Diggapedia

I am not a Republican because: ·          I believe millionaires should pay a higher tax rate than middle class citizens ·          I believe punishing people because you do not like them is un-American ·          I believe civil liberties are precious and we all benefit from the ACLU ·          I believe education is a national priority ·          I believe the free market cannot regulate itself ·          I believe civil rights come from nature and someone who denies them in the name of ‘their God’ is a bigot ·          I believe in a strong defense but do not support spending more than the next 17 nations combined ·          I believe the wall separating church from state is tall,   wide, and must never be breached ·          I believe a person’s patriotism is neither measured by the size of his flag pin nor the number of times he says God Bless America ·          I believe denigrating and attacking people while they are having tough times is abhorren

  A great deal has been said about the RNC’s platform when its contents were leaked last week especially in light of Todd Akin’s comments about rape and the influence of the Tea Party and social conservatives on the Republican Party.   Conversely, the DNC’s platform has not received as much press but will likely focus on social issues such as same-sex marriage and immigration reform.   In the past, these platforms received very little attention but this year is different due to the reemergence of the ‘culture wars’ and the Democrats push to focus on social issues, especially around a woman’s reproductive rights.   Republican strategist Mike Murphy downplayed the significance of party platforms during Meet The Press on August 26 th .   True, party platforms are usually an amalgamation of ideas to satisfy the “The Big Tent” of the party, they also provide insight into the party leaders’ vision.   But that vision provides necessary insight into the beliefs of the party, its theorie

Todd Akin is not the only sound bite machine in the GOP House.  Here are few other classics.  Worth noting are the quotes from Intelligence and Science committee members.  Scary scary stuff when you realize Akin is the rule, not the exception. ·          Virginia Foxx, chairwoman of the Higher Education & Workforce Training…she attended college in 1968.   Needless to say that college education costs have far outpaced inflation since 1968. “I went through school. I worked my way through. It took me seven years; I never borrowed a dime of money. ... I have very little tolerance for people who tell me that they graduate with $200,000 of debt or even $80,000 of debt.” ·          Joe Barton, energy and commerce committee apologizing to BP executives for being criticized by the White House.   Joe Barton represents Texas City, where in March 23, 2005 a blast at the BP refinery near Galveston killed 15 people and injured 180 others resulting in a $50Million fine. "I ap

The Huffington Post recapped an interview Mitt Romney had with the magazine Cathedral Age that included some very memorable quotes.   Romney, private equity exec turned governor turned presidential candidate turned historian took a shot at secularists as those who "seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God" aren't acting in line with the Founders' intent.   The all-knowing Romney clearly knew what Madison, Jefferson, et al were thinking.   Romney goes on to further   say that "some" Americans have taken the separation of church and state too far, "well beyond its original meaning."   Finally, Romney said the Founders didn't intend for "the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God, 'and in God, we do indeed trust."   Now I have heard this line hundreds of times about how religion is under assault in the public square.   Well know it’s my turn for a retort. Why take R

Weekend Wrap-Up ·          Rudy “Noun-Verb-9/11” Giuliani said the following about Joe Biden: "I don't think he's nuts. I'm just saying I wonder if he's got the kind of balance - probably what I should have said is the balance to be president of the United States. " “This guy is like one gaffe after another, and he's a joke on late-night television."   Well here is what ‘America’s Mayor’ had to say about that great vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in 2008: In choosing Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has chosen for the future. The other guy looked back. John looked forward. Gov. Palin represents a new generation. She’s already one of the most successful governors in America and the most popular. And she’s already had more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket combined. She’s been a mayor. I love that. I’m sorry — I’m sorry that Barack Obama feels that her hometown isn’t cosmopolita

In order to thrive a society must evolve, its attitudes, beliefs, and morals must evolve as well.   As the society evolves faster, traditional dogma and paradigms become subjects of great debate, often heated.   Over the 236 years since our nation’s independence and the 223 years since the Constitution   went into effect this nation has witnessed great debates on human and civil rights, often with the role of religion at the center.   This often results in the polarization of the population with those that oppose change squaring off with those that see change as natural and necessary; conservatives versus progressives.   I have written extensively about America’s history with respect to the war between free thinking and enlightenment on one side and religion on the other.   I also have heard the arguments that it was Democrats in the South that supported slavery, created the KKK, and opposed civil rights; a hollow argument considering those same southerners now represent today’s

This business about shrinking the size of government is both quantitative and qualitative. If one is talking about the quantitative argument then you can you choose a number of metrics such as government employees and government spending.   If you choose the qualitative measure you get more into the role of government including regulations, economic interventions, social behavior, and criminal activity.   No matter which you choose there are stark inconsistencies in the Republican party and its Tea Party ultra conservative   wing.   That is not to say that the Democrats are without their faults, but then again they’re not the party banging the drum about diminishing the size and the role of government. The GOP believes that all government spending is excessive and ripe for cutting unless it is in support of defense or national security apparatus.   Here is the breakdown of the 2012 federal budget   ($Billion): ·          Total Spending: $3,795 o    Defense: $902 o   

While watching these 2012 London Summer Olympics I found myself reminiscing about the 1972 Munich games, the first Olympics that I remember; an Olympiad that aired on ABC when I was only 8 years old.   While the 1972 Games are remembered for the murder of 11 Israeli athletes, a memory still engrained in my mind, I can still the images and video of the competition as if it was yesterday. I remember unheralded Cuban Superheavyweight boxer Teofilo Stevenson   destroying the competition including American favorite Duane Bobick.   Stevenson was a wrecking ball and I can see Bobick getting sent to the canvas three times in the third round.   Stevenson would go on to win gold in 72, 76, and 80.   I remember watching Finnish distance runner Lasse Viren win both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs, a feat he would repeat four years later in Montreal.   Don’t ask me how or why I remember The Flying Finn. I remember American medalists Bob Seagren in the pole vault and Dwight Stones in the

The call for patriotism has been a battle cry since the birth of this nation.   From the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere (the real one, not the imagined one in Sarah Palin’s mind) and the Battles of Lexington and Concord (Massachusetts not New Hampshire like Michele Bachmann believes) to the 2012 summer Olympics, flag waving chest thumping Freebird blasting red, white, and blue tattoos have been ubiquitous. During the last four years, however, the cacophony from the right questioning President Obama’s birthplace and patriotism, the Tea Party Patriots who think their guns will stop tanks, and the clowns on Fox News asking ‘How are we going to get our country back?’ have completely eviscerated the real meaning of patriotism. But it finally came to a head for me when I read about the schmucks, Alisyn Camerota and David Webb on Fox News questioning the uniforms of the American Women’s gymnastics team.   Camerota stated “ And some folks have noticed that American athletes’ uniforms don’t