The US and Where the Republican Party Wants to Take Us (Guest Post)

Great questions--and facts--on our United States today, from one Wayne Stiles  out on Facebook earlier.

Since when did it become acceptable in this country to toss the weakest of us overboard?

There is a political party dedicated to castrating the poorest among us.

It started out by refusing to extend unemployment benefits at a time when we were hemorrhaging 800,000 jobs a month.

Then it was cutting off food stamps to these same families. Taking food off the tables of the hungriest and poorest families.

Then the GOP showed how truly despicable they were.

Laws were passed to keep people from feeding the homeless. People were being arrested for feeding homeless families.

Laws passed to make it illegal to sleep ANYWHERE outside. Homeless people were being arrested.

Then the GOP sank to its lowest depths.

It began cutting off help to our veterans and seniors.

Veterans committing suicide at a rate of 200,000 a year. Seniors deciding whether to eat or pay bills. Denying healthcare to them all.

But the worst atrocity is while doing this, the GOP is taking that money and giving it away wholesale to the wealthiest.

Do we change this or not?

Best Way to Celebrate Memorial Day

America's "War on Terror"

"You cannot win a War on Terrorism. 

It’s like having a war on jealousy."

~David Cross

Veterans Day, 2014

"I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill.” 

--Mohandas K Gandhi

American War, 10 Years On

Happy now?

The Costs of War

 

6723 - Number of Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command.

 

Six thousand seven hundred twenty-three American soldiers, lost to yet more pointless war.

 3 more dead this week:

 - Army Pvt. Jonathon Michael Dean Hostetter, August 23, 2013 - 20, of Humphreys, Missouri

 - Army Spc. Kenneth Clifford Alvarez, August 23, 2013 - 23, of Santa Maria, California

 - Army Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Young, August 28, 2013 - 34, of Rosston, Arkansas

 

Another week and another $2 Billion spent in Afghanistan.

 

Total bill to U.S. Taxpayers = $1,468,604,110,382.

 

 

At what point do we raise hell, ladies and gentlemen?

 

At what point do we say "Enough!"

 

 

Memorial Day remembrance

And a triple-entendre, at that.

On war

Support the troops.

Bring them home.

Bring them home

Soldiers and Veterans in need

Funny thing about soldiers.

We take these young people, put uniforms on them and then think that, somehow, they are no longer from middle- or lower-class families which, in fact, they typically were.

Then, on top of that, they've likely, frequently seen and/or done horrible things to other humans and/or gotten head or other bodily trauma.

Then, they get back out of the military and we don't think they'll have any problems.

And that they somehow have money and education and all they need to survive and succeed.

Crazy.

An important movie for America, made by our military veterans

A movie made by American military soldiers and veterans for the American public. It's an important, vital film, I think. Please watch for it and when you can, see it. We owe to them. We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to the country. We owe it to humanity. Link: www.thisiswherewetakeourstand.com

Memorial Day, Part IV

Because maybe you don't really know:

The meaning of Memorial Day

 

Differs from Veterans Day 


Happy Memorial Day, y'all.

Memorial Day, Part III

"At the Going Down of the Sun and in the Morning, We Will Remember Them"

Bill Lawson, National President, Paralyzed Veterans of America, 05.29.2011

They shed their blood for freedom. Their families live with these sacrifices. And too often we forget that freedom isn't free. For those of us who served and live every day with our injuries, these selfless heroes will forever be our inspiration. (Click on link above).

Memorial Day, Part II

Home From War, but Still Under Fire

T.J. Brady, 05.29.2011

Television writer and former Army officer

With our military currently fighting three wars which are creating more wounded veterans every day, the Ryan budget is a slap in the face to anyone who has ever served in uniform. (Click on link above).

We have to ask ourselves, is the Paul Ryan budget the way we want to take this country?

Happy Memorial Day, everyone.

Memorial Day, Part I

My Family's Fallen -- and Yours -- Deserve More Than Platitudes for Memorial Day

Richard (RJ) Eskow, 05.28.2011

Consultant, Writer, Senior Fellow with The Campaign for America's Future

On Monday we'll hear a lot of Memorial Day speeches about honoring our fallen soldiers and their disabled comrades. On Tuesday some of the politicians giving those speeches will try to cut benefits for them and their families. (Click on link above).

We owe our soldiers--and our country--far better.

We need to bring them home.


Happy Memorial Day, everyone.

This is not good news

From NPR last evening:

Iraqi Leader Reconsiders U.S. Troop Withdrawal 

Damn.

Sure, they talk big.  They say they want us out.  Then, when it comes down to "crunch time", they bail.

They want the security we provide, sure.

But surely they want our money, too.

Boy, are we suckers.

Another Afghan milestone

So far this year, 526 U.S. and NATO forces have been killed in Afghanistan, surpassing the 504 killed last year. This year has been the deadliest for international forces since the war began in 2001. President Obama---can we leave now? Link to original post: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100921/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

Quote of the day--on the Iraq War

Those who brought this disaster down on us must be called to account for the fabrications, the embarrassment to our honor, and the waste of so many lives and resources. Until then, the conclusion to this sad chapter in Iraq will not have been written. --James Zogby, From "Lies and the War That Has Not Ended", President of the Arab American Institute, Author of Arab Voices (Palgrave Macmillan 10/10) Link to original post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/lies-and-the-war-that-has_b_705742.html

It starts to come out now

Now that W and the Dick are no longer able to keep the lid on all their shenanigans--and that of Halliburton and KBR--the information and truth starts slowly coming out.

It's being reported just now that the Army has officially declared that "An Army investigation calls the electrocution death of a U.S. soldier in Iraq 'negligent homicide' caused by military contractor KBR Inc. and two of its supervisors."

More: "the manner of death for Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, has been changed from accidental to negligent homicide because the contractor failed to ensure that 'qualified electricians and plumbers' worked on the barracks where Maseth died."

I'm thinking there was a high likelihood that there were orders from the White House or the Vice President's mansion or somewhere that said this kind of thing was to be referred to as "accidental", as long as the Bush Cabal was in power.

So this is how it starts.

I think there is going to be a great deal more information coming out about our government and what was--and was not--done and by and to whom in the next several months.

It's not going to be pretty for the clowns who were in power, either.

You might want to sell that Halliburton stock about now.


Link to original story online here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090122/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/iraq_contractors_electrocutions

I've wanted to put this up for a long time