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# LaMaster's Corner

Politics and opinions

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## Posts

- [Exposing Republican Falsehoods.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2026/09/07/exposing-republican-falsehoods/) - For generations, the Republican Party proudly proclaimed itself the party of law and order, national security, and fiscal responsibility. While that was never entirely accurate, it is exactly the opposite of the current MAGA version of the Party. With the Felon in charge, professional law enforcement has largely been replaced with the thousands of belligerent,
- [What Trump Has Taken From Us.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2026/09/02/what-trump-has-taken-from-us/) - Despite his braggadocio, Trump likely wasn’t a billionaire when he regained the presidency last year. But he certainly is now. In just the first year of the Felon’s second term in office, he and his family have enriched themselves with an astonishing $2.2 billion, most of it from taxpayers and those who invested in his
- [Hello!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/21/hello-world/) - This is a blog that will cover opinions on a wide variety of topics. It's my hope that it will stimulate thoughtful discussion and debate.
- [Why we're divided](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/21/why-were-divided/) - With the recent debate on health care reform, one thing has become painfully clear. We don’t just have differing opinions of the facts. We have differing sets of facts. Indeed, differing realities. These differences seem to have more to do with our choice of television programming than with age, education, opinions or ideologies. For example,
- [For me, the (Republican) party’s over.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/25/for-me-the-republican-partys-over/) - For many years, there was a tradition in politics. You could count on each side giving its “spin” on an issue in hopes of influencing voters to their point of view. If you didn’t have the time or inclination to research the issue on your own, you could be relatively certain that the truth was
- [Return to the "Good Old Days?"  Be careful what you wish for.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/25/return-to-the-good-old-days-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/) - I receive a lot of emails, mostly from my conservative friends, of the “Remember When?” variety. Of course, they focus on the “Leave it to Beaver” days of the 1950 and 60s. A recent one started me wondering why we look back on those days so fondly. After all, the 50s were pre-civil rights and
- [The end of voodoo economics?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/26/the-end-of-voodoo-economics/) - I was never a big fan of President George H.W. Bush although, compared to his son, he was a fabulous president. And he did get one thing right – his description of Reagan’s theory of trickle-down economics. That’s right. It was George, the elder, who first appropriately labeled it “Voodoo” economics. The idea that cutting
- [Our government is not the enemy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/28/our-government-is-not-the-enemy/) - President Ronald Reagan is famous for saying, “Government isn’t the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.” The quote eloquently expressed his contempt for government. An opinion I don’t share. I have difficulty believing that my high school classmate who served as a Postman is an enemy. I’m not frightened of another classmate who
- [Democrats can't compare to Republicans.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/27/democrats-cant-compare-to-republicans/) - The continuing revelations of unethical, illegal and unconstitutional actions by the George W. Bush administration caused me to revisit the scandals of previous administrations during my lifetime. I’m not talking about prurient sexual affairs. I’m talking about the abuse of power by the Executive Branch and attempts to subvert our Constitution. Let’s examine the record. President Richard
- [Suffering through the Bush administration was torture enough.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/08/31/suffering-through-the-bush-administration-was-torture-enough/) - There’s a long-standing tradition in the U.S. surrounding a change in administration. Typically, the former president simply fades away. If he’s public service minded, he occupies his time with large scale charities (ala Jimmy Carter), relief efforts (ala George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton) and occasional foreign relations issues (ala Bill Clinton’s recent trip to
- [The myth of guns as self-defense weapons.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/01/the-myth-of-guns-as-self-defense-weapons/) - For years, the NRA and its associated wing nuts have been trying to convince Americans that everyone should carry a gun. And some of those card-carrying dimwits came to Congressional town hall meetings armed with guns to make their point. The 2nd amendment in the Bill of Rights states “A well regulated militia being necessary
- [What would Jesus do?  If Jesus were a fascist.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/03/what-would-jesus-do-if-jesus-were-a-fascist/) - Lately, I’ve been reading The Family – The secret fundamentalism at the heart of American power by Jeff Sharlet. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it. It’s a fascinating read. Yet Mr. Sharlet’s excellent account of the growth of Christian fundamentalism in the U.S. is utterly frightening. It’s not that I fear
- [The other side of Reaganomics:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/03/the-other-side-of-reaganomics/) - In a previous post, I stated my belief that Reaganomics was an utter failure. That’s not entirely true. It was a huge success for the wealthy. It also successfully eroded the power of organized labor. When Reagan fired the striking air traffic controllers who were members of PATCO, I believe he inspired his followers to
- [The end of hope?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/10/the-end-of-hope/) - President Obama campaigned for office with a message of hope – of changing the political climate in Washington. And he has tried mightily. He has consistently reached out to Republicans for ideas and support. Not since Lincoln has a President tried to appoint so many members of the opposition party to his Cabinet. Yet in
- [The revealing nature of Republican attacks.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/11/the-revealing-nature-of-republican-attacks/) - Following Representative Wilson’s outburst during the President’s address before a joint session of Congress, I believe we have to ask ourselves some questions: Is it a coincidence that the first such outburst was aimed at our first African-American President? Is it a coincidence that the outburst came from a Congressman from South Carolina? Is it
- [Rewarding unreasonable behavior.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/12/rewarding-unreasonable-behavior/) - On the anniversary of 9/11, Republican spokesperson and renowned liar, Rush Limbaugh, chastised President Obama for trying to turn 9/11 into a day of public service. Wow! How dare the President want to commemorate the attacks on U.S. soil with something positive! How dare the President try to encourage Americans to serve their nation! Certainly,
- ["Teabaggers", "Birthers" and other racists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/16/teabaggers-birthers-and-other-racists/) - Demonstrators at this past weekend’s rally at the U.S. Capitol carried a powerful message. They toted signs with photos of President Obama wearing a Hitleresque moustache. There were signs that called Obama a socialist, a Marxist and even a Nazi. There were signs calling him a “Muslim Kenyan” and an “African Lyin’.” There were signs
- [A Christian Nation?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/17/a-christian-nation/) - There’s an element of this country that is fond of dismissing anyone who fails to tout his or her “Christianity.” They talk about returning this country to its Christian roots, the way the Founding Fathers intended. To bolster their argument, they point to the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, and to the
- [Bush League Economy](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/24/bush-league-economy/) - In baseball, bush league refers to the lowest level – a metaphor that perfectly fits the economic performance of the George W. Bush administration. It’s even more appropriate given that Bush made millions by gaming the City of Arlington and its citizens as “Managing Partner” of the Texas Rangers baseball team. In short, the people
- [Sowing the seeds of violence](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/25/sowing-the-seeds-of-violence/) - In the early 70s, Nixon and Agnew began a culture war. They rightfully guessed that they could win the White House by dividing the nation into the Far Left, the Far Right and the Great Silent Majority. By labeling the educated who opposed many of their ideas “effete intellectual snobs” and castigating the media as
- [Show us the money.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/09/28/show-us-the-money/) - When the housing market crashed bringing down the financial industry along with it (or was it the other way around?), trillions of dollars vanished. The question is where did the money go? The Federal Reserve along with the Bush administration started propping up the financial industry and the economy beginning in 2007. Mostly this was
- [Taking back our country.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/06/taking-back-our-country/) - No, I didn’t suddenly become a pitchfork wielding right-wing lunatic. I don’t own a handgun or an assault rifle. And I have no doubts that President Obama was born in Hawaii. But I do believe our nation is in jeopardy. However, we don’t need violence to address the issues. All we need is legislation. And
- [Right Wing Conspiracy is no theory.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/04/right-wing-conspiracy-is-no-theory/) - When President Clinton won the White House in 1992, he was hounded by right wing zealots who accused him of everything from corruption to murder. The cries became so loud that a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate. Armed with an unlimited budget, he and the right wing accusers were eventually able to impeach the
- [Where will our jobs come from?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/08/where-will-our-jobs-come-from/) - As economists talk about the prospects for an economic recovery, they often mention that it may well be a “jobless recovery.” Is anyone really surprised by that? After all, in the interest of “globalization” we’ve exported most of our jobs to other nations. When large corporations began selling the notion of globalization in the 1980s,
- [For our economy, let's give credit where credit is due.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/12/for-our-economy-lets-give-credit-where-credit-is-due/) - The so-called teabaggers and wing nuts claim their attacks on President Obama aren't the result of racism or ideology. They say their demonstrations are about the national debt which they believe has increased to staggering new levels under the Obama administration. There are three flaws with their argument. One is that the debt only really matters if we plan on
- [Grand Old Party?  More like Grumpy Old Party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/10/grand-old-party-more-like-grumpy-old-party/) - I’ve been interested in politics for a long time. I remember watching Dick Nixon’s “Checkers” speech and telling my parents that I don’t like that man. I watched the riots at the Democratic National Convention and questioned the future of our nation. I saw the bruises on a reporter who apparently shot a photo that
- [Like father like daughter.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/13/like-father-like-daughter/) - When Dick Cheney held the office of vice-president, we all held our breath (and our noses) whenever he emerged from his dark cave. We knew that his emergence could only mean trouble for the free world. Either he was going to start another war, announce a new surveillance scheme for innocent Americans, or he was
- [Why different standards for ACORN and Halliburton?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/16/why-different-standards-for-acorn-and-halliburton/) - Recently, Congress voted overwhelmingly to suspend funds for ACORN. Never mind that the bill violates the Constitution’s prohibition on Bills of Attainder (singling out a single group or individual for punishment). According to Republicans, ACORN must be punished for the actions of a few of its staffers. Why suspend funds from an organization that has a long
- [Are Republicans suffering from award envy?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/14/are-republicans-suffering-from-award-envy/) - Since Republicans and other conservatives seem so troubled by President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, I think they should receive awards, too – just so they don’t feel left out. Here are a few suggestions: Congresswoman Michelle Bachman receives an award for the most convincing impersonation of an insane person. Sara Palin earns the award for best
- [Let the investigations begin.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/20/let-the-investigations-begin/) - It was recently announced that a former member of the Bush cabinet, Gail Norton, is the subject of a corruption probe. As Secretary of State, Ms. Norton awarded some lucrative oil shale leases to a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell PLC, the company that hired her a few months later. The focus of the investigation
- [Maybe we should reconsider all of our troop deployments.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/19/maybe-we-should-reconsider-all-of-our-troop-deployments/) - The current discussion regarding the appropriate level of US troops for Afghanistan got me wondering about the total size of our military. How many more troops do we have to send? The most recent information I found shows that we have nearly 1.4 million active duty troops worldwide and another 1.4 million in active reserve.
- [The Bill of Rights that was never enacted.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/21/the-bill-of-rights-that-was-never-enacted/) - Michael Moore’s latest movie Capitalism, A Love Story includes film from President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1944 State of the Union address. As part of his address, FDR stated, “It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard
- [A simple plan for taking back our economy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/23/a-simple-plan-for-taking-back-our-economy/) - It has been more than a year since Wall Street’s risky investments collapsed our economy. Unfortunately, Congress still has not passed legislation to prevent such calamities in the future. Instead of trying to craft new legislation, I suggest that Congress look to the past. To wit: 1 – Reinstate, in its entirety, the Glass-Steagall Act.
- [Conservative nonsense, cont'd.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/30/conservative-nonsense-contd/) - As I’ve stated before, I used to be an independent. But I quit voting for Republicans when they decided to raid mental hospitals for candidates. Never has the mental illness of conservatives been more apparent than since President Obama’s election. Consider the charges which have been leveled at the President by Conservatives: President Obama is
- [The cost of war.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/10/31/the-cost-of-war/) - Our war in Afghanistan has now dragged on longer than the failed Soviet Union occupation. And President Obama is faced with a decision to expand the war by adding up to 40 thousand new troops, engineering a withdrawal, or committing to something between those extremes. By all accounts, this was a war that could have
- [Liberal media bias?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/05/liberal-media-bias/) - Since the days of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew, conservatives have been fond of blaming MSM (mainstream media) for interfering with their agenda. They contend that most news outlets are run by liberals and therefore biased against conservatives. Really? The vast majority of media outlets are owned by just five conglomerates (CBS, Disney, General Electric,
- [Dealing with Revolting Joe.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/04/a-threat-from-joe-blowhard/) - Recently, Joe Lieberman said he would not be one of the 60 votes necessary to bring the Senate health care reform bill to the floor. What a shock! After all, this is a man who ran against his party’s nominated candidate as a so-called independent. He campaigned and voted for his pal, John McCain, for
- [If Sarah Palin is "Going Rogue", what the heck is Michelle Bachmann doing?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/03/if-sarah-palin-is-going-rogue-then-what-the-heck-is-michelle-bachman-doing/) - The Republican Congresswoman from Minnesota doesn’t claim to see Russia from her doorstep. But she does claim to see conspiracies throughout the Obama administration. For example, she believes that the Census is a liberal plot to identify Republicans so they can be rounded up and placed in internment camps - a concept that was even
- [Obama's Third War](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/05/obamas-third-war/) - Recently, the Obama administration declared a new war – a war on Fox News. Although I don’t entirely agree with the Obama administration’s action, I certainly understand it. News organizations have a responsibility to present facts in an unbiased manner and to clearly distinguish opinion from news. Fox News does neither. Indeed, the network itself
- [A politician who is unafraid to tell the truth.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/06/a-politician-who-is-unafraid-to-tell-the-truth/) - On Wednesday, Congressman Alan Grayson (D Fla.) took the floor in Congress to read the death toll of those who lacked health insurance in the districts of Republican Representatives. “Is it really asking too much of us that we keep people alive?” he asked. Of course, the Republicans tried to cut him off and asked
- [The Chamber of (Republican) Commerce.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/11/the-chamber-of-republican-commerce/) - Recently, the CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was interviewed on NPR. He went to great lengths to convince listeners that the Chamber is bi-partisan. That’s a little difficult to believe since the Chamber seems to support every single Republican position. Indeed, when I once did some work for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce,
- [Michelle Bachmann's great big Washington adventure.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/09/michelle-bachmanns-great-big-washington-adventure/) - Last week, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann orchestrated a “press conference” on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to show the outrage of ordinary citizens toward health care reform. She wanted her followers to express their anger and “see the whites of lawmaker’s eyes.” Dozens attended – all white, angry and stupid. These people displayed their character by
- [Are you feeling "entitled?"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/10/are-you-feeling-entitled/) - For many years, the Republican Party has been determined to change or end the so-called “entitlement” programs of Social Security and Medicare. As early as 1984, I recall reading the Republican National Party’s platform which called for “starving the beast” that is big government by reducing taxes and cutting the federal budget to force the
- [Christian paranoia and Internet myths](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/12/christian-paranoia-and-internet-myths/) - I recently received a chain email from multiple independent sources. The email states that the ACLU – deemed to be a bunch of radical commies by so many conservative and religious groups – had filed a lawsuit to have all cross-shaped headstones removed from military cemeteries. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? And it would be if
- ["An electronic Pearl Harbor"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/13/an-electronic-pearl-harbor/) - Last Sunday, a report by Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes discussed the threat of cyber terrorism. At the center of his report, Kroft interviewed Jim Lewis who directs the Center for Strategic and International Studies. According to Lewis, the United States has already experienced "an electronic Pearl Harbor." Lewis continued, “Some unknown foreign power, and
- [Going Rogue with the truth.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/18/going-rogue-with-the-truth/) - I haven’t purchased Sarah Palin’s best-selling rant and I won’t. I don’t need to. Before it was dissected by the Associated Press and others, I already knew it would be filled with hate and lies. How did I know? During last year’s presidential campaign, no one was more sarcastic, mean-spirited and uninformed than Sarah Palin.
- [Psalm 109:8 – a call for Christian jihadists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/20/psalm-1098-a-call-for-christian-jihadists/) - It appears that demonstrating with signs showing President Obama with a Hitleresque moustache and calling him a Nazi, a Socialist, and a Communist are not enough. Indeed, for some, packing guns at Presidential speeches hasn’t sufficiently delivered a strong enough message. Now we have opportunistic religious conservatives selling t-shirts, bumper stickers, even teddy bears with
- [The return of Dick Vader?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/20/the-return-of-dick-vader/) - Liz Cheney has stated that she hopes her father will run for President in 2012. Even allowing for the admiration that a daughter naturally feels toward her father, I have to respond, “Are you out of your @%#^ing mind?! “ This week’s most popular movie at the box office is a disaster epic entitled “2012” which portrays
- ["Starve the Beast", Part II](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/23/starve-the-beast-part-ii/) - I previously wrote about the Republican Party’s plan to “Starve the Beast” which they believe to be big government. They hope to cut taxes and the federal budget in order to reduce the size of government and bankrupt the so-called “entitlements” of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. But this conservative nonsense goes farther. They also
- [The Bush Legacy:  America in Decline](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/24/the-bush-legacy-america-in-decline/) - A few weeks ago, economists Martin Wolf and Robert Shiller appeared on Fareed Zakaria’s GPS on CNN. They said, “It is now clear that the Obama team has helped avert a complete meltdown of our financial markets. But they warned that one of the greatest dangers facing our nation is the growing economic disparity between
- [Who’s really at fault for our nation’s predicament?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/11/25/whos-really-at-fault-for-our-nations-predicament/) - Who is more at fault for the problems that face our nation? Republican candidates? Or the voters who are deceived into voting for them? During campaigns, Republican candidates take a populist tone. They talk about the issues that are important to ordinary Americans such as opportunity and personal freedom. But when they are elected, they
- [The no-it-all party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/01/the-no-it-all-party/) - As Republicans continue to attack President Obama over the lousy economy they, themselves, created, it becomes painfully obvious that they have no compassion, no ideas, no shame and no clue. They keep serving up the same failed theories and rhetoric that got us into this mess. In their minds, the economy would recover if only the Democrats
- [How tea-baggers can eliminate the national debt.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/03/how-tea-baggers-can-eliminate-the-national-debt/) - Since President Obama’s inauguration, the so-called tea-baggers have demonstrated, yelled at and threatened the administration. They claim the President is not a citizen. They believe he is trying to implement a socialist, or even communist, agenda. And they seem most angry over increases in the national debt. Never mind that the increases are the result
- [Corporate loan sharking.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/04/corporate-loan-sharking/) - Having read that credit card companies are increasing interest rates, I began to wonder: What separates our financial institutions from the Sicilian Mafia, the Chinese Tongs or anyone else imprisoned for loan-sharking? They all charge outrageous interest rates on loans. They all have aggressive collection tactics. And many of them have politicians in their pockets. The main
- [Why the recession is our own damn fault.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/08/why-the-recession-is-our-own-damn-fault/) - Sure, it was the greed of mortgage-lenders and Wall Street that led to our recession. But it’s consumers that are perpetuating it. Most economists will tell you that recessions are mostly in the consumers’ minds. If consumers are worried and reduce spending, our economy drops. When consumers start spending, our economy rises. Now, I understand
- [The real scandal surrounding Tiger Woods.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/07/the-real-scandal-surrounding-tiger-woods/) - For days we’ve been treated to “news” stories speculating about Woods’ infidelity and the consequences of his alleged indiscretions. Why? Personally, I could care less if Woods had one affair or a hundred. He’s human. And like all humans he has flaws. Instead of wondering about Woods’ future, we should be wondering why the news
- [Democrats still need to grow a pair.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/17/democrats-still-need-to-grow-a-pair/) - Since Bill Clinton left office, the Democratic Party has been searching for a large dose of testosterone. When Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination, it seemed that the party had finally found someone who had the vision, the intelligence and the strength to stand up to an opposing party that is united in its support
- [Campaign donations and lobbying are paying off for health care.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/18/campaign-donations-and-lobbying-are-paying-off-for-health-care/) - Health care related businesses have long been the biggest spenders in politics. The AMA, American Hospital Association, Pharma, and insurance companies have donated millions to Congressional, Senatorial and Presidential campaigns. They have a massive collection of lobbyists. And it’s working. Purdue Pharma, Aetna and The Hartford have all generously contributed to Joe Lieberman’s election campaigns.
- [U.S. may soon be governed by a 3-party system.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2009/12/19/us-may-soon-be-governed-by-a-3-party-system/) - Democrats, Republicans and lunatics. A new poll by NBC and The Wall Street Journal shows that the Tea Party is now more popular than both Republicans and Democrats. The question is why. What have the Tea Partiers done besides gather in relatively small noisy groups and wave obnoxious, racist signs? Have the Tea Party leaders
- [The cost of tax cuts.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/05/the-cost-of-tax-cuts/) - Everybody complains about paying taxes. But Republicans and Teabaggers have turned their complaints into an art form. Indeed, just last week, they were whining that the Obama administration allowed a number of Bush-era tax cuts to lapse. Yet these people are the first to complain when our government entities don’t work as they expect. Somehow,
- [The Corporatization of America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/11/the-corporatization-of-america/) - Those on the political right incessantly condemn government while, at the same time, promoting "privatization" - another word for corporatization. What they want is to eliminate all forms of public regulation and turn all of our government affairs over to large corporations. They have a good start. In the U.S., our health care and pharmaceutical industries
- [What are we fighting for?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/12/what-are-we-fighting-for/) - I recently watched a documentary about the Civil War. In discussing the events leading up to the war, the narrator stated, “For the Confederacy, it was dependent upon wealthy plantation owners convincing the poor to fight for them.” I could scarcely believe the openness and honesty of that statement! But isn’t that almost always the
- [American terrorists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/14/american-terrorists/) - What if I told you that there’s an organization in America that’s responsible for more than 30,000 deaths a year? That’s nearly ten times the number of people who died in the attacks of 9/11. And what if that organization was responsible for tens of thousands more deaths overseas from 2003 through 2008? Would you
- [The Most Activist Court Ever!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/22/the-activist-supreme-court/) - For years, conservatives and the religious right have decried what they considered “activist” Justices on Supreme Court. They howled about the Roe v. Wade decision on abortion. Indeed, they screamed about any decision that restrained anti-abortionists. They whined about any decision that protected the rights of gays and racial minorities. And they went ballistic over
- [The Ghosts of George W. Bush and Richard (The Dick) Cheney.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/27/the-ghosts-of-george-w-bush-and-richard-the-dick-cheney/) - On January 20, 2009, you probably thought the Bush/Cheney administration had come to an ignominious end. You were wrong. The problems generated by these goons still haunt us. The war in Iraq may be winding down (although we can’t be certain), but the war in Afghanistan is growing. The oil companies and Big Pharma are
- [If you think herding cats is difficult, try Democrats.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/22/if-you-think-herding-cats-is-difficult-try-democrats/) - The election of a Republican to fill Ted Kennedy’s seat in the U.S. Senate has clearly illustrated the disarray of the Democratic Party. Despite holding the White House, the House of Representatives and a super majority in the Senate, Democrats have been either unable or unwilling to accomplish much of the agenda they campaigned for.
- [What now for health care reform?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/02/02/what-now-for-health-care-reform/) - The election of Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate, in effect, may have ended the existing Democrat-initiated bills for health care reform. That is not only a disaster for the party. It’s a disaster for the millions of people without health care, the tens of thousands who will face bankruptcy as the result of illness, and
- [The next big crisis facing Democrats.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/25/the-next-big-crisis-facing-democrats/) - For 30 years, the Grand Old Party of Corporations has fought to end welfare for the poor (although corporate welfare is just dandy), labor unions, workers’ compensation programs, public schools, and entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security. And recent events have presented Republicans a golden opportunity to permanently undo 80 years of progressive initiatives. State income
- [What kind of country do Republicans envision?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/01/28/what-kind-of-country-do-republicans-envision/) - Given the Republican response to President Obama’s initiatives, one has to wonder exactly what the Republican vision for our nation actually is. To try to determine that, let’s look at recent events. If Republicans had prevailed on their opposition to the TARP bailouts of Wall Street banks, most economists believe that the entire world economy
- [New poll proves that Republicans are stupid, crazy or both!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/02/02/new-poll-proves-that-republicans-are-stupid-crazy-or-both/) - A new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of those who identify themselves as Republicans confirms what many of us have long suspected: Republican voters spend far too much time watching Fox “News” and listening to Rush Limbaugh. But not even the most cynical among us could have predicted the findings of this poll. For example, 58
- [Snarky Palin good at criticizing.  Not so good at leading.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/02/08/snarky-palin-good-at-criticizing-not-so-good-at-leading/) - Palin’s speech before a Tea Party convention of hundreds clearly points out two things. One, Palin is really good at delivering snide criticisms of the political left. Witness her comment directed toward President Obama, “How’s that hope-y, change-y thing working out for you?” It was a typically snide Palin comment sure to excite the anti-Obama,
- [The New Definition of Conservative.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/02/19/the-new-definition-of-conservative/) - Upon listening to Republican economists and some of the speakers at the CPAC convention, I think I better understand their vision for America. In a word, it’s bleak. These people not only want to prevent health care reform and reduce national debt. They want to block any further government programs to save or create jobs.
- [Majority Rules!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/02/22/majority-rules/) - Over the past year, Senate Republicans threatened to filibuster legislation more than at any time in our nation’s history. They have threatened and blustered. And Senate Democrats have backed down. The result is that Democrats now need 60 votes to pass a bill instead of the 51 actually required by Senate rules. Given that Democrats
- [America's New Sport.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/02/26/americas-new-sport/) - The televised “Health Care Summit” highlighted the new reality of American politics. It has become a sport or, if not sport, a high-stakes game of “Survivor.” At least that’s the way Fox News Channel, MSNBC and CNN would like you to see it. They want you to tune in to see which side, the Democrats
- [Cheney, Version 1.0](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/03/07/cheney-version-10/) - Long before Richard (The Dick) Cheney wrote A Plan for A New American Century, which called for the use of the United States’ unparalleled military might to ensure even greater economic power, there was another Republican who believed in the manifest destiny of white Christian Americans. He, too, subverted the U.S. Constitution in order to
- [Hey Republicans!  Cram this!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/03/16/hey-republicans-cram-this/) - For weeks now, Republicans have been chanting their new talking point; that Democrats are trying to cram health care reform down our throats. They say that we should just “throw out the current bills and start over with a clean sheet of paper. If you buy that, I think I can find some mortgage-based credit
- [Small government = Big fraud](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/01/small-government-big-fraud/) - In 1980, Ronald Reagan declared that the government is the enemy of business and our citizens. And led by the “Great Communicator”, Republicans set about down-sizing government by eliminating “red tape” and regulations; an effort that continues to this day. It’s a tantalizing argument. After all, who wants their taxes to go toward unnecessary bureaucracy?
- [The selective memories of the “Leave It To Beaver” crowd.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/03/the-selective-memories-of-the-leave-it-to-beaver-crowd/) - Attribute it to a loss of brain cells from using too many drugs in the 60s. Or maybe it’s the result of the two martini lunches of the 70s. Or perhaps the champagne parties celebrating the investment returns from the 80s and 90s. But the people who look back so fondly at the America of
- [The bullies of broadcasting.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/07/the-bullies-of-broadcasting/) - Most of us have been victimized by bullies at some point in our lives; usually on the school playground. Even as adults, we also may be victimized by corporations that use their money, resources and power to force us to pay a fee or back down from a situation in which we feel wronged by
- [The Clampetts meet Hee Haw.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/09/the-clampetts-meet-hee-haw/) - For the past year, the political movement known as the Tea Party has garnered lots of attention. I’ve watched in wonder as the followers shouted down Senators and Congressional Representatives, and marched with signs calling Obama a Socialist, a Communist and even a Nazi. I found it difficult to understand what these people were so
- [Palin/Bachmann in 2012!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/14/palinbachmann-in-2012/) - Several of the Faux News Channel pundits are openly promoting this pair as the Republican ticket for 2012. Yes, for President and Vice-President of the United States. Yes, our United States! I’m not sure whether to laugh or run to the border out of fear. Is it possible that the ancient Mayans had a vision
- [Putting the party back in the Grand Old Party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/13/putting-the-party-back-in-the-grand-old-party/) - Who's running the Republican National Committee? A bunch of aging fraternity brothers and sorority sisters? For more than a year, the Republican Party has hammered President Obama and the Democratic Congress for spending money in order to resucitate the moribund economy left by George W. Bush. (Nevermind that, as a result of the administration’s efforts,
- [Just Plain McNasty!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/19/just-plain-mcnasty/) - For years, John McCain was known as the maverick because he occasionally crossed party lines to vote with Democrats. But now he says that he has never considered himself a maverick. Really? After months of campaigning with the half-governor, Sarah Palin, as “a team of mavericks?” Well, I guess we’ll have to go back to
- [New Poll:  Tea Party Members Not Stupid!  Just Greedy, Racist and Poorly Informed.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/16/new-poll-tea-party-members-not-stupid-just-greedy-racist-and-poorly-informed/) - Okay, I have to admit that my recent description of the Tea Party was somewhat flawed. They are rednecks, but much to my surprise, it turns out that most are highly educated. (Now there’s an indictment of our education system, if I’ve ever seen one.) A new poll by The New York Times and CBS
- [Is Fox News Channel Owned By Terrorists?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/21/is-fox-news-channel-owned-by-terrorists/) - Let us know what you think. Does Sean Hannity side with Nazis? Take our poll. Is Bill O’Reilly a fascist? You decide. Did Glenn Beck have a sex change operation? What do readers think? Many say that Sarah Palin is a biggoted sociopath? What is the real truth? Did Michelle Bachmann meet her husband while
- [The Black & White Case Against President Obama](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/24/the-black-white-case-against-president-obama/) - The Tea Party members say their anger has nothing to do with racism. Well, if their issues are big government, big deficits and corporate bailouts as they suggest, why all the anger now? Why not aim the fury at the people who created our recession and debt? Why not direct their fury at Ronald Reagan,
- [Spill, Baby, Spill!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/26/spill-baby-spill/) - Following the Democratic rebuff of attempts to drill for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Republicans began chanting "Drill, Baby, Drill." Indeed, it became a mantra of the climate change deniers, the Fox News Channel dimwits and the McCain/Palin campaign. Now we have clear evidence of how wrong they were. (Imagine that!?) A few months ago,
- ["The Party of No", Exhibit A](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/04/the-party-of-no-exhibit-a/) - Last week, Democrats attempted to break a logjam of 101 executive branch nominees being blocked by Republicans. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) appeared on the Senate floor to call up the names. Unfortunately, Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) arrived just in time to officially object to each and every name. Therefore, C-Span
- [Main Street 57, Wall Street 41.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/28/main-street-57-wall-street-41/) - For two days in a row, a bill for financial reform came up 3 votes short in the Senate. All 41 Republican Senators voted to prevent debate. In other words, they voted to filibuster. Polls show the American public overwhelmingly wants to see financial reform because they understand that it was the high-risk gambling on
- [Arizona Paranoia.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/29/arizona-paranoia/) - According to angry white people, all of the nation’s problems are the fault of those with brown or dark skin. After all, weren’t they the ones who (with the help of ACORN) voted President Obama into office? And isn’t it the brown and dark-skinned immigrants who are taking their jobs and saddling taxpayers with the
- [A Tea Party Preview.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/04/30/a-tea-party-preview/) - If you had any doubts of the consequences of allowing the Tea Party to influence our elections, all you need to do is look at Arizona. For the past several years, the state legislature has caused an already conservative state to take an extreme right turn. Some of the most reasonable Republican legislators were defeated in
- [Who are we afraid of?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/11/who-are-we-afraid-of/) - Following the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, we have no military foes. (At least not in a traditional sense.) The Soviet Union is gone, replaced by Russia and a host of independent states. China has gone from being a perceived enemy to our out-sourced manufacturing state holding billions in U.S. bonds.
- [Can an entire political party be sociopathic?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/06/can-an-entire-political-party-be-sociopathic/) - A sociopath is defined as one who has no conscience; someone who’s every action is intended to help themselves. Now, I ask you. Does that not describe the Republican Party and its media whores? Consider the following: Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama administration want to close Guantanemo and try those imprisoned there. Republicans
- [The Oil Boys' Legacy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/13/the-oil-boys-legacy/) - In the first 90 days of the George W. Bush administration, Richard the Dick Cheney held a series of secret meetings on the subject of energy policy. Famously (or should I say infamously), the Dick refused to list those who were present and what was discussed, but it’s well-known that the meetings included more than
- [Poisoned Gulf. Poisoned Minds.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/14/poisoned-gulf-poisoned-minds/) - A recent poll shows that 6 in 10 Americans are still in favor of “Drill, Baby, Drill.” Huh? Have they not seen the estimated 70,000 barrels of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico each day, the equivalent of an Exxon Valdez tanker every 4 days!? Have they not seen images of dead birds coated
- [Let's Stop Flattering Teabaggers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/17/lets-stop-flattering-teabaggers/) - They’ve been called the Tea Party and the Tea Party movement. (I admit I’ve been guilty of falling for this fraud myself.) But the more you investigate this group, the more it becomes apparent that they’re really just a figment of Republican imaginations. Republican strategists, Fox News Channel and Dick Armey created this band of way-far-right
- [What Republicans Really Stand For:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/20/what-republicans-really-stand-for/) - Since Republicans like to attack any (make that every) Democrat idea, I thought it might be useful to look at what Republicans want. 1. Guns for everybody, no training required, the more the better. 2. Elimination of income taxes. Replace them with sales taxes, so the rich are taxed disproportionately less. 3. Elimination of labor
- [What if?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/19/what-if/) - The oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico should pose a number of questions for Americans to ask themselves. What if we prioritized quality of life and the sustainability of our planet over corporate greed? What if we stopped treating our oceans, lakes and streams as landfills? What if we stopped treating our planet’s resources
- [A Proposal For Real Immigration Reform.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/28/a-proposal-for-real-immigration-reform/) - Since the Kansas-based group known as F.A.I.R. (there’s some irony for you) convinced the simpletons in the Arizona legislature to pass its immigration law, it has begun peddling it to other states. As of this writing, 12 more states are now considering it. It’s as if our state legislatures have been taken over by Forrest Gump
- [The Republican Playbook.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/24/the-republican-playbook/) - If you’ve ever been directly involved with a state or national political campaign, you may know that the people operating the campaigns are generally law school and political science graduates who view political campaigns in the same way most people view sports. It’s all about winning – often at any cost. That stated, it seems
- [Corporate "Citizens"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/05/26/corporate-citizens/) - Anyone who has ever founded a corporation knows that the entity exists only on paper. It’s a legal agreement between the shareholders and the government. Incorporation is designed to encourage the creation of jobs by offering legal protection to the shareholders in the event the corporation defaults on its financial liabilities. That’s it. It’s a
- [A Brief Summary of Republican Teabagger Values.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/02/a-brief-summary-of-republican-teabagger-values/) - In the past few weeks, we’re getting a really good picture of what the Republican teabaggers have in store for America. First, a Kansas-based wingnut wrote a racist immigration law which he peddled to the Arizona legislature. Of course, they were all too happy to embrace it. Now he’s peddling the same bill to other
- [Would you like your oceans premium or regular?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/03/would-you-like-your-oceans-premium-or-regular/) - Personally, I prefer the low octane grade. You know, sea water without the petrochemical additives. The man-made geyser in the Gulf hasn't even been stopped yet and already conservatives are demanding that President Obama drop the moratorium on off-shore drilling. Seriously. Of course, it's not surprising that the half-witted half-governor, Sarah Palin, is all in
- [Just In Case You Think Arizona Isn’t Completely Racist!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/05/just-in-case-you-think-arizona-isnt-completely-racist/) - The new immigration law in Arizona is bad enough. If implemented, it actually requires racial profiling in search of illegal Latinos. And that’s not the worst of it. It’s so simple-minded that it ignores the fact that illegal immigration has taken place since before the territory became a state. It treats a recent immigrant the
- [Corporations Fueling Immigration Problem](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/08/corporations-fueling-immigration-problem/) - With all the controversy created by Arizona’s new immigration bill, I think we should consider the role corporations have played in creating this problem. For the past 30+ years, our large corporations have been “outsourcing” manufacturing jobs to places like China, India, Indonesia and Mexico. Our TVs are now made in China, Korea and Japan.
- [Time For Bush And Cheney To Do The "Perp Walk"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/06/time-for-bush-and-cheney-to-do-the-perp-walk/) - Not long ago, Richard The Dick Cheney extolled the benefits of waterboarding U.S. prisoners. And during a speech in Grand Rapids last week, George W. Bush publicly admitted to the same crime. Bush said, "Yeah, we waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. I'd do it again to save lives.” The problem for these unrepentent inquisitors (and for
- [Mis-Informed, Armed and Dangerous.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/21/mis-informed-armed-and-dangerous/) - I spent part of the day searching through right-wing Web sites - the on-line homes of the American Patriot Party, the teabaggers, even the Republican National Party - and I feel like I need to bathe myself in soap and turpentine to get rid of the slime and stench. These are people who hate. They
- [What's wrong with politics?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/18/whats-wrong-with-politics/) - Depending on your political affiliation (or should I say affliction?) you might quickly answer with Fox News Channel or MoveOn.org. But if we ignore partisanship for a moment, I think we can all agree that the real answer is Congressional representatives who spend more time trying to be re-elected than actually representing. We have now
- [Teabaggers Aren't As Crazy As You May Think.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/10/teabaggers-arent-as-crazy-as-you-may-think/) - They’re worse! Rand Paul, the teabagging Republican candidate to replace Kentucky Senator and Major League doofus, Jim Bunning, has famously stated that he wouldn’t have voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Bill in its current form. He believes that individuals and privately-owned businesses should be free to discriminate in whatever way they want against whomever they
- [Connecting the oil dots…er…globs.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/12/connecting-the-oil-dotserglobs/) - I’ve written before about Bush and Cheney’s influence on our energy policy. The Bush family has deep ties to the Saudis and Kuwaitis. After WWII, the Bush family jumped at the opportunity to rebuild the Balkans oil fields. And Bush worked in the oil industry before running for public office. In addition, Cheney was the
- [Obama's Inheritance.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/14/obamas-inheritance/) - Republican teabaggers are having a great deal of fun pointing fingers at President Obama for our current situation. They fumed over President Obama’s contribution to the national debt while ignoring Bush’s contributions. They proclaimed health care reform “Obama’s Waterloo.” And they have now labeled BP’s oil gusher as “Obama’s Katrina.” Never in my lifetime have I
- [The Other Offshore Disaster.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/24/the-other-offshore-disaster/) - For more than two months, the nation’s attention has been focused on the gusher in the Gulf. But there’s another offshore disaster that has been going on for at least 50 years. I refer to the large U.S. corporations that have created subsidiaries and “headquarters” off-shore to avoid U.S. taxes. But I found it difficult
- [The Real Elitists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/06/28/the-real-elitists/) - One of the many things Republican teabaggers like to call liberals and progressives is “elitist.” In fact, the term is so common, if you watch Fox News Channel (I’m not sure why you’d want to) it seems the two terms are permanently wed – Liberal Elitist. Now, I may be slow, but I can’t for
- [A Crude Awakening!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/01/a-crude-awakening/) - Since the days when Jimmy Carter was president, environmentalists were calling for energy conservation and alternative fuels. Unfortunately, the only time these ideas gained any traction was when gasoline and heating oil prices spiked. But once families adjusted to the higher prices, they went right back to their old ways. Things may be different this
- [Immigration News from Ground Zero.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/05/immigration-news-from-ground-zero/) - The zero stands for the combined IQs of Governor Jan Brewer, the Arizona Republican legislators and Senator John McCain. That couldn’t have been more apparent following Brewer’s statement that most undocumented immigrants are drug dealers. Never mind that these people take landscaping jobs that require them to work in the sun on 110-degree days for
- [Why Do We Allow Republicans To Ignore Election Results?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/07/why-do-we-allow-republicans-to-ignore-election-results/) - In 2008, voters repudiated conservative politics by electing Barack Obama as President and voting for overwhelming Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. But, based on the actions of Republicans, it would appear that they have simply chosen to ignore the results. The House has passed bill after bill in order to live up
- [America, Right or Wrong?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/09/america-right-or-wrong/) - When I was in college at the height of the Vietnam “War”, I was considered an unpatriotic “Commie” for simply questioning U.S. military involvement in a land on the other side of the globe that had not attacked or threatened our nation. I was told, even by my parents, that it shouldn’t matter to me;
- [AZ now stands for Assinine Zealots.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/13/az-now-stands-for-assinine-zealots/) - For the past 15 years, Arizona Republicans have cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy in an attempt to intentionally bankrupt the state. At the same time, they’ve transferred funds through tax credits to private and parochial schools while hacking away at public school funding. And as the state’s population blossomed, they did little to
- [What’s The Real Reason There Are More Women In The Workplace?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/14/whats-the-real-reason-there-are-more-women-in-the-workplace/) - For the past several years, there has been much publicity over the increase of women in the workplace. The hiring of women has greatly outpaced the hiring of men in certain jobs. Advertising, marketing, healthcare, and many other industries are becoming dominated by women. The statistics would lead you to believe that the U.S. has
- [Another Fox Feargasm.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/15/another-fox-feargasm/) - Heard about the new “Black Panthers?” Have you heard that three members of the Black Panther Party allegedly tried to intimidate voters in one Philadelphia precinct in 2008; one with a police-style baton? Have you heard that the Department of Justice refused to press charges against the individuals involved and, instead, banned the individual with
- [$3.4 Trillion Reasons To Not Vote Republican In November.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/19/34-trillion-reasons-to-not-vote-republican-in-november/) - According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), that’s the amount tax cuts being proposed by Republicans will add to the national deficit over 10 years. The proposed tax cuts include permanently extending the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts which represent $2.3 trillion. Of course that's just an estimate. But the CBO found that the unfunded Bush
- [Where Are The Climate Change Deniers Now?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/23/where-are-the-climate-change-deniers-now/) - Last winter, those who refuse to accept the science of climate change used the blizzards in Washington, DC and New England to “prove” their point that global warming doesn’t exist. By that same logic, shouldn’t those people be sounding the alarm for global warming now? After all, much of the U.S. has suffered through weeks
- [Who Are We Afraid Of?  (Part II)](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/22/who-are-we-afraid-of-part-ii/) - It was recently announced that the U.S. military budget ($692 billion for FY 2010) now exceeds military spending by all other nations combined. That’s right. We now spend more on defense than all 194 of the other countries in the world! And that doesn’t even include the money we spend on Homeland Security, or most
- [Shirley Sherrod Story Reveals Much About Both Republicans And Democrats.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/21/shirley-sherrod-story-reveals-much-about-both-republicans-and-democrats/) - When a right wing blogger edited a speech by a USDA worker describing an event that took place more than 20 years ago, he made it appear that she had committed a racist act against a troubled white farm family. Of course, Fox Noise Channel and other right wing media megaphones jumped on the opportunity to
- [Brewer And McCain Telling Racist Lies For Political Gain.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/25/brewer-and-mccain-telling-racist-lies-for-political-gain/) - You know how Gov. Jan Brewer and teabagger wannabe, John McCain, talk about the “illegal immigrant crisis” in Arizona? You know how they portray the state as the most dangerous in the nation as a result of illegal immigration? Well, I hate to get in the way of a good political campaign theme, but the
- [BOO (Blame it On Obama).](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/29/boo-blame-it-on-obama/) - Even before President Obama took the oath of office, Republicans and racists were making absurd claims about him. Never in my lifetime (and I’ve lived through 12 administrations), have I seen so many false and unsubstantiated charges against a President. Yes, there were many accusations about George W. Bush, but the vast majority of them were
- [The Growing Underclass In America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/08/05/the-growing-underclass-in-america/) - There are currently 14.6 million Americans who are out of work, and that number likely doesn’t include millions more, such as the self-employed, who have seen their businesses diminish to virtually nothing. But before you blame the current Administration, take a look at the monthly unemployment claims beginning in January 2008. By the time President Obama
- [Hey, Climate Change Deniers, Deny This!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/27/hey-climate-change-deniers-deny-this/) - You simply don’t want to make changes to our economy because you’re selfish. You’re a bunch of angry anti-government, “conservatives” who want to be able to drive your gas-guzzling cars. You want to leave your energy-gobbling incandescent lights on all night, keep your thermostats at 72 degrees in the summer and crank them up to
- [Immigration Update From The Front.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/07/30/immigration-update-from-the-front/) - Whatever happens to Arizona’s notorious SB 1070 in the courts, I believe the real problem with illegal immigration is that corporations continue to hire undocumented workers. (After all, why pay $10/hour to a US citizen, when you can hire an illegal for $6/hour or less? And the illegal won’t complain about the hours, demand benefits
- [A Look Back At The Shirley Sherrod Story.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/08/02/a-look-back-at-the-shirley-sherrod-story/) - After the fraud committed by a right wing blogger and his co-conspirators at Fox Noise Channel, there are lingering questions we should be asking each other. Would the same thing have happened if it was a white woman accused of racism? Would the white woman have been fired? If she had been, would the Administration
- [The Perpetual War Machine.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/08/13/the-perpetual-war-machine/) - As President Eisenhower was leaving office, he warned, “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist ... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and
- [POLL:  What’s The Biggest Problem With Polls?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/08/27/poll-whats-biggest-problem-with-polls/) - A. Only a few are accurate B. They may be easily manipulated in the way the questions are asked C. The results may be used by politicians to support or “confirm” specious arguments D. Their main purpose is to fill 24/7 news cycles E. All of the above If you watch Fox News Channel and
- [The Border Fence.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/08/15/the-border-fence/) - Throughout his primary campaign, U.S. Senator and teabagger wannabe, John McCain, has repeatedly called on President Obama to “finish the dang fence.” Of course, he’s referring to the fence being built along the border between Arizona and Mexico that has already cost billions of dollars. McCain and Gov. Jan Brewer would have you believe that
- [Who's Next?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/08/19/whos-next/) - For some time, the Grand Old Party of Liars has resorted to a strategy of obscuring its record on the real issues by focusing hate on minority groups. In just this election cycle alone, Republican candidates have targeted Muslims, Mexican immigrants and gays. In the past, they have targeted members of other minorities including African-Americans,
- [More Email Lies About Obama.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/01/more-email-lies-about-obama/) - I know. This is sort of like announcing “dog bites man.” But the concerted effort by the right to discredit President Obama needs to be addressed. For more than two years, emails have circulated blaming Obama for a variety of unpatriotic and even sacreligious acts. Of course, they’re not true. But that’s never stopped the
- [If Democrats Renew Bush Tax Cuts, They Deserve To Lose Congress!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/03/if-democrats-renew-bush-tax-cuts-they-deserve-to-lose-congress/) - Yesterday, on the McClatchy website, there was a story that many Democrats are leaning against repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. The reason? Despite the fact that renewing the tax cuts will add billions to the deficit, some Democrats are worried that it will make their re-election more difficult. So they'd rather cause long-term
- [The Politics of Fear.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/08/the-politics-of-fear/) - Following World War II, Gustave Gilbert, a German-speaking intelligence officer and psychologist, was granted access to all of the prisoners held in the Nuremberg jail. During one of his conversations with Nazi leader, Hermann Goering, Gustave said, “I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and
- [Tax Cuts As An Economic Stimulus.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/21/tax-cuts-as-an-economic-stimulus/) - It’s one of the most important issues that will be debated in the coming months. Democrats, including President Obama, want to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent of our population expire. They claim that we can no longer afford these tax cuts and letting them expire would reduce the deficit and
- [Beware The "Pledge To America"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/23/beware-the-pledge-to-america/) - Republicans have just announced their new "Pledge to America" in an attempt to persuade independent voters to put them back in power. Among other things, they promise to repeal "Obamacare" (leaving 33 million Americans without access to health care), reduce the deficit (which was largely created by Bush and Reagan), cut taxes (for corporations and
- [Republicans Offer Dirty Tricks Instead Of Ideas.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/27/republicans-offer-dirty-tricks-instead-of-ideas/) - Ever since Tricky Dick Nixon and his Watergate crew, the Republican Party has seemed fascinated with gaining unfair advantage through political stunts. For many years, the party and its allies have created a series of shadow groups as a way of getting around campaign finance laws. Such shadowy organizations as the Cato Institute, the Goldwater
- [The False Promise Of Privatization.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/09/30/the-false-hope-of-privatization/) - Since Ronald Reagan, Republicans have promoted the privatization of government services as the solution to all economic problems. They have long wanted to privatize Social Security and Medicare as a method of killing these so-called entitlements. They would like to privatize the postal service. Under Republican administrations, they have already privatized prisons, much of the
- [The Truth About President Obama And Congress.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/10/05/the-truth-about-president-obama-and-congress/) - Out of more than 500 promises made by President Obama during the 2008 campaign, Politifact.com finds that 122 have been kept, 39 have been compromised, 238 are in the works, 82 are stalled (primarily in the Senate), and 3 have not yet been rated. A mere 22 promises have been broken and many of those
- [A Petri Dish For Wingnut Ideas.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/10/01/a-petri-dish-for-wingnut-ideas/) - Since Janet Napolitano was selected by President Obama to head Homeland Security, the inmates in the asylum otherwise known as the Arizona Legislature have run wild. Without adult supervision (and a strong Governor to veto their lunacy), legislators have unleashed a torrent of right wing legislation signed into law by Jan Brewer. In addition to
- [How Much Is Your Vote Worth?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/10/06/how-much-is-your-vote-worth/) - $100? $1,000? $10,000? More? This year, corporate and foreign-funded shadow groups seem willing to spend whatever it takes to convince you to vote Republican. Unfortunately, you won't get to pocket the money. But, thanks to the Supreme Court decision in the Citizerns United case, corporations (both domestic and foreign) are now able to pour hundreds of
- [Who Left The Asylum Doors Open?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/10/14/who-left-the-asylum-doors-open/) - In a letter to the Arizona Republic, a Democratic voter stated that he was going to vote a straight Republican ticket. His reasoning was that he was tired of the Republican whining and wanted to give Republicans the opportunity to fix the economy themselves. What genius! Let’s reward the very people who created this mess in
- [Okay, Republicans, now what?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/11/04/okay-republicans-now-what/) - You lied, cheated and spent your way into control of the House of Representatives. You took control of more governors' offices. And you took control of 19 more state legislatures. Much of your success was the result of massive corporate donations and your filibustering of legislation that could have helped turn this economy around - the economy
- [Another WTF? Vote.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/11/06/another-wtf-vote/) - For some time, I've wondered why my Republican friends continue to vote against their own self-interest. I do have a few wealthy friends who benefit from Republican policies. But the majority are more often harmed by Republican initiatives. For example, Republicans talk about tax cuts for the rich being good for small business owners who generate most of
- [News Integrity (And Fox's Lack Thereof)](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/11/12/news-integrity/) - Since Spiro Agnew, conservatives have railed against the so-called liberal news media. Indeed, half-governor Palin is fond of referring to any media other than Fox News Channel as "lame stream media." And conservatives proudly point to Fox News as the only place to learn the "real truth" about politics. At the same time, they deride
- [The War Within.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/11/18/the-war-within/) - For many years, Republicans have accused Democrats of "class warfare" and "wealth redistribution." They're correct, of course. But they fail to mention that they are the ones responsible. And that the wealth is being redistributed to the wealthiest 2% of our population. Ever since Ronald Reagan began pushing economic policies based on the "trickle-down theory," our government
- [Arizona's SB1070 7 Months Later.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/11/19/arizonas-sb1070-7-months-later/) - In April of this year, Jan Brewer signed Arizona's controversial anti-immigrant bill into law. It was hailed by conservatives far and wide as a great first step in closing our border to keep Mexicans from taking our jobs and using our services. And at least 12 more states are considering similar legislation. So how is
- [The Corporate Takeover Of Political Funding.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/11/23/the-corporate-takeover-of-political-funding/) - Quick. Tell me which political contributions are most scruitnized by our government: Individual contributions of $20 or less to candidates? Or multi-million dollar gifts from corporations to political action committees? If you guessed the latter, you're wrong. Political parties, local clubs and individual candidates are required to account for every political donation to the penny.
- [The New Tone Of "Bipartisanship".](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/12/01/the-new-tone-of-bipartisanship/) - So, after the mid-term elections, both parties talked about a new effort for bipartisanship. To facilitate that, President Obama invited leaders from both parties to the White House for the so-called Slurpee Summit. Unfortunately, Republican leaders had "conflicts" with the original date. (So what else is new? Haven't they had conflicts with everything President Obama has proposed
- [Minority Is The New Majority.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/12/04/minority-is-the-new-majority/) - After Democrats were swept into office in 2008 on a tidal wave of anger and frustration toward the Bush administration, the Republican part was pronounced virtually dead. "It would be decades," political pundits said, "until Republicans can regain control of the House, Senate or White House." Yet, in last month's mid-term elections, Republicans took back the
- [The Corporate Takeover Of America](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/12/08/the-corporate-takeover-of-america/) - It's really nothing new. For many years, large corporations have been given special privileges by our governments. After all, it's believed that they expand the tax base and fuel our economy. But do they really? The vast majority of jobs in the U.S. are created by small businesses. And, while it is true that large corporations are
- [Who Do Republicans Really Represent?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/12/09/who-republicans-really-represent/) - As most of you know, the Republican mantra is "lower taxes, less government." But for whom? The past couple of years have revealed the Republican agenda as never before. Take the Bush taxes cuts. Democrats want the tax cuts for millionaires to expire, which would save $700 billion over the next 10 years. But Republicans have
- [It's Time For A We Party!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2010/12/14/its-time-for-a-we-party/) - “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union...” Those are the opening words of the Constitution of the United States of America. Yet our two major political parties seem to have forgotten them. Instead of representing the citizens of this nation, the two parties - especially the Republican Party – seem to
- [A Story To Remember On This Day Of Hatred.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/01/09/a-story-to-remember-on-this-day-of-hatred/) - Following the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and many others, I think it's important to relate a story I was told a few years ago. I went to a gathering of supporters for Tibetan freedom featuring several Tibetan Buddhist monks who had been captured and tortured following the Tibetan "uprising" of 1959. One monk told of
- [Republican Leaders Provided Fertilizer For The Seeds Of Hate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/01/09/republican-leaders-provided-fertilizer-for-the-seeds-of-hate/) - We don't yet know why an armed lunatic chose to shoot Congresswoman Giffords. But we do know that the seeds of violence have, for years, been sown by commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and their ilk. Moreover, we can be certain that those seeds were well-fertilized in the 2008 presidential campaign, most especically at
- [Giffords Shooting Further Proof That Handguns Are Not Defensive Weapons.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/01/10/giffords-shooting-further-proof-that-handguns-are-not-defensive-weapons/) - For many years, the National Rifle Association has encouraged changes in our gun laws to allow more people to arm themselves. The theory is that guns are a deterrent to criminals. That may sound reasonable, but it's simply not true. Take the latest gun violence in Tucson, Arizona. A young man who is apparently mentally and emotionally disturbed was
- [Arizona Is An NRA Member's Wet Dream.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/01/14/arizona-is-an-nra-members-wet-dream/) - Imagine pulling into a metropolitan gas station and, as you're filling your tank, a man at the pump next to you gets out of his car with a .44 magnum revolver in a holster strapped to his leg. Or let's say you go to a pizza place for lunch and three men walk in wearing guns
- [What's Wrong With Calling For Civility?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/01/13/whats-wrong-with-calling-for-civility/) - Following the Tucson shooting, Pima County Sheriff Dupnik stirred up the proverbial hornet's nest by suggesting that our rancorous political climate may have contributed to the violence. And his statements about Arizona's insane gun laws fueled even more anger from the right. How dare the good Sheriff ask for more civility in our public discourse!
- [Left Without A Voice.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/01/23/left-without-a-voice/) - Last Friday, Keith Olbermann announced that he and MSNBC had decided to end Countdown. As a result, progressives have lost their strongest voice. Although MSNBC will continue to feature commentators such as Rachel Maddow, Ed Schultz, Lawrence O'Donnell and Chris Matthews, none of them, with the possible exception of Schultz, are fire-breathing liberals. That means there
- [Self-Inflicted Pain.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/02/09/self-inflicted-pain/) - Beginning with the Reagan administration, the U.S. has, in effect, taken out its very large supply of guns, taken careful aim and shot itself in the foot. Of course, I'm speaking metaphorically, but the damage to our nation is very real. The Reagan administration's notion that you could dramatically increase defense spending, increase corporate welfare, demonize
- [The Great miStake Of Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/02/03/the-great-mistake-of-arizona/) - There are now 15 states considering an immigrant-bashing bill similar to Arizona's. Some are also considering legislation similar to a bill currently in the Arizona legislature that challenges the 14th amendment. And many states are trying to match Arizona's insane gun laws. Living in Arizona, all I can say is that other states should be more careful in
- [Arizona Leads U.S.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/02/11/arizona-leads-us/) - It's true. The state of Arizona is leading the nation. Just not in a good way. For example, we have one of the nation's worst economies. Our schools, home prices, and poverty rank among the nation's worst. Our gun shows lead the nation in exporting weapons to the Mexican drug cartels. And, based on the actions of our state
- [Body Armor For Teachers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/02/19/body-armor-for-teachers/) - Now that Arizona and several other states are well on the way to permitting (nay demanding) guns in public places, including college campuses, it doesn't take much imagination to see into the future. All professors will be issued body armor along with the keys to their classrooms. Lecterns will be outfitted with bulletproof glass. Grades will
- [The Real Reagan Legacy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/02/28/the-reagan-legacy/) - On the occasion of Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday, Republicans and other conservatives simply could not contain their myopic admiration for "The Great Communicator." In reality, he should have been called "The Great Propagandist." Or, perhaps, "The Great Bullsh***er." For, I believe, the collapse of the middle class can be traced directly to the decisions made during
- [GOP Asks You To Sacrifice On Behalf Of The Wealthy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/03/gop-asks-you-sacrifice-on-behalf-of-the-wealthy/) - The new crop of Republican deficit hawks are seeking billions of dollars in cuts to education, health care, public broadcasting, environmental protection and pension funds. "It's necessary for everyone to sacrifice in order to reduce the deficit," they say. Funny that they're not asking the wealthy or large corporations to do the same. Indeed, $70 billion
- [The beginning of the end of Democracy in the U.S.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/07/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-democracy-in-the-us/) - Yes, I know that probably sounds alarmist. But consider the following: 1- The Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court gave corporations the free speech rights of individuals. The effect is to make them super-citizens allowing them to inject tens of millions of dollars into our political campaigns with virtually no oversight. This, of course, greatly benefits
- [The Deficit Scam.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/29/the-deficit-scam/) - In a Tea Party-based stupor, Republicans are locked in a battle with President Obama and Senate Democrats over cuts to the sizeable deficit. Of course, rather than look at the real causes of the deficit, they continue to attack Democratic-supported institutions such as labor unions, Public Broadcasting, the Department of Education, Planned Parenthood, the health care
- [Homeless in the good ol' USA.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/18/homeless-in-the-good-ol-usa/) - A couple of weeks ago, CBS' 60 Minutes ran an incredibly touching segment on homeless families. Scott Pelley assembled a diverse group of homeless children and asked them a series of questions about their circumstances. They responded by talking about going to bed hungry, the effects of homelessness and hunger on their studies, the shame of
- [The Radicalization of Christianity in America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/09/the-radicalization-of-christianity-in-america/) - This Thursday, Rep. Peter King will convene a Congressional committee to examine the radicalization of Islam in America. But why stop there? If Republicans insist on holding hearings on the radicalization of religions in America, shouldn't they also look into those who attend churches and synagogues as well as mosques? Shouldn't we investigate the church that Timothy McVeigh attended?
- [A Political Quiz:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/11/a-political-quiz/) - Would you vote for a candidate who promised to gut public education? Would you vote for a candidate who promised to make the rich richer at the expense of the middle class? A candidate who promised to steal billions from individual retirement accounts and give it to greedy Wall Street bankers? A candidate who promised to
- [A Revealing (And Hopeful) Note From Japan.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/03/24/a-revealing-and-hopeful-note-from-japan/) - I won't often do this. I did not write the following note and I do not know who did. But I think you will find it as fascinating as I did. It's no less than a reminder of how we should cherish what we have and how we should treat each other. From a friend
- [What will be the Boomers' legacy?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/08/what-will-be-the-boomers-legacy/) - The generation that began with so much promise - helping to improve civil rights, volunteering for the Peace Corps, and forcing an end to the Vietnam war - is now at a crossroads. As we reach retirement age, the Baby Boomer generation has to consider what our legacy will be. Will we be remembered for the aforementioned accomplishments? Or will
- [A Culture of Blame.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/04/a-culture-of-blame/) - The recent standoff in Wisconsin raises some unpleasant questions about American society. Why do we now blame union workers and their pensions for our economic troubles? Certainly, public employees who make around $50,000/year aren't getting rich off of taxpayer money. And why blame foreclosed homeowners for the housing crisis? Surely they didn't benefit from purchasing
- [Maybe the best way to fix the deficit is to do nothing.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/16/maybe-the-best-way-to-fix-the-deficit-is-to-do-nothing/) - While the government and the media debate the pros and cons of President Obama's and Congressman Ryan's competing deficit reduction plans, Ezra Klein of the Washington Post suggests another possibility. Do nothing. That's right. Do nothing to address the deficit and growing national debt! Using a graph based on the Congressional Budget Office's September numbers,
- [Senator Kyl's Legacy](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/19/senator-kyls-legacy/) - This year, Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona announced that he would not run for his seat in the Senate in 2012. Following his announcement, the Arizona media was filled with people (Republicans, teabaggers and other conservatives) extolling Senator Kyl's mostly forgettable accomplishments. As the conservative mouthpiece in the Senate, Kyl was given lots of attention
- [Limited Government Redefined.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/23/limited-government-redefined/) - For years, Republicans have been campaigning on lower taxes and limited government. They do seem sincere about cutting taxes – at least for corporations and the very wealthy. But when it comes to limited government, I guess it depends on which government you’re limiting. When Republicans last controlled the White House, the US House of
- [Now it's the First Responders' fault.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/26/now-its-the-first-responders-fault/) - First it was teachers who the Teapublicans blamed for our deficit woes. Now it's firefighters and police. In Republican budgets from the House of Representatives to the state houses, budgets for first responders are being slashed. Worse yet, thanks to an amendment by a Florida Republican, the 9/11 first responders are now being subjected to a
- [What the "frack" are we doing to our environment?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/28/what-the-frack-are-we-doing-to-our-environment/) - Not long ago, I watched Gasland, a documentary about a process called hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking. The process involves pumping a toxic mixture of more than 500 chemicals into the ground in order to fracture shale causing it release the oil and gas trapped in underground pockets. The chemicals are then pumped back out of
- [The Disney Effect](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/04/29/the-disney-effect/) - It's estimated that Great Britain's royal wedding cost nearly $50 million and that billions of people tuned in to see the royal dress and to watch "the kiss". Now, I understand that every little girl grows up dreaming of becoming a princess and marrying Prince Charming. We have Cinderella and a number of other Disney
- [Social Security Is Not An Entitlement.  It's A Safety Net.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/07/social-security-is-not-an-entitlement-its-a-safety-net/) - Shamed by scenes of the elderly living in abject poverty following the Great Depression, Congress passed the Social Security Act which was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt on August 14, 1935. At the time, poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50 percent. Since that time, millions of Americans confronted by old age, poverty,
- [One man's solution for Medicare and the health care crisis.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/16/one-mans-solution-for-medicare-and-the-health-care-crisis/) - Now that House Republicans have voted to end Medicare and Medicaid as we know them, I believe it's time to look at the real problems with the system. In addition to Medicare fraud, many of the problems are structural. Not with Medicare. But with the health care industry itself. Unless the skyrocketing costs of health
- [Still a Dick after all these years.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/04/still-a-dick-after-all-these-years/) - Following the successful mission to find bin Laden, Richard "The Dick" Cheney was quick to claim part of the credit by saying that the mission justified our torture (aka enhanced interrogation) of political prisoners. Say what? It has been 10 years since the Bush/Cheney administration failed to take heed of warnings that Al Qaeda was
- [The growing hole in our economy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/12/the-growing-hole-in-our-economy/) - For the past two years, the Obama administration has been trying to reduce unemployment. And, given the challenges, it has been remarkably successful. Following the Bush/Cheney administration, President Obama faced an economy that had jettisoned nearly 8 million jobs. Despite Republican opposition, the Obama administration has managed to turn things around. Certainly it has not
- [Republican Agenda Has Never Been More Clear.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/26/republican-agenda-has-never-been-more-clear/) - Following the vote by House Republicans to cut Medicaid and turn Medicare into a certain-to-fail voucher system, Senate Republicans filibustered a bill that would end oil subsidies to the most profitable companies on Earth. They followed that by doing the same to a bill that would end subsidies for Ethanol. In doing so, Republicans have
- [Why Are We Still Here?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/22/why-are-we-still-here/) - The time of the forecast rapture has come and gone. Yet, we're still here. I have seen no evidence of driverless cars or piles of clothing. I have witnessed no angels collecting the devoted lambs amongst us. Nothing. Worst of all, I'm still here. Why was I left behind? Was I not worthy? And if
- [What Happened To Journalism?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/23/what-happened-to-journalism/) - No recent event has better exemplified the utter collapse of journalism in the U.S. than coverage of President Obama's speech on the Middle East. The headlines following the speech all reported the "outrage" of Republicans, the Jewish community, etc. as the result of the President's statement that a return to the pre-1967 borders is a
- [An Endorsement No One Should Welcome](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/26/an-endorsement-no-one-should-welcome/) - The Houston Chronicle's Fuel Fix blog reports that Richard "The Dick" Cheney is gaga over Congressman Paul Ryan. "I worship the ground he walks on," said Cheney. "I hope he doesn't run for president because that would ruin a good man who has a lot of work to do." If voters didn't already have enough
- [Run, Sarah, Run!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/28/run-sarah-run/) - The One Nation bus tour planned by Sarah Palin beginning this Memorial Day weekend is promising. Combined with news that a new film about the lipsticked pit bull will soon be released in Iowa, it would seem to indicate that the half-witted former half-governor is readying a presidential campaign. Oh, please, please let it be
- [A Proposed Itinerary for Sarah's One Nation Tour.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/05/27/a-proposed-itinerary-for-sarahs-one-nation-tour/) - Now that Sarah Palin has announced her One Nation American history tour, I'd like to suggest a few locations for her to visit: 1. - Niagara Falls where she actually can see another country from US soil. 2. - New York City where she can visit the offices of all the newspapers and magazines she
- [Why President Obama Can't Fix The Economy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/06/03/why-president-obama-cant-fix-the-economy/) - It's not his fault. And it's not for lack of trying. But he's dealing with a stacked deck. For decades, the cornerstone of the US economy has been durable goods, driven primarily by housing starts. In other words, our economy has depended mostly on housing construction. For example, in 2004, more than 2 million home-building
- [Who Really Cares About Weiner's Wiener?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/06/12/who-really-cares-about-weiners-wiener/) - Okay, enough already! We all know Congressman Anthony Weiner did something dumb and distasteful. But enough is enough! Yes, he tweeted pictures of the little wiener to a few adult women on Twitter. Yes, he got married after the exchanges began. And, yes, he lied about his indiscretion after Republican hit man, Andrew Breitbart (purveyor
- [Warring States](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/06/17/warring-states/) - The current debate about withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the anniversary of Daniel Ellsburg's release of Pentagon papers started me thinking about our history of wars. When I looked it up, I was stunned! Since our Declaration of Independence, the United States of America has been almost constantly at war. In fact, not
- [Warring States, Part Two](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/06/21/warring-states-part-two/) - Recently, I posted a list of wars fought by the US military. What I didn't include were the many more military threats intended to force trade with US corporations or to protect our corporate interests overseas. That list would be many times longer. In search of resources and markets for our corporate products, we have forced our way
- [Republicans In Denial (As In Denial Of Any Democrat Proposal)](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/06/24/republicans-in-denial-as-in-denial-of-any-democrat-proposal/) - Today, Congressional Republicans pulled out of negotiations to resolve the deficit. And (here's a shocker) they blamed Democrats. Their reasoning is that Democrats insist on tax increases rather than merely relying on more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicare and other programs. "Let me be clear. Tax hikes are off the table," said House
- [An Economic Lesson For Teapublican Nincompoops](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/07/28/an-economic-lesson-for-teapublican-nincompoops/) - Upon discussing the debt crisis with some conservative friends, I realized that few of them know the difference between the national debt, the budget and the deficit. Like Michelle Bachmann and other Teapublicans, they wrongly believe that refusing to increase the debt ceiling will result in cutting spending and reducing taxes. Faced with such stupidity, it’s
- [Economic Terrorism](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/07/29/economic-terrorists/) - Remember when the Teapublicans were running for office last November? They hammered Democrats for not creating jobs fast enough and promised to have a laser-like focus on the economy. Well, I guess you could say they were telling the truth. But who knew they were actually referring to a laser site on an assault weapon
- [A Primer On The National Debt From Reagan's Economic Advisers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/07/30/a-primer-on-the-national-debt-from-reagans-economic-advisers/) - Teapublicans have elevated Ronald Reagan to God-like status. They have named a Washington D.C. airport after him. They worship at his presidential library. They even want to add his image to Mount Rushmore National Monument. So why don’t they follow his economic example? This has never been more puzzling than during the current debt ceiling
- [The Tee Hee Party.  Making Politics Laughable.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/07/31/the-tee-hee-party-making-politics-laughable/) - If the consequences weren't so very serious, the nonsensical ramblings of the Tea Party would be great comic theater. Certainly the Teapublicans have provided us with some of the best political comedy ever. Witness Saturday Night Live's repeated skewering of half-governor Sarah Palin. The commercials for "I'm Not A Witch" Christine O'Donnell and for the chicken-bartering
- [The Political Legacy Of The "Christian" Right.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/03/the-political-legacy-of-the-christian-right/) - Sometime around 1979, Jerry Falwell helped create the "Moral" Majority. Despite the separation clause in the US Constitution, the group's goal was to push a Christian agenda in US politics. Although the organization was dissolved in the late 1980s, it was followed by Pat Robertson's and Ralph E. Reed, Jr's Christian Coalition in 1988. Capitalizing on the fight
- [If Teapublicans Have Such Great Ideas, Why Do They Lie So Much?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/05/if-teapublican-ideas-are-so-great-why-do-they-lie-so-much/) - Why do they generate and circulate a seemingly endless number of blatantly false and misleading chain emails that demean our President? Why do they try to shout down everyone with whom they disagree? Why do they parrot talking points instead of rationally debating issues? Why do they protect the obscenely wealthy and attack the poor?
- [World's Greatest Nation?  Really?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/07/worlds-greatest-nation-really/) - Although many Americans are fond of calling the US the greatest nation on Earth, that hasn’t been true for many years. Certainly we have the world’s most powerful military, but that’s no criteria for greatness. Neither is the fact that we are still the world’s richest nation, despite the downgrade in our credit rating by
- [Downgraded Expectations](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/08/downgraded-expectations/) - I’m not just referring to the lowered credit rating for US Treasury notes. If Teapublicans are allowed to continue the same political obstructionism they’ve displayed in the first 2-1/2 years of the Obama administration, we should all become accustomed to expecting less. Less jobs. Less retirement benefits. Less access to health care. Less government services.
- [The "I've Got Mine, You Don't Deserve Yours" Crowd.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/11/the-ive-got-mine-you-dont-deserve-yours-crowd/) - According to a recent MSNBC.com article by Brian Alexander, lower class people are more likely to have empathy and compassion while the rich are more likely to think of themselves. The article confirmed my own observations. As an advertising executive, I've often listened to wealthy and powerful clients talk about how their success is the result of their own hard work, determination and risk-taking. They rarely give
- [If Other Species Can't Survive On Our Planet, What Makes Humans Think We Can?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/17/if-other-species-cant-survive-on-our-planet-what-makes-humans-think-we-can/) - This October, our planet’s human population is set to exceed 7 billion. At the same time, thousands of species are facing extinction. In fact, scientists tell us that over half of the world’s living creatures may become extinct over the next century. That’s shocking enough. But even more shocking is our ambivalence toward these facts.
- [A Question of Compromise.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/11/a-question-of-compromise/) - When Democrats and Teapublicans named their members of the so-called Super Congress, the media immediately asked, "Will Senators Patty Murray, John Kerry and Max Baucus be willing to compromise with their Teapublican counterparts? What about Representatives James Clyburn, Xavier Becerra and Chris Van Hollen?" Say what? During the last three and a half years, Democrats have
- [It Is Now Clear That S&P's Downgrade Was Political.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/19/it-is-now-clear-that-sps-downgrade-was-political/) - Now that the Fitch rating service has confirmed the AAA rating for US Treasury bonds, it raises questions about the real motives for the downgrade by S&P. Of the three rating agencies, both Moody’s and Fitch have maintained the AAA rating. Fitch even called the outlook for US Treasury bonds positive. Why the different outlooks?
- [What If FDR, Truman Or Eisenhower Faced This Congress?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/23/what-if-truman-or-eisenhower-were-faced-with-this-congress/) - Despite the fact that our economy was in freefall when President Obama entered office, people are fond of blaming him for our current misery. Instead of supporting Obama's attempts to right our sinking ship, Teapublicans have chosen to fight him every step of the way. No matter that the record number of Senate filibusters paralyzed
- [Yee Haw!  Another Texass Evangelical For President.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/26/211/) - In 2000, an evangelical governor from Texas was awarded the office of President of the United States. He ran as a compassionate conservative promising to cut federal spending and to get the US out of the business of “nation-building.” Instead, he cut taxes, eliminated financial and environmental regulations, ignored direct warnings of threats by al-Qeada
- [An Exposed Dick](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/27/an-exposed-dick/) - With Richard "The Dick" Cheney set to release his tell-all book about his term as dictator-in-waiting and puppet master of the George W. Bush presidency, the early reviews are all too predictable. Apparently Cheney praises all those who agreed with him as smart, tough and patriotic. At the same time, he portrays those who disagreed with him
- [Politics of God.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/29/politics-of-god/) - Is God a Democrat? Or a Teapublican? Teapublicans like Michelle Bachmann would have you believe the latter. After all, she claims that God told her to run for president. But He apparently also told Rick Perry to run. And He’s currently negotiating with Sarah Palin. What kind of confusing message is that? If He truly wanted a
- [Are We Still Fighting The Civil War?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/03/are-we-still-fighting-the-civil-war/) - As I was reading a book about the Civil War, I was struck by the many similarities between the run-up to the war and today’s political climate. The Confederate States of America were sparsely populated and dominated by slave-owning plantation owners who resented any interference by the federal government. As one historian said, they likely would
- [Who Does God Root For?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/08/31/who-does-god-root-for/) - As long as I’m on the subject of Divine intervention in current events, is it true that God is a sports fan? From watching collegiate and professional sports these days, you’d surmise that players believe God is dictating all of the outcomes like some sort of bribe-wielding bookie. Many of the athletes would have you
- [Teapublican Lie #1.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/08/teapublican-lie-1/) - Today begins a series intended to de-bunk the many Teapublican lies that will be repeated over the coming election season. Primary amongst them is this pants-on-fire whopper: “Cutting taxes creates jobs.” This whopper has been repeated so often by so many that voters have come to believe it's true. Yet when you examine the evidence, you
- [Teapublican Lie #2.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/09/teapublican-lie-2/) - “US corporate taxes are the highest in the world.” You’ve heard it over and over during the past 2-1/2 years. Not only from Teapublicans. But from supposedly authoritative sources such as the US Chamber of Commerce. So let’s examine this myth more closely. While it is true that the corporate income tax rate for the
- [Teapublican Lie #3.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/09/teapublican-lie-3/) - “Cutting deficits and the national debt will create jobs.” This is the most fashionable load of bull excrement being sold by Teapublicans. But nothing could be further from the truth. Certainly, the debt has a chilling effect on the long-term prospects of our economy. But the debt does not constitute a crisis. In fact, the
- [Teapublican Lie #4.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/12/teapublican-lie-4/) - “The national debt was created by President Obama.” I’ve addressed this figment of the Teapublican imagination before. They know it’s a lie, but they’re fond of saying it anyway. Indeed, they’re fond of blaming President Obama for everything bad and taking credit for everything good. Who created the Great Recession? According to Teapublicans, it wasn’t
- [Teapublican Lie #5.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/13/teapublican-lie-5/) - "Regulations are bad for business." Teapublicans have been slinging this bovine excrement around for years. “Businesses face mountains of government red tape that make it impossible for them to operate,” they say. I admit it sounds plausible, but it’s just not true. Certainly, every industry faces government regulations. But those regulations are not necessarily bad.
- [Teapublican Lie #6.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/14/teapublican-lie-6/) - “President Obama’s economic stimulus failed.” You’ve heard this over and over again from the mouths of virtually every Teapublican. They all loudly proclaim President Obama’s stimulus plan “a complete and utter failure.” They make it sound as if Democrats wasted $787 billion of taxpayer money. But as you'll see, it’s just another Teapublican lie. To
- [The Kings and Queen of Mean.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/14/the-kings-and-queens-of-mean/) - So far, the debates between Teapublican presidential candidates have been very entertaining. Watching them is somewhat like watching Voldemort, Simon Legree, the Joker, Scrooge, Alfred E. Neuman, Lex Luthor and the Wicked Witch of the West face off to see who can be nastier, more spiteful, more repugnant and more snide. Yet the sentiments of
- [Teapublican Lie #7.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/16/teapublican-lie-7/) - “Raising taxes on millionaires will hurt small business.” After all, most small businesses are owned by millionaires, right? Rrrrright! This whopper seems to stem from the Teapublican definition of small business. You see, they define small business by ownership rather than brands, offices, employees or income. In other words, since Cargill is a closely held,
- [Teapublican Lie #8.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/19/teapublican-lie-8/) - “Most Americans don’t pay taxes.” Lately, Teapublicans have been saying that 51% of Americans don’t pay any taxes at all. They say that those Americans should be forced to “have some skin in the game.” They call them the “Freeloader Class.” And they blame them for the nation's economic woes. While it is true that
- [Teapublican Lie #9.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/20/teapublican-lie-9/) - “Cutting taxes on the wealthy creates jobs.” This lie could only have been generated by wealthy contributors to political campaigns. But let’s examine it anyway. Both political parties acknowledge that the vast majority of jobs are created by small businesses and, most especially, by new businesses. Yet, for investors, these businesses often entail a great
- [Teapublican Lie #10.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/21/teapublican-lie-10/) - “President Obama’s Jobs Plan is Class Warfare.” Teapublicans haul this one out every time a Democrat talks about raising taxes on the wealthy. It sounds terrible, doesn’t it? How could anyone be for dividing America into classes based on privilege and wealth? Oh, wait! Teapublicans have been pursuing policies of class warfare for decades! Thanks to
- [Teapublican Lie #11.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/22/teapublican-lie-11/) - “Obama is anti-business.” Since Obama was elected president, the stock markets are up more than 31 percent and profits for large corporations are at all time highs. That’s anti-business? When CNBC’s Jim Cramer was interviewed on Hardball with Chris Matthews, he said he couldn’t understand why big corporations hate Obama. He said he asked corporations
- [Teapublican Lie #12.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/23/teapublican-lie-12/) - “The US government is going broke.” In May 25, 2001, Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform told National Public Radio's Mara Liasson, "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." Teapublicans have been trying
- [America's Most Corrupt Sheriff?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/22/americas-most-corrupt-sheriff/) - Unless you’re an intelligent, non-Teapublican living in Arizona, you probably know Joe Arpaio as “America’s Toughest Sheriff.” You’ve likely heard of the way he treats prisoners at his “Tent City” in the desert by forcing them to wear pink underwear and eat baloney sandwiches for every meal. You may have heard of his regular “sweeps” for
- [Teapublican Lie #13.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/26/teapublican-lie-13/) - “Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.” Governor Rick Perry must have scraped this BS off the bottom of his cowboy boots, because it smells a lot like Texas fertilizer. You see, far from being a Ponzi scheme, Social Security is insurance - insurance that guarantees a dignified retirement for hard-working Americans in our old age. Without
- [Teapublican Lie #14.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/28/teapublican-lie-14/) - “Immigrants steal our jobs.” That’s been a common accusation since the very beginnings of our nation. Previous generations despised the Irish, Italians, Germans, Scandinavians, Eastern Europeans, etc. for simply trying to eke out a living. Nothing has changed in the present day, except that now the charge is leveled against Latinos. In discussing her book,
- [A Decade of Fear and Paranoia.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/27/a-decade-of-fear-and-paranoia/) - As the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 approached, the television networks were filled with programs about the event. The best was MSNBC's special Day of Destruction: Decade of War, Part I with Rachel Maddow and Peter Engel. It presented stories and facts that were both enlightening and frightening. For example, since 9/11 we have: - Created Homeland
- [Teapublican Lie #15.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/29/teapublican-lie-15/) - “The founding fathers intended the US to be a Christian nation.” This is simply preposterous when you consider the backgrounds of those who were living in our nation at the time it was founded. Many had been subjected to religious persecution and intolerance in the countries they left. Does it then make any sense that they
- [Teapublican Lie #16.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/09/30/teapublican-lie-16/) - "Cutting Medicaid and Medicare will save money." Anyone who would say this is either lying or doesn’t understand how the healthcare industry works. If you kick millions of people off of Medicaid and raise the cost to seniors for Medicare, they will put off going to the doctor as long as they can. Minor ailments
- [Teapublican Lie #17.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/03/teapublican-lie-17/) - “The federal government paid $16 each for muffins.” Last week, Teapublican megaphone, Fox News Channel, reverberated with charges that the Department of Justice purchased muffins at $16 apiece at law enforcement conferences in Denver, Colorado. It was a sensational story. Teapublican bully and buffoon, Bill O’Reilly used the story to excuse the fact that he
- [The Least Generation.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/04/the-least-generation/) - If the heroes of WWII were the Greatest Generation, how would you describe those who have followed in their footsteps? I'd have to say the reviews are mixed. Take my generation of so-called Baby Boomers. We started out by fighting for Civil Rights. When confronted with a lame and unjustified war in Vietnam, many of our generation
- [Teapublican Lie #18.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/06/teapublican-lie-18/) - “The wealthiest Americans pay a disproportionate share of federal taxes.” Seriously? That’s the crapola they want us to believe? To counter President Obama’s plan to pay for his Jobs Act by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans, Teapublicans have gone on the offensive (Yeah, I know, they were already offensive enough) to protect the wealth
- [Teapublican Lie #19.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/06/teapublican-lie-19/) - “Solyndra is an example of the Obama administration’s runaway spending.” Yes, the Obama administration provided a federally-backed loan of $535 million to help Solyndra create thin film solar cells. Yes, the company went bankrupt. But before you join the Teapublican-led lynch mob to hold the administration accountable, ask yourself: How much more money has been
- [Another Dickish Demand.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/07/another-dickish-demand/) - Will Richard, The Dick, Cheney never take the hint and just fade into retirement? Previous former presidents and vice presidents retired to their compounds surrounded by Secret Service (such as George W. Bush) or devoted themselves to humanitarian causes (such as Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton). Former vice-president and presidential election winner, Al
- [A Look Into The Future of Teapublican Budget Cuts.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/10/a-look-into-the-future-of-teapublican-budget-cuts/) - Despite the fact that our $14 trillion debt was largely created by Teapublican presidents, now that we have a Democratic president, the Teapublican-controlled Congress is dead set on forcing enormous budget cuts at any cost. Set aside for a moment that their primary agenda is to end regulations for their corporate masters and to starve
- [Teapublican Lie #20.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/11/teapublican-lie-20/) - "Teabaggers are patriots. Occupy Wall Street demonstrators are misguided thugs and revolutionaries." The Tea Party claimed to be a grassroots movement, but in reality, it was created by Republican strategists, financed by Republican think tanks and billionaires, and promoted and publicized by Fox News Channel, Rush-To-Judgement Limbaugh and the rest of the Republican megaphones. The
- [Teapublican Lie #21.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/14/teapublican-lie-21/) - "Teapublicans are pro-life." I guess it depends on whose life we’re talking about. Yes, Teapublicans do protect the unborn by fighting all abortion, even if carrying the child to full-term endangers the health of the woman. But, after the child is born, as far as they’re concerned, it’s on its own. For example, Teapublicans have
- [A Fast And Furious Gunfight.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/12/a-fast-and-furious-gunfight/) - Teapublicans, especially those in Arizona, have their tea bags in a knot over a botched 2009 sting operation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives code-named “Fast and Furious.” The operation, which apparently began out of frustration with the courts’ failure to adequately convict and punish those who provide guns to the Mexican
- [Teapublican Lie #22.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/20/teapublican-lie-22/) - "Welfare moms are worse for our economy than welfare CEOs." For years, you’ve heard Teapublicans rail against freeloading welfare moms. They portray them as lazy, drug-addled minority women who turn themselves into baby factories to scam the system and live in relative luxury. Right? In fact, a Teapublican candidate for the Nebraska Unicameral recently compared
- [Origins Of The Right's Misplaced Hate Of Obama.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/17/origins-of-the-rights-misplaced-hate-of-president-obama/) - I confess that I've long been confused about the intense (and, I believe irrational) hatred of President Obama, when it appears to me that he has been guilty of nothing more than trying to correct the problems created by the previous administration. Upon reflection, I believe it stems from the Right's unfailing belief in the
- [How Did We Get Here?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/24/how-did-we-get-here/) - Once upon a time, the most distinguishing characteristic between Republicans and Democrats was a difference in opinion on how to solve social problems and improve our nation. For example, Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and presidential candidate Robert Dole all agreed to the need for universal healthcare. They simply offered different means
- [Teapublicans Are A Disgrace To The Term “Redneck.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/21/teapublicans-are-a-disgrace-to-the-term-redneck/) - Many Teapublicans, especially those in the South, are fond of referring to themselves as Rednecks. They interpret that to mean that they are common sense, down-to-earth people. They take pride in the fact that they’re relatively uneducated in contrast to the “pointy-headed liberals.” Not surprisingly, it’s a false pride. In fact, most of these people
- [Teapublican Lie #23.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/26/teapublican-lie-23/) - "President Obama is not an American Citizen." The fact that any of us feel compelled to address this idiocy after more than 3 years of intense investigation is sad. Yet this nonsense continues to pervade the ethernet. Never mind that the Federal Election Commission accepted President Obama's birth certificate as evidence of his citizenship. Never
- [Proof  That Trickle-Down Economics Work.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/28/proof-that-trickle-down-economic-theory-works/) - In the early 1980s, Ronald Reagan’s Budget Director, David Stockman, revived an old economic theory as the basis for the Reagan administration’s economic policy. Reaganomics, aka Trickle-Down economics, aka Supply-Side economics was based on the “Horse and Sparrow” theory of the 1890s, which some believe was responsible for the Panic of 1896. The basis of
- [The NRA Effect.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/01/the-nra-effect/) - Beginning in 1980, the National Rifle Association first inserted itself into politics by endorsing Ronald Reagan. Since then, the NRA has increasingly exerted its power and influence over both national and state politics. Nearly every year, the NRA writes proposed legislation then shops it around to state legislatures in hopes of finding sponsors. Often the
- [Are We Now Officially Living In A Police State?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/10/30/are-we-now-officially-living-in-a-police-state/) - When the American public watched televised scenes of non-violent black marchers being attacked by baton-wielding police and their dogs in the 1950s south, the public's disgust virtually assured the end of the Jim Crow era. When students at Kent State University were shot by National Guard troops for demonstrating against the Vietnam War, public outrage
- [The Planned Destruction Of Our Two-Party System.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/03/the-planned-destruction-of-our-two-party-system/) - If you wanted to destroy the opposing political party - not just defeat it - what would you do? You’d probably look to take away its source of funding while finding ways to dramatically increase yours, such as destroying labor unions while legalizing unlimited corporate contributions as “free speech.” You’d try to marginalize and delegitimize
- [The Fraud Of Voter Fraud.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/09/the-fraud-of-voter-fraud/) - Following the 2008 presidential election, Republicans were convinced that President Obama could only have been elected as the result of massive voter fraud. They blamed ACORN (which they have since destroyed as the result of a fraudulent video scam) and labor unions (which are under attack by Teapublican-controlled legislatures throughout the country). Now they have
- [7 Billion People.  Now What?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/07/7-billion-people-now-what/) - As of Monday, October 31, 2011, the world population officially reached 7 billion. How appropriate that this milestone was reached on Halloween! The statistic might not be so alarming if not for the fact that it took several million years for the population to reach one billion. It took just 123 years for the world to add
- [More Political Bullying In Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/05/more-political-bullying-in-arizona/) - If you think Teapublicans have run amok in Washington or in states like Alabama, Ohio and Wisconsin, nothing compares to the political lunacy of Arizona. This is the state that refused to acknowledge a Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. It’s home to the so-called “nation’s toughest sheriff” who houses prisoners in tents in the middle
- [This Explains Everything.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/10/this-explains-everything/) - Absolutely the best article I've ever read on the origins of our economic problems. Once again, Rolling Stone is responsible for great investigative journalism! http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109
- [Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Goodbye, Senator Pearce!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/10/na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-goodbye-senator-pearce/) - This week, Boss Hogg wannabe, Russell Pearce was defeated in a recall election in Mesa, Arizona. You may remember him as the Godfather of SB1070, Arizona’s anti-immigration, anti-Latino bill. Thing is, he doesn’t deserve credit for writing the bill; only attaching his name to it and bullying it through the Arizona legislature. One of the
- [Teapublican Lie #24.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/14/teapublican-lie-24/) - “Private schools perform better than public schools.” Indeed, many Teapublicans consider public schools to be a form of socialism. They believe public schools exist only to indocrinate our children in such “liberal” concepts as evolution. They believe public schools are anti-religious. They believe that only private and parochial schools are willing to teach our children
- [Penn State Merely Reflects Our Culture.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/16/penn-state-merely-reflects-our-culture/) - Whatever the legal outcome of the charges against former Penn State defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, one thing is clear. The reaction of Penn State students to the firing of Joe Paterno reveals seriously twisted values. When the students filled the streets in protest, they were, in effect, saying we don’t care about the victims. Winning
- [The Republican Debates.  TV's Best Comedy Series.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/18/the-republican-debates-tvs-best-comedy-series/) - If you haven’t been watching the seemingly endless number of Republican debates, you’ve been missing some great laughs. For humor, the debates have been every bit the equal of Dumb and Dumber, Beavis and Butthead, The Jerk, or Jackass 1-3. The presumed eventual winner is Governor Mitt Romney who has been running for president almost
- [Justice (At Least Temporarily) For Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/18/justice-at-least-temporarily-for-arizona/) - Two weeks ago, I wrote about Governor Jan Brewer and her political cronies’ removal of the independent chair of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. It seems the Teapublican congressional representatives were unhappy with the commission’s proposed maps which placed two Teapublican congressmen in the same district. More important, the Teapublicans were angry that the maps
- [Seven Common Sense Ways To Fix Our Economy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/29/seven-common-sense-ways-to-fix-our-economy/) - 1 - Re-institute the Glass-Steagall Act. The Glass-Steagall Act was initially signed into law in 1933 to prevent a repeat of the conditions that led to the Great Depression. The law created a firewall between banks of deposit and investment banks, recognizing that a bank of deposit is entrusted with maintaining the financial security of
- [Road Rage, Arizona-Style.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/11/22/road-rage-arizona-style/) - Road rage incidents have become commonplace in every state. But in Arizona, where guns are viewed as a fashion accessory, such incidents can be particularly deadly. For example, two years ago, a worker operating a photo radar unit was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting by a driver who simply disliked the method of traffic enforcement.
- [Teapublican Lie #25.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/05/teapublican-lie-26/) - “Climate change is a figment of Al Gore’s imagination.” When Al Gore produced his highly successful An Inconvenient Truth, Republicans dismissed the movie as a liberal lie concocted to push renewable energy and to undercut the federal subsidies to the oil and gas industries. They also feared that increased environmental concerns would reduce the profits
- [A Nation Without Government Is No Nation At All.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/20/a-nation-without-government-is-no-nation-at-all/) - One of the ideological leaders of the Republican Party and the Tea Party movement, Grover Norquist, famously said, “I don’t want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it to the bathroom and drown it in a bathtub.” Ronald Reagan once said, “ government isn’t the solution
- [The Continuing Destruction Of Our Two-Party System.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/15/the-continuing-destruction-of-our-two-party-system/) - Destroy limits on corporate political donations – check. Marginalize President Obama – check. Block Democratic presidential appointments – check. Block all attempts to improve the economy – check. Destroy ACORN – check. De-fund Planned Parenthood – in progress. Destroy labor unions – in progress. Suppress minority voters in key swing states – in progress. Destroy
- [Teapublican Lie #26.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/10/teapublican-lie-26-2/) - “The Housing Collapse was created by Democrats, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” If you listen to Teapublicans, you’d think Democratic Congressman Barney Frank was almost solely responsible for the collapse of the housing market aided by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And they’d have you believe that the collapse is further evidence of an out-of-control
- [Ummm…Actually, It’s A Pagan Tree.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/07/ummmactually-its-a-pagan-tree/) - This week, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee unintentionally angered Christians by announcing the lighting of a “holiday tree” in the Rhode Island State House. Fueled by Fox News Channel, a group of carolers interrupted the lighting ceremony by singing O Christmas Tree. They were quoted as saying that they felt Chafee was trying to put
- [The Grinch…er…Gingrich Who Stole The Party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/17/the-grinchergingrich-who-stole-the-party/) - Now that serial liar, adulterer and cheater, Newt Gingrich, seems poised to take the Teapublican nomination for president, it seems fitting that his rise in the polls coincides with the holiday season. After all, he’s the Grinch personified – egomaniacal, arrogant and disparaging of everyone else. He dislikes and resents everyone who disagrees with him,
- [Presidential Backstabbing.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/23/presidential-backstabbing/) - Before President Obama was even sworn into office, our economy and housing markets completely imploded. The economic collapse was labeled the Great Recession – the worst economy since the Great Depression. After the Bush-endorsed bank bailout, President Obama rescued our automotive industry and requested a stimulus bill to get our economy moving again. In requesting
- [The Know-Nothing Network.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/27/the-know-nothing-network/) - For many years, those of us who don’t subscribe to the way-off-the-right-wing-cliff ideology have claimed that Fox News Channel is worse than no news at all. Now we have proof: According to the latest results from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind Poll, which asked people in New Jersey about current events, those who watched Fox News
- [The Great Right Hopes?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2011/12/29/the-great-right-hopes/) - To listen to Teapublicans, President Obama is the worst president in US history. They view him as a foreign-born Muslim who was only elected through massive voter fraud; a socialist or communist or facsist or some sort of –ist who is destroying our economy and our freedoms. From the moment he was inaugurated, Teapublican leaders
- [Lies, Damn Lies and Teapublican Lies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/05/lies-damn-lies-and-teapublican-lies/) - In every field or endeavor, there are people who have difficulty with the truth. Most of us tell the occasional little white lie, often to keep from hurting another's feelings. Many of us tell lies to make us feel better or to explain a mistake. And then there are chronic, sociopathic liars who make statements that are provably false. It's
- [The Wisdom Of Iowa.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/09/the-wisdom-of-iowa/) - As a native of Iowa, I’m proud of the common sense displayed by my former compatriots. Iowans (even Teapublican Iowans) tend to be well-educated, relatively well-informed, and compassionate. Despite the media pundits who decry the role that Iowa plays in our national electoral process, I believe Iowa is the perfect place to begin presidential campaigns.
- [Raising Cain.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/19/raising-cain/) - For those of you who don’t watch The Colbert Report and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, you’re not only missing some of the best comedy on TV. You’re missing some of the most accurate news analysis anywhere. Lately, Stephen Colbert and Stewart have been exposing the absurdity of the decisions by conservatives on the
- [Masters Of The Double Standard.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/20/masters-of-the-double-standard/) - The field of Teapublican “presidential” (and I use the term loosely) candidates have proven, once and for all, that Teapublicans are almost completely devoid of ethics. I’d call them hypocrites, but we’re talking about Teapublicans here, so, for their benefit, I’ll try to use small words. Teapublicans famously fight for so-called family values, yet many
- [Newt = John Edwards To The Nth Degree.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/22/newt-john-edwards-to-the-nth-degree/) - When it was discovered that 2008 presidential candidate, John Edwards, had an affair as his wife was fighting cancer, he became a national pariah who was vilified by virtually everyone. Most vocal among his critics were the “Christian” conservatives who decried Edward’s lack of “values.” But those same "Christian" conservatives now support Newt Gingrich. Yes, that
- [Ending "Drive-By" Politics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/02/13/ending-drive-by-politics/) - Over the past decades, I’ve noticed an increasing trend among Teapublicans. They tend to make a snide statement about Democrats or Democratic principles secure in their belief that you'll either agree with their statement or remain silent. They say things like, “We’ve got to get that damned socialist out of the White House.” Or, “This president
- [Patriots?  Or Idiots?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/25/patriots-or-idiots/) - Over the past 40 years, Teapublicans have co-opted patriotism and Christianity. They have cloaked themselves in flags and decried liberals and Democrats as socialists, communists, even fascists. They have blindly supported our military while ignoring our veterans. They have implied that anyone who fails to subscribe to their beliefs is unpatriotic. And they have stated
- [A True Conservative.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/02/06/a-true-conservative/) - During the Teapublican primaries, we’ve all heard candidates who claim to be true conservatives. But upon listening to their plans, I have come to the realization that the only things they really want to conserve are their own fortunes. It was during a recent Teapublican debate that I discovered I’m definitely not a liberal –
- [The Civil War 2.0.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/01/26/the-civil-war-20/) - For some time, I’ve wondered if the rancor in today’s politics has some connection to the outcome of the Civil War. Sounds crazy, right? After all, the Civil War ended in 1865. Yet Teapublicans continue to say things that evoke the elitism and racism of antebellum America. We’ve heard them refer to President Obama as
- [Separation Clause Doesn't Apply To Contraceptive Mandate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/02/15/separation-clause-doesnt-apply-to-contraception-mandate/) - The current uproar over mandates that Catholic-owned businesses offer contraception to insured employees seems, at best, insincere. Ignoring the fact that Catholic Charities receives $2.9 billion of taxpayer money, and that the Catholic Church and other religious organizations own billions of dollars worth of real estate and collect billions in donations without paying taxes, there’s
- [Arizona:  A Nice Place To Visit, But You Probably Don’t Want To Live Here.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/02/20/arizona-a-nice-place-to-visit-but-you-probably-dont-want-to-live-here/) - Aside from our scorpion-eating and finger-wagging governor, our racist anti-immigrant bills and our fear-mongering politicians, there are plenty of other reasons to avoid setting up residency in the Grand Canyon state. For example, as Arizona celebrates its centennial year as the 48th state, look at the people it has chosen to celebrate as part of
- [Tell Teapublicans To Shove It.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/02/22/tell-teapublicans-to-shove-it/) - Now that the Teapublican legislators of Virginia have passed a bill requiring women seeking an abortion to submit to a vaginal ultrasound, I would suggest a companion bill. The new bill would require the male legislators of Virginia and Congressman Dan Issa, along with his all-male panel which testified on female contraception, to have an ultrasound wand shoved up their rectums in search
- [The Teapublican Time Machine.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/02/28/the-teapublican-time-machine/) - For several years, Teapublicans, especially white pre-Baby Boomers, have fondly remembered the days of their childhood when life was simple. When they could gas up the ’57 Chevy for $3.00 and cruise Main St. all night. It was a white-dominated “Father Knows Best” society of tidy neighborhoods with white picket fences. Now those same Teapublicans seem
- [Independents Selling Themselves, And The Nation, Short.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/01/independents-selling-themselves-and-the-nation-short/) - For most of my adult life, I was an independent voter. Even though I never failed to vote, I disdained much of the political process. I told myself that both the Democratic and Republican parties were flawed; that their goals didn’t reflect those of the majority of Americans. The few times I had become involved
- [Guns Don't Kill People.  Gun Laws Do!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/03/guns-dont-kill-people-gun-laws-do/) - There are more than 200 million guns in ciruclation in the US. More than 40 percent of households claim to have one or more guns in the home. And those numbers have grown dramatically ever since a man of African-American heritage was inaugurated as president. According to statistics compiled by the CDC National Center for
- [Right Wing Attack Pig.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/04/right-wing-attack-pig/) - That may seem cruel, but to call Rush-To-The-Pharmacy Limbaugh a right wing attack dog would be an insult to dogs. Even junk yard dogs. For years, Limbaugh has made millions from his vitriolic attacks on liberals. But this past week he unleashed his disgusting mouth on a new target: Women. Following Sandra Fluke’s testimony before
- [Corporate America’s Shadow Government](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/07/corporate-americas-shadow-government/) - Ever wonder why, when Arizona passes an anti-immigrant bill, suddenly similar bills show up in other state legislatures? Or why, as North Carolina legislators introduce a Voter ID bill designed to suppress minority and student votes, similar bills are making their way through dozens of other states? It’s not coincidence. And it’s not merely some
- [What Is NRA's Endgame?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/09/what-is-nras-endgame/) - For most of US history, the goal of civilized people was to reduce our reliance on guns to settle arguments. In many towns, guns were banned within city limits. In others, people were asked to check their guns with the marshall when they came to town. As a result, even in the so-called “Wild West,”
- [Teapublican Mandated Nonsense.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/12/teapublican-mandated-nonsense/) - We all know that Teapublicans have their knickers in a knot over the insurance mandates in President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Not only are individuals mandated to carry insurance. Organizations are mandated to offer insurance that covers many types of preventative care, including (OMG!) contraception! Teapublicans claim that such mandates are unconstitutional
- [On Being Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/19/on-being-arizona/) - Arizona’s finger-wagging, scorpion-eating Governor and its Teapublican legislature continue to blame President Obama for federal policies they claim have nearly bankrupted the state. They brag that the state has been able to weather the economic downturn only because of their firm, cost-cutting measures. But based on their actions, it’s clearly untrue. The Arizona legislature apparently
- [The New GOP = God’s Official Party?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/14/the-new-gop-gods-official-party/) - Does God take sides in politics? Does He select candidates? Does She choose the issues? Apparently, the GOP thinks so. For more than 30 years, conservative politicians have pandered to evangelical “Christians.” They have bowed at the altar of the likes of Jerry Falwell, James Dobson and Pat Robertson. In return, evangelical pastors have preached
- [How Long Will US Offer Unquestioned Support Of Israel?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/16/how-long-will-us-offer-unquestioned-support-of-israel/) - I recognize that merely asking the question is highly controversial. I am also well aware of the horrors experienced by the Jewish people and I am very sympathetic. But their experiences are not entirely unique. Armenians, Cambodians, Gypsies, Hungarians, Native Americans, Poles, Ukranians, Russians, Rwandans, Sudanese and many other groups also have been the victims of
- [Trayvon Martin Murder Shows Danger Of Carrying Handguns.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/20/trayvon-martin-murder-shows-danger-of-carrying-handguns/) - No matter what happens to the “neighborhood watch captain” who gunned down an unarmed 17-year-old in Florida, two things are clear: A promising young man’s life has been cut tragically short, and those who carry guns are all too inclined to use them. Despite NRA claims, handguns in the hands of untrained citizens pose a
- [The Real Three Stooges.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/22/the-real-three-stooges/) - The Three Stooges movie, which will soon be opening at a theater near you, is puzzling in many ways. Why try to recreate a trio so iconic to American culture? Is Hollywood so devoid of creativity that it can’t find something new? More important, if you are going to make such a movie why not
- [What If Teapublicans Get Their Way In 2012?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/31/what-if-teapublicans-get-their-way-in-2012/) - After watching their debates and reading the conservative legislation being pushed through Congress and our state legislatures, it's clear that Teapublicans will not be satisfied until they: - Replace Social Security with retirement accounts based on volatile stock markets. - Replace Medicare with vouchers leaving seniors at the mercy of private insurers. - Repeal “Obamacare” making health care unaffordable for 60 million people. - Eliminate insurance coverage for
- [Calling all George Zimmermans.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/26/calling-all-george-zimmermans/) - Displaying its continuing contempt for the federal government, the Arizona legislature is considering a bill that would put more guns on our border in the hands of a volunteer militia under the direction of Governor Brewer. The proposed law known as SB1083, if passed and signed into law by our scorpion-eating governor, would create an "Arizona
- [A Truly Momentous Court Decision.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/03/28/a-truly-momentous-court-decision/) - With the US Supreme Court poised to decide on the insurance mandate of “Obamacare,” there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the idea of the mandate that Teapublicans now oppose was originated by...you guessed it...Teapublicans! Second, the federal government already mandates that our citizens and businesses purchase insurance...even health insurance. You are
- [GAO Report Shows Why “Obamacare” Is Necessary.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/03/gao-report-shows-why-obamacare-is-necessary/) - There were many reasons why health care reform was necessary when President Obama and the Democratic Congress were overwhelmingly elected to office in 2008. Not only were health care costs climbing at a rate more than 3 times that of inflation. Medicare and Medicaid were being overwhelmed by increased costs and unregulated fraud. More than
- [Where’s The War On Human Trafficking?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/06/wheres-the-war-on-human-trafficking/) - This week, Yuri Fedetov, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told the UN General Assembly that 2.4 million people around the globe are victims of human trafficking. Although some are exploited for manual labor, most are sex slaves. Let me repeat. 2.4 million women, men and children are being held as slaves
- [Conspiracy Talk Radio.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/09/conspiracy-talk-radio/) - "Thug, socialist, bully, liar, un-American, racist, most dangerous president in US history, the food stamp president, Kenyan, communist"...these are only a few of the things that are regularly said about President Barack Obama on talk radio. Conservative hosts raise fears about a “New World Order.” They talk about President Obama’s “Czars.” They claim that the
- [Teapublican Lie #27.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/11/teapublican-lie-27/) - "President Obama’s stimulus failed because it didn't hold unemployment under the promised 8 percent." In fact, President Obama’s transition team based that projection on the GDP numbers from the 3rd Quarter of 2008, which showed an economic decline of 3 percent. However, in the 4th Quarter of 2008, the US economy fell off a cliff resulting in
- [The Politicization Of Everything.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/13/the-politicization-of-everything/) - The publicity for the Trayvon Martin killing served to emphasize the depths of our culture. When the Samford, Florida Police Department announced that the killer, George Zimmerman, would not be charged, Martin’s family was understandably outraged. They asked MSNBC's Rev. Al Sharpton to pick up the case and publicize it nationally. Of course, that meant that
- [Sen. Phil Gramm.  A Legacy Of Failures.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/18/sen-phil-gramm-a-legacy-of-failures/) - Unquestionably, Gramm's actions as a US Senator were failures for consumers and our economy. But given the massive profits of the "too big to fail" financial institutions, they were great successes for Wall Street and large corporations. In 1999, then Republican Senator Phil Gramm co-sponsored the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, aka the Financial Services Modernization Act, aka the Citigroup Relief Act
- [Taking Back Our Government.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/16/taking-back-our-government/) - Over the past 30 years, no organization or group of individuals has had a more negative impact on our nation than ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council). Sponsored by many of the world’s largest corporations, ALEC's membership consists of the most partisan conservative legislators. It maintains an ideological staff that writes legislation and peddles it to its
- [Latest Vatican Reprimand Says It All.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/20/latest-vatican-reprimand-says-it-all/) - On Wednesday, the Vatican stepped into the fray between the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the American bishops. Not surprisingly, it came down hard on the side of the bishops. Saying the group, which claims to represent 80 percent of the 57,000 nuns in the US, had failed to make the "Biblical view of
- [The Legacy of Trayvon Martin.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/23/the-legacy-of-trayvon-martin/) - Following his tragic murder, the circumstances of Trayvon Martin’s death have focused national attention on Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law authored by ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council). It’s not as if the law is unique to Florida. Like most of the thousands of bills ALEC has authored over the past 30 years, it was peddled
- [Whatever Happened to The "Liberal" Media?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/25/whatever-happened-to-the-liberal-media/) - Oh, that's right! The “liberal” media was never more than a figment of Teapublican imaginations and conservative radio nutjobs! As I pointed out in a previous post, following the demise of the Fairness Doctrine, conservative talk radio has overwhelmed progressive and moderate talk radio. And the wackos on Fox News Channel have dominated cable news
- [How “Starve The Beast” Became “Starve The Poor.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/27/how-starve-the-beast-became-starve-the-poor/) - For years, Teapublicans have marched to a tune called “Starve The Beast.” The premise is that government has gotten too big and expensive so, in order to bring it under control, they must deprive it of the revenue needed to fund it. As band-leader-in-chief, President George W. Bush cut taxes, primarily for the wealthy. As a
- [Still Gutless After All These Years!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/04/28/still-gutless-after-all-these-years/) - For many years, Teapublicans have cowed Democrats into compromising their ideals. In fact, Democrats have become so accustomed to withering under partisan attacks many now give up their principles willingly. Witness the news from just the past two days. Yesterday, the Obama administration dropped controversial new safety standards for children who are hired to work
- [As Long As We're Telling The Truth...](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/05/as-long-as-were-telling-the-truth/) - A recent editorial in The Washington Post was headlined, "Let's just say it: The Republicans are the problem." The writers go on to say, "We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional. In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed
- [What’s Your Definition Of Freedom?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/02/whats-your-definition-of-freedom/) - If you listen to conservative talk radio, you’d think conservatives are the only ones who care about freedom. They call themselves “patriots” and wrap themselves in the flag in a show of false superiority. But, truth is, moderates and liberals want freedom, too. The difference is in the way we define it. For example, conservatives
- [The Politics of “Oh Yeh?"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/10/the-politics-of-oh-yeh/) - Remember when you were a child? Remember when somebody said something bad about you or someone you cared about? Remember how you too often responded with something that started, “Oh yeh? Well, you’re a...?” Or maybe you repeated the ever popular, “I’m rubber and you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to
- [Shaking A Fist At God?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/11/shaking-a-fist-at-god/) - According to evangelist Franklin Graham, that’s what President Obama did by recognizing gay marriage. Seriously? Accepting the right for anyone to love the partner of their choice is an affront to God? But denying basic human rights to your fellow man isn’t? Hmmm...What would Jesus think? I was raised in church and I remember a
- [A Message To Moderate Republicans:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/14/a-message-to-moderate-republicans/) - To those long-time Republicans who fondly remember the Party of Lincoln, the party that held the Union together against the forces of slavery, the party that supported the “live and let live” principles of Goldwater, the party that stood with Reagan against the Soviet Union: I have some very bad news for you. That Republican
- [What Politicians Aren't Telling You About The Economy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/12/what-politicians-arent-telling-you-about-the-economy/) - As a result of the 2008 economic crash created by the lack of regulation of Wall Street gamblers, new home construction has slowed to a relative trickle. According to the National Associaton of Home Buildiers (NAHB), the number of housing units started in the U.S. totaled only 609,000 in 2011. That compares to 1,131,000 in
- [Requiem For The American Dream.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/18/requiem-for-the-american-dream/) - This isn’t so much a blog post as an obituary. The American Dream was defined as the ability for Americans to rise above their parents’ experience. The ability to, as the result of education and hard work, become a success. It is measured by the distribution of wealth and upward mobility. In both of those
- [How Teapublicans Win.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/20/how-teapublicans-win/) - What happens when you combine the least educated and least curious portion of our electorate with the most selfish and greedy? What happens when those people are guided by the religious certainty that the Earth is 6,000 years old and that the destruction of our planet will only hasten their opportunity to ride in the
- [Three Explanations for Romney’s Claim He Doesn’t Remember Cruelty.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/21/three-explanations-for-romneys-claim-he-doesnt-remember-cruelty/) - Recently, several of Mitt Romney’s high school friends recounted an event in which they held down a gay classmate at their Michigan private school while Romney hacked off the terrified student’s bleached blond locks. Certainly, most of us do dumb things as teenagers. And most of us never forget them. I did and said some terribly cruel
- [Undisciplined Democratic Candidates vs Monolithic Republican Zombies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/22/undisciplined-democratic-candidates-vs-monolithic-republican-zombies/) - When Newark Mayor Cory Booker went on Meet The Press and attacked the Obama campaign strategy, he did more than expose himself as a disloyal “surrogate.” He pointed to the greatest difference between Democrats and Republicans. Had he been a Republican attacking Mitt Romney’s campaign, he would have been quickly dismissed as a RINO (Republican
- [The Party of Hate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/23/the-party-of-hate/) - Teapublicans love to say incendiary things about their political opponents. In just the past few weeks, Teapublican candidates and representatives have called President Obama a socialist, communist and fascist. A Teapublican Senator called President Obama the most divisive figure in politics. A Teapublican stated that gays should be rounded up, surrounded by an electric fence
- [Cutting Defense Spending Does Not Have To Compromise Military Readiness.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/28/cutting-defense-spending-does-not-have-to-compromise-military-readiness/) - Although Teapublicans insist on cutting government spending despite our fragile economic recovery, they categorically refuse to consider cuts to our defense budget. They claim such cuts will leave the US vulnerable to attack. So, when they passed the Ryan budget plan in the House, they included significant budget increases for the Pentagon. In doing so, they disregarded
- [Running To The Left.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/26/running-to-the-left/) - Teapublican candidates are notorious for running to the right during primaries in order to placate the base. Then they run to the center during the general election. What about Democrats? When's the last time you saw a Democratic candidate run to the left during the primary contest? It's a trick question. The answer is most
- [This Is A Reason To Vote For Romney?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/24/this-is-a-reason-to-vote-for-romney/) - Teapublican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, has said that anything more than 4 percent unemployment is a failure for the Obama administration. (It should be noted that the US has rarely achieved such a low unemployment figure.) Now Mitt says that by the end of the first term of a Romney presidency, unemployment should be somewhere around
- [A Real Memorial For Our Warriors.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/28/a-real-memorial-for-our-warriors/) - I’m writing this on Memorial Day, the annual celebration of those Americans who died in military service. On this day, some Americans fly the flag. Some attend memorial services. Some place flowers on graves. But most have a picnic, attend a baseball game, go shopping, take a mini-vacation or otherwise enjoy a day off. What
- [Why Is A Donkey The Symbol For Democrats When So Many Jackasses Are On The Other Side?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/30/why-is-a-donkey-the-symbol-for-the-democratic-party-when-so-many-jackasses-are-on-the-other-side/) - Yes, Donald Trump, Grover Norquist, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Jon Kyl, Eric Cantor, Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Jan Brewer, Joe Walsh, Allen West, Fox News Channel and the Tea Party, I'm talking about you!
- [In The Words Of A Founding Father...](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/05/29/in-the-words-of-a-founding-father/) - For those who demand that the US pass a so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” banning gay and lesbian marriage; For those who demand that the government intervene in the relationship between a woman and her doctor for fear that she might take a contraceptive or consider an abortion; For those who demand that the US
- [Maybe The Best Memorial Weekend Speech Ever!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/01/maybe-the-best-memorial-weekend-speech-ever/) - In case you missed it, Vice-President Joe Biden’s speech at the annual TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar demonstrated an understanding of our military losses that few can. This is just one of the many reasons ordinary citizens are so very proud of this administration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwZ6UfXm410&feature=related
- [The Real Freeloaders.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/04/the-real-freeloaders/) - For the past year Teapublicans, cheered on by Fox News Channel, have complained that the poor pay no federal income taxes. They have insulted those who are down on their luck by calling them the “Freeloader Class.” Yet, at the same time, they decry tax increases for the wealthy as “Class Warfare.” Well, Teapublicans, you
- [For Sale:  USA, Highest Bidder Takes All.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/02/for-sale-usa-highest-bidder-takes-all/) - This past week, it was announced that Teapublican Super Pacs will spend more than $3 billion on attack ads. Likely, there will be nearly a billion more spent by the campaigns for Teapublican candidates. Also in the news this week, was the John Edwards verdict and mistrial over the alleged misspending of money for a
- [Where Fair And Balanced Still Mean Something.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/05/where-fair-and-balanced-still-mean-something/) - Although little more than an imaginary line separates us, Canada's politics are light years away from those in the US. Unlike our politicians, Canadians don’t have to consult a dictionary for the meaning of compromise. And except for the vile rhetoric blasted across the border by US radio stations, the Canadian airwaves are void of
- [How Performance-Based Compensation Is Killing America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/08/how-performance-based-compensation-is-killing-america/) - Sometime in the late 70s, I met with a client to discuss his marketing plans for the year. When I asked about the company’s long-term plans, the client said that his Fortune 500 Company no longer does long-term planning. When the client noticed my obvious surprise, he told me that things were changing too quickly.
- [The Teapublican Book of Lies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/06/the-teapublican-book-of-lies/) - You know those things Teapublicans present as facts that just never quite make sense? The ones that are repeated day after day on Fox News Channel and right wing radio? The conservative ideas that have been tried and failed, but keep coming back? I've taken 50 of those so-called "facts," researched them, and presented my
- [McCain’s Accusation Only Confirms Our Choice In 2008.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/09/mccains-accusation-only-confirms-our-choice-in-2008/) - Today, Senator John McNasty accused the Obama administration of leaking national security information in order to make President Obama look strong as we near the election. First, why would the White House want to commit leaks to make the president look strong? He doesn’t need any help with his national security credentials. President Obama is
- [President Obama Can Recapture His Popularity With Men.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/12/president-obama-can-recapture-his-popularity-with-men/) - Recent polls have shown that President Obama’s popularity with white men has declined. As a result, some Democratic “strategists” have suggested that the president should focus his attention on minorities, women and educated, successful men. They reason that trying to reach blue collar white men would be a waste of time and money. That only
- [Greedy Bastards!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/14/greedy-bastards/) - Lately, I've been reading Dylan Ratigan's book, Greedy Bastard$. This is an even-handed account of how corporations and banks are sucking America dry. I recommend it to everyone - Democrats, Independents and Teapublicans alike. I warn you: It will not only educate you about the state of our nation and how we got here. It
- [The Age Of The Corporation.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/18/the-age-of-the-corporation/) - Following the Great Depression and World War II, most people in the US were independent. Many owned a small family farm or a small business such as a Five and Dime, a soda fountain, clothing store or whatever. If they managed to set aside any savings, the money likely went into a Certificate of Deposit
- [The Freedom To Fail On Your Own.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/20/the-freedom-to-fail-on-your-own/) - There’s a long-standing attitude of individualism in the US that causes people to inherently dislike any form of collectivism, such as collective bargaining through labor unions. As I wrote in a previous post, we come from a long line of independent-minded people; people who were pushed out of Europe by dictators of all ilks, from
- [Liberal Media, Huh?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/19/liberal-media-huh/) - If you’re a media observer, as I am, you may have noticed a change in the political coverage over the past several weeks. The majority of stories are now about Mitt Romney’s rallies and statements. The few stories about President Obama have been largely negative – showing his decline in the polls or supposed “gaffes”
- [Fast And Furious Politics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/22/fast-and-furious-politics/) - The name of the failed ATF gun-walking program could also apply to the Teapublican attacks on the US Attorney General and, by association, President Obama. In case you don’t already know, Fast and Furious was a program intended to reach the leaders of the Mexican drug cartels who are using “straw buyers” to obtain assault
- [There's A Reason It's Called Gun Fire.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/24/theres-a-reason-its-called-gun-fire/) - Much of the western United States is tinder dry as the result of a prolonged drought. Wildfires are breaking out throughout Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah at an alarming rate; many caused by people taking target practice in remote areas covered in tinder dry grass. The resulting fires have cost millions, yet the
- [More Evidence That Mainstream Media Are Not Liberal (Or Fair).](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/24/more-evidence-that-mainstream-media-are-not-liberal-or-fair/) - ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox’s Sunday morning “news” guests between June, 2011 and February, 2012 have been 70% Republican, 86% men and 92% white according to the monitoring agency, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. This is particularly revealing since Sunday morning programs are some of the most-watched programs for government and business leaders. These statistics
- [Clean Coal?  Is That Like A Poor Billionaire?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/26/clean-coal-is-that-like-a-poor-billionaire/) - AmericasPower.org (aka American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity) is currently running a television campaign attacking the Obama administration’s evironmental protections. The commercials claim that “clean” coal is an important part of our nation’s energy needs. They ignore the fact that there simply is no such thing as “clean” coal. While it is true that much
- [Fast And Furious Lies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/27/fast-and-furious-lies/) - In 2010, Sen. John “McNasty” McCain, Gov. Janet “Finger Wagging” Brewer and many other Teapublican politicians vilified immigrants in order to be elected. The only things that have changed for 2012 are the candidates and the scare tactic. Since the Supreme Court gutted SB 1070, the focus has turned to Fast and Furious. Fast and Furious,
- [The Panderer-In-Chief.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/29/the-panderer-in-chief/) - Anyone else amused at Mitt Romney's response to the Supreme Court ruling on Thursday? We were treated to the Panderer-In-Chief attacking the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act as an unconstitutional over-reach. He called it morally wrong and vowed to repeal and replace it his first day in office. Can anyone believe anything this man says? Does he
- [In Contempt Of Congress.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/06/29/in-contempt-of-congress/) - Yesterday, the Teapublican-controlled House of Representatives voted to find Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. If I could speak directly to Mr. Holder, I would offer my congratulations. I think most American citizens are in contempt of this Congress! As I’ve previously written, the charges that Mr. Holder is withholding “vital” information on
- [Playing With Fire.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/01/playing-with-fire/) - Following the Supreme Court decision that affirmed the Affordable Care Act is constitutional, Mitt Romney and other Teapublicans are furious. Indeed, the Panderer-In-Chief has said he will repeal and replace "RomneyCare"...er..."ObamaCare" his first day in office. That must be of great solace to those who are fighting our nation's wildfires. You see, most of these firefighters are part-time
- [Willing Ourselves To A Better Economy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/02/willing-ourselves-to-a-better-economy/) - As several economists have told me, we get the economy we want. If we think the economy is good, we will buy what we want or need. Our purchases will increase sales for retailers. That will increase manufacturing, and the economy will thrive. As a result, tax revenue grows and our deficits decrease. On the
- [The Truth About The Great “Job Creator.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/03/the-truth-about-the-great-job-creator/) - Former Governor and current Panderer-In-Chief, Mitt Romney, claims that he has the experience to put our economy on the fast track. The question is, the fast track to where? In his 15 years at Bain Capital, Romney made tens of millions by buying companies and dismantling them, or firing employees and outsourcing jobs to China.
- [We Know Romney Is Running For President.  But Of Which Country?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/04/we-know-romney-is-running-for-president-but-of-which-country/) - This week, The Huffington Post broke a story that disgraced Barclay’s CEO, Robert Diamond, rescinded an offer to co-host a pricey London fundraiser for Mitt Romney. Apparently, he wanted to keep his own difficulties from tainting Romney. Yet, despite Diamond’s withdrawal from the affair, the fundraiser is expected to go on with other British hosts.
- [The Teapublican Plan For "Repeal And Replace."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/05/the-teapublican-plan-for-repeal-and-replace/) - When Tom Brokaw forced Rep. Eric Cantor to explain the Teapublican alternative to the Affordable Care Act, Cantor said that the GOP (Guardians Of Privilege) had already presented it. It was the alternative they offered during the healthcare debate in 2009: H. R. 3962. In short, what it calls for are more concessions to insurance
- [What Our Politicians Could Learn From A Lifeguard.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/06/what-our-politicians-could-learn-from-a-lifeguard/) - By now you’ve probably heard the story of Tomas Lopez, the Florida lifeguard who was fired for saving a life. You see, he dared to save someone from a portion of the beach that wasn’t under contract by his employer, Jeff Ellis Management. Of course, this story vividly illustrates the problems of outsourcing traditionally government
- [What Roberts Knew About The Healthcare Ruling.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/09/what-roberts-knew-about-the-healthcare-ruling/) - The primary thing that defines a nation is its rule of law, and that was very much in question with the Supreme Court decision on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. After a long series of 5-4 decisions heavily weighted to the right, Roberts likely knew the very credibility of the Court was on
- [Conservatives Trying To Steal Elections... Again.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/10/conservatives-trying-to-steal-elections-again/) - For the past two years, Teapublican state legislatures have passed measures calling for photo IDs for voters. They claim that, if you are required to have a license to drive, you should be required to have a photo ID to vote. (Of course, they don't feel the same about those who carry guns.) They say their only interest
- [In Nobody We Trust.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/11/in-nobody-we-trust/) - A new Gallup poll shows that just 21 percent of Americans have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in TV news - a drop of 25 percent since 1993! And only 25 percent expressed confidence in newspapers. But these numbers should come as no surprise when Teapublican nitwits such as Sarah Palin
- [U...S...A!  U...S...A...er, China!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/13/usausaer-china/) - Remember those chants after the US Olympic hockey team upset the Soviet Union? We've come a long way since then. Back then, our Olympic team's uniforms were made in America. But, today, our Olympic team's uniforms are made in China like almost everything else we use. The US Olympic Committee hired an American icon, Ralph Lauren,
- [The Felon-In-Chief?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/13/the-felon-in-chief/) - For some time, I have referred to Mitt Romney as the Panderer-In-Chief based on the corny speeches he has given on the campaign trail - "The trees just seem the right height here." Now I realize that his tendency to lie and pander to any audience is the least of his obvious faults. Recent investigations
- [Conservatives Strike Yet Another Blow Against Real Representation.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/18/conservatives-strike-yet-another-blow-against-real-representation/) - I’ve previously written about ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), the organization sponsored by many of the nation’s largest corporations with the intent of writing much of the legislation proposed in state houses across the country. ALEC brags that it writes approximately 1,000 bills a year for conservative legislators to sponsor. This is how Arizona’s SB
- ["Believe In America."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/18/believe-in-america/) - That’s the slogan for Governor Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. Believe in America? Really, Mitt? Is that why you bought US companies and outsourced their jobs to China, Mitt? Is that why you stashed most of your money in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands? Did you invest in those tax havens instead of the US
- [Mitt Also Outsourced The Olympics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/19/mitt-also-outsourced-the-olympics/) - Last week, Congress was in an uproar upon finding out that the uniforms for the US Olympic team were made in China. As it turns out, this is not the first time. Mitt Romney, who counts his experience as “savior” of the 2002 Winter Olympics among his qualifications to become president, outsourced the uniforms for
- [Of Bullies And Cowards.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/21/of-bullies-and-cowards/) - For more than 30 years, the bullies at the National Rifle Association have pushed their gun laws on the American public. “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” they say. Well, a whole lot of people have been killing other people with guns lately. And, unless we do something to keep assault weapons and handguns
- [Where Are The Real Newsrooms?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/22/where-are-the-real-newsrooms/) - The HBO program called Newsroom is terrific! It portrays a news program that transforms itself from “human interest” style, ratings-driven drivel to a program dedicated to telling the truth. In other words, it’s recreating the style of news that we enjoyed before the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine. You see, under the Fairness Doctrine, broadcast media
- [What Mitt Believes In.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/23/what-mitt-believes-in/) - It's ironic that Mitt Romney's campaign slogan is "Believe in America," because he obviously doesn't. What does he believe in? In a word, money. His money. It doesn’t matter if it’s in dollars, francs, pounds, euros, rmb whatever. Mitt believes in possessing it. Lots of it. And he doesn’t like giving any of it away for taxes.
- [The Cowardly Russell Pearce.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/24/the-cowardly-russell-pearce/) - Those in Arizona are all too familiar with Russell Pearce for using his position as former Arizona State Senator to push for the ill-conceived immigration bill, Arizona SB 1070. Happily, he was recalled in a special election and sent packing back to the cave he crawled out of. But he’s making news again by blaming
- [Batsh*t Crazy Brotherhood.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/25/batsht-crazy-brotherhood/) - Contrary to Senator McCain’s statements (Welcome back to the high road, Senator), the highest levels of our Government have been infiltrated by a sinister organization. But it’s not the Muslim Brotherhood or any other outside group. It’s by the Batsh*t Crazy Brotherhood, otherwise known as the Tea Party. Michele Bachmann, Steve King, Trent Franks, Louie Gohmert,
- [Let's Help Texas Secede.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/27/lets-help-texas-secede/) - On several occasions, Texas Gov. Rick Perry suggested that the Republic of Texas might secede from the United States. He meant it as a threat, but after first ridiculing the idea, I’ve come to embrace it. Let’s consider the benefits. If Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee (Yes, I
- [Penn State’s 9/11?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/26/penn-states-911/) - Asked by a reporter how he felt about sanctions against the Penn State football program, one fan said, “I just can’t put my arms around it, it’s, to me, it was our 9/11 today." Ummm...no, it was justice. In the Penn State fiasco, the only events remotely comparable to 9/11 were the sexual assaults of
- [Poll:  At Least 17% Of Americans Are Nitwits.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/30/poll-at-least-17-of-americans-are-nitwits/) - A new poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Life has found that 17 percent of Americans believe President Obama is Muslim. Of course, that’s not true. The President is Christian. Indeed, many of the same people who want to believe he's Muslim were originally outraged at statements made by his Chicago Christian
- ["The American Borat."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/07/31/the-american-borat/) - Last week, Mitt Romney created a stir by stating that there were "disconcerting" signs that the British were not fully prepared for the London Olympics. His comments led one British publication to call him "Mitt the Twit." In addition, a German publication labeled Romney “The American Borat,” and wondered what Romney would do for an encore during
- [Israel Adds Another Clown.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/01/israel-adds-another-clown/) - This week, a group of medical clowns gathered in Haifa, Israel. They were there to discuss techniques that may help children relax during medical procedures and keep up their spirits in order to improve outcomes. But they weren’t the only clowns in Israel this week. As they were practicing balloon animals, Mitt Romney was clowning
- [Juveniles, Liars and Bullies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/02/juveniles-liars-and-bullies/) - Do bullies become Republicans? Or vice versa? It’s like the question of the chicken and egg. There’s no obvious answer. Bullies and Republicans are synonymous especially here in Arizona. Each election season, Republicans seem to have another treat in store for Democrats. The airwaves and newspapers are filled with even more lies than usual. (Not just exaggerations or
- [Maybe Democrats Should Let Teapublicans Drive Our Economy Off A Cliff.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/06/maybe-democrats-should-let-teapublicans-drive-our-economy-off-a-cliff/) - Don’t say it. I already know what you’re thinking. Republicans already did that in 2008. But they’re not satisfied yet. They want to cut taxes on corporations and the very wealthy. At the same time, they want to increase our military budget. To accomplish that without creating an even larger pool of red ink, they
- [When Did It Become Patriotic To Avoid Paying Income Taxes?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/03/when-did-it-become-patriotic-to-avoid-paying-income-taxes/) - Mitt Romney has been smart and very lucky. The son of a famous father, he has used his privileged childhood and education to make millions – often by bankrupting companies and offshoring American jobs. To make himself even wealthier, he also offshored his money in Switzerland, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Luxembourg. That allowed Romney to pay income
- [America’s Epidemic Of Head-Up-The-Butt Disease.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/07/americas-epidemic-of-head-up-the-butt-disease/) - There are many things we know that are detrimental to our society, but for a variety of reasons (mostly political) we refuse to correct them. For example, we know that it’s dangerous to text while driving, but many do it anyway. We know that many military contractors have been found guilty of defrauding the government, yet
- [When Will It Be The Right Time To Talk About Gun Violence?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/08/when-will-it-be-the-right-time-to-talk-about-gun-violence/) - In the immediate aftermath of mass shootings, conservative media and the National Rifle Association quickly state, “This is not the time to talk about gun violence. We need to focus on the victims.” The NRA also issues a press release reaffirming its stance that guns are not the cause of the shootings. Within days, the
- [Maybe Gun Control Advocates Should Follow The Lead Of Abortion Foes.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/13/maybe-gun-control-advocates-should-follow-the-lead-of-abortion-foes/) - Both abortions and gun ownership are guaranteed by the Supreme Court of the United States. But that hasn’t stopped abortion foes from challenging the law at every opportunity. It hasn’t stopped them from creating a host of restrictions that have all but ended abortions in several states. It hasn’t stopped them from creating lengthy waiting
- [Poorly Disguised Racism.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/09/poorly-disguised-racism/) - Ever since Barack Obama was elected president, conservative white people have decried his lack of patriotism. They say he is a socialist. They say he was born in Kenya. They say he is a Muslim. They say he does not believe in American values and American exceptionalism. Considering that his policies reflect those of former
- [Nausea And Palin Are Synonymous.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/10/nausea-and-palin-are-almost-synonymous/) - Snarky Sarah doesn’t like President Obama’s speeches. She calls them nauseating, probably because he’s using big words she doesn’t understand - like ethics and civility. In the past four years nobody has epitomized snarky attacks more than Palin. From the time she burst onto the national political scene at the 2008 Republican National Convention, she
- [The Most Prescient Satire Ever!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/14/the-most-prescient-satire-ever/) - Recently, I had occasion to re-read The I Hate Republicans Reader by Clint Willis as research for my own book: The Teapublican Book of Lies, Volume 2. One chapter of his book was devoted to a satirical article by The Onion headlined “Bush: Our Long National Nightmare of Peace and Prosperity is Finally Over.” Written
- [Romney's International Policy Experience.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/15/romneys-international-policy-experience/) - For months, Democrats have touted the foreign policy expertise of President Obama. Sure, he ended the war in Iraq and ordered the capture or killing of Osama bin Laden. But that pales compared to Mitt Romney’s international experience. True, Mitt hasn’t dealt with any foreign leaders, but he "saved" the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and he
- [Everything Wrong With Politics All Wrapped Up In One Super PAC.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/17/everything-wrong-with-politics-all-wrapped-up-in-one-super-pac/) - If you watch television news, you’ve probably seen the despicable “birther” ads paid for by the super PAC, Conservative Majority Fund. The anonymous group is also running a commercial “to stop the UN gun grab.” This little gem claims that President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton are set to sign an agreement with the
- ["The Betrayal of the American Dream."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/16/the-betrayal-of-the-american-dream/) - That’s the title of a new book by Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele, which I highly recommend. If you’d like to learn more, check out this story from NPR. You’ll also find a link to a podcast of their interview on NPR’s Morning Edition. These are not exact quotes, but here are a
- [A Few Questions For The NRA.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/23/a-few-questions-for-the-nra/) - Following a series of mass shootings, I’d like to know how members of the National “Rifle” Association feel. Are they satisfied that military-style assault weapons are now readily available to every disturbed lunatic who has the money to buy them? Do they feel anything when they see bloody corpses of innocent people lying on the
- [Why You Should Hate Teapublicans.  Let Me Count The Reasons.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/20/why-you-should-hate-teapublicans-let-me-count-the-reasons/) - 1 - Richard Nixon's Watergate break-in intended to literally steal an election. 2 – The “Southern strategy” in which the GOP embraced racists. 3 – The “Moral Majority" in which the Party embraced "social" issues. 4 – Reagan's union-busting. 5 – Elimination of loan interest deductions resulting in huge tax increases for the middle class. 6 – Cuts to capital gains taxes and estate taxes on the wealthy.
- [“Rampant” Voter Fraud?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/22/rampant-voter-fraud/) - Teapublicans claim to be concerned about vote integrity. So, in order to assure everyone that there is not massive voter fraud, they have passed strict voter ID laws in a number of states – primarily so-called “battleground” states. In doing so, they are forcing tens of thousands of voters to seek new photo IDs. A
- [“Legitimate” Rape.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/21/legitimate-rape/) - In 2011, Teapublicans introduced a bill that would ban federal funding for abortions through Medicaid except in cases of “forcible” rape, incest, or to save a mother's life. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri and Rep. Paul Ryan (Yes, that Paul Ryan) with the intent of redefining rape. You see, Teapublicans believe that
- [The Church Of Hate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/30/the-church-of-hate/) - If, upon reading that headline, you don’t immediately think of the Westboro Baptist Church, you simply haven’t been paying attention. For the few who don’t know, the Westboro House of Hate is the group that pickets military funerals with signs that read “God Hates Fags,” “God Hates All Nations,” and “God Hates Fag Enablers.” One
- [GOP Platform Full Of Hate, Fear And Greed.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/27/gop-platform-full-of-hate-fear-and-greed/) - Under the new GOP platform, every fetus will be protected or avenged, and women’s reproductive systems will be controlled by the people who know best male politicians and churches. Under the GOP, our borders will be secure. Those foolhardy enough to cross will be shot or imprisoned. And Latinos will never be without papers. Under the GOP,
- [Most Problems With Government Are Local.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/08/28/most-problems-with-government-are-local/) - It is said that all politics are local. The same could be said for government interference. While Teapublicans rage at the federal government for “over-regulation,” the truth is that most federal regulation is necessary. As with most everything else, the Tea Party's anger is misguided. Without the EPA, our rivers would still be on fire, our
- [America’s Collective Amnesia.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/03/americas-collective-amnesia/) - It seems many Americans have forgotten what happened in 2008. They can’t remember who was at the wheel when our economy was driven into a ditch. They can’t remember who led us into an unnecessary and unfunded war. They’ve blanked out the memory of the second-largest stock market crash in history. They can no longer
- [GOP Convention: Lies, Lies And More Lies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/04/gop-convention-lies-lies-and-more-lies/) - That's not just my opinion. Surprising as it may be, the media finally seemed to be paying attention and checking facts! Sally Kohn of Fox News summed it up best when she wrote that the convention speech by Teapublican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan was “an apparent attempt to set the world record for the greatest number
- [Romney: A Corporate Wet Dream.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/05/romney-a-corporate-wet-dream/) - Contrary to the belief of the conservative majority of our Supreme Court, corporations are most definitely not people. They are not born. They are created by lawyers. In fact, corporations have little in common with most living, breathing people. They do, however, have a great deal in common with Mitt Romney. Like many large corporations, Romney seems to
- [Liein' Ryan.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/06/lyin-ryan/) - First, I must credit my friend, Mike Cosentino, for the title. To my knowledge, he was the first to coin the description of the Teapublican Vice-Presidential candidate. And Ryan has certainly lived up to the title ever since. Indeed, his penchant for ignoring the truth was on full display at the Republican National Convention. For example, Paul
- [Why Romney’s Tax Returns Really Do Matter.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/07/why-romneys-tax-returns-really-do-matter/) - Mitt Romney has broken with tradition, saying he will not release more than his tax return for 2010 and for 2011 “when it’s ready.” He refuses to release any more returns, saying in other words, “I took a look at the last 10 years and I paid a tax rate of approximately 13 percent.” So
- [Ted Strickland Outlines The Stark Differences Between Candidates.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/05/ted-strickland-outlines-the-stark-differences-between-candidates/) - Michelle Obama and Duval Patrick gave great speeches at the Democratic National Convention. But, so far, nobody has done a better job of contrasting the two presidential candidates than former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. In case you missed it, here is the text of his prepared remarks: I'm Ted Strickland, and I come from Duck
- [Where Are The Leaders?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/10/where-are-the-leaders/) - Now that both political conventions have ended, I think it's fair to make comparisons. In watching the Republican National Convention, you saw a collection of mostly angry old white men. Moreover, you saw few people who would deserve the title of leader. Not Romney. And certainly not Ryan. As in 2008, the people on display not only
- [Do Teapublicans Actually Know Anything?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/11/do-teapublicans-know-anything/) - For several years, surveys have shown that the majority of Teapublicans don’t know that President Obama was born in the United States. The polls have also shown that a significant number of Teapublicans think Obama is a Muslim. Now polls in Ohio and North Carolina show that approximately two-thirds of “very conservative” Teapublicans think former
- [Cheney’s 9/11.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/12/cheneys-911/) - As the most deadly attack on US soil, 9/11 is a solemn occasion for all Americans. What makes it even more tragic is that it likely didn’t have to happen. Many of us knew about the August 6, 2001 presidential daily brief headlined “Bin Laden determined to strike in US.” But few of us knew
- [Are We Better Off Than 4 Years Ago?  Let Me Count The Ways.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/13/are-we-better-off-than-4-years-ago-let-me-count-the-ways/) - What an utterly ridiculous question! As a campaign technique, it may have worked in 1980 against Jimmy Carter and in 1984 against Walter Mondale. But it’s completely absurd now. At the end of the Bush administration, the US was losing 800,000 jobs a month. Since President Obama took office, those losses have stopped and our economy
- [More Evidence Of Teapublican Stupidity.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/14/more-evidence-of-teapublican-stupidity/) - A new poll by the National Hispanic Media Coalition and Latino Decisions has found that more than 30 percent of non-Hispanics believe most Hispanics are undocumented immigrants. Hispanics represent 18 percent of the US population. Yet, of that 18 percent, only 37 percent of Hispanics in the US are actually immigrants. No one knows how many
- [In The Public Interest?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/18/in-the-public-interest/) - In 1934, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was given the power to license wire and broadcast communications, demanding that licensees prove they operate “in the public interest.” Not long afterward, the FCC implemented The Fairness Doctrine, which required licensees to present issues of public importance and do so in a manner that was deemed “honest, equitable and
- [Get Yer Guns Before Obama Bans Them!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/18/get-yer-guns-before-obama-tries-to-them-away/) - For the past four years, the National Rifle Association has fomented panic among the pistol-packing, assault rifle-collecting gun nuts that President Obama is going to take away their Second Amendment rights. Of course, this fear has about as much veracity as the claims that President Obama is a foreign-born, un-American, freedom-hating Muslim. But wingnuts and
- [It’s Not Just About The 47 Percenters.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/19/its-not-just-about-the-47-percenters/) - The video of Mitt Romney’s speech to a Florida gathering of the wealthy shows his utter contempt for much of America. Who are those he considers to be “freeloaders?” They are not the “welfare queens” and lazy louts you might expect. The 47 percent who have not paid federal income taxes in the past few
- [The Real Mitt Romney.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/20/the-real-mitt-romney/) - By now, you probably know that the Teapublican presidential nominee earned hundreds of millions as one of the founders of Bain Capital. But how much do you know about how a venture capital company works? (Hint: It uses roughly the same tactics that made the Mafia one of the most hated crime syndicates on Earth.)
- [Who’s Really Redistributing Wealth?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/24/whos-really-redistributing-wealth/) - Following the “Mitt Happens” moment in which Romney was caught on video disparaging the 47 percent who pay no income taxes, Teapublicans have countered, claiming that President Obama and the Democrats are guilty of trying to “redistribute wealth.” Apparently, they believe Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, GI Bill benefits, Unemployment Insurance and Food Stamps
- [The Corporatization Of America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/25/the-corporatization-of-america-2/) - Teapublicans are fond of calling President Obama a socialist, a communist or worse. Of course, there is absolutely no evidence to substantiate their claims. Most likely, the reason for their accusations is to distract voters from recognizing what's really happening to their country. Over the past 40 years, Teapublican policies have given virtually all of the
- [A Political Party So Obstructionist It Even Opposes Itself.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/21/a-political-party-so-obstructionist-it-even-opposes-itself/) - For years, GOP governors have asked for changes in the welfare reform bill of 1996. They wanted more flexibility in how states measure work requirements, hoping that changes would help even more people move from welfare to work. Even Governor Mitt Romney supported such changes in 2005. Upon the recommendation of his Health and Human Services department, President
- [Obama’s America In 2016.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/26/obamas-america-in-2016/) - The shockumentary “2016” provides one man’s view of what America will be like in 2016 should President Obama be re-elected. The future it portrays would be dim, indeed, IF this example of Teapublican propaganda were true. But “2016” is based on a false premise...that President Obama is un-American. That he's a socialist out to destroy
- [Teapublican Obstinance Jeopardizing Economy Again.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/27/teapublican-obstinance-jeopardizing-economy-again/) - Last Fall, Teapublican demands that Democrats make drastic cuts to the so-called "entitlement" programs led our still fragile economy to the very brink, resulting in the first ever downgrade of our credit rating. While Democrats were willing to make cuts, Teapublicans steadfastly refused to consider revenue increases such as letting the Bush tax cuts expire for those who make
- [The Trouble With Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/09/28/the-trouble-with-arizona/) - In recent years, Arizona has earned a reputation as hot, crazy, extreme and angry. I hate to admit it, but these characterizations are all accurate. Certainly, the "Valley of the Sun" surrounding Phoenix reaches summer-time temperatures that would make Satan drool. But the extreme heat could also refer to Arizona politics. You see, Arizona was settled by
- [Three Amigos Of Corrupt Politics.  (An Unholy Alliance.)](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/01/three-amigos-of-corrupt-politics-the-unholy-alliance/) - In college, Jack Abramoff, Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed were young Republican leaders who became known as the Three Amigos. Following graduation, they continued their relationship. Abramoff, of course, became the notorious lobbyist for several Native American tribes and was later imprisoned for bribery. Norquist founded the American Taxpayers League which famously asks Republican congressmen
- [A License To Sin.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/02/a-license-to-sin/) - As I passed by a church recently, I spotted the following on its bulletin board: “It is by grace that you will be saved. Not by works, but by faith.” This highly questionable translation of Ephesians 2:8 is a great excuse for people to do whatever they want. Want to steal from someone? Go ahead. Want to
- [More Ugly Politics From Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/03/more-ugly-politics-from-arizona/) - For many years, Arizona politics have been uniquely corrupt and ugly. Arizona is, after all, home to the finger-wagging Governor Brewer, SB 1070 sponsor Russell Pearce, and birther Sheriff Joe Arpaio. It seems that Teapublicans in the state compete with one another to see who could come up with the next dirty trick. So it’s no
- [The Etch-A-Sketch Debate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/04/new-romney-strategy-lie-even-more/) - We should have seen it coming. For months, Mitt Romney ran further and further to the right. Then during last night's debate with President Obama, Romney did an about face. Living up to the Etch-A-Sketch strategy that Mitt's campaign manager promised following the Teapublican primaries, he abandoned most of the right wing rhetoric and ideas he promoted in the
- [How Should Democrats Respond?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/10/how-should-democrats-respond/) - If President Obama (cringe) loses this election and Democrats (gasp) lose the majority in the Senate, how should Democrats respond? Should they use the filibuster as much as Teapublicans? Should they follow the Teapublicans’ example and automatically oppose everything President (choke) Romney supports. It would be fitting. But Democrats are less wed to ideology than Teapublicans. And they seem
- [Teapublican Echo Chamber.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/05/teapublican-echo-chamber/) - A recent email from the US Chamber of Commerce listed its preferred "pro-business" candidates for the US Senate. Not surprisingly, every single recommended candidate was a Teapublican. That's not because Democrats are anti-business. They're most certainly not. It's because the US Chamber of Commerce is little more than a highly partisan Political Action Committee that supports large, multi-national
- [Time To Call The Churches’ Bluff.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/08/time-to-call-churches-bluff/) - Since the formation of the Moral Majority in the late seventies, many churches have immersed themselves in politics. Pastors, particularly evangelical pastors, have implored their flocks to vote for Republicans despite Internal Revenue System rules which prohibit a non-profit 501c3 from engaging in politics at the risk of losing its tax-free status. Yesterday, pastors across
- [Why Teapublicans See Cheating Everywhere.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/09/why-teapublicans-see-cheating-everywhere/) - In 2000, voter suppression in Florida gave the White House to George W. Bush. Even though investigations proved the election was stolen, Democrats accepted the results for the good of the country. But after Barack Obama’s landslide victory in 2008, Republicans claimed that ACORN had stolen the election for Democrats. Lengthy investigations found absolutely no
- [Hey, Darrell Issa, Investigate This!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/11/hey-darrell-issa-investigate-this/) - Since Teapublicans took control of the House, Congressman Darrell Issa has used the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to conduct investigations (witch hunts would be a more accurate description) intended to embarrass the Obama administration. First, Issa went after Solyndra, but that investigation uncovered no wrongdoing and actually led back to the Bush
- [Ayn Rand And Liein' Ryan.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/12/ayn-rand-and-liein-ryan/) - In the 1950s and 60s, Ayn Rand authored a series of books which focused on the virtues of individualism versus collectivism. Having grown up in Russia and the Soviet Union, she believed that government, religion, social organizations, even charities are evil. For those of us who were raised in democracies during the 1930s, 40s, 50s
- [Undermining Democracy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/15/undermining-democracy/) - For more than 40 years, the Republican Party has been working to undermine our elections. It first became apparent with the Watergate break-in, which was an obvious attempt to steal an election and subvert our constitution. But the Republican strategy actually began a few years earlier, when Republican Vice-President Spiro Agnew used his position to
- [Racism By Design?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/16/coincidence-or-racism/) - Since 2009, a certain percentage of Americans have been outraged that our president is black. In Arizona, knuckledraggers drive around with Confederate flags in the back of their pickups in protest of President Obama. And, throughout the country, Tea Party rallies have been dominated by racist posters and threats. Therefore, it's not surprising that someone recently attended
- [“Fraudulent,” “Fantasy,” “Con Game,” “Mathematically Impossible.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/17/fraudulent-fantasy-con-game-mathematically-impossible/) - These are the words used to describe the Romney-Ryan budget plan by economists, The Washington Post, the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center and Bloomberg News. Mitt says his plan will cut taxes for all Americans, increase defense spending and still cut the deficit. And, get this; he claims that his plan will be “revenue neutral.” He
- [Romney Won The 2nd Debate After All.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/18/romney-won-the-2nd-debate-after-all/) - While most polls and political pundits gave the advantage to the President in the second debate, Mitt Romney did win on two accounts: Disrespect and Lies. Despite having agreed to a long list of rules for the Town Hall Debate, which included an agreement that neither candidate directly address the other or venture into the
- [The Cultural Pendulum.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/19/the-cultural-pendulum/) - During my 40+ years in advertising, I learned that our culture is like a pendulum. It swings far in one direction then back an equal distance in the other direction. However, it’s on a 360 degree axis, so it never comes back to quite the same place twice. You can see this pendulum effect play
- [US Politics Mirror Problems In The Middle East.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/24/us-politics-mirror-problems-in-the-middle-east/) - For decades, western nations meddled in Middle East politics. Despite our “commitment” to democracy, the US and UK used their power to replace democratically-elected leaders with dictators who had promised fealty to our national interests (aka big oil). We supported Saddam Hussein, the Shah of Iran, and Hosni Mubarak, to name just a few despotic dictators.
- [The Difference Between Democrats And Teapublicans.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/26/the-difference-between-teapublicans-and-democrats/) - There are distinct differences between members of our two political parties. Democrats believe in women's rights, racial equality, Medicare, Social Security, healthcare, progressive tax policies, labor unions, education, veteran's rights, appropriate military spending, the environment, clean energy, global warming, common sense gun control, responsible immigration policies, and regulations for Wall Street and multi-national corporations. Teapublicans,
- [What Lessons Will Be Learned From This Election?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/26/what-lessons-will-be-learned-from-this-election/) - If Romney and the Teapublicans win this election, it will have been demonstrated that you don’t have to offer better ideas to become president. You can merely lie, cheat and buy your way into the White House. If Romney wins, it will have been shown that the road to the White House begins with questioning your
- [Race And Politics In America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/10/31/race-and-politics-in-america/) - When Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States in a veritable landslide, many Americans believed it signified a post-racist US. But instead of marking the end of racism, Obama’s election revealed it. Look at what’s happened over the past four years. Even before the election results were counted, white right-wingers questioned
- [Proof That Tax Breaks For The Rich Do Not Create Jobs.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/02/proof-that-tax-breaks-for-the-rich-do-not-create-jobs/) - For years, economists have scoffed at the notion that tax breaks for the wealthy benefit the rest of society. The policy failed in the early 1900s when it was known as Horse and Sparrow economics. And it failed in the 1980s when it was called Trickle Down economics. Indeed, even the architects of Reagan’s economic
- [GOP Strategy:  Lie, Cheat, Steal, Suppress And Spend.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/05/gop-strategy-lie-cheat-steal-suppress-and-spend/) - Think I'm exaggerating? Consider this: For months, we've been bombarded with commercials from Republicans and their SuperPACS based on pants-on-fire lies, such as Romney's latest gem that Chrysler is planning on moving the production of Jeeps to China. Never mind that the Chrysler CEO immediately denounced the commercial as a blatant lie. Mitt the Twit
- [A Victory For Truth And Fairness!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/07/a-victory-for-truth-and-fairness/) - President Obama's re-election should give us all hope. Yesterday, a significant majority of the American people rejected the hate and lies spewed by Teapublicans for the past two years. Americans rejected a presidential candidate who made many promises with no specifics to back them up. They rejected a presidential candidate who made a fortune in
- [GOP Racing Toward Oblivion.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/09/gop-racing-toward-oblivion/) - According to Fox News Channel and conservative hate radio, President Obama only won a second term because the majority of Americans wanted free stuff and they believe Democrats will give it to them. (In other words, they're assigning blame to the 47 percent as described by Mitt Romney.) In a remarkable show of cluelessness, Teapublican
- [Can We Finally Flush The Trickle Down Theory?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/13/can-we-finally-flush-the-trickle-down-theory/) - The notion that cutting taxes for the wealthy somehow creates jobs has never been proven to work. Not once. Never. Ever. In fact, there is much evidence to the contrary. Many economists and non-partisan academic studies have pronounced it a fraud. Not even the Reagan-era budget directors who resurrected the idea from the dust bin
- [Another "Scandal" Blows Up In GOP Faces.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/16/another-scandal-blows-up-in-gop-faces/) - Determined to find a scandal worthy of impeachment (or at the very least, a scandal that would cause great embarrassment to the Obama administration), GOP leaders first seized on Solyndra only to discover that the process for the government-backed loan first began during the Bush administration. Frustrated, they then turned to Fast and Furious only
- [He's Not Known As McNasty For Nothing.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/17/hes-not-known-as-mcnasty-for-nothing/) - Senator John McCain is often referred to as an independent-minded maverick and national hero. The reality is that he's a self-centered plutocrat who has a very distant relationship with the truth. Indeed, when you see McNasty up close as one of his constituents, you realize the man will say and do anything to be elected
- [The Real Makers And Takers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/19/the-real-makers-and-takers/) - Teapublican rhetoric aside, the real makers are in the bluest of states and the vast majority of takers are in the reddest of states. Washington DC, Delaware, Connecticut, Minnesota and New Jersey contribute the most per capita in income taxes to the federal government. On the other hand, West Virginia, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina,
- [The Party Of Lincoln?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/20/the-party-of-lincoln/) - Republicans are fond of calling themselves the “party of Lincoln.” Of course, it is true. At least it used to be. But if you watch the Steven Spielberg movie, Lincoln, you discover how far the party has strayed from the principles of its most revered member. Lincoln saved the Union. Today’s Republicans are trying to
- [The Right Wing Propaganda Machine.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/11/29/the-right-wing-propaganda-machine/) - Since the end of the FCC Fairness Doctrine, we have been subjected to a massive propaganda campaign led by Fox News Channel and the loudmouths on hate radio. But that's just the propaganda that's most noticeable. Billionaire plutocrats have funded a less noisy, much more sinister effort. It involves the use of so-called "think tanks"
- [Some Elephants Have Short Memories.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/04/some-elephants-have-short-memories/) - The symbol for the GOP is the elephant; rather ironic when you consider how short Republican memories seem to be. When George W. Bush was named president in 2000 after Al Gore won the popular vote and the GOP was found to have committed massive voter fraud and voter suppression in Florida giving the electoral
- [Fox News Channel's Annual Rant About "The War On Christmas."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/04/fox-news-channels-annual-rant-about-the-war-on-christmas/) - Every year, Fox News Channel devotes hours to the so-called "War on Christmas." It makes a sensational story. It panders to Christians and conservatives. It builds ratings. But it's simply not true. There is no such war. Sure, as a result of the Constitution's establishment clause, Christians are denied the right to place nativity scenes
- [GOP Keeps Getting Crazier.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/05/gop-keeps-getting-crazier/) - Embittered by their presidential candidate losing the election to President Obama, Teapublicans are having a snit. They refuse to believe that they lost because of their wacko ideas. Instead, they claim that Obama won only because he promised "to give stuff away" to voters. Adding to the insanity, polls show that 25 percent of Teapublicans
- [Will GOP Lemmings Follow The Tea Party Over The Cliff?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/11/will-gop-lemmings-follow-the-tea-party-off-the-cliff/) - In 2011, the Tea Party led our nation to a fiscal precipice by refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats agreed to cut so-called "entitlements." The resulting impasse led to a lowering of our credit rating and widespread uncertainty, causing consumers to curtail spending and businesses to suspend hiring. Following that debacle and ensuing
- [Congratulations, Teapublicans. You won...for now.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/14/congratulations-teapublicans-you-wonfor-now/) - By threatening to filibuster her nomination, Teapublican Senators John "McNasty" McCain and Lindsey Graham forced UN Ambassador Susan Rice to withdraw her name from consideration as the replacement for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But before you begin your celebration, consider this: Rice isn't the only one to lose. Since Rice is the person most qualified
- [Is It Finally Time To Talk About Guns?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/14/is-it-finally-time-to-talk-about-guns/) - Every time there is a mass shooting, the National Rifle Association, Fox News Channel, right wing radio loudmouths and the GOP say, "Now is not the time to talk about gun control." They claim that doing so would be disrespectful to the victims. Seriously? Talking about measures to prevent more victims is disrespectful? Given that we've
- [With Each Mass Shooting, The NRA Has More Blood On Its Hands.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/19/with-each-mass-shooting-the-nra-has-more-blood-on-its-hands/) - The National Rifle Association is fond of saying that increased gun ownership reduces gun violence. Indeed, on the day of the Newtown tragedy, the lead story on the NRA website was headed "More Guns, Less Crime in Virginia." The story quoted statistics from a Virginia Commonwealth professor that show gun sales in Virginia have climbed
- [Who's Really Behind Gun Violence?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/21/whos-really-behind-gun-violence/) - Certainly the NRA and other gun rights groups deserve a lot of the blame. Over the past 30 years, they've evolved from organizations intended to preserve hunting and to promote gun safety into lobbyists for gun manufacturers. But the real blame for increased violence belongs to those who have fostered paranoia. Paranoia about crime. Paranoia
- [NRA Living In Fantasy World.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/22/nra-living-in-fantasy-world/) - Showing a willful failure to grasp reality, the NRA today called for armed guards at every school in America. It's an attempt to set the way-back machine to the 19th century - a time when "justice" came from the end of a gun. It simply doesn't work in the 21st century. Armed guards at schools
- [From The Age Of Enlightened Minds To The Age Of Dimwits.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/23/from-the-age-of-enlightened-minds-to-the-age-of-dimwits/) - The so-called Tea Party "Patriots" are fond of comparing themselves to the Founding Fathers in order to promote their self-serving, narrow-minded philosophy. Indeed, they named themselves after those courageous souls who dared to stand up to the British at places such as Boston Harbor, Lexington and Concord. Yet today's teabaggers couldn't be more different from
- [NRA Exposed!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2012/12/30/nra-exposed/) - The National Rifle Association began as an organization dedicated to preserving hunting and to support target shooting as a wholesome activity for young people. Its origins go back to a time when our nation was largely rural and hunting was more than a sport. It was a way to put food on the family table.
- ["Fiscal Cliff" Bill Includes More Largess For Wall Street.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/04/fiscal-cliff-bill-includes-more-largess-for-wall-street/) - Avoiding the "fiscal cliff" should have been a simple matter of extending the Bush tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans. After all, this was the central issue in the presidential campaign. But the GOP (Guardians Of Privilege) have never passed up an opportunity to take from the poor and give to the rich. So
- [The Worse-Than-Do-Nothing Congress.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/05/the-worse-than-do-nothing-congress/) - In 1948, President Harry Truman labeled the 80th Congress the "Do Nothing" Congress since it refused to pass most of the bills of the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration and the Truman administration. Instead, it focused on passing a few bills to benefit big business. Believe it or not, the recently ended 112th Congress was worse!
- [Gavel Envy?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/07/gavel-envy/) - Ever notice Speaker of the House John Boehner's enormous gavel? The thing must be a foot and a half long and weigh a couple of pounds. Which leads me to wonder why would he choose to wield a gavel that looks like it belongs to a circus clown, or in a kangaroo court? Certainly he
- [This Confirmation Hearing Is Going To Be Good!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/08/this-confirmation-hearing-is-going-to-be-good/) - Numerous Teapublicans have already stated that they will not support the nomination of former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense. Set aside for a moment that tradition dictates that a president has the right to choose whom he pleases for his cabinet, it's going to be really entertaining to watch Teapublicans attack one
- [Looking Up To Cockroaches.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/09/looking-up-to-cockroaches/) - Yesterday, Congress reached a new milestone. A survey measuring its approval ratings found that Congress is now less popular than cockroaches, head lice and root canals! The latter seems particularly appropriate for those of us living in northern Arizona as we are represented by a dentist who has a lot to do with our current
- [Contrary To NRA Claims, More Guns Equal More Violence.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/11/contrary-to-nra-claims-more-guns-equal-more-violence/) - As Vice-President Joe Biden's Commission examines ways to prevent another Newtown massacre, the NRA has continued to spew lies about guns. For example, the organization's leader, Wayne LaPierre, stated that "only answer to a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." He wants us to believe that we should all
- [To NRA, Guns Are More Valuable Than People.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/09/nra-believes-guns-are-more-valuable-than-people/) - Literally! On the anniversary of the Tucson shooting which claimed the lives of six people and seriously wounded others, including Congresswoman "Gabby" Giffords, the City of Tucson conducted a gun buyback. The National Rifle Association not only objected. It vehemently opposed the destruction of the weapons collected. The NRA has even threatened to sue the
- [A Fair Solution For The Debt "Crisis."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/16/a-fair-solution-for-the-debt-crisis/) - For the past four years, we’ve heard a lot of whining about the federal deficits and debt, primarily from red states. Although quiet during the prolific spending spree of the Bush administration, once President Obama took office, Teapublican anger swelled throughout the old South and in states like Arizona. Ironically, many of those who scream
- [Yelling "Fire" On Radio And TV.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/14/yelling-fire-on-radio-and-tv/) - Many years ago, the Supreme Court made it a crime to falsely yell "fire" in a crowded room. It was deemed to be a threat to public safety and, therefore, not covered under the First Amendment protection of free speech. At the time (1919), the Supreme Court decision could not have foreseen an even greater
- [Exposing The Lies Of The Gun Lobby.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/18/exposing-the-lies-of-the-gun-lobby/) - Since the 1980s, gun lobbyists such as the National Rifle Association have generated a huge number of lies in order to further sales of gun manufacturers. Here are just a few of the lies: 1 - "The 2nd Amendment guarantees the right of all Americans to possess firearms." The meaning of 2nd Amendment has been
- [Another Teapublican Backfire.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/22/another-teapublican-backfire/) - Remember all of the idiotic comments about rape during the past election campaign? You know, the ones about how women's bodies have a way of preventing pregnancy from "legitimate" rape. It turns out that those comments prevented a bunch of Teapublicans from being elected. What's more, it seems that all of the discussion about women's
- [Preparing To Steal Elections.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/23/preparing-to-steal-elections/) - On Monday, Teapublicans in the Virginia State Senate used the absence of a Democratic senator (who was attending the Presidential Inauguration) to ambush Democrats by calling for a vote on a bill to redraw senate districts. The bill gerrymandered the state to ensure that Teapublicans would enjoy a virtual permanent advantage. This is but the
- [Sorry For The Interruption.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/29/sorry-for-the-interruption/) - This site has been unavailable for nearly a week. I can't blame Teapublicans, Fox News Channel, Rush Limbaugh or any of the other angry, right wing zealots who would like to silence the left. The reason for the interruption was nothing quite that interesting. It was simply the result of technical problems. Thanks for your
- [Are We Willing To Settle For This America?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/29/are-we-willing-to-settle-for-this-america/) - There are those, particularly on the political right, who are satisfied with the way things are in the US. They truly believe that everything about the US is better than any other country in the world. And they believe it's unpatriotic to criticize our faults. But can we really settle for the way things are in
- [Another Chickensh*t Decision By A Democrat.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/30/another-chickensht-decision-by-a-democrat/) - Last week, Sen. Harry Reid had an opportunity for real filibuster reform. With the beginning of each new Congress, the Senate can determine its rules by a simple majority vote. Given the opportunity, many Democrats wanted to return to a voice filibuster like that of the past. In other words, the minority would still be
- [America's Gun Culture.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/01/americas-gun-culture/) - At halftime of an NFL game, Bob Costas incurred the wrath of gun nuts by raising the issue of this nation's out of control gun culture. His comments followed a tragic murder/suicide committed by an NFL player. And he recently expanded on those comments during a guest appearance on The Daily Show. Although Costas was
- [No Such Thing As Partial Equality.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/01/31/no-such-thing-as-partial-equality/) - Although I'm not excited at the prospects of young women being involved in combat (I'm actually not fond of anyone being involved in combat), I applaud the decision. It means that our government is finally addressing inequality. We have a long way to go. There's still discrimination with regard to women's salaries, GLBT rights, economic inequality
- [Absolutism And The 2nd Amendment.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/04/absolutism-and-the-2nd-amendment/) - The National Rifle Association, right wing conservatives and gun collectors like to consider the rights granted by the 2nd Amendment as absolute. Even during testimony by a parent of one of the children slaughtered in Newtown, a heckler shouted "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Of course, people
- [We Not Only Have A Gun Problem. We Have An Anger Problem.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/06/we-not-only-have-a-gun-problem-we-have-an-anger-problem/) - Sometime in the mid-1980s, I heard a report on the radio of a road rage incident. I later found out that a friend had been involved. While my friend was stopped at a traffic light, another driver inexplicably attacked him. My friend got out of the car, picked him up, and deposited the attacker in the
- [Vatican Exposed!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/08/vatican-exposed/) - John Dalberg-Acton, a British Catholic historian, politician and writer, once wrote of the Vatican and the Catholic Church, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” No statement could better describe the Vatican’s actions (or should I say inactions?) which were exposed like a priest caught with his pants down in Alex Gibney’s documentary
- [Let’s Have A Real Debate About Drone Strikes And Torture.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/07/lets-have-a-real-debate-about-drone-strikes-and-torture/) - Over the past decade, our “war on terror” has led to two highly contentious policies. Extraordinary rendition (AKA torture) involving the US and 50 nations which acted in defiance of the Geneva Conventions' ban on torture, and unmanned drone strikes (AKA assassination by remote control). These two policies were created and undertaken by the CIA
- [NRA Hypocrisy On Gun Laws.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/11/nra-hypocrisy-on-gun-laws/) - Since the massacre of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, National Rifle Association leaders have spoken out against any form of gun control. Instead, they call for "enforcing the more than 20,000 gun laws already on the books." That's interesting because the NRA and its Teapublican pawns in Congress have placed an increasing number of
- [Guns And Bibles.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/13/guns-and-bibles/) - Or is it Bibles and guns? The two now seem so inexplicably linked it's difficult to know. For example, many of the nation's leading Bible-thumping states also have the largest percentage of gun ownership. And although I know of no studies on the subject, these same states would seem to rank high on a paranoia index.
- [A Heartless Dick Who Won't Go Away.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/12/a-heartless-dick-who-wont-go-away/) - On the day of President Obama's State of the Union address, Richard "The Dick" Cheney crawled out of his hidey hole to show off his new black heart. He used the opportunity to criticize the president's choices for Secretary of Defense and CIA Director as "second rate." Even if The Dick were to be believed,
- [Is The Tea Party A Political Party? Or Not?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/14/is-the-tea-party-a-political-party-or-not/) - Following President Obama's State of the Union address, there were two rebuttals: One from Republicans and one from the Tea Party. This begs the question: What is the Tea Party? Is it a real political party competing with Democrats and Republicans? Or is it just a more angry, more mean-spirited faction of political Neanderthals within
- [The Nation's Toughest Sheriff?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/15/the-nations-toughest-sheriff/) - In my opinion, it would be more accurate to call Joe Arpaio the nation's most corrupt sheriff. I'm not saying Joe's not tough. He's plenty tough on Latinos, other minorities and anyone who dares to question his actions. For example, Arpaio has repeatedly conducted "crime" sweeps in Latino neighborhoods, hoping to latch onto an undocumented
- [The True Measure Of A Great Man.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/17/the-true-measure-of-a-great-man/) - Few people achieve great things in their chosen professions. Fewer still are capable of teaching others how to achieve those things. And it's a rare individual who can teach others how to face difficulty, even death, with courage and grace. Mike Hughes has done all of these things. Mike is President and former Chief Creative
- [A Rare Slip Of The Tongue By Sen. McCain.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/18/a-rare-slip-of-the-tongue-by-sen-john-mccain/) - It doesn't happen often, but last Thursday, a nugget of truth slipped between the lips of the self-described maverick. Appearing on Fox News Channel, he stated that the reason for the filibuster of former Sen. Chuck Hagel's nomination for Secretary of Defense is Hagel's statements regarding former President Bush. McCain said, "it goes back to
- [Teapublicans Can't Have It Both Ways.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/19/teapublicans-cant-have-it-both-ways/) - Upon reviewing a leaked document purporting to be the White House plan for immigration reform, Teapublican boy wonder Senator Marco Rubio issued a response stating, "It's a mistake for the White House to draft immigration legislation without seeking input from Republican members of Congress." He went on to call the plan "half-baked," "seriously flawed" and
- [What Does It Take To Make The NRA's Enemies List?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/20/what-does-it-take-to-make-the-nras-enemies-list/) - Although I have been a gun owner since my parents gave me a single-shot .22 rifle for my 13th birthday, I have been writing about the insanity of this nation's gun culture for many years. Yet I recently learned that I was left off the enemies list published by the National Rifle Association! Naturally, I
- [Are We Really So Different From Australia?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/22/are-we-really-so-different-from-australia/) - In 1996, a madman used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle to kill 35 people and wound 21 more at an Australian tourist site. The Port Arthur massacre led the newly-elected prime minister to implement new gun law proposals to ban most handguns, semi-automatic rifles, semi-automatic shotguns, even pump-action shotguns. Guns are still available to competitive target
- [Criticism Of Oscars Says More About Us Than Hollywood.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/25/criticism-of-oscars-says-more-about-us-than-hollywood/) - It's the day after the Academy Awards and the Web is filled with questions and snarky critiques of the proceedings. Was Heidi Klum's dress too revealing? (Yes, she has breasts. She's a woman!) Did the darts in Ann Hathaway's dress look like nipples? (Only if you have difficulty telling fabric and flesh apart.) Why was
- [Unrestrained Greed.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/26/unrestrained-greed/) - Our nation is just a few days away from across-the-board austerity cuts that will likely send our fragile economy back into recession...all because the GOP (Guardians Of Privilege) refuse to consider increasing or reforming taxes. The GOP would rather cut programs for the poor, the unemployed, the elderly and the very young than cut subsidies
- [Supreme Attack On Voting Rights.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/28/supreme-attack-on-voting-rights/) - Today, the Supreme Court took up a challenge to the Voting Rights Act of 1964 which was renewed in 2006. If you're not familiar with the Act, it was passed by Congress to prevent many of the states of the old Confederacy from denying African-Americans representation and the right to vote. For many years, in
- [Recognizing Tea Party "Patriots" For What They Really Are: Liars And Lunatics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/02/recognizing-tea-party-patriots-for-what-they-really-are-liars-and-lunatics/) - Tea Party Patriots say they want the US to return to the principles of the Constitution. But the principles they cite tend to be more closely aligned to the Articles of Confederation which the Constitution replaced. For example, unlike the Articles of Confederation which reserved power for the States, the Constitution gives expansive powers to
- [Buying Elections.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/02/28/buying-elections/) - Americans have long been opposed to the notion of candidates buying elections. But we're just one step short of unfettered vote buying. In 1976, while upholding a law which set limits on campaign contributions, the Supreme Court made it possible for candidates to spend unlimited amounts on their own campaigns. In essence, the Court ruled
- [Scalia And Thomas Bring Court's Ethics Into Question.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/01/scalia-and-thomas-bring-courts-ethics-into-question/) - As the highest court in the land, judgments of the Supreme Court of the United States should be beyond question. The Court's decisions should not be influenced by partisan politics, and there should be no lingering doubts that they were the result of undue influence. Yet Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas transparently allow their ideologies to
- [Arizona Tea Party Patriots Es Muy Loco.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/05/arizona-tea-party-patriots-es-muy-loco/) - I recently received an invitation to a meeting of the Sedona Tea Party "Patriots" for a "one-time" showing of Behold A Pale Horse. Based on the title, one assumes this movie will prepare us for the coming political apocalypse. The movie "stars" Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, a leader of the Family Research Council, which has
- [Since Most Americans Want Compromise, Why Elect Those Who Don't?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/06/since-most-want-compromise-why-elect-those-who-dont/) - A variety of polls show that the overwhelming majority of Americans want their elected officials to compromise. Yet the US House of Representatives is controlled by those who view compromise as a weakness. Speaker Boehner can't even bring himself to say the word! As a result, President Obama was forced to sign an order implementing
- [The Real Hunger Games.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/07/the-real-hunger-games/) - What's your definition of a third world country? When I was a child (far too long ago) third world countries were defined as those that didn't produce enough food for their own citizens. I remember photographs of these faraway places...photos of people with blank stares and bellies bloated by starvation. If I failed to clean my
- [His Highness Obama?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/13/his-highness-obama/) - Right wing nitwits continue to claim that President Obama has usurped the powers of Congress in order to pursue his liberal, socialist agenda. They derisively refer to him as King Obama or Emperor Obama. Ironically, he very nearly earned such a title. According to Jon Meacham's book, Thomas Jefferson - The Art of Power, many of
- [Tax Cuts For The Rich, Budget Cuts For The Poor.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/08/tax-cuts-for-the-rich-budget-cuts-for-the-poor/) - Following are a few numbers that clearly show the results of more than 40 years of Republican economic policies: 1 percent of Americans now control more than 40 percent of the nation's wealth, while the bottom 40 percent of Americans control 0.2 percent of the wealth. 46.2 million Americans are living in poverty. 3.9 million
- [Let Them Eat Horse!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/12/let-them-eat-horse/) - According to new studies, 1 in 3 Americans believe that hamburger tainted with horse meat should be given to the poor. In essence, they're saying, "I wouldn't eat it, but it's good enough for the poor." Of course, in the minds of Teapublican deficit hawks, the poor are merely freeloaders who don't deserve what the
- [Drone Controversy Nothing New.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/14/drone-controversy-nothing-new/) - Sen. Rand Paul's talking filibuster succeeded in calling attention to the issue of government-sanctioned assassinations. But this issue is far from new. The US has been using the threat of assassination for decades. The only thing that has changed is the means of killing. Following World War II, our CIA and military planned assassination attempts
- [Does Mitch McConnell Deserve The Title "Leader?"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/11/does-mitch-mcconnell-deserve-the-title-leader/) - Following President Obama's dinner with Senate Republicans, the invitees were asked to comment on the evening. All said it was productive and one stated that he was surprised to learn that the president had previously offered a variety of spending cuts to prevent sequestration. Really?!!! This is surprising on a couple of fronts. First, the
- [If I Were King.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/18/if-i-were-king/) - Ever think about what you might do if you were named King (or Queen) of the US for a day? I realize this is a somewhat narcissistic exercise, nevertheless, here's what I would do: 1 - Cut the defense budget in half and use the leftover money to rebuild our antiquated and decaying infrastructure 2
- [What Next For Our Relationship With Israel?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/15/what-next-for-our-relationship-with-israel/) - Once a necessary relationship of a superpower protecting a fragile state, the US relationship with Israel has turned into something far different. Thanks to our protection and investment, Israel is no longer helpless. It may be surrounded by larger nations opposed to its very existence, but Israel has a more powerful military with more advanced
- [The Treason Party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/19/the-treason-party/) - Following the fallout of the Watergate break-in, we learned that Richard Nixon was a crook. Thanks to a documentary by the BBC and the Rachel Maddow Show, we now know that he was also a traitor. The Thursday before the 1968 presidential election, President Johnson announced that the allies had reached a peace agreement with
- [The Iraq War Summed Up In A Single Letter.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/20/the-iraq-war-summed-up-in-a-single-letter/) - Remember when Paul Wolfowitz said that the Iraq War would pay for itself? He and others in the Bush administration claimed that we would be welcomed as liberators; that it would be financed by oil revenues. Contrary to those claims, the cost is now more than $800 billion and rising. When you take into account
- [Let's Create A New Tax System!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/22/lets-create-a-new-tax-system/) - The US is a patchwork of federal taxes, state taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, capital gains taxes, gasoline taxes, tobacco taxes, etc. In addition, there are a myriad of tax loopholes allowing billionaires to pay lower tax rates than the secretaries who work for them. Worse yet, some of the world's largest corporations are able
- [What The Frack?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/21/what-the-frack/) - If you've followed fracking in the US (the process of releasing gas and oil from rock formations hundreds of feet underground through hydraulic fracturing), you've heard about the many nightmares. Some people have had their wells so polluted, the water can be set on fire. Others talk of bullying tactics by the oil drilling companies
- [Apocalyptic Politics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/26/apocalyptic-politics/) - Many Americans seem convinced that the Apocalypse is upon us. Remember Y2K? Remember Nostradamus? Remember the Mayan calendar? There have been dead-enders around as long as I can remember. Usually, they were part of some wacko religious cult that had bet its future on the book of Revelation. But, in recent years, the dead-enders have
- [Most U.S. Problems Are The Result Of The 2000 Election.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/27/2000-our-greatest-mistake/) - In some ways, those who predicted apocalyptic disaster as the result of Y2K were right. No, our computers did not stop working. No, the millennium did not lead to the end of the world. But we did experience a disaster nonetheless. Despite winning the majority of the popular vote, Al Gore was denied a recount in
- [The Constitutional Fight That Never Seems To End.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/03/29/the-constitutional-fight-that-never-seems-to-end/) - You may think that the current debate between the Tea Party and Democrats over the role of the federal government is relatively new. It's not. The debate is as old as the nation itself. Following the Constitutional Convention of 1787, there was an intense debate over the same issue. Anti-Federalists such as Patrick Henry, Samuel
- [Putting The Party In Tea Party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/01/putting-the-party-in-tea-party/) - The Tea Party began as a group of individuals who claimed to be aghast at runaway government spending. To fight back, they promoted a number of candidates who ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility. That was 2010. Just a few years later, those so-called fiscal hawks have decided that federal spending is a good
- [The GOP’s Continuing Attack On Voters, Workers, Women And The Constitution.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/03/the-gops-continuing-attack-on-citizens-workers-women-and-the-constitution/) - Still stinging from its losses in the 2012 election, the Grand Old Party is becoming a Grand Old Pain In The Ass. Not just for Democrats…for everyone. While opposing a bill that would raise the minimum wage, the GOP is attacking labor unions across the nation and successfully ending defined benefit pension plans. Now the
- [The NRA's Circular Argument.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/05/the-nras-circular-argument/) - As Congress debated the assault weapons ban in 1994, the NRA offered universal background checks as an alternative. Following the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999, the NRA again called for universal background checks. But now that we're once again looking for solutions to gun violence, the NRA leadership is adamantly opposed to universal
- [The United States Of Crazy!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/07/the-united-states-of-crazy/) - A recent survey by Public Policy Polling found that 13 percent of Americans actually think President Obama is the antichrist. An additional 13 percent are unsure. The same survey found that 37 percent of Americans believe global warming is a hoax, while another 12 percent are unsure. The survey also found that 28 percent of
- ["We Can't Afford That Anymore."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/15/we-cant-afford-that-anymore/) - We hear it all the time. There's no money to improve our schools. There's no money to rebuild our infrastructure. There's no money to ensure that our citizens have access to food and medicine. There's no money to care for the mentally ill and the homeless. There's no money to give our veterans the care
- [How The Drug War Is Destroying America!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/10/how-drugs-are-destroying-america/) - In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon announced a war on drugs to punish those who manufacture, sell and use illicit drugs. More than 40 years later, we're still at war. And we're losing badly. Since the war on drugs began, we've spent more than $1 trillion to intercept drug smugglers; to arrest, prosecute and incarcerate
- [Filibuster For Murder.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/09/filibuster-for-murder/) - Monday, Sen. Mitch McConnell announced that he will join 14 other Teapublican senators to filibuster the gun safety bill. He apparently timed his announcement to coincide with President Obama's Newtown speech calling for gun control. Nothing could better demonstrate the minority leader's disdain for the president, Democrats and the majority of Americans. Depending on which
- [Iron Lady With A Tin Heart.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/11/iron-lady-with-a-tin-ear/) - Since the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, conservatives have nearly deified her in the same way they did Ronald Reagan. She's credited with everything from helping to end the Cold War to single-handedly saving the British economy. Certainly, she broke the glass ceiling through perserverance and determination. For that she deserves respect. But
- [The Underworld Of Homelessness.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/12/the-underworld-of-homelessness/) - Out of sight, out of mind. That's how most Americans deal with homelessness. So it's not surprising that a few homeless people in Kansas City created an underground camp. They dug a series of tunnels which they ventilated with PVC pipe...a creative way to get out of the weather and out of sight of the
- [At War With Ourselves.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/13/at-war-with-ourselves/) - Not to diminish the loss and sacrifice of those fighting in Afghanistan, but America's most lethal war is internal. All of our wars since 1776 (and there have been far too many of them) have resulted in the deaths of 1,171,177 soldiers. But since 1968, 1,384,171 civilians have lost their lives to gun violence in
- [Does Wayne LaPierre's Advice Also Apply To Bombs?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/16/does-wayne-lapierres-advice-also-apply-to-bombs/) - Following the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, NRA Exec. VP, Wayne LaPierre said, "the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun." So after the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, will Mr. LaPierre make a similar statement about bombs? Of course not!
- [Everyday Terrorism In The US.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/17/everyday-terrorism-in-the-us/) - To take nothing away from the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, our nation faces a far more deadly form of terrorism every single day. At latest count, the Boston bombs cost 3 lives and 180 wounded. That's a horrendous toll and I cry for the victims and their families. But gun violence claims 32 lives
- [We Pledge Allegiance To The Gun Manufacturers Of America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/17/we-pledge-allegiance-to-the-gun-manufacturers-of-america/) - Today, the gun lobby-owned Teapublicans in the US Senate filibustered a bill calling for expanded background checks. As a result, the bill failed on a vote of 54-46. It needed 60 votes to break the filibuster of rootin', tootin', shootin' Teapublicans. So the Teapublican senators would rather allow criminals and the mentally ill easy access
- [Government Of The Gun, By The Gun And For The Gun.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/18/government-of-the-gun-by-the-gun-and-for-the-gun/) - You probably thought our government was "of the people." Not anymore. The NRA, the Republican Party and the Tea Party Parrots have changed that. When gun-lovin' senators decided to filibuster a bill that would expand background checks on gun sales, they went against the will of 90 percent of the people. It's now abundantly clear who
- [Suddenly, Budweiser Tastes A Lot Better!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/19/suddenly-budweiser-tastes-a-lot-better/) - I'm not a big beer drinker. But I'll treat myself to a cold one a little more often now...and it will definitely be an Anheuser-Busch product. That's because Adolphus Busch IV just resigned his lifetime membership in the National Rifle Association. It seems Busch was upset over the NRA's refusal to listen to its members
- [A Little Perspective On The Boston Bombing Suspects.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/19/a-little-perspective-on-the-boston-bombers/) - Before Americans get all high and mighty and resume the same Islam bashing that followed 9/11, we should remember this: Islamic terrorists no more represent Islam than the Westboro Baptist Church represents Protestantism. They no more represent Islam than pedophile priests represent Catholicism. They no more represent Chechnya, Russia, or immigrants than they represent boxers, wrestlers,
- [A Warning To Democrats:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/26/a-warning-to-democrats/) - From recent polls showing, among other things, that 13% of Americans believe the president is actually the Antichrist, you may correctly assume that the Republican Party is full of a bunch of crackpots (aka the Tea Party). You may rightly believe that the GOP platform is akin to something coming out of the north end
- [Getting Re-Elected Versus Doing The Right Thing.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/24/getting-re-elected-versus-doing-the-right-thing/) - You would think those two things would not be mutually exclusive. However, in today's style of politics, our elected representatives seem to be more focused on the next election than on the problems in front of them. Moderate Republicans (remember them?) are fearful of seeming to cooperate with the president and the opposition lest they
- [Creating A Separate Justice System For Terrorism Is A Very Slippery Slope.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/22/creating-a-separate-justice-system-for-terrorism-is-a-very-slippery-slope/) - Some Teapublican leaders are calling for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to be treated as an "enemy combatant", removing him from our traditional justice system and subjecting him to a military tribunal. Although this may be tempting to some, it is the slipperiest of slippery slopes. Tsarnaev is an American citizen. He has the same right to a trial
- [West, Texas Disaster Highlights Our Regulatory Problems.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/23/west-texas-highlights-our-regulatory-problems/) - Those on the political right are fond of saying that business is over-regulated by the federal government...even after the economic meltdown resulting from the lax regulation of financial institutions; even after skyrocketing oil prices caused by deregulation of commodities; even after the ecological disaster involving BP Oil and the Deepwater Horizon caused, in part, by
- [George W. Bush Presidential Library - What It Should Include.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/25/george-w-bush-library-what-it-should-include/) - No, I'm not going to suggest that it consist simply of My Pet Goat, the only book other than the Bible that Bush is known to have read. But if a presidential library is intended to represent the achievements of a presidency, here's what I believe it should include: Bush 9/ll Room - The highlight of this
- [Flight Delays Versus Food, Children And Safety.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/29/flight-delays-versus-food-children-and-safety/) - Late Thursday and early Friday, legislation sailed through Congress faster than it has in years. The reason? Teapublicans were upset by furloughs to air traffic controllers, causing flight delays for business people, vacation travelers and, of course, Congress. Oh my! How would these people ever survive an hour or two wait on their way to
- [Turning History Into Fiction.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/04/30/turning-history-into-fiction/) - Last week's opening of the George W. Bush presidential library was remarkable in one respect. With the opening, Teapublicans began their attempts to rewrite history in earnest. Last week, you heard Bush state that he still considers our invasion of Iraq a great achievement for exporting democracy to the world. There was no mention, of
- [Caution With Syria Justified.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/01/caution-with-syria-justified/) - Despite the right wing warmongers' calls for war with Assad's Syria, President Obama is correct to move cautiously. There are many questions to be answered. Who are the rebels? What are their aims? What will be the future of Syria if the rebellion is successful? What will be the cost to the US if we
- [Trial By Media.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/06/trial-by-media/) - For some Americans, this promises to be a big week...a very big week. You see, this may be the week the media circus, also known as the Jodi Arias trial, reaches a climax...er, verdict. For weeks on end, Americans have been glued to their TVs to make certain they wouldn't miss a single salacious detail
- [Proof That Greed Kills.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/02/proof-that-greed-kills/) - For some time, Americans have taken greed for granted. Many have believed that greed is an inevitable outgrowth of free market capitalism. Even following Mitt Romney's speech about the 47 percenters and revelations of his offshore tax havens, many Americans said it didn't matter. But greed has real world consequences. As the top one percent
- [A Message To Tea Party "Patriots."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/03/a-message-to-tea-party-patriots/) - There's simply no nice way of saying it. You are a bunch of self-serving, gun-toting, conspiracy promoting, anti-intellectual, anti-education, anti-evidence, anti-American nitwits. You call yourselves Tea Party Patriots, but you're neither patriotic nor even a party. You are the lunatic fringe. You wrap yourselves in the flag and spout quotes from a select few of
- [A Teapublican Twofer.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/07/a-teapublican-twofer/) - This Wednesday, Teapublicans in Congress will, once again, hold hearings on the murders of Ambassador Stevens and three other US government personnel at the consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Unwilling to accept the State Department's account of the incident, the Secretary of State's account, testimony in previous Congressional hearings, or even a report by a special
- [A Role Model For The US Senate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/13/a-role-model-for-the-us-senate/) - If US senators are wondering what they can do to endear themselves to their constituents, they should look to their new colleague, Sen. Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts. In her short tenure, Warren has already shown a willingness to tell truth to power. She has also shown she has the guts to stand up for those
- [The Austerity Fraud.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/10/the-austerity-fraud/) - For more than 30 years, conservatives have pushed for smaller government. Their battle cry is to "Starve the Beast," the beast being our federal government. They have demanded more and more tax cuts, especially for the wealthy, and they finally got them under President George W. Bush. Yet, when the tax cuts led to large
- [Tea Party Conspiracy Theories: Tinfoil Hats Recommended.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/08/tea-party-conspiracy-theories-tinfoil-hats-recommended/) - Apparently, one of the criteria for becoming a Tea Party "Patriot" is to believe that our federal government is out to get you. These people actually believe that the Freemasons, beginning with our Founding Fathers, are intent on creating a New World Order in which our nation will become subservient to a New World government.
- [All The Way To Crazytown, AKA Benghazi.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/09/all-the-way-to-crazytown-aka-benghazi/) - According to Teapublicans, it's the "scandal" that's "worse than Watergate." Except for voting to repeal Obamacare 37 times, nothing has taken up more of their time since they took back the House in 2010. Not job creation. Not national security. Not terrorism. Not even tax reform. For Teapublicans, this is the event that keeps on
- [Sex, Politics, Religion And Poverty.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/14/sex-politics-religion-and-poverty/) - According to a new Census Bureau report, Social and Economic Characteristics of Currently Unmarried Women With a Recent Birth: 2011, more than 6 out of 10 women who have children in their early twenties are unmarried. That number has accelerated in recent years - up 80 percent since 1980. Overall, 36 percent of all births in
- [From Kathie Lee To Bangladesh.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/15/from-kathie-lee-to-bangladesh/) - Nearly a decade ago, the media were awash with stories tying Kathie Lee Gifford to sweatshops in Honduras. It seems she had endorsed a line of clothing sold at Walmart and, when it was discovered that Walmart outsourced the clothing manufacture to sweatshops using children, Kathie Lee was vilified. Walmart, on the other hand, emerged
- [31 To 5.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/16/31-to-5/) - Teapublicans continue to demand accountability for the deaths of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three others in Benghazi. They might begin with some simple addition and subtraction. For example, under President George W. Bush, the US State Department suffered the following attacks: 2002 Karachi, Pakistan Embassy - 10 dead 2004 Tashkent, Uzbekistan Embassy - 2
- [Repealing Obamacare...Again.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/16/repealing-obamacare/) - In case you haven't heard by now, Teapublicans don't like the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Since taking control of the House in 2011, Teapublicans have voted to repeal Obamacare 37 times. The latest vote came yesterday. Of course, there is absolutely no chance that the law will actually be repealed. Not only do
- [The DDT Of Our Time.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/23/the-ddt-of-our-time/) - In 1972, the federal government banned the use of the pesticide DDT for agricultural use in the US. At the time, many species of birds (including the Bald Eagle) were on the path to extinction, and DDT was considered the culprit. Not surprisingly, farmers were outraged. They were convinced that DDT was their only means
- [Worse Than Watergate?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/20/worse-than-watergate/) - Every time there's even a hint of a scandal in a Democratic administration, conservatives are quick to call it "worse than Watergate." It's obvious that they need a history lesson. Because, nothing...I mean nothing...has approached the abuse of power that is now known as Watergate. For conservatives and those too young to remember the Nixon administration,
- [Marketing Guns To Kids.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/22/marketing-guns-to-kids/) - For many years, I've used mock guns to teach disarms to martial arts students. Some time ago, government agencies banned the sale of such items if they too closely resembled a real gun. They dictated that they be colored red, orange or yellow, and that they not include any detail so that no reasonable person
- [The Real IRS Scandal.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/17/the-real-irs-scandal/) - The IRS should be embarrassed by revelations that it singled out Tea Party Patriot groups for extra scrutiny after they applied for 501(c)4 status. Not because scrutinizing these groups was wrong. But because the IRS did not deny them such status. That's right. None of these groups deserve to be considered 501(c)4 organizations. Neither do
- [The Benghazi "Smoking Gun" Goes Up In Smoke.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/17/the-benghazi-smoking-gun-goes-up-in-smoke/) - Just when Darrell Issa and his melodramatic, partisan witch hunters thought they found the "smoking gun" showing malfeasance by the Obama administration with regard to Benghazi, they found that the "gun" was aimed at them. On Tuesday, ABC News reported to have found an email showing that the State Department crafted the talking points for
- [Political Wars - From Reasoned Debate To Party Tribalism.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/24/political-wars-from-reasoned-debate-to-party-tribalism/) - Despite our political differences, almost all Americans would agree on one thing: Our political system is broken. But why? What led us from the relative political unity following World War II to the anger and divisiveness of today? It didn't just happen. A few individuals intentionally created the politics of destruction, most notably the so-called
- [Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Revisited.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/28/vast-right-wing-conspiracy-revisited/) - During President Clinton's two terms as president, a right wing witch hunt led by Ken Starr and financed by libertarian billionaires spent years trying to uncover dirt on the president and his wife. They claimed that Clinton's investment in a development named Whitewater was fraudulent. They claimed that Hillary hid legal records from her time
- [Onward Christian Soldiers?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/27/onward-christian-soldiers/) - On a recent holiday, my wife and I visited a historic church. Aside from the architecture, what struck me were two monuments on the church grounds: One was a war memorial placed directly in front of the main entrance honoring those church members who had served in war. The other was a gravestone dedicated to
- ["RNC Needs To Be Closed For Repairs."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/29/gop-needs-to-be-closed-for-repairs/) - That's what former Senator and Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole said about today's Republican National Committee. Asked if he would fit into the GOP today, he said, "I doubt it...Ronald Reagan wouldn't have made it. Certainly Nixon wouldn't have made it, because he had ideas." Now Former Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) has reiterated Dole's comments. "The Republican
- [Do You Believe In Magic?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/31/do-you-believe-in-magic/) - Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has reported from war zones and written a number of powerful books about our culture. I was fascinated by his recent interview on NPR's Talk of the Nation, during which he addressed some of the cultural idiocy that exists in the US. Hedges decried the media's tendency
- [Colbert Exposes Abuses Of The 501(c)4.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/05/30/colbert-exposes-abuses-of-the-501c4/) - Although known for his comedy, Stephen Colbert has shown an aptitude for investigative journalism that surpasses many of the so-called "legitimate" news operations. His reporting on the IRS "scandal" is but the latest example. Long before traditional news organizations began reporting on the abuses of political PACs and Super PACs, Colbert exposed the inappropriateness of
- [New Poll Finds 33 Percent Of Americans Are Batcrap Crazy!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/03/new-poll-finds-33-percent-of-americans-are-batcrap-crazy/) - A recent HuffPost/YouGov poll found that 44 percent of Americans view Rep. Michele Bachmann unfavorably while 33 percent had a favorable view of one America's most ignorant and batcrap crazy politicians! That tells us less about Bachmann than American voters. Keep in mind, this is the woman who confused John Wayne with John Wayne Gacy;
- [Darrell Issa Has Long Been An Expert On Lies And Corruption.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/04/darrell-issa-has-long-been-an-expert-on-lies-and-corruption/) - It seems that Rep. Darrell Issa sees lies and corruption everywhere in the Obama administration; Fast & Furious, Benghazi, IRS and AP. Yet after months of "investigations" Issa has yet to find any evidence of White House involvement in these scandals. In fact, to use the term "scandal" is a misnomer. So why is Issa
- [Subsidizing Millionaires And Billionaires.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/05/subsidizing-millionaires-and-billionaires/) - For years, large corporations have whined that US corporate income taxes are "the highest in the world." While it's true that our maximum corporate tax RATE is the highest in the world, the EFFECTIVE tax rate paid by US-based multinational corporations is much, much lower. In fact, as a percentage of GDP, US corporations pay
- [Big Oil And Its Worldwide Oiligarchy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/06/big-oil-and-its-worldwide-oiligarchy/) - If oligarchy is a power structure in which all political power effectively rests with a few people, Oiligarchy is the perfect term to describe what has become the most powerful industry on Earth. Since World War II, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, BP, Royal Dutch Shell and others have gained increasing control over the US government, along with our
- [Rx For Economic Depression And World War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/11/rx-for-economic-depression-and-world-war/) - Last week, the Romney-Ryan campaign released its plan for the transition of power from the Obama administration had they won the 2012 election as they expected. Titled the Romney Readiness Project 2012, the 138-page report reads more like a plan to destroy our nation than to lead it forward. Among the recommendations were 20 percent across-the-board tax cuts
- [How The Wealthy Avoid Taxes.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/10/how-the-wealthy-avoid-taxes/) - Last fall's presidential election shed light on the issue of offshore tax havens. Thanks to the fact that, as a presidential candidate, Mitt Romney was forced to reveal his income tax returns, many people now better understand how the world's wealthiest people avoid taxes by stashing their often ill-gotten fortunes offshore. According to the Tax
- [What Passes For Government In Arizona.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/07/what-passes-for-government-in-arizona/) - If you think the right wing lunacy in Arizona is limited to the unconstitutional anti-Latino bill SB 1070, anti-federal government nullification laws, unrestricted gun sales, and the nation's most corrupt...er...toughest sheriff, you haven't seen anything. A few weeks ago, the Arizona legislature held a hearing on Agenda 21 that brought out the Tea Party Parasites
- [Scandalrama!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/13/scandalrama/) - As the Teapublican House, led by witch-hunter-in-chief, Darrell Issa, looks under every rug and in every nook and cranny for dirt on Fast & Furious, Benghazi, Tea Party applications for non-profit status, the NSA, and anything else that can be used as a hammer against the Obama administration, the real work of Congress languishes. The
- [How Quickly We Forget!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/12/astonishing-poll-says-more-about-americans-than-bush/) - A new poll by Gallup has found that 49 percent of Americans now view President George W. Bush favorably, while 46 percent view him unfavorably. Assuming that the poll is more accurate than Gallup polls from the 2012 election, it would seem to indicate that 49 percent of Americans are either uninformed, misinformed or blissfully
- [Post Racial America?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/13/post-racial-america/) - On the anniversary of the murder of civil rights leader, Medgar Evers, his wife, Myrlie Evers-Williams, was interviewed on Politics Nation with Rev. Al Sharpton. Although acknowledging that much has changed since that day 50 years ago, Myrlie Evers-Williams said, "Jim Crow is still alive and it's dressed in a Brooks Brothers suit, instead of
- [Jesus Lives!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/14/jesus-lives/) - In an example of what passes for journalism these days, today's website of the Arizona Republic featured a smudge someone had found on the floor of the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport. The "reporter" submitted a photo because he/she thought it resembled Jesus. What was the editor thinking? "Hold the presses! I've got Jesus on the floor?" The
- [Arizona Turned Upside-Down.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/14/arizona-turned-upside-down/) - Mark it down. On Thursday, June 13, 2013, the Earth stood still! The clouds parted. The impossible became possible. Red turned blue. Blue turned red. Tempers cooled, even if the temperatures didn't. In a brief moment of clarity and political sanity, moderate Republicans joined Democrats at the behest of our finger-wagging Governor Brewer to pass
- [Sore Losers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/15/sore-losers/) - Following the expansion of Medicaid in Arizona, which was pushed by a very conservative governor and passed by a bipartisan coalition of both Republican and Democratic legislators, the so-called "patriots" of the Tea Party are trying every trick in the book to overturn majority rule. They are threatening to collect enough signatures to put the
- [A Fine Example Of An Arizona Conservative.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/15/a-fine-example-of-an-arizona-conservative/) - Last Tuesday, a federal jury convicted former Arizona Congressman "Slick" Rick Renzi on 17 counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy, extortion, racketeering, money laundering and making false statements to insurance regulators. He was acquitted on 15 other felony charges because some evidence was ruled inadmissible. I was especially interested in the outcome of the case, since the
- ["Private Eyes" Given A Whole New Meaning.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/17/private-eyes-given-a-whole-new-meaning/) - Recent revelations about National Security Agency (NSA) snooping on phone records, emails and Internet history have been used by some politicians to attack President Obama. Really? He not only inherited these programs from Dubya. By most accounts, he placed new restrictions on them. Whatever the case, government spying on American citizens should be openly debated
- [Visit To The Border Exposes The Complexity Of Immigration.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/19/visit-to-the-border-exposes-the-complexity-of-immigration/) - My wife and I recently traveled to the border town of Douglas, Arizona. Along the way, we passed dozens of Border Patrol pickup trucks and two checkpoints. Upon arriving in Douglas, we were greeted by an imposing wall stretching along the border and a town in visible decay. You see, Douglas was once a shopping
- [Organized Bank Crimes.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/18/organized-bank-crimes/) - After an ill-advised investment in grain futures in the late 80’s, I became more convinced than ever before that small investors are at the mercy of large investors. Not just in commodities, but in other markets as well. If your timing happens to coincide with that of the large corporations and the wealthy, you profit.
- [Arizona's War On The Environment.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/20/arizonas-war-on-the-environment/) - Arizona has a long love affair with the gun. Its legislature even named the Colt .45 as the state's official gun. Gun shops are everywhere. And there's at least one gun show in the state every weekend. On the other hand, there are few gun clubs or official firing wages. So where do Arizonans go
- [It's Difficult To Disprove A Negative.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/21/its-difficult-to-disprove-a-negative/) - Whenever someone accuses the government of a scandal, it's almost impossible to disprove it. That's because the accusation makes headlines. The truth doesn't. Nobody understands this principle better than Teapublicans. When Bill Clinton was elected to the White House, he was forced to disprove a constant wave of scandals created by the GOP. Now it's President
- [Pope v. Vatican.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/25/pope-v-vatican/) - After being named Pope, it seems that the Holy See is seeing some things the Vatican doesn't like. During his homily at Mass in Rome, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of doing good as a principle that unites all of humanity The Pope said, "The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are
- [America's Most Centrist President.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/24/americas-most-centrist-president/) - In history, no president has ever nominated more than two members of the opposing party to his cabinet...until President Obama. While Republicans call Obama an extreme liberal, a socialist, a communist, and worse, the president continues to nominate Republicans to important posts. He nominated Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation, Judd Gregg as Commerce Secretary
- [The South Will Rise Again!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/25/the-south-will-rise-again/) - The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to shoot down sections of the Voting Rights Act may be one giant step backward in our nation's centuries-long fight for equality and civil rights. It also represents an unprecedented power grab by the Court. The Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon
- [Let's Sit This War Out.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/26/lets-sit-this-war-out/) - By my calculations, the US has been at war all but 33 years of our existence. And that doesn't even include many of the "police" actions and minor intrusions into other nations. Now many in Congress are beating the war drums again. They want us to do more to help depose Syria's al-Assad by creating
- [The States' Rights Court.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/27/the-states-rights-court/) - Now that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled on three highly controversial cases, it seems that the decisions all have one thing in common - a desire to protect states' rights. Even though the justices behind the majority opinions changed from one case to another, the Court showed a willingness to defer,
- [The War Within.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/02/the-war-within-2/) - During the Cold War of the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's, the US and Soviet Union armed proxy nations with the world's most sophisticated weapons. It was good business for the defense industries of both participants. And when the proxy nations went to war with one another, business got even better. Now we're seeing a
- [A Healthcare System Only The Mafia Could Love.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/01/a-healthcare-system-only-the-mafia-could-love/) - Actually, I should offer my apologies to the Mafia. Because not even the Mafia could create such a blatantly expensive and inefficient system as the one we have in the US. In fact, when Singapore recently decided to create a national healthcare system, they first looked to the US...in order to learn what NOT to
- [The Dismal State Of Our Union.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/06/28/the-state-of-our-union/) - Upon listening to the last day of Neal Conan’s Talk of the Nation on NPR, I was surprised by Ted Koppel’s response when asked about the future. Turns out, Koppel shares many of the same concerns as I do. For what it’s worth, here is a compilation of my own views of the current state
- [What Happened To Creativity?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/05/what-happened-to-creativity/) - After the conclusion of the past TV season and viewing the latest sample of so-called blockbuster (emphasis on bust) movies, I must conclude that creativity in the US is either dead or on life support. As a former advertising creative director, for the first time since the early 1960's, I ignore most of the commercials.
- [Too Cute By Far.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/03/too-cute-by-far/) - I don't know if Edward Snowden is a hero or a traitor; an honorable whistleblower or a self-serving snitch. Those distinctions will be up to history, the public and the courts to decide. But I do know that, if his revelations ultimately show as he claims, that US spying is out of control, he is
- [The New Jim Crow.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/04/the-new-jim-crow/) - When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965, everyone thought that would be the end of Jim Crow laws that mandated segregation throughout the South and prevented African-Americans from exercising their right to vote. Everyone was wrong! Within days of the Supreme Court striking down the portion of the
- [A Divided Nation.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/04/a-divided-nation/) - I began this blog several years ago with a post "Why We're Divided." The point was that our political divide is not merely the result of differing ideologies. It's the result of differing "facts." Never has that been more clearly demonstrated than by two competing advertising campaigns running on this Independence Day. In my state's
- [Grand Old Party Of Hate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/08/politics-of-hate/) - After last year's failure to elect a president, you would think that the GOP would stop trying to be the stupid, anti-minority, anti-woman, anti-poor party. You'd be wrong. Confirming that the Tea Party Parasites are firmly in control of the GOP, red states across the country are refusing to expand Medicaid making it difficult for
- [What Egypt Reveals About US Foreign Policy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/09/what-egypt-reveals-about-us-foreign-policy/) - In one of the most ironic foreign policy twists of all time, Egyptian journalists are reporting that a majority of Egyptians now link the US with the Muslim Brotherhood and deposed President Mohamed Morsi. No, it's not because President Obama is the socialist Muslim Teapublicans think him to be. The reality is much less interesting.
- [Media Should Call A Filibuster A Filibuster.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/10/media-should-call-a-filibuster-a-filibuster/) - For four and a half years, Senate Republicans have made unprecedented use of the filibuster. Intended to protect the minority, the filibuster historically was used only as a last resort to prevent tyranny by the majority. It was an extreme measure to be used in extreme circumstances. But in the hands of Mitch McConnell and his
- [Only Crimes Issa Has Exposed Are His Own.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/16/only-crimes-issa-has-exposed-are-his-own/) - For more than two years, Congressman Issa has been digging under rocks to find dirt on President Obama and his administration. He has claimed that his investigations would prove that the federal loan to Solyndra would expose a "sweetheart" deal for one of Obama's political contributors. Instead, he proved that the loan process was well
- [What's Wrong With The US? Connect The Dots.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/11/whats-wrong-with-the-us-connect-the-dots/) - It's probably self-evident, but our government is no longer of the people, by the people and for the people. A more accurate description would be of the corporations, by the corporations and for the corporations. But how did we get here? How have a few powerful multinationals and one percent of the population usurped power
- [Abolish The IRS?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/12/abolish-the-irs/) - Tea Party favorite, Sen. Rand Paul, is featured in a TV commercial calling for viewers to sign a petition to abolish the IRS. Paul and his fellow Tea Party parasites are capitalizing on what they falsely call an unconstitutional attack on conservatives to get what they really want...a flat tax. The flat tax is a
- [Egypt's Morsi = America's GOP](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/15/egypts-morsi-americas-gop/) - When asked to explain the removal of President Mohamed Morsi, Egyptian leaders said that Morsi had offered no plan; no vision to solve the nation's problems. Instead, he focused on consolidating the power of the Muslim Brotherhood and instituting Sharia law. In many ways, his actions paralleled those of the GOP in the US. Like
- [Getting Away With Murder.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/17/getting-away-with-murder/) - George Zimmerman isn't the first person that the courts have allowed to get away with murder. But he is one of the few to be acquitted after admitting to intentionally shooting an unarmed person. Zimmerman can thank Florida's ill-conceived "Stand Your Ground" law for that, along with an inept prosecution and seemingly naive jurors. The
- [Death Of Yarnell 19 May Be The Result Of Sequestration Cuts.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/19/death-of-yarnell-19-may-be-the-result-of-sequestration-cuts/) - On June 30, 2013, 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots wildfire crew perished in the Yarnell Fire in northern Arizona. As you probably know, an investigation is underway to determine the events that led to their deaths. But one fact is already clear: The wildfire crews were stretched thin and firefighting resources have been
- [Yes, Virginia, There Is Corruption.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/18/yes-virginia-there-is-corruption/) - The now almost daily revelations of deceit and corruption by Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell are a smorgasbord of everything wrong with politics. Indeed, it seems everything that could go wrong has gone wrong in Virginia. McDonnell accepted $145,000 from Jonnie R. Williams, Sr., the owner of a Virginia-based nutritional supplement company. In addition, he and
- [Playing The Race Card!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/20/playing-the-race-card/) - On Friday, President Obama held an unannounced press conference during which he spoke personally and sensitively about race in hopes of generating an adult conversation about racism in the US. Of course, his remarks were met with derision and anger by many conservatives and their media mouthpieces. (I'm looking at you, Rush Limbaugh and anyone
- [GOP In A Hurry To Make Enemies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/23/gop-in-a-hurry-to-make-enemies/) - A number of conservatives are calling for President Obama to call the removal of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi a military coup. Doing so would automatically trigger an end to foreign aid to Egypt and its military. The fact that the Obama administration is approaching the situation in Egypt cautiously has left conservatives frustrated. They call
- [The New American Royalty?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/22/the-new-american-royalty/) - Last week, Liz Cheney announced that she is running for US Senate from the State of Wyoming. If elected, she will likely walk the same dark path as her father, former Vice-President Richard "The Dick" Cheney. Liz has long been her father's most outspoken defender and apologist. Like her father, virtually every word that escapes
- [Here We Go Again. Another Debt Crisis!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/25/here-we-go-again-another-debt-crisis/) - In 2011, Speaker John Boehner and his GOP cronies nearly sent the US economy into a death spiral by refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless President Obama agreed to severe budget cuts. When the president and other Democrats tried to negotiate a common sense agreement that would not lead to a double dip recession,
- [GOP: 1.6 Million Jobs Don't Matter.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/26/gop-1-6-million-jobs-dont-matter/) - There was a story this week that was overshadowed by Anthony Weiner's penis, San Diego Mayor Filner's hands-on management style and Congressman Steve King's idiotic statements on immigrants. It was news that the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) reported that sequestration cuts forced by the Republican-dominated House will prevent the creation of 1.6 million jobs over
- [Oh Boy!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/24/oh-boy/) - Each day, approximately 370,000 babies are born into our world. Some of them will become world-renowned scientists. Some will become democratically-elected leaders. Some will work to end disease and hunger. Some will work to end poverty. Most will simply work to survive. Of all these babies, only one captured the attention of US and European
- [Growth Of The "Moocher" Class.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/29/the-moocher-class-is-growing/) - During the 2012 presidential election, Mitt Romney was famously caught on camera talking about the 47 percent he claimed pay no taxes. That led to the conservative media referring to the 47 percent as the "moocher" class; those people whose votes could be bought with promises of free "stuff," such as food stamps, unemployment insurance
- [Pardon The Interruption.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/30/pardon-the-interruption/) - This blog site was off-line yesterday due to circumstances beyond my control. The matter has been addressed and will not be an issue again. Thanks for your patience.
- [Race Or Economics?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/30/race-or-economics/) - Following the acquittal of George Zimmerman and the ensuing discussion of race by President Obama, conservative race-baiters have gleefully blamed the victims. “It wasn’t Zimmerman’s fault. Trayvon Martin was a young, black thug high on marijuana who had it coming. There’s no race problem. The real problem is the black culture of dependency. Black people
- [Mitt Romney Lies Again!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/07/31/mitt-romney-lies-again/) - I realize that Mitt's aversion to the truth will come as no surprise to anyone, except his most rabid supporters. Throughout the 2012 election cycle, the former governor had more positions on any given issue than the Kama Sutra. He also continually manipulated data to make President Obama look bad and himself look better. Indeed, it
- [Families In Deep Doo-Doo.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/05/families-in-deep-doo-doo/) - It seems that nearly every week, a new study is released that shows the growing income disparity in the United States. Recently, an Associated Press survey found that 80 percent of adults in the US face near-poverty and unemployment at some point in their lives. Another study by the International Human Rights Clinic at New York University’s School
- [Ummm…You Can’t Record What You Don’t See.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/01/ummmyou-cant-record-what-you-dont-see/) - Some members of Congress are now demanding that the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) release data for the number of migrants who are turned back before crossing the border illegally and the number who evaded the Border Patrol and thus were able to successfully enter the U.S. illegally. Say what? Am I the only one
- [How Would You Pay For Uninsured Healthcare?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/07/how-would-you-pay-for-uninsured-healthcare/) - Conservatives in Arizona and other states are mouth-frothing mad over the expansion of Medicaid for those who can’t afford health insurance. They claim that it’s a matter of personal responsibility; that the current system is fine; that people should simply go without healthcare if they can’t afford it. Hmmm… The people saying that consist mostly
- [Recess Is The Appropriate Term For A Congressional Break.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/05/recess-is-the-appropriate-term-for-a-congressional-break/) - Exhausted by the 86 days members of the US House of Representatives have worked this year, the House is now taking a 5-week recess – a term that aptly describes the childish behavior of this Republican-controlled legislative body. After all, Republican congressional representatives continue to throw a tantrum over Obamacare, having voted to repeal the
- [The Moral Cost Of Food.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/07/the-moral-cost-of-food/) - This past week, a couple of announcements stood out to me. One was that scientists were having a taste test of their “test tube” burger…meat that was grown from stem cells. Two was the announcement that the world is pretty much “maxed out” when it comes to meat and dairy production. These announcements happened to
- [Still Gutless After All These Years.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/12/still-gutless-after-all-these-years-2/) - The Democratic Party can claim a number of major accomplishments for the American people. It's the party that led the US out of the Great Depression. It's the party that created Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. It stood behind workers in their fight for labor unions. And it passed the Civil Rights Act at the
- [General...er...Sheriff Joe Goes To War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/09/general-er-sheriff-joe-goes-to-war/) - The original motto of most law enforcement organizations was "To Serve And Protect." But, in recent years, the motto may as well be "To Harass And Intimidate." Many purposefully engage in racial profiling (New York City even singles out African-Americans for its "Stop And Frisk" program). Many live outside the cities they serve. Most spend their
- [Crocodile Tears And Denial For One Of The Prescott 19.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/08/crocodile-tears-and-denial-for-one-of-the-prescott-19/) - The deaths of 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots in the Yarnell Fire became a national story about the sacrifice of first responders as they protect us from disaster. Firefighters, city officials, politicians, dignitaries and grateful citizens turned out to honor them at a large memorial service. Virtually the entire city of Prescott, AZ
- [Who Says The Tea Party Is Racist?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/14/who-says-the-tea-party-is-racist/) - Well, actually the Tea Party does. When President Obama recently visited Arizona, he was met by a demonstration organized, in part, by the Tea Party. In addition to the inevitable "Obama is a Fascist" and "Impeach Obama" signs, the protesters sang "Bye Bye Black Sheep." They carried signs that read "Impeach the Half-White Muslim" and
- [While Congress Is On Recess, The Real Government Meets In Chicago.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/10/while-congress-is-on-recess-the-real-government-meets-in-chicago/) - This weekend, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a meeting in Chicago. If you are still unfamiliar with ALEC, you are no doubt familiar with its legislation, such as Stand Your Ground laws, Arizona's SB 1070 anti-immigration law, and the new wave of Voter ID laws designed to limit
- [Stop & Frisk Old White Men.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/15/stop-frisk-old-white-men/) - Since dimwits like Bill O'Reilly think the NYC Stop & Frisk program is so great, I propose it be redirected for a year or so. Instead of targeting minorities, let the police target white guys around Wall Street. After all, they have been responsible for far greater crimes than minorities, having stolen trillions of dollars
- [Detroit Is Merely The Canary In The Coal Mine.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/19/detroit-is-merely-the-canary-in-the-coal-mine/) - It’s popular for conservatives to blame the bankruptcy of the City of Detroit on a history of Democratic leadership. Indeed, the conservative commentators seem to revel in the city’s troubles. And since Detroit has a high percentage of African-Americans, the problems also conveniently fit their racist narrative. The wingnuts believe that this simply couldn’t happen
- [GOP Is Racist? How Racist Of You To Bring It Up!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/16/gop-is-racist-how-racist-of-you-to-bring-it-up/) - The right wing megaphone that is Fox News Channel and talk radio is in full throat defending the rodeo clown who appeared wearing an Obama mask. "It was just entertainment." "The real racists are those who can't take a joke," say the wingnuts. Really? It's now racism for pointing out obvious racism? Let's review. The
- [Arizona’s Religious Boat People.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/17/arizonas-religious-boat-people/) - For those of you who live outside the state, here’s a story that will give you some idea of the lunacy that is Arizona. Sure, you may know about our famous “dry heat” (like living in a sauna for 5 months out of the year), our Grand Canyon, our version of the Iron Curtain, our
- [Betrayal Of Public Trust.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/21/betrayal-of-public-trust/) - Now that Michigan's GOP governor has forced the City of Detroit into bankruptcy, it's expected that retired city workers will have to settle for a fraction of the pensions they were awarded under contract. As a result of the expected bankruptcy settlement, many of the retirees may be forced to file bankruptcy themselves and find
- [The Government Of Me.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/22/the-government-of-me/) - As the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party continues to express outrage at our federal government, it becomes increasingly clear that the Tea Party simply does not understand the concept of a democratic republic. Its members ignore the fact that the Articles of Confederation were replaced by a Constitution that created a strong, centralized
- [What Is Our Real Legacy For Future Generations?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/23/what-is-our-real-legacy-for-future-generations/) - Much has been written about the national debt that is being left to future generations; how that debt is the greatest threat to the future of our nation. I beg to differ. Not that the debt isn't a serious issue, but our nation faces many more daunting problems. For example, our infrastructure is crumbling. Roads
- [Saber Rattling In Congress.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/26/saber-rattling-in-congress/) - Following reports of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, some in Congress are demanding that President Obama intervene. Even though the use of chemical weapons have not yet been confirmed, some are calling the president "weak" for his failure to respond. Such knee jerk reactions by the war hawks already have been responsible for
- [Do NSA Revelations Actually Surprise Anyone?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/27/do-nsa-revelations-actually-surprise-anyone/) - Ever since Edward Snowden announced that the National Security Agency is collecting phone and email records of US citizens before skipping the country, many in the media and in Congress have expressed surprise and outrage. Really? How could anyone be surprised at this invasion of privacy? Since the late nineties, there has been an explosion
- [Rules Of War?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/28/rules-of-war/) - The assumed response to Syria's use of chemical weapons raises an obvious question: Where do we draw the line in warfare? Following World War I and World War II, the world came together at the Geneva Conventions which banned the use of chemical weapons and torture. They also provided for the humane treatment of prisoners
- [Beware The Pendulum.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/29/beware-the-pendulum/) - As a creative director for ad agencies and as a part-time college instructor, I used to teach that social trends and fashions responded like a pendulum with a 360-degree axis. The pendulum freely swings, but never back to exactly the same place twice. I was reminded of that description while watching the ceremonies marking the
- [Today’s Corporate CEO No One To Look Up To.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/08/30/todays-corporate-ceo-no-one-to-look-up-to/) - The CEO of a corporation is supposed to act as the rudder of the ship; a leader; someone that sets an example for the rest of the corporation’s employees. But, increasingly, CEOs set an example of greed and unethical, even criminal, behavior. According to a recent study by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), in
- [When US Jobs Are Shipped Offshore, It's In A Shipping Container.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/03/when-us-jobs-are-shipped-offshore-its-in-a-shipping-container/) - Since Malcom McClean invented the modern shipping container in the late sixties, no individual item has had a greater impact on the US and world economies. These large, steel and aluminum boxes can be filled with products, carried by truck to the nearest port, and loaded by crane onto a ship specifically designed to carry
- [The Bush Legacy Of War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/05/the-bush-legacy-of-war/) - Whatever your position on military action in Syria, your decision has likely been influenced by the Iraq War. In 2003, the Bush administration told the US and the world that the invasion of Iraq was necessary in order to overthrow a sadistic leader; a leader who had used chemical weapons against Iran (with our blessings)
- [Arizona’s Right Wing “Job Creators.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/11/arizonas-right-wing-job-creators/) - When Gov. Janet Napolitano was replaced by the finger-wagging Jan Brewer following Napolitano’s appointment to become Director of Homeland Security in 2009, the last check on Arizona’s right wing-dominated legislature was eliminated. That led to such bills as the anti-immigrant SB 1070; bills that made it legal to carry guns in bars; bills that protected
- [Arizona Goes Begging Once Again.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/06/arizona-goes-begging-once-again/) - Unwilling to accept the decision by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) that the Yarnell fire was not so large that the State of Arizona cannot handle the aftermath itself, Governor Jan Brewer is appealing the decision saying, "Financially, it is not, I don't believe, Arizona's responsibility." She is unlikely to win. For as tragic as
- [Ronald Reagan: Solar Assassin.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/09/ronald-reagan-solar-assassin/) - When President Obama recently ordered the White House to be fitted with solar panels, he was following the precedent set by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. After the OPEC cartel’s decision to limit oil production in order to drive up oil prices, Carter had recommended a series of measures designed to conserve energy and limit
- [Sovereign Citizens:  America’s New (Bowel) Movement.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/13/sovereign-citizens-americas-new-bowel-movement/) - If you’re wondering about the headline, it’s not a typo. I feel it’s an accurate description of the freeloaders who have renounced their US citizenship and refuse to pay taxes or obey laws while taking advantage of our nation’s freedoms, services and benefits. Each time one of these nitwits burns his driver’s license, Social Security
- [Marketing Addiction.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/16/marketing-addiction/) - The development of e-cigarettes was a good thing. It provided an opportunity for those addicted to nicotine and the act of smoking to replace tobacco cigarettes with something less harmful...not only less harmful to themselves, but everyone around them. Of course, some greedy corporations can’t settle for a good thing. They have to find ways
- [How Many Mass Shootings Will It Take?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/17/how-many-mass-shootings-will-it-take/) - Recent polls have shown that, after being mired in continuous conflicts for the past 12 years, Americans seem to have lost their appetite for war. Various polls found that more than 6 in 10 Americans were against any form of military action in Syria. But we’re in the midst of our own war right here
- [More Guns = More Homicides.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/18/more-guns-more-homicides/) - Without the heavily-financed propaganda from the NRA, it’s doubtful that anyone would ever question the relationship. But since the gun industry has spent hundreds of millions to convince us otherwise, it has become the job of academia to bring us back to reality. That’s just what Professor Michael Siegel from Boston University and his two
- [An Ugly GOP Strategy Gets Even Uglier.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/01/an-ugly-gop-strategy-gets-even-uglier/) - As long ago as the late sixties and early eighties, Republican leaders developed a unique election strategy. They intentionally made politics so messy; so reprehensibly ugly; so divisive that many moderate voters became disgusted with the whole political process and tuned out. The idea was that by diminishing the votes of moderates, the primaries and
- [Another Debt Ceiling Debacle?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/24/another-debt-ceiling-debacle/) - Teapublicans are always fond of relating government budgets to your household budget. It’s a lousy analogy. But let’s use it for the purposes of the debt ceiling debate. Imagine if your family, concerned about its spending and debt, had a meeting and decided that you no longer wanted to pay any debts above…let’s say, $10,000.
- [Demanding A 50 Year Cover-Up For Doing Your Job?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/26/demanding-a-50-year-cover-up-for-doing-your-job/) - Our nation was built on representative government. But our representatives are so concerned with re-election that many are now afraid to do what’s best for our nation. So much so, that they try to hide their actions from the very people they represent. The on-going debate over the federal tax code is a case in
- [A Textbook Example Of What Not To Do With Public Education.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/29/a-textbook-example-of-what-not-to-do-with-public-education/) - The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that Arizona will spend 17 percent less per student on education this year than it did in 2008 before the Great Recession. That's despite the fact that, according to the National Education Association (NEA), Arizona ranked dead last for expenditures per student for public K-12 schools for
- [Could We Be On The Verge Of Peace In The Middle East?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/19/could-we-be-on-the-verge-of-peace-in-the-middle-east/) - The key to unlocking peace in the Middle East may have just been handed to us by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani who told NBC News national and international correspondent, Ann Curry, that Iran has no intention of creating nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction of any kind. When asked about Iranian denial of the
- [A Recipe For Failure.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/09/23/a-recipe-for-failure/) - Since 2009, many conservatives have believed that Barack Obama is an anti-American socialist who was born in Kenya and, therefore, is an illegitimate president. Many in Congress refuse to recognize him as president, let alone negotiate with him. Even after he was re-elected in overwhelming fashion, they refuse to accept the results believing that he
- [House Teapublicans Throw A Snitfit.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/03/house-teapublicans-throw-a-public-snitfit/) - Recognizing that out-of-control medical costs represented a growing threat to the health of Americans and the health of our nation, then-candidate, Barack Obama, vowed to overhaul our health care system if elected president in 2008. Almost immediately after being sworn into office, President Obama challenged the Democratic-led Congress to deliver a health care reform bill
- [Why You Can’t Negotiate With Terrorists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/04/why-you-cant-negotiate-with-terrorists/) - Long ago, our law enforcement agencies learned that you can’t negotiate with terrorists, especially those who take hostages. The reason is that their demands are always unreasonable and they never live up to the negotiated agreement. House Republicans are no different. The President and Senate have been negotiating the federal budget for more than four years,
- [A Failure Of Journalism.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/07/a-failure-of-journalism/) - The impasse in Congress that has shut down our federal government is not only the result of a political failure. It’s the result of a journalistic failure. As evidenced by statements from NBC’s Chuck Todd, too many reporters believe that their job is simply to report the positions of both sides and let the public
- [How To Shut Up Teapublicans.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/08/how-to-shut-up-teapublicans/) - John Boehner, Ted Cruz, et al are fond of blaming President Obama and Sen. Harry Reid for the government shutdown. In doing so, they claim that the Democrats “refuse to negotiate.” Negotiate what? The only thing Teapublicans want to “negotiate” is the Affordable Care Act, a bill that was duly passed by both houses of
- [Everything You Need To Know About Today’s GOP In One Button.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/09/everything-you-need-to-know-about-todays-gop-in-one-button/) - In case anyone could confuse Teapublicans for reasonable people, it should be noted that the following button was offered for sale at the California GOP convention: “KFC Hillary Special - 2 Fat Thighs, 2 Small Breasts, Left Wing.” Wow! Just wow! This is from the party that claims to respect women all the while they
- [GOP’s Age Warfare.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/10/gops-age-warfare/) - Teapublicans always whine about what they refer to as “class warfare” whenever anyone wants to level the playing field between the wealthy and the middle class. But now they are waging a war on those 50 and older by trying to privatize Social Security and Medicare. To push their agenda of destroying “entitlements,” the Tea
- [Looking For Anonymity.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/11/looking-for-anonymity/) - When a GOP congressman was asked if he would vote for a “clean” resolution to end the government shutdown, he said, “Sure, I’d vote for it. I think probably 140 of my colleagues would vote for it if it was a secret ballot.” Hmmmm…. In other words, GOP representatives are willing to do the right
- [Falling Behind Russia.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/14/falling-behind-russia/) - For those Americans who still consider Russia a rival of the US, I have bad news. We have fallen behind the Great Russian Bear in one important economic category: Russia is one of the few nations on the planet with more economic disparity than ours. In the US, the top one percent own 40 percent
- [If Teapublicans Want To Be Taken Seriously, They Should Lose The Superiority Complex.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/12/if-teapublicans-want-to-be-taken-seriously-they-should-lose-the-superiority-complex/) - They need to stop claiming that they’re the only real patriots; stop pretending to be the only true protectors of liberty; stop wrapping themselves and their ideas in the US flag; stop quoting the Founding Fathers, at least until they read the Constitution – the whole Constitution - and stop believing that God has taken
- [Rebels Without A Brain.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/15/rebels-without-a-brain/) - Sunday’s demonstration of anger, racism and stupidity at the WW II monument revealed far more about those speaking than about our government shutdown. Waving the Battle Flag of Northern Virginia (aka the Confederate flag), holding "Impeach Obama" signs and hiding behind a few hundred veterans, Canadian-born Sen. Ted Cruz, failed VP candidate and former Alaska
- [Late Night Skullduggery By The GOP.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/15/late-night-skullduggery-by-the-gop/) - In the wee hours of September 30, the eve of the government shutdown, the GOP-controlled House Rules Committee pushed through a last minute amendment that was intended to go unnoticed. This slight of hand known as HR 368 changed long-standing House rules to prevent any House member other than Majority Leader Eric Cantor from calling
- [How The People You Elect Are Turned Into Highly-Paid Puppets.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/16/how-the-people-you-elect-are-turned-into-highly-paid-puppets/) - On Tuesday, Heritage Action, the even more political arm of the Heritage Foundation, sent a memo to Republican Congressmen telling them to vote against the bipartisan Senate bill that would re-open our government. As a none-too-subtle threat, the memo noted that the organization would be “scoring” Congressional votes. In other words, do as we say
- [Artificial Intelligence.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/19/artificial-intelligence/) - In an age of political irony, the committee assignment for Rep. Michele Bachmann stands out. Believe it or not, she is a proud member of the House Intelligence Committee! Clearly, GOP leaders have no understanding of the word’s meaning. As I'm sure you know, intelligence is defined as “the ability to learn facts and skills
- [Who's Really Responsible For Our National Debt?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/17/whos-really-responsible-for-our-national-debt/) - It’s popular for the Republican Party to blame our $16.7 trillion debt on President Obama. Certainly, like all presidents, he has some responsibility for it. But a much larger share of the responsibility goes to President Reagan, President George H.W. Bush and, most especially, President George W. Bush. You see, the increase in spending in
- [The $24 Billion Tantrum.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/18/the-24-billion-tantrum/) - Following the Teapublican-caused government shutdown and threatened US default, it’s fair to look at what this pointless exercise cost us. Not including the human costs, economists at Standard & Poors estimate the cost of the government shutdown at $24 billion. That’s larger than the entire annual budget for NASA ($17.8 billion) or the Department of
- [GOP Put “Obamacare” Tantrum Above Infrastructure And Jobs.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/22/gop-put-obamacare-tantrum-above-infrastructure-and-jobs/) - In March of this year, President Obama called for Congress to approve a $21 billion package designed to update our crumbling infrastructure and create jobs. “Let's get this done. Let's rebuild this country we love. Let's make sure we're staying on the cutting edge,” Obama said, calling for a “partnership to rebuild America.” As part
- [The End Is Near?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/21/the-end-is-near/) - All across the Worldwide Web, you can find websites, blogs and videos announcing the impending “End of Obama.” Some have been created by fanatical Christian groups that are convinced President Obama is a Muslim. Some have been created by white supremacy groups and other racist thugs who dislike the color of his skin. Some have
- [The End Of Professionalism.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/23/the-end-of-professionalism/) - In the early nineties, I started noticing a new attitude from advertising clients. Where previous clients respected our opinions and were willing to pay for our expertise, clients began questioning everything from concepts to production to grammar. It was if our college degrees and years of experience meant nothing. You see, this new generation of
- [Contrasting British Politics With Ours.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/25/contrasting-british-politics-with-us-politics/) - On a recent trip to Scotland, I participated in a rally for Scottish independence...a Scotland independent of the United Kingdom. Although I strongly believe that outsiders should not be involved in local politics, I joined the march in support of my friends. What I experienced was extraordinary. The leaders of the Scottish independence movement were
- [The Legacy Of Lee Atwater: How Republicans Became The Party Of Racists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/25/the-legacy-of-lee-atwater-how-republicans-became-the-party-of-racists/) - Following the Civil Rights Act of 1964, LBJ famously said that, by signing the bill, the Democratic Party may have lost the South for a generation. Not long afterward, Republican strategist Lee Atwater formulated the Southern Strategy, which encouraged Republicans to express their racism in more subtle ways in order to win elections. “You start
- [Why Do We Have A Debt Ceiling Anyway?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/24/why-do-we-have-a-debt-ceiling-anyway/) - Following the Tea Party-forced government shutdown and near default, it’s worth considering doing away with the debt ceiling. It serves absolutely no purpose other than providing recalcitrant congressional representatives the opportunity to hold our government hostage in order to “negotiate” their pet issues. Since the debt ceiling is a measure of money already spent by
- [The Cost Of "Wanting To Kick Some Ass."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/28/the-cost-of-wanting-to-kick-some-ass/) - Our role in the Iraq War may be over, but the costs are still mounting up. According to a study by a Harvard researcher, the financial cost to the US has surpassed $4 trillion, and if the cost of care for wounded warriors is included, the overall cost could grow to as much as $6
- [Smallest Government In 47 Years.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/29/smallest-government-in-47-years/) - It’s fashionable for Teapublicans to demand a smaller, limited government. To support their cause, they quote the 10th Amendment which says, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” What Teapublicans neglect to consider is
- [The Next Detroit?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/05/the-next-detroit/) - Since the US auto industry began exporting most of its jobs to southern right-to-work (anti-union) states, to China, to Mexico and to South Korea, the City of Detroit and nearby Flint have experienced dramatic losses in jobs and population. Large portions of both cities are ghost towns. Many of those who are left simply can't
- [Who Speaks For The Poor And The Hungry?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/04/who-speaks-for-the-poor-and-the-hungry/) - Not Republicans. They continue to vote to cut unemployment benefits, food stamps, Head Start, minimum wage, labor unions and public education. Indeed, last year’s standard bearer was caught on tape deriding the bottom 47 percent for paying “no taxes” and wanting "free stuff." Certainly not the Tea Party parasites. They contemptuously refer to the working
- [House Of Horrors.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/30/a-real-house-of-horrors/) - No, it’s not The House On Elm Street. It’s not Norman Bates’ home. The US House of Representatives has claimed the crown! Populated by a host of psychopaths, spooks, bloodsuckers and zombies, it strikes fear into intelligent people around the globe. Within its terror-filled chambers, Speaker Boehner plays a modern-day, orange-tinted Mad Hatter with a
- [A Nation Of Crises.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/10/31/a-nation-of-crises/) - Every day I receive dozens of emails and letters asking me to help save the oceans, save the environment, save children, save wildlife, save food stamps, increase the minimum wage, stop voter suppression, stop global warming, stop the pipeline, stop racism, stop the attacks on women’s rights, stop the attacks on education, stop the attacks
- ["A Holocaust In Slow Motion."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/01/a-holocaust-in-slow-motion/) - That’s how one interview subject described our War on Drugs and mandatory sentencing in Eugene Jarecki ‘s film, The House I Live In. The film won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, but I only recently had the opportunity to see it, and I can tell you I left the
- [New World Order Paranoia Is Nothing New.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/03/new-world-order-paranoia-is-nothing-new/) - Reports that the shooter at LAX may have been motivated by the so-called "patriot" movement and the New World Order conspiracy theory should come as no surprise to anyone. Fears of a New World Order have been around for decades. Some even believe that our Founding Fathers were part of the conspiracy to create a
- [Prelude To 9/11.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/06/prelude-to-911/) - Understandably, 9/11 is a very sensitive subject. It was the only attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor. The people who died in the attacks are still being mourned, and those who gave their lives trying to save the victims are legitimately American heroes. Additionally, there are still many questions about how the attacks happened
- [Let’s Try To Become The Nation Our Founders Imagined.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/11/lets-try-to-become-the-nation-our-founders-imagined/) - In reading The Untold History Of The United States by Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick (a gut-wrenching, powerful and well-documented book), it’s clear that, contrary to what we were taught in history classes, the US has long been a cruel and greedy empire. For more than 200 years, we have engaged in wars of choice
- [The Real Problem With HealthCare.gov.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/07/the-real-problem-with-healthcare-gov/) - The glitches and failures of HealthCare.gov have provided GOP congressmen with much needed ammo to attack “Obamacare.” They have held numerous congressional hearings that have allowed them to grandstand to their heart’s content. They have elicited an apology from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. The glitches have even forced President Obama
- [Hallelujah! Pass The Hate And Ammunition!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/08/hallelujah-pass-the-hate-and-ammunition/) - While perusing my local newspaper, I ran across a curious item. There was an ad for a gun show at a local community church. That's right, a gun show in a church! Doesn’t everyone know that Jesus Christ and AR-15s go together like wine and crackers; blood and flesh? After all, guns and ammo will
- [A Sad Episode Of "60 Minutes."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/10/a-sad-episode-of-60-minutes/) - When I was in journalism school a long time ago, CBS was rightfully used as an example of great journalism. Such industry giants as Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Robert Trout, Harry Reasoner, Eric Sevareid, Roger Mudd, Charles Kuralt, Mike Wallace, Robert Pierpoint, Howard K. Smith, Douglas Edwards, Ed Bradley, and Daniel Schorr were part
- [How Small Of A Government Is Small Enough?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/13/how-small-of-a-government-is-small-enough/) - For years, Republicans have demanded a smaller government with limited powers. Indeed, Grover Norquist has said, "I want to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.' Okay, I get it. Republicans really hate government. But given the fact that our federal government is already the smallest in 47
- [Exactly What Are Teapublicans Trying To Protect Us From?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/14/exactly-what-are-teapublicans-trying-to-protect-us-from/) - In shutting down the federal government, GOP congressional leaders said they wanted to save us from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (aka “Obamacare”). In other words, they want to save Americans from an idea that they, themselves, proposed in 1996 and successfully implemented in Massachusetts as an alternative to universal health care. So
- [If Corporations Are People...](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/12/if-corporations-are-people/) - In its Citizens United decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that corporations are people – with all of the rights of individuals. The “justices” didn’t mention the responsibilities that go along with those rights. Like the responsibility to care for your neighbors. But, just for a moment, let’s assume that those five old men in
- [Is Muslim Extremism A US Export?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/15/is-muslim-extremism-a-us-export/) - As sensational as that may seem, it’s a reasonable question. Here’s why: When the USSR invaded Afghanistan, the US moved to counter the invasion with Operation Cyclone which was portrayed in the movie, Charlie Wilson’s War starring Tom Hanks. The operation consisted of the US providing weapons, military aid and training to the mujahedeen, a
- [Abortion Foes Obscure Complexity Of The Issue.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/21/abortion-foes-obscure-complexity-of-the-issue/) - For 40 years, religious conservatives have fought against a woman's constitutional right to end a pregnancy. They have pushed laws that would deny government funding for medical clinics performing abortions. They have demanded waiting periods. They have demanded that women be forced to view pictures of fetuses. They have subjected abortion providers to increased scrutiny.
- [Department Of Injustice.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/20/department-of-injustice/) - In my elementary school civics class, I was taught that the key to a democratic government was the rule of law; that everyone is equal under the law; that Lady Justice was blind to money, power and influence. In other words, my teacher lied. It wasn’t that she intended to. And, at the time, it
- [Extremists And Cowards.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/18/extremists-and-cowards/) - Bullies and weaklings; a**holes and chickensh*ts; Teapublicans and Democrats. Whatever you want to call them, many of the people who now take up seats in Congress generally fall into one of these two categories. Never has the distinction been more obvious than following the latest vote on "Obamacare." 39 cowards chose to join the right
- [From Obstruction To Subversion.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/19/from-obstruction-to-subversion/) - By now, we all know the incredible lengths to which Teapublicans have gone in order to repeal, defund and obstruct “Obamacare.” But now, it seems, Teapublicans have taken a step over the cliff to outright subversion. It appears one of the reasons for the difficulties of the HealthCare.gov website is a cyber attack tool named
- [JFK RIP.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/22/jfk-rip/) - Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, yet after all of these years, there are still many questions about his death. Did Oswald act alone? How could one man fire three bullets from the bolt-action rifle in such a short time when no other marksman has been able to
- [Blessed Be The Peacemakers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/25/blessed-be-the-peacemakers/) - In one of the most encouraging deals in decades, the US and other western powers reached a deal with Iran President Hassan Rouhani to limit Iran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for a relaxation of economic sanctions on Iran. Although merely the first step in a long process, it could make the Middle East and
- [Holiday Spirit According To Walmart And McDonald's.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/11/26/holiday-spirit-according-to-walmart-and-mcdonalds/) - Last week, several large retailers made headlines by announcing that they would be open on Thanksgiving Day. Not content with the usual mad rush to sell holiday gifts on Black Friday, the retailers are hoping to increase sales by dragging their employees away from their families and the dinner table. Chief among the holiday scrooges
- [The Sovereign State Of Arizona?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/03/the-sovereign-state-of-arizona/) - The State of Arizona has always been home to a somewhat contentious sort of people. Settled by prospectors and ranchers, many of whom were escaping the rules of civilization, it has never had a warm relationship with Washington. Yet, it has long sought to benefit from federal largess. Prior to 1912, the people of Arizona Territory
- [Impeach Obama?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/04/impeach-obama/) - In the fantasy world of right wing crazies, the impeachment of President Obama is becoming a greater possibility. For example, Michele "Batsh*t Crazy" Bachmann recently told viewers of Fox News Channel that President Obama has "rewritten the Constitution to serve his own purposes." First, I doubt that Bachmann has ever actually read the Constitution. Second,
- [The Tao Of Politics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/05/the-tao-of-conservative-republicans/) - I am not a Taoist. Nevertheless, I have learned that the philosophy of Taoism has much to offer. The Taoist concept of Yin and Yang holds that nothing is ever entirely black or white; hard or soft; good or bad. Taoism teaches that good people can do bad things. It also teaches that those we
- [Conservatives Take Aim At Government Labor Unions.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/06/conservatives-take-aim-at-government-labor-unions/) - This year, conservatives are gathering lumps of coal for most Americans' Christmas stockings. We can soon expect to see multi-million dollar assaults on many of the nation’s remaining social institutions and programs. At the federal level, conservatives in Congress are seeking to cut another $4 billion to 40 billion from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program
- [Mourning Mandela.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/09/mourning-mandela/) - It has been said that one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist. No statement more accurately describes Nelson Mandela. Mandela began his career as an activist by non-violently demonstrating against South African apartheid. When the white South African government responded with exceptional brutality, Mandela and his followers reluctantly turned to terrorism. But rather than
- [Public Versus Private. Corporations Versus People.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/10/public-versus-private-corporations-versus-people/) - Ever since President Ronald Reagan said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are I’m from the government and I’m here to help,” conservatives have attributed virtually all of our problems to the federal government. They believe that the government cannot do anything well. As a result, they have continually cut taxes in
- [Why We Can Never Return To The Nostalgic Post-War US Of The Baby Boomers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/11/why-we-can-never-return-to-the-nostalgic-post-war-us-of-the-baby-boomers/) - The Baby Boomers who comprise the majority of the Tea Party movement fondly recall the world of their youth; a world of cheap gasoline, muscle cars, rock 'n roll, full employment and US world dominance. They want that world back. And they are convinced that the only thing standing between them and the world of
- [A Case For Renaming The Department Of Defense.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/12/a-case-for-renaming-the-department-of-defense/) - Until 1947, the United States military operated under the name Department of War. At that time, it split into the Department of the Army, the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy. Then, in 1949, the service branches were brought together under a new name - the Department of Defense (DoD).
- [Affluenza: Too Rich To Jail.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/16/affluenza-too-rich-to-jail/) - The young Texas boy who was given probation for killing four pedestrians and critically injuring two of his companions while driving drunk is less the exception than you may think. Certainly, his defense of pleading guilty to being a spoiled brat is unique. But the end result was not. Instead of going to jail, the
- [The Privatization Fraud.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/17/the-privatization-fraud/) - For many years, the GOP has called for smaller government while, at the same time, extolling the virtues of privatization. GOP politicians have pushed for private schools through tax incentives and vouchers. In many states, they have turned the operation of prisons over to private, for-profit corporations. And thanks to the GOP, many of the
- [Prisoners Of Greed.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/18/prisoners-of-greed/) - Contrary to popular belief, crime does pay. But not in the way you think. It’s not necessarily the criminals who profit. It’s the corporations that imprison them. You see, more and more of our states are replacing state-run prisons with prisons run by private corporations. And since the US has 25 percent of the world’s
- [Putting Pagan Back In The Solstice.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/20/putting-pagan-back-in-the-solstice/) - It’s that time of year when, once again, we are treated to the annual Fox News Channel “War on Christmas” diatribes. For some reason, the Fox pundits believe that wishing someone “Happy Holidays” is an insult to Christianity. It's not. It's simply a sentiment intended to include those of all religious backgrounds. Certainly, the majority
- [We Could All Learn From "The Jerk."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/19/what-we-could-all-learn-from-the-jerk/) - The Jerk, starring Steve Martin, has long been one of my favorite movies. Not only is it filled with great comedy, it is filled with wisdom and life lessons. One such lesson is represented by the scene in which Martin’s character, Navin, first sees his name listed in the phone book. “I am somebody!” he
- [Happy Holidays!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/25/happy-holidays/) - Enjoy your celebration of Christmas or whatever moves you. May you share it with family and friends!
- [Dumb Dynasty.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/23/dumb-dynasty/) - Last week, social media were overwhelmed with the Duck Dynasty scandal after the program's “star,” Phil Robertson likened homosexuality to bestiality and talked glowingly about the days of Jim Crow. In an interview with GQ, he said, “I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once … They were godly;
- [The Conservative War Against Labor.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/26/the-continuing-war-against-labor-unions/) - In the years following the Great Depression, labor unions were popular and thriving. The Wagner Act of 1935, also known as the National Labor Relations Act, guaranteed workers the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike. As a result, union workers, particularly those in mining and manufacturing, experienced dramatic gains in salaries and
- [Environmental Suicide.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/27/environmental-suicide/) - Many years ago, a scientist named Paul Ehrlich convinced me of the dangers of uncontrolled population growth. He helped create an organization named Zero Population Growth (ZPG) which called for couples to have no more than two children – the number needed to replace the parents while maintaining the existing population. At the time, the
- [A New Kind Of Pope.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2013/12/30/a-new-kind-of-pope/) - Much has already been written about Pope Francis, but I can’t resist adding my two cents worth. For much of my life I found myself contrasting various religious leaders. The most remarkable contrast was between the Dahli Lama and Pope Benedict XVI. Where the Dahli Lama sought to find the similarities of all religions, too
- [Good News/Bad News For 2014 And Beyond.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/01/good-newsbad-news-for-2014-and-beyond/) - For the New Year, I thought it appropriate to list a few of the accomplishments from 2013. First the good news: 1 - Millions more Americans now have health insurance thanks to Obamacare. More than 2 million have signed up on the federal and state exchanges, tens of millions more will benefit from Medicaid expansion.
- [Cutting Through The GOP’s Economic Talking Points.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/03/cutting-through-the-gops-economic-talking-points/) - Almost from the first day President Obama took office, conservatives have howled about his economic policies. They blamed him for growing the national debt. They blamed him for record deficits. They created the Tea Party to protest taxes, even though they were at historic lows.They labeled Obama a socialist for saving the auto industry. They
- [Stone Cold GOP.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/06/stone-cold-gop/) - I can think of no better way to describe Teapublicans' failure to extend benefits for the 1.3 million long-term unemployed. After all, these are people who, through no fault of their own, are hanging on by their fingernails. Instead of offering them a hand, Teapublicans seem unwilling to give them anything but some nail clippers. Nevertheless,
- [Paying It Forward.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/08/paying-it-forward/) - Renewing the Emergency Unemployment Compensation bill would add $25.2 billion to the current federal budget. Right wing politicians and media outlets tell us that we can’t afford such “giveaways” unless they are offset by other spending cuts. Oddly, they have no such requirements for subsidies to defense contractors, the oil industry, the financial industry, big
- [CBS' “60 Minutes" Fails Again!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/07/cbs-60-minutes-fails-again/) - After its well-publicized failure to report the truth about the attack on our Benghazi consulate, one would expect that CBS, particularly its 60 Minutes crew, would be careful to assure accuracy in future reports. Yet, this past Sunday, just 10 weeks after its Benghazi debacle, 60 Minutes failed again. In attempting to uncover government waste
- [Follow The BIG Money.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/10/follow-the-big-money/) - In a previous post, I referenced a study from Bulls, Bears and the Ballot Box which found that Democratic presidents have been better for the economy than Republican presidents despite GOP claims to the contrary. The question is why. After all, isn’t the GOP the party of business? In a word, yes, but only big
- [Stop Blaming Bush?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/08/stop-blaming-bush/) - On today's edition of The Diane Rehm Show on NPR, a conservative asked the question, "Can we all admit that this is no longer George W. Bush's economy?" It's a fair question. We are, after all, about to begin the sixth year of the Obama administration. So I, for one, am more than willing to concede the
- [Bullying On A Massive Scale.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/09/bullying-on-a-massive-scale/) - We have now learned that a top aide to Gov. Chris Christie ordered the closure of two access lanes to the world's busiest bridge as political payback. Apparently, the aide was angry that the Democratic mayor of Ft. Lee failed to endorse Christie in his successful re-election campaign. That public officials in New Jersey would use their offices to
- [Tricky Dicky Lives On!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/13/tricky-dicky-lives-on/) - In the 1972 presidential campaign, President Nixon was overwhelmingly re-elected thanks to his “Plumbers,” Nixon’s infamous dirty tricks team that was exposed at Watergate. The team, which was tied directly to the White House, consisted of E. Howard Hunt, G. Gordon Liddy, CIA liason John Paisley, James McCord, Donald Segretti, and who one knows how
- [Is God A Conservative?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/15/is-god-a-conservative/) - Archeologists and religious historians know that the gospels of the Bible were written by a variety of authors over a period of hundreds of years. The Vatican then sorted through dozens of gospels, ignoring those they found contradictory or unsuitable, before settling on the Bible as we know it today. Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek,
- [What Next For “60 Minutes?”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/14/what-next-for-60-minutes/) - 60 Minutes was founded as a weekly news show from the premier broadcast news organization. The idea was that, as a news program with a full hour to devote to a few stories, it would have the time to thoroughly investigate issues and report beyond the headlines. It became a huge success. For decades, Mike Wallace,
- [Beheading More Right Wing Lies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/17/beheading-more-right-wing-lies/) - According to the right wing blog, Freedom Outpost, “more than 68,105 new medical codes are being added due to the Obamacare monstrosity.” The blog claims that the codes are intended to “link us to the international system created by the World Health Organization (WHO). It goes on to state, “One thing is for sure. This
- [The Symbology Of Politics.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/23/the-symbology-of-politics/) - You can tell a lot about people from the symbols they choose to attach to their bodies, their cars and their homes. In the Sixties, a generation wore long hair and tie-died clothing as the symbols of revolution. In the Eighties, Yuppies (Young Upwardly Mobile Professionals) turned to pricey brand labels and t-shirts from vacation spots
- [Why Teapublicans Are Wrong About Government.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/20/why-teapublicans-are-wrong-about-government/) - After all of the GOP talk of “freeing businesses from government regulation” and “shrinking government down to a size small enough to fit in a bathtub,” it’s time to force a dose of reality down their loudmouth throats. No matter how much they rant about the "evils" of government, we need government to do a
- [What The Most Recent Shootings Tell Us About Access To Guns.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/16/what-the-most-recent-shootings-tell-us/) - The shooting in the Florida movie theater that left the father of two dead was not carried out by a reclusive young male who was mentally ill and felt spurned by society. It was carried out by what most people consider a highly qualified gun owner…a retired police officer who was merely upset by a young
- [An Irresponsible Corporation’s Last Resort.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/21/an-irresponsible-corporations-last-resort/) - Last Friday, it was announced that the company responsible for the chemical spill in West Virginia, Freedom Industries Inc., had filed for bankruptcy protection and is in the process of selling its assets to a newly created corporation headed by (you guessed it) the former CEO of Freedom Industries. What better way for a group
- [The Slavery We Ignore.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/22/the-slavery-we-ignore/) - Despite the emancipation of African-American slaves, slavery in the US is not over. Not by a long shot. Today’s slaves are African-Americans, Caucasions, Asians, Latinos…even children. And instead of working on plantations, they work in hotels, bedrooms and massage parlors. I’m referring, of course, to the sex trade in which thousands of people…mostly women…are held
- [Senatorial Amnesia?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/27/senatorial-amnesia/) - It is well-known that there were more filibusters during Obama’s first term than in the entire previous history of the Senate, forcing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to resort to the extraordinary measure of changing Senate rules. As a result of the GOP obstruction of presidential appointments, federal judicial offices are grossly understaffed and overworked.
- [Another Perspective On The Racist Frat Party At ASU.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/24/another-perspective-on-the-racist-frat-party-at-asu/) - The weekend before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the clueless frat rats at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Arizona State University decided the best way to celebrate was with a “blackoutformlk” party. Those who attended the all white party wore basketball jerseys, hip hop clothing, some reportedly even wore black face make-up. They also drank
- [The Politics Of Division And Deception.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/29/the-politics-of-division-and-deception/) - For many years, the GOP has used so-called “social” issues, such as proposed anti-abortion legislation and “sanctity of marriage” laws to divide the voting populace and fire up their base. The Democratic Party has focused on issues like social safety nets, minimum wages and availability of health care. And the debate has left our government
- [Congress Versus The American People.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/28/congress-versus-the-american-people/) - Politicians, especially Republicans, are fond of saying that they have faith that the American people will always do the right thing. Hmmm...that raises a number of questions. If politicians believe the American people are so smart, why don't they do what the people want them to? Why have they refused to vote for universal background checks on all
- [The Real Cost Of Fossil Fuels.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/01/30/the-real-cost-of-fossil-fuels/) - The chemical spill in West Virginia that polluted the drinking water of more than 300,000 people should remind everyone of the real cost of fossil fuels. As you know, conservatives are fond of saying that subsidies for research and the expansion of alternative energy are unfair; that they disguise the true cost of solar, wind
- [A Memorial To Gun Victims?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/01/a-memorial-to-gun-victims/) - A new study by Dr. John Leventhal, professor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine, found that firearms kill more than 3,000 children each year in the US. Another 7,000 are wounded badly enough to be hospitalized, most from assaults. And those are just the statistics for children! Overall, there are more than 11,000
- [Worse Than Iraq.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/03/worse-than-iraq/) - This past Saturday, the United Nations reported that at least 733 Iraqis had been killed and at least 1,229 wounded in January as the result of violence. Worse, the UN said that the numbers did not include Anbar province due to problems verifying the numbers killed. Those numbers are startling and they justifiably made headlines in
- [Guns In The Neighborhood.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/04/guns-in-the-neighborhood/) - I live in a small development near several tourist destinations in Arizona. There’s absolutely nothing remarkable about the neighborhood other than it is primarily populated by retirees from California and snowbirds from New England and the Midwest. The neighborhood has virtually no crime and has never experienced a home invasion. Despite this, I have to
- [The Great Debate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/06/the-great-debate/) - On Tuesday, Bill Nye “The Science Guy” debated Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum…you know, the place featuring dioramas of Adam and Eve sharing the Earth with dinosaurs. I give credit to Ham. Not only did he pay Nye’s substantial speaking fee for the event. He risked exposing his supporters to a dose of
- [Patriots Across The Border.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/11/patriots-across-the-border/) - Last week, KPHO-TV in Phoenix aired a story about US military veterans who have been hired as assassins by Mexican drug cartels. It noted that at least four US veterans have been arrested in Mexico and charged with working as hit men for the cartels and others have been approached by the cartels. One of those
- [GOP Identity Thieves.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/07/gop-identity-thieves/) - Last week, it was revealed that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has created numerous websites pretending to be fundraising sites for 18 Democratic Congressional candidates. For example, if you Google Kyrsten Sinema, you may be led to a site headlined “Kyrsten Sinema for Congress.” But unless you notice the small subhead that reads, “Make a
- [Has Our Education System Failed Teapublicans?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/10/has-our-education-system-failed-teapublicans/) - Over the last several years, it has become obvious that Republicans and their Tea Party Parasites lack basic comprehension skills. For example, when the President made a speech talking about the role of government, he said, “…look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always
- [The Man Who Saved Nukes.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/17/the-man-who-saved-nukes/) - In 1986, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev asked for a meeting with President Ronald Reagan. When they met in October of that year, Gorbachev surprised Reagan by offering what may have been the greatest gift in history. He proposed a realistic path that would lead to total nuclear disarmament. It would have resulted in the mutual destruction of all nuclear warheads over
- [The Growth Of Hate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/14/the-growth-of-hate/) - The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which monitors hate groups and other extremists throughout the US, reports that the number of hate groups has grown by 67 percent since 2000. The SPLC website states, “Currently, there are 1,007 known hate groups of neo-Nazis, Klansmen, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, racist skinheads, black separatists, border vigilantes and others.”
- [Unreasonable Trade-Offs.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/19/unreasonable-trade-offs/) - After seeing a headline by David Suzuki “Trading Water for Fuel is Fracking Crazy,” I started thinking about all of the trade-offs we’re being asked to make. Yes, as Suzuki points out, we are being asked to trade the purity of fresh water in our aquifers that took hundreds and thousands of years to accumulate
- [Does Freedom Of Religion Include Freedom To Discriminate?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/21/does-freedom-of-religion-include-freedom-to-discriminate/) - As you know, the First Amendment of our Constitution says “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” Unfortunately, there is a segment of our society that believes those words give them the right to infringe on others’ civil rights. Some of that segment are members of the
- [Vote For SB 1062? Who Me?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/25/vote-for-sb-1062-who-me/) - Since the bill legalizing discrimination on religious grounds passed the Arizona Senate, three of the Teapublicans who voted for the bill are now calling for our finger-wagging governor to veto it. They claim that they really didn't understand all of the bill's implications in their rush to vote it into law. But now that the
- [Arizona Legislator Reveals Who Really Runs The State.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/26/arizona-legislator-reveals-who-really-runs-the-state/) - During an interview on All In With Chris Hayes, Arizona State Senator Steve Pierce tried to explain why he voted for SB 1062 before asking the governor to veto it. He said that he really didn’t know what the bill said – that it was written by the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP), which describes
- [The Groups Behind The Group Behind The Group Behind The Legislators Behind The Bill.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/26/the-groups-behind-the-group-behind-the-group-behind-the-legislators-behind-the-law/) - Passage of SB 1062 by the Teapublican dimwits in Arizona’s legislature gives the impression that the entire state is intolerant, narrow-minded and bass-ackward. Of course, that is partially true. After all, Kansas, Maine, South Dakota and Tennessee all considered the same bill and ultimately rejected it. However, Arizona doesn’t deserve all the credit for being
- [Arizona Receives A Jolt Of Reality.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/27/arizona-jolted-with-reality/) - In a rare moment of clarity, Governor Jan Brewer vetoed Arizona's anti-gay legislation disguised as a "religious freedom" bill. But don't get the idea that Brewer had an epiphany of tolerance and inclusiveness. What she had was the commercial equivalent of electro-shock therapy. Not only had some of Arizona's largest corporations - American Airlines, Intel
- [Why Do Democrats Apologize When Teapublicans Won’t?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/02/28/why-do-democrats-apologize-when-teapublicans-wont/) - Every day, Teapublican leaders and their spokesmouths say something offensive to our president, to women, to minorities, to the poor, to non-Christians, and to Democrats. For example, Texas Senatorial candidate Chris Mapp recently said ranchers should be allowed to shoot “wetbacks.”Virginia State Sen. Steve Martin wrote that a pregnant woman is “just a host” and
- [Men (And Women) Of War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/04/men-and-women-of-war/) - Now that the political upheaval in Ukraine is reaching a critical juncture, the usual warmongers are blustering and calling for military threats. At the same time, they’re blaming President Obama for “weak foreign policy.” Exactly which foreign policy do they consider weak? The policy that ferreted out and killed Osama bin Laden? The policy of
- [Illusion Of Democracy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/10/illusion-of-democracy/) - The passage of SB 1062 by the Arizona legislature and subsequent veto by Governor Brewer drew national attention. But there's one aspect of the incident that has gone largely overlooked...the fact that the legislation was not written by an Arizona legislator. It was written by a national stink tank, Alliance Defending Freedom and pushed by
- [If Obama's Foreign Policy Was More Like Reagan's...](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/06/if-obamas-foreign-policy-was-more-like-reagans/) - Following the Russian confrontation in Crimea, the neocon politicians and right wing media have compared President Obama's foreign policy to that of their idol's - Ronald Reagan. Since I don't remember those days as fondly as they do, and I remember conversations during a trip to Europe in which Europeans stated that they feared the US
- [Five Times The Distance. Five Times The Spills?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/07/five-times-the-distance-five-times-the-spills/) - The debate over the Keystone XL pipeline is puzzling on many fronts. We hear that the pipeline will create jobs (although the number has been greatly exaggerated); that it’s safer than transporting oil by train; that it will lessen US dependency on foreign oil. Disregarding the fact that oil from the Alberta tar sands is
- [The Costs Of Deregulation.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/14/the-costs-of-deregulation/) - For nearly 40 years, those politicians who represent big business have been pushing an agenda of deregulation. They want to “get the government out of the way of business.” And they have been amazingly successful. Since the push for deregulation began, we have deregulated airlines resulting in lost service, rising airfares for many, the demise
- [Crimean Crisis Began With Bush.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/12/crimean-crisis-began-with-bush/) - When Mikhail Gorbachev called an end to the Cold War, President George H. W. Bush agreed that there would be no expansion of NATO. Bush also agreed that, following the reunification of Germany, NATO troops and weapons would not be permitted on former East German soil. This was not only necessary to ensure the security
- [Illusion Of Justice.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/17/illusion-of-justice/) - Since the founding of our nation, Americans have always taken pride in our rule of law. In civics class we learned that this was what distinguished our country from others; that it provided protection from unreasonable search and seizures; that it guaranteed us a quick and fair hearing before a jury of our peers; that
- [Are Women Mere Hosts?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/19/are-women-mere-hosts/) - Are they the property of men to do with as they wish? Are they mere vessels designed to do little more than nurture the male seed? Are they organisms good only for child-bearing and child-rearing? Do they not enjoy any civil rights of their own? That, in fact is the view of fundamentalist Muslims. It’s also,
- [We Can’t Afford That Anymore.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/24/we-cant-afford-that-anymore-2/) - Whenever someone proposes rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, improving schools, funding research for chronic diseases, helping the unemployed, treating the mentally ill, paying pension obligations to public employees, etc., our politicians are quick to say that we can’t afford those things anymore. Say what? The richest nation on Earth can’t afford to meet the needs of
- [Do Religious Beliefs Trump Scientific Facts And The Common Good?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/26/do-religious-beliefs-trump-scientific-facts/) - Can a for-profit corporation have religious beliefs? If so, who defines the corporation’s beliefs? Is it the CEO? The Board of Directors? The shareholders? Do the corporation’s religious beliefs out-weigh those of its employees? If so, are there any limits on those beliefs? May the corporation cite those beliefs in denying service to customers? What
- [With Friends Like These...](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/28/with-friends-like-these/) - The Karzai government in Afghanistan was put in place with the help of the US. Since the government is a supposed ally, we have spent more than $100 billion to rebuild the country that the Soviets and we destroyed – more than we spent to rebuild Japan or Germany after World War II; more than
- [Why "Obamacare" Won't Be Repealed.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/03/31/why-obamacare-wont-be-repealed/) - As of last week, more than 6 million people have signed up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges and that number is expected to grow to as many as 7 million by the end of today. Roughly one-third of those people were previously uninsured. Another 4.5 million people have gained health
- [All Men Are Created Equal?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/01/all-men-are-created-equal/) - That’s what our Declaration of Independence stated. But it wasn’t true. In fact, African-Americans were considered three-fifths of a person and held in slavery for nearly a hundred years longer. Native Americans were slaughtered and herded onto reservations in order to steal their land. Chinese-Americans were virtually enslaved to build our railroads. And women were
- [Supreme Injustice.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/02/supreme-injustice/) - The Supreme Court decision in McCutcheon et al v Federal Election Commission is the next step in our march from democracy to plutocracy allowing the rich to dominate our political system even more than they already have. In a series of 5-4 decisions with "conservatives" in the majority, the Court has ruled that money equals free speech;
- [T.G.F.M. (Thank God For Mississippi!)](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/07/t-g-f-m-thank-god-for-mississippi/) - Last month, Arizona made national and international headlines for SB 1062, the highly discriminatory bill that would allow businesses to refuse service based on religious beliefs. In the short time between the legislature passing the bill and Governor Brewer’s veto, the state lost tens of thousands in convention and tourism business.The state also received threats from
- [Shoddy…er...Hobby Lobby.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/10/shoddyer-hobby-lobby/) - As you may know, the Supreme Court of the United States recently heard Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Inc., a case brought against the Department of Health and Human Services by a few Christian zealots led by the founders of Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood. In their lawsuit, they are challenging the Affordable Care Act’s requirement
- [Pennsylvania School Attack Highlights The Need For Gun Control.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/11/pennsylvania-school-attack-highlights-the-need-for-gun-control/) - Following the school stabbing incident in Pennsylvania, the nation’s gun lobby is almost certain to draw comparisons to school shootings. They’ll likely claim that guns are no more dangerous than knives or clubs. They’ll point to the number of stabbings and beatings in the US. They’ll likely say that a crazed person with a weapon –
- [Nevada Rancher Is Just Another Ungrateful “Taker.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/13/nevada-rancher-is-just-another-ungrateful-taker/) - The Tea Party and those who believe states' rights trump the federal government have hailed Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy as a “freedom fighter” and an “American hero” for standing against the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. But the fact is, by the definition of Mitt Romney, he’s just another one of
- [Conservative Death Wish?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/16/conservative-death-wish/) - For nearly two decades, conservatives have denied...no, scoffed at...climate change. The Koch brothers paid scientists to create reports showing that climate change was a fraud. Republicans first created, then voted against, the idea of Cap and Trade. The Tea Party pushed the Agenda 21 conspiracy saying that a UN plan for global sustainability was a
- [Time For U.S. To Show Leadership.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/18/time-for-u-s-to-show-some-leadership/) - Actually, it’s long past time. Had the United States shown leadership when scientists first explained the consequences of climate change, when Al Gore released his Inconvenient Truth, we might have already recreated our economy, inspired other nations and generated millions of jobs. Instead, conservatives chose to politicize the issue to protect Bush/Cheney’s interests in Big
- [An Act Of Sedition.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/21/an-act-of-sedition/) - After watching videos of the armed confrontation between Cliven Bundy and federal agents executing a legal court order, I realized that I was watching more than a political demonstration or civil disobenience. When Bundy’s crowd of armed milita threatened government officials by drawing their weapons and taking aim from sniper positions, they crossed a very
- [20 Things President Obama Should Do After The Mid-Terms.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/23/20-things-president-obama-should-do-after-the-mid-terms/) - In no particular order of importance: Normalize relations with Cuba. Support Palestine for UN membership. End the War on Drugs and begin the process of decriminalization. Renew calls for a Public Option as part of the Affordable Care Act. Negotiate pharmaceutical prices as all other industrialized nations have done. Rally Americans to aggressively deal with
- [Middle East Peace Held Hostage By Four Terrorist Groups.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/25/middle-east-peace-held-hostage-by-four-terrorist-groups/) - Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement that Israel is withdrawing from US-brokered peace talks with Palestinians came as no surprise. He and his conservative Israeli supporters have long looked for an excuse...any excuse...to avoid peace. That excuse presented itself when Palestinians announced that Fatah and Hamas, the two largest political parties in Palestine, had joined hands
- [Obamacare “Failure” Is Looking More And More Like A Success.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/28/obamacare-failure-is-looking-more-and-more-like-a-success/) - On Thursday, April 17, 2014 President Obama announced that more than 8 million people have signed up for Obamacare through the federal exchange. Another 1.9 million have signed up through state-run exchanges. Those numbers don’t even include the 3 million young adults who were able to stay on their parents’ plans and the 3 million
- [IRS Did Not Unfairly Target Tea Party.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/04/30/irs-did-not-unfairly-target-the-tea-party/) - In 2013, it was alleged that the IRS had subjected Tea Party groups that applied for nonprofit status to extra scrutiny. Led by Fox News, hate radio and Rep. Darrell Issa's House Oversight committee, the right howled with indignity. The IRS Director was removed from office. IRS agent, Lois Lerner was vilified. There were even charges
- [A New Understanding Of Life And Death.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/02/a-new-understanding-of-life-and-death/) - After studying ancient Hebrew with an old Jewish rabbi, a friend once told me that the ancient term for God or Yaweh is pronounced “huuah,”…similar to the sound one makes when exhaling forcefully. He said that, in addition to being defined as God, it also means “breath.” My understanding of the Buddhist tradition is that consciousness is
- [Why Religion Is Failing.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/05/why-religion-is-failing/) - In many European nations, churches and cathedrals stand empty, saved from the wrecking ball only because of their historic value. In some cities, the buildings are occupied by tourist information centers; by clothing stores; by shopping malls; by nightclubs; even by strip clubs. Given the current sad state of affairs exhibited by many religions, this
- [Congress Should Have Given As Much Attention To Iraq As Benghazi.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/07/congress-should-have-given-as-much-attention-to-iraq-as-benghazi/) - Congress has spent far more time debating and analyzing the events at Benghazi than it did the invasion of Iraq. The results of the terrorist attacks on the US Consulate in Benghazi resulted in the tragic deaths of four Americans. While the cavalier invasion of Iraq led to the deaths of 4,486 US soldiers and,
- [What Good Are Smart Guns With So Many Dumb Gun Owners?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/10/what-good-are-smart-guns-with-so-many-dumb-gun-owners/) - The National Rifle Association is apoplectic over attempts to market so-called smart guns by one of their own. They have threatened violence against the guns’ inventor and every retailer who has attempted to sell them. And they have shouted down those who support the guns by calling them just another attempt by the left to
- [Just Politics?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/13/just-politics/) - Last week, the GOP unleashed its new election strategy. Not only did they vote for a “select” congressional committee with 7 Republicans and 5 Democrats to investigate Benghazi yet again (there have already been a total of 13 Congressional hearings, 50 Congressional briefings, 25,000 pages of findings, and numerous media investigations – all with the
- [Our Ongoing National Shame.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/17/our-ongoing-national-shame/) - Teapublicans are fond of saying that racism is no longer an issue. Conservatives on the US Supreme Court have echoed that sentiment in decisions that weakened and overturned affirmative action. Indeed, many conservatives cite affirmative action as a form of reverse racism. And whenever a politician or African-American speaks out against discrimination, conservatives are quick
- [Out Of The Mouths Of Comedians...](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/19/out-of-the-mouths-of-comedians/) - One of the sad facts about today’s media is that the hosts of several satirical “news” comedies are better journalists than the news readers on the so-called news networks. They are often more factual and probe more deeply into stories than many of those who pretend to be journalists. Moreover, they are even willing to take the few
- [VA Problems A Product Of Our Never-Ending Wars.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/21/va-problems-a-product-of-our-never-ending-wars/) - Since taking office in 2009, President Obama has been confronted with an extraordinary list of problems: Two wars, a failing economy, the collapse of our largest financial institutions, a massive number of home foreclosures, a failing auto industry, high unemployment, rising deficits and rising debt. Those are just the problems he inherited the day he
- [Tea Party Is Just Another Version Of Posse Comitatus.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/23/posse-comitatus-rides-again/) - Posse Comitatus is from Latin, meaning “power of the community.” As you might expect, the modern organization by that name rejects the authority of the federal government and any form of taxes. Its roots go back to the origins of our country and it blossomed briefly during the Great Depression. After fading into oblivion for
- [Walmart May Be Finally Getting What It Deserves.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/27/walmart-may-be-finally-getting-what-it-deserves/) - Earnings reports show that same store sales for Walmart have dropped for 5 consecutive quarters. One theory is that the slump is the result of wealth inequality and lower salaries for the bulk of Walmart’s customer base. If so, it couldn’t happen to a better company. Walmart began as the American flag-draped spawn of Sam
- [Horrified By Yet Another Mass Shooting? Get Used To It.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/05/29/horrified-by-yet-another-mass-shooting-get-used-to-it/) - In the history of our nation, our individual citizens have never possessed such lethality. Guns are available to anyone, even children. At the same time, our federal, state and local governments have cut back on social programs, including mental health programs. The combination of the two is certain to ensure that more mentally ill people
- [What Next For VA?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/01/what-next-for-va/) - Now that Gen. Eric Shinseki has resigned as Secretary of Veterans Affairs under pressure from the crass reactionaries and the weak-minded in Congress, what’s next? Shinseki had been charged with taking over an already flawed and expanding system. He dramatically reduced the wait time for those in line for VA benefits. He helped many homeless veterans
- [The Teapublican Zombie Apocalypse.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/03/the-teapublican-zombie-apocalypse/) - Following eight years of the George W. Bush administration, which included two wars (including one pre-emptive war of choice), the failures of FEMA to give aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the crash of the housing market, the nation’s second-largest stock market crash, the bailout of the nation’s largest banks, soaring debt, thousands of
- [McCain Goes Maverick With The Truth Again!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/05/mccain-goes-maverick-with-the-truth-again/) - Having worked with two US Senators on behalf of a friend who had been denied military benefits after being exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, I know how responsive most senators are with regard to veterans’ issues. That’s why it is particularly puzzling that a senator, who is a veteran himself, would not know that
- [Thoughts On The 70th Anniversary Of D-Day.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/07/thoughts-on-the-70th-anniversary-of-d-day/) - I was born on the second anniversary of D-Day and I was raised near Omaha. Maybe that's why I have always been fascinated by those men who had the courage to step off a ship into the cold waters off Normandy and storm Omaha Beach. I didn't know anyone who actually fought on Omaha Beach, but I
- [More Empty Rhetoric About Border Security](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/09/more-empty-rhetoric-about-border-security/) - In recent weeks, a wave of immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador have flooded the Texas border in order to escape political turmoil and extreme poverty in their home countries. The would-be immigrants include more than 48,000 children traveling on their own. With its Texas facilities overwhelmed, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) transported thousands
- [Trading "Terrorists" For A “Deserter.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/16/trading-terrorists-for-a-deserter/) - The US, Israel and other countries have long said, “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.” But that’s not exactly true. After all, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. And there have been many exceptions to that rule. For example, Israel once exchanged more than a thousand “terrorists” for one of its soldiers. And, of
- [Time To Rethink The Language Of Hate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/10/time-to-rethink-the-language-of-hate/) - Following the murder of two Las Vegas cops and a “good guy with a gun,” it’s time to take a long look at those who are fomenting anti-government hate. The shooters, Jerad and Amanda Miller, had apparently been inspired by Cliven Bundy, as well as various militias and “patriot” groups. They believed the police officers
- [Ugly Voices From The Past.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/18/ugly-voices-from-the-past/) - Since the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) jihadists invaded Iraq, the media outlets who failed to ask the tough questions in 2002 and 2003 have paraded Bush administration neocons and their apologists from one “news” program to another. In recent days, we’ve heard the warmongering duo of Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. John
- [Advice From A War Criminal.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/20/advice-from-a-war-criminal/) - From The Department Of Who The Hell Cares, Richard “The Dick” Cheney and his unpleasant daughter, Liz (I assume that’s short for Lizard) recently announced that they have formed a Political Action Committee to “restore America.” Restore America to what? To a craven bully that interferes with other governments; that robs resources from third world
- [How To Make White People Roll Their Eyes.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/24/how-to-make-white-people-roll-their-eyes/) - Bring up the subject of reparations for the descendants of slaves and for Native Americans as Ta-Nehisi Coates recently did in the May edition of The Atlantic and most white people will roll their eyes and sputter, “But that was generations ago! I didn’t have anything to do with slavery or genocide.” Such a response
- [Another School Shooting...Yawn.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/26/another-school-shooting-yawn/) - The recent Oregon school shooting was the 74th shooting on or near school property since the slaughter of six and seven-year-olds at Sandy Hook Elementary. Several other school attacks have been discovered before the individuals could carry out their plans. Nevertheless, these shootings are happening at a rate of more than one a week. And
- [Further Disintegration Of Our National Media.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/06/30/further-disintegration-of-our-national-media/) - Nancy Grace’s recent interview with a father whose child had been reported missing was, in a word, disgraceful. By choosing to tell the father on-air that his child had been found demonstrated a lust for sensationalism and insensitivity that defies any journalistic standards. Worse, she first announced to the father that the child had been
- [Vengeance Is Mine?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/01/vengeance-is-mine/) - In Romans 12:19, Bible readers are warned, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” Apparently that message is lost on most so-called Christians in the US. After all, we rank among the top five nations for executions.
- [Immigration Issues Tied To Foreign Policy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/07/immigration-issues-tied-to-foreign-policy/) - Conservatives, especially those in Arizona, California and Texas, are using the recent influx of unaccompanied children from Central America to "prove" that President Obama is neglecting our southern border. They can't seem to comprehend the fact that the children have been apprehended while crossing the border. They weren't just given a pass into the US.
- [Israel’s One-Sided “Justice.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/03/israels-one-sided-justice/) - Although it didn’t make international news, not long ago, two Palestinian boys were kidnapped in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank and killed. Apparently, that is what led to the senseless kidnap and muder of 3 Israeli teenagers. A day after their bodies were found, Israeli jets bombed and strafed Gaza in reprisal for their killings. Not
- [What Is Patriotism?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/05/what-is-patriotism/) - On this Independence Day weekend, movoto.com published a map showing the most and the least patriotic states in America. I might not have paid it any heed except for the fact that it ranked my former state of Minnesota at #49. The criteria used included the number of National Historic Landmarks per capita (WTF?), the
- [Proof That Racism Is As Rampant And Repugnant As Ever.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/16/proof-that-racism-is-as-rampant-and-repugnant-as-ever/) - In writing the majority decision that struck down key portions of the Voting Rights Act, Chief Justice Roberts stated, “While any racial discrimination in voting is too much, Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to remedy that problem speaks to current conditions.” That’s the same uniformed and misguided mindset that the Court has
- [Conservative “Values.”](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/14/conservative-values/) - Whenever I hear someone talk about “values,” I silently prepare myself to endure yet another lecture about religion, hard work, freedom and patriotism. That’s because conservatives assume that they are the only ones who appreciate such things - the only ones who admire hard work, dedication to family and the benefits of living in the
- [Why Does The Right Feel Free To Interpret Science But Not The Constitution And The Bible?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/19/why-does-the-right-feel-free-to-interpret-science-but-not-the-constitution-and-the-bible/) - If anything, it should be the other way around. The Bible is not only full of contradictions. Most of it was written hundreds of years after the events it portrays, and it has lost meaning with each translation. As for the Constitution, not even its authors thought it was infallible. Indeed, the Founders expected it
- [Does Israel Actually Want Peace?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/22/does-israel-actually-want-peace/) - It's a fair question. Because nearly every time Israel is presented with a real opportunity, it seems to turn, instead, to violence. Israel's latest misadventure was soundly criticized this past Sunday by former Secretary of State Zbigniew Brzezinski during an appearance on Fareed Zakaria’s Global Public Square. When asked if the Israeli invasion of Gaza
- [Where Is Our Conscience?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/26/where-is-our-conscience/) - If the events of this past week disclosed anything, it’s that the people of the United States have no conscience. We not only support a government waging war on civilians, including women and children, resulting in 860 dead and more than 5,000 wounded. We have accelerated deportations of desperate mothers and kids escaping the violence
- [Inversion: The New Name For Corporate Tax Evasion.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/07/30/inversion-the-new-name-for-corporate-tax-evasion/) - Some of the world’s largest corporations were founded in the US. They were capitalized by selling shares to Americans on American stock markets. They relied on our infrastructure, our labor force, and the stability of our currency in order to prosper and grow. That growth was accelerated by tax incentives and government giveaways. They lobbied
- [Where Will This Nonsense End?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/01/where-will-this-nonsense-end/) - This week, the United States House of Representatives voted along party lines to sue the President of the United States for the first time in history. The basis for the lawsuit? Teapublicans claim that President Obama overstepped his legal authority by extending the deadline for the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate for another year –
- [What Good Are Geneva Conventions If We Refuse To Enforce Them?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/05/what-good-are-geneva-conventions-if-we-refuse-to-enforce-them/) - By signing the Geneva Convention on torture, the US agreed that it would never resort to torturing prisoners, and that it would prosecute or extradite anyone who did. So why has the Obama administration refused to press charges of war crimes against George W. Bush, Richard “The Dick” Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, et al?
- [Be Afraid Of The Children. Be Very Afraid!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/07/be-afraid-of-the-children-be-very-afraid/) - A study by Darren Schreiber of the University of Exeter found that the brains of Democrats and Republicans are wired differently. The key characteristic that distinguished Republican brains is in the way they process risk, reward and fear. They are more likely to exhibit fear of any perceived threat...even of change. You can see this
- [WWJT – (What Would Jesus Think)?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/11/wwjt-what-would-jesus-think/) - During a recent sermon, Pastor John Hagee of Cornerstone Church in Texas decried our federal safety net programs by saying, “To those of you who are sick, to those of you who are elderly, to those of you who are disabled, we gladly support you. To the healthy who can work but won’t work, get
- [Drill, Baby, Drill? No, Baby, No!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/08/drill-baby-drill-no-baby-no/) - In order to fuel our energy habit, there are now more than 1.8 million oil wells worldwide. We know that 36 percent – 648,000 – of them will leak. In addition, we know that all of the oil and gas pipelines that crisscross our country will leak. Yes, all of them! And they'll leak, not
- [Democrats Should Listen To Nader.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/14/democrats-should-listen-to-nader/) - For some time, I’ve written about the Democratic Party’s appalling ineptitude with regard to branding and messaging. The party seems utterly incapable of communicating a clear, concise and cogent message. Most voters can recite the Republican brand – “Less government. Lower taxes.” But what does the Democratic Party stand for? What is its brand? Ask
- [Racism And The Militarization Of Police.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/19/racism-and-the-militarization-of-police/) - The current upheaval in Ferguson, Missouri has finally drawn attention to two long-standing problems with law enforcement in the US. Police have been disproportionately arresting and shooting African-American males for decades. Imagine if a member of a predominately black police force shot an unarmed white teenager in a majority white city. How do you think
- [Bullies In Blue.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/21/bullies-in-blue/) - Or black, or khaki, or camoflauge or whatever police officers are wearing these days. The events in Ferguson and St. Louis are by no means unique. But they have called attention to a long-festering problem in the US. I recognize that there are many honorable and well-intentioned police officers. Unfortunately, their good work is being
- [More Questions About Ferguson.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/27/more-questions-about-ferguson/) - Why did the Ferguson police force have only three African-American officers out of a force of 53 when the population of Ferguson is more than 67 percent black? What did Officer Darren Wilson take away from his training at the disgraced Jennings Police Department that was disbanded over racial tensions? Did he bring that training
- [Cop Shootings Prove The Need For Gun Control.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/08/28/cop-shootings-prove-the-need-for-gun-control/) - One of the claims made by the NRA (National Rifle Assh*les) when pushing for expansion of open carry laws is that guns are safe in the hands of individuals who have been properly trained in the use of firearms. Well, either that is false or most of our gun-wielding cops have been poorly trained. In
- [The Real Israeli-Palestinian War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/09/05/the-real-israeli-palestinian-war/) - Since the murder of 3 Israeli teenagers and the revenge killings of more than 2,000 Palestinians, Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a propaganda war. And it appears that Hamas is winning. The disproportionate Israeli attacks on Gaza, including air strikes on hospitals, schools and UN facilities, polls have caused the popularity of Hamas
- [The Home Of Radical Islam.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/09/08/the-home-of-radical-islam/) - ISIS (aka ISIL and the Islamic State), al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the radical Islamic madrassas in Pakistan all have something in common aside from Islam. They have all been funded by Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabia that is sitting on an ocean of oil which has turned a family of desert tribesmen into billionaires; the
- [Qurans At Our Border?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/09/18/qurans-at-our-border/) - As part of election year fear-mongering, conservatives have once again tried to foment fear over our southern border. Some good ol' boy cowboy-hat-wearing nitwit recently appeared on Fox Noise Channel to warn that "Muslim clothing and the Quran book" had been found at campsites near the border. In addition, right wing politicians have warned that
- [Many Problems, One Cause.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/09/23/many-problems-one-cause/) - Every single day, I receive emails and letters from dozens of organizations seeking help: The Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, Oceana, Greenpeace, Walk Free, UNICEF, Care, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, No Kid Hungry, Food and Water Watch, Organic Consumers Association, ACLU, Everytown for Gun Safety...the list goes on and on. While each of
- [Obama Again Forced To Clean Up One Of Bush's Messes.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/09/26/obama-again-forced-to-clean-up-one-of-bushs-messes/) - It has taken most of 5 years for President Obama to clean up the economic mess left by the Bush administration...an economic disaster that former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke labeled as worse than the 1929 crash that led to the Great Depression. Now the Obama administration is determined to clean up the mess created
- [Destroying Our Country To "Save" It.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/09/30/destroying-our-country-to-save-it/) - Former Congressman Ron Paul has long been the darling of the so-called Tea Party "Patriots." Like all of his ilk, he waves the flag and spouts quotes from the Founding Fathers in an attempt to claim the high ground of patriotism. Yet, Paul recently told the National Journal " that he was "real pleased...and a
- [You've Gotta Hand It To Conservatives.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/03/youve-gotta-hand-it-to-conservatives/) - Following the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the GOP employed the Southern Strategy which was designed to employ racism in order to gain votes from long-time southern Democrats. It worked. As a result of the strategy, Republicans were able to win the White House in 1968, 1972, 1980, 1984, and 1988. It took Southerners to
- [The Real Threat From Ebola.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/09/the-real-threat-for-ebola/) - Fox Noise Channel and other right wing media pundits have cranked up the scare-o-meter, and it has nothing to do with Halloween. In fact, it has more to do with the upcoming mid-term elections. They want us to believe that we're all going to die from Ebola-carrying terrorists from ISIS, aka ISIL. And, of course,
- [Take That, Westboro Baptist Church!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/10/take-that-westboro-baptist-church/) - This past Wednesday, a District Judge in Kansas cleared the way for same sex marriages. Yes, Kansas! The state that had become the buckle on the Bible Belt; the state that had become so infamously conservative that it had a book written about it entitled What's The Matter With Kansas? There couldn't be a more
- [Liberals Are Missing The Point About The Affleck-Maher Debate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/14/liberals-are-missing-the-point-about-the-affleck-maher-debate/) - On Real Time with Bill Maher, the two celebrities and author Sam Harris had a lively discussion about religion and, specifically, about Islam. It seemed that Harris and Maher intended to make the point that Islam is like other religions, except that a surprising percentage of its adherents in the Middle East have extremist views.
- [Allison Lundgren Grimes' Campaign A Perfect Example Of Party Incompetence.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/15/allison-lundgren-grimes-campaign-a-perfect-example-of-party-incompetence/) - I'm not referring to Grimes herself, to other Democratic candidates or to the rank and file Democratic volunteers. It's the so-called strategists who demonstrate the most incompetence. They collect millions in fees while seldom venturing outside of Washington, DC. They create cookie-cutter ads for their candidates. They ignore the principles of their own party platform.
- [Why Democratic Candidates Keep Fighting An Uphill Battle.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/21/why-democratic-candidates-keep-fighting-an-uphill-battle/) - The answer is Democratic leadership...or, more precisely, the lack of it. The only discernible strategies of the Democratic Party are to wait for minorities to become the majority and to send a constant barrage of fund-raising emails to registered Democrats in hopes of countering the massive amounts of money from corporations, PACs, Super PACs, and
- [How Does The Koch Money Look In Your State?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/24/how-does-the-koch-money-look-in-your-state/) - In Arizona, it looks as vile and nasty as the people at the Koch refinery for whom I once worked. And I suspect it looks no different wherever you live. If you watch the political ads as carefully as I do (I know, I know, that makes me sound like a masochist), you'll see a
- [Further Evidence That Television News Is A Joke.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/22/further-evidence-that-television-news-is-a-joke/) - It was recently revealed that, before NBC News selected Chuck Todd to host Meet The Press, it tried to convince Jon Stewart to be the host. Yes, that Jon Stewart...the comedian. The same Jon Stewart who currently hosts The Daily Show. That speaks volumes about the quality of television journalism today. Stewart is one of
- [The Only Thing We Really Need To Know About School Shooters.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/27/the-only-thing-we-really-need-to-know-about-school-shooters/) - After the most recent school shooting, the media and law enforcement are, once again, attempting to find out what motivated the shooting. They've analyzed his social media posts. They've interviewed his friends, family members and teachers. They've speculated that he was suffering from mental illness. They've explored his relationships. Everyone wants to know why he
- [A Simple Way To Reform Political Advertising.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/10/29/a-simple-way-to-reform-political-advertising/) - Since the Supreme Court decisions in Buckley v. Valeo, Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC, there have been numerous initiatives to reform election campaigns. Most involve asking Congress to pass Constitutional Amendments that would control election finance or require publicly-funded elections. Though these attempts are admirable and necessary, I think they have little
- [How Teapublicans Cheat.  Let Me Count The Ways.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/11/03/how-teapublicans-cheat-let-me-count-the-ways/) - 1 - Lies: People tend to think that all politicians lie. To some degree, that's true. In order to make a point that can be used as a 20-second sound bite in the news, most politicians stretch the truth or take things out of context. But a recent study shows that Republicans lie much more
- [Delusional Democrats.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/11/06/delusional-democrats/) - The midterm electoral ass-kicking should be a wake-up call for Democrats. Yet, in the hours following the debacle, all I've seen and heard are the same old lame excuses. "Democrats only turn out for presidential elections." "Our candidates were swamped by a tsunami of dark money." "It's the result of Obama's unfavorable numbers." "With the
- [The Not-So-United States.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/11/12/the-not-so-united-states/) - It's the day after Veteran's Day. After flying the Stars and Stripes one last time to honor those who served our nation, Arizona citizens and businesses should be folding up their American flags and storing them away. Or, for the few who still pledge allegiance to the flag, they should remove the star representing Arizona.
- [An Informed Voting Public?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/11/17/an-informed-voting-public/) - Our Founding Fathers created a democracy based on informed voters carefully selecting a representative government. The reality is that, after nearly 240 years, we have neither an informed public nor a representative government. The most recent election is a case in point. After six years of Teapublican obstruction, the approval rating of Congress was lower
- [Greed Versus Poverty.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/11/22/greed-versus-poverty/) - "For the first time in history it is now possible to take care of everybody at a higher standard of living than any have ever known. Only ten years ago the 'more with less' technology reached the point where this could be done. All humanity now has the option of becoming enduringly successful." - Buckminster
- [The Difference Between The Facts And The Truth.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/11/24/the-difference-between-the-facts-and-the-truth/) - Since President Obama's Executive Order on immigration, various news organizations have been crawling all over each other to "fact-check" the president's statements. Predictably, they found a number of things that were at odds with the "facts." What those news organizations fail to recognize is that the facts don't necessarily represent the truth. So I'll do
- [Scandals That Weren't.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/04/scandals-that-werent/) - Since Teapublicans took control of the House in 2011, Rep. Darrell Issa, Rep. Paul Gosar and other extremists have conducted a barrage of hearings with the intent of exposing the misdeeds of the Obama administration. They began by examining government loans made to administration "loyalists" at Solyndra, a start-up manufacturer of solar panels. They moved
- [College Football Playoffs Already A Joke.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/09/college-football-playoffs-already-a-joke/) - The new playoff format for major college football was supposed to eliminate the subjective judgments of the previous BCS (Bowl Championship Series) to choose a true champion. But, in the first year of its existence, the new system has already proven to be fatally flawed. Instead of relying on a variety of polls to choose
- [Tales Of Our Torturer-In-Chief.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/09/tales-of-our-torturer-in-chief/) - The Senate Committee on Intelligence (Yes, I know, there are many who would question if there is any intelligence in Washington) has released its report on torture and its insights into the actions of the CIA under the Bush administration is not pretty. The report shows that waterboarding was only one of the methods used,
- [Why US Must Prosecute Its Architects Of Torture.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/11/why-us-must-prosecute-its-architects-of-torture/) - When President Obama took office, he and Attorney General Eric Holder declined to prosecute crimes committed by the Bush administration...the fraudulent case for the Iraq War, the illegal detention and treatment of the prisoners at Gitmo, and the failure of government agencies to regulate the gambling addiction of Wall Street. The feeling was that the
- [What's A Black Man's Life Worth?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/17/whats-a-black-mans-life-worth/) - In recent weeks we have seen a number of unarmed black men and children killed by police. We have seen video of a non-violent black man being choked to death in Staten Island for failure to pay cigarette taxes. We have heard testimony of a black teenager in Ferguson gunned down by 12 shots even
- [We All Need To Take A Deep Breath.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/22/a-fantastic-analysis-of-police-and-race-relations/) - After the spate of shootings of unarmed black men and children by the police, the failure to file charges, the massive demonstrations, and the retaliatory killings of two police by a mentally ill black man, it's clear that we all need to calm the rhetoric. Charges by conservatives that the cop shootings were caused by
- [Journalism: A Eulogy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2014/12/31/journalism-a-eulogy/) - Last week's admission by Chuck Todd, the host of Meet The Press, was a recognition that he no longer makes any pretense that his show is about journalism. For those who missed it, Todd stated that he dared not challenge a Teapublican guest by challenging a false statement or by asking a difficult question. For,
- [How Our Media Are Failing Us.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/01/05/how-our-media-are-failing-us/) - The US news media were once the envy of the world. TV news gave us legendary journalists such as Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley and Chet Huntley to name just a few. These were people who proudly informed Americans, exposed corruption and provided context for politics. So what happened? How did we go
- [Some Context On The Terrorism In France.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/01/09/some-context-on-the-terrorism-in-france/) - For the last few days, US media have been fixated on the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo. Without question, murdering satirists and innocents over ideology is a horrible, despicable act. But would the story have so dominated the news media if the terrorists were not Muslim? The treatment of similar stories by news media suggests
- [MLK Day: An Update.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/01/19/mlk-day-an-update/) - As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day, it seems appropriate to look at King's legacy in the area of civil rights. By the time Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968, he and his movement had made great strides. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been signed into law making it illegal to
- [State Of The World.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/01/21/state-of-the-world/) - On the day following President Obama's inspiring State of the Union address, I think it appropriate to wonder, if a world leader were to make a State of the World address, what would it be? What would be the calls to action? What accomplishments would it tout? What dire warnings would it contain? If I
- [The Sad State Of Arizona (2015 Edition)](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/01/26/the-sad-state-of-arizona-2015-edition/) - Before the GOP-created Great Recession, Arizona's state economy was based on the fantasy that construction could continue until the entire Sonora Desert was covered by homes, shopping malls and golf courses. So since the housing market crashed, Arizona's economy has languished. While other states were trying to mend their losses by diversifying, stimulating their economies
- [Is Another Civil War Inevitable?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/02/05/is-another-civil-war-inevitable/) - Some on the right believe so. To examine that dire possibility, it's necessary to look at history - the issues that led to the Civil War and the issues created by the defeat of the Confederacy. As any school child knows, the cause of the Civil War was slavery. The primary reason the Union won
- [On Religion, Politics, Terrorism And War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/01/29/on-religion-politics-terrorism-and-war/) - Following World War II, the Korea War and Vietnam, when our soldiers returned home, they tried to resume their previous lives as quickly as possible. Despite their often heroic acts, many declined recognition. Many refused to talk about their experiences...not even with friends, neighbors and families. In part, it was because they did not want
- [No One More Deserving Of Contempt.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/02/02/no-one-more-deserving-of-contempt/) - On Thursday, January 15, a United States District Court Judge called for a contempt of court proceeding against Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed "nation's toughest sheriff." It's a development for which I have only one question: What took so long? The oh-so-tough Sheriff Joe has a long history of deeds that are deserving of contempt. The
- [The True Cost Of America's War Machine.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/02/10/the-true-cost-of-americas-war-machine/) - President Obama just released his proposed budget for 2016. Out of a total budget of $1.15 trillion, $625.2 billion is earmarked for our military. And that doesn't include the $70.5 billion for veterans' benefits. That means $695.7 billion, or 60.4 percent of our total annual budget, will be dedicated to planning for war and dealing
- [How Much Is Enough?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/02/14/how-much-is-enough/) - In 2014, the US spent $612.5 billion on defense. Although numerous sources have reported that this number exceeds the military budgets of the next 12 biggest spenders combined, I find that most people still have trouble getting their minds around the number and even more difficulty putting it into perspective. So let's look at it
- [What's The Matter With Kansas Now?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/02/16/whats-the-matter-with-kansas/) - In 2004, Thomas Frank wrote the book "What's The Matter With Kansas?" which looked into the state's religious and political extremism. It was a fascinating read. But it's time for him to write a sequel because the answer to that question is now more clear. What's wrong with Kansas is Governor Sam Brownback and his
- [Democracy Lost.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/02/democracy-lost/) - In recent years, much has been written about growing inequality. It is, indeed, one of the most important issues of our time. And the effects of big money on our democracy have been devastating. Sure, you may still be able to vote to elect those who are supposed to represent you. But that, alone, does
- [Pillorying Hillary.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/07/pillorying-hillary/) - The media is trying to turn the fact that Hillary Clinton used a personal email account as Secretary of State into another scandal. Of course, the right wing wants us to believe that it is part of the Benghazi conspiracy - a conspiracy that has been debunked by 6 separate commissions. Indeed, the so-called "Select
- [NetanyaWho?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/09/netanyawho/) - As has been widely reported, the Prime Minister of Israel spoke to a joint session of Congress for the third time. Only Winston Churchill has matched that number. However, as you know, this is the first time a leader of another nation has requested and received an invitation to appear before Congress without first going
- [A Step Way Too Far!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/09/a-step-way-too-far/) - The letter sent by GOP senators to the leaders of Iran is certainly not the first attempt by the GOP to undermine our president. But it is, most certainly, the most egregious and the most dangerous. Since President Obama defeated John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, the Republicans in Congress have done everything in
- [The Reality Of Tar Sands Oil.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/16/the-reality-of-tar-sands-oil/) - It's telling that, among the priorities of the new Teapublican-controlled Congress, several bills came to the forefront. In addition to further attempts to repeal Obamacare, Teapublicans prioritized the Keystone XL pipeline and reduced funding for the Environmental Protection Agency. And who would this legislation benefit? Certainly not the general public. The primary beneficiaries are the
- [Is It Time To Break The "Unbreakable Bond?"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/18/is-it-time-to-break-the-unbreakable-bond/) - Following the results of the Israeli elections in which the Likud party led by Benjamin Netanyahu won the most seats in the Knesset, it's time for the United States to make some difficult decisions. In order to push his party over the top, Netanyahu made a last minute statement that he would never agree to
- [The Reality Show I'd Pay To See.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/19/the-reality-show-id-pay-to-see/) - I despise virtually all of the so-called "Reality" TV shows. But there is one show I'd love to see: "Sheriff Joe's Prison Term In Tent City." For years, "America's Toughest Sheriff" has, in reality, been America's Most Corrupt Sheriff. He has ignored court orders and enforced laws as he sees fit. He has racially-profiled Latinos.
- [The Balanced Budget Fraud.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/24/the-balanced-budget-fraud/) - It may sound like a good idea to require the federal government to balance the budget, but it's nothing more than a thinly-disguised way for Teapublicans to shrink government and give corporations free reign to exploit people and resources. Make no mistake, as soon as a balanced budget amendment is passed, if it ever is,
- [United Corporations Of America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/03/30/united-corporations-of-america/) - Now that Congress has been bought by large corporate interests and billionaires, you can clearly see the GOP agenda intended to pay back campaign donors. Some of the very first bills brought forward by the GOP include a bill demanding that President Obama and the State Department approve the Keystone XL pipeline. The stated goal
- [The New F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  My, How Time And Money Fly!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/01/the-new-f-35-joint-strike-fighter-my-how-time-and-money-fly/) - It seems that the United States military-industrial complex has always been good at squandering taxpayer money. But, as the most costly weapons program in our nation's history, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has taken wasteful spending to a new level. The F-35 was supposed to replace the F-16 as the nation's premier fighter jet. But
- [The Ongoing Bloodless Coup.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/03/the-ongoing-bloodless-coup/) - Prior to the Great Depression, the world's financial institutions and industrialists had most everything going their way. Still living in the gilded age, they had been able to stave off labor unions by exercising all of the power their money could muster. But when the stock market crashed and Herbert Hoover failed to right the
- [Iran Deal Is The Best Of Three Options.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/03/iran-deal-is-the-best-of-three-options/) - Whatever you think of the framework to prevent Iran's nuclear arms ambitions, it could be worse. Anyway you look at it, western nations have three possible options: 1 - Negotiate the best deal possible with Iran. 2 - Continue to allow Iran to develop its nuclear capabilities despite our sanctions. 3 - Declare war. There
- [Videos Of Police Abuse Are Just The Tip Of The Iceberg.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/11/videos-of-police-abuse-are-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg/) - The video showing the murder of Walter Scott has re-ignited the debate over police abuse by showing the cold-blooded murder of an unarmed 52-year-old man who was running away from a cop. But this video is no less alarming than other videos showing the strangulation death of a man for selling untaxed cigarettes; the merciless
- [Remembering The Greatest Economic Crash In History.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/21/remembering-the-greatest-economic-crash-in-history/) - Looking back at the market crash of 2008, it's difficult to believe that it represented a greater loss of stock and home equity than any previous crash in American history. Though we may be impatient for a full recovery of jobs and middle class incomes, we should take a few moments to recognize that the
- [The Eleventh Hour For Earth.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/22/the-eleventh-hour-for-earth/) - Half of all the species on Earth have disappeared in the last 40 years. In Malaysia, Indonesia, Africa and Brazil, the destruction of rain forests continues almost unabated endangering thousands more species of plants and animals while belching tons of carbon and methane into the atmosphere. The resulting increase in world temperatures from deforestation, gas
- [America Was Built By Riots.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/04/29/america-was-built-by-riots/) - Although many Americans, especially those who are white, are quick to decry the rioting and looting in predominately black neighborhoods and communities, it should be noted that those involved are simply following a long-standing American tradition. Indeed, the act that inflamed tensions and led to the Revolutionary War was a riot of angry taxpayers looting
- [America's Biggest Losers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/05/08/americas-biggest-losers/) - Texans have always been proud of their state's size and independence as clearly expressed in the tourism slogan: " It's like a whole other country." Since the territory was annexed from Mexico, Texans have seemed to deny their relationship to the US, proudly referring to their state as "The great republic of Texas." In 1861,
- [Whatever Happened To Sportsmanship?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/05/10/whatever-happened-to-sportsmanship/) - Tom Brady's involvement in Deflategate is further evidence of the decline of sports. At their best, sports teach the benefits of teamwork, hard work, determination, fairness and sportsmanship. But over the years, those attributes have been replaced by the effects of money and swollen egos. Witness the seeming indifference by the New England Patriots when
- [You Can Take That To The Bank.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/05/25/you-can-take-that-to-the-bank/) - That used to be a statement of certainty. Americans once considered the bank a place of safety for their money; an island of certainty in an uncertain world. No longer. With the repeal of Glass-Steagall in 1999, banks have become little more than high-end casinos - only casinos have some semblance of integrity. When banks
- [Phoenix Demonstrations Expose Hearts And Minds Of Participants.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/02/phoenix-demonstrations-exposes-hearts-and-minds-of-participants/) - Last weekend's so-called First Amendment demonstration really wasn't about standing up for the Constitution. In addition to sending a message that, under the First Amendment, repulsive hate-mongers have a constitutional right to say whatever they want, it sent a message of religious intolerance. It was intended to deny Muslims their First Amendment guarantee of freedom
- [Guns For Everyone, Everywhere!](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/04/guns-for-everyone-everywhere/) - For years, I thought the National Rifle Association could stoop no lower than its role as shill for the gun manufacturers. The US has never restricted gun ownership, but the NRA has routinely pushed for increased accessibility and ever more lethal weapons. As a result, Americans may now purchase a 50-caliber semi-automatic sniper rifle powerful
- [Why Let Politics And Religion Divide Us?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/06/why-let-politics-and-religion-divide-us/) - In the past 20-30 years, politics have been increasingly used to identify and separate us. We are no longer people who hold a variety of complex ideas that we believe could improve the human condition. We have been reduced to conservatives or liberals...Democrats, Republicans or...gasp... Independents. We cannot have nuanced views. We must join a
- [The Prosperity Gospel Phenomenon.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/25/the-prosperity-gospel-phenomenon/) - There have always been con men; carnival barkers imploring you to take a chance on a game you cannot win; snake oil salesmen asking you to purchase products that don't work; and, in the modern day, hedge fund managers and bankers selling worthless stocks. Maybe the most despicable of all are the mega-church charlatans demanding
- [Rick Perry Reveals The Right Wing Agenda.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/08/rick-perry-reveals-the-right-wing-agenda/) - It would seem that 2012's "Ooops" candidate has had another "Ooops" moment. In launching his 2016 presidential bid, he finally remembered the 3 federal departments he would eliminate: the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and the Department of Energy. And that's not all. He would also eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency, the IRS,
- [Politicization Of Religion.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/15/politicization-of-religion/) - Let me begin by stating that, although I'm not a church person, I am a religious person. My spirituality and my belief in compassion for others is an essential part of my being. Religion can play an important role in keeping order and preventing some from infringing on the rights of others. I wish everyone
- [Symbols Matter.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/06/23/symbols-matter/) - Following the shooting of 9 people at a Bible study group in Charleston, South Carolina, some wonder why so many have called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the statehouse grounds. They claim that the flag is flown to commemorate the state’s history and those who died in service of the Confederacy.
- [There Is No Freedom Without Responsibility.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/06/there-is-no-freedom-without-responsibility/) - The Fourth of July has long been declared a national holiday so Americans can take time to celebrate our freedom. To many Americans, that makes us unique. But, in reality, the US is not the only country with freedom. Indeed, based on a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which looks at 60 indicators in
- [What If The US Were Like The EU?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/13/what-if-the-us-were-like-the-eu/) - The corporate media propagandists have portrayed Greece as a debtor nation unable to get its fiscal house in order due to the laziness and greed of its people. They fail to report that Greece is only in its current situation largely as the result of the US-created mortgage crisis and the greed of huge international
- [So Netanyahu Doesn't Like The Agreement. So What?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/15/so-netanyahu-doesnt-like-the-agreement-so-what/) - Whether or not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likes our nuclear agreement with Iran shouldn't matter. He wasn't in the room while the deal was being made. And if he had been, we'd likely be at war right now. You see, it's clear by now that Netanyahu doesn't want peace in the Middle East. It
- [The GOP Clown Car Has Turned Into A Clown Caravan.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/21/the-gop-clown-car-has-turned-into-a-clown-caravan/) - With John Kasich's recent announcement, there are now officially 16 - count 'em - 16 Teapublicans running for president. That's certainly an impressive number. Now let's talk about how many are actually qualified to be president. Zero. None. Nada. Certainly, some have led their respective states as governors. Others have been elected to Congress. Still
- [Far From A Cancer On The Conservative Movement, Trump Represents It.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/23/trump-isnt-a-cancer-on-the-conservative-movement-he-represents-it/) - Contrary to Rick Perry's assessment of Donald Trump, The Donald embodies everything that's wrong with today's Republican Party. He's loud, arrogant, abusive, mean-spirited, greedy, narcissistic and an unapologetic bully. He's a friend of soulless multinational corporations and an enemy of the environment. He's opposed to immigration, yet he happily hires immigrants for menial, low-paying jobs.
- [What If We Applied The NRA Philosophy Internationally?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/24/what-if-we-applied-the-nra-philosophy-universally/) - Since the latest mass shooting in the United States comes at a time when Teapublicans are denouncing the Iran Nuclear Agreement, it makes me wonder: "What if we treated all armaments the same way as the National Rifle Association and its Teapublican supporters want us to treat guns?" If their answer to mass shootings is
- [Why Iran Began Its Nuclear Program In The First Place.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/28/why-iran-began-its-nuclear-program-in-the-first-place/) - With all of the talk about the agreement between Iran, the US and 5 other world powers, one key aspect has been largely overlooked. Iran may never have tried to develop nuclear weapons had it not been for the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. That ill-conceived and unwarranted act placed US troops at the
- [A Texas-Sized Conspiracy Theory.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/07/31/a-texas-sized-conspiracy-theory/) - As they say, everything is bigger in Texas and apparently tinfoil-hat paranoia is no exception. For those in the North, aka sane people, you may not be aware of Obama's latest attempt to subjugate the people of the South under sharia law. That's right, as a secret Muslim, President Obama has ordered the US military
- [A Voter's Guide To The GOP Debate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/08/06/a-voters-guide-to-the-gop-debate/) - Now that the defacto head of the Republican Party, Roger Ailes of Fox News Channel, has announced the participants in the first GOP presidential debate, here are a few things you should know about the candidates: Donald Trump - You already know he's rich (he tells everyone at every opportunity) and that he's a bully
- [Hall Of Fame Indifference.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/08/11/hall-of-fame-indifference/) - The induction of former San Diego Chargers linebacker, Junior Seau, into the NFL Hall of Fame raises a number of questions. Not about his qualifications for the honor. He is most certainly deserving. It raises questions about NFL team ownership; about the league's Commissioner; about concussion protocol; about the equipment; about the game's rules; about
- [The US Is No Longer A Democracy.  Here's How It Happened.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/08/17/the-us-is-no-longer-a-democracy-heres-how-it-happened/) - Last year, a study from Princeton and Northwestern universities, "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups and Average Citizens," concluded that the US government no longer represents the interests of the majority of the nation's citizens. Instead, it panders to the rich and powerful. In other words, the US has become an oligarchy defined
- [Gold King Mine Spill: What The Headlines Don't Tell You.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/08/21/gold-king-mine-spill-what-the-headlines-dont-tell-you/) - If you've seen the headlines, you no doubt "know" that the EPA unintentionally caused the spill of more than 3 million gallons of toxic sludge into the scenic Animas River. With great glee, the so-called liberal media announced that the Environmental Protection Agency was responsible for polluting our environment. But wait! There's more to the
- [When Journalism Becomes Propaganda.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/08/24/when-journalism-becomes-propaganda/) - Where do you go for news? Do you rely on a single source? Do you read beyond the headlines? Do you take the time to explore beyond the sound bites? Do you take the time to fact check statements by politicians? Do you check the veracity of chain emails and posts on social media? Most
- [What Does Your Party Stand For?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/08/26/what-does-your-party-stand-for/) - These days, it's popular to say that there is no real difference between the political parties; that they are both in the pockets of large corporations. While it is true that, following recent Supreme Court decisions, both parties rely on the wealthy for campaign donations, there are sizeable differences in what the two parties stand
- [Overheating Our Planet, Draining Our Aquifers And Poisoning Our Future.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/09/03/overheating-our-planet-draining-our-aquifers-and-poisoning-our-future/) - It has been well-established that climate scientists are almost unanimous in their warnings of the consequences of climate change as the result of burning fossil fuels. Certainly, man-made global warming is one of the biggest threats of our time. But, unfortunately, it is not the only serious threat to the future of the planet. There's
- [Our Other Civil War.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/09/09/our-other-civil-war/) - This past Labor Day should give us pause to consider its real meaning. More than a 3-day weekend, the unofficial end of summer and a shopping holiday, it's a celebration of labor - the hard-working men and women who built this nation. In many ways, it also represent the end of our second civil war.
- [Time To Extinguish Liberty's Torch?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/09/12/time-to-extinguish-libertys-torch/) - The European response - especially that of the Germans - to mass migration from the Middle East and Southwest Asia stands in stark contrast to the immigration policies of the US. What makes this all the more remarkable is that Germany had relatively little to do with events that led to the crisis. On the
- [No Religious Test.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/09/22/no-religious-test/) - Dr. Ben Carson's recent statement that no Muslim should ever be allowed to become president of the US not only reveals his willingness as an evangelical Christian to discriminate against a significant portion of the US population. It also reveals his ignorance of the Constitution. To wit, Article VI states, "...no religious test shall ever
- [The Attempted Destruction Of A Candidate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/09/29/the-attempted-destruction-of-a-candidate/) - Since she was Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has been the presumptive Democratic nominee for the office of president. And, of course, that has made her the prime target for Teapublican attacks. There is simply no other explanation for the continued investigation into the attack on our Benghazi consulate. In fact, few other incidents in
- [You Don't Need To Pull The Trigger To Be A Mass Murderer.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/10/02/you-dont-need-to-pull-the-trigger-to-be-a-mass-murder/) - There are many examples of such people - the friends and family of mass shooters who ignore warning signs of impending violence, the people on social media who encourage potential shooters, the National Rifle Association for pushing laws that benefit gun manufacturers at the expense of shooting victims, courts that have twisted the Second Amendment
- [Our Present And Future With Guns.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/10/10/our-present-and-future-with-guns/) - According to Harvard's Injury Control Research Center, only 22% of Americans are gun owners. Yet there are an estimated 300 million guns in the US, not including those owned by our military. More than 6 million Americans own 10 or more guns. 10 or more? Seriously? Let's see...a small gauge shotgun for small birds, a
- [Benghazi Selective Hearing Committee.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/10/23/benghazi-selective-hearing-committee/) - Were there breakdowns in security? Was there a cover-up? What led to the terrorist attack? What did the administration know? I'm not referring to Benghazi. I'm referring to the assassination of President Kennedy, the break-in at Watergate, the terrorist attack in Beirut, and the Iran-Contra scandal. None of these tragedies were subjected to anything close
- [Retraining Police To Protect And Serve.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/10/31/retraining-police-to-protect-and-serve/) - Following the most recent example of police brutality at a high school in South Carolina, it is abundantly clear that law enforcement agencies across the country must re-evaluate and re-educate their officers. Too often we've seen officers use excessive force to bully, bruise, wound and kill citizens without probable cause. Far too often, we've seen
- [After Paris, What Next?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/11/16/after-paris-what-next/) - Following the terrorist attacks in Paris, the Republican presidential candidates and others are calling for President Obama to deploy a large force of troops in Iraq and Syria. There are those who want to prohibit Syrian refugees from entering our country...unless they are Christian. And, as with every terrorist attack, there are those who blame
- [Il Douchie.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2015/12/09/il-douchie/) - For some time, I've been trying to figure out who Donald Trump reminds me of. He seems all too familiar...the bullying attitude, the pouty lips, the chin thrust forward in defiance, the arrogant posture, the unbridled narcissism, the sense of privilege, the ridicule of others, the refusal to apologize for anything, the "trust me I'll
- ["Can't We All Just Get Along?"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/01/07/cant-we-all-just-get-along/) - As a result of our on-going fight with ISIS, the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, and hateful, uniformed statements by Donald Trump, the amount of anger toward Muslims has increased. Mostly, it's based on religious differences combined with gross misunderstanding. For example, a post has begun circulating on Facebook asking "Can a good Muslim be
- [The Hoax That Won't Go Away.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/01/11/the-hoax-that-wont-go-away/) - Following the release of videos showing Planned Parenthood employees discussing fetal tissue donations, rightwing politicians continue to call for defunding Planned Parenthood. Even though the videos have been discredited as fraudulently-edited and obtained under false pretenses, and even though defunding the organization would deny healthcare to thousands of women, the ginned-up controversy won't go away.
- [Will Obama's Supreme Court Nominee Be "Borked?"](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/02/19/will-obamas-supreme-court-nominee-be-borked/) - In case you aren't familiar with the history of Supreme Court nominations, the threat refers to President Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork, which was blocked by a Democratic-controlled Senate. But though you may think that turnabout is fair play, the Senate's refusal to confirm the nominee involved a much different set of circumstances than what
- [Okay, GOP. Now What?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/02/22/okay-gop-now-what/) - The past weekend's results in South Carolina and the suspension of Jeb! Bush's campaign leaves only one GOP candidate with the credentials to be president...John Kasich. And though he is extreme enough to collect the votes of some conservatives, he has little chance of winning. The only candidates who have a real chance of winning
- [Trump Is Only A Symptom Of A More Serious Condition.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/03/02/trump-is-only-a-symptom-of-a-more-serious-condition/) - The success of Donald Trump's presidential campaign should come as no surprise to anyone. It has been in the making since the Fairness Doctrine was repealed during the George H.W. Bush administration. That seemingly innocuous decision meant that US broadcast media no longer had to operate in the public interest. No longer held accountable to
- [Why We Should Be Even More Afraid Of Cruz And Rubio Than Donald Trump.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/03/04/why-we-should-be-even-more-afraid-of-cruz-and-rubio-than-donald-trump/) - By now, most people know that Donald Trump is an insensitive, bigoted blowhard who would endanger all Americans and many others throughout the world. Yet despite his lack of policies, his grandiose promises, his angry rhetoric and threats, his refusal to denounce the endorsement by David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan, and his willingness
- [Exposing Republican Lies And The Failures Of A Compliant Media.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/03/12/exposing-republican-lies-and-the-failures-of-a-compliant-media/) - I hope you will indulge me for promoting my new book, Antidote to Fact-Free Politics: Debunking the Falsehoods, Fabrications and Distortions Told by Conservatives and Perpetuated by the Media. It's a culmination of months of research into the partisan lies that are unchallenged by the media, and repeated so often that they have become accepted
- [Beware The Politics Of Self-Righteous Zealotry.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/03/16/beware-the-politics-of-self-righteous-zealotry/) - For many years, we've heard network pundits talk about a "war on Christianity" and call for the US to officially become a Christian nation. Such talk would have made our Founding Fathers cringe. After all, many of them had settled in the US, like some of my ancestors did, as the result of religious persecution
- [Despicable GOP.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/03/23/despicable-gop/) - No, I'm not just referring to the Republican Party's current slate of presidential candidates - although they, alone, should be cause for derision. I'm referring to the Party's ongoing disregard for ethics, human kindness and the Constitution. Witness former Nixon administration staffer John Ehrlichman's recent admission during an interview with Dan Baum for Harper's about
- [SCOTUS Nomination Is Emblematic Of Obama Presidency.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/04/01/scotus-nomination-is-emblematic-of-obama-presidency/) - In 2008, Barack Obama ran for president on a platform of change and hope - hope that he could end division and bring people together. He probably should have known better. After all, the Republican Party had long based their election campaigns on fear and division. So it was no surprise when it became known
- [The Panama Papers? Why Not The Delaware Papers?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/04/11/the-panama-papers-why-not-the-delaware-papers/) - While the Panama Papers exposed thousands of politicians and billionaires who have used off-shore tax havens to hide trillions of dollars from taxes, the leaked papers will likely have little effect on Americans. It's not that American corporations, billionaires and politicians are any more trustworthy than their foreign counterparts. It's just that they don't need
- [On Earth Day, An Assessment.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/04/23/earth-day-an-assessment/) - Each year, we celebrate our planet for a single day. On that day, there are a variety of gatherings, speeches and warnings. It's not enough. Not nearly enough. The remainder of the year, most of us continue to trash the planet. Some liken our actions to filling our living rooms with garbage. But it's worse
- [Journalism, RIP.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/05/07/journalism-rip/) - Regardless of what happens in the upcoming presidential race, one thing has been forever changed...journalism. Though the competition for ratings has long influenced the news - forcing news editors to adopt the "if it bleeds, it leads" philosophy - the demand for ratings has relegated newscasts to stories of violent crimes, accidental deaths, and confrontations
- [Public Lands: A Matter Of "Me" Versus "We".](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/05/10/public-lands-a-matter-of-me-versus-we/) - For the past several decades, the anti-government neo-confederates (otherwise known as the Tea Party) have howled about a so-called "federal land grab." They claim that federal ownership of any property is unconstitutional. In fact, they have it backwards. Their attempts to force the federal government to give public lands to the states and private enterprise
- [The Planned Dysfunction Of Our Government.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/05/16/the-planned-dysfunction-of-our-government/) - As has been repeatedly demonstrated, Republicans and conservatives have mastered the art of telling lies. And, on the rare occasions when the corporate-owned media challenge those lies, they seldom bother to correct their falsehoods, choosing instead to double-down. Why wouldn't they? After all, there are rarely any consequences for lying. For example, Politifact.com has ruled
- [Do Facts Still Matter?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/05/20/do-facts-still-matter/) - Based on statements by the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee, one would have to say no. (More than 90 percent of Trump's statements have been rated untrue.) Moreover, the voting record of Republican congressional representatives consistently shows that, on most issues, they base their votes more on ideology that on facts, or even the majority
- [A 566-Page Helping Of Truth.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/05/23/a-566-page-helping-of-truth/) - You know that co-worker who thinks the Donald is "authentic?" That crazy uncle who thinks Trump is a candidate who tells it like it is? That self-focused neighbor who thinks immigrants are ruining our country? That religious nut job at the gym who thinks God hates gays? The CEO who thinks that our corporate tax
- [Risking Your Safety And Wasting Your Time.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/05/25/risking-your-safety-and-wasting-your-time/) - The growing threat of terrorism, increased air travel and a shortage of security agents have led to long lines and growing frustration at airport security checks. As a result, it's fashionable to blame the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the problem. Indeed, Republicans would have you believe that the problem is just another example of
- [Trumped-Up Presidential Qualifications.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/03/trumped-up-qualifications/) - Given that Donald J. Trump will soon be named the Republican nominee for president, there's more than a little irony that, when we describe something that has been fabricated, concocted or fictitious, we commonly use the words "trumped-up." In fact, nothing could better describe the qualifications of the Republican nominee. Yes, Republican voters have winnowed
- [Understanding The Trump Phenomenon.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/09/understanding-the-trump-phenomenon/) - The success of Trump the candidate seems to have confused liberals and conservatives alike. But it's really not that difficult to understand if you look at the underlying causes. First, there is great dissatisfaction among many Americans on both sides of the political spectrum. Both sides see growing poverty and a struggling middle class while,
- [Mass Shootings Now Define Our Civilization.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/13/mass-shootings-now-define-our-civilization/) - Since the tragedy at Columbine, I have written blog posts calling for common sense gun safety. I have written and called my congressional representatives asking for universal background checks. I have taught self-defense classes debunking the notion that guns are a defensive weapon. I have demonstrated that carrying a gun does not protect you against
- [Rethinking Our National Motto.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/14/rethinking-our-national-motto/) - "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of many, one) was the motto chosen to represent our nation in 1776. It was suggested by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere to the committee responsible for developing the Great Seal of the United States. It not only gave reference to the fact that our country was born out of 13 separate
- [Has The Democratic Party Awakened From Its Coma?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/20/has-the-democratic-party-awakened-from-its-coma/) - The recent filibuster calling for a vote on common sense gun safety gives me hope. It forced a vote which will put each member of Congress on record and make them accountable to their constituents instead of the NRA. After all, a whopping majority of Americans favor universal background checks. And an even greater majority
- [Trump And GOP Evangelicals Versus The Founding Fathers.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/22/trump-and-gop-evangelicals-versus-the-founding-fathers/) - It's difficult for me to write anything that places the Founding Fathers and Donald Trump in the same sentence or even on the same planet. But I cannot let stand the Donald's unconstitutional call for excluding Muslims from our nation. Nor can I ignore his recent pandering to evangelicals who claim that the Founders intended
- [How Can We Ever Hope To Bring Americans Together?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/06/24/how-can-we-ever-hope-to-bring-americans-together/) - Regardless of which candidate wins this year's presidential election, it's all but certain that Americans will be more divided than ever. We're divided by far more than politics. We're divided by ideology; by media choices; by attitudes toward guns and violence; by attitudes toward the environment; by a woman's right to decide what is right
- [The Difficulty Of Disproving A Negative.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/08/the-difficulty-of-disproving-a-negative/) - Once again, the Clintons have found themselves in the unenviable position of disproving negatives. Over more than 35 years, the GOP has accused them of wrongdoing and, when they have tried to prove their innocence, they have been labeled liars. According to the GOP, Bill lied about Gennifer Flowers. The GOP claims that the Clintons
- [How Has Racism Plagued The Obama Administration? Let Me Count The Ways:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/12/how-has-racism-plagued-the-obama-administration-let-me-count-the-ways/) - I have conservative friends who deny that President Obama has been treated any differently than previous presidents. Setting aside the prolonged fishing expedition to find dirt on the Clintons and the natural reaction to a stolen election and the lies told by the Bush administration to justify its invasion of Iraq, (yes, I proudly wore
- [Thoughts And Prayers Will Not Stop Shootings.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/13/thoughts-and-prayers-will-not-stop-shootings/) - After Columbine, there were thoughts and prayers. There were more thoughts and prayers after Aurora, Sandy Hook, Charleston, San Bernardino, Orlando and, now, Dallas. After Eric Garner, after Michael Brown, after Timor Rice, after Ezell Ford, after John Crawford III, after Jonathon Ferrell, after Alton Sterling, after Philando Castile, and after the deaths of 5
- [What The GOP Wants.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/20/what-the-gop-wants/) - It's easy to dismiss the mudslinging and hateful rhetoric of the speakers featured at the Republican National Convention as mere partisanship; as the typical hyperbole of a contested election. But the GOP platform shows that the fear and hate so prevalent at the convention is representative of the party's deep-rooted beliefs. On its surface, the
- [Clinton More Trustworthy Than Media Or Trump.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/21/clinton-more-trustworthy-than-media-or-trump/) - Let's be clear, like most politicians, Hillary has made statements that were later proven to be untrue. Still, fact-checking organizations have shown that she has actually made a greater percentage of true statements during the campaign than any of the other presidential candidates. Hillary has also made several political decisions that were unpopular and later
- [We May Be Living In America's Golden Age.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/27/we-may-be-living-in-americas-golden-age/) - Contrary to what some politicians would have you believe, things in the world - and the US in particular - are not bleak. Indeed, a case can be made that things have never been better! Fareed Zakaria's Global Public Square on CNN pointed to statistics compiled by two Harvard professors. They show that, despite the
- [If It Was A Joke, We're Not Laughing.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/29/if-it-was-a-joke-were-not-laughing/) - After encouraging Russia to hack the former Secretary of State's website and reveal 33,000 of her personal emails, the Republican "Presidential" nominee now says he was joking. Having seen his plea to Russia at his news conference, it sure didn't seem like a joke at the time. And no one was laughing. Not the FBI,
- [A Stark Contrast.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/07/29/a-stark-contrast/) - I truly appreciate the views of my conservative friends with regard to politics. After all, I was raised in a reliably Republican household. I believe in eliminating government waste. I believe that people should take responsibility for the own lives and their own actions. Even after the GOP was over-run with religious extremists, I shared
- [What Trump And A Live Grenade Have In Common.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/08/02/what-trump-and-a-live-grenade-have-in-common/) - There's a growing movement in the US of voters disenchanted with the system and fueled by rightwing news outlets (I'm thinking of you, Fox News Channel and all of you hate radio clowns) that have decided to destroy our government rather than try to fix it. Nothing else could explain how the Great Pumpkin won
- [How The Party Of Lincoln Became The Party Of Trump.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/08/09/how-the-party-of-lincoln-became-the-party-of-trump/) - When the Republican party replaced the Whigs with Abraham Lincoln at its helm, the party was determined to end slavery and hold the Union together through the strength of the federal government. Then, following the Civil War, the party committed itself to serving the interests of business. When workers began to fight for better pay
- [How Trump Has Forever Changed The Standard For Presidential Candidates.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/08/24/how-trump-has-forever-changed-the-standard-for-presidential-candidates/) - Prior to this election campaign, political candidates - especially presidential candidates - were held to almost impossibly high standards. They not only had to show experience that qualified them to hold the office. They had demonstrate a great depth of understanding about critical national and international issues. In addition, they were expected to be of
- [Will US Election Be Decided By Outsiders?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/08/29/will-us-election-be-decided-by-outsiders/) - During the Clinton and Obama administrations, the right-wing promoted numerous conspiracy theories - that Hillary Clinton had Vince Foster murdered; that Obama is not a US citizen; that Obama is a secret Muslim; that Obama is coming for your guns; that Clinton and Obama sacrificed our Libyan ambassador by telling a military response team to
- [Ending Racism: A Proposal.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/08/31/ending-racism-a-proposal/) - America has a problem with racism that we have not yet adequately addressed. Sure, we passed the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but those actions didn't actually solve racism. Far from it. They merely altered it by making it somewhat less obvious and making it uncomfortable
- [Fascism, American Style.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/09/02/fascism-american-style/) - Let me begin by stating that I recognize that fascism is a loaded and almost universally misunderstood term. Indeed, it's one of the F words used to end conversations. But, in most cases, the fascist label is wrongly applied. For example, if you are intolerant of other races and ethnic groups, you may be a
- [Black Lives Matter! A Primer For White People.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/09/08/black-lives-matter-a-primer-for-white-people/) - When it became evident that an increasing number of black people were being killed by police despite being unarmed and often innocent, some activists formed Black Lives Matter. Given the obvious nature of their complaints, it's unlikely that the founders thought the organization would be seen as particularly controversial. Yet many white people seemed to
- [We Cannot End Political Divisiveness Without First Changing Our Media.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/09/12/we-cannot-end-political-divisiveness-without-changing-our-media/) - Following the era of so-called "Yellow Journalism" from the early 1900s during which newspapers wrapped themselves in shame by focusing on sensationalism to the point of creating false stories, journalists found their better selves. After the Great Depression and World War II, journalists focused on exposing and reporting the truth. Not coincidentally, during that time
- [Another Day. Another Police Shooting.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/09/22/another-day-another-police-shooting/) - The current unrest in Charlotte as a result of yet another police shooting should come as no surprise to anyone, least of all metropolitan police departments. It's only the latest in a long line of black men - many of them unarmed - who were shot and killed by police. The Charlotte shooting may well
- [The Age Of Disruption.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/10/03/the-age-of-disruption/) - It has become fashionable for entrepreneurs and businesses to seek disruption; to seek opportunities so significant they can disrupt and change entire sectors of the economy in the same way Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat have disrupted the traditional media business; in the same way Uber and Lyft have disrupted traditional taxicab companies; in the
- [Current Election More Revealing Of Character Than Policy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/10/21/current-election-more-revealing-of-character-than-policy/) - There was a time when the debate between candidates and their supporters revolved around issues such as defense spending, tax policy, safety nets, federal deficits and debt. No longer. This election cycle has revolved around character - not just the character of candidates. But that of their supporters. Here's a case in point: Someone I
- [The Video Fantasies of James O'Keefe.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/11/01/the-video-fantasies-of-james-okeefe/) - Given motivation, a hidden camera, editing software and enough time, anyone could create videos showing targets saying almost anything. An edit here and an edit there and you could make it seem that a NASA official said the moon landing was a fraud. Or you could make it seem that the Pope said there is
- [The Politics Of Accusations, Conspiracy Theories And Propaganda.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/11/02/the-politics-of-accusations-conspiracy-theories-and-propaganda/) - When FBI Director James Comey announced last week that the FBI was reviewing emails that could be pertinent to the Hillary Clinton case, it was quickly publicized by GOP congressmen as the FBI "re-opening the investigation of the Clinton private email server." That, in fact, was untrue. The new announcement was referring to the discovery
- [Worse Than Watergate.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/11/03/worse-than-watergate-2/) - During the 1972 presidential race, Republican operatives known as the "plumbers" were caught breaking into the Democratic National Party (DNC) headquarters. Working on behalf of President Nixon, their intent was to rig the election. The break-in and ensuing cover-up led to the threatened impeachment of the president and, ultimately, his resignation. Embarrassed and furious at
- [Dear Trump Supporters, I Know Who You Really Are.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/11/10/dear-trump-supporters-i-know-who-you-really-are/) - I've known you all my life. Contrary to being the country bumpkins as you're portrayed in the media, many of you make a good living - a really good living. By the luck of nature, you were born into a world of white privilege that gave you numerous advantages over those with darker skin. You're
- [Why I Believe Trump Voters Are Worse Than Trump.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/11/15/why-i-believe-trump-voters-are-worse-than-trump/) - Trump is a sociopath. He is exactly who you see. There is no facade. He has made it perfectly clear that he's a bully, a demagogue, a misogynist, a serial philanderer, a sexual predator, a racist, a promoter of hate and violence, an admirer of authoritarian dictators and a pathological liar. He is, in fact,
- [The Real Threats We Face.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/12/07/the-real-threats-we-face/) - Our planet is facing a growing number of crises - any one of which could lead to a calamity that could end life as we know it. Let's begin with the threat of climate change. We've known about the impact of burning fossil fuels for many years. But our Republican politicians continue to allow the
- [Starving The Beast? More Like Drowning It In A Cesspool Of Oil And Right-Wing Ideologies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/12/17/starving-the-beast-more-like-drowning-it-in-a-cesspool-of-oil-and-right-wing-ideologies/) - For years, the GOP has been intent on starving the federal government of the funds in needs to operate. Unconcerned by large deficits (except when Democrats are in power), Republicans have continued to cut taxes for the wealthy. At the same time, they have happily created loopholes for corporations to evade taxes. By doing so,
- [Let's Not Over-Analyze Trump's Victory.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2016/12/22/lets-not-over-analyze-trumps-victory/) - Despite the blame being heaped onto the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party, I believe it was never a fair contest. Hillary was outgunned by a biased media; by a partisan FBI director; and by Russian interference. But even without those things, Hillary may have fallen victim, as did Trump's primary opponents, to the cultural
- [The Many Reasons Donald Trump Can Never Be My President.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/01/09/the-many-reasons-donald-trump-can-never-be-my-president/) - 1. He spent years undermining a sitting president by claiming that the president was not a citizen of the United States. 2. He broke a 40-year tradition of presidential candidates releasing tax returns. What is he hiding? 3. He has a long record of refusing to pay small businesses for work on his properties. 4.
- [Republicans Aren't Content With Changing Administrations. They Want To Change History.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/01/25/republicans-arent-content-with-changing-administrations-they-want-to-change-history/) - For most of our nation's 241-year history, we have seen a relatively seamless and peaceful transition from one administration and from one Congress to another. This time is different. The GOP-controlled Congress and the Trump administration seem intent on erasing the Obama administration and, for that matter, most other administrations from history. Trump has already
- [GOP Government Setting New Standards For Corruption.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/02/08/gop-government-setting-new-standards-for-corruption/) - While most of the nation's attention is focused on the immigration ban, the level of this administration's corruption has been largely overlooked. It began even before Donald Trump took office when he became the first presidential candidate since Gerald Ford who refused to release his tax returns. As you no doubt recall, the reason given
- [Why Democrats Lose Despite Having A Majority.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/02/28/why-democrats-lose-despite-having-a-majority/) - The 2016 presidential election again demonstrated that a majority of US voters align with Democrats. Hillary Clinton did, after all, win the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. Had she not lost 5 key battleground states by a total of approximately 100,000 votes, she would be president. And Combover Hitler would be relegated to
- [Montana's Gianforte Will Fit Right In With The Washington GOP.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/05/26/montanas-gianforte-will-fit-right-in-with-the-washington-gop/) - So what if he's an out-of-control billionaire who assaulted a reporter for merely asking a question? What does it matter that, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, he has supported white supremacists and other hate groups? He is a member of a political party represented by those who have done much worse. For example,
- [A Tsunami Of Coincidences.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/06/14/a-tsunami-of-coincidences/) - As more connections between Russia and the Trump camp are exposed, Republicans would have you believe that they are mere coincidence, the product of successful people who operate multinational businesses. That's an explanation only the chronically naive and the willfully ignorant could accept. Following is a list of just those connections that have been identified.
- [Republicans Are The Masters Of False Equivalency.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/06/22/republicans-are-the-masters-of-false-equivalency/) - Following the shooting of Republican Congressman Steve Scalise, there were calls from both sides of the aisle to calm the extreme rhetoric. The House even made a great show of bipartisanship by kneeling together on the field prior to the annual Republican/Democrat baseball game. Senator Bernie Sanders made a forceful speech denouncing the shooter's past
- [The Root Of Our Political Divide.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/07/13/the-root-of-our-political-divide/) - While the mainstream media and political pundits are still debating the circumstances that led to the election of Donald Trump, a recent study published in the Columbia Journalism Review appears to have revealed the real reason for the surprising results. Between April 1, 2015 and election day, scholars at the Berkman Klenin Center for Internet
- [Give Me That Old Time Religion.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/07/17/give-me-that-old-time-religion/) - It's easy to look back on our lives and glorify earlier years as something special. But our memories are fallible. And, in reality, those days were seldom as good as we remember. There are, however, exceptions. One prime example is religion. I remember growing up at a time when churches and synagogues were the pillars
- [America First? Not From My Perspective.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/07/28/america-first-not-from-my-perspective/) - In the past week, my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting the Alps of Bavaria. Not only were we treated to the splendor of one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We were able to observe a country that works. Though Germany may not be a military super-power, it is an economic
- [An Open Letter To Congress.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/08/02/an-open-letter-to-congress/) - Dear Senators and Congressional Representatives: We understand that it's hard work to win an election. There's the fundraising, the canvassing, the fundraising, the travel, the fundraising, the public appearances, the fundraising, the baby-kissing and the butt-kissing, the fundraising, the debates, the fundraising, the media interviews, and, of course, the fundraising. We also believe that, by
- [What Is The Real Goal Of Trump's Rallies?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/08/09/what-is-the-real-goal-of-trumps-rallies/) - Almost immediately after his inauguration, Donald Trump filed the paperwork for his 2020 campaign. And with the election barely over, he has continued to campaign. For what reason? Some believe that he is simply addicted to the adulation of crowds. But every president draws crowds. And every president benefits from Americans' respect for the office.
- [Our Racist-In-Chief.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/08/16/our-racist-in-chief/) - Unfortunately, the hatred and bigotry that claimed the national spotlight on Saturday was highly revealing. President Trump's tepid condemnation and initial refusal to call out the hateful groups responsible for the violence in Charlottesville called attention to the White House's deep ties to the "alt-right." Indeed, Trump has a long history of racism. His parents
- [It's Time For White People To Face Facts.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/08/18/its-time-for-white-people-to-face-the-facts/) - Given that our Racist-in-Chief excused and encouraged the worst elements of our society - white supremacists and neo-Nazis - this might be a good time to share a chapter from my book Antidote to Fact-Free Politics: Debunking the Falsehoods, Fabrications and Distortions Told by Conservatives and Perpetuated by the Media. LIE #1: “America is a
- [Can Democrats Win With Identity Politics?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/08/23/can-democrats-win-with-identity-politics/) - Since the 2016 election, Mark Lilla and others have been decrying Democrats' efforts to address the needs of individual groups, such as women, African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims, Jews, atheists, the LGBTQ community, minimum wage workers, labor unions, teachers, senior citizens, immigrants, environmentalists and others. Such efforts have been decried as "identity politics," as if that is
- [Feeding The Rich And Starving "The Beast."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/08/27/feeding-the-rich-and-starving-the-beast/) - The top 10 percent control 76 percent of the nation's wealth. Yet a new study* found that the bottom 99.9 percent pay 175 times as much income tax as the top 0.1 percent! That's because the wealthy use a variety of tax shelters, both offshore and in tax havens such as Delaware and South Dakota.
- [Is There A Difference Between The Right And The Alt-Right?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/09/06/is-there-a-difference-between-the-right-and-the-alt-right/) - Last year, with the help of Breitbart editor Steve Bannon, white supremacists rebranded themselves as the "alt-right" - an attempt to portray themselves as part of the mainstream. In many ways, the effort succeeded, since most of the media now use the term in referring to Nazis, the KKK and other white supremacists. I've even
- [How Russia Stole Our Conscience.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/09/12/how-russia-stole-our-conscience/) - Though the Robert Mueller investigation has not yet been completed, it's clear that Russia meddled with our election. Disregarding possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, and the many meetings between Trump associates and Russian operatives, we're already certain that Russia controlled the election outcome using a variety of techniques for the benefit of
- [Dear Democrats:](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/09/20/dear-democrats/) - I am writing this open letter to the Democratic Party's leadership in hopes that they might better understand the obstacles they face. Every day, I receive a series of emails, tweets and Facebook posts asking me to sign the petition du jour. I don't mean to demean the issues the petitions are intended to address.
- [My Trump Obsession.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/09/26/my-trump-obsession/) - Many of my friends and acquaintances have raised questions regarding my near constant blog posts, Facebook posts and Tweets about Trump. I've been told, "Hillary lost. Get over it." That they had to "put up" with Obama for 8 years so "Why can't I just shut up and give Trump a chance?" I've been asked,
- [Eulogy For The "King Of Fake News."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/09/28/eulogy-for-the-king-of-fake-news/) - This week, comedian Paul Horner died at the way-too-early age of 38. Though most Americans won't recognize the name, Mr. Horner, in addition to being a successful stand-up comedian, founded a charity called Sock It Forward which gives socks to homeless people. He was also largely responsible for calling attention to fake news. No, I'm
- [Now Is Exactly The Time To Talk About Guns.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/10/02/now-is-exactly-the-time-to-talk-about-guns/) - Each time there's another mass shooting event, the GOP is quick to say, "Now is not the time to talk about politics." In other words, "Let's address the symptoms, but not the cause." That happened after Columbine, after Sandy Hook, after Charleston, after Orlando...after every single mass shooting. The motive, of course, is to delay
- [What's Really Behind America's Gun Deaths?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/10/11/whats-behind-americas-gun-deaths/) - Following the most lethal mass shooting in US history, it's once again time to take a serious look at the cause. By all accounts, the Las Vegas shooter was not a terrorist - at least not in the traditional sense. He was no Osama bin Laden. He was not a member of ISIS. Moreover, he
- [Keeping Track Of The Trump/GOP Agenda.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/10/13/keeping-track-of-the-trumpgop-agenda/) - Voters and the media are all too aware of The Donald's Twitter rants and the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in last year's election. But while we've been distracted by the noise, here's what Trump and the GOP have been doing in the shadows and away from the spotlight: They passed and signed a bill
- [The Unholy Marriage Between Evangelicals, Billionaires And Trump.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/10/31/the-unholy-marriage-between-evangelicals-billionaires-and-trump/) - There's a long history between the GOP and evangelicals dating back to the late 1800's. In the book The Family, you'll read about wealthy industrialists and evangelicals joining forces to keep labor unions from gaining power. In the 1950's, Eisenhower was put in office with the help of evangelicals. He rewarded them by agreeing to
- [What's At Stake With Tax "Reform."](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/11/02/whats-at-stake-with-tax-reform/) - For decades, taxation in the US has been based on a progressive tax structure, which means those who earn the most money pay the highest taxes. And those less fortunate pay the least. Similarly, corporations were taxed to help pay for the government-provided infrastructure they needed to operate. When the nation incurred substantial debt, the
- [Manafort = Trump's Mini-Me.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/11/06/manafort-trumps-mini-me/) - Former Trump campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his business partner, Rick Gates, have been indicted with 12 counts including conspiracy against the US, conspiracy to launder money, false statements and failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. These are serious charges and, likely, they would not have been filed if the special
- [The GOP Tax Scam.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/11/15/the-gop-tax-scam/) - For weeks, the GOP Congress has been working behind closed doors to craft a tax "reform" bill. They promise that their bill will "give everybody a raise." They claim that it will simplify tax codes so much that you will be able to "file your income taxes on a postcard." And they claim that the
- [This Should Explain A Lot.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/11/29/this-should-explain-a-lot/) - As the GOP Congress continues to push a tax plan that is based on the lie that it will create jobs by cutting taxes on large corporations and the very wealthy, I think it's important to understand how the tax "reform" plan came about. In reality, it was spawned decades ago by the libertarian billionaires
- [RIP, USA.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/12/06/rip-usa/) - It's not entirely hyperbolic to say that the latest GOP tax scam could be the final nail in the coffin of the American dream. If the bill is signed into law, it will show that the oligarchs and the con artists are in full control. And our democratic republic may never recover. Remember when Republicans
- [False Equivalencies.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/12/07/false-equivalencies/) - For many years, the media, pressured by Republicans, have continued to compare the activities of Democrats with those of Republicans - even when there was no true comparison. For example, most accused the two parties of being equally divisive. (They are not.) And most equated MSNBC with Fox News Channel even though Fox received daily
- [An Open Letter To Democratic Party Leaders.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/12/07/an-open-letter-to-democratic-party-leaders/) - For most of my life, I was registered as an independent. Nevertheless, I faithfully voted for Democrats, and even helped create advertising for a few Democratic candidates. Then, in 2006, recognizing that I could never vote for a Republican, I registered as a Democrat. I threw myself into politics. I contributed to and campaigned for
- [Actions Speak Louder Than Words.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/12/15/actions-speak-louder-than-words/) - Donald Trump and the GOP leaders in Congress continue to say that they support ordinary working Americans and the middle class. Yet virtually everything they have done indicates otherwise. Following is the latest list of attacks on the American people: • The GOP-led Federal Communications Commission voted to end Net Neutrality making it possible for
- [18 GOP Actions That Have Undermined America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/12/21/18-gop-actions-that-have-undermined-america/) - For those of you who believe that there is little difference between the two political parties, I submit that one party is generally on the side of civil rights, social justice and issues that benefit ordinary Americans, while the other continually finds itself on the wrong side of history. In my lifetime, the decisions of
- [Where Has All The Money Gone?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2017/12/28/where-has-all-the-money-gone/) - In 2015, Michigan State economics professor, Mark Skidmore became curious when he heard former assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Catherine Austin Fitts mention that the Pentagon couldn't account for $6.5 trillion in spending. So he asked Fitts and a team of his graduate students to help him confirm that number. After poring
- [#MeTooLate? #MeTooLittle? Or #MeTooFar?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/01/03/metoolate-metoolittle-or-metoofar/) - The #MeToo movement represents a welcome change for our culture. It has drawn attention to a problem that has been allowed to continue for far too long. But it also raises a number of questions. Should an accusation of unwanted touching be treated in the same way as an accusation of sexual assault or rape?
- [Why A Third Party Is Unlikely To Win.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/01/11/why-a-third-party-is-unlikely-to-win/) - I have long wished for a third US political party. Although I mostly agree with the Democratic Party on issues, in my view, the party's unelected leadership is largely incompetent and strategically clueless. On the other hand, I believe the Republican Party is just flat-out crazy! With a third party in Congress, it's unlikely that
- [The Inequities Of Our Political System.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/01/17/the-inequities-of-our-political-system/) - We've heard a lot about wealth inequality and how it's destroying the United States. But it's merely a symptom - a symptom caused by the growing disparity between the parties in our two-party system. Consider the following: • Since the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, more than 90 percent of talk radio has been controlled
- [How Low Can He Go?](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/01/20/how-low-can-he-go/) - Every few days, we are given a new reminder of the character of the man who now occupies the White House (at least when he's not taking a government-paid golf vacation at one of his own resorts). Before the 2016 election, we knew that Donald Trump was a womanizer - thrice married and involved in
- [Evangelical Extremists.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/01/27/evangelical-extremists/) - I'll begin by admitting that I have always struggled with the idea of a group of people - any group of people - trying to push their ideas of morality onto others. I was horrified when I discovered that my family church was more interested in paying for building improvements than in helping others. I
- [The Real State Of Our Union.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/01/31/the-real-state-of-our-union/) - Last night, Donald Trump basked in the light of his predecessor, taking credit for declining unemployment, a rising stock market and low African-American unemployment...all things that began under President Obama and have continued as a result of their own momentum combined with improved economies throughout the world. So what is the real state of our
- [America's Legal Drug Cartel.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/02/08/americas-legal-drug-cartels/) - A couple of newspaper stories recently caught my attention. The Arizona Republic reported that, in 2016, Mojave County had more opioid prescriptions than people - 127.5 prescriptions for every 100 residents. In another story, The Arizona Republic reported that four Mojave County doctors prescribed 6 million opioid pills in a single year! Yet another newspaper,
- [The Reality Of Gun Violence In America.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/02/15/the-reality-of-gun-violence-in-america/) - As a long-time self-defense instructor, I taught students that the first rule of self-defense is situational awareness. I encouraged them to be aware of the world around them. In the US, that means being aware of guns. So here's the uncomfortable reality: Guns are everywhere in our country. One can assume that anyone you meet
- [Tax Secrets Of The Wealthy.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/02/21/tax-secrets-of-the-wealthy/) - Most Americans fear being audited by the IRS based on the knowledge that, if it is deemed that they have not paid their fair share, they could face penalties, garnishment of wages and/or possible imprisonment. Yet some of the wealthiest Americans and multinational corporations apparently have no such fear. It's not enough that these people
- [False Patriotism.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/02/23/false-patriotism/) - A few years ago, a local chapter of the VFW asked me to judge a group of essays written by middle schoolers on the subject of patriotism. As a writer and former teacher, I was honored to do so. But, after reading them, I realized that none of the students knew the real meaning of
- [Imaginary Political Purity Of Independents.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/02/26/imaginary-political-purity-of-independents/) - In response to a recent post about the cruelty of the GOP's plan to cut food stamps, a Facebook friend dismissed my opinion as propaganda and smugly commented, "I'm so glad I'm an independent and don't get caught up with all this left wing right wing bullshit." Like many voters who are registered as independents,
- [Revisiting The Second Amendment And Gun Violence.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/03/16/revisiting-the-second-amendment-and-gun-violence/) - "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." I draw your attention to the full text of the amendment since the first 12 words are seldom mentioned. In fact, in the NRA headquarters, only the last half
- [The Constitutional Crisis That Is Donald Trump.](https://lamasterscorner.com/2018/03/20/the-constitutional-crisis-that-is-donald-trump/) - Russian meddling in the 2016 election has created a crisis the Founders never could have imagined - a greedy, narcissistic con man holding the highest office in the land supported by a sympathetic Congress that likely, too, was elected with the help and interference of a foreign enemy. The Founding Fathers did put into place

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- [McCutcheon v Federal Election Commission](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/mccutcheon-v-federal-election-commission/)
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- [Governor Bryant](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/governor-bryant/)
- [Religious Discrimination](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/religious-discrimination/)
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- [Sebelius v Hobby Lobby Inc](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/sebelius-v-hobby-lobby-inc/)
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- [School Shootings](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/school-shootings/)
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- [Grazing Rights](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/grazing-rights/)
- [Rep. Paul Gosar](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/rep-paul-gosar/)
- [Agenda 21 Conspiracy](https://lamasterscorner.com/tag/agenda-21-conspiracy/)
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