Making up your own rules is not the "Golden Rule."

I am really bothered by all these Republican presidential candidates. Candidates using religion to control and constrict the voting electorate. Like making up their own rules in order to define the presidential race. Rules that always define and vilify the Democrat opponent. Rules that conform to their own likes and dislikes. More like doctrinaire formulated for a sure win for “our side.” Sort of like making up your own rules before a football game. Rules which would always come down in your favor. “Only I get the ball and you guys must stand aside when I run.” Defense is strictly prohibited.”

But as it turns out, they make up rules that are not in the Bible. Rules most likely found in the Republican policy handbook. Ignoring true Biblical principles. Principles like Love, Peace, and Joy. Christian or moral concepts like patience, forgiveness, humility, and the list goes on that is overlooked by the moralizing rregressives. Totally ignored by the Republican candidates. Doing good works are completely dismissed by the Republicans.

Good works like take care of the sick, feed the poor, provide for widows and the homeless, and other Biblical principles and responsibilities. Possibly providing health care for the infirm. Providing means for the disabled. And maybe providing jobs for those out of work.

Good things can happen only if the moralizing pontificating Republicans really practice the “Golden Rule.” Do unto others as you wish them to do for you.” I know it can work. Millions of practicing believers do this every day without notice and recognition.

It would almost be better if we elected an Atheist. He or she might extend greater empathy for the needs of Americans. But if you really want a Christian or a Mormon or a Catholic to be president. Then find one that really believes in his or her basic religious teachings. Not one who is just self-serving and a hired advocate for corporate and financial interests. God forbid.

Stand up girl! Let's hear your voice.

It is disturbing to me to see that women health rights are berated and discounted in the Republican Party. The mainstream Republican leadership not only ignores the rights of their own women but deny any medical rights to all American women. Pretty much like the Taliban in Afghanistan.

I personally would like to hear more from women. Women in America need a louder voice. They need more representation in congress and in state legislatures. States need more women governors and attorneys General. More women in city and county governments. After all, women make up about 51 or 52-percent of the national population. But only have a ten or fifteen percent representation. Why?

Women! Where are you? Speak up! Shout! Start pushing and shoving. Get in the fight. Take off the gloves. Scratch. Pull hair. Kick’em in the groin. Make your presents known.

Failure for women to get involved will only result in less and less attention to women’s medical needs and rights. Go gettem girl! Smash the glass ceiling. Break down the sexist barriers. Make men pay you respect. Scream! Fight! Take your share of the civil and human rights.

Parents, it’s time to teach your girls independence, self-respect, and a greater self-worth. Give them the emotional and moral tools to make it on their own. Of course, this is done by respecting their gender and stop “girlyizing” them. Treat them to be adults, not love objects or possessions.

Dads! Treat your girls as you treat your sons. Show them how to be tough. Life is not easy. Also dads, teach your sons to respect women. Keep your sons busy and their minds off sex. Yes, it can be done. Moms, teach your girl children to say NO! No sex until the right time.

Women stand up! Unite. Collect your voices and shout, “I Am Somebody!” Get out there and shove and make your way in the sexist world. You are woman. Hear your roar!

Most of all men need to stop making laws and policy for women. Let women do that. Women! It’s your turn to make policy and laws. Go gettem girl!

The Republicans have a great labeling department.

While the junior grade presidential candidates are all bloviating saying how evil President Obama is, the president is getting things done in spite of a do-nothing-congress. Amidst all the hullabaloo of the primary elections President Obama is at work and on the job. And if he’s not in the Oval Office, the office goes with him.

But anyway, while the President is writing and proposing honest policy, the junior presidential want-a-be’s are hard at work trying to redefine who President Obama is. Or, at least who they wish him to be. Republicans wish the president to be a failure. Failure? Even though he is not what they wish him to be. Never mind who the Republican leadership is and the candidates are. Reprobates and prevaricators.

None the less, if you can’t come up with reasonable policies or legislation for America, then slam your opponent. Make him or her look bad. A good lie or two helps. I am ashamed to admit it but the Republicans are only good at one thing. Labeling others and distorting the truth. More like ignoring the truth and slandering whomever they revile. They even disparage and pound each other. Mit loves to hammer Newt. Just watch and listen.

But the bottom line for Republican Presidential hopefuls is, they have no promises nor are they willing to make promises. I take that back. They promise to undo everything President Obama work hard for. No willing intent for the greater good. Just buyer beware and the banks and insurance companies want your money. And will be aided by congressional deregulation and fuzzy legislation

Now ask yourself this. Better yet, ask a Republican. Were Republicans the ones who came up with Health care reform? No. Was it Republicans that came up with consumer protection and banking regulation? No. Was it Republicans that brought back the automobile industry from disaster? No. Did congressional Republicans try to protect your drinking water and air quality? No. Was it Republicans who tried to protect all American’s civil rights and human equality? No. Was it Republicans who tried to promote quality education? No. Was it Republicans who want all Americans to earn at least a livable minimum wage? No. Is it the Republicans leadership that support public workers? No.

The Republicans hate public schools. They hate public school teachers. Republicans despise policemen and their unions. Also dislike firemen and their collective bargaining. And the same goes for nurses, social workers, school councilors, the board of education and on and on.

So, if you talk to a man or woman running for public office and they plan to get rid of Obamacare, ask him or her with what will they replace Obamacare with. How will they make health care affordable? What will they do with the millions of families without health care. What will they plan to do to develop alternative energy? How will they bring down the cost of gasoline. With what will they replace coal fire power plants with. Natural gas? Nuclear? Wind, solar, bio fuels or what?

What will happen is, you will see that silly Republican smirk along with a look of “are you kidding me?” Republicans don’t do that kind of stuff. We have no social policies. No reforming legislation. Just criticism for the President. They hate the President. Republicans think Obama is a failure and America is going to hell in a hand basket along with him. Oh, sure. Just look around.

Therefore, all the Republicans wants, is the President’s job. Nothing else. No progressive policies or helpful legislation for America. No health care. No clean air. No jobs. Temporary work on a pipeline is not a job or career.

The only thing the Republicans can say about the office of the president, “Just give me the Whitehouse. I certainly deserve it.” After all, I’m a Republican. Oh? Really?

Richard Nixon had more going for himself.

When will they ever get it? Are they clueless? Where is the sensibility and common sense. Gone? Long time passing? Long long ago?

Surely the Republican voters have more good judgment than has been displayed in the past few months of Republican state primaries and caucuses. It is so obvious to the rest of the world that these four Looney-Toon Republican candidates are not Presidential material. Not even janitorial material. They are junior high sniveling twits. Just squirrel bate. Dog kibble or cat litter.

There must be some hope somewhere. Surely a Lincoln or Eisenhower will come out of the woodwork. Hopefully soon. Even a Gerald Ford would be acceptable. Anybody. Anyone with a willingness to work with both political parties. Someone who assumes the blame now and then. Not always blaming others. You know. “The buck stops here.”

But who? Someone who is an all around good guy or gal. Yes, a gal. It just might be the right time for a Woman President. Perhaps Olympia Snow. Yeah, go for it!

Hey guys! We're not reading from the same page. Right?

I really don’t like to criticize people of faith. But I have questions about the faith of Rick Santorum, Mit Romney, and Newt Gingrich. I am wondering if they are reading the same Bible I read. It almost sounds like not. Perhaps instead, they are reading from a political organization handbook.

The Bible I read from speaks of humility and self-sacrifice. Putting others first. Giving them the shirt off our backs. Although, I personally haven’t had to do that yet but, if necessary I shall.

None the less, taking care of the poor, the sick, the homeless, the imprisoned, etc. Is job number one. I just don’t see this working in their personal or political lives. And again, forgive me for this snap judgment but what I see and hear doesn’t seem to correlate. Especially not matching with their rehearsed public persona. It seems their public relations consultants forgot to advise them on what they really should be doing. What to do out in the public to demonstrate their religious benevolence and sincerity. For example, speaking respectfully of others. No matter if they agree or not. However, what I do hear from Mit, Rick, and Newt is mostly slander and misrepresentation. Maybe a little lie or two. Speaking through grimaces narrowed eyes, and furrowed brows.

Am I reading this wrong or are we all reading from separate holy books. Someone explain this to me. I’m confused. Are all these guys just storefront religionist or what? I get the impression they are well versed in “Do as I say and not as I do.” Is that the case? Help! I need clarification. Come to think of it, maybe Mit, Newt, and Rick need clarification as well. Right?

What are they thinking? Or, are they?

I don’t understand. Someone please help me. How did the subject of contraception make its way into the political conversation? And one has to ask, why now? Birth control has been going on for centuries. Birth control, as we know it today, have been used since the early 1950s. And, I’m pretty sure, used by tens of thousands of faithful Mass going Catholic women as well as millions of other American women. Possibly even some men. Who knows.

But anyway, how has this come up? It’s almost like a controversy sprung right out of the ground. “Here I am. I’m your new hot button. Red and blistering. Get use to it.”

But as we all know, these issues don’t happen by accident. They are contrived. Manufactured by political strategists. A smoking bomb meant to distract. Solely used as a partisan tool to substitute for the lack of real people issues.

then the hot button fuse is lit and tossed into the political arena. A exploding bomb creating confusion and fear on impact. Uncertain folks Hiding from the fall out of consternation. Something like a roadside bomb.

Don’t get me wrong. Practicing birth control is a legitimate concern but not a political issue. This is a private matter. A decision to be made by women and their doctors and Pastors. This is no place for politicians to become involved. It’s a moral question and not a legal one.

In these days when people want less intrusion from government, this issue is quite the opposite. It is intrusion magnified by partisanism. It’s government intruding where it’s legislative nose shouldn’t be. No government or political body has any business telling women and men what to do or not to do in the bedroom. It’s like if churches can’t control their parishioners, “We’ll get congress to help and do our bidding for us.”

But the truth be known, the contraception issues is just to distract away from real people issues. Issues like health care, education, jobs, environment, conservation, and the list is endless. To say the least, the contraception issue is put in place by severe Conservatives due to a serious lack of real and legitimate issues to pursue. If conservatives can’t come up with real people concerns then, toss in a smoke screen. Do anything. Say anything. Get those freaking liberals off track. It’s our only hope. Distract, distract, and distract.

Certainly the Republican Party could come up with a more humane way to treat the opposition. How pathetic.

It's like an endless NBA playoff. Never will be decided.

It is very apparent the Republican Party doesn’t like any of the four Republican candidates. Mit, Newt, Ron, and Rick. The flab four. All misfits. All embarrassing and out of touch.

If there were someone there with any credentials or repute, he would be the consistent front runner. Always in favor by the party general electorate. Out front and ready for the Party’s convention this summer.

But, part of the out of control party flip flopping is, the Republicans are splintered and can’t make up their collective mind. Divided and headed in different direction. Mostly intolerant of each other’s extreme orthodoxy. Therefore not really able to decide who get to makes up the party rules. And in the process pushing moderates out the back door and losing membership to the Independents.

At the moment however, Rick Santorum is the anti-Mit. Santorum is the vote against Mit Romney. Which might indicate Newt Gingrich could be the next anti-Rick or anti-Mit. And the candidacy war Merry-go-round continues on. Almost like the changing flavor of the week. Who will be the next anti-Golden boy? Newt? Mit? Ron? Or, Rick?

It all indicates the Republican Party is less than thrilled with all four survivors on the Republican island. So, perhaps now would be a good time to vote them all off and start afresh. Find somebody all could agree on. Maybe a spring Convention would be in order. First decide who you are and then decide who you want to represent the Republican Party. Perhaps a national Republican convention and referendum could be a good start. Find one guy or gal and go with it. Save all the wasted time and money ping ponging around the country. Pick one and go and stop wasting our time and attention. Find your guy and we will see you in November.

There is the right way. Which is also the wrong way.

Those of you who are retired and receiving social security and Medicare or VA medical care, are you ready to give up those benefits? Go on your own? Maybe pay as you go? Pay on the lay away plan any surgical treatment needed?

I am talking especially to those of you who are registered Republican and plan to vote only Republican. I am saying this because your party leadership wants to eliminate your SSI benefits. “Too costly.” Never mind the FICA money collected through SSI and subsequently stolen by the Bush administration to fund two “Costly” and mostly unnecessary wars. They use to fund these kinds of wars by selling War Bonds. Remember? None the less, your party leadership wants your Social Security payments to make payment on the national debt. So they say.

Anyway, you might want to start looking for a job or buy a lottery ticket. Maybe go to an indigenous tribe casino and hope to get lucky.

Oh well, hardship can easily be overcome. Our parents had to do this when they were forced to ration and limit their food and housing during and after World War II. So sudden poverty may be coming to a homeless shelter near you. So get ready. Tighten your belts. Suck it in. Get ready for the big social crash. “Depression numbers two is on it’s way.” It’s the Republican way.

Hayseeds from the moon. Where did they come from?

While America is trying to dig its way out of a sagging economy and high unemployment, Rick Santorum wants to forbid your wives from using contraceptives. He prefers she be pregnant. Possibly even your daughters as well. “No more birth control for America,” Santorum might say. Even though millions of women have been using contraceptives for half a century. I guess he wants all women to be Roman Catholics. “Barefoot and overdue is better.

Then on another note, Mit Romney is in Michigan hammering the auto unions and its leadership. Bloviating about how awful the automobile industry should not have received a bail out. Plus he would have preferred it shut down. “A total failure,” Romney said. Oh, really? You couldn’t prove it in Detroit. Things are working well in the auto industry most Michiganders would say. “Bail out was a success.”

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Republican Party, these are your Republican Presidential candidates. Romney and Santorum. Clearly out of touch. Surely an understatement.

Are these the guys you want running America? Two guys who seem to have just crawled out of a ground hog hole. Clueless and unaware of reality. You want these two guys, Bimbo and Binky to lead America? Surely you jest.

Mom come get me! This can't be real.

What would it really be like to just ride in on a load of pumpkins? Then stop on Main Street America and hop off. Just arrived out of nowhere. Not knowing anything. Or anybody. Green and uninitiated. A freshman from the cornfields. Possibly ignorant of current events.

Then, to be confronted by TV, radio, and cable news. Broadcasting and bloviating the political events of the day. Haranguing rhetoric, shouting, fist banging, accusations, sound bites, red faced grimaces, narrowed eyes, and barking bla-bla-bla. Carrying on like you’ve never seen before. How scary that would be.

You look around taking in sights and sounds you’ve never witnessed before. Thinking you got off at the wrong bus stop. Possibly in a dangerous neighborhood. A neighborhood filled with troubled people. Possibly inhabitants not taking their prescribed ADD meds. Just a bunch of Hypertensive ridalin popping misfits. “Holy moly! When’s the next bus going back home?”

Then you might think, maybe this is where carnival Sideshows “Carny people” train. Yes, of course, this is Circus City. Sure that’s it. P T Barnum once lived here. That’s it. I’m lost and need to leave right away.

Get me out of here. These politicians people are nuts. They scare me. They almost look cannibal like. Mom come get me! Help!

So you guys, what went wrong?

One could only surmise that the Rick Santorum’s wins in Colorado, Missouri, and Minnesota were really a vote against Mit Romney. Republican voters are just yet not warmed up to Romney. Pointing towards the conspicuous divide in the Republican Party. Unquestionably indicating there is yet more compromising and fixing to be done in the GOP.

The Grand Old Party just isn’t all that Grand any more. More like splintered with too many extremes pulling in opposite directions. Obviously leaving a “House Divided against itself.” Leaving in its wake uncompromising, disgruntled, fractious, hotheaded, and most distracted party members derailed from a common goal. All of this craziness is of their own making. “You reap what you sew (look it up in the Bible).”

If the Republican Party weren’t so demanding of their candidates, they could easily come up with the almost ideal candidate. Maybe allowing him or her to be a little human would be a good start. Allowing a candidate to own his or her own ideas. A candidate can’t be one hundred percent pure red Republican. Give the guy or gal a little wiggle room. He or she is not flawed but only an individual and most human.

I left the Republican Party back in 2002 after 42-years in the GOP. Feeling I didn’t have much in common with the far right fundamentalist evangelical party leadership any more. It was so obvious the GOP was shifting at an alarming rate to the extreme right. And in the process ridding itself of any moderates and independents. Something like they do in China and Iran. Purging itself of any party dissidents and free thinkers. How scary!

But anyway, Rick Santorum’s win in the recent election and Caucuses was a fluke. An aberration. Most likely a statement against Romney. And as a result many Republican voters will leave the party. Most likely registering as Independents. How befitting to a Republic founded on the Declaration of Independence. God Bless America.