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helderheid's Political Ramblings - Archives
Progressive Democrats of America expands the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign to include Brown Bag Lunch Vigils. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observed over 40 years ago, “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death,” and “of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.” And yet here we are, over four decades later, spending what seems to be limitless money for endless wars. We can pay for warfare but not healthcare, for bombs but not books, for weapons but not windmills, for hellfire but not homes. As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq labor on, with no end in sight, it's become alarmingly clear that they have exacted a staggering human and financial toll on the Iraqi, Afghan, and American people. Something is terribly wrong. In light of this sad state, Progressive Democrats of America is extending and expanding the Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign to raise awareness among the public and our elected officials that the electorate is not being served by current U.S. policies. PDA and our allies call on the Obama administration and the United States Congress to begin redirecting the money spent on war and death into human needs here at home and abroad. We demand humanitarian and reconstructive aid for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, not money for troop escalation and permanent bases. We demand that wasteful and unnecessary military spending be directed toward healthcare, jobs, and housing in America. We demand an end to the unjust and illegitimate wars against, and occupations of, Afghanistan and Iraq. PDA’s Brown Bag Lunch Vigil Campaign is calling on our members, and like-minded individuals and organizations, to gather on the third Wednesday of every month in front of—and in—congressional offices in districts across the country. We’re asking you to spend your lunch hour exercising your First Amendment Rights by holding vigils, rallies, meetings with aides and representatives, pickets, and demonstrations that will serve to educate our elected officials, the public, and the press about the human and financial costs of war and militarism. Specifically, PDA and our allies call on President Obama and Congress to support HR 2404, calling for an exit strategy from Afghanistan; HR 3699, prohibiting any increase in the number of U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan, and to establish improved and expanded Medicare for All to residents of the United States. We cannot let them forget that we are watching and waiting for the next election. Here's how to get involved:
My half brother was discovered dead in a plane crash today. They have his age wrong - he was closer to 50.
Breaking News »
2 men identified in small plane crash in Oregon By The Oregonian January 18, 2010, 2:47PM Authorities have identified the victims in a small plane crash Sunday near Philomath in Benton County as Vernon Ray Bentley, 52, of Blodgett and David Sherwood Pitkin, 59, from Bandon.
Searchers found the wreckage of the plane about 8:30 a.m. today west of Philomath. Both Bentley, the pilot, and Pitkin were found dead at the scene.
The plane was reported missing about 8 p.m. Sunday. The plane had been due in Corvallis about 4 p.m., police said.
Bentley worked for the Department of the Interior, the owner of the plane, and Pitkin was a contract employee working with Bentley.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
-- The Oregonian
Birth and Death is a grave event; How transient is life! Every minute is to be grasped. Time waits for nobody. - Inscription on a Zen Gong
Papa, I can't imagine what you're feeling right now. I've been crying on and off all day, not so much for myself as I really didn't know Dave, but for you, for Paul, and for Joe.
I was trying to remember the last time I saw David. I thought I'd share it with you as it's the only really clear memory I have of him. I was 11 I believe, and he had come to visit. You weren't home for one reason or another so to surprise you, he grabbed a lamp shade and stuck it on his head to see how long it would take you to notice it was him, and not a lamp. If memory serves, it didn't take much time at all. This memory made me smile so I'm hoping it will do the same for you.
I love you, Papa. Please let me know if I can do anything. I'm thinking about you and my heart breaks with yours.
***
You are such a wonderful daughter. It made me cry, but a good cry. I love the wonderful woman who used to be my baby girl. Pop
Good evening, In response to the notice ( http://www.canyonsdistrict.org/obama-speec... ) with a waiver giving me an option to keep my children from watching President Obama's speech to our nation's children about the importance of education which also stated that elementary students would not view the speech, I am keeping both my children at home Tuesday to ensure they are able to view the speech in its entirety. I must add, I find it highly confusing that this could possibly be "an infringement upon a right of conscience or the exercise of religious freedom....", but maybe you can explain that to me. Thanks, helderheid
JAMES A. HAUGHT Incredibly, President George W. Bush told French President Jacques Chirac in early 2003 that Iraq must be invaded to thwart Gog and Magog, the Bible’s satanic agents of the Apocalypse.
Honest. This isn’t a joke. The president of the United States, in a top-secret phone call to a major European ally, asked for French troops to join American soldiers in attacking Iraq as a mission from God.
Now out of office, Chirac recounts that the American leader appealed to their “common faith” (Christianity) and told him: “Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East…. The biblical prophecies are being fulfilled…. This confrontation is willed by God, who wants to use this conflict to erase his people’s enemies before a New Age begins.”
This bizarre episode occurred while the White House was assembling its “coalition of the willing” to unleash the Iraq invasion. Chirac says he was boggled by Bush’s call and “wondered how someone could be so superficial and fanatical in their beliefs.”
After the 2003 call, the puzzled French leader didn’t comply with Bush’s request. Instead, his staff asked Thomas Romer, a theologian at the University of Lausanne, to analyze the weird appeal. Dr. Romer explained that the Old Testament book of Ezekiel contains two chapters (38 and 39) in which God rages against Gog and Magog, sinister and mysterious forces menacing Israel. Jehovah vows to smite them savagely, to “turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,” and slaughter them ruthlessly. In the New Testament, the mystical book of Revelation envisions Gog and Magog gathering nations for battle, “and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
MORE >>>>> http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?s...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discu... by OneGrassRoot had me post the following note on my facebook page (do the same, send emails, go go go!) Tired of the government interfering and don't want socialism? Pledge to do the following and get others to do the same:
1. TEAR UP your Medicare card! This is one of the biggest socialist programs in America! (Republicans tried to prevent it from happening in the first place all those years ago!)
2. If you're retired military, REFUSE ANY FURTHER BENEFITS! You served your country well, but you don't want to live off of anything run by the incompetent government.
3. Discourage anyone from joining the military, since our military is one of the biggest government-run programs we have!
4. REFUSE TO RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS! That ugly word "social" is right there in the name!!!
5. Heck, we also have socialized police and fire protection, roads and bridges, public health programs like vaccinations, food and drug laws, etc. Do your part to advocate for the dismantling of these socialist programs! We're Americans -- we can do everything ourselves and, if you can't, you don't deserve to be here. Pay extra to have all your mail delivered by companies such as UPS and DHL
6. And, since the government can't do anything right, why do we even vote, even for Republicans? They're the ones who say the government doesn't work, so why do we vote them into office in the government only to collect a paycheck we're paying for? JUST DON'T VOTE AT ALL!
(One warning: Since we don't want the government interfering in our personal lives, we absolutely can't be hypocrites. We will have to give up the fight against legislating abortion, gay marriage, end-of-life issues and other values we hold so dear.)
And, finally, just so we don't let those "liberal elite" types try to confuse us with fancy language, let's take a stand on who we are and what we are all about.
WE ARE PROUD CONSERVATIVES! That means "we are disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change."
We want to restore things to pre-Civil Rights days. The country REALLY went to hell in a hand basket starting with all that civil rights legislation. NOW look who's in the White House!
WE DEPLORE ANYTHING PROGRESSIVE (progressive: "favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are").
We don't want anything to improve. We're perfect. We're Americans. WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!!! I got this RW response: Ok I'll Bite.... Lincoln was a Republican...He started he civil rights movement...Freed the slaves.
The Military is a career. Many jobs have benefits and they are earned. People who seved EARNED the benefits. You are confusing earning and wanting an entitlement.
The consevatives have been fighting for social security to be privatized for years. Can't do that though because the government blew the money on other social prograns years ago. The piggy bank is empty..but I'll opt out of paying into it today and give up the benefit anytime.
UPS, Fedex, and DHLwould crush the USPS, and they're not even subsidized by the federal government. The USPS has a over a 70 Billion dollar budget and has a 6 billion Dollar deficit. Could you run a business with an extra 70 Billion?
The Military, Police, and Fire are not entitlements. Our tax $'s buy those services. Fortunately, I also go this very sane response (DU'er - could use more like this): Jim, Your tax dollars can buy any thing the government wants. Schools, welfare, armies, heath care. We chose what we want to pay for, so by your definition all public expenditures are entitlements. We just decide which ones add to the general good of all. I have news for you, but I pay for social security so I believe I have earned it. So when I get to be old enough to collect I expect too. This piggy bank is never empty just as long as we keep having kids and they keep working. That is how social security works. Sorry Jim your arguments don't hold water. Stop listing to Rush and take a history or economics class. Then you will see your errors. I don't have time to address them all. To compare Lincoln Republicans to modern Republicans is just stupid. Anyone else want to chime in?  I've had one of those days where my brain went into idle mode so I dare not get into this with him but would love suggestions for tomorrow.  Also, if you're my FB friend, please feel free to respond on my note! Love ya, DU!
and we have been waiting for this for YEARS. At age 4, he announced he wanted nothing more than to have a penis.
Any links, especially school links, he'll be attending HS in Portland OR, would be appreciated.
So proud of my nephew!!!!
 (Hope this isn't a dupe.)
I'm maintaining beautifully - between 122-125 most of the time. Have had to do a few steak days but what a feeling to be able to correct anything above 125 in a day. I start my final round next month when the kids are back in school, this time a short round of 21 days which should let me release the final 10 pounds I'd like to release. That gets me smack dab in the middle of a healthy BMI. I am on the high end now (127+ has me overweight). Longhorn, I miss you! I think of you every time I come here. I hope you can support me from beyond on this final round. Thanks for your support when you were here with us physically. 
Dear DU, After a lot of years of devastating setbacks in the fight for marriage equality, it seems like we're finally moving in the right direction. With marriage legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and Maine, and the fights going strong in New Hampshire, New York and California, this movement is gaining more momentum every day, and I'm excited to be a part of it. To that end, I wanted to let you know that CREDO Action is giving away some awesome stickers about supporting gay marriage - I think you'd really like them. I just got mine - if you have a minute, click this link to check out the stickers and get one of your own (for free!). https://act.credoaction.com/stickers/?r_by...  Thanks!
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