As Puddy Tat always says "Almost every week, Republicans join a competition to see who can say the most outlandish things, and in the process, they push the envelope on just how nutty InsaniTEA can become. I trust that you will believe it, when I tell you that last week was no exception."
3. Jeb manages to insult black voters a la Romney’s 47 percent gaffe.
At a campaign stop in South Carolina, Jeb Bush was jawing away in front of one of his typical lily-white crowds, when someone asked him how Republicans might appeal to African-American voters. First, Bush mentioned that some of his best staff members are black, and explained how when he speaks Spanish, he does not mean it as an insult to America. Then he proceeded to insult black people in a way that immediately conjured up Mitt Romney’s infamous 47 percent remark.
Here’s what he said:
Think about it this way, Republicans get 4-7 percent of the African-American vote…If you double that, you win elections in Ohio, Virginia. And we should make that case, because our message is one of hope and aspiration. It isn’t one of division, “get in line, we’ll take care of you with free stuff.” Our message is uplifting, that says, “You can achieve earned success. We’re on your side."
You gotta hand it to him. Bush packed a remarkable amount of insulting and offensive racial stereotyping in that one little tone-deaf statement. Romney’s 47 percent theory was bad, but not explicitly about black voters, though certainly that code was embedded in his theorizing about the 47 percent of people who would vote for Obama no matter what and are dependent on the government.
Nope, Bush just came right out and said that black voters like free stuff, and they don’t know about “earned success,” so we'll teach them about it.
That "uplifting" message is bound to win over African-American voters big-time.
No doubt Bush, a la Romney, will attempt to explain how he did not actually say what he said, was quoted out of context, or perhaps did not understand the question, or was himself, misunderstood.
This is the third of 5 Nutty Right Wing Moments This Week. Read the rest at Alternet.If they were notso pathetic, they might be funny in their total stupidity!
Here is the seventy-sixth article in our Republicans on Parade series, featuring individuals who personify what the Republican Party has become. Today’s honoree is Carly Fiorina, Republican presidential candidate. She is so honoured for her incessant lying and disassociation with reality.
During last week's Republican presidential debate, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina described the doctored Planned Parenthood sting videos that have spurred the ongoing effort by congressional Republicans to defund the women's health care provider. Her voice rising, she recounted a grisly scene: "I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, to watch these tapes. Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain."
The audience erupted in applause. Fox News called it "the moment of the night." The only problem? None of what she described ever happened in the heavily edited videos. …
As it turns out, Fiorina's tendency to embellish—or altogether avoid—the facts goes back much farther than last week's debate. Below is a partial compilation of some of her less-than-truthful moments:
1. Claim: Fiorina was not fired from her job at Hewlett-Packard because of performance.
Facts: In February 2005, Fiorina was dismissed from her post as CEO of HP by a board of directors that she's since called "dysfunctional." At the time, she roundly told reporters that the firing was not about performance. She struck a similar note in her 2006 memoir, Tough Choices, writing that after more than five years leading HP, by December 2004 she had pulled the company toward success. She cited a strong fourth quarter, despite a third-quarter "stumble." In fact, the stumble was an enormous shortfall: HP missed its earnings projections that quarter by 23 percent. "When companies miss by a few pennies, it doesn't mean all that much," the New York Times wrote of Fiorina in 2006. "When companies miss by 23 percent, Wall Street starts wondering if the people at the top have a clue as to what's going on in the various businesses." The Times also pointed out at the time that although Fiorina wrote in her memoir that HP missed its numbers on her watch only three times, "in fact, the company fell short at least nine times on either revenue, profit or both."
This list is anything but complete, but you can read seven more less than truthful moments in Mother Jones.
We know that Republican politicians lie, misinform, distort and generally wreck havoc on anything with which they come into contact. Fiorina is no different.
Pope Francis has just concluded his first visit to the United States. I am sure that the analysis will go on for weeks as American politicians and pundits try to grapple with, in my opinion, the admonitions of this Pope.
On climate change: "…to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. I am convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the United States—and this Congress—have an important role to play. …"
From Alternet: In response to a question during an interview,
"[Robert F Jr] Kennedy replied, “The public and press and corporate America begin recognizing that this is a moral imperative, that we can no longer lie to each other and lie to the public about global warming, that that’s a sin. A sin is an injury to a relationship, an injury to another person, and we are injuring whole generations of humanity as well as the rest of God’s creation. We need to start looking at it that way rather than looking at it as a political battle, or Republicans vs. Democrats, we have to understand that this is a moral issue.”
Kennedy is a Catholic so he speaks in somewhat religious terms but he is absolutely right in my opinion. Climate change IS a moral issue, and a moral issue is not necessarily a religious issue. Likewise, a moral issue is not a political issue, but in the US, and elsewhere, politicians, our elected representatives, must embrace climate change and find workable comprehensive strategies to save the planet, future generations, animals etc. Rape is morally wrong, yet that is what we are doing to the planet.
On abolishing the death penalty: "…every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. …a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation."
From The Nation "… Harry Blackmun, wrote in 1994 that he would no longer “tinker with the machinery of death.” And in 2008, John Paul Stevens wrote that his review of hundreds of cases had persuaded him that the penalty is both profoundly unworkable and unconstitutional.
What has Breyer learned to put him in such company? Plenty. In his dissent, he argued that the death penalty is seriously unreliable and arbitrary in application; he believes the long delays undermine its penological purpose; and he is convinced that we have executed the innocent."
I do not agree with capital punishment, which in my opinion is state sponsored murder. Look at the costs outlined in The Nation article: $3 million average cost to execute a death row prisoner versus $1.1 million to keep a prisoner incarcerated for life. Too many prosecutors amp up their conviction rates for political and career gain. And as Justice Breyer related "…we have executed the innocent." Once a person is executed, there is no going back, guilty or innocent.
On abortion: "The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development." (This was his only direct reference to abortion in the speech.)
"Francis talks of the “responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage” but then instead of continuing on to talk about the need to end abortion, he pivots to the death penalty."
When I think about the intersection of various issues, how can a society endorse the death penalty but take a very staunch conservative stance on banning abortion, even in the direst of circumstances like rape, incest or the imperiled life of the mother? To take the intersection further, how can a society then ignore children living in dire poverty where there is not enough food and social assistance (SNAP benefits) are cut back? I could link other things in like a living wage, but I think you get my point.
On same-sex marriage: The closest he came to addressing same-sex marriage was in a passage about the importance of family. "I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, …"
What is FAMILY anyway? Wikipedia defines family as follows:
"In the context of human society, a family (from Latin: familia) is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage), or co-residence and/or shared consumption (see Nurture kinship). "
Family is about commitment, love and nurture. There is no reference to the absolute imperative of "one man and one women" as conservatives espouse. The saying that "it takes a village to raise a child" is so true. But in the cloistered hall of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Francis did say more. Read more at Huffington Post.
On Iran and Cuba: "…This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility. A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism. A good political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than possessing spaces."
Both sides, however, acknowledge that normal diplomatic relations have created a new framework for engagement—and a bilateral mechanism to conduct a dialogue about the issues that will need to be resolved before relations are fully normalized. …
From Alternet — The last American that the Pope named, the theologian Thomas Merton, was cited as a direct call on Congress stop partisan bickering and start showing constructive results. He called Merton “a man of dialogue and promoter of peace for people and religions” and then reminded Congress what statesmanship consisted of.
With regard to Cuba, Republicans are caught in the McCarthy era looking for communist boogiemen behind every door. But I also think that Republicans don't like having a defiant yet small nation just 90 miles off its shore.
As to Iran, in the 20th century, it was a large producer of oil and natural gas. There was heavy foreign investment in the oil and gas industry. But then in 1951, the new prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, nationalised all oil and gas works including US operations. In 1953, the US and Britain engineered a coup d'état taking back their oil and gas interests. But the nationist Islamic revolution of 1979 put Iran back in control. Is it any wonder then that such emnity should exist?Republicans however, hawks that they are, will never give up that which they think was theirs, but never was theirs. And Iran is not going to give up their sovreignty.
On the refugee crisis: "Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. … thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? …"
Much like today's refugees, many of our ancestors from the 17th and 18th centuries were refugees fleeing religious persecution in Europe. Others were political refugees. Why do we balk at providing the same opportunities that we received?
On immigration: "We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. … Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal solidarity, in a constant effort to do our best. …"
"Francis is clearly reminding his audience that the United States is part of a larger whole — one America in the Americas, where immigration is a deeply rooted part of history. He offers guidance on how to respond to the world's latest migrant crisis, urging lawmakers to treat migrants “with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated."
In his article in The Nation, George Zornick commented:
He continued: “We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’”
Jeb Bush commented on immigration as seen in The Daily Kos
We should not have a muticultural society … America has done immigration so much better than the other countries because it's a set of values that people share, that defines our national identity—not race or ethnicity or where you come from. And when you create pockets of isolation—and in some cases, the assimilation process has been retarded because they slowed down—it's wrong … So I think across the board, education, English—being able to speak English—a common language is important. We need to get back to that. We're creeping toward multiculturalism and that's the wrong approach.
The Pope would be apalled at this xenophobic attitudes towards immigrants.
Lucia, who is my ESL student, fled Sudan with her husband because of the civil war. She fled to Uganda where she lived in poverty for about 8 years. During those 8 years, she gave birth to her oldest 2 children. There were unspeakable crimes committed against her and her family. They escaped Uganda and came to Canada. Here she has been welcomed and supported by myself and other members of my church. ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’
On poverty: "I would encourage you to keep in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. They too need to be given hope. The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes. …"
A petition at Daily Kos says (follow the link to sign):
Government programs that feed the hungry and heal the sick must struggle for funding, while billions of our tax dollars are still being sent to Big Oil in the form of tax subsidies and other special interest giveaways.
Now, we need to send Congress a message about the social spending we need and the corporate handouts we don’t.
Getting the Republican dominated Congress to stand by programmes such as SNAP, social security, Medicare/Medicaid, a living wage and more is like asking the sun to go away or the stars not to shine in the night sky. But all must continue to push and push hard for a more compassionate society.
On the arms trade: "Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world. Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? …"
There can only be one answer to this question: GREED! Think of the NRA. Why does it push the 2nd amendment right to bear arms? Surely, with the numbers of deaths caused by guns in the US, it would back off. But it is ostensibly "owned and operated" by the weapons manufacturers who are in business to earn profits. How do you change this without changing the mindset of a nation?
On religious fundamentalism: "We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. … But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners."
All fundamentalism, whether Christian, Judaic, Islamic or any other religion or rite such as atheism, leads to the exclusion and marginalisation of many. As the Pope says, fundalmentalism is "the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners." I doubt few of us, no matter what religion would see ourselves in such black and white terms. We also see this in the way that the right wing Christians in the US refer to the country as having been established as a Christian nation. Republican presidential candidate said that he had no problem with a Muslim becoming POTUS providing he recanted Islam, became a Christian, and took the oath of office on a bible. That is closeminded fundamentalism.
OK, it has been a very long day. I started by doing some research for the blog and then I went to get some things like 18 kg (40 lbs) of cat food out of my car when my 2 boys dashed out the door for a frolic. Fortunately, they stay very close to the front door. Unfortunately, they are not want to come in the house when called. So I waited outside with them until they finally came in. That however made me 15 minutes late picking up my student, Lucia. We went to Costco for her very big shop. Fortunately, that is now done and I am at home with my leg up for a bit and back to working on the blog.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:26 (average 5:14). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
PoliticusUSA — Lawmakers had agreed not to reach out for handshakes from Pope Francis as he entered the House chamber, so it was a pointed and deliberate move when the Pope saved his only handshake for Secretary of State John Kerry.
Read the rest of this very short article using the link above.
Huffington Post — With the bang of a gavel, international leaders approved an ambitious 15-year plan Friday to tackle the world's biggest problems, from eradicating poverty to preserving the planet to reducing inequality. Now comes the tough part: Drumming up support and money to achieve the goals and transform the world.
Pope Francis gave his backing to the new development agenda in an address to the U.N. General Assembly before the summit to adopt the 17-point plan opened, calling it "an important sign of hope'' at a very troubled time in the Middle East and Africa. …
The document, titled "Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,'' not only outlines 17 broad goals but sets 169 specific targets.
The non-binding goals succeed the eight Millennium Development Goals adopted by world leaders 15 years ago. Only one of those has been achieved: halving the number of people living in extreme poverty, due primarily to economic growth in China. At least one other is close – cutting in half the proportion of people without access to clean water – and there are still three months until the goals expire.
In my opinion, the primary goal must be the cessation of ALL hostilities in the world. That does not mean that we wait until that happens, otherwise nothing will be done. But there needs to be respect . . . respect for people and culture; respect for religions or atheism; respect for the planet; and respect for the fruits of the planet.
Raw Story — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani suggested over the weekend that the Republican presidential candidates were so “laughable” that “the people of Iran look at them as a form of entertainment.”
“Sometimes when I would have time some of [the Republican presidential debates were] broadcast live and I would watch it,” Rouhani told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “Some of it was quite laughable. It was very strange, the things that they spoke of.”
“Some of them wouldn’t even know where Tehran was in relation to Iran,” the president said with a smile. “Some of them wouldn’t know where Iran was geographically, not distinguishing that one is the capital of the other. What they spoke of was quite far away from the truth.”
Read the rest. I think we would agree that the Republcan presidential candidates are quite laughable if the prospects of a Republican POTUS weren't so dire.
The New Yorker — As Pope Francis makes his historic first visit to the United States, millions of Americans are turning out to thank the Pontiff for temporarily displacing Donald Trump from the news.
As the Pope visits Washington, New York, and Philadelphia, people from every walk of life are expressing profound gratitude that the news media is offering non-stop coverage of Francis’s every move instead of Trump’s, if only for five days.
I swear, Andy is straight reporting yet again!
My Universe — "How undignified! Put me down this second you brute . . . there are people watching!"
Isn't it simply amazing how the conservative mind can spin lies and deception like a spider's web out of a simple matter that should not be contentious. Here five right wing hoaxes that show the right to be the wing nuts they are.
2. Planned Parenthood. You have to hand it to the hoaxsters who made a splash over the summer by claiming, with zero evidence, that Planned Parenthood is selling fetal body parts for profit: They clearly know their audience, because that lie quickly became a truism in the Republican Party that every political candidate repeats like scripture, even though it is undeniably false.
What makes the entire thing so amazing is that, from day one, the claims made by the Center for Medical Progress — a front group launched to perpetuate the hoax — had every red flag for a right-wing urban legend. The claim that a secret cabal of organ traffickers was operating behind Planned Parenthood’s sunny exterior was eerily reminiscent of previous conservative Christian accusations that Dungeons and Dragons was a secret plot to lure teenagers into suicide or that Procter and Gamble was trying to convert people to Satanism with the power of their soap products. But conservative voters want to believe, so Republican politicians act like they actually believe this crap (and some might) to hustle for votes.
Read the other four examples in Alternet. And we thought it couldn't get any more weird after dealing with Batshit Crazy Bachmann. I think that Fiorina raising this lie to the level of Republican presidential candidates, is despicable and shows just how desperate Republicans are.
The first part of the day was steady with trying to finish some research and work on a more involved article. Then it was off to see my mother who lives in a care centre. She needs 24/7 care as she is in the late stages of dementia. I fed her dinner which smelled really good. There was an extra dinner at the table which staff said I should eat, so I did and it tasted even better than it smelled. As a member of the Family Council advocating for family members, I will be able to report back on the quality of food. Again this evening, I was breaking up fisticuffs between several women — I wonder if the full moon has anything to do with it. In addition to sitting with my mother and rubbing her back and shoulders which she really likes, I am an extra pair of eyes and hands to help staff. When I arrived home, I was exhausted but also anxious. It is hard to watch a parent die a little bit every day. So now I am calm again and I am off to bed. My three cats will be soothing to me, their gentle breathing and purring. Good night all.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:13 (average 4:34). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
CBC— A U.S. drug company is taking the Canadian government to court for its attempt to lower the price of what has been called the world's most expensive drug.
Alexion Pharmaceuticals has filed a motion in Federal Court, arguing that Canada's drug price watchdog has no authority to force the company to lower its price for Soliris. …
A University of Ottawa professor who specializes in health law said he was shocked that Alexion would challenge Canada's authority to regulate drug prices. If Alexion's case is successful, it could end Ottawa's ability to control the cost of patented drugs, Amir Attaran told CBC News.
"This is the single greatest threat to pricing of drugs in Canada ever," he said Thursday.
The provincial governments in Canada negotiate drug prices directly. Medical associations are currently pushing the federal government to do this nationally. In the past, some Americans have also arranged to get their medications from Canadian pharmacies to take advantage of our lower prices. So, if Alexion Pharmaceuticals wins this case, the whole idea of affordable medicines goes out the door. For Alexion, this is all about their profits. For Canada, this is all about healthcare for 33 million Canadians. Watch also the rise in such things should the TPP come to fruition.
Daily Kos — Each week, TIME Magazine designs covers for four markets: the U.S., Europe, Asia and the South Pacific. Often, America's cover is quite, well – different. This week offers a stark example.
How much does this contribute to the "dumbing down" of the US population (and Canada's since we get the same US cover)? In general, the US population is wildly ignorant on international events, and often ignorant on domestic issues. Have a look at the current political rhetoric, particularly from the Republican side. It's a lot of marketing by fear . . . fear of diversity, fear of Iran, fear of Islam, and the list goes on. Faux Noise aka Fox (I refuse to call Fox news because it is at best, opinion) is a prime example, but not the only one by far. The author asks "do these moments of marketing (through a choice in covers) reveal more about Americans, or about the state of American journalism?" I think both because the magazine in this case is pandering to make more money and increase its market share. But it also serves to increase American xenophodia.
The Nation — Not content with alienating single women, Latinos and the LGBT community, the two front-runners for the Republican nomination indulged in some naked Islamophobia this past week.
Then Ben Carson appeared on Meet The Press, where he told Chuck Todd that Islam was inconsistent with the Constitution and said that he “would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” …
…and there’s no evidence that they embrace extremism at a higher rate than Christians or Jews. …
It’s time for this to stop. After 400 years in the Americas, and having helped build and defend this country, we need to accept that American Muslims are just as American—and just as loyal—as anyone else.
An excellent piece from The Natiion which I hope you'll read in its entirety. No one people or religion has a lock on extremism. Timothy McVeigh, a white Anglo Saxon Roman Catholic, blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK where 168 were killed and over 680 were wounded.
Today has been a very busy day for me. After 2.5 hours of physio therapy which includes weights, bicycling, ultra sound etc, I was off to teach ESL. My student was upset from a meeting last Monday and a letter she received, so I spent some time advocating for her with a provincial government office. Once that was done, she was calmer and better able to concentrate on the lesson. I finally came home about 4 pm, did some prep work for TC's blog, and then indulged in one of Lona's cat naps. Thank goodness she sends those by the gross! So here we are. My oldest boy just came into the den and is lying on the floor beside me. If the chair were empty, he'd be in the chair!
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:26 (average 4:57). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
RSN — You are going to be hearing a lot about “Bernie Sanders, the Radical Socialist” in the coming months. So before that bandwagon rolls off down the great American highway let’s pin a little truth to its tail. …
“This country has socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the poor.” – The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“A basic principle of modern state capitalism is that costs and risks are socialized to the extent possible, while profit is privatized.” – Noam Chomsky
Socialism for working people, maybe not so radical. Want to really make America great again? Do it the way FDR did it in the 1930s. That is where Sanders is leading the 99%.
Socialism in the US is a very misunderstood term, but it exists and possibly in places you never thought of before. Read the rest of this short piece to learn more. The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr had it right!
Raw Story — Prior to being fired herself, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina used tax incentives from the federal government, intended to increase research and development and employee hiring, to buy back stock before firing thousands of HP workers.
According to The Daily Beast, Fiorina — whose troubled tenure at HP has come under more scrutiny as she moves up in the polls for the GOP presidential nomination — was not the only high-ranking executive to take advantage of a corporate “tax holiday” and work it to her own advantage.
Is Fiorina the kind of leadership that the Republicans want in the White House? She has failed in spectacular fashion in business; she allowed her company to commit fraud against the federal government all the while laying off tens of thousands of workers while shareholders were enriched (including herself); she managed to get one hell of a golden parachute despite tanking her company; she has lied about "Planned Parenthood" videos; and she thinks that she's done nothing wrong.
Alternet— In addressing a question about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Chomsky assessed the political landscape: "Today’s Democrats are what used to be called moderate Republicans. The Republicans have just drifted off the spectrum. They’re so committed to extreme wealth and power that they cannot get votes … So what has happened is that they’ve mobilized sectors of the population that have been around for a long time. … Trump may be comic relief, but it’s not that different from the mainstream, which I think is more important."
…[Republican Party] It’s a radical insurgency; it’s not a political party.
I am a Chomsky fan and have been for a number years. This 4 minute video is worth the time to listen. The audience certainly gets into Chomsky's humour.
My Universe — h/t Dandelion — It's Saturday and time to partay!
It turned out to be a moderately busy day when I thought it would not be so. I had a nice lunch with a group of ladies. As I headed home, I realised that I had to buy food for my furbabes because we were almost out. Then I remembered that this was the day for a visit to the chiropractor. When I finally made it home, I was attacked at the door by cats who can spot a kibble bag from 100 metres! I decided it was time for a short Lona cat nap, but it turned out to be longer than expected. Tomorrow will be busy . . . physio, teaching ESL which is usually 3 hours, and then back to the computer to prepare the Saturday's Open Thread. TGIF!!!! Although that doesn't have the same meaning now that I am retired.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:56 (average 6:07). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
Upworthy— h/t JL — Last January, a 13-year-old named Vidal was asked this question on a street in Brooklyn. He was chatting with portrait photographer Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York (HONY).
Little did either of them know just how big an impact their conversation would have.
Vidal said his principal, Nadia Lopez, was his biggest influence.
"When we get in trouble, she doesn't suspend us," he said. "She tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter."
Read the rest and watch the video. This is what education should be about . . . inspiring to acieve!
Robert Reich — On Thursday, right-wing extremists in the U.S. House of Representatives will vote to try to defund Planned Parenthood, one of the nation’s largest providers of women’s health care and family planning services.
Planned Parenthood is under attack and it’s up to all of us to fight back. Any society that respects women must respect their right to control their own bodies. There is a strong moral case to be made for this — but this video isn’t about that. This is about the economics of family planning – which are one more reason it’s important for all of us to stand up and defend Planned Parenthood. …
Take the state of Colorado’s highly successful family planning program. Over the past six years, in Colorado health department has offered teenagers and low-income women free long-acting birth control that prevents pregnancy over several years. Pregnancy and abortion rates plunged—by about 40 percent among teenagers across the state from 2009 to 2013. …
Republicans say there is no war on women, that that claim is a distraction manufactured by Democrats. Oh really? Ask lower income women how they feel about it. Colorado should serve as a shining example of the benefits that Planned Parenthood brings to the nation. Read the rest of Robert Reich's article.
Daily Kos— "It violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president. And the same thing applies to governors and U.S. senators and congress members. So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election’s over."
Is that what the American people are willing to accept . . . a subversion of their rights by the ruling oligarchy? Because that could happen if money in politics is not reined in. Read the rest and watch a very short video.
My Universe — h/t Monka B @ Care2 — This is too good not to share!
