talk show host), Texas Governor Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, and tied for fifth, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Under 50 percent are Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

It is interesting that the front runners are people who have lost their last race, while the also rans are newer people, many of whom have an extremist image, although really, all of the ten listed are extremists on the right, with the exception of Christie and Bush.

And Hillary Clinton has enough support for now that she would seemingly have an edge over any and all Republicans, and remember that Barack Obama carried Iowa twice in a state that, despite its strong right wing evangelical image, votes Democratic for President in recent elections, and is likely to do the same in 2016, whether it is Hillary or Joe Biden or some newer candidate for the Democrats.

Sandy Hook Elementary School One Year Later

Ronald 8 Comments

It has been one year since the massacre of 20 children and six teachers and administrators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut,

Just yesterday we had another tragedy, with a student in a high school in Colorado wounding two students before killing himself.

The threat to schools, theaters, shopping malls, churches and all other public places continues, and the country seems paralyzed by inability to do anything about the mounting number of gun deaths, and the reality that many mentally disturbed people have access to guns.

America is the most dangerous nation in the civilized world, and we are looked upon in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Japan as a nation out of control when it comes to violence.

And every day, President Obama is subjected to rhetorical and real threats to his life, in a nation where the right wing will not stop in its quest to poison the atmosphere with hate and division, and fears that the government is coming to get one’s guns.

The question is what future tragedy will finally move the Congress and the state governments to face the threat to civil order represented by the gun culture, with the sad feeling that nothing will change the national illness we have amidst us!

13 Years Since “President” Al Gore Failed To Be Elected!

Ronald 1 Comment

It is hard to believe that it is now 13 years since Vice President Al Gore, who won the national popular vote by over half a million vote margin, failed to be elected, due to the intervention by the Supreme Court, the vast majority selected by Republican Presidents, who chose to intervene, defying the idea that the judicial branch of the federal government had no authority to decide who wins the Presidency.

Therefore, a precedent was set that could reverberate and lead to another election in which the wishes of the people of the United States could be ignored, and we could end up with a President who represented special interests, a reality becoming more evident with the growing power and influence of right wing elites, who are having great success in undermining the desire of the American people to prevent the destruction of the middle class, and the degradation yet further of the working poor, the disabled, the elderly, and children.

When one realizes that a Gore Presidency would likely NOT have started a war in Iraq; and would have promoted domestic reforms that would have avoided the greater maldistribution of wealth to the extreme it has become, due to the economic policies of George W. Bush, it is hard not to mourn what occurred 13 years ago, which has certainly harmed the long term future of the nation!

Republican Infighting Rising!

Ronald 1 Comment

It is now clear that the Republican Party is imploding rapidly!

Witness the condemnation by right wing groups of the budget deal arranged by Congressman Paul Ryan and Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, which helps to avoid another government shutdown, and attempts to provide a stable economic environment for the next two years. As Ryan said it, it is essential for some compromise, while not giving up one’s core principles. The deal is far from great, and will require payment of some retirement contributions by people in the military, and higher airline fees for passengers, but it is a step forward to avoid more economic chaos.

But various right wing groups have opposed the deal, and it is likely that Speaker John Boehner will have to count on Democratic votes to get the package approved later this week, before Congress takes a holiday break, possessing the worst record for performance of modern Congressional history! Boehner has already expressed his annoyance at conservative groups, and so the the infighting continues, as Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Tom Coburn have already denounced the agreement.

One outcome of this agreement is likely the death knell of a Paul Ryan campaign for President, because after all, he was willing to “compromise”!

But this is not the only infighting going on, as Newt Gingrich and Ted Cruz had the “gall” to issue statements complimentary of Nelson Mandela, infuring the far Right, as if Gingrich and Cruz are not part of that group. It is the crazy loonies attacking the mere crazies.

For progressives, it is a fun time, and all that one needs is some soda and popcorn, and sit and enjoy the lunatic fringe acting more looney by the moment!

Threatened Coup Against Barack Obama Reminiscent Of Attempted Coup Against FDR In 1934-1935

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Next week will be the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy Assassination, specifically on Friday, November 22, the same day of the week that the horrible event occurred.

It reminds one of the dangers from right wing and left wing extremists to our national leadership, and the threat of a march on Washington by armed groups, supposedly to be held on Tuesday, November 19, demanding the resignation of President Obama, or else action will be taken against him, makes one shudder.

And it reminds us of the plans for a similar coup d’etat against Franklin D. Roosevelt, in similarly difficult economic times in 1934-1935, a coup which was squelched by revelations that right wing business groups and leaders had plotted, similar to what is being planned now. The Great Depression was a time of such extremism that emerged because FDR represented change.

The right wing promoted hate against FDR for his New Deal, as the right wing promotes hate against Barack Obama, due to ObamaCare and other reforms and changes promoted by this administration after a similar economic downturn as FDR faced 80 years ago. Then, it was the Great Depression, and now it is the Great Recession, both brought about by Republican Presidents and their economic policies.

The arguments against FDR and Obama are similar, with the addition of racism against Obama making the present threat presented by the right wing even more dangerous.

The Secret Service is certainly aware of the threats, and one can only hope that any overt action is backed away from, once becoming public knowledge, as it was nearly 80 years ago!

The Self Destruction Of The Tea Party Senators: Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio

Ronald 4 Comments

It is great news to see how Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio are self destructing, and proving they are not fit to be President of the United States, and the reality that none of the three will ever be President, even if the Republican Party is crazy enough to nominate one of them for President in 2016.

Cruz has shown he has no regard for anything but his own ambition, and his willingness to shut down the government, and cause it a loss of $24 billion, shows how reckless he really is. He has totally alienated most of his Senate colleagues by his insults and his tactics, and his obvious desire to prevent economic growth of the nation, and promote his extremist right wing views.

Rand Paul has been shown to be a plagiarizer, and has put on a temper tantrum reminiscent of a child, rather than an adult. He has also threatened to leave politics, and we can only wish for such a result, as he, like his father, is a total charlatan and lunatic!

Marco Rubio has shown that his lust to be President includes his decision to withdraw his support for the immigration bill that he promoted through the Senate successfully, and he will, clearly, stop at nothing to advance his own agenda.

All three of these potential Presidential candidates have thus demonstrated that they do not have the necessary characteristics to be our Commander in Chief. They are all demagogues, with the desire to set America back to the pre– New Deal days, and they fail to realize that the country at large is not interested in their agenda and that of the Tea Party right wing lunatics they are proud to represent!

155th Annniversary Of Theodore Roosevelt’s Birth

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Today is the 155th Anniversary of the birth of our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt.

Few Presidents have had the impact of our youngest President, who was affectionately known as “TR” or “Teddy”!

Few have been as popular as he was in his time, and in most of our history since.

Few were ever as open and outspoken about their belief in political, social and economic reform as Roosevelt was.

TR became a model for later Presidents, including his distant cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

TR was proud to call himself a “progressive”, and he inspired generations of people with his belief that America could be a better place, and not be under the thumb of powerful corporations.

Certainly, one can disagree with TR on many ideas and beliefs, particularly in his promotion of “imperialism” in Latin America, and his limitations on the issue of race, but that does not take away from his greatness, with him usually being ranked just below the “great” Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and FDR.

TR changed our country for the better, and the fact that he is attacked by the likes of Glenn Beck and other right wing extremists, only adds to his magnificent stature!

A trip to his home at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, is well worth it!

A Third Party In The Offing: Not Likely!

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With the disgust over the disaster of the 113th Congress, and the GOP inspired government shutdown, the public opinion support for a third party has risen to its highest point in a decade, with 60 percent stating such a belief, in a Gallup Poll.

The frustration is understandable, but the American system of government has never moved toward a three party system, which would create the need for coalitions, and prevent passage of legislation, making it more difficult than the split Congress has demonstrated.

Third party history has been one of protest, and having an effect on who wins the Presidency, and promoting new ideas that often are later accepted by one or the other major political parties.

What is much more likely than a third party competing with the two major parties is a political realignment, with the Democrats likely to benefit by the civil war in the Republican Party.

And the Tea Party Movement is doomed, as the American people are catching on as to how destructive and negative that movement has been in the past four years.

The Republican Party has had a history of some great leaders and accomplishments, but their ability to compete is doomed, until and when they recognize that moving to the Far Right is a disaster, and that they must appeal to the voting groups that they have antagonized, including minorities, the young, woman, labor, and the struggling middle class.

And they must repudiate the hold of religion over their party, and emphasize tolerance, open mindedness, and a belief in the power of science, or else they will never be competing, and might be replaced by a new party!

The Tea Party Threat To Conservative Republican Senators In 2014

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The Tea Party Movement is now threatening conservative Republican Senators coming up for re-election in 2014, who they regard as not conservative enough, including

Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Pat Roberts of Kansas
Thad Cochran of Mississippi

It is not as if any of these five Senators are flaming liberals, or even know what the word “moderate” is, but to the Tea Party Movement, they are RINOS (Republican In Name Only).

The effect of the right wing attack on these Senators is that some, or all of them, may be replaced by more extremist candidates, and in some cases, Democrats might win the seats.

And it makes the idea of cooperation and “crossing the aisle” in the future even more unlikely, and makes stalemate and gridlock the long term future in the Senate, as well as it already is in the House of Representatives.

Imagine having to root for these Senators to keep their seats, or their possible replacement by Democrats, by far the better scenario!

Such is the craziness of the Tea Party Movement, and its disastrous effect on American politics! It needs to be rooted out as a cancer that must be eradicated as undermining the American future, and bringing us back to the 19th century!