A Must-Read: Especially for Anyone Who Votes Republican

I just finished reading an article I had stumbled across in my Twitter feed;   it's from a recent issue of Vanity Fair.

Its author,  a seasoned journalist named Kurt Eichenwald  has illustrated the abject cruelty of many right-wing legislators from a very personal perspective ---  in a manner which I never could.   (Just google [or "bing",  if you prefer],  My Family,   Our Cancer  to read the article.  It's well worth it!).

I often wonder whether many of the folks who cast their votes for these uncompromising,  uninformed legislators --- not only in Texas ---  ever fully realize the consequences of their ballot choices.  

Recalling my experiences as a volunteer canvasser,  primarily in metro Chicago,  southern Wisconsin,  and northwest Indiana,   I can readily recall hundreds of folks I've met in my travels,  who seemed to be very nice,  decent people --- the kind of folks who'd immediately rush to help someone in distress.   Yet without missing a beat,  they declare their allegiance to candidates with agendas that betray a spirit of meanness.

I often think to myself,  "How can we get through to these people?   They're not evil beings."   Yet,  who has the time to read Vanity Fair?   So many wage-earners are working multiple part-time jobs these days,  just trying to cobble together  a survival-level income.   And they're working damned hard,  too!   With whatever free time they have,  they just wanna kick back and relax.  Who can blame them?

Really,  about all we can do is keep after the folks who flocked to the polls in 2008 and 2012,  but sat out 2010:   the young voters especially.  Next year's midterm elections will be vital.   The Rick Perrys and Scott Walkers do not reflect our true values either as a society or as individuals.  Nor does Congress.   (Issue-oriented polls prove it).  

We can and must do better in 2014.

Republican Texas Legislators are NOT "Pro-Life".

I'd like to believe that the genie is out of the bottle,  at least in the state of Texas.   Last week,  State Senator Wendy Davis successfully filibustered a draconian anti-women's-choice bill that would have shut down many of the state's women's health clinics.  

Unfortunately,  it was a pyrrhic victory.  The legislature reconvened this week and passed the measure,  known as Senate Bill 1 (SB1).   But many folks are fighting back.   The testimony of an eloquent young woman named Sarah Slamen was captured on video which has since gone viral.  (Just google "youtube"  and key  "Sarah Slamen" in the Youtube search engine).

As the video shows,  Ms.  Slamen was forcibly removed from the room before her allotted time was up ---  as directed by  Jane Nelson (R-12th),  the chairman of the Senate Committee on  ---  uh  --- Health & Human Services(!!!)   Not a pretty picture.  

SB1 forbids abortions beyond 20 weeks of fertilization.  However,   the devil is in the details.   Because of the way the bill was crafted,  forcing abortion clinics to adopt the same standards as hospital-style clinics,  all but five of the 42 women's health clinics performing abortions --- even on embryos ---  would likely be forced to close.   And Texas isn't the only state affected.

Similar statutes have been legislated in other states dominated by Tea Party Republicans,  including North Carolina,   Alabama,  Mississippi,  Virginia,  Ohio,  and Wisconsin,   also resulting in  clinic closures.  

According to the Center for Disease Control,  over 90% of abortions nationwide  are performed during the first trimester (12 weeks);  in other words,  on embryos.   In contrast,  SB1,  with its 20-week threshold,  would apply to only 1.3% of all abortions.  Yet the bill would effectively make it exceedingly difficult for most women to obtain any abortion.

I believe that there are many folks who truly believe in the sanctity of life:  people of good will.   The late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago composed a document he called The Consistency of Life Ethic.    Also known as the Principle of the Seamless Garment  (feel free to correct me if I have this wrong),   the ethic  questions the  death penalty and   unjust wars,  as well as economic and social injustices. 

Yet Texas Governor Rick Perry and his legislative allies have presided over more executions than their counterparts in any other state.   They've also butchered funding for education,  health,  and nutrition programs,  all of which help make the lives of struggling Texans more bearable.   Pro-life?

Still,  the Good Governor heralded the passage of SB1 with the following statement:  " (Today)  the Texas legislature took its final step in our historic effort to protect life."    No shame,  no shame at all!

Some political prognosticators believe that,  considering the rapid demographic change occurring in the Lone Star State,  that its political complexion could turn purple by 2016.   That might seem a bit bold,  but it would be nice.

In the meantime,  it's reassuring to hear some voices emerging from the wilderness,  such as those of Wendy Davis and Sarah Slamen.   It's a start!

Women's Choice Redux

What is it with these guys that makes them so obsessive over women's vaginas?  It's not just a problem in Congress,  but within many state legislatures as well.

Here's what happened in Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago.  A measure was ramrodded through that state's senate,  mandating vaginal probes for any woman needing an  abortion  (SB 206).    And my use of the term "ramrodded"  was purely intentional.   

A number of senate Democrats attempted to debate the bill,  a perfectly rational action.   But Senate President Mike Ellis,  a Republican, stifled all attempts at discussion,  going batshit crazy in the process.  (I was unable to establish a link with the video,  but accessing the Youtube search engine  and keying in "Senator Mike Ellis" will bring it up.  It runs 2:47).   Maybe the good burghers of Wisconsin's 19th Senatorial District will commit this video to their cerebral memory banks when they cast their ballots next year.   We can only hope.

In the meantime,  Congressional Republicans continue to obsess over women's reproductive issues while cutting food stamps (the majority of whose beneficiaries are employed). Still,  they think nothing of approving subsidies to wealthy farmers and corporate agriculture.

George Carlin was right on target with this declaration:   

           If you're pre-born,  you're fine.
          If you're  pre-SCHOOL,  you're f**ked!

Too bad  he didn't take better care of himself.

Women's Choice: The Heros and the Not-So-Heroic

Here we are:   Legions of folks are hungering for decent jobs that pay a livable wage,  we're plagued with  a crumbling infrastructure,   and public schools are being defunded in favor of privatized education and building prisons.   Yet we have a Congress that's so dysfunctional that they can't even pass a simple one-page bill that would reverse the sequester (HR 900).    This so-called "sequester" consisted of a series of measures so draconian that no one would dare let it happen.   

But lo and behold:  here we are.   Nutrition and Head-Start programs are getting butchered along with numerous other vital social programs that enrich us as a society.

According to the gospel of many public officials,  especially those elected with Tea Party support,   government serves a single function:  to regulate the traffic in and out of women's vaginas.    That's it!

That's why it was so refreshing to witness Texas State Senator Wendy Davis successfully sustain her one-woman filibuster against daunting odds during a legislative session. She managed to temporarily defeat a draconian measure which,  although intended to limit abortions,  would have defunded many of the state's  women's health clinics.  It was likely just a symbolic victory;  the same legislation will be reintroduced next week.   But Senator Davis seems to have achieved iconic status,  not only in Texas,  but well beyond.  

Some meaningful pushback toward the misogynists in public office  has been a long time coming.  Let's hope there's more.  

Chairman Issa's Digestive Tract is Working Overtime

Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) enjoys the spotlight,  no doubt about it.   As chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform,  he avails himself of the opportunities.

Among his dubious achievements:   Stifling legislation intended to restore the financial health of the US Postal Service.   As a chairman of the relevant committee,  he succeeded in killing the measure,  despite its likelihood of passage.  (Details are available in the first post on this blog, dated 2/28/12).  

Chairman Issa (pronounced ICE-uh) is currently focused on recent problems with the Internal Revenue Service.   He seems determined to link the IRS's recently cited irregularities --- including the alleged pinpointing of Tea Party groups for questionable exemption claims, and wildly excessive expenses for training sessions --- to the Obama administration.

(A brief sidebar:   The 96 Tea-Party organizations that were red-flagged were among a group of 298 committees spanning the political spectrum.   Only one actually lost its tax-exempt status:  a Democratic-leaning,  New-England-based group).

The Good Chairman seems to have an ironbound determination to demonize the White House,  despite lack of evidence.   During a recent interview with journalist Candy Crowley,  he stated that "he knew in his gut that somebody in the White House knew something."   Here's  a clip from Lawrence O'Donnell's  MSNBC program,  The Last Word.  (The entire 14-minute video is worth watching,  but the relevant snippet runs from  6:03 to 6:24):  It's In His Gut.

I'll grant you this:  The Chairman's gut has served him well.  Considering the fact that he's just a shade shy of 60,   Mr. Issa cuts a dashing figure,  snappy suits and all.   His digestive and metabolic processes appear to function smashingly well,   unlike those of his soul-mate  Rush Limbaugh.   So I guess it's understandable why he should maintain such unswerving faith in his intestinal tract.

However,  Mr. Issa's gut faith seems to be wearing thin as a political tactic.   Even some of his Republican chums are advising him to cool his jets!

Just Who is Bullying Whom?

Five months into his second term,  the President has been under increasing assault from Republicans;  they're accusing his administration of  political bullying and a lack of transparency.

The Internal Revenue Service has allegedly  singled out conservative political action groups for audits.   However, none has been denied tax-exempt  status. (From what I understand,  the real issue isn't  even being discussed:  that is,  should organizations doing political work be tax-exempt to begin with)?   But there's no evidence that the Obama administration was in any way involved in this action,  if true. (Frankly,  I'm skeptical).  Whether justified or not,  the president has actually expressed his dismay toward the IRS in concert with the Republicans.

Yet many in the GOP have been trigger-quick to accuse the Democrats of political bullying.  I'm detecting just a whiff of a double standard at work here.    Exactly what have the Congressional Republicans been doing since Obama became the nation's chief executive?   Showering him with rose petals?  Or more to the point,  what haven't they been doing except obstructing?   I understand that the 37th attempt to repeal Obamacare is in the works.

So  who are the real bullies?

A Felony for an Innocent Misjudgment

Get this!   A well-regarded Florida high school student was expelled from her school last week.   Why?   Because she conducted a scientific experiment outside the school that bore an unexpected result.

Kiera Wilmot,  a junior at Bartow High School in the Florida town of the same name,  committed the unforgiveable error of mixing some household chemicals in a plastic bottle outside the school,  well away from the building.   The chemical cocktail created a minor explosion,  but caused no injury or damage.   A reprimand would probably have been appropriate;   she most likely would have understood the gravity of the situation and learned from it.

Yet despite her exemplary record of conduct and high academic standing,  school officials have deemed Ms. Wilmot a criminal!   Not only has she been expelled from her school,  but she's being charged with a felony.

The principal actually declared that she knew that the cited student intended no harm,  but that she had violated the school's code of conduct.   After all,  "rules are rules."   

I guess the All-Hallowed Principal's Manual doesn't contain a clause anywhere pertaining to common sense.

Update:   As of May 24th,  criminal charges against Ms. Wilmot  have been dropped,  most  likely due at least in part to an on-line campaign in her behalf.   At least 200,000 signatures were generated.   The school still hasn't allowed her to return,   but according to local reports,   her parents are appealing to school officials.

So at least in this one instance,  an inquisitive student's curiosity won't be criminalized.   Nevertheless,   this should be considered an appropriate time for school officials to be reconsidering zero-tolerance policies at their institutions.  Not only do they cast a pall over the whole educational environment,  but they discourage students from exercising initiative and curiosity.   Besides, the slammers in  many localities are already overloaded with petty,  non-violent offenders.