Newt, the movie.

If I were making a film about Newt Gingrich, I would borrow a character and his actor from the Movie The caine Mutiny. The actor, Humphrey Bogart. The character, Lieutenant Commander Phillip Francis Queeg.

Queeg was a certified paranoid possessed with micro managing his ship’s less important tasks. Absorbed in self-important, intensely mistrustful, and hopelessly inept. Possibly lost in the throws of senility. For sure not aware of his surroundings and basically clueless. Maybe something like the great French police detective, Jacques Clouseau. Bumbling, fumbling, and out of touch.

Only he, the Queeg character and Gingrich see themselves in a self-ascribed position of command. Others around them see a pitiful retch destine for self-destruction. Almost as if living in a bubble as did the Emperor as described in the “Emperor’s Clothes.” Attempting to live an illusion that only they could see. Others view Queeg and Gingrich with the naked truth.

Anyway, Gingrich could easily be characterized as shifty eyed, vain, narcissistic, and a guy you wouldn’t want to split a pizza with. He would certainly ask you, “Where’s your pizza?” A real junkyard dog of a friend.

Here's your choices. Either Mr. Plunder or Mr. Blunder.

So here’s how it boils down. You have one Republican candidate who is snarky, snippy, not accountable and wants to be president just because. Because he thinks the other guy, President Obama, shouldn’t be president. It’s that simple. “I want it because I want it!”

The other Republican candidate is one of those nebulous guys who wants it both ways. He wants to be Right and he wants to be in the middle. All at the same time. Seemingly being a revolving flip-flop. Something likes a stern-wheeler paddle riverboat. Swish swash. In and out and in and out of the political waters. But you have to admit, he has nice hair.

Now, Newt Gingrich can easily be characterized as the big “ Government Eraser.” All he wants to do is get rid of everything Obama ever had done while in office. Erase all Obama’s executive orders. Zip. Swoosh! Gone. Off the page. Just like that.

However if you ask Gingrich what he wants to do for the American people, he wants to colonize the Moon. Certainly a worthwhile endeavor. Simply speaking, a hundred billion dollar project to begin with. “Oh, we’ll borrow the money of course.”

Then there’s Mit Romney. Not sure what he will do if elected president. He changes his mind so much it’s hard to say what will be the outcome of his presidency. However, what he is good at is attack ads. He can build a business producing attack ads against anything that he opposes. For example, attack ads against not having a pipeline down the middle of the USA. “Nebraska is evil in not wanting a pipeline!” Clean air and water is ruining America.” “Obamacare will kill you!” “Let congress be dammed.”

So these are the two guys the Republican party want to wish upon us. Doctor Strangelove and Flapjack Mr. Goodhair. Newt or Mit. The two man havoc reeking crew.

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Wooden-headedness. Curtis Payne, Tulsa. The letter by Mack M. Braly ("Benighted heathens," Jan. 21) goes a long way in explaining why there are so many uninformed voters. The writer only wants to have his opinions reinforced and isn't at all interested in reading a point of view that he does not share. That I believe goes a long way in explaining the current political landscape in Oklahoma. That is why I am thankful to see a conservative-owned paper allowing both a liberal and conservative point of view be represented. As one writer put it: "Disagreement shakes us out of our slumbers and forces us to see our own point of view through contrast with another person who does not share it. Having a paper that is willing to represent more than the majority view in an area should be considered a good thing, but apparently Braly would prefer to remain blind and scared of having his opinions challenged by others who don't agree with him. Braly's condition is symptomatic of "woodenheadedness" and far too many Tulsans and Oklahomans suffer from it, not to mention the rest of the country. Nor is it a very good prescription for providing uninformed citizens with the knowledge to retain our representative form of democracy. I recall a quote by Gen. George Patton that is applicable: "If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking. Unfortunately that is apparently what this letter-writer strives for. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com..

Now that we see the light at the end of the tunnel,...

Assuming a Republican candidate makes it to the Whitehouse, then what. As promised, they will do the following:
Repeal Obamacare. Huge tax cuts for the rich. Buy unnecessary military hardware. Beef up military spending and personnel. Open up all oceans and land for oil and gas drilling. Build more coal-fired power plants. Build a thousand mile pipeline from Canada to Houston. Get rid of all business and financial regulations. Run off all undocumented Hispanics. Over turn Rowe Vs Wade. Criminalize abortion. Stop birth control. Stop funding schools, police departments, fire departments, the TSA, etc. Close down the Department of Energy, Department of Education, the EPA, and the list of Nos is endless. Finally, drown the federal government in a bathtub.

So when all the above and more is done, then what? What will the Republicans do for we the people? How will they make healthcare more affordable? How will the Republicans educate America? What long-term jobs will the Republicans provide or encourage? How will they clean up the polluted air and water? What will we Americans do without Medicare or Social Security?

Tell me, what benefit do the Republicans bring to the American table? Are Republicans alone good for America? What will happen to fair compromise with the other side? Will right wing religious fervor drive government policy? Will the big corporations run Washington DC?

Voters! I hope you are paying attention. Our future is at risk. Turn off talk radio and talk to your neighbors. Read the newspapers. Many issues affecting our country and independence are requiring your consideration. Stand up. Vote smart. Our wonderful and beautiful America is being challenged by money and corruption. Resist. Fight. And, defend the US Constitution. God bless America.

What we need is a pipeline from China sending our jobs back.

So, let’s talk about this Canadian Pipeline thing. What would it provide for we Americans other than an environmental scar down the heartland of Middle America? Speaker Boehner says it’s needed and is shovel-ready. Jobs a plenty. Work for Americans.

Let us first ask what kind of jobs? Will they be long term jobs and provides benefits? Health benefits? Livable wages? Long-term employment? Retirement benefits? Education benefits?

One could easily surmise that the answer is no. Employment would be short term. Only a quick fix for employment and then more unemployment. Along with no benefits. Health or otherwise.

What benefit would we Americans receive for this short-term job creator? Cheaper oil? Cheaper gas? Plentiful supply? Two dollar a gallon gasoline?

Once again, the answer would be no. No fool is going to build a billion dollar pipeline and sell oil and gasoline at a friendly neighbor discount. Without any doubt, the oil will be placed immediately on the global market and most likely shipped off to our Pacific neighbors to the far west. Sometimes called the Far East. Our neighbors otherwise known as China and India.

So do we want America to act as conduit for Canadian crude oil just to be processed and sent abroad? Once again the answer is no.

The bottom line is the major benefit is to the big oil and pipeline owners and it’s shareholders. All we get to do is look at it. An environmental eye sore. Not to mention a potential land oil spill. Creating an enormous blight on the Plaines and prairie of Middle America the Beautiful.

It would be like building a multi-story high-rise hotel on the Colorado River in the middle of the Grand Canyon. Just to provide jobs. We don’t need just jobs. American workers want longevity. Americans want careers. Americans want sustainable living and retirement. Not a pipeline. Ugly freaking eye sore.

The Canadians can send it to Vancouver. They can build it right down the middle of their tulip beds. Pipeline? No thank you!

To no-no-no him is to not love-love-love him.

Inspiring, refocusing, challenging, and getting back to the basics of hard work. That’s the message I got from President Obama’s State of the Union address last night. But, I am afraid the Republican leadership didn’t see it that way.

It’s not that the ‘Publicans’ could challenge all of Obama’s proposals with meaningful house and senate bills but rather the ‘Pubs’ are still in a resisting mode with no substantive legislation as an alternative. Their party motto is still very much “NO!” No serves them well. Just sit on it. “Inertia are us.”

“Yes we can” makes the Republicans look bad. Very bad. Disallowing any legislation that gives Obama a positive appearance is bad for Republican candidates. Republicans must keep Obama at bay until the general election in November. No matter how beneficial legislation could be for America. It’s most advantageous for Republicans to put on the legislative breaks. Resist. Say no. It’s like telling an old granny woman she can’t vote because she has no ID. Democracy being turned away to advantage the FEW.

So, in the mean time nothing gets done. Good legislation goes wanting. Congress is thwarting good government only to defeat Obama and put a Republican in the Whitehouse. Wanting to regain control for control sake only. All at the expense of the greater good. Greater good be dammed should be the Republican motto. “One percent are us!”

But anyway, Obama will have to keep the heat on. Hold congress’s feet to the legislative fire. Get it done! Done now! I and others want to hear bully bully bully from the presidential pulpit. Obama! Get it done!

"All I know is what I read in the papers." Will Rogers

What it all comes down to is we the voters. How do we make reasonable and intelligent choices? How to choose a candidate that will best represent our country as President. Certainly not an easy task.

It is not easy to choose because of all the shouting and peripheral partisan noise. Bellicose politicians blowing hard, Pundits spinning, Talk Radio bloviating, Electronic media sound biting, etc. Often misrepresenting, distorting, and prevaricating. Leaving a heavy shroud of media smog. A heavy haze keeping we the voters from finding the truth. Certainly a roadblock on the way to finding honest answers.

In order to find truth and honesty, I suggest to first turn off the TV and radio. Then go to the newsstand and buy a respected newspaper. A newspaper with professional trained journalists. People who have spent years in learning unbiased journalism. To read such is to take out all the hype and hoopla. Just down to earth journalism. Plane and simple. “Just the facts ma’me.” Read it all for yourself.

Yes, it does take a little more of your time but it’s well worth it. Reading the newspaper cuts out the middleman. You know, the spinners, the political handlers, the tabloid sensationalists, and the image hyperbolist. And once you have read what you need to know; well, you’ll feel much better. Much better a about yourself and your favorite candidate. Go read’em bubba!

It's more like an "Alter Call" by special interests

“You can have all this you see before you,” the devil told Jesus. “All I need is for you to bow down and worship me,” Satan commanded. Certainly an episode from the “Great Temptation” during Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness.

An event where the devil wanted Jesus to compromise his principles and deny God. Unfortunately, a model followed by many of today’s political leaders. In modern terms it’s called selling out to special interests. Mostly followed by Republican politicians. And, to be fair, a few Democrats as well.

What I am getting at is what is the Republican leadership thinking? Who are these candidates they are presenting to us the American voters. All have moral and ethical questions about their past. Most of whom represent the antithesis of what Jesus taught. Selflessness, service to others, giving rather than receiving, giving to the poor, healing the sick, humility, patients, forgiveness, etc. Republican candidates who obviously have a large void in the Christian obligation department.

Either stop calling them Christian or they should start acting and talking like one. We need moral leadership as well as a caring for the American people. Stop the bloviating and create government that helps and serves the people. Not a government that serves big money and oil interests.

Surely there must be a person, man or woman, who has good moral standards and has American’s best interest in mind. A person the Republican Party would be proud to be presented as a good and ethical Presidential candidate. The remaining field of Republican candidates are just too extreme. Too sold out to special interests. Too much the opposite of Christianity. And, too bad. The Republicans will lose big time. How sad.

Believe it or not! I'd rather not!

Isn’t that something? The Republicans in South Carolina would prefer a presidential candidate known for his debauchery and low in personal and professional ethics. Rather they would prefer a person twice divorced, having left his former wives in various stages of disability and disease instead. Perhaps following the footsteps of Al Capone and the Unabomber. No conscience or accountability. Self-important would be a gross understatement.

Certainly I can’t be the only one on earth to see this moral puzzlement. Are those South Carolinians living without the benefit of TV or Twitter? Is partisanship in that state so compelling that truth is trumped by “Do as I say and not as I do?” Holy Moly!

Furthermore, are these Carolinians cavemen and women? Are they worshiping the god of “Shoot first and ask questions later?” Is South Carolina really part of the United States? They seem more like members of the old Confederacy to me. Oh my. Forgive them for they know not what they do. God Bless America.

I thought he would never figure it out

Well it’s about time. It certainly took him long enough to read the handwriting on the wall. Time to leave. However, it was like Clarabell the clown leaving the Howdy Doody Show. One more goofus down and four to go.

And, if you hadn’t heard, Rick Perry took is traveling sideshow back to Texas. Back where he belongs. The real question here is, how did he manage to leave Texas in the first place? For sure a “Not Ready for Prime Time” politician. More like an Amway salesman pushing expensive soap. Self-serving and a bit obnoxious.

Why would anybody with limited knowledge try to promote himself as a worthy presidential candidate. Can he not tell smart from stupid? Well, I guess, “stupid is as stupid does,” as Forrest Gump might have said.

Well, lets be fair here. Perry is not really stupid. He’s an ignoramus. But, willfully so. Ignoring truth and fact to achieve his own end. Something like Veto Corelone in the movie Godfather. Only wanting to hear about all the money coming in. But, not wanting to know how many people were killed in the process of collecting bad money. Well not quite that bad. But you get my point. Perry is a big ignoramus nonetheless.

Bottom line is, we are all better off for his leaving. No more trying to explain his embarrassing gaffs to our smarter European cousins. There is just no reasonable excuse for his lowbrow enculturation. On second thought, he really is stupid.

Economic principle: Pay less. Get less.

Continuing from yesterdays posting on the idea of “Discounting.”

A blatant example of discounting occurred way back when. Pretty much the beginning of the discount rush to “discount” retail goods. I was living in Los Angeles back in the late sixties. My wife and I use to shop at Safeway for our groceries. One day we see this notice on the Safeway door. “For your convenience and savings, we will be closed tomorrow for our big change over. Safeway will be repricing its inventory to reflect the all-new discounted prices.

However, when the store reopened a few days later, here is what we experienced. First of all we quickly noticed some very empty spots on the shelves where product use to occupy. Looking like there was a shortage of can and boxed goods. Almost like there was a grocery rush by food hoarders. Or maybe, Safeway forgot to restock their shelves the night before. But, that was not the case.

The next thing we noticed was a absents of our favorite brand names. Del Monte, Libby, Kraft, Bisquik, and other familiar names were off the shelves. Gone. Perhaps awaiting discount agreements.

However, in their place was a cheaper store brand. Generic brands labeled for Safeway but lower in quality. And, certainly lower in price. Reinforcing the old maxim, “you get what you pay for.”

So, from that point it was all down hill from there. Not only did prices go down, quality suffered as well. From that point on there was a mad rush to compete with pricing and not quality or good customer service. Of course, the buying public thought they were receiving a good deal. A good deal of fakery that is. Receiving lesser quality and volume in order to offer a smaller price. Smaller packaging and less quality to offer a discount price. Reinforcing the concept of selling quantity at a lesser price. Certainly at the expense of and compromising quality.

The bottom line is you pay less, you get less. Les quality goods. Less volume. Less flavor. Less healthy product. More water and less food. Mostly stuff coming from China. We are not getting the same foodstuffs for a lesser price. Do you see my point? Consequently, the more we buy into this “Discount” notion, the more we have to buy. We have to buy more to get what we use to get way back when. Back when at a time we got what we paid for. Good product. Good customer service. Products made in America by Americans who could afford quality goods.

Discount is just code word for bigger bottom line for the business owners and their shareholders. Nothing more. Nothing less. It’s not about product or service. It’s max profit and minimum output. You get what you pay for. Low volume. Less goods and service. How sad. Once again, reinforcing the idea of the “Dummying Down of America.” We have been deceived. We have been fooled. We have been taken advantage of. Holy Moly! Discount. Schmishount. It’s a bunch of crap.

We have a garage filled with economy recking junk.

Our insatiable demands for cheaper goods, is what brought our economy down. Mostly goods with a short life. Goods tossed away in to ever growing mountains of junk. Instead of goods that could easily sustain a build and repair industry, we instead have a waste management corps of trash haulers. Grunt workers being paid a low wage.

Way back when at the inception of “Discounting” the idea was to make goods cheaper so more could afford to buy and buy more. Supporting a mass consumption economic model. A model that compromises quality for quantity. Only benefiting businesses and their investors. Certainly shifting production offshore in order to cut cost. Thus producing a cheaper disposable and less quality good.

Now that I have given you my basic thesis, I will continue this essay later. Later as soon as I have breakfast and have wakened. Good morning.

Why does Skype hate it's users?

One of those constant annoyances online is Skype. Unfortunately I use Skype often. But what Skype does is like a nagging case of zits. It’s hard to get rid of them.

And what I am talking about is Skypes persisting insistence to update. Yes, you know what I’m talking about. Certainly I am not the only one that Skype baggers and hounds to death. “Update! Update now! I will update without your permission!”

I have nothing against in general with updating. However, the version of Skype I use works quite well for me. It’s simple and direct. No searching for function, which Skype has hidden in its later versions. I like simplicity and directness. How could Skype take something so easy to use and make it more complicated? Skype and its new owners, Microsoft, like to switch rules often. I don’t like it. It just slows me down while causing much aggravation.

Now, I am currently reading the Steve Jobs book. If jobs had to use this unnecessarily complicated app, I know what he would say. And being a modest person, I will just say this:
Jobs would say this application is full of Sh--! It sucks! Who did this!? It’s all Fu—ed up! Who ever did this should go straight to he--!

So, I honestly don’t know why the do this. Surely I’m not the only one feeling this way about Skype. What do you think? I love Skype 3.8. Five point five really sucks, as Jobs might say.

Just put that stuff out at the curband it will be picked up.

Yet another flaming rocketing piece of space junk flashes downward into the Atlantic coast just off Brazil. This time it was a super secret Russian made satellite that fell to the earth in a blaze of malfunctionment. The classic case of crash and burn. Another “Oops moment.”

Never the less, we Earthlings are becoming accustomed to such events. American made satellites fall from space on a regular basis. Causing a low level media event. “Get your hard hat and don’t look up.” But anyway, creating a meteor shower of sparkling white-hot metal shards falling down through the stratospheric Earth’s object resisting atmosphere. And where it falls, no one really knows. Let alone knowing what real danger it might create.

Now this is where we need to put on our thinking cap instead of a hard hat. We should first put all Space Shuttles back into service. Which would require to recall all shuttles from their respective museums. But, it would be for a worthwhile cause.

The cause would be trash collection. Hitched behind each space shuttle would be a half dozen or so ‘Box Car’ size trailers. Trailers with expanding collection nets. Nets designed to catch loose satellites and so-called space particles. Pieces of junk that came detached from larger orbiting satellites. Antennas, telescopes, mechanical arms, nuts, bolts, canisters of microbiology, Styrofoam cups, beer cans, etc. Trash collecting vehicles drug through the upper atmosphere until all dumpsters are filled. Then brought back down to earth and returned to their respective owners.

All in all, a worthy service performed by the former space shuttle program and putting NASA workers back to work engaged in waste management. Surely you could sell some of that junk at garage sells or swap meets as “Space Souvenirs. What do you think?

The Fewer pushing around the Many.

Now here is today’s political question:
How is it that Mit Romney is at the top of the polling heap but many far right conservatives and evangelicals are against his candidacy?

Well, someone out there must think he is qualified for the job anyway in spite of his so-called religious cult beliefs. Maybe some are taken by his general political image. Image as in style of hair. Perhaps Republican voters are impressed by his authoritative manner and commanding oratory. You have to give him credit, he does pose an impressive TV persona. Never mind that he flip-flops and lies often.

Nonetheless, his rise to the top is not by accident. There are obviously more Republican folks out there who feel he can do the job. Certainly more voting folks than those who see him only as a non-evangelical or a cult member. Thus other Republicans saying being evangelical is not all that is important in being a Republican presidential candidate.

So one could easily surmise, those Republicans who are non-compromising on religious membership are in the minority. However, trying to speak for the majority. When in fact they are fewer in number than they wish us to believe. Creating a “Wizard of Oz” effect. Well, just read the story.

Once again, showing how the political smoke screen works. The FEW trying to push the MANY into submission. Lie enough and they will follow. Oh really? Thank goodness it seldom works. God Bless America.

My washer and dryer is smarter than yours.

When you travel about Las Vegas during the International Electronics Exhibition, you will often find the word description, “Smart.” Certainly a term a bit over used to describe various products. Many household appliances are described as “Smart.” Oh really?

Refrigerators, washers, dryers, microwaves and possibly even garbage disposals. All very smart and at your service. Oh sure. Is there a smart toilet? It flushes when a yellow stream hits the water? Well, just kidding.

Nonetheless, the one smart gadget I think is a bit over rated is the “Smart TV.” Smart TV? It sounds a bit Oxymoronic don’t you think? Can you have TV and reasonable intelligence all in one place? Hardly so. The two don’t seem to mix well. Kind of like Einstein marrying Roseanne Barr.

To me, TV is the instrument of choice for instant stupidity. The family room Cyclopes. The Boobtube. A device to suck the brains from your children’s heads. The ubiquitous time waster. Sometimes called Vegetation vision.

But, back to this Smart thing. Who’s to say these electronic widgets are smart? Is there a national certification board the gives a seal of approval certifying appliance Smart? Does each device take a test? Is there a beer bust after the graduation ceremony?

My suggestion is to just read to your kids and they will become smart. Let their brains work on their own. Turn off the “Stupid TV!” Even if it is suppose to be “Smart.”

If you can't say something bad, then say something worse.

What the Republicans don’t want to hear at this moment is, the economy is getting better. Too much credit will be given to the socialist Obama. Nor do they want to read in the papers, many recipients of “Obamacare” are saying they like what they are experiencing with O-care. Or, many Americans think it’s it has been well past time to appoint a Consumer Protection Czar. Neither do the Republicans want to hear employment has gone up and unemployment has gone down. And there are other positive government benefits to attribute to President Obama as well. “Please Mr. and Ms. Media, don’t let anybody know about this.” Please!

So, what the Republican presidential candidates continue to say is, Obama is a dangerous socialist and can’t be trusted. He is a failure. He and his family have no family values.

So as Mit Romney hides his unfortunate business past, he continues to blather about the anti-American socialist Obama. However, the newspaper headlines don’t seem to support Romney’s concerns about Obama or the collective concerns of other Republican presidential candidates.

Even though Newt Gingrich has been married three times with two regrettable divorces, Newt continues to bloviate about the evil President Obama. Liberal, socialist, and darling of the free world. “How could he!”?

Never the less, the only way to hide Obama’s good deeds, is to “Smoke screen” the President’s resume. Say naughty things about him. Call him Big Government. Label him leftist and a Health care Santa Claus. My gosh, how bad can he be?

But, most unfortunate is the fact all the Republican candidates have been caught in lies, exaggerations, re-manufactured untruths, rumors, innuendos, slander, misrepresentations, and many other slight of hand spinning media magic. All of which is to discredit the current president.

How else can one make themselves look good. Characterize your opponent as a Boston Strangler. Misrepresenting of your political opponent often takes the spotlight off of you. See how that works? The Republicans invented it. And they even use this tactic against each other as well.

So Republicans, your misdeeds are on Facebook, Twitter, and on every blog around the world. You can’t hide from it. You can’t deny it. You are what you are. Bad mouthing blowhards.

Who are those guys and what do they want anyway?

What do Republicans want? Are there not any proactive programs they wish to present to America? What positive suggestions can they offer to bring the USA back to prosperity?

I know we have heard all about the “Shovel Ready” projects Congress has been railing about. However those jobs are temporary and have no meaningful benefits. No health care, education, and retirement benefits. America wants jobs that have longevity. Americans want careers not part-time/temp jobs that only benefit shareholders. Americans want jobs that benefit the greater good of all American.

Now, Congress wants to get rid of the “Fed.” Along with a dozen or so agencies. Agencies like the Department of Energy, Federal Housing Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Consumer Protection Bureau, and other agencies that benefit and protect all Americans.

The only discernable goal the Republicans want is to get rid of Obama and rid the whole country of Democrats and Liberals. Is this a worthy goal for America? Will this benefit us creating a one party system? Well, I guess it worked for Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Is this what we want? This is certainly what we will get if we continue to support a do nothing congress that’s only interest is to say No to every progressive proposal. No compromise. No give and take. No sharing of ideas. No measurable progress. Just sit on it.

Nonetheless, Republicans are not offering any significant plans to help America dig its way out of this current economic mire. Just blame the President and criticize any suggestion that isn’t of their own making. No thought on how to revive the economy. No suggestions on how to extend health benefit to all Americans. No thoughts on how to clean up the air and water environment. No ideas on how to better educate our children. No thoughts on how to maintain peace in the troubled spots of the world. No thoughts and no reasonable workable ideas at all. What do Republicans want anyway?

Hasn't Congress been on recess for the past two years?

“How dare you!” So say the Republicans over the recess appointment to the Consumer Protection Bureau. President Obama should not be allowed to do that. Even though President Bush had appointed dozens of recess appointments. And as several Republican presidents before GWB had done.

And so it goes in Washington DC. Republicans become enraged when Democrats play by the same rules Republicans have used many times in the recent past. Filibuster, the one senator committee blocking rule, appointments blocked by House majority, and the tactics are endless. Yes, the Republicans doe it. So, the Democrats do it. It couldn’t be fairer. Tit for tat. Push and shove. Action and reaction. It all comes out in the wash. Or should I say out in Washington.

The opposition rules are not a one party tool. All use the same blocking and resisting rules. It’s all fair in love and war. Get use to it. Life goes on.

If you don’t like the rule, change it. Take away the filibuster. Take away the one senator rule. Streamline Washington and maybe things will get done a bit faster. Wouldn’t that be a big change?

If you ever had to make up your mind...

I would say it’s the Republican voters that are flip-floppers. After the umpteenth zillion debates it is apparent the Republicans can’t settle on one candidate. First it was Michele. Then it was Rick. Then it was Mit. Then it was Newt. Then it was back to Mit again. My gosh! Who is it going to be this week? Ron? John? Or, maybe even Governor Chris?

For Pete sakes make up your mind.

I'm smart enough without it.

Even though my brother had one, I told him I would not buy an iPhone. I didn’t want one. Too much of a slow learning curve. Don’t have the time to mess with the so-called smart phone. I don’t need a phone that’s smart. I’m smart enough.

Oh, really? However on Christmas day I got an iPhone. Worse yet, I asked for it. So my daughters and wife got me one. But, I can’t explained why I changed my mind about iPhones. And, I asked for the dummer iPhone. The iPhone 3GS. Gonna start small and work up the 4S.

Never the less, I have it and am learning it. And yes, it is definitely a learning curve. Volumes and volumes of manual. Steve Jobs must have been the younger nerdy antagonist to we dummer senior protagonists. He’s still in our collective faces. Saying, “You gotta have it!”

Who are these people anyway?

It is still not known what the Republican Party stands for. They don’t like your social security. They want to get rid of your Medicare. Republicans are set against clean air and water. Selling oil and burning coal is more important than conserving America’s energy resources.

Nonetheless, there seems to be no proactive policies to make America better. No public transportation policies. No positive health care initiatives. No bold and forward looking education policies.

Just cut taxes for the rich and shrink government (whatever that means).

Who are these people? What do they want? It is most apparent they want to kill all social programs, kill consumer protection, shrink education, get rid of any programs that serves the nonworking and working poor. Then in turn fund only the military and protect oil, gas, and coal companies. Sucking oil out of the ground is more important than helping single moms and their dependents.

What kind of people are these? Uncaring, self-serving, war and money mongers, psychopaths, narcissistic, and generally people of the military-industrial complex. Just as President Eisenhower warned us.

These are the people who are running congress and the Defense Department as we speak. Is this what we want to run the Whitehouse? People with no interest in your well-being? Wanting to reduce your role as citizen to that of consumer drone. Just buy and use what we tell you and shut up. This is what happened with the G W Bush administration and look what happened. Major recession and an increase in joblessness and homelessness.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Republican Party.

Short memory? Here's a kindly reminder.

Friendly Reminder:

Dear Reader:

Every so often we must remind ourselves how we got here. Meaning how we got to this depressed and wrecked national economy. High unemployment, foreclosures, and some of us homeless. How did this happen? Who did this?

Well, it wasn’t you. It wasn’t me. No. You and I didn’t do this. So, who and how?

As mentioned many many times before, it all occurred after 9/11. It was a combo of lost tax revenue, lost consumerism, two huge costly unfunded wars, irresponsible mortgage lending, feverish buildings of mega homes, and more tax cuts for the rich. Not to mention bailouts for “Too big to fill” banks and insurance companies. All contributing to a busted economy. Do you remember now?

And to remind you in case you had forgotten, most of which started under the control of the Bush administration. Did you forget? It’s true. We all can’t deny it.

And now, with a congress controlled by the same party that G W Bush headed, wants to do more of the same. Is this what we want to happen? It’s what we will get if the Republicans take control of the Whitehouse. Pretty scary huh?

So, I say this in order to learn from past mistakes. We must learn from our past history. To ignore history is to proceed blindly down a dangerous road. We must open our eyes and drive carefully. Happy motoring.

Have you ever heard a Pet Rock talk?

Now here’s something we can do. We can define the word mediocre. Let’s first start with Mit Romney. An average pedestrian and a bit out of touch individual. Well, maybe a lot out of touch. The only Republican Presidential candidate who often wears flip-flops. You can hear him coming down the street. Flippity-floppity flippity-floppity.

Then to add to our definition, I offer to you Newt Gingrich. Mediocre personified. Most bland and without creativity. Semi-Professorial but most dull. More like a black hole. Some call him a sleep inducer. I describe him more like a nuclear laxative.

Then there is Ron Paul to add to our mediocre definition. A one trick pony. He has nothing else to offer but reduce and take away. Mr. Minus. A Negatory active person. His only solution to anything is to shrink it and drown it in a bathtub. “I’ll make anything look smaller just by thinking about it.” Whoa Jack!

However, you can add the terms apathy, empathic, unresponsive, uncaring, disinterested, inattentive, and many other definitions to the above candidates. The list is endless. But I might say, mediocre is giving all the above political characters too much credit. A Pet Rock would be more like their true personalities.

Antipathy is their battle cry.

So answer this, if the Republican candidates want to get rid of Medicare, what would they replace it with? What will their health care program look like? How much would it cost? Will it get rid of the health insurance middlemen? Will our taxes go down?

Now, answer this one. If the Republicans get rid of collective bargaining for state and municipal workers does that mean they would hire more teachers, healthcare workers, police and firemen? Would this save enough money to hire all these public safety workers and educators? Will the classroom population in schools become smaller? Would there be more skilled and trained fire and policemen? Will the county hospitals have more nurses and health care aids?

And, if the Republicans de-fund and/or get rid of the EPA could air and water quality become better? Would drinking water taste better? Will the air become clearer? Will there be less coal-fired power plants? Fewer coalmines? No strange chemical in our drinking water?

Well, if you want the truth, the Republicans have no plan for health care. Republicans have no plans to hire more teachers and public safety workers. And they for sure have no plans to clean up the environment. It’s not on their agenda. Republicans have no social or environmental agenda.

If it were left up to the Republicans, schools, fire and police departments would all go private. Serving only the few who could afford it. Health care, and public safety would be on a subscription basis. Again, serving only the affluent few. Only the few and the very rich could live far out in the protected subburbs. Far away from the air and water pollution.

Is this who you want to run Washington DC? Politicians serving only the few?

This is almost as funny as Laugh-In.

I can’t help but laugh. Do you not see the humor in this wacky political season? Or should I say “Silly Season.” It’s just utterly crazy and almost bazaar. Off the wall. Politics gone berserk!

So far I see or hear nothing that would be considered serious politicizing. Just a bunch of nonsense. Babble and buffoonery. Political rhetoric taken from the Saturday Night Live playbook. All candidates absolutely “Not Ready For Primetime.” Politicians at the grade school assembly time level. You know, Charlie Brown goes to Washington.

How on Earth can anybody with good judgment believe anything from all these Republican Party Presidential candidates? They often speak of things they later regret and have to retract. Some have resumes with obvious moral improprieties. Some are “Fact” challenged. Others absolutely know nothing about the US Constitution and basic law. Then there are those who flip and flop and flip again. Candidates lacking true American values and are just in it for the sake of taking control. Never mind the basic wants and needs of America. “We’ll take back Washington and drown it in a bath tub.”

Is this all the Republican Party can offer? Are there not any rational, selfless, hardworking, and reasonably educated political candidates out there? Surely there are a few reasonable moral folks willing to take on the thankless job of running for President. Obviously the Republican leadership has not found one just yet. Well, keep on looking guys. Let us know when you have a serious candidate.