Donald Trump and any "Birther" are just stupid

Well, I wanted to stay away from this issue because it is stupid for me to be talking about it; however, I have to say something again. Republicans continue to jump on the "birther" bandwagon and it is so bad that almost 50% of Republicans think that Obama is not an American. You are all stupid beyond belief, but nobody is more stupid than Donald Trump. Donald Trump, the self serving ego maniac thinks that he is presidential timber when all he can talk about is Obama's birth certificate? What a sick and increasingly stupid country this is becoming. If Donald Trump wants to be president, why doesn't he talk about .. ahem.. the economy?

Do you want to see Obama's birth certificate? It is there for everyone to see (link to Obama birth certificate). How about a picture? Do you want a picture? Oh! What about the raised seal from the state of Hawaii ? It can't be official until we see that.

How about independent unbiased verification? That means verification from people that are not stupid. Try "FactCheck.Org" . I would bet that there are many Republicans working for "FactCheck.org, they're just not the stupid 50%. How about official government verification? Do you want to see a picture of that? Just go to the "FactCheck.org" site.

Here is the bottom line. No president in our history has had to face such insane questioning. I wonder why this is happening now? Well Donald Trump, its called racism and if you think that it is anything different you are not only stupid, you have serious personality flaws. I for one do not want a psychiatric head case running for president. It seems like the Republicans have many head cases that have an interest in the White House.

All I have to say to the 50% of stupid Republicans is that I am very happy that our white house has become a black house. That's right; the White House is now occupied by a family that has an almost unbelievable American story that far surpasses any story coming at us from the Republican side of the isle. At least Barack Obama insists that his children stay grounded and stay in school (unlike Sarah truancy coordinator). The continuing reluctance of key Republicans to correct the record with the stupid people just ruins their ability to reach the independent voters. Fine by me!

tomtoak

Seething over health care!

Seething over health care is an understatement. Seething over folks that choose to believe the bull shit without seriously visiting the debate has become an unfortunate passion. Nobody speaks for the stupid better than Sarah Palin.

Have you notice that most of the folks screaming over health care are medicare recipients? They have their health care (flawed though it might be) and they would want to deny their grandchildren appropriate care. Health care scare mongers are the very people that insist we can't afford government sponsored care because it will bankrupt future generations. Notice to all irrational people out there; health care is bankrupting all of us, and it's not the government's fault.

The Providence Journal (Tuesday, August 4, 2009) had an excellent lead editorial calling for "Health care today". In that editorial, it was pointed out that the U.S. ranks 37th in the world by the World Health Organization for public health. Consider this fact; Medicare overhead is about 3 percent compared with for-profit companies that exceed 20 percent.

On a more personal note, I have knowledge of many friends and relatives that have needed the support of government to ensure quality health care. This country seems to have a great safety net, but what about those folks that I happen to know that have been working hard, can't catch any safety net and can't afford insurance. The nay Sayers see abuse in the system from people that are not doing their fair share; and, they have a point. Why can't everyone agree that people that are contributing and working hard should have a level of health care protection. This is the fundamental issue; not Sarah Palin's imagined "death panel"!

I have many friends and relatives that have joined the debate and the arguments in many cases are irrational. The arguments being used by the right-wing in this country are distortions at best, but they would best be described as deception, lies, fabrications, falsehoods and idiocy. Everyone in the U.S. should be protected by a level of health care - end of discussion.
How you get there needs to be rigorously debated but not postponed. Health care for Americans has been debated since Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party. Teddy was a good Republican and he got things right!

I am tired of listening to complaints about the health care in Canada and the waiting periods for elective surgery. Everyone goes to that argument without knowing any Canadians. Guess what? I know a lot of Canadians and they are very pleased with their health care. My own father, an American citizen and World War II vet was denied a much needed appointment at Lahey Clinic in Massachusetts when he was complaining of chest discomfort. Lahey Clinic offered an appointment, but he would have to wait months. My family happened to be friends with a cardiologist that set up an appointment for him immediately. Within the week my Dad had a 5 - way bypass surgery which improved his quality of life for his last 15 years. Don't ever tell me that Americans don't have to wait for health care!!!! That's a total lie. The for-profit consolidation of hospitals and doctors have driven up the cost of health care and have restricted access throughout this country.

We need change and we need it today! I'm seething over health care because I have experienced nightmares right here in the good ole U.S. of A.

tomtoak

The Jackson - Palin Sagas

I hope everyone had a great July 4th weekend. I did a little kayaking and had a great time. News of course stops for no one and boy did this weekend bring some news.

Which saga do you think is more worthy of all of the media attention? I happen to believe that both episodes are getting too much attention. The Sarah Palin story is probably the more important one when you think in terms of how political decisions affect everyone. Michael Jackson affected a lot of people but in a different way.

Sarah Palin is nothing but a joke at this point; and I must say, a bad joke at that. She is a quitter and never deserved election by the people in Alaska. She has been one steady irritant to Democrats and Republicans alike. Palin continues to make all of the wrong decisions; that's why she has so many Republicans in Alaska and elsewhere mad at her. Ethics charges continue to follow her and she says that she just could not take it any more. Ethics problems plagued her because she is not an ethical person. Thank God she came nowhere near the Presidency.

If Palin believes that she has the ability to lead this country, she is sicker than I thought. If you can't do the job in Alaska, you will never be able to lift your head again. I'll say it now, anybody that votes for Palin in a Republican primary is an idiot. Anyone that votes for Palin for any position is an idiot.

In "Random Reasoning's X", April 19, is the result of a poll conducted by this blog about Sarah Palin's future. At that time, 64% of respondents said that she would be a news commentator on Fox News. To the 13 % that said she would still be Governor - You're wrong! She will become a commentator on Fox News because she wants her face plastered over the air waves. Her reasoning is plain, pure and simple. She knows that she can get more attention on Fox News than running the state of Alaska. She's crazy alright; crazy like a fox. If she can get more attention, she figures to be a more serious contender for the 2012 nomination. Why I may ask could anyone give her this opportunity when she can't put two sentences or thoughts together? We know that her ego is too big to be satisfied with fishing for Salmon. She will be a commentator on Fox News and she will run in 2012. Will Republican voters do the right thing or decide to join the idiot parade?

As for Michael Jackson, I will never judge him; it's simply not my place. To those that choose to judge; you can't know the whole truth. While he entertained many of us, he is most probably responsible for his condition that cost him his life. Like any other person in this country, give him a respectable send-off and get over it. The media is simply out of control here.

tomtoak

Sarah Palin did Consider an Abortion!

I have wondered about the honesty of Sarah Palin since her first days on the campaign trail with John McCain. There were some stories coming out of Alaska that did not seem to add up. We learned last night that Sarah Palin has admitted to a "Right to Life" crowd in Indiana , that she considered for a short time having an abortion. Now none of this is really my business, but when claims were made on the campaign trail about never considering an abortion, I was skeptical.

My friends will tell you that in private conversations, I questioned why somebody would undergo an amniocentesis if they would never consider abortion. From my point of view, why put the baby at risk, even if that risk is minor. I know that on occasion some women learn of problems and follow through with the pregnancy after having the procedure. Some women just want to know so they can prepare for the future. Palin bragged throughout the campaign of learning about her son after the procedure and never questioned bringing the baby to term. On the campaign trail, we heard her time and time again tell us that she would never consider abortion.

Did Palin just slip up last night and forget what she had been saying over the past 9 months? Was this a change of heart and a wish to come clean? Your guess is as good as mine; but when thinking back on her time in the spotlight, I'm not so sure that she can keep her story straight. This is not the first time we've heard her change her tune. My guess is that this won't be the last time she can't keep her story straight. From my perspective, people that stretch the truth as a part of their personality frequently get caught up in inconsistencies. I think this is what happened here.

When reading about amniocentesis, you learn that the risks are slight; however, the risks are many. Bleeding, miscarriage, amniotic fluid leakage, uterine infection, respiratory problems, higher likelihood of the need for neo-natal ICU, hemorrhage, fetal damage and a few other bizarre problems thrown in are all potential problems (very slight problems). Why risk it if there is no way that you would consider abortion. Don't pay attention to me, I'm no doctor here. I just thought it odd. Today we know that Sarah Palin was giving some consideration to the choice of abortion; now things make a little more sense.

Let's hope that honesty is the way forward with all of our politicians; and, we'll know that they're honest if they keep their stories straight. People that like to stretch the truth usually trip themselves up. There's a funny thing about people that tell lies though; they just can't seem to stop.

tomtoak

Republican Tea Parties are Funny!

If you want to get a good laugh, take a look at some footage of the Republican tea parties being held across the country. These people really think they have a ground swell in public opinion. First of all, the very premise is laughable because Barack Obama has lowered the taxes for 95% of the citizens in this nation. Second; the crowds being drummed up appear to approach many dozen people in city after city. Finally, the rhetoric being spewed is full of lies and/or stupidity. At least during the Vietnam war protests, much of the rhetoric was true.

Not since Sarah Palin's display of her ability to write comedy, have I laughed so hard on matters of politics. If you want to see some of the fun just (click here). Now I ask you; do you want these people making the decisions for our country in the years ahead? I've got to believe that most true conservatives have to be embarrassed by these pathetic shows. Contrast these videos with some pictures of the Vietnam War protests by just (clicking here).

My generation found it very difficult to change the politics in this Nation by standing up for what we believed in. At least we had millions of people protesting. Somehow, I don't think that dozens of folks will make much of a difference. Heck, these protesters won't even allow Michael Steele, RNC Chairman to speak at their "thunderous" events.

Watch some of the tea party videos and get a laugh. It's a lot like watching Jay Leno's, "Jaywalking" segment.

I hope some of my friends are enjoying Passover, and I wish Christian friends a great Easter.

tomtoak

Challenge to Readers - I

Help find the answer to the following question:

Did Sarah and Todd Palin break the truancy laws of Alaska when they removed their children from the classroom during the Presidential campaign in the Fall of 2008?

I have long thought that laws were broken when Sarah and Todd Palin took their children out of the classroom to travel across the country during the election. It's one thing to take your kids out of school for a week to travel to Disney World or visit distant Grandparents, but taking your kids out of school for half a school year is illegal in most states.

I do know that it was tough on Piper Palin from the Matt Lauer interview. My search for the truancy laws of Alaska was extremely difficult. I'm not so sure that Alaska is close to fully connecting to today's cyber world. I did find a reference to a bill from 2006 that would restrict payment of the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) that Alaskans receive each year as their portion of oil revenues, for any parent that allowed their child to be truant. I had trouble finding out whether this bill actually passed. If the PFD payment was eliminated for parents of truant children, did Sarah and Todd Palin collect their PFD? Was it against Alaska law for the Palin's to receive a PFD?

Bottom line here; the Palin's were very poor parents for removing their children from school for such an extended period of time. I have no problem with short periods to attend the Convention or other significant events, but their kids were out of school for a period that would be considered illegal in most states. Don't tell me that Sarah Palin was home schooling her children like I read on one conservative blog. Anyone that believes that is an idiot.

So help me out; please! If you can shed some light on this, the readers to this blog will be grateful.

tomtoak

Why are Some Conservatives Infatuated with Sarah Palin?

I can't understand for the life of me why some conservatives are so impressed by Sarah Palin? I've been reluctant to write about this topic because the troubling nature of the infatuation has made me search for a reason; obviously, I can't find one. I have very good friends that are truly conservative and only voted for McCain because of what they perceived Palin brought to the table. I know a number of other conservatives that were forced to vote for Obama because of their concern over Palin. One good friend from the south hadn't voted Democratic in over 50 years but told me, Palin is a real problem for McCain. It seems like Palin is truly a love-hate relationship with Republicans. I can't figure out the love part; and here's a few reasons why.

Didn't conservative folks notice that Palin pulled her kids out of school and dragged them all over the country with her during the election? I wonder what the law says about this in Alaska? Were her children actually truant? Barack and Michelle Obama made sure their kids stayed in school and sought as little disruption as possible to their children's routine. Heck; the Obama's made their children go to school the day after the election. Which is the "conservative" choice?

Sarah Palin charged the state for travel for her husband and kids on a regular basis. Forget about the national campaign, she did this all the time back in Alaska. Is this the practice of a fiscal conservative? Further, she was charging the state per Diem costs for those days that she was staying in her own home. OK, it was away from the Capitol, but you still have to wonder about her conservative credentials. This is not the practice of a true fiscal conservative.

When Sarah's star power was on the rise, we then learn of the clothing fiasco. The final chapter hasn't been written on this gem. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent from the Republican Campaign Committee for clothing, not only for herself, but for her kids. This ethical lapse is monumental. Meanwhile, Obama is walking around with holes in his shoes, a ten year old belt and I don't think he owned more than 4 suits when the campaign started. OK, he bought a few new suits and Michelle bought new clothes; but Michelle's dresses were reported to cost under $200 and, the Obama's paid for their own clothes. Who was making the fiscally conservative decisions here?

What about the myriad of ethics violations that Palin has brought upon the people of Alaska. It has been reported that her legal bills are approximately $500,000 to date. Troopergate was just one case in point. Here in Rhode Island we have a conservative governor that likes to defy the ethics code. He's been caught a number of times as has Palin. I'm not going to write this off as a conservative trait though. I think ethics violations extend beyond party lines. My point however; is that conservatives blast away at Democrats when there are ethics violations, yet apparently stay silent when it is one of them. Conservatives usually try to claim the higher ground even though they don't own it. Why do they want to own Palin's sketchy behavior?

Another troubling thing that I noted during the campaign was the forever presence of her husband. Doesn't this guy have a job? He should have been home in Alaska; taking care of the kids and the household, making sure those kids were doing their school work. It seemed like he was right there for every event and almost every interview. In the mean time, we know that one daughter had a little too much freedom. I ask you again; is this the behavior of a true conservative? Is this what conservative family values means?

Somebody help me! I remain very confused. Sarah Palin has not displayed stability throughout her life and stability is generally considered to be a conservative trait. A case in point; attending 5 different colleges over 6 years before she finally got a degree from the University of Idaho. How many people take that route to get their degree and why? There is still something that bothers me about Sarah Palin beyond all of this, I do not think that she is being honest at times.

For all the talk about Palin's family values; believe it or not, liberals have strong family values and most of us are fiscally conservative. To my friends that have trouble swallowing this, ask me how long the curtains were hanging in my state office? Palin has not exhibited conservative traits in her own life and if I'm looking for somebody with conservative values, Barack Obama wins that contest.

tomtoak