"I was a Black Man Before The Election"

I'm sorry - how amazing is that that this man can take all the bile and the vitroil and underplay it and just get down to business to help the American People. What an amazing man. What a great leader. We are truly lucky to have this man as our President.

Hell Has Frozen Over! I Agree With Something Glenn Beck Said

Yes, Beck is a raging moron who's sole purpose on this planet is to insure that "normal" people see the raging wingnuts for what they really are - raging imbecile wingnuts! But in this little "coming attraction" to this evening's interview with Katie Couric, Glenn Beck says that John McCain would have been worse for this country than Barack Obama. OK - that's reasonable. Except now he goes back to his hometown of CRAZY and explains why - he says John McCain is a "weird Progressive, like Teddy Roosevelt". (sigh).

Insurance Companies are Getting a Bad Rap

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

You know, after seeing this public service message, I totally agree...

Calling President Obama a Muslin is Going a Bit Too Far For This Fashionista.

Ahhh...yes friends. I know that we've all seen the hate speech about our President. And I've been attacked myself (but that's another entry in the blog). Maybe I shouldn't care so much. After all, I don't personally know President Obama and he's a big man. He's got staff, Secret Service....hell he's the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Military! He can take care of himself (and if he can't he's got someone to write a speech using harsh language, some CIA Operative to take them out secretly, the Army to blow them to pieces and two little girls to kick them in the shins)...He's covered.

So maybe I should cool it when people call President Obama everything from a Socialist...to a Communist....to a Muslim. But this? This is inexcuseable. Because by the looks of it. President Obama is anything but cheap or tacky so to call President Obama MUSLIN is the worst offense of them all. Call our President silk, wool, even linen if you must. But call my President Muslin - you've got a fight on your hands Mr.! Cheap fabric.......come on!

Here's some Obama Fabric for ya! Bet it's pretty darn expensive, too!

Would You Let Your Children Behave Like Joe Wilson (I hope not....)

"F**K you, Congress"



So here's the question - you have a child. You take said child out to some crappy place in a strip mall for dinner because you got home late and the last thing on your mind is to make dinner. So you and your husband (or wife or whatever) take little Timmy out with you to TGI Thursday's or Green Lobster or whatever. While there, the waitress comes over and says "Hi! We have drink specials today 2 for 1 margaritas" You say that sounds great and while the waitress gets your drink order, Little Timmy, seed of your loins, throws a tantrum at the table because he wants chicken fingers and you want him to have the steamed chicken and broccoli so he doesn't turn into an obese child (because you cant afford the medical bills if your angel gets diabetes at the age of 10). He screams at you and makes a scene - what do you do? Punish him or give him his favorite dessert as a reward?

If that child were mine - that better not happen, I'll tell you that. Because even a crappy restaurant is a restaurant and there is a sense of decorum in how you act when out in public. My parents threatened me once - if you act out we just wont take you anywhere - and that's all I needed.

So my question, dear readers is simply this.....why the hell would anyone Republicans, Conservatives, Space Aliens....let Rep. Joe Wilson get away with his behavior last night at the President's address to Congress? What kind of message does this send? To me it doesn't send a message of protest or disagreement for The President's bill and ideals - the way to show that is clearly in the sitting on the hands and looking a little perturbed that the Republicans (and Democrats) know how to do so well. That in itself speaks volumes to The President when he addresses Congress. I personally LOVE this bit of theatre - it reminds me of old movies of Parliament.

But this...this shouting of "You Lie" by Rep Wilson is just bad behavior. And it makes a mockery of Congress, his office, and the Republican Party. It shows that he has no taste and clearly no respect for his job or his party or his country. Forget about his not agreeing with The President - you do not shit where you eat! That's the first rule of having a job. For this alone to show respect for the hall of Congress and the Country that the Republicans say they love so much more than the Democrats do - they need to condemn this act by a crude man - not order him a hot fudge sundae!

Barack Obama's Big Night

Last night President Barack Obama addressed Congress and the American people on the issue of his health care reform bill. I eagerly awaited this address because I have been feeling for months now that President Obama, by taking the high road and not addressing full out the craziness that has been brewing by the conservative right, was letting an opportunity slip away - the opportunity to make fools of these crazies by bringing to light the truth about the health care plan.

Lat night, President Obama did, I feel, make his position known in a more forceful manner. I loved his speech about he not being the first President to fight for Universal Health care but he would be the last. I love the fact that he addressed Sarah Palin's idiocy about "death panels" and called her out without naming names.

I even love the age old theatrics of the address to Congress - the party that sides with you stands and cheers everything you say. The opposition literally sits on their hands (except, of course, for Joe Wilson - the rude prick). Whenever I see this, It really takes me back to a time over 200 years ago when I'm sure the founding fathers that the conservatives talk so much about disagreed with and were outspoken with each other.

But let's get back to President Obama's outline and why the hell wouldn't we want this to pass? President Obama said that if you have health care from work or Medicare or Medicaid your coverage would stay the same except for the fact that there would be no pre-existing ailments and your coverage can't be "changed" during or after a sickness. If you don't have health care you have to be required to buy some form of basic health care or be penalized by the IRS. And if you still can't afford it, a basic basic form would be offered to you covering, say, heart disease of a broken leg so that you don't run off to the hospital emergency room, rack up a $25,000 bill and skip out on it. That everyone would have to be covered for basic health care like drivers are covered by car insurance. - What the hell is wrong with that?

There are only two scenarios that I can think of why the Republicans are so against this plan and this man - and neither of them make them look good in any way, shape of form:

1. The Republicans are in the back pocket of the medicine and insurance industries (duh). Of course they are - I literally snort coke zero out of my nose every time the Conservative Right says that they're for the people and that the Democrats are for big business and big government.....What? what? Republicans are notoriously for big business and tax breaks. They are the poster boys for bribery and being bought and sold for a buck. Do you want to know what got the only positive reaction by the President on the Republican side of the aisle yesterday? When The President acknowledged John McCain? NOPE! Guess again......How about when he said he would look into Doctors malpractice insurance practices and try to deregulate some practices and procedures for doctors? DING DING DING DING! The Republicans are being strong armed by the Insurance and AMA to not budge an inch lest there be less money to be shared. See? The Republicans still believe in trickle down economics - profit is trickled down from BIG INSURANCE right into the pockets of Republican Congressmen.

2. Like the sore losers they are, the Republicans want to see President Obama fail and will take down the country with it if they have to just to get a big "See? I told ya so" in the end. I don't know if it's racism, jealousy, aversion to change and hope or a weird allergic reaction to peanuts or shellfish, but these Republicans literally will stop at nothing to get Barack Obama to lose.

But here's the thing...In the end, the conservatives will self implode in a sea of craziness and the light will come down on the truth - that this system is broken and we have to change it. That President Obama's plan is no different or more insidious than having mandatory car insurance or home insurance on a mortgaged home. And that the really sad, sad truth in those that disagree is that it's OK to insure your THINGS - your car, your boat, your home because they have a tangible value but human health (especially the working class) much less important to the Conservatives after all.

The NRA grassroots Minute - Mayor Bloomberg no Friend to The NRA (Duh)

I found this gem just now. In this NRA Weekly minute two young people (including a woman) who kinda look like they could be college students are recapping the latest gun news. One story is about Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York city, not being a friend to the NRA because he wants to impost stricter gun laws in New York City.

Let me first tell you that it's not at all easy to get a gun in New York City. And that not one person that I knew ever wanted a gun nor did they feel that a constitutional right was taken away - we simply never even wanted a gun. I remember having a couple of dates with a police officer (it was after 9/11 and a cop or a fireman was considered "the" accessory for a single girl - much I guess like sailors were during WWII). He put his arm around me and I felt a hard lump when he got closer - that's right! I felt his gun. I remember being totally freaked out that this man had a gun and I didn't see him afterward. Just grossed me out the fact that he had something that was literally an agent of death on him in a restaurant.

I am totally opposed to guns. I firmly believe that there is no reason to have a gun. My cousin Sharie found a gun and blew her brains out. A coworker of my father put a gun inside his mouth and pulled the trigger. I have seen deer, eyes still open dripping in blood hanging from cars. I can only see the destruction that comes from a gun.

I know that there's the second amendment. I've read it. And you can interpret it all you want but you have to agree that when the constitution was written there were wild animals and an English King with an army that wanted his land back. And only 10% of families were armed in those days. In fact guns were getting less popular in the U.S. for decades until a marketing campaign by Samuel Colt played on public fear and paranois (sound familiar?) and civil war soldiers returned home with their guns (if they returned home at all).

What I do know is that guns play a bigger role in offense than defense. And this is an ugly game. I know Hollywood has oh so many vigilante movies but I'm offering up this scenario to all of you - if a criminal came up to you with a gun - who would win? Would you be able to pull the trigger, aim better and fire one off before he got to you? He's had more practice and has no morals - I think he's got you beat. Or in the case of domestic violence or family fights - if you punch someone you'll regret it, maybe spend some time in jail and hopefully get a divorce in the case of domestic violence. Add a gun to the scenario - what was assault is now homicide or murder - two or more lives ruined in a gunflash.

Even I have had experiences. In my first marriage my then husband-to-be had a gun. For protection. For us. My ultimatum - get rid of the gun or me. The gun went and we adopted a German Shepherd for protection. I left my husband after a fight where he hit me. One was enough - what if the gun was in the house? Would he have gone for it? Would I have gone for it in retaliation or anger or self defense? Would that night have ended in a funeral for one and a lifetime in prison for the other? And he wasn't a bad man - stress from losing everything in Hurricane Andrew compounded with a little jealousy of me working with all men and some drinks led to that night. It could have ended worse.

Let's also put children into the equation. How many times have you read of a child blowing his or his friend's brains out after finding a gun under a bed or in a closet? And you can't hide anything from a child - I should know. I used to snoop as a child - I found locked boxes AND the keys to them, only to find a stash of Playboys, a penis shaped lipstick and some booze. But I could have found a gun.

And getting a handgun legally does not make it safe. For example, Buford O. Furrow, the man who opened fire at a Los Angeles Jewish community center in 1999, was armed with seven guns, including a Glock 9mm automatic handgun and a custom-made assault rifle--and every one of his guns was registered.

Similarly, Bryan Uyesugi, the man who shot and killed seven employees of the Xerox Corporation in Hawaii on November 2, 1999, had 17 firearms registered. Between June 18, 1990 and November 3, 1999, workplace shootings caused the deaths of 116 people. The Columbine killers famously bought their ammo at a local KMart.

And let's remember that private sales of any weapon are not even regulated - I can go out and buy any gun at a gun show or out of a car trunk and it's mine. I don't know the gun's history and the gun doesn't know my history - of possible alcoholism, depression, bipolar disorder, drug addiction or anger at a job, a wife, a mother, a President.

I was thinking that the NRA and the people that tout The Constitution are totally alright with getting a driver's license, insuring their car, making sure their kid gets a learner's permit and takes driver's ed. That makes them a responsible driver and a good citizen. These people pay their taxes, obey laws without too much fuss. Those same people object to any licenses, rules, regulations on any guns. And you could argue that there is more damage to be done in more places with more opportunities with a gun.

And for the people who say guns don't kill people....I agree. They don't. It takes the crazy or angry asshole holding it to kill people. And if that crazy Motherf***er didn't have the gun - they couldn't kill anyone with it!

Sen Edward Moore Kennedy - The End of An Era

I grew up with the Kennedys. I was born in the late 60's - during the turmoil of Bobby Kennedy's assassination, war protests and the wonders of space rockets and men on the moon. I think that everyone in NYC is a bit of a political wonk, but I surpassed my parents and everyone in the neighborhood.

I remember taking my father's JFK memorial record of his speeches and listening to them over and over. I remember at the age of 9 having my parents drive me to Manhattan to stuff envelopes for Jimmy Carter's campaign - the littlest volunteer (but I was taken seriously and allowed to help every Sunday). I remember getting my first cassette tape recorder - a red panasonic - and making a parody of Richard Nixon getting implummed and impolkadotted instead of impeached. But most of all, I remember the Kennedys.

I remember looking at this family with perfect teeth, wealthy but working so hard for kids, poor people and minorities. I remember discovering that little Jon Jon had grown up real good and my best friend giving me a calendar of JFK with a card - here are pictures of the father in law that you never got to meet. I remember in my early 20's buying ballgowns from Saks Fifth Avenue that I couldn't afford, tucking in the tags and crashing Kennedy Foundation parties at the Met, hoping for a sighting of a Kennedy and being rewarded by meeting Rory, Patrick, Caroline and seeing Ted at some of them - the Patriarch! I remember being a salesperson in NYC and working so hard to get the Hachette Filipachi account so I could have an excuse to be in the building that George Magazine was in, hoping to get a glimpse.

I remember all the Kennedy deaths and tragedies and taking them to heart like they were my family - Jackie, then the heartbreaking news of John Kennedy. I remember being riveted to my TV that sunny July afternoon hoping for good news, knowing it wouldn't come. I remember seeing Ted on the boat to pick up the bodies of his nephew - everyone's father - a role he was thrust into out of necessity, but one that he took to.

And I remember his speech at the Democratic National Convention where he passed the torch to Barack Obama. Practically calling him a Kennedy - the pride of Barack shining in his eyes - you would think there would have been some sadness, some irony - after all, Ted's own push to the White House failed and the new generation of Kennedys don't seem like the highest call is in the cards. But there was no irony. There was only pride. I do believe Ted Kennedy loved his country more than anything including his pride and the Family.

I know there will be people who will mock Ted Kennedy - there are people who have brought up Chappaquiddick (and you don't want to go there because in 1963 Laura Bush was in a vehicular homicide, too). There are people who will bring up his drinking and his womanizing. I agree - and his nephew, John Kennedy Jr. wrote that some of his family were posterboys for bad behavior. We all know that. Ted would have been the first to agree. But he without sin cast the first stone.

Teddy was born into great wealth - he could have given in to those baser emotions and temptations but instead devoted his life to making his country better. With all his flaws he managed to write over 300 bills that were passed. And not bills like putting treehouses in public parks or having poodles groomed within 50 feet of an elementary school. I'm talking about serious bills that changed the landscape of this country for the better, including The Minimum Wage Increase Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Act, The No Child Left Behind Act, the Medicare Act, The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, The Mental health Parity Act, The Immigration Reform Act, The Individuals with disabilities Education Act and so many more.

Ted Kennedy will forever be known as a great American. The Liberal Lion who befriended people in both parties and often crossed the aisle to work with Republicans to get the job done. Let the record show that this was a man who truly loved America. He will be missed.

Now Dogs Are Getting Into The Act?

I saw this really weird (and I have to admit slightly funny) video just now. In it, the nice granny-sounding lady is giving her dog a treat. The little dog (min pin perhaps) is taking the treat as she says - here's one from mommy....The little dog takes the treat as she says - here's one from daddy...then the little dog is given a treat from OBAMA - and refuses it! We try this again - one from mommy - (dog chows down) one from daddy (dog woofs it up) one from Obama (nada)....Even with a little coaxing (but Obama likes dogs) nothing.

What does this video prove? Not sure - I guess we should have put a veterinarian clause in the healthcare reform plan. Not that dogs should really mind, though. They always seem to hate the vet and we've been the death panel for dogs for centuries - muffy's past his prime (and wee weeing on the carpet) let's give him the BIG PINK DEATH JUICE - it's for his own good. He wouldn't want to live without dignity (and you without a clean carpet)....

As far as my dogs are concerned, I think the little shits would take cheese even from the hands of Sarah Palin - good thing they can't vote!