August 5, 2010: I miss Sam Seder
...and the Original Air America. But these videos will have to do. Thanks for calling BS Sam.
May 12, 2010: Daily Show calls it!
For the past couple of weeks, I have been wonder why Conservative commentators have been using terms like "Obama's Katrina" and "Obama's Iraq" when these same commentators defended Pres. Bush's policies in Iraq and Katrina. Likewise, the mainstream media has taken up these talking points. Well, last night Jon Stewart addressed this very same hypocrisy with typical Daily Show hilarity! Check it out here.
May 5, 2010: America 1, Terrorism Zilch!
How badass was that -- 53 hours after authorities were notified about a suspicious car in Times Square, the FBI and local authorities detain and arrest their man before his plane takes off! Did they use racial profiling? Did they have to torture people along the way to get information? Did they waterboard suspected bomber Faisal Shahzad in order for him to cooperate with the investigation? NO. They used good old fashioned detective work and following the trail -- aided of course by modern day technology -- that was more Perry Mason than Jack Bauer. Hats off to the NYPD and the FBI for doing this one by the books, and special tip of the hat to the street vendors and people of New York for not only reporting suspicious behavior, but for not panicking and going about things and cowering in fear.
March 24, 2010: Smackdown!
Wow, long but worth the read. I couldn't have said it better myself, Russell!
March 23, 2010: What IS the "will of the American people?"
Repoublicans keep spouting that Democats and the President are defying the will of the American people, but wasn't it the American people who voted by a wide margin to elect Democrats in 2008, on the platform of reforming healthcare? James Zogby hits it out of the park with a short but to the point blog on Huffpost.
March 22, 2010: Historic Vote
Well, the Dems pulled it out. I have to say I had some doubts, and there is still a ways to go, but we are at least facing the right direction.
Watching the coverage all last night, I was amazed how the fear mongering kept coming, even after the bill was passed. Representatives who stood up saying that this bill was the "biggest boon to the abortion industry ever" or that "more children and babies will die because of this bill then ever before". Really? I am no fan of Congressman Bart Stupack, but when he stood up and said that this bill will help women who choose to keep their unborn child have pre-natal care, pay for hospital procedures, and health care after the baby was born is, arguably, more important than simply fighting for the "right to life". That brief smackdown of those who wished to kill the bill from the main roadblock to reform over the past week was amazing. Unfortunately, the only thing getting media attention on the web is afterwards when someone shouts "baby killer" at him.
What of the very confused people outside protesting? BlueJersey has some video of these protesters who feel that their decision to gamble their lives with no healthcare should be law of the land.. really has to be seen to be believed.
And those who shout "Government Takeover", and "Get the Government's Hands off my Healthcare" seem to forget the massive overreach of Congressional Republicans during the Terry Schivo incident (thanks Rep. Holt!)
Lastly, keep the pressure on! Go to Cong. Anthony Weiner's Countdown to Healthcare and sign his petition.
March 3, 2010: Truth to Lies
Congressman Anthony Weiner is awesome. I wish he were my representative. Better yet, I wish more of our Representatives were like Congressman Weiner.
February 1, 2010: Why do we hate ourselves?
Leave it to the BBC to tell Americans what we can't seem to accept ourselves - that we would rather suffer the consequences than admit we don't undertand something.
January 20, 2010: America = Wonderland?
Okay, so let's recap the New Year so far:
• Yesterday New Jersey swore in it's first Republican Governor in eight years because the previous Democratic Governor made too man cuts that the Democratic State Legislature and the people didn't like and the new Governor promises to cut... more?
• Yesterday Massachusetts elected it's first Republican Senator in decades and everyone is saying it is a referendum on Obama's proposed health care, when Mass. is one of the few states that ALREADY HAS a sort of universal health care?
• Democrats now lost their "Super Majority" even though they never actually had 60 votes, thanks to Conserva-Dems like Lieberman & Co. who would never vote for reform anyway?
• Talking heads are saying it's a wake up call to Democrats not to be too Liberal, yet Health Care, Financial Reform have been drastically changed and watered down by conservative Dems and Centrist Republicans in hopes of getting their votes?
• And despite the fact Republicans have lower approval ratings than Democrats or even the President himself, and have not made one solid effort to propose anything but "NO" in response to all that happens, Independents and Dems are voting for Republican candidates because they want to send a message to the Dems?
Does any of this make any sense whatsoever? Add to this the tragedy in Haiti, the outrage over a failed terrorist strike using the procedures that have been in place since Bush/Cheney, Avatar winning Best Picture at the Golden Globes and we fall further down that hole.
Where the heck is that hookah smoking cat....
Sept. 29, 2009: Kids are Stooopid
Once again it take Jon Stewart to do the nominal investigating needed to expose Conservative pundits as the hypocrites they are.
Sept. 14, 2009: Teabaggers are a Riot!
Thanks to Crooks and Liars for posting this... absolutely made my morning!
Sept. 11, 2009: In Memoriam
Every morning I drive over an hour to work, during rush hour, often getting in a bit after 9 am. For the past eight years I have listened to the 9-11 memorials on WCBS AM radio, hearing the names, listening to remembrances, and the eeriness of the toll bells over my radio speakers. It never ceases to move me and I have to be sure to compose myself before entering my office. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those who innocently lost their lives and loved ones on that day, and for all those brave souls who put others' safety before their own, only to pay the ultimate price.
May their Memory be Eternal.
Sept. 4, 2009: Happy Socialist Holiday, America!
This weekend marks Labor Day, a holiday originating in a celebration of workers and labor organizations... kinda sounds Socialist, don't it? So I recommend that our anti Health Care reform GOP friends go to work and avoid things like public beaches, roads, parks and gatherings, because they would merely be supporting the Socialist cause.
Cheers!
August 27, 2009: You call this Christian?!?!?
You know, where did this guy learn theology from, a Cracker Jack box? I hope that he at least gets his tax exempt status revoked.
August 12, 2006: You Do Not Have Health Care Reform
August 10, 2006: Just lying
So Palin was supposed to be our VP? At least she learned from former VP Cheney that if you just lie to the public, that often works better than having to provide proof. Even former Republican pundits can't believe the B.S. being shoveled at the Heath Care debate.
August 6, 2009: Faux Grassroots
Just your average middle class Americans...
July 24, 2009: Cronkite's Legacy
Why is it that the most telling analysis of the news has to come from commedians and not the real news outlets? Bill Mahr and Jon Stewart, always on the money.
July 20, 2009 - Shocked! Shocked, I tell you!
So, recently President Obama visited the state of New Jersey to help the lagging Corzine re-election campaign. Through a series of connections, my wife was lucky enough to be seated on the stage, right in view of the cameras, so when the next day's paper rolled around, lo and behold there was a shot of my lovely wife right behind Pres. Obama.
The reaction of family and friends to this has been interesting. "Did you know your wife's a Democrat?" I was asked. Seriously. "So you like Corzine?", as if being a Democrat mean I whole heartedly support every candidate - despite the fact that I was a Democrat before Corzine ever considered running for office. Other comments, mentioned half-jokingly, included "So you support the Taliban" and "When did you become a Communist?"
What amazes me is that once I proudly "outed" myself as a Democrat (obviously these people never read my website), and proceeded to ask why anyone would be proud to identify themselves as a Republican after the past eight years and the string of scandals lately, everyone seems struggle for answers:
"The Democrats are corrupt" - Pot, meet kettle. Yes NJ Democrats are entrenched, but here comes a guy from the Private sector, not a lifelong politician, cuts everyone's funding to help the in-the-red NJ budget, and the contender Christie has his own charges of ethical violations. But it's the Dems who are corrupt.
"Tell Obama that he needs to stop spending so much" - Really, you want to go there? After 8 years of blown budgets, grown government and funding for a war of choice (that one year of military spending could solve all the healthcare issues we face now), and the first stimulus under Pres. Bush. NOW we are fiscally conservative. Puh-leeze...
The fact is Gov. Corzine launched the a first-in-the-nation Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan, and he is the only New Jersey governor in over six decades to reduce the size of state government. And while Chris Christie's accomplishments as U.S. Attorney is admirable, no one has yet to tell me what he will do different than Corzine, since Corzine has already cut so much. If he cuts more and cuts the thousands of State workers he promises, then those Union workers who have complained about Corzine cutting their hours will now lose their jobs completely. That puts tens of thousands of NJ workers on
unemployment, not exactly the way to get the economy rolling, now is it?
I understand the "anyone but Corzine" mentality... we all had it with Bush as well, but while Corzine is actually doing something about the budget, Christie has yet to "show us the money"....
May 14, 2009: Tortured Logic
So let me get this straight: Dick Cheney is going around publicly admitting that the administration tortured and that we should keep doing it, closely followed by Condi who says the torture was legal because the President's lawyers wrote a letter saying it was.
Now Republican's are going around saying that Democrats like Nancy Pelosi knew about the torture, so they are just as guilty as the President, who, by their standard is not guilty of anything at all.
So which is it? Personally, I never cared much for Pelosi or Reid as Majority leaders, and if it takes their being culpable to finally get high ranking officials in the Bush administration to pay for their crimes then so be it. I mean, the former VP is basically saying "I'm guilty, so whatcha gonna do about it, punk?" Unlike some might suggest, this is NOT about party, but about rule of law. Torture is illegal, regarless if you are a Republican, a Democrat, or the President himself.
March 13, 2008: A True American Hero
Watching Jon Stewart eviscerate Jim Cramer last night on The Daily Show was one of those rare TV moments, like watching Oswald get shot... you just can't believe you are seeing this on TV. All the more reason why Mr. Stewart's "fake" news is actually more informative and probing than the "real" news. Put Mr. Stewart on Meet the Press as the true heir to Tim Russert! Watch it here!
Now if we can just get Stewart to do the same to Ari Fleisher's revisionism...
February 18, 2009: Socialism... really?
With the passing of the stimulus package, Right-Wingers see only one word: Socialism. I dare you to listen to any Right-Wing pundit for more than 3 minutes lately and not here the word uttered. It has achieved comical levels, that I think even regular middle of the road conservatives are tired of hearing about it. Bob Cesca has a great piece over at HuffPost that should be used against wingnuts every time they bring this up – if you don't like the stimulus, don't take any of the money. As a matter of fact, don't even accept anything the government does that resembles socialism: stay off government subsidized roads, don't use public schools, and by all means do not accept those Social Security checks.
Let me know how that works out for you an your constituents.
January 29, 2009: 60 Minutes of Truth
Usually, I have to visit the BBC to find reporting of this sort, but last week on CBS 60 Minutes featured a report on the Israel/Palestine peace process which is in grave danger. But rather than the usual throw the blame on Hamas and terrorists, it focused on how Israeli Settlers, with the support of the government, are trying to prevent a Palestinian State. 60 Minutes is coming under heavy fire fo this kind of reporting. Please watch the video, and then contact 60 Minutes and thank them for their courage in airing this report.
January 23, 2009: When FOX Attacks
Wow, with only one full day in office, FOX "news" pounces on the new President with everything it has. This is either the sound of a rabid animal backed into a corner or to paraphrase former VP Cheney, a network in it's "last throwes". Jon Stewart, the unsung hero of the past eight years wraps it up nicely.
January 21, 2008: "You say goodbye, and I say Hello"
Quite an event yesterday. A great speech, not for it's eloquence, which President Obama is known for, but for all the points he made. This was not lofty rhetoric; there is work to be done, and the country needs to work together to do it. Even the most fervent Bush supporters I know were struggling to find bad things to say about the day, most just held their own counsel and accepted the historic nature of the day (not if you were listening to Sean Hannity of course, man, the guy just never gives up. An on Rush's show, one caller proclaied the day marked "the death of democracy"... I kid you not. For the real death of democracy, perhaps she should re-examine the events of 2000). UPDATE: Hanitty interviews Rush for the largest 2-man circle jerk of all time.
I hope that our country has the will and spirit to keep this momentum moving forward, for more than a month, at least.
I would like to point out that I feel those who jeered at President Bush during the event were stepping over the line - there will be plenty of time to insult him in the future, but yesterday was not the time or place for such antics.
I would also like to point out to all those Bush supporters who are trying their hardest to salvage any bits of his legacy in his fair well's over the past week are missing a major issue: yes, he has kept us safe over the past seven years, and for that President Bush and the entire military and intelligence agencies should be applauded, as I have said in the past. However, they did so at the expense of our Constitutional freedoms which they keep claiming the terrorists "hate". Funny it wasn't the terrorists who revoked the right of American citizens not to be spied upon.
And didn't the largest terrorist attack in American History occur WHILE Bush was President? Didn't really keep us safe then, did he?
Good riddance, and not a moment too soon.
Dec. 8, 2008: What's next?
Some have asked me "now that Obama has won, and the Bush Legacy is soon to depart in the halls of history, what's next for graphix4change? What will you do now?"
While I am hopeful of the incoming administration, I have no delusions that the world will become a "perfect liberal utopia", nor do I think I would want that. Although my work over the past seven years has focused primarily on roasting the Bush Administration, the original impetus for G4C was to respond to U.S. POLICIES that I felt were not just or in keeping with our dream of America (ie: the PATRIOT Act, preemptive wars, etc.).
So while I may not focus my efforts on attacking Obama for the next four years, I am sure that some policies will either continue or develop that I will take issue with; I can already anticipate the continuing quagmire of Middle East Peace being in the forefront, while other domestic issues such as health care and capital punishment moving to the forefront. And don't forget, we still have not regained any of the lost civil liberties due to invasive wiretapping and surveillance of U.S. Citizens, and I plan to keep the pressure on an Obama Administration on these matters as well.
One thing the Right Wing Media is trying to do now is to saddle Obama with the Iraq War, claiming "it's HIS WAR NOW!" Well, actually it's not. While Obama will be responsible for overseeing a stabilization and withdrawal of Iraq, the Iraq War will forever go down as George W Bush's war, no question. Where Obama risks being saddle with a war is Afghanistan, where if he escalates the conflict and it goes poorly, then THAT will become Obama's War.
Let us pray that his new cabinet makes wise decisions regarding the lives of our men and women in uniform.
October 10, 2008: The Forgotten Bush Legacy
Aside from all the campaign mudslinging and the complete chaotic turmoil of the world financial markets, this story slips in on a Friday, out with the trash. Just a little reminder of the civil liberties we kissed goodbye over the past eight years.
Sept. 23, 2008: Lies, Bigoty and Hatred are alive and well...
As I commented previously, racism is alive and well in this election cycle. Several commentators have written about this, while some Right-Wing commentators and talking heads have countered that the Left is "crying racism". Yes, like the the Right is complaining that the press is actually doing it's job and calling the McCain Campaign out on his lies. If it walks like a duck...
Two good, short examinations of the polls in regards the the state of the Nation? Read Nicholas Kristoff and the Progressive on these points.
Sept. 12, 2008: Get your facts straight!
As Barak Obama said on Late Night with David Letterman the other night, it's "Silly Season" in politics right now. The campaign ads being put forth by the McCain/Palin ticket are low, cheap and just plain wrong. Be sure to go to factcheck.org to learn the truth behind the ads on both sides.
"Wake-Up sheepeople!!!" – Marc Maron
Sept. 10, 2008 – Stupidity or something else?
With the dust settling from the Democratic and Republican Conventions, I have a few thoughts and observations:
First – Dems missed a chance by having their Keynote Address given by a self-promoting snoozfest of a speaker... didn't someone in the Obama campaign read his speech first? The Republicans sent out attack dog Rudy Giuliani and we get Mark Warner?
Second – Democrats attacked McCain on his polices and similarity to the past 8 years of Bush (Palin was not announced yet), but were deferential to him to a fault in regards to his military service. Republicans, on the other hand, were outright mean in their attacks on Obama and Democrats in general; they mocked and belittled the man, not simply his policies. They did the same to John Kerry in 2004 – a decorated war hero – by mocking his very service to this country (remember the "purple band-aids"?).
Third – Why is it that media constantly ask what the Democrats will do to reach across the aisle and be "non-partisan", while the same question was not even asked to Republican operatives? Is it because they know from the tone of the Republican Convention that they were not even trying to appear bi-partisan or act like a big tent?
Fourth – Did any one else notice that the Democratic Convention showed America, all it's faces, religions, ethnicities and gender preferences in attendance, while at the Republican Convention, cameramen were hard pressed to find an African American face in the audience? Or even a gaggle of people who were under the age of 50? One look at the sea of old, white faces should be a clue to the American public that this is NOT a majority party.
Fifth – Obma chose Biden as a running mate. not the flashy choice or one that will win him any battle ground states, but a man who is ready to be President and will be good for this country. McCain chose an unknown, with less than two months for the press to do their work (Obama, Biden and McCain himself have been vetted overt the past 18 months of the campaign) – a calculated pick to gain North West states, the woman's vote, and make nice with the Conservative Base. But best person to lead this Country in the event the 72 year old twice cancer stricken McCain gets ill...?
Sixth – The Republicans have been and continue to fight dirty: their ads are attack ads that stretch the truth or outright lie about Obama's record and once again his character. Case in point, the "Celebrity" ad, and the current ads about teaching sex to kindergardeners and claiming Obama is making sexist attacks on Palin. The civil McCain who refused to personally attack Obama is allowing the party to run the campaign he swore he would not run.
So, will the Dems fight back, get themselves dirty, or take the high road and hope someone gives them credit for "playing nice"? It should not be a tough call, because although Obama likes to say that "the American people are not stupid", I tend to side with Bill Maher who thinks we are stupid. We elected Bush, twice, and now with the state of the country swinging strongly in favor of Democratic policies and candidates, the polls are even. A close Republican friend recently remarked that if Obama got elected it would be due to "white guilt". But with everything working in Democratic favor, the fact that we are stilled tied with a candidate that reflects all the current administrations policies an only be attributed to either stupidity or racism. Either way, not a good commentary on the mindset of the American people.
June 25, 2008: Honoring Bush
Never let it be said, that our 43rd President is not deserving of honor or praise...
June 16, 2008: RIP
Sincere condolences to the family of Tim Russert, and to the extended family at NBC. Plenty of greater people have eulogized Mr. Russert, so I won't pretend to know him, but I will miss his presence this upcoming election. It also proves that good people can leave such a huge mark on the political. My Sunday evenings won't be the same...
May 28, 2008: A look in the mirror
Yesterday I overheard two of my Republican office mates gleefully commenting on the "implosion" of Hillary Clinton and her campaign. They noted how bad both she and her husband, the former President, have come across in the past few weeks, stating: "Now all those Clinton-lovers get to see him how we've always seen them; liars who will stop at nothing to win."
Granted, I being a former "Clinton-lover" have been very disappointed in both Hillary and Bill's behavior during this campaign: the air of inevitability, the girl-in-the-boys-club posturing, then inevitable cries of sexism, the racial comments, the ultra-hawkishness, and the constant moving of the goalposts to justify their continuing campaign.
That said, my friend's comments got me thinking: Republicans hated the Clintons for many reasons, but one of the things that really got under their skin was how Bill managed to use Republican strategies and issues AGAINST them. Bill triangulated, moved the Democratic Party to the Right, and made welfare reform, crime, punishment, big government and deficits Democratic issues and Democratic victories. The Clintons also were not the typical Democrats in that they never ran away when attacked, but rather attacked back with equal fierceness and vigor.
Race-baiting, big corporate donors, threatening to annihilate countries we don't like, and stretching reality to fit your current point of view are Conservative Republican mainnstays. And the Clinton Campaign's constant rationalizations for staying in the race remind me of the Bush Administration's changing rationales for invading and staying in Iraq.
So what my friend and his ilk are upset about is that the Clintons are acting, in short, the way Republicans act all the time, and they can't stand it. Not a pretty look in the mirror...
May 5th, 2008: Double Standard
Frank Rich at the NYT questions the media's lapse in noticing the double standard surrounding Obama's Wright problem and McCain's Hagee/Roberston/Faldwell alliances.
April 17, 2008: Does anyone see a pattern here?
So the Pope comes to the White House and the President speaks of "America people whose hearts are open to your message of hope... In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that 'God is love'"... and "In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred, and that 'each of us is willed, each of us is loved'". On that same day, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Death Penalty.
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter engages Hamas in talks, which is something bipartisan top ranking officials have suggested in the past. Yet our nation's media and punditry all condemn him for his actions, and even suggest he's anti-Semetic, even though he negotiated the only still-lasting peace between Israel and it's neighbor Egypt. Yes, because our stance of ignoring Hamas has worked so well over the past 7 years. And our ally Israel refused to provide security to a former U.S. President while he attempts to persuade their enemy into peace talks... good move Israel, so if something happens to him, you'll claim it was Hamas' fault, just like you blamed the death of the Reuter's camerman killed by your own tank fire.
At a time when it has been revealed that our nations highest officials approved and greenlighted torture, despite having denied so under oath, the most important questions this same network can ask our Presidential hopefuls is about their patriotism by not wearing a lapel pin.
And they wonder why we're bitter?
March 17, 2008: 5-Years and 100 to go...
Five years ago this week, we launched our preemptive war with Iraq based on false information, old intelligence, sexed-up reports and good old-fashioned fear mongering. May God give rest to the souls of ALL the departed from this conflict, and may our Troops come home safe and soon.
Another anniversary happened this week; the 40th Anniversary of the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. Coincidentally (or not), former Iraq and Afghanistan veterans told their war stories at the Winter Soldier event in Washington, D.C. this past weekend. The "Liberal" mainstream media did not even bother to mention it, much less cover it.
The following are links to political commentators and alternative news outlets on the web. Some are self-professed Liberals, others are Libertarians and Independents. Most of the news outlets that may be considered liberal are only called that because they are not beholden to the American government or Rupert Murdoch. Please visit the following sites regularly to keep informed.
American Civil Liberties Union — Demonized by the hard right, they defend the liberties of ALL Americans, even right wing nutjobs! Because to the ACLU, the Constitution actually means something
AntiWar.com — Most comprehensive coverage of world events in one location
BlueJersey.net — A true community-based blog that reports on NJ politics
Jersey City Independent — An online NJ-based Newspaper
Center for Constitutional Rights
Democracy Now — Amy Goodman, quite possibly the only journalist left with guts!
truthout.org — global commentary
Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting
The Guardian Unlimited and The BBC — The British are our closest ally, but they are not under the control of American Corporations; best source for news around the world
OpTruth.org — The real deal from the soldiers who are over there
The Raw Story — Alternative to Drudge
... all contain excellent research and writing.
