Politics and Religion

I saw something today on Facebook that brought this topic about, so bear with me - its kinda short.  Some politicians and pundits seem to be constantly insinuating that only people who go to church and are Christians are good and only 'good Christians' can be ethical or moral.

As a Jeffersonian Constitutionalist and a member of a sizable subset (albeit still a minority) of voters, I am very interested in this topic.

I fully agree with the idea that our government, state and national both, should be held to high ethical standards and conduct themselves with politeness and observe all good manners.  However, I see no need to bring religion into the discussion of government. Socrates, Aristotle and Aesop - among many others -  were promoting and discussing ethics and morality long before any church or religion became involved.

I found some quotes from my main politician, TJ, helpful :

But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.  -Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

I inquire after no man's religion, and trouble none with mine; nor is it given us in this life to know whether yours or mine, our friends' or our foes', is exactly the right. - Thomas Jefferson, letter to Miles King, 1814

And, reluctantly, some books on how damaging religion can be in our politics :
Liars for Jesus
Fighting Words
Idiot America
Over the Cliff
Common Nonsense

Roundup of Articles

Democrats are more favored than Republicans.

Watching Fox "News" makes you Stupid. (or at least very misinformed)

Republicans Oppose their own Earmarks!  Republicans are among the top earmark requesters!  All three Republicans from Mississippi are in the top 10 porkers... hmm.. its mostly the Mississippi Republicans...  figures.  More to be embarrassed about by those idiots.  Yeah, its mostly Democrats asking for earmarks in 2011.  Although, really, its not been a one sided thing in the past, as majority rules apply.  Very interesting to research.

Al Franken's hardest vote evah!

Fox News is a pissed off as everyone else about the 9/11 First Responders getting snubbed by congress - but they won't admit it was Republicans who blocked the aid bill. I suppose there were not enough Millionaires in the group for the Lame A$$ Republicans to support.

And some interesting news on the potential fate of the Filibuster!

Where is the Outrage?

I can't believe that there are not more people, more average, working people, who are totally pissed off right now.

A certain segment of the ultra rich are screwing the rest of us out of our hard earned money, screwing us out of what we deserve for our contributions to their wealth.  Corporations work endlessly to lower our wages, increase their profits and stock dividends and wiggle out of paying their fair share of taxes.  The Rich are enabled and coddled by our government - getting tax breaks and loopholes, tax shelters and give-aways.  Some are paying an effective tax of 17.7% while we pay an effective tax of 30% - they are not paying their fair share!  Some corporations pay Zero taxes.

There is nothing wrong with being rich - or even very, very rich.  Its the American Dream.  What is wrong, is stepping on people to get there and stay there.  What is wrong, is not contributing your fair share to fund our government - instead buying congressmen and law-makers to cut you deals and breaks.  What is wrong, is rewarding your CEO for cutting jobs and worker salaries to increase profits for shareholders. What is wrong, is creating schemes that ensure lower-income families will default on the loans you provide and get you even more profit and tax breaks.

Oh, some will say that we are at fault.  We grasped for the American Dream when it was not really within our reach.  They say we jumped too high - even when those same bankers and financial crooks were the ones dangling the carrot over our heads saying, "Come on, its a great deal."  After all, its their job to entice, to promote, to sell us the idea that we can achieve the Dream.  Its not their fault we fell for it!  After all, its immoral to allow a sucker to keep his money, right?

There has been a class war going on for years - and only the corporations knew about it.  Now, there is no reason for anyone to not know about this.

What can you do?  Change your voter status to Independent - or Green Party or Reform Party - just not Republican nor Democrat.  That will send a huge message : Cooperate for the Greater Good, not your political futures.(for info on How, see http://www.vote411.org/ - specifically the Registrar Info finder)

Send your supposed representatives an email with just one line : "You should listen to Us - vote Our Way.  - a Voter." (see mine - log in, click "Write your lawmakers" and uncheck the President, fill in your info.  You may be asked to choose a topic - I picked "Gov't Operations" - see my Congress.org Soapbox)

Just one source article - there are many more in the previous posts. http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/12/14-6

Wow!! Unbelievable

"Washington is here to serve the banks..." - Spencer Bachus, traitor who betrays We the People to the Banks and Corporations.

The Judge who ruled against the Health Insurance Mandate is a Republican stooge and part owner of a GOP consulting firm - talk about your conflict of interest.  He should be censured for even taking the case.  Not that I disagree with his ruling, but he should not have taken the case.  I still feel that states forcing someone to buy auto insurance is illegal - and it is certainly immoral.  Even more so, any government should never be able to force a citizen to choose which method to risk their life - such as states do when forcing people to buckle up based on a 60/40 chance that it will help or do no harm instead of being the deciding factor that kills you, which it sometimes does.  I would wager that wearing a seat belt saves a life about as often as it kills - the rest of the time it matters very little, either preventing a few bruises or cracking the collar bone.

The Tax Deal will hurt lower income citizens by eliminating the "Making work Pay" tax credit and replacing it with the "Payroll Tax Holiday" - which is a percentage cut, so the more you make, the more it benefits you.  For example, the "Making work Pay" credit gave me $400 extra over the year - the "Tax Holiday" will give me over $850.  MwP would give people making $10,000 the same $400.00, but the "Tax Holiday" will only give them, maybe $200 - you have to make $20,000 to get the $400.

See more REAL news on Democracy Now!

Warren Buffet slams tax disparity!  Last year, Buffett said, he was taxed at 17.7 percent on his taxable income of more than $46 million. His receptionist was taxed at about 30 percent. See!  and for those lucky enough to be able to watch Youtube... 

Adding another interesting item : Neither Plan works!
... and another... Tax Cuts Create Jobs? Prove it!

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson

Mandates! Health, Auto, Seat belt!!

Interesting developments!  A Judge in Virginia has ruled the Federal Mandate of Health Coverage unconstitutional. I find it bordering on hypocrisy that Virginia - a state that forces people to buy auto insurance or pay a fine - is the state that ruled a mandate to buy health insurance or face a fine unconstitutional.  On a side note, I am eager to see what challenges to auto insurance and seat belt laws can be brought from this.

It has been ruled that truly interstate insurance is a Federal Commerce matter.  Unless it is ruled that an insurance policy in Mississippi could not be honored by a hospital in Maryland - then the Federal government does, in fact, have jurisdiction.  So, would a Maryland hospital honor my Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi health insurance coverage?

Another argument - or something to think about - is that the Health Coverage mandate is on all people who can afford it, while auto insurance mandate is only applicable to those who choose to own and operate a motor vehicle - whether they can afford the premiums or not.  Sure, owning an automobile may be a choice in New York City - but in Jackson, Mississippi, unless you live near a bus route, you must have at least access to a car.  There is no real 'public transportation' in most of the country.

While it may not be a federal mandate, auto insurance and seat belt laws are coerced by the federal government.  If they manage to get this part overturned, then the fed will just use it's old tricks of funding requirements to meet the 'requirement' by tying funding to state mandates.

Still, I think all insurance is just government sponsored protection racket.  You pay for 'protection' for years, then, when you need it the most, well, it doesn't cover THAT or there was this error in your application or whatever - and it doesn't help you at all.