Drink a cup of kindness

The Beautiful Boy and I discovered this one a few days back and had a rollicking good time dancing to it.  A distinctly American (we're talking banjos!) version of "Auld Lang Syne" by the Lonesome Travelers:

Enjoy!

Have a bitchin' New Year,
emaycee

Heaven's not for sale

"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."  Matthew 19:24

This is one of those passages in the Bible that conservatives, who take most of the Bible quite literally, will say Jesus didn't mean quite literally, that it's one of the few passages in the Bible that has nuances.

Yeah, good luck with that at the Pearly Gates.

Anyway, Ken Langone, the billionaire founder of Home Depot, has had his little feelings hurt by the Pope's (spot on) comments on capitalism.  Seems Mr. Langone is trying to raise $180 million for the restoration of St. Patrick's Church in New York City, and one of his potential donors is having second throughts because Pope Francis has criticized the abject failure of our economic system.

Do you suppose God, the supposed father of us all, is more concerned with the restoration of a church or the fact that, in the richest nation on earth, one in six Americans (Including 22% of our children) lives in poverty?  Do you suppose he's more concerned with spending $180 million on a building or the fact that one in five Americans has been food insecure in the past year?

The rich don't need God--for them, he's just another commodity to be bought.  To the poor, He represents hope.

Unfortunately for Mr. Langone, there aren't any camels for sale in this world skinny enough to squeeze through the eye of the needle.  

Peace,
emaycee

Word of Warning

Contrary to the thoughts of our foes on the right, the Duck Dynasty kerfuffle over Phil Robertson's opinions on gays has absolutely nothing to do with the right to free speech (read The Constitution bozos--it only notes the right is protected from abridgement by the Congress/U.S. Government and no other entity).

So it's important to remember that if you're a millionaire pinhead from Podunkville, USA on a highly rated TV show, you can pretty much say what you want and keep your job.  But if you're a regular working class American and you start sending e-mails claiming your boss is a Nazi child molester (no matter how much you believe it to be true), your ass is going to get fired.

Class warfare, indeed.

Peace,
emaycee

Schei Chreschtdeeg

For those who may be curious, the title is Luxembourgish for "Merry Christmas"--Luxembourg being the land my father's ancestors immigrated to America from in the 1860s.

Perusing other blogs today, I've come across a great recipe (too much work for me, but it sounds good) and perhaps the best new Christmas song I've heard in a while.  There was also a nice excerpt from a Christmas speech by FDR in 1939, and an excerpt from Dickens' A Christmas Carol.   Also heard Johnny Cash's version of "Blue Christmas" which, frankly, I thought blew Elvis' version out of the water.

Still--and I'm not a religious man or a "Peanuts" fan (though I have a soft spot for Mr. Schultz for being a lifetime S.F. Giants fan)--I don't have anything special for this day, other than this:

LINUS SPEECH ON THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone, who knows what Christmas is all about?!

Linus: Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights please?

And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Peace on earth and goodwill toward men?  Sounds like a Commie Liberal plot....

Merry Christmas,

emaycee

White Christmas rant

It's that time of year...

"Do you think we'll have a White Christmas?"  (As if it's as rare as a diamond the size of my fist.)

"Gee, wouldn't it be nice to have a White Christmas?"  (As if it's on par with say, winning the lottery.)

"Next up on our weather forecast, will we have a White Christmas?" (No sarcasm needed--weatherpersons get paid to be wrong at least half the time.)

I'll be the first to admit that after a big snowstorm the weekend before last, an ice storm this past weekend, and plenty of snow falling in between, I've already had it with winter ( and we're a whopping two days into this season).  But this whole White Christmas watch every fucking Christmas (and it's been forty years since my family first moved to the Snow Belt) has reached the point that I'd like to bop anybody who uses the term with one of those rubber chickens that comedians used when Stegosaurus still roamed the earth.

You know what would make for a really great Christmas (especially for those of us who a) work in retail--good luck getting time off this time of year!, or b) can't afford to jet to warmer climes over the holiday--and we are legion!)?  If some freak warm front were to traverse the Snow Belt and we awoke on Christmas Day to eighty degrees and a sky blue sky with the sun shining like a tanning lamp.  Yessir, I'd be on my back porch wearing cutoffs and a t-shirt, barbecuing burgers and hot dogs while I'm playing catch with the Beautiful Boy, with the Beautiful Girl sitting in her camp chair wearing shorts and a tank top while drinking a raspberry lemonade.

Hey, we could still see the Christmas tree blinking through the back window....with The Pretenders version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" blaring on the stereo.

That, my friends, would be a Very Special Christmas...and not the usual humdrumWhite Christmas claptrap.

Peace,
emaycee

1.3 million

That's the number of Americans whose unemployment benefits are set to end a week from tomorrow, because Congress failed to grant them an unemployment benefit extension.

While Democrats can be faulted for valuing a budget deal more than the needs of the unemployed (remember that unemployment is still at 7%, with a UE over 13%--and that there are three job seekers for every job opening), Senate Dems have at least invoked cloture setting up a vote for a retroactive extension for early January (House Dems never had a chance--working half the month proved too much for House republicans and they left town long ago).

Let's face it--this is a big part of the republican agenda to continuously fuck over those in need.  And Democrats need to make republicans own the failure to extend the unemployment benefits.

There's a great scene in It's a Wonderful Life where George Bailey's guardian angel Clarence asks him how he can help.  Bailey asks if he happens to have the $8000 he needs, and Clarence responds that they don't need money in heaven.  To which Bailey replies, "Well, it comes in pretty handy down here, Bub."

It's high time republicans were knocked off their lofty perches and had the common wants and common cares of the working folks of America shoved in their faces.  If nothing else, it will show many Americans it's actually the Democrats, for all their faults, who have their backs.

And that when American families are hurting financially, the money received from unemployment compensation comes in pretty handy.

Peace,
emaycee

Misanthropy 101, Part II

Apparently hating on the poor kids is a big meme of conservatives this week.  Michael Bloomberg, outgoing (thank God) Mayor of New York City (calling yourself an Independent because you disagree with republicans on gays and guns while marching lockstep with them on everything else doesn't make you a Liberal) said this week when asked about 11-year-old Dasani, the subject of a New York Times series on the poor:

"The kid was dealt a bad hand.  I don't know why.  That's just the way God works.  Sometimes some of us are lucky and some of us are not."

You know, it takes a special breed of chickenshit to blame God for the harm your policies (see at the first link) have caused your fellow human beings.

Peace,
emaycee

Misanthropy 101, Part I

Republican Georgia Rep. Jack Kingston thinks that poor kids should be forced to either pay a nickel or a dime, or perhaps sweep the cafeteria floor for their government provided lunches, in order that they might learn that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Au contraire, Rep. Kingston--there are plenty of free lunches in America.  You just have to be rich or be born rich to get them.  You should know--your party spends most of its time fellating the rich.

As if it's not bad enough that the richest nation on the face of the earth is second only to Romania in the number of children living in poverty, this chickenshit from Georgia thinks going hungry isn't enough punishment for these children, but that the kids should be humiliated as well.

I once heard a particularly loathesome person described as being "a wet fart of a human turd."  Frankly, that sentiment describes Rep. Kingston to a tee.

Peace,
emaycee

My nose

Laura Clawson wrote a piece where she points out that the republican states' refusal of Obamacare's Medicaid provisions is not only a healthcare issue, but it is also a political issue.

It's also a health issue.

From seasonal flu outbreaks to potential pandemics, people who don't have healthcare don't take preventive medical measures because they can't afford them.  As everything continues to go more and more global, that means from business travellers to tourists, from truckers to those just passing through, as time goes by when one enters a state that has refused the Medicaid provision one stands a better chance to get sick.  And bring that sickness to a cross spectrum of Americans.  It's cruel for republicans to show such callous disregard for their own citizen's well-being, but's it's utterly despicable when it's shown for the rest of us.

There's an old saying that says you're free to swing your first anywhere you want--until it hits my nose.  Republicans are free to excoriate Obamacare all they want to their base...until it impacts the health of the rest of us.

Peace,
emaycee

Another reason to stay the hell away from Michigan

As if we don't have enough trouble a) attracting businesses here, and b) keeping our talented young people, republicans in the Michigan Legislature today, based on the feelings of 4% of Michiganders, passed a law  that will basically require women in our state to buy rape insurance.

No shit--the republicans passed a ban on abortion riders (given Roe v. Wade is this constitutional?) which in short will force Michigan women to buy rape insurance or else pay thousands of dollars not to carry their rapists' children to term.

I mean, for fuck's sake, if you're going to live with the whims with batshit insane republicans anyway, might as well at least live in the south where you don't freeze your fucking ass off  for six months out of the year.

Peace,
emaycee

Uh-oh...

Well this is a fine kettle of fish...

A report has surfaced that Hillary Clinton, our best hope in 2016 Hillary Clinton, recently spent some time at Goldman-Sachs headquarters kissing banker ass and saying that lambasting Wall Street wasn't doing anyone any good (Digby notes the report is second hand and since it's coming from a Wall Street psychopath that caution in reaction is warranted).

Funny this should come out just as I was beginning (as I did before the 2008 Democratic primaries and decided to go with Obama instead) to have my doubts about Hillary Clinton.  Frankly, I wouldn't at all be surprised if Ms. Clinton did utter the remarks--her husband wasn't exactly an economic populist and I've never seen any reason to believe she was either.  No only that, but after watching Elizabeth Warren be an actual Democrat and stand up for the working class (and isn't it a hoot to watch?) I keep thinking how nice it would be to have Warren's heartfelt economic populism (she's not running) in the Presidency and not another half-hearted economic populist like Obama.

Might be a good time to take a good long look at Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who's rumored to be considering a run and has actually governed (successfully, too) like a Liberal Democrat.

Peace,
emaycee

What becomes of the bare necessities

A recent study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University shows that 50% of renters are what is known as cost-burdened in their rent, that is they pay better than 30% of their income for housing (20.6 million people).  Twenty-seven percent pay more than 50% of their income (11.3 million people).

One supposes our foes on the right will point to this as being the fault of those uppity poor folks trying to have more than they can afford.  But the plain truth of the matter is that it's a combination of wage stagnation, high unemployment, a minimum wage that hasn't come close to keeping up with inflation, and rent just being too damn high (did you know that almost half of America's homeless have a job?).

Combined with a study from the Alliance for a Just Society which shows that for every $15.00 an hour job ($31,200 a year, full time, for our republican friends who struggle with math) there are currently 7 job seekers, and that we've lost 4 million $15.00 an hour jobs since 2009 (and that's not to mention that $31,200 a year isn't exactly going to make anyone rich), one has to wonder if the the bare necessities are being priced out of the reach of ordinary Americans what becomes of the American dream?

Judging from these numbers, it isn't going to be long before we're gathering scrapwood to build our very own 21st Century Hoovervilles, from where we can watch the wealthy with awe while our children go hungry.

Either that or we can be like the French and tear the mother fuckers down.

Peace,
emaycee

Our very own old white guys

Seems Ed Rendell (former Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, a fact about three ordinary Americans that live outside Pennsylvania know) went out of his way to fellate the Third Way this week, saying our party had economic populists like Elizabeth Warren and Bill de Blasio, and economic realists like himself who are more than happy to watch our party go down to defeat as long as they get to keep kissing the asses of Corporate America and Wall Street (and one assumes, accept their checks).

Alas, Mr. Rendell did not think so much of we economic populists, claiming di Blasio would soon fall back to earth and Warren couldn't even get 20% in a Democratic Presidential primary.

Really?  Because with the Liberal bent of our overwhelming youth vote, I'm pretty sure that tired old farts like Ed Rendell are a lot more likely to go the way of the Dodo Bird than is Elizabeth Warren or Bill de Blasio.

Shouldn't this tiresome fucker be a republican?  He sure sounds like one.

Peace,
emaycee

Happy fucking holidays, asshats

One in six Americans living below the federal poverty line.  One in five Americans not having enough money to buy food.  Unemployment is still at 7%, with the U6 at 13.2%. Our bridges and roads are crumbling.

And what is the Republican National Congressional Committee concerned about?




I'm a Liberal.

I work in retail, where it's traditional to give a seasonal greeting at the end of each sale.

Want to guess what mine will be?

Happy Holidays!
emaycee

On Nelson Mandela

Don't really need to add much to that.

Peace,
emaycee

The next Joe Lieberman?

Seems the Third Way, a "democratic" group whose sole function is to fellate Wall Street, had an editorial in The Wall Street Journal this week that denounced the agenda of economic populism championed by the likes of Elizabeth Warren and New York City Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio. In their genius, they have decided that looking out for 99% of Americans will be a disastrous political strategy and that we should do as they do and fellate those on Wall Street in the hopes that we can win in 2014.  Sen. Chuck Schumer, himself a long- time fellator of Wall Street, chimed in that left-wing blogs were the mirror image of the Tea Party, only they had less credibility and clout.

Are you fucking serious?  As the number three Democrat in the Senate (and boy, that doesn't fill me with much confidence going into 2014), someone ought to boot Schumer in the ass and see if they knock his brain back up into his head.

Though it would surely be a tall order, one can only hope that somewhere in the great state of  New York there's a true progressive salivating at the thought of winning Schumer's seat.

With enough pressure, we eventually sent Joe Lieberman packing, and we can do the same to Chuck Schumer.

Peace,
emaycee

Clueless

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."  Matthew 6:24

What's funny watching the kerfuffle over Pope Francis' remarks on income inequality is the reaction of Catholics.  No surprise the maggots of unfettered capitalism have declared the Pope wrong (Jon Stewart last night on Stuart Varney's reaction is classic), but it is stunning how little the more conservative Catholics know about their own religion.  The only change Pope Francis has made from Popes John Paul II and Bendict XVI is to remind Catholics that serving the poor is equally as important to the tenets of their faith as are hating on the gays and their war on women.

While I salute Pope Francis for prioritizing the economic needs of the poor and the middle class, Catholic Church doctrine is still exactly the same as it was before the puff of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel declared the election of this new Pope last March.

Of course, considering that the more conservative Catholics are wont to scream like wounded warriors over abortion and not bat an eye when some poor bastard is executed (in Church doctrine all life is sacred, and that means the death penalty is no more acceptable than abortion), it probably shouldn't be that surprising.

Peace,
emaycee

Sometimes I get it right

Nearly two years ago, on December 14, 2011, I wrote a post called "The Big Payback" in which I advocated attacking Citizen's United by turning it around on corporations through lawsuits by forcing them to not only have free speech rights individual citizens have but every right we as citizens have.

Ahem.

In today's Daily Kos, Meteor Blades makes virtually the same argument.

What the fuck--as the old saying goes, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and again.

Peace,
emaycee

The bare minimum

The New York Times has run an infographic on what today's minimum wage would be if it had kept up with the pace of the increase in earnings of the top 1% of earners.

It would be $22.72.

Given the pschopathic tendency of a lack of empathy which envelops many of our corporate leaders and Wall Street moguls, that the minimum wage hasn't kept up with their earnings isn't particularly surprising.

What is surprising is the notation from Think Progress (same link above) that since 1968 worker productivity  in America has more than doubled, and that if wages had kept up with the increases in worker productivity, last year the minimum wage would have been $21.72.

What are the chances Wal-Mart and McDonald's would be watching their employees walk out if they were getting paid over twenty dollars an hour?

On his first comedy CD, Chris Rock did a bit about working for minimum wage, and in it he notes that minimum wage means "if I could pay you less I would."

If your wages don't share at all in the gains your productivity made, one supposes Mr. Rock absolutely nailed it.

Peace,
emaycee