It is funny because its true

Jon Stewart on the Daily Show is about the best source for a true perspective on the news of the day.  On Comedy Central.  I think that is a solid statement on the media these days.
Last night, he pointed out - with video - the hypocrisy of Fox Misinfotainment in regards to their positions on Wall-Street vs. Teachers.  I would like to point out their "$250,000 a year is NOT rich, it borders on poverty!" versus their "at $50,000 plus benefits, Teachers are overpaid!" comments.  They are aghast at the idea of cutting bailed-out CEO pay because "that will not attract quality talent."  Then they turn around and say that Teachers making less than a third of a Wall Street Bonus are overpaid? Do we not want talented teachers to educate our children?  They are fine with honoring CEO contracts no matter what, but breaking Teacher compensation contracts is fine?

If Children are indeed our Future, should we not want them Educated - as opposed to being trained to repeat data?

Then Stewart goes on to have real interviews with meaning.  Not the "no matter what you say, I'll talk over you and be right" argue-views like some do...

I've got to say, Rep. Anthony Weiner and Rep. Bernie Sanders are a couple of the few congress-persons I admire at the moment.

Haley Barbour - another Anti-Education Move

Haley Barbour again targets Education for destruction - opting for supporting big business tax breaks.  There was a nice bill passed by our state congress, but "Keep 'em Stupid, Keep 'em Republican" Barbour vetoed it.

I am glad this man is term limited - would hate to see him as President though.  We need a Governor who values education and the People more than Corporate Interests.

I agree with Sarah Palin? Westboro and the SCOTUS

It seems there is one item that Me, Fox Misinfotainment and some right-wingnuts agree on - We hate Westboro Baptist Church.
The Supreme Corporate Court ruled in favor of their hate-filled attacks on grieving parents at the funerals of U.S. Soldiers.
Bill O'Reilly said, "The bad guys win" (although often, Fox is the sociopaths smearing good people, lol!)
Even Sarah Palin ripped them, stating the Supreme Court "lacks common sense."  Come on! Sarah Palin sayin' you lack common sense!  Man, that is a SLAM!
CNN seems to be totally neutral on the subject at least in one interview.
USA Today seems to side with Westboro, as does the Washington Post.

As far as free speech goes, yeah, they have the right to say the things they do.  However, there is a time and place for everything - and a funeral is not the time nor place for it.

Thomas Jefferson said : "No man has a natural right to commit aggression on the equal rights of another, and this is all from which the laws ought to restrain him."

I see this as  a conflict of rights - the right of free speech versus the right to grieve in peace.  I think, according to Jefferson's quote above, that the right to grieve in peace trumps supposed 'free speech' in this case.

I realize they were a small distance away and could not be heard - they were not even noticed by the family until they saw them in the media reports, this time.  Purposefully targeting funerals for such hateful and damaging effect should not be allowed.  For the same reason that Bullying should not be allowed.  It is aggression against the equal rights of others.

... but... am I allowing my hatred of their message and methods combined to taint my love of Liberty and Freedom?  I don't know.  But I do know that what Westboro does is wrong.  Maybe if they protested the day after or day before or in a different city, but targeting the day of the funeral and getting as close as possible to it?  No.  That is wrong.

Save the Dream Rally 2/26/2011

Jackson, Mississippi was host to one of the Save the Dream rallies to show support for the Teachers and Unions of Wisconsin.  I went and I consider it my first protest.  I've been to political rallies before, but mostly for a group or candidate speaking on their platform for an election.  This was my first "call to action" rally where there were counter-protesters.

Yes, the Tea Party of all groups showed up to support busting unions and tax cuts for billionaires and corporations while firing teachers.  More on that later.

Some videos have shown up on Youtube:
Us Uncut's (MS) Carl Gibson speaking
Historian Bob McElvaine speaking (I am at 1:41, with my MegaMind "Wake Up" sign)
and more videos from Luke Lundemo.

Governor Walker - following GOP standard tactics - cut taxes (state income) and created a huge budget shortfall so now wants to cut education and bust unions.

Mr. Walker's own articles show that he is upset that "employers" can not screw over workers at a whim. One article's "Example #2" clearly states that he would love to be able to cut hours and outsource jobs.  "You still have to do all of your work, we are only going to pay for less hours."

The GOP was elected by promising to create Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - yet all of their legislation so far is to destroy jobs by firing public employees, cut their wages so much the have to move to the private sector in order to survive.  The response to actually increasing unemployment? "So be it."  Yeah, sure seems job creation is their last priority - so much for listening to the people.

We all benefit from Unions.  Thanks to Unions, we have a weekend, paid vacation, sick time, 40 hour work week, holidays.  Corporations would not give that out.  Corporations want Profits at any expense and pay only what they have to for as much work as they can get.  They would love 70 to 80 hour work weeks, no paid vacation, no sick time.

Here are some things I would like to see happen:

• Legislator (State and Federal) salaries regulated to the Median Income of those they represent (People, not Corporations).  Plus a reasonable lodging stipend when in session. (Okay, our state legislators make only $10,000 per year plus a small per-diem - not a lot)
• CEO, executive and other corporate salaries/benefits self-limited to below 50 times  average hourly and non-executive position compensation. (Or legally limited if not self-regulated.  Not including Owner or Founder/Inventor compensation.)  If you want to pay executives more, pay workers more.  Like Henry Ford - you remember him, right?
• Citizens United decision overturned. Corporations are NOT People.
• Tax loopholes closed, especially for corporations.  I'd even consider the "Fair Tax" or a "Flat Tax" system.

Tea Party
Roy - the Mississippi Tea Party leader - got up and said that they support unions and teachers and stuff, but want the Teachers to pay to fund their own pensions and pay for their health insurance.  Which, they already agreed to take the 7% cut in benefits (read that link!).  The issue is Governor Walker wanting to remove collective bargaining rights.  So, once again, the Tea Party is misinformed and on the wrong side.  Also, the Pension and Health Insurance are part of their total benefits package.  Their take-home pay sucks, so part of their total compensation was a fully funded pension and health insurance.  Making them pay 56% of the pension contributions and part of their health insurance premium is like cutting their pay drastically.  Roy said they didn't want their taxes paying for things they can't get, but I say to them, if your company doesn't contribute to your 401k and doesn't contribute to your health insurance premiums - use your own solution and get a different job.
One heckler shouted "LIAR" when Luke said Climate Change was real.  Seriously?? We are standing outside in February in almost 80 degrees and I am running my AC at home - in WINTER - and you don't think its a little on the warm side?? Record storms, floods, temperatures, tornadoes, earthquakes - not only in extremes but in frequency and you think its normal??

I am going to go ahead and publish this... I know it rambles, but I got stuff to do today. LOL!!