Where was I? Oh, yeah, Joe Lieberman. Maybe it's me but can you really caucus with the Democrats when you oppose almost everything that Democrats were elected to fix? Joe is in favor of the U.S. attacking neutral countries in the Middle East (do you sense a pro Israel bias?), he opposes any form of healthcare (that would be his pro insurance company bias) and, so far as we can tell, is opposed to affirmative action and tort reform. Wow! If he ever changes his position on guns, he'll be to the right of Lindsey Graham. Calling Joe Lieberman a Democrat or an Independent is like calling Bill O'Reilly a Liberal because he's left-handed. In this country you run as an Independent when neither party will tolerate you.
On a related subject my Washington Post reported this week that both John McCain and Joe Lieberman have publicly expressed their support for the use of drones. A quick check of Dictionary.com informs us that a drone is a parasitic loafer or, a dull, monotonous sound. Any questions?.
If, perchance, their frame of reference was military drones, mindless missiles that are guided remotely and strike random targets with no ability to distinguish friend from foe, it is not difficult to understand why McCain and Lieberman would defend one of their own.
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And then there are those who make writing this blog just too easy. Enter Rudy Giuliani. America's Mayor has once again cranked open his large Italian mouth only to insert his Buster Browns. Not content to continue his shameless 9-11 exploitation tour, Rudy is appearing on TV chat shows to opine on the state of security in the U.S. Giuliani operates on the theory that, if you are walking down the street and a piano falls on your head, you are now an expert in Classical music. By this logic Tiger Woods, having had an encounter with a fire hydrant, would be qualified to lecture on the state of Ft. Lauderdale's urban water distribution.
Rudy's recent pronouncement, made to George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America, was that there were no terrorist attacks during the Bush 43 administration. Now I'm not one to place blame but, technically speaking, George W. Bush was Commander in Chief, at least nominally, on Sept. 11, 2001. Being out to lunch doesn't mean you don't still have the job. Stephanopoulos was so stunned, he didn't ask Rudy to explain 9-11, Richard Reid, aka, the shoe bomber, and several other events which took place between Jan. 2001 and Jan 2009. Perhaps Rudy forgot that it's rude to remind Little George that Dick Cheney was really in charge for those eight years.
The elections of 2010 will be very exciting to be sure but I'm a bit sad at the prospect of races for governor and senator in New York without Rudy Giuliani. This self-important dirtbag has yet to even address the firefighters of his city who feel that his decisions immediately following the World Trade Center bombings cost several lives. Rudy is too cowardly to run for office in New York. To do so would incur the wrath of the state's most vocal and visceral voting block...Rudy's ex-wives.
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If Muslims are at all curious to learn why the non-Muslim world is getting a little fed up with them, forget exploding Fruit of the Looms and focus on Kuala Lumpur. Muslims in Malaysia are protesting/rioting over a High Court decision permitting Malaysian Christians to use the word Allah in print pronouncements. Seriously; the followers of Islam are so touchy that they take to the streets to protect the word Allah. We're not talking Dutch cartoons here, we're talking about their word for God. Pretty soon Muslims will want us to stop talking about beaded taxicab seats.
We all want to be tolerant but, the followers of Allah (sorry!) are trying the world's patience. For the first 1,000 years of its existence, Islam led the world in science, mathematics and culture. While the Irish were throwing mud balls at each other, the scholars of the East were charting the heavens and producing the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Unfortunately the second millennium has been less productive. Like Christianity, Islam's paranoia has grown along with its popularity. Unlike Christianity, Islam's response to its self-described victimization has been violence and gross overreaction.
Muslims of today want things both ways. They immigrate to non-Muslim countries, demand the right of non-assimilation and, grab their pitchforks and torches at every perceived slight. They're only missing their own Al Sharpton. Maybe I'm a closet bigot but Islam is a religion, an organization built around prayer and devotion to God. Your rights extend only to the door of your mosque. Once you're on the street your rights have obligations. You are obliged to accommodate your religion to your cultural surroundings. If France, The Netherlands or Malaysia offends your religious sensibilities, either get over it or leave. Rioting, skyjacking and incendiary skivvies are not acceptable options. Neither is telling Malaysian Christians which words they can use.
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Showing posts with label Joe Lieberman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Lieberman. Show all posts
Monday, January 04, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
...or is the best thing about Dec. 26 the internment of reindeer sweaters?
There are no slow news days, just lazy bloggers.
Item
The City Council of the District of Columbia has approved an ordinance permitting gay couples to marry in the Nation's Capital. Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sign the legislation. Unfortunately, City government in Washington exists along the lines of children mounting a play in the backyard. They have free reign provided no one's parents object. The parents, in this case, come in the form of the U.S. Congress. The House and Senate have 30 days to object. While this appears unlikely, one never knows. Even in a city founded on aberrant behavior, gay marriage might be one toke over the line.
The gay marriage ordinance is being hailed as a boon to tourism. Apparently the Washington Monument and the Capital weren't enough of a draw. The city is anticipating 10,000 gay marriages in the first three years. That's 20,000 people who will come for something besides the Spy Museum and the Barack Obama car air fresheners.
Nevertheless, this is a civil rights issue and it is perfectly proper that the city that hosted Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech should outlaw discrimination wherever it exists. Bravo!
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Item
Senator Joseph Lieberman, Irritating Senator from Connecticut, has crafted a new meaning to "going rogue". Determined to singlehandedly sink America's best hope of real healthcare reform, Joe has forgotten MASH's Frank Burns who opined, "Individuality is fine as long as we all do it together." Fifty-nine senators, all of them Democrats, have seen their way to approving the current legislation. Lieberman sees it differently. We would not want to speculate that the Connecticut insurance lobby has Old Joe by his circumcised johnson but let's be real here. Why would any senator who professes to be a social liberal, want to block a bill that will protect the health of millions? The Obama Administration has proposed allowing Maine to annex Connecticut in return for Olimpia Snowe's vote. Unfortunately, Senator Snowe opposes any deal that makes Joe Lieberman a citizen of Maine. Smart lady!
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Item
The death of Oral Roberts at 91 created an interesting conundrum for newspapers. Roberts was a dominant figure in televangelism. His passing demands ink. The trick is to be gracious without being patronizing. In a effort to appear fair, The Washington Post ran several columns on the life and times of Reverend Roberts. They studiously avoided words like, charlatan, huckster, fraud and pseudo-holy man who got really rich by conning the old and gullible. They neglected to mention the hubris of a man so fond of his own name that he put it on a university.
Roberts was a preacher in the Elmer Gantry mode. He railed against dancing and circuses (curious, considering his TV show). He was however, not opposed to the worship of the Almighty Dollar. At the height of his con Roberts was raking in over $100 million a year. Not bad for a poor farmer's son from Bebee, Oklahoma. Anyway, he's with his maker now (or at least his money-maker). I'm thinking that Roberts lived to be 91 because the Lord wasn't that anxious to have him all that close. I trust Reverend Roberts and L. Ron Hubbard will be happy together sharing that great pulpit in the sky.
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Item
After the longest airline delay in recorded history, Boeing has finally begun flight testing the 787 Dreamliner in Everett, Washington. Customers have been waiting for two years while Boeing contended with parts issues, strikes and the painfully slow delivery of those little bags of pretzels. Among it's wonderful new features, the 787 boasts the largest windows in commercial aviation. Frequent flyers will enjoy a breathtaking view of the tarmac as they wait for hours on delayed aircraft. Welcome aboard!
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Item
A group of Native Americans (Indians to you, the unenlightened) is suing the University of North Dakota to require the school to retain the name " The Fighting Sioux". The university had planned to retire the name which is offensive to some of our Native American brothers. Good luck picking a winner in this one. UND has spent years in debate over the school mascot and, having reached this decision, seems unlikely to reverse itself now. Alternative names have been suggested including: "The Peaceful Sioux", "The 'We're Willing To Sign Another Treaty' Sioux" or even "The Boys Named Sioux". One thing is clear. Whatever deal was made with the tribe, I hope they got it in writing.
Item
The City Council of the District of Columbia has approved an ordinance permitting gay couples to marry in the Nation's Capital. Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sign the legislation. Unfortunately, City government in Washington exists along the lines of children mounting a play in the backyard. They have free reign provided no one's parents object. The parents, in this case, come in the form of the U.S. Congress. The House and Senate have 30 days to object. While this appears unlikely, one never knows. Even in a city founded on aberrant behavior, gay marriage might be one toke over the line.
The gay marriage ordinance is being hailed as a boon to tourism. Apparently the Washington Monument and the Capital weren't enough of a draw. The city is anticipating 10,000 gay marriages in the first three years. That's 20,000 people who will come for something besides the Spy Museum and the Barack Obama car air fresheners.
Nevertheless, this is a civil rights issue and it is perfectly proper that the city that hosted Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech should outlaw discrimination wherever it exists. Bravo!
___________________________________________________________________
Item
Senator Joseph Lieberman, Irritating Senator from Connecticut, has crafted a new meaning to "going rogue". Determined to singlehandedly sink America's best hope of real healthcare reform, Joe has forgotten MASH's Frank Burns who opined, "Individuality is fine as long as we all do it together." Fifty-nine senators, all of them Democrats, have seen their way to approving the current legislation. Lieberman sees it differently. We would not want to speculate that the Connecticut insurance lobby has Old Joe by his circumcised johnson but let's be real here. Why would any senator who professes to be a social liberal, want to block a bill that will protect the health of millions? The Obama Administration has proposed allowing Maine to annex Connecticut in return for Olimpia Snowe's vote. Unfortunately, Senator Snowe opposes any deal that makes Joe Lieberman a citizen of Maine. Smart lady!
____________________________________________________________________
Item
The death of Oral Roberts at 91 created an interesting conundrum for newspapers. Roberts was a dominant figure in televangelism. His passing demands ink. The trick is to be gracious without being patronizing. In a effort to appear fair, The Washington Post ran several columns on the life and times of Reverend Roberts. They studiously avoided words like, charlatan, huckster, fraud and pseudo-holy man who got really rich by conning the old and gullible. They neglected to mention the hubris of a man so fond of his own name that he put it on a university.
Roberts was a preacher in the Elmer Gantry mode. He railed against dancing and circuses (curious, considering his TV show). He was however, not opposed to the worship of the Almighty Dollar. At the height of his con Roberts was raking in over $100 million a year. Not bad for a poor farmer's son from Bebee, Oklahoma. Anyway, he's with his maker now (or at least his money-maker). I'm thinking that Roberts lived to be 91 because the Lord wasn't that anxious to have him all that close. I trust Reverend Roberts and L. Ron Hubbard will be happy together sharing that great pulpit in the sky.
___________________________________________________________________
Item
After the longest airline delay in recorded history, Boeing has finally begun flight testing the 787 Dreamliner in Everett, Washington. Customers have been waiting for two years while Boeing contended with parts issues, strikes and the painfully slow delivery of those little bags of pretzels. Among it's wonderful new features, the 787 boasts the largest windows in commercial aviation. Frequent flyers will enjoy a breathtaking view of the tarmac as they wait for hours on delayed aircraft. Welcome aboard!
____________________________________________________________________
Item
A group of Native Americans (Indians to you, the unenlightened) is suing the University of North Dakota to require the school to retain the name " The Fighting Sioux". The university had planned to retire the name which is offensive to some of our Native American brothers. Good luck picking a winner in this one. UND has spent years in debate over the school mascot and, having reached this decision, seems unlikely to reverse itself now. Alternative names have been suggested including: "The Peaceful Sioux", "The 'We're Willing To Sign Another Treaty' Sioux" or even "The Boys Named Sioux". One thing is clear. Whatever deal was made with the tribe, I hope they got it in writing.
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