Upon Opening the Fridge (Beforehand Don't Waller with the Hawgs)

Upon Opening the Fridge

(Beforehand Don’t Waller with the Hawgs)

Fainted Dead Away:

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) caught an awful lot of folks off-guard with its final findings on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but in particular the Republicans. As a stalwart majority conservative court, it indeed was a bit surprising. Virtually every prior majority ruling beforehand by Roberts’ SCOTUS was conservative in nature from all US Chamber of Commerce cases favoring the organization, striking down Washington D.C. gun laws to the Citizens United versus Federal Election Commission decision. Yepper, with the historical background in Roberts’ court decisions, while conservatives were frothing at the bits, liberals had resigned themselves to accepting defeat of the healthcare bill. Yet Roberts, the budding star for conservatives in judicial political activism, had a surprise package…he could and did set political ideological beliefs aside and be apolitical in constitutionality and pure in interpretation of law.  

But, Ka-BOOM, just like that, not only did the final decision catch folks flat-footed, it was Chief Justice John Glover Roberts Jr. himself who shifted the 5-4 majority opinion from nay to yea for the bill’s full constitutional merit. Immediately, emotional fallout ensued from Republicans, for they felt as if they had been Benedict Arnold’ed by Roberts.

Aside from the fact that CNN and of course Fox News initially misreported, conservatives, after the added burden of false hope, initial emotional impact began to stir, brew then boil, eliciting them to react in not so an ordained manner. From outrage to utterly stunned disbelief, the reactions came forth…

Boo-Hoo & Vendetta:

Rick Perry (Texas Republican governor and failed Republican presidential candidate)… “The Supreme Court has abandoned us.”

Michele Bachmann (Minnesota Republican Representative and another failed Republican presidential candidate) stated in her usual confusing and display of ignorance way… “This was an activist court that you saw today. Anytime the Supreme Court renders something constitutional that is clearly unconstitutional, that undermines the credibility of the Supreme Court. I do believe the court's credibility was undermined severely today,” while later adding that, “Congress could now force you to buy Ikea furniture.”

Rick Santorum who is also yet another failed Republican candidate and at present, chairman of his own Patriot Voices, came out with a comment on the ruling through the organization that stated, “Today's outcome is the worst of all scenarios. Not only are our rights being taken away and Americans are being forced to do something we don’t want to do, but now we are being burdened with the biggest permanent tax increase in our nation’s history. This is a sad day.” He further takes advantage of the situation to pummel President Obama by adding,

“President Obama believes he is above the law, entitled to abusing his power to get what he wants, and willing to violate the constitution and the oath he was sworn to uphold. He has proven to be a very dangerous person to have this kind of power, and if he is not stopped this November, I am fearful that the make-up of this country as established by our founders will never be the same.”

Funny that, why Santorum feels Obama presents himself above the law and behaves in an unconstitutional manner, just after the supreme court of the land ruled that the new healthcare act is indeed within the law and constitutional. Actually, it appears from the ruling, by a conservative majority court no less that Santorum’s side is the one acting unconstitutional by portraying and presenting a justified law to the federal courts as unlawful. But, that’s Santorum for ya.

Both Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner and Representative Paul Ryan on CBSs ‘Face the Nation’ (07/01/2012) and ABCs ‘This Week’(07/01/2012) vow to bring up a repeal vote in the House and rip ‘Obamacare’ up by its roots, never minding that House Republicans have repealed the law over thirty times before either in bits or whole parcel.

After host, Nora O’Donnell states the fact that portions of the bill are very popular, such as exempting insurers the right to deny existing conditions, she presses on, “Are you sure you want to repeal the whole bill,” Boehner replies, “The law has to be ripped out by its roots.”

On ‘This Week’ Ryan similarly states, “Chamber Republicans will repeal the entire law. The stakes could not be higher.”

Eric Cantor (Republican House Majority Leader) immediately makes a statement that he has set a date to repeal the law after reconvening from the July Fourth recess on July 11, less than two weeks from when the act was actually declared constitutional.

Cantor said on CBSs ‘This Morning’ (06/29/2012) “We know that most of the American people don’t like this law,” further adding, the Republican controlled House will, “look toward the kind of healthcare people want,” which is, “patient-centered.”

What Cantor means in his statement of so called “patient-centered” is to play on the unfounded fears of a government takeover of insurance coverage where federal officials dictate the opinions of a patient’s doctor. This is not only totally bogus it is an out ‘n’ out fib. The new healthcare act will still be run by the private market, except that now, there will be in-placed new laws, ensuring the insurance industry won’t be able to dictate to a patient’s doctor what procedures they will or won’t pay for. In other words, under the new law, patient doctor relationships will be more in their control and decision making rather than an outside entity such as an insurer’s greed motivated factors or a government’s stipulations. This is the way it is intended to be and should be. Now who can argue against that? Apparently only Republicans…

Senate Republican Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell in all his wisdom stated that, “Repeal of Obamacare will be the first item up in the Senate if I am Majority Leader,” while adding, “What I can tell you with certainty is that there is no higher priority with me, and the presidential candidate [Mitt Romney] has made it perfectly clear that he would sign any repeal legislation that we sent to him.”

Now in complete contrast, in coming back from the recess, as opposed to wasting another session in repealing a law deemed constitutional, the Democrat majority senate will be taking up a vote count considering tax cuts for small businesses to generate job hiring. These Republicans cannot accept the Supreme Court’s verdict and let it rest, as if their vendetta controls them excluding any rational thinking.

To accurately portray the reactions of members of congress from the Democrat and Republican aisles of the Supreme Court’s ruling, I feel the Associated Press’s photo below hits the mark square on the jaw…

Scoffing Rage:

More on the scornful side and alarm, there were conservatives not so kind in their response to the ruling. Pundit conservatives like, Brent Bozell, founder and president of the Media Research Center proclaimed, “His [John Roberts] reputation is forever stained in the eyes of conservatives, and there will be no rehabilitating of it. He will be seen as a traitor to his philosophy.”

Michael Savage on his radio show told his listeners on 06/28/2012 that chief justice Roberts had to be high on drugs due to epilepsy affecting his cognitive reasoning, because for sure his final ruling could not have been due to rationale reasoning. After that explanation, Savage precludes, “…a tipping point has been reached in the dawning of red America. We are now becoming Venezuela on the way to becoming Castro’s Cuba.” He ends it all with, “Let me remind you Roberts is the spawn of George W. Bush. Roberts is a compromised Supreme Court justice.” In ending, he proclaims Obamacare will bankrupt America, no matter that the Congressional Budget Office says the healthcare act will actually add revenue and savings to the U.S. treasury for the mid to long term once it’s fully enacted and implemented.

Conservative writer Ben Shapiro tweeted that, “Chief Justice Roberts was the worst part of the Bush legacy.” Oh, I don’t know, maybe the worst Bush legacy might be tossing the country into its worst recession ever experienced by throwing us into an unheeded and unneeded war with no revenue except for the continual borrowing from China to finance the wars. Yeah, that could be perceived as a lot worse don’t ya think…

Representative Louie Gohmert from Texas said, “It’s time for the American people to get outraged.” Congressman Gohmert, whom himself once was a judge, also threw-up his frustration out on Supreme Court Justice, Elana Kagen by spitting out that she “may need to be impeached.” Ya see, he doesn’t like that lady because she is way too liberal in his views and feels like she had early involvement in the orchestration of the healthcare law.

The nitwit former congressman from Indiana, Mike Pence, presently running for that state’s governorship likened the Supreme Court's ruling upholding the democratic healthcare to the September 11^th terrorist attacks. Nice call Michael, anyone that would compare providing healthcare insurance to millions of uninsured Americans to an act that killed thousands of Americans, deserves more chagrin than to simply be called a nitwit.

Now it starts getting a bit nasty. Founder of the Merrimack Tea Party of New Hampshire and former town councilor of Merrimack raged on a Facebook post that, “I hope that the 5 supremes get colon cancer.” He did later retract. Former GOP spokesman of the state of Michigan, Matt Davis ranted, “If government can mandate that I pay for something I don’t want, then what is beyond its power? If the Supreme Court’s decision Thursday paves the way for unprecedented intrusion into personal decisions, then has the Republic all but ceased to exist? If so, then is armed rebellion today justified? God willing, this oppression will be lifted and America free again before the first shot is fired.” Apparently not yet simmered down, Davis hasn’t recanted and is sticking to his statement. Sounds a bit jihadist doesn’t it…ya know, “God willing” and all…

A more loony statement comes from the author of the popular conservative blog, ‘ToBeRight’ where he claims that David Axlerod, Obama’s chief campaign manager threatened John Roberts stating, “Someone [AKA Axlerod] got to Roberts. I bet they got to him and told him he has to vote this way or members of his family – kids, wife, parents, whoever – were going to be killed.” Wow, someone please pass the mustard and gravy to give some flavor to this greasy order of mashed potatoes.

Glenn Beck not only called Chief Justice John Roberts a coward, he had T-shirts made-up with Roberts’ face and the word ‘coward’ spelled out with all letters capitalized.  

But of course then there’s Rush Limbaugh. He’s on a mission to screw the court ruling and justices. Sure, let’s take matters into our own hands, for this is not a democracy of laws but a country made-up of vigilante parties. Limbaugh raged on his 06/28/2012 radio show ranting that the “Supreme Court just deceived the American public,” and ushered, “Obamacare is nothing more than the largest tax increase in the history of the world and the people who were characterizing it as such were right.” Now speak of deception that’s a bit of a stretch.

It appears that ‘Obamacare’ is here to stay. Someone might want to remind Limbaugh that in 2010 if it ever became law he stated that he would definitely move to Costa Rica. Has anyone seen him packing yet? Oh and huh, when that one reminds him of his promise in moving, you might want to also whisper into one of his bippy ears that Costa Rica also has universal healthcare. That should go down just fine. 

To Blindly Go Where the Blind Should Not:

This was really a jolting hit to conservatives. For ya see, they don’t mind fighting for wrong, they just don’t like it being revealed they were wrong, such as in a Supreme Court decision. Now their mantra is that it is a tax. The thing is whether it is a tax or a penalty it only affects 1% of the American populace. So, as Republicans rail about whether it's a penalty or tax, what have they as an alternate to replace it?

Well Mitch McConnell says that the states have the right and should address it. On ‘Fox News Sunday’ this past Sunday, host Chris Wallace asked McConnell how Republicans planned to cover 30 million uninsured, which is what the new healthcare bill will reach out of the 50 million plus Americans that are currently uninsured. This was the callous McConnell’s reply, “That is not the issue,” then adds, “The question is how to go step by step to improve the American health care system. It is already the finest health care system in the world.” Wallace, a bit taken aback interrupts and ponders, “You don’t think 30 million uninsured is an issue?” In defending his statement McConnell injects, “We’re not going to turn the American healthcare system into a western European system.”

McConnell speaks as if Western Europe healthcare is in turmoil as it actually is here in the U.S. Despite what Republican politicians and pundits claim, America is currently ranked 37^th in the world’s countries when it comes to quality healthcare. Despite being the most expensive healthcare system in the world, when it comes to quality healthcare, America is at the bottom of the heap…dead last when compared to other advanced countries’ healthcare systems such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the three western European countries of the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Wallace then queried McConnell, “If you repeal Obamacare, how will you protect those people with pre-existing conditions?” Where McConnell stated, “Over half of the states have high risk pools that deal with that issue,” then assures Wallace that the states could cover the tens of millions of folks that have pre-existing problems.

The states huh, now let me get this straight…McConnell wants to throw all this off onto individual states just to get rid of that 1% penalty or tax under the new federal healthcare bill where the states will now have to be required to tax all their citizens to pay for it? I’m confused, let’s see, to take away a tax that only affects 1% of the American populace and shove it off onto all the backs of a state’s taxpayers, just doesn’t appear sensible or even logical to me. Anyway…that’s McConnell’s plan.

Needless to say, I don’t think John Roberts will be invited to any Tea Party parties anytime soon, but maybe so just yet. I should note that there was one silver lining in not only a Republican’s response, but by the Godfather of the Tea Party, Rick Santelli. His reaction should’ve caught most off-guard just like the Supreme Court’s decision did. Santelli stated, “You know what, the Supreme Court did what it thought best. I believe in that process, whether I agree with it or not. I challenge the conservatives in Congress to take this decision with respect. With respect!” He said this as CNBCs on-air editor this past Thursday just after the Supreme Court 5-4 final decision and I commend Santelli. If only the rest of Republicans could be as civil.

The Hypocrites Oath:

Many Republicans in congress have adult children on their healthcare insurance. When approached by a Huffington Post reporter about his 24-year-old son on a parent’s healthcare plan, Representative Joe Walsh (R-IL) responded, “He is on his health plan---his mother’s plan---but again, that wouldn’t weigh in on where I stand on the issue.”

Senator Bob Corker, the Republican from Tennessee has at least one adult daughter on his federal health plan, for he can’t recall if his other daughter is or not. But he fills if the healthcare act is repealed, out of the goodness of their greedy little hearts, insurers will keep the 26 of age child policy intact. Corker says, “They're going to continue that anyway. I think the insurance companies have all kind of decided that that's an okay thing. They were in our office, they've been in our office in the last few weeks.” Well Corker that’s a corker; good luck with that.

Republican Representative Pete Sessions of Texas who has a 22-year-old son as a full time student, so insures him, states that he’s enthralled with that part of the plan even though he’s going to vote to repeal the whole bill outright. He states, I support it. Oh sure, it would be in any Republican proposal.”

Representative Scott Rigell (R-VA) has his 21-year old daughter on his own private plan but, before the new healthcare bill mandated that insurers cover children up to 26 in age, insurance companies did not do this on their own, except for a few with a high price tag attached to it.

Despite his opposition to and campaigning against ‘Obamacare’ Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who has a 23-year-old daughter was asked if he had his daughter on his federal healthcare plan and if he planned to keep her on it. His reply simply was, “Oh course I do.”

These brilliant minded Republican lawmakers who want to keep their adult children on their health plans but yet still repeal the very law that mandated insurers cover adult children on parental policies is ironical. They may face some ironical quagmires as well in doing so and justifiably should.

A Fox Guarding the Hen Roost:

We all know where Romney stands on Obama policies, for he publicly preaches his disdain towards them, even the ones that are molded to acts of his own past political policies in the likes of universal healthcare, gun control and women’s rights to reproductive care including abortions. On his speech stumps he constantly rants of the Obama administration’s total failure in policy making whether it be in foreign affairs or the domestic economy. He’s made it plain of what he thinks of Obama’s actions, but therein lies the dilemma…Romney preaches disfavor of Obama acts while having no action or plan of his own to counter. What are his proposed plans to fix what and where he thinks Obama has failed? No one knows, for he’s not a telling kind of guy when it comes to himself.

His party has taken note and given notice. There is a brewing concern over the acceptability of Romney’s campaign by stalwart Republicans. The effervescent conservative Billy Kristol wrote in a column asking, “Is it too much to ask Mitt Romney to get off autopilot and actually think about the race he’s running?” He further advises, “Adopting a prevent defense when it’s only the second quarter and you’re not even ahead is dubious enough as a strategy. But his campaign’s monomaniacal belief that it’s about the economy and only the economy, and that they need to keep telling us stupid voters that it’s only about the economy, has gone from being an annoying tick to a dangerous self-delusion.”

The conservative Wall Street Journal, owned by Rupert Murdock put it this way in an editorial last week, “The Romney campaign thinks it can play it safe and coast to the White House by saying the economy stinks and it’s Mr. Obama’s fault…Thanks, guys, but Americans already know that. What they want to hear from the challenger is some understanding of why the President’s policies aren’t working and how Mr. Romney’s policies will do better.”

Speaking of Murdock, he recently tweeted, “Tough [Obama] Chicago pros will be hard to beat unless [Romney] drops old friends from team and hires some real pros.  Doubtful.”

Of course Republicans are getting nervous, for their choice of candidate is threatening the very agenda they have been strategizing and promoting since Obama’s first day in office and that’s the defeat of Obama in 2012. The point is, it’s not just Romney, it is the Republican Party in general. They have no plans of their own except for the corrosive Ryan Budget plan in addressing America’s woes. They have no answers, so reply in unkind in attacking Obama at every venue, for that is their only out.

In past articles I have mentioned scores of times when a Republican speaks their favorite out phrase when confronted with the American economic and unemployment woes. Their reply simply is, “Get a job.” This exact same scenario just repeated itself again in Florida with a seasoned veteran Republican congressman.

The story goes like this…21 year term GOP Representative C.W. ‘Bill’ Young was asked by a constituent if he would support a bill to raise the minimum wage. Young’s blunt reply was, “Probably not.” The constituent then went on to suggest that $10.00/hr. would give a living wage. Young’s blunt and rude reply was, “How about getting a job.” To which the constituent responded, “I do have one.” Young’s blunt, rude and apparently forgetful reply in that the man had just said he is employed was but once again, “Get a job,” then Young walks off.

Apparently the old Clinton “I feel your pain” days are over in Democrat relating, replaced by “get a job” times (when there are no jobs to get) in GOP abandonment.

You see, in blaming Obama for all our economic woes that catapulted under the Bush years, Republicans have no answer, so quickly revert to the, “Get a job” line. But of course Romney is following the same GOP script of attacking those trying to question and solve the ills, but with no action on their own part in obtaining solutions. It’s the same Republican attitude in Global Warming. No empirical studies of their own, so simply throw doubt into the winds by attacking climatologists that have indeed done the decades long studies.

There is upheaval in the GOP and it reflects in Romney’s campaign. Since the SCOTUS ruling took the baloney out of the Republican’s lunch pail, they decided to attack the insurance mandate that John Roberts said was a tax instead of a penalty. But Romney’s campaign is even confusing more that issue than it already was. Where Romney is preaching that it is definitely a tax, his campaign management is on the airways, saying indeed it is not, it’s a penalty, while also expressing Romney concurs that it is a penalty, no matter apparently what he says in his speeches.

Here is a guy that Wall Street is truly in love with because his only discourse in business management was as a venture capitalist. His job was not to create jobs for workers and better communities, his job was to pad the pockets of investors along with his own open wallet and better Wall Street. Communities around the country that Bain had taken over businesses suffered for it along with workers losing lifelong jobs and pensions. Bain sought out and preyed on struggling manufacturing companies, intentionally over ran company budgets they took over while squeezing out the monies for investor profits, or simply downsized outsourcing company services overseas.

Romney led Bain Capital to invest in Stericycle, a business that disposes medical wastes including aborted fetuses. Romney campaign management swears that he had nothing to do with the investment due to his departure of Bain to manage the 1999 Salt Lake City Olympics, but a journal investigation disputes that claim showing Romney personally controlling 11% of the shares in Stericycle while Bain was in control of 23% of the shares. Romney personally signed the November 1999 13D form filed for the Security Exchange Commission (SEC), which detailed the acquisition. As the only Bain executive listed on the form, this document states that Romney was the one holding ‘voting and dipositive power” over Bain’s shares of the medical waste disposal company.

This suggests that all the other Bain ventures that Romney’s campaign says he didn’t participate in due to the time frame may in fact be false. The only reason they want to break ties with Romney and Bain is politically motivated. The truth of Romney tied in with Bain’s outsourcing will hurt when the public learns. The Stericycle connection is indicative that even if he had physically left Bain, he was far from retired from it. In my opinion that is probably what lies in his overseas accounts that he stubbornly refuses to reveal…his continued profits from Bain.

The disgraced London banker, Robert Diamond who admittedly attempted to manipulate the Libor rate (London interbank offered rate), a key global metric used to set everything from credit card to mortgage interest rates, resigned from his Barclays CEO post. For June 28, Diamond had scheduled a fund raiser dinner party for Romney in London and Romney had gladly accepted. Although the actual amounts of the plates were kept secret, according to the London newspaper, ‘Telegraph’ “the price of invitations dwarfs the amounts paid for such fund-raisers in British politics.” After the revelations of Diamond’s illegal activities, it was Diamond who canceled the event, not Romney, Romney was still raring to go.

Romney does state his way to cut taxes is that for his first act as president is to have ‘Obamacare’ repealed. Wow…that sure will be a lot of cutting.

I ponder but just with one query, is this man the one you wish to run the U.S.?

Independent Closing:

In prioritizing corporate gains there necessarily is no need for socialized pains. In the GOP mandate that there is no synchronization of progress as perceived between corporate wealth and social programs needs some serious reevaluation.

This week Americans celebrated Independence Day on July 4^th by eating hotdogs while watching parades and fireworks. The country’s independence isn’t so revealed though in class history books.

Back in the summer of 1776, most who made-up the Continental Congress and who would sign the Declaration of Independence were upper class aristocrats that were concerned with liberty, but not too much on equality, in particular economic equality. Most, even including Thomas Jefferson, felt that citizens who didn’t own a sufficient amount of property should not be allowed to vote, nor have the right to run for office. But there was another group of patriots who thought differently with names you might not have heard of like James Cannon, Christopher Marshall, Timothy Matlack and Thomas Young, but one you probably have…Thomas Paine.

This group of radical economists for the day felt that all classes should have equal access to all freedoms afforded. These men influenced Samuel Adams and his half-hearted cousin John Adams to hammer away at the rest of congress to hold all men as created equal. While this occurred in the Philadelphia congressional chamber, outside, Thomas Paine and his patriots organized a militia composed of laborers and tenant farmers that led a successful but bloodless coup.

These actions created a flow, then a swift stream of ideology that upper classmen holding large properties had no more rights than the immigrant tenant holding no property. Of course we all know these radical concepts at the time did win over the favor of all the Continental Congress, for we can view it to remind us at any time in the Declaration of Independence.

Our forefathers were not just against an unjust government, but they were assailing corporate just as well. The monopolistic East India Company controlled not only all the tea imported into the colonies, but influenced over half of the world’s governing transactions at the time. The company even had its own army.

Tyranny, subjugated favoritism and misrepresentation are what forefathers fought against; individual rights, liberty and independence are what they fought for. Republicans tend to forget fairness to each and every individual. No matter the strain on one who has worked hard his whole life but is currently struggling, conservatives simply state, ‘good luck with that.’ I’ve actually heard a Tea Party member express that he has experienced depression thinking that his tax dollars have to go to people that didn’t earn it. How does he know who it’s going to and if his tax dollars aid and benefit someone on hard time, it should at least put a grin on his face. There is a stark contrast in liberal and conservative attitude that ultimately affects behavior. Just like in America’s early colonial aristocracy, Republican behavior is attempts to purge voting rights, bitterness towards those in need and not just being anti-immigration, but anti-immigrant. 

If you truly believe that protecting corporate interests, viral lobbyism, the untold billions of dollars being thrown at Washington influencing and affecting government is sound policy that’s one thing. But, if you also further feel that that is simply fair play for average Americans who haven’t the monetary resources to play the game, just their vote…I just wonder what mountain peak yore sitting atop of.

If you truly believe that corporate welfare cleverly disguised as commodities, foreign investment havens, subsidies and forgiveness for regulatory violations is OK, but constantly rant about any social program for the average American is socialism…I just wonder a bit more from what river you reside under.

Republicans constantly complain that America has the highest corporate tax rate of any country at 35%. Perhaps it does, but with all the infinite tax loopholes, breaks and forgiveness, name me one large American corporation that even comes close to paying that amount and I’ll buy ya a cherry or grape popsicle; it’s your choice.

The video below is a quintessential example of how Republicans make a mockery of themselves in only attacking Obama on the economy while recusing themselves of no blame. CNNs Wolfe Blitzer asks Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Reince Priebus a direct but simple question...Do you condone Republican Florida Representative Allen West’s controversial comments in that President Obama wants Americans “to be his slave.”

West’s full statement was, “He does not want you to have the self-esteem of getting up and earning and having that title of American. He’d rather you be his slave,” as stated in a Port St. Lucie, Florida campaign event.

Here he is, Preibus, leader of the RNC and cannot muster up enough courage to censure West’s comment, but instead actually says he is a rising star in the Republican arena, then deflects to pounding Obama.

As I bid you adieu, watch it.

Hoping All Had a Happy Firecracker Day!

07/06/2012

BJA