This weekend I watch Glenn Beck and the Fox Host has not changed my mind one bit. He is still a fake, even though he tried to walk back his comment that President Obama is a racists. Sorry, not buying it. The man is a fraud, having his rally on this date was planned and he knows it. If he is a follower of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. he knows this date in history, to claim he did not know makes me wonder how much did he follow the teachings of Dr. King????

While Beck is fashioning himself after revered civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and trying to take up the mantle of the civil rights movement, he is ultimately unfit to command such a legacy. The Fox News host’s views and actions are in opposition to just about everything that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood for.

KING believed that it was America’s collective responsibility to provide economic justice for all. In 1961, the civil rights leader addressed the AFL-CIO on his vision of the American Dream. King said that his vision of America’s promise was a country where “equality of opportunity, of privilege and property are widely distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few.” King helped launch a Poor People’s Campaign based around demanding that “President Lyndon Johnson and Congress help the poor get jobs, health care and decent homes.” The civil rights legend explained that poverty was a problem that couldn’t be solved without a “the nation spending billions of dollars — and undergoing a radical redistribution of economic power.” He spent the last days of his life campaigning on behalf of a living wage for striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee.

BECK, on the other hand, has repeatedly insulted any government attempt to help the poor. The host has offensively claimed that “Big government never lifts anybody out of poverty. It creates slaves, people who are dependent on the scraps from the government, the handouts.” The pundit has declared that President Obama “really is a Marxist” because he “believes in the redistribution of wealth.” He argued in his book An Inconvenient Book that the reason the poor are poor and can’t be helped by the government is simply because they are “lazy.” Discussing the topic of rebuilding Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, Beck said we “shouldn’t spend a single dime” and that the residents should just “move out.” Discussing the topic of jobless Americans unable to find work receiving unemployment benefits, Beck said he would be “ashamed” to call some of them Americans.

KING championed using his faith to achieve social justice. King called himself an “advocator of the social gospel,” and saw Jesus’s teachings as commanding him to take part in progressive activism to achieve “social justice.” In a 1963 speech Western Michigan University, he said that he saw an “age of social justice” as the goal of his movement. When he spoke out against the Vietnam War at Riverside Church in 1967, he quoted the first epistle of Saint John to demand an end to the fighting: “Let us love one another, for love is God.”

BECK has derided social justice and attacked Christians who want to use their faith to achieve it. The Fox News host told his audience that when they hear the words “social justice” they should “run, and don’t listen to anyone who is telling you differently.” He also accused progressives of trying to “hijack churches” with a message of social justice. He even ignorantly claimed that civil rights demonstrators “weren’t crying out for social justice.”

KING believed in loving those who disagreed with him and engaging in thoughtful dialogue. One of the hallmarks of King’s philosophy and what separated him from many other African American leaders was his advocacy for maintaining thoughtful and respectful dialogue with those who disagreed with his goals. In 1957, the civil rights leader gave a sermon titled, “Loving Your Enemies.” King said that a man must “discover the element of good in his enemy, and every time you begin to hate that person and think of hating that person, realize that there is some good there and look at those good points which will over-balance the bad points.” He practiced nonviolence and even asked civil rights demonstrators to not fight back when attacked by white racists. He demanded of his fellow demonstrators a “refusal to hate.”

BECK, on the other hand, has repeatedly attacked his political opponents with vicious and hateful language. He has compared president Obama to the Antichrist and said that it was “approaching treason” to elect a more progressive Congress. He has said he hates the 9/11 victims’ families and derided supporters of cap-and-trade as “greedy,” “wicked,” and “treasonous.” When interviewing Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the nation’s first elected Muslim congressman, Beck told him, “[W]hat I feel like saying is, ‘Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies’.” He also speculated that Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s (D-OH) wife must have been under the influence of a “date rape drug” to marry him.

NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT GLENN BECK IS, HE IS NOT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NEVER WAS AND NEVER WILL BE. HE IS A FRAUD OF THE HIGHEST ORDER AND REPRESENTS WHAT MANY AMERICANS FIND TO BE UNACEPTABLE.

An example of one of his many racial rants:

It appears that Glenn Beck enjoys the idea of comparing black people to monkeys. Beck's latest rant featured him comparing President Barack Obama's America to "the damn 'Planet of the Apes.'" Beck made these comments in response to the president's statements against the AFL-CIO.

Beck seems to feel that the support of strong union pensions in the presence of a high-unemployment rate doesn't make any sense. His alleged confusion about Obama's actions forms the basis of his comparison to 'Planet of the Apes,' where a man is pushed into another segment of time and space to find that apes run the world and humans are their pets

While Beck's outrageous words (it was no accident that he compared Obama to an ape, which is highly offensive to black people) may gain him attention right now, he must also realize that he loses credibility with each ridiculous statement..

Additionally, his ironic comparison of Obama's America to 'Planet of the Apes' is interesting in that it seems to imply that he feels our nation has (as in the movie) shifted roles, where the apes are running the world and the humans are being subjected to their abuses.

He has also recently compared President Obama to the Nazi’s and the concentration camps, referred to the unemployed (the 99er’s) as scumbags and lazy and the rants go on and on.

There is no rainbow bridge for this gentleman.

Interesting point Ron about the canvassing... having been out in the streets in 2008 I NEVER saw a single McCain/Palin campaigner in the 14 weekends I spent in WI!

If nothing else... let this be a reminder to get FIRED UP & READY to GO!

Complacency has NO room with these mid-terms... there is waaay to much at stake!

Let's GET out there and GET OUT THE VOTE!

Great posts, Ron, US Navy.

Beck claims he is religious yet his words are opposite of embracing of the Bible.

Good Morning Feisty: I know you were one of the thousands who worked in the Obama campaign. You and I know that it is not the rallys on the National Mall that makes the difference, its the hard work of being a community organizer.

Now you did it Ron... you went and mentioned 'community organizer'! :0)))

The disdain that drips from the right wings lips when they utter those (2) words is COMICAL!

Ran across a quote this morning that dovetails with what your post, Ron--"America is not governed by the majority but by the majority of those who participate." Thomas Jefferson

So if we don't get out and participate this fall, we leave our government to those who do. As simple as that.

I have no doubt that Republicans will do well this election season, all the factors favor them, but I continue to question their real strength. After MONTHS of relentless promotion Beck is able to gather a crowd of less then 100,000 to a FREE event featuring Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin, and of course the guru himself. In a lot of places you didn't even have to put together your own transportation for crying out loud, Tea Party groups arranged bus tours!

This morning I heard a piece on the radio about the Fall campaigns. It seems that here in Iowa the Democrats can't even figure out which races they need to defend because Republicans aren't spending money on individual districts. At a time when they should already be on the airwaves strongly to put and keep races into play the GOP is still conserving their funds, which can mean only that they don't feel confident in their fundraising. While that can't be said about every race nationally, financial reports show that the Republicans don't have the big money edge you'd expect. That's particularly true at a time when groups like the bankers and the Chamber of Commerce desperately want to preserve the minimal-oversight, regulation-free, greed is good mentality that collapsed our economy in the first place.

What I see is a lot of money being spent to create a narrative. A narrative that's designed to counteract a 30 year experiment in Conservative government that's failed miserably. A narrative that's desperate to hold back the demographic tide of increasing urbanization, increasing minority population, and increasing Liberal tendencies among young voters.

A narrative can win an election, but it can't change reality over the long term.

Steeler Fan,

Right on. People cannot continue to sit on their best intentions and then complain that the country is falling apart. Apathy is the killer of ideas

"A narrative can win an election, but it can't change reality over the long term."

Neither can "wishful thinking", which is the sum total of what's been delivered by the Dems for the last 1.5 years when they controlled ALL the govt. except the SC. Sucks to be you.

Navy Vet, "economic equality" via confiscatory taxation and redistribution which creates dependence upon the government for peoples very existance is not what MLK had in mind.

What MLK had in mind was ACCESS to success, education and therefore economic equality. In the context of MLKs day, Jim Crow laws were fresh in memory, segregation was still in force in many places and blacks simply were not allowed via institutional racism the access to achieve economic success.

What that requires is institutional changes which have been made to remove the barriers, but what it also requires is effort made on the part of the person seeking success, and where you see anyone having made the effort - black, white, hispanic, whatever - they will have achieved success. There is no doubt that additional effort needs to be made by some people relative to others, but that truth is not applicable only to minorities. This country was founded on guaranteeing opportunity, not outcome.

Trillions of dollars have been thrown at the idea of "economic equality" and with the increasing size of the black middle and upper class it is clear that the barriers that existed in 1963 have largely been torn down. We have a black president.

The issue becomes, at what point does this country face reality regarding people enslaved to entitlements, of all colors? At what point do we return to the concept of personal responsibility, and understand that a culture of dependence destroys the will for improvement?

I just finished an excellent book, "Negrophilia" by Erik Rush, also a black man. He has been called "house n****", "Uncle Tom", etc etc, like Thomas Sowell and many other black authors who have the audacity to clearly and with documentation discuss the extreme negative effects of entitlement and dependence on blacks.

Before you rule out the message, actually read it. Pry your mind open and question the popular wisdom that everyone is to blame for the plight of the poor - no matter what color - besides them.

Society can help them and help them and help them, but until they want to help themselves, it's a waste of money.

I anticipate fully the liberal assault on this post, and when it comes know that I predicted it. I will be called racist, and accused of not caring for the less fortunate and other false hyperbole. Just know that I believe fully in a social safety net. I do NOT believe in a social hammock for those unwilling to take responsibility, paid for by people that are.

Joe in Albany

"A narrative can win an election, but it can't change reality over the long term."

Neither can "wishful thinking", which is the sum total of what's been delivered by the Dems for the last 1.5 years when they controlled ALL the govt. except the SC. Sucks to be you.

Well, Joe

Judging from the narrative Beck gave yesterday; I think you mean "sucks be to thee"; tea baggers. I know you say aren't one but the narrative is still the same for you.

Thou are dreaming; the GOP has no worthwhile narrative; especially after Beck's BIG questionable comparisons between the African-American civil rights movement and God yesterday.

The overarching theme comeing from saturdays "Journey to Becca", is that the MSM, wants American's to think thier is a movement out there ready to "Bust A Move" on our Political system.

After months & months of FREE advertising in advance of the "Journey to Becca", a miniscule crowd of 85,000-300,000, (thats if you Count all the People in the vicinity) were there. Now the MSM, would have you believe this constitutes some kinda Wave in Favor of DumbASSery(hattip to MT). The usual 25%, who still backed President Bush are still around & making lotsa Noise. we heard that noise last August.

HCR is LAW !

Some have suggested that the MSM finally gets IT, personally I don't. They have an Agenda to Push, dam the Facts. Ratings at the expense of America, is'nt the Job of the 4th Estate.

We've seen the Destruction that can be brought by former Alcoholics & Drug addicts(GWB), who've talked to GOD. Let Beck & Palin make thier $$, but don't try & convince me That either of them have America's Best Interest at Heart!

Both ofem & the ones that follow & listen, are several french fries short of a Happy Meal !

You Betcha!

More ranting and raving from people who didn't even listen to the speeches made at the rally, and its coming straight from Media Matters.

The hate and fear from the left is palpable, directed at people that are their fellow Americans.

It's really a shame that apparently, in the liberal mindset, freedom of speech only applies to them and those with whom they agree. Stereotyping is A-OK with the left, when it's directed at people they disagree with. Intolerance is right and justified by the left, when convenient and expedient.

Prove me wrong. Cite a specific portion of Beck's, or Alveda King's, or Palin's, or anyone's speech that you have a problem with. I'll check back in a couple hours.

Most people estimated 85, 000 at the rally? I will assume you are ill informed as opposed to being untruthful.

The estimates ranged from a low 0f 87. 000 up to 1,000, 000.

Feisty Redhead-------- If you find the disdain that comes from the corners of the mouths of conservatives comical.

You should be in a crowd of conservatives watching them rolling on the floor, in helpless laughter, and reading the posts of the enablers as they rant, rave ,limbs twitching feebly and foam gushing from their mouth, concerning what a talk show host, is saying.

"Prove me wrong. Cite a specific portion of Beck's, or Alveda King's, or Palin's, or anyone's speech that you have a problem with. I'll check back in a couple hours."

I only saw snippets of the rally on the evening news, so perhaps I'm not qualified to speak, but what I saw looked like a fundamentalist revival meeting, with Beck urging people to turn to God, etc. I have to tell you, I really don't like to see Christianity mixed up in politics.

I have nothing against fundamentalism, although it is not the way I raised (in the bible, Jesus says don't stand on the street corner praying loudly to God, but go in your house and pray in private.) To each his own, we have freedom of religion as well as freedom of speech, in this country.

If it calms and comforts people to hear Sarah Palin talk about God, so be it, but she doesn't have a calming effect on me. I loathe the woman, which is not very Christian of me, but then, again, the bible does warn against listening to false prophets.

I don't even care what any of them said on Saturday at the biggest Glenn Beck self-promotion ever. It's what they've said the other 364 days of the year, and all the years prior that bothers me.

And for the record I don't see anyone suggesting that Beck doesn't have the right to say whatever he wants. I certainly have no problem with that. Truth always prevails in the end and it's only a matter of time until almost everyone sees that he's selling the crazy philosophy of the John Birch Society http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/02/farright-john-birch-society-2010.html and wrapping pretty wordcraft around incendiary hatred.

Joe McCarthy would be proud.

John, what EXACTLY have either one of the said that you find so reprehensible? If you can't be specific, I'll just assume that you're toeing the party line ala MediaMatters and your mind is closed to other considerations.

Amy, the Declaration of Independence reads as follows:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

For the majority of people in this country, the "creator" is God. The anti-Christian sentiment in this country has succeeded in convincing you that "God" is ONLY the god of Christians and fundamentalists and should therefore be avoided at all cost. I'm agnostic, and I believe that god granted those unalienable rights.

AS OPPOSED TO those rights being granted by the government. The Founders set out to define those rights as unassailable by attaching them to birth, via creation. That concept is NOT specific to a Christian god, nor Allah, nor Yahweh or any other of the names assigned by mankind to the force behind creation.

Since you didn't actually watch the speeches in their entirety, you took away from them that which you wished to take away - that it was nothing more than a fundamentalist revival. Beck was NOT preaching to have politics influenced by religion. He was, and is, advocating for people to recognize the source of their rights - the creator, not government.

John B.

Glenn Beck has a very long history of racist remarks, bigotry and hatred based rants. Just because he was on his best behavior for one day does not change what he is. Just the right trying to make him into a GOD because on one day. Not going to happen, we know him for what he is.

A leopard just does not change his/her spots, especially in one day. Let us see what he does on his TV shows over the next few months.

Any bets???

Navy Vet, PROVE YOUR CLAIM.

It's very easy to regurgitate what MediaMatters tells you to regurgitate. It's harder to actually substantiate your claims.

What, exactly, has Beck said that is racist or hate-filled?

Please remember, that just because YOU say a thing is so, does not make it so.

Johnny, by the time y'all dopes of nope get done it will be 5 million, however here are some interesting facts and figures, unfortunatley I can't attach pictures that would back up these facts, I will give you the high end of 98,000, this is way short of what POTUS can put in the field..lol. From Daily Kos/CBS

We know that the reflecting pool is 2,029 feet long and 167 feet wide. On the south side of the pool, people were generally gathered in an area no more than about 300 feet wide and on the north side of the pool they were gathered in an area about 150 feet wide. That means people were gathered in roughly 900,000 sq. ft of space along the edges of the pool. To take into account the area around the World War II Memorial and the area just north of the stage, we'll say that the Beck rally crowd occupied roughly one million square feet of area.

Now, using a figure of one million square feet for the rally space, let's go figure out what sort of crowd density Beck's estimate implied and what sort of crowd density CBS's estimate implied.

CBS put the range at between 78,000 and 96,000. That means on the low end, CBS is saying that each person occupied roughly 13 square feet of space on average. On the high end, they are saying more like 10 square feet. Beck, meanwhile, is saying on the low end that each person occupied about 3.3 square feet of space and on the high end that they occupied about 1.7 square feet of space.

To recap:

• CBS low-end (78k): 13 sq. ft. per person
• CBS high-end (96k): 10 sq. ft. per person
• Beck low-end (300k): 3.3 sq. ft. per person
• Beck high-end (600k): 1.7 sq. ft. per person

What would those numbers mean in real life? Let's look at it a couple of different ways. First, let's assume each person was was in standing in the middle of a perfect square and that nobody else was inside of their square. What would the dimensions be of each person's square?

• CBS low-end (78k): 43 inches by 43 inches
• CBS high-end (96k): 38 inches by 38 inches
• Beck low-end (300k): 22 inches by 22 inches
• Beck high-end (600k): 16 inches by 16 inches

Now let's translate this to something most of us have experience with: airline seats. An airline seat is typically about 19 inches wide and there's about 31 or 32 inches between each row. Roughly, that's about 600 square inches or 4 square feet. So given that, how much area, in terms of airline seats, was the average person occupying according to these estimates?

• CBS low-end (78k): 3.1 airline seats of area per person
• CBS high-end (96k): 2.4 airline seats of area per person
• Beck low-end (300k): 0.8 airline seats of area per person
• Beck high-end (600k): 0.4 airline seats of area per person

Now go back and look at those pictures again, and look at how much green there is -- some areas (like the southwest corner of land next to the reflecting pool) are virtually barren. But for Glenn Beck's estimates to be right, the average person would need to be crammed into the area taken up by less than one airline seat! Indeed, his most agressive estimate assumes less than half of an airline seat per person!

To put it another way, to imagine Beck's high-end estimate, imagine a plane where two and half people were sitting in every passenger seat.

With that in mind, the CBS figures seem quite reasonable.

"Beck was NOT preaching to have politics influenced by religion. He was, and is, advocating for people to recognize the source of their rights - the creator, not government."

Since when are Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin members of the clergy? They are political pundits who advocate for the Republican Party. They are using Jesus Christ to attract froghtened people to their political cause.

Whose right are being violated? The Muslims whom Glen Beck and Sarah Palin have decreed cannot build a mosque in New York City. Hispanic people in Arizona who may have to show papers if they are stopped by police. I loathe this twisting of logic to make it appear fundamentalist Christian are the one's whose rights are being violated. Who is violating the rights of Christian? You don't make any sense.

Let's try that again without the typos:

Whose rights are being violated? The Muslims whom Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin have decreed cannot build a mosque in New York City. Hispanic people in Arizona who may have to show papers if they are stopped by police. I loathe this twisting of logic to make it appear fundamentalist Christians are the ones whose rights are being violated. Who is violating the rights of Christians? You don't make any sense.

Amy, you're buying into the left-wing nonsense again, which I loathe. You've fairly obviously chosen to believe what you WANT to believe, which are lies.

Do some research on the AZ law. Here's a link for you, to make it easier. In summary, your claim is a lie because if any Hispanic, or white, black or asian, is pulled over in the course of other legal action, ie a speeding ticket, and they can show a valid drivers license - THAT IS THE END OF IT. That's standard operating procedure, nationwide, for police to ask for identification in the course of a legal action.

http://azgovernor.gov/documents/BorderSecurity/SB1070MythsandFacts.pdf

More importantly, does the distinction between "ILLEGAL ALIEN" and "LEGAL IMMIGRANT" mean nothing to you? Why do you think people that break our laws should be allowed to do so, and rewarded with social programs, health care and schooling for their lawbreaking? How is that somehow better than bailing out Wall Street, which was abhorrent? Both activities reward bad behavior, what exactly is your threshold for that? And where is your outrage for the people attempting to cross our border illegally because it is so foolishly simple that end up killed by the coyotes and drug cartels, or held hostage once over the border? What about them?

Please provide proof that Beck or Palin decreed that a mosque cannot be built. You won't be able to, because they didn't, that is another lie.

Stop telling lies and exaggerations to try to prove your point. If you choose to be uninformed and simply parrot the blogosphere, fine, but you're not fooling anyone except yourself.

Pragmatic:

First just google racist or bigot remarks by Glenn Beck. You will be reading all day. But here is an example:

It appears that Glenn Beck enjoys the idea of comparing black people to monkeys. Beck's latest rant featured him comparing President Barack Obama's America to "the damn 'Planet of the Apes.'" Beck made these comments in response to the president's statements against the AFL-CIO.

Beck seems to feel that the support of strong union pensions in the presence of a high-unemployment rate doesn't make any sense. His alleged confusion about Obama's actions forms the basis of his comparison to 'Planet of the Apes,' where a man is pushed into another segment of time and space to find that apes run the world and humans are their pets

While Beck's outrageous words (it was no accident that he compared Obama to an ape, which is highly offensive to black people) may gain him attention right now, he must also realize that he loses credibility with each ridiculous statement. I find myself less and less shocked by anything he says, and I hardly consider him to be a serious political figure.

Additionally, his ironic comparison of Obama's America to 'Planet of the Apes' is interesting in that it seems to imply that he feels our nation has (as in the movie) shifted roles, where the apes are running the world and the humans are being subjected to their abuses.

Pragmatic said: What that requires is institutional changes which have been made to remove the barriers, but what it also requires is effort made on the part of the person seeking success, and where you see anyone having made the effort - black, white, hispanic, whatever - they will have achieved success. There is no doubt that additional effort needs to be made by some people relative to others, but that truth is not applicable only to minorities. This country was founded on guaranteeing opportunity, not outcome.

Do you believe these opportunities still exist for all Americans? What about the increasing concentration of wealth among the rich and the shrinking of the middle class? Do the rich just want it more?

As for Beck, I think few would disagree that he, just like many (most?) cable news hosts on both sides of the aisle are more interested in creating a narrative than reporting the news. Whether you find him offensive depends on your views. Beck is just the right's most vocal member of that group. I do believe that he goes too far and that he, like many cable talking heads, should have his show clearly labeled as non-news. I'm not talking about the rally on Saturday - I spent my weekend studying.

Okay, Navy Vet, FINALLY something concrete. Your entire tirade rests on one statement, but at least it's a specific example. I have googled the suggested search many times. It's the usual nonsense, "he said people should work for their money, he's a racist!!11!!" I'll do you one better though, and link to the top 10 according to Associated Content.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2479786/glenn_becks_top_ten_dumbest_quotes_pg2.html?cat=9

Read through the comments, and read - while attempting some critical thinking - the supposed basis for the claims that Becks statements are "racist". In all cases, they are only racist if the person listening is a racist. In other words, you have to WANT to see racism. Why is the left always so busy looking for racism? Why do YOU equate apes to blacks? I certainly don't.

Is Harry Reid calling Obama a "clean, well dressed black man with no black accent" and claming that's what makes him electable okay with you? Is the Black Panther's intimidating white voters okay with you? Is black conservatives being called "uncle toms" and "house n*****" okay with you? Is racism okay, as long as a liberal or a black is perpetrating it?

It is a constant source of amusement to me that I end up defending on these vines the likes of Glenn Beck, people to whom I normally pay little to no attention. But the left wing of this country is so pathetic with their distortions and bold faced lies, it's just impossible to ignore. You guys have thrown the race card too many times, and your Twister game-like attempts to find it in the most innocuous statements is another source of amusement that never fails to show your own racism.

In summary, Beck is a TV/radio personality with a message that appeals to millions of people that liberals are threatened by to the point of hysteria. His message most recently is based on faith, which gives liberals even more fits.

So what?

OK Pragmatic, you've made clear that you reject opinions beyond your own, putting the lie to your nic. You're perfectly entitled to be closed-minded, your attempt to claim it's everyone BUT you that's closed-minded is amusing to say the least.

STS

Just to be clear a driver's licence is not proof of citizenship.  If you work in HR or law enforcement you are told repeatedly not to accept a valid DL as proof of ones citizenship.  A birth certificate, naturalization certificate, U.S. passport or other temporary passes are the only things that do. 

Yes, John, I reject opinions based on lies and hypocrisy and intentionally skewed and inaccurate interpretations of people's words. Only in liberal-land is that an indication of a "closed mind". In the real world, it's called tolerance - something liberals can preach but not practice.

And if you don't like it, too bad. I see you lack the courage of YOUR convictions, to defend your assertion that Beck is a racist. Why, because you know it's a stretch at best and shines the bright light of racism right back on you?

Are YOU a racist, John? I know I'm not.

If you reject Beck based on his religious fervor, then I agree with you 100%, he's over the top. He is NOT, however, advocating policy be based on religion which is what was claimed. I agree with one concept of his: that we have it backwards in this country right now. The government does not grant us rights, WE allow the government to govern.

If you reject Beck because he's a recovered drug addict/alcoholic, I'm less likely to agree with you because his prior drug addiction/alcoholism - by liberal standards - should not be held against him and in fact a "higher power" is a key part of all 12 step programs. It's just a convenient way for the far left to denigrate him, and Rush Limbaugh for that matter, which is 100% hypocritical from the same people who want to make excuses for criminals based on their "hard life".

If you reject Beck because you claim he's a racist, I disagree with you entirely because the "facts" you base that claim on are subject to interpretation and when those "facts" are considered by someone who's NOT looking for racism, the claims of racism fall apart.

I notice you didn't bother to respond to the blatant and overt racism perpetrated by Harry Reid, the Black Panthers and the black community at large toward conservative members of their own race.

Once again I ask you, is racism okay when it's perpetrated by liberals and blacks?

Tom - Read the link I provided. I didn't say a driver's license was proof of citizenship. What I said was, consistent with the AZ law, if a valid drivers license is produced then the AZ law enforcement will stop there as far as determining immigration status. If one cannot be produced, or a fake/expired/otherwise invalid license is provided, then they will pursue the issue. Federal law requires legal immigrants to carry their green card at all times, and Federal law enforcement can demand that card with less cause than a traffic stop - in fact, no cause at all. What exactly is the problem with the AZ law, then?

Yes, John, I reject opinions based on lies and hypocrisy and intentionally skewed and inaccurate interpretations of people's words. Only in liberal-land is that an indication of a "closed mind". In the real world, it's called tolerance - something liberals can preach but not practice.

1. I wasn't aware that only liberal politicians were engaged in a war of words in Washington.

2. Your stereotyping of an entire population implies that you are, in fact, closed minded. Don't worry about it - this is the internet, where EVERYONE IS STUPID AND CLOSED MINDED, EXCEPT FOR ME. I AM AWESOME.

Right Pragmatic, and you've declared any opposing opinion to be lies, hypocritical, intentionally skewed, and inaccurate, proving my point. I didn't respond to the racism question because USN already embarrassed you on that point, but if you insist;

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/08/beck-slavery-slavery-everywhere

http://www.taylormarsh.com/2010/08/06/glenn-becks-racism-it%E2%80%99s-like-the-damned-planet-of-the-apes/

http://www.theroot.com/views/obama-racist-look-who-s-talking

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/glenn-beck-worst-racist-world

http://blog.themoviequotes.com/2009/08/25/glenn-beck-racist-comment/

http://babyboomeradvisorclub.com/2010/05/15/glenn-beck-opens-racist-mouth-again-on-911-mosque-and-cinco-de-mayo/

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2009/08/who-will-pay-for-glenn-becks-racism-and.html

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/35198_Glenn_Becks_Racist_Friends

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-dallas/glenn-beck-planet-of-the-apes-racist-remark-insults-obama-video

http://blog.buzzflash.com/honors/245

http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/09/glenn-becks-demagoguery-right-wing-extremism-and-racism/

Nice left wing blog-fest. Mother Jones? Really?

Once again, open to interpretation, every last one of them. You see racism everywhere, if you look for it.

Would you accept, from me, proof from Newsmax or the Weekly Standard? Of course not, because that would be ludicrous since both of those sources are clearly conservative. I wouldn't insult you by offering them as proof for anything. You, on the other hand, insult me by trying to prove something via a source with an axe to grind.

I'm done here. Have fun.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Bye!!!

Well, there's really no point in your staying since no one's opinion matters but your own, and no source is accurate except those that back up your opinion.

Have fun talking to yourself.

Here are some interesting FACTS about what happened when the Republicans took control of Congress in the 1994 Mid-term elections under President Clinton – from Government records;

During Clinton's first 2 years, when Democrats had control of the White House and Congress, we find the following;

There was an average Budget Deficit of $229.1 Billion per year.

The average Unemployment Rate was 6.52%.

A net of 5.56 million jobs were added to the economy.

The Public Debt increased by $432 Billion in 2 years.

After the Republicans took over Congress (including the legislative and spending agenda) in 1995;

There was an average Budget SURPLUS of $23.0 Billion per year.

The Unemployment Rate averaged only 4.76%.

A net of 17.49 million jobs were added to the economy.

The Public Debt actually DECREASED by $75 Billion.

Lots of very beneficial bipartisan legislation was passed, including welfare reform to break the cycle of generations on welfare for their entire lives.

Perhaps a change to Republican control of Congress would bring some sanity back to Washington.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

PragmaticToAFault

Thanks for the link to the "10 dumbest things Beck has said". I agree with you that only a twisting of his words would allow him to be describes as a "racist". It's about as twisted as those on the right saying that Obama is a Muslim because of comments by Obama saying he's a "Muslim" and talking about "his Muslim faith" when these comments were taken out of context.

I don't listen or watch Beck, but for liberals to twist his comments and then keep repeating the lies is the height of hypocrisy.

It's obvious that Beck gets under their skin, and they have to try to demonize him instead of having a balanced dialogue on the issues.

Looking ahead to the November elections, the liberals are beginning to panic, and they must be very disappointed about having a far-left liberal as President, and supermajorities in Congress, and still hardly any of their liberal agenda was passed.

Reality is dawning on them, and they are very unhappy.

Interesting theory, sparky. so to what do you attribute the record deficits from 2001-2007? Be honest, there, sparky. The Lord is watching.

But...but...but...

...Joe, I thought that Saturday's rally wasn't about politics! That's what Glenn Beck told us. He wouldn't...*GASP*...lie to us, would he?

Politics was not the overarching theme of the rally...

Nor were there a whole lot of Democratic votes out on the Mall Saturday.

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

So basically, attempting to persuade the left of the correctness of your position is irrelevant because they are not Republican votes anyway?

Joe in Albany

I'm very interested in the regular FR lefty liberals thoughts on Glenn Beck's "Restore Honor" rally in Washington, D.C. this weekend. What a disappointment it must be that you cannot point to all the "crazy" and "lunatic" "racist" "teabagger" signs and Sarah's misspeaks butchering the English language. Geez, any more of this civility and reasonable behavior from the Tea Partiers and you lefty liberals might have to admit they have some legitimate points, even though you may disagree with them.

No Joe, we can't but we can point to "crazy lunatic" tea shirts, and all the chemistry imbalances in the brains of Beck and the Tea Baggers. Beck said it feels like "God dropped a giant sandbag on my head. Wooooow, his crazy butt got that RIGHT I guess he forget about his zombies?

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/28/political-rally-or-not-we-report-you-decide

How do like the "Obama is destroying America" Tee Shirt. the "Don't Tread on Me" tee Shirts the spray and neuter liberals tee Shirts, the Freedom Work's Dick Amrey's front group registering Tea baggers (masqueraded republicans), the NRA giving gun lessons, or Sarah Palin's screechy voice suggesting transformation of America?

GLENN Beck's event was a hatchet job to his bunch of hypnotic zombies in need of a sleeping pill. I didn't like GLENN Beck's SUBTLE play ON WORDS. I mean saying "THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF DARKNESS. Well, Nostradumbass, GLENN Beck, made a horrible prediction in his huge overblown head when he popped off. In the past GLENN Beck has called the President, everything but a child of God, including a MAXIST, COMMUNIST, and now he demeans Liberation Theology? It is dualistic view of the world, dividing things into light or dark; which is a bigoted COMPARISON OF ONE THING TO ANOTHER ; as I see. Glenn Beck said "America must "turn back to God" Hint: To Tea baggers and Glenn Beck; the PRESIDENT IN THE OVAL OFFICE is not a religious leader!! Get 'em Beck get those zombies under control.

On the "Restoring Honor" website last week, the organizers themselves were instructing people on what they would and would not be allowed to bring. "Do's" included water bottles, hats, and flags. Signs were the first thing listed on the "Don't's" list (ahead of weapons and fireworks!) - something to the effect of wanting to ensure a peaceful, non-combative atmosphere, which, from what little I saw of the coverage, they were certainly able to achieve.

On the other hand, signs have traditionally been an integral part of any D.C. rally, peaceful or otherwise. Did they feel there some sort of need to censor their own supporters?

its quite funny that things didnt turn out the Way the liberals wanted it to.. Like Chirs Mattews Claiming that there was gonna be a bunch of Nazi signs and Racist Signs.. Nothing could have been Farther from the Truth..

The only Real Decisiveness we saw actually Came from Al Sharptons Rally. Speaker after Speaker came up and always pointed to the Restoring Honor Rally.. Claiming how wrong it was for Glen Beck to give a rally at a Park that Belongs to all Americans............ The property belongs to the Citizens of the Country.. it does not Belong to any ethnic Group..

and the only reason they banned signs Jody. is because they knew that some liberal groups would try and blend into the crowd with Racist Signs and then claim it was the republicans.. What a bummer you liberals couldnt Sabatoge in your normal manners..

I believe Glenn Beck is a brilliant promoter who has experimented with characters for years before finally arriving at his current split personality as "Pastor Glenn/Professor Beck." The part he currently plays in the public eye clearly appeals to a lot of people and it would be a failure had he NOT pulled in the 87,000 crowd reported by CBS.

I believe that his resurrection of the John Birch Society http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/heirs-john-birch-society http://www.newsweek.com/2010/02/08/black-helicopters-over-nashville.html agenda decades after it was refuted by legitimate Conservatives http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Birch_Society is brilliant from a marketing perspective and dangerous to our nation.

I believe that all those who think they're part of a "grass roots movement" of "regular Americans" are being sadly deceived, because the truth is they're being used as footsoldiers by the wealthiest, most powerful people in our society http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer?currentPage=1 to push a purely Republican agenda http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/the-corporate-lobbyists-b_b_186367.html http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/13/corporate-lobyists-raising-money-for-tea-parties/ in order to put the final nails in the coffin of the American Dream.

Michael Thompson, Charlotte, NC-

Hmmm...

Is that really what you believe that I said?

Creative paraphrasing indeed...

Hi, JoAnne in PA

On the other hand, signs have traditionally been an integral part of any D.C. rally, peaceful or otherwise. Did they feel there some sort of need to censor their own supporters?

I think, that they felt Complete Disappointment because Beck did not publicly utter President Obama's name and his usual demonization and disdain for President Obama. I saw many of them leaving too. They just couldn't get fired up.

Joe in Albany

sorry Joe but me as a lefty liberal, all i heard from that speech was the same thing my father said the klan were all about. he lived through jim crow laws in the 30s & 40s, before his mom and dad got there 10 children to the north for a better life. you talk about civility but in beck speech he went off on Obama and religion. there is no civility when you question a man faith. and mans faith.

Now i have always wondered why the tea party and beck have gotten in to this GET AMERICA BACK campaign. isn't it funny that this all started when a black man became president, they did not want to get American back when we were loosing 600 men per year in iraq, they did not want to get american back in early 08 when the recession started, they did not want American back when thousand of black were left for dead at the super dome.

No, they were fine with watching american men die in battle, thousand of black waiting to die at the super Dome, and to them the recession was not going to affect them, that only effects you people, no they want American back now we have a black president, just like the klan stepped up there church burning, bombing campaign when the christen leadership council were very successful with there voters right efforts in Alabama and Mississippi. as well as the Montgomery bus boycott. Joe, look at our history. look at how the klan reacted to the gains by black people. the tea party is reacting the exact same way. Joe you are a closet KKK member, its sad that you don't know it. i will pray for you the same way MLK prayed for klan members who know no better.

The only thing that rally was missing was white sheets, a cross burning and a lynching. but all the speeches were as if they were copyed from a klan rally of the 50s.

JoAnne

On the other hand, signs have traditionally been an integral part of any D.C. rally, peaceful or otherwise. Did they feel there some sort of need to censor their own supporters?

You bet Beck had to censor them. Otherwise they'd be parading around with their usual signs showing President Obama as Hitler, Mao, a witch doctor, and a monkey just like they have at past Tea Party affairs. Beck knows that stuff doesn't look good on camera, even though it reveals the true nature of the sort of people who eat up Beck's garbage.

The newspaper reported that Tea Party activists handed out anti-Obama pamphlets--depicting a photo of the President with their usual Hitler mustache. So much for unity, God, and Honor.

Jody, Iowa

The newspaper reported that Tea Party activists handed out anti-Obama pamphlets--depicting a photo of the President with their usual Hitler mustache. So much for unity, God, and Honor.

Jody thats because to them God and Honor does not include and body that looks different from them.

AKA KKK they always talked about god, honor. they were against, comminist, jews, catholics, blacks, liberals, gays. the tea party has included Muslins to that list. they talked about white power, and a black communist named MLK. that rally sounded very fimular, i wish my dad was alive to see that, then he could maybe make some of you here understand that your falling for the same trick Hitler sold on the german people almost 80 years ago.

It is interesting that when it comes election time, the Democrats want to tell the senior citizens the GOP wants to take you Social Security and Medicare away. But they never do take it away. Then when the Democrats cut Medicare as parts of their Health Care. The senior citizens object and stand up. At that point, the left say they are only old people, lunatics, fanatics, and stupid. Now this week the left pulls out the "they are take Social Security away" card again. But the seniors have been around long enough to know that you judge someone on what they do not what they say.

I'll bite, Joe. Why does Glenn Beck need to Restore something he never had. That is the precise and specific moment he 'lost' me. He no more knows about Honor than he knows about history or Christianity. He can be 'born again' yesterday, today and tomorrow and he will still miss the fundamental PURPOSE of his stated goal.

Amy above said it best, beware the false prophets.

I do admire his capitalistic spirit and the way he has managed to turn his CNN crying jags into a Faux Noise propaganda machine,...I mean separating fools from their money is something I never get tired of him (and Palin, for that matter) doing just that.

Having Glenn Beck preach to me about honor would be like having Sarah Palin tutor me in physics,...The very thought of it is SO ludicrous, I can't stop laughing long enough to take you serious with your question.

Oh, and Steve, above, yes, I agree - Reverend Sharpton was Decisively a much better show! Thanks for pointing it out.

As a Liberal and wavering Progressive I had not bought into the Obama-bashing as a “racist” notion until I saw the poll results today on Morning Joe regarding how President Bush and President Obama handled their respective “crisis” in Louisiana.

Startling that 54% believe President Bush handled Katrina well versus only 32% for President Obama’s handling of BP Oil Spill.

Are you serious?

People were dying in the street and at the stadium and civic center for a week before the Feds ever dropped water and MRE’s into the city of NOLA. Over 1800 people drowned. The Fed response to no housing in the Lower 9^th Ward was trailers with no plans for permanent housing. Celebrities like Oprah and actors like Wendell Pierce and Brad Pitt stepped up and started housing initiatives with private donations and other funding sources.

I have not wanted to believe that the response was slow to non –existent because the victims of Katrina were mostly Black and mostly poor. But after the poll numbers today I am now convinced that this President will NEVER be able to satisfy an electorate that has been poisoned by the likes of Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, et al.

yes.. Sheila

its amazing that the White Democrat Governor that was in charge of the State at the time allowed so many Black people to die all the while Turning down help from the Fed govt.. its amazing the Mayor (Ray Nagen) allowed so many Black people to die all the while allowing 100s of School Buses to sit idle when he could have used them to evacuate people from this situation. We understand that you wish to Blame Bush for the Fault of the Democrats that were in charge of the STATE.. we understand thats all Liberals Do. . you did it then. and you are doing it now. Deflect. Blame the other person or someone else as along as you dont blame the DEMOCRAT that was actually in charge.. we get it.

How can people like Glenn Beck even use the word "honor" with the record he has of racist statements, rants of Bigotry and calling our President a racist and comparing him to Nazi's and concentration camps?? Referring to the unemplyed as scumbags and lazy, his attacks on the Jews etc., etc. How does that qualify him to be a spokesman for "Restoring Honor"???

US Navy Disabled Veteran - Retired

How can people like Glenn Beck even use the word "honor" with the record he has of racist statements, rants of Bigotry and calling our President a racist and comparing him to Nazi's and concentration camps?? Referring to the unemplyed as scumbags and lazy, his attacks on the Jews etc., etc. How does that qualify him to be a spokesman for "Restoring Honor"???

Restoring Honor to white people, retired come on now. the klan and hitler use that all the time.

Keep repeating the Conservative lies about Katrina, Steve. They http://thinkprogress.org/2005/09/13/katrina-myths-debunked/ aren't http://eatatjoesplace.blogspot.com/2005/09/right-wing-myths-about-hurricane.html true http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/05/the-big-uneasy-documentar_n_671147.html .

Jeff 1541623:

Thanks for the add on. I forgot about that and I am old enough to know better. Kinda makes it all the more scary. What is it they say about history?

Thanks again Jeff, your posts are right on as usual. Have a great balance of the day.

Steve-505729

yes.. Sheila

its amazing that the White Democrat Governor that was in charge of the State at the time allowed so many Black people to die all the while Turning down help from the Fed govt.. its amazing the Mayor (Ray Nagen) allowed so many Black people to die all the while allowing 100s of School Buses to sit idle when he could have used them to evacuate people from this situation. We understand that you wish to Blame Bush for the Fault of the Democrats that were in charge of the STATE.. we understand thats all Liberals Do. . you did it then. and you are doing it now. Deflect. Blame the other person or someone else as along as you dont blame the DEMOCRAT that was actually in charge.. we get it.

Steve, you have got to be kidding right, many mistakes were made that week by the governer, mayor and most important the government, so i must ask, when we were all sitting at home watching CNN and MSMBCs coverage of the aftermath of Katrina. what i saw was the fedreal government take 5 days to get help to people. the federal government got to mississippi, what happened to NO. i know why, Haley barbur was governer of MIssissippi and he was Bush's buddy. the federal responce was all about politics, mississippi had a republican governer so they got what ever they wanted, but Liusiana a dem governer got the shaft.

they said they did not know how bad it was, but it was sad that the media got there, but the national guard did not. one reason is that Bush had them In Iraq fighting over seas when the national Guard was suppose to be on the home front.

i don't care how you try and spin this, Brownie him self said that the administration droped the ball, Bush had his buddys doing jobs they should not have, brownie said him self he was not right for FEMA, he said that chernoff was not qualified for HLS. and the sickest thing about your post is that 5 years later, it not the state officals that is pointing fingers at each other, its brownie, and chernoff (bush's own guys) that are pointing fingers at chenny, and rumpsfield. brownie also mentioned that his budget was gutted from 2002-2005 and funds were diverted to iraq and agfan.

steve don't even try and rewrite history, you and the others here who want to forget the bush years, but there are 1100 graves in NO that will not let you.

so if it up to the state to do all the heavy lifting then why did Bobby G cry for the feds to help him with the spill, your post if your are being fair, Bobby should be held to the same standards you mentione above, but that right you give all repulblicans a pass.

sick post steve.

Jeff.. I knew right away when theyt said. HEY this is gonna be BAD.. get out .. and yea all they did was get out of their HOUSE and into the Superdome. Yea JEFF it was the DEMOCRATS that were in charged of the state. and in charge of the city that failed these people. as a person that is not WHITE jeff. I find it Troubling that Democrats always seem to Blame the Problem on White Republicans instead of on the White democrata that was the CEO of the STATE. and the BLACK DEMOCRAT that was the CEO of the CITY..

Steve-505729

typical republican response, you over looked my mention of Bobby G and the spill, i don't care what color you are or are not, over loked that the media got there but the fed did, over looked what mississippi got with their republican governer, over look what brownie is saying 5 years later about the federal response.

over look all you want, history book are not written by republican or democrats, they are written by people who see things in the real world.

typical republican response, we never do ANY thing wrong its always some one else.

at the deginning of my post i said that everybody failed, but once again you over looked that!!!!

And what you still Fail to understand JEFF is that it Bush offered the HELP and the Governor and the Mayor Rejected that help. it doens't matter how many times you state that it took bush 5 days to get toe the Gulf it still doesnt make it any less True that the Govt of LA REFUSED THE HELP FOR 5 days.. and the President of the United states doesnt have the Authority to just send in FED GVT assistance without permission (IE REQUEST ) from the local Govt.

Steve-505729

And what you still Fail to understand JEFF is that it Bush offered the HELP and the Governor and the Mayor Rejected that help. it doens't matter how many times you state that it took bush 5 days to get toe the Gulf it still doesnt make it any less True that the Govt of LA REFUSED THE HELP FOR 5 days.. and the President of the United states doesnt have the Authority to just send in FED GVT assistance without permission (IE REQUEST ) from the local Govt.

steve i'm not going to debate with you something

that has been debated for 5 YEARS. Historians going back to that flood will tell you that the federal response to Katrina was America at its worse. if the federal government refused help (which is wrong) then they have authority to over rule the local governing body in a case of natural disaster. so even if your are saying they refused help, the federal government is required, not by law, but the laws of being human being, to step in.

you claim that they refused help is wrong considering nagen got on national radio and cried that no one had come to NO to rescue people. now why would he cry for help on Wednesday but your saying that monday he refused help. only a crack head would come up with something like that.

you need to go back to rehad.

festy, retired, jody, can you believe this guy, he is putting the whole Katrina disaster on the local government. we would not be debating this had,

nagan not told people to go to the superdome.

Governer had not been laxed on being perpared( as much as you critizice chicago, they have desiastor drills all the time i remember the down town flooded when the river flooded basement in the loop, but the city was ready because they are well perpared, it took them 2 hours to exacuate downtown, on 911, they had plans in place to ready public trans, as will as expressway exacuation)

Bush had not listioned to chenny and rumpsfield

Brownie had, had some ball to chalange the president on his decisions.

Bush had not been at the whitehouse eating brithday cake with McCain.

steve i'm not letting any body off the hook. i had family that tired to ride out the storm only to have 2 distant cousins die at the superdome.so don't tell me any thing, i know what happened.

Five years isn't nearly soon enough to rewrite history, Steve. There are too many people who remember it clearly, and too many others still mourning the loss of loved ones.

http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline

Jody great post for Monday AM. Everbody keeps talking about how they want there honor back. How about trying to stop the insane violence that has arisen from hate and fear as pushed by ploicians and the media, see attached,

Last week I have seen some disturbing events take place that reminded me of my years as a young adult in the 60’s. If we do not stop this insane track now, I am afraid that we are going to go down that same path and many innocent people are going to be hurt and killed. Come on America, wake up, this violence and lack of tolerance (hate and racism) is NOT what we stand for.

As the nation witnesses a new surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes the question has to be asked: to what extent is the political leadership guilty of encouraging such acts? Recently, a Muslim cab driver in New York was stabbed and another man entered a mosque and accused the worshipers of being terrorists and then urinated on prayer rugs. And over the weekend there was an arson attack against an Islamic community center building site in a Nashville suburb. This is what happens when you have a political party(s) and the Media spouting hate, fear, bigotry and exploiting fear day in and day out. See below.

Democrats have either been silent or offered mostly timid support for the rights of American-Muslims. But one Republican after another has given at least sanction to anti-Islam prejudice if not publicly voiced such views themselves:

Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has compared Muslims to Nazis and accused the American Muslims behind the Park51 project of being Islamist supremacists seeking to build a triumphal mosque near Ground Zero in a throwback to an era of Islamic conquests of Christian’s lands. All this and more was attributed by Newt Gingrich to people seeking to build a community center which swimming pools and a basketball in the name of interfaith outreach, but which includes a prayer space which is already in use by Muslims.

Former Republican Congressman Virgil Goode (V.A.; defeated in 2006) in a letter to constituents: "The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran. . . . I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies..."

Republican Reps. John Shadegg (Ariz.), Paul Broun (Ga.), Trent Franks (Ariz.) and Sue Myrick (N.C.) have accused Muslim interns in Congress of being 'spies' and have called for investigations against them.

Congressman and former Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo (C.O.) has stated that terrorism committed by Muslims is "a dictate of their religion", that Islam is "a civilization bent on destroying ours" and has called for the "taking out" [i.e. nuking] of Muslims holy cites - Mecca and Medina.

Republican Senator Jon Kyl (A.Z.) has hosted in an official Congressional event the far-right, anti-Islam Dutch extremist Geert Wilders who has called the Qur'an a "fascist book" that should be banned, that the Prophet Islam is "the devil" and that "there is no such thing as 'moderate Islam."

Republican Sarah Palin has come to the defense a preacher whose anti-Islam pronouncements are such that the Pentagon banned him from a multi-faith prayer breakfast because of his offense against Muslims in the military. "His comments in 2001 were aimed at those who are so radical that they would kill innocent people and subjugate women in the name of religion. Are we really so hyper-politically correct that we can’t abide a Christian minister who expresses his views on matters of faith? What a shame. Yes, thing have changed," Palin wrote on Facebook. But Evangelist Franklin Graham's comments were not exclusive to radicals and terrorists, but he has on several occasions made clear that he is opposed to Islam and Muslims in their entirety. In the past, Graham has called Islam "a very evil and wicked religion" and "a very violent religion" which must be fought, and stated days ago on Larry King: “The teaching of Islam is to hate the Jew, to hate the Christian, to kill them. Their goal is world domination.” But apparently for Palin such language is appropriate and an opposition to Graham's statements is not due to matters of respect and decency but nothing less than extreme political correctness.

And, finally, in the state of Tennessee which has just witnessed an act of violence against Muslims seeking to build a house of prayer, the Republican Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey recently had this exchange with a constituent: "Now, you know, I'm all about freedom of religion. I value the First Amendment as much as I value the Second Amendment as much as I value the Tenth Amendment and on and on and on. But you cross the line when they starting trying to start bringing Sharia Law here to the State of Tennessee -- to the United States. [...] You could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion or is it a nationality, way of life or cult, whatever you want to call it."

"Sharia" is the new catchphrase by anti-Islam bigots designed to scare Americans that Muslims want to "destroy their way of life". No such threat exists. Amongst millions of Muslims in the country, only a handful would ever consider "sharia". A "threat" no more significant than the far-right Christians who want the Bible to be the basis of law. And Islam is not a cult, but a religion that counts one out of every four people as a follower.

But with such ignorance, unfounded fears and prejudice promotion by a many Republicans and the Media it is not surprising that some Americans have come to view their American Muslim co-patriots as a fifth-column enemy seeking to destroy America and that some would act out in violence against.

Thank you Jody for saying it better than I ever could. You make me proud

Excellent post Jody: Honor is something that is earned. It can't be restored if it hasn't been earned in the first place.

Jody, Thanks for pointing out the obvious to so many but what somehow still eludes the zombie followers of Beck and his ilk. Your articulate and thoughtful post is much appreciated.

Thank you for the kind words.

The intolerance of the republicans is frightening, their words are stoking the fires of hate and mistrust. If they are religious as they claim, it makes one wonder what they hear in their churches, it cannot be the love of God for all people.

It is ironic that Christians accuse Muslims of wanting world-wide religious dominance yet Christians promote their faith as the only right one and seek the same. There is equal violence in the Christian Bible but that seems to be overlooked. Religious wars have been around for centuries; one would think that sooner or later people would learn tolerance.

Well put, Jody. I was thinking about how during the Bush years I felt America's honor needed to be restored, both at home and abroad and I believe President Obama has taken great steps in doing so. So I can understand how those who oppose the President might feel the way I did about President Bush. The difference is that I never lied about President Bush or called him names, I didn't make threats against his supporters or condone violence or question his patrioticism or that of his supporters. I naively assumed that we had differences and that all differences should be respected in a democracy and I set about working for the change we needed in a positive way. I guess I'm just a Pollyanna.

Jody you do realize that Beck isnt a republican right?

You do realize that he is a self named Libertarian.

So to make a claim that he is trying to "win America back" for the Republicans doesnt compute.

If he was doing this for a Political party it would make more sense if he said that we must all become Libertarians.

Please explain your post. It just doesnt add up.

Now what he is saying is the same thing Ive been saying for a while (and this has been happening for a while now (since the days when Wilson intrudced Social Security -- so its not just a D or R thing). Americans (as a whole) have stopped taking care of them selves. Many Americans recieve some sort of Gov't assistance and many of them depend upon that money to get by.

Instead of people helping those who have fallen on hard times (like Feisty was talking about on friday) we have become a nation in which if someone loses their job the gov't steps in and takes care of everything fro them. We have gone from Benjamin Franklin saying that the best way to get someone out of poverty is to make them uncomfortable in their poverty to a country where unemployment benefits have been extended to 99 weeks and I have heard that those entitlements may now be lengthened out even longer. How does this happen?

Easy....

We have stopped being a country that turns to God (the ONLY One that can truly save this country) and have instead turned to the government. What is the government? nothing more then mortal men (by that I mean people) that once they seize hold of office want nothing more than MORE power (this is Dems and Reps equally).

Do you honestly believe that there is one congressman (or even president going back in time) that actually cares about us? I highly doubt you will find one if any.

What Beck ACTUALLY says is that all the polititcians have gotten to this point. And his reference to Planet of the Apes makes a LOT of sense if you ACTUALLY think about it and stop AUTOMATICALLY accuseing people who disagree with Obama of being racist for 5 mins.

What he is saying with that comparison is that this country has done a complete 180 and our elected officials (D, R and Independent) have all forgotten (or choose to ignore the fact) that THEY WORK FOR US--NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

I know its easier to just shout "RACIST" because it requires the least amount of work and hard times.... but that is what America has ahead of it...a lot of work and a WHOLE lot of hard times ahead of us as we recover from this flirtations relationship with socialism.

You are 100 percent correct Larry..

but screaming Racism is all the Liberals have left. they realize that the Failure of this administration to improve anything in this country along with the democrats in congress so the best weapon they have is to Throw Devisiveness around . keep people divided ..

So, Larry,

If we are to discuss your point of view on the subject with any degree of accuracy and not assume that the 'ape' reference wasn't a sideways cut at race, I suppose we must ascertain a few things first:

1.) What overriding philosophy was prominent among the ape rulers in 'Planet of the Apes?'

2.) Did the apes employ a free market economy or a planned economy?

3.) Did the apes have representative government? Were other apes voted into office or did the strongest apes simply seize power in a feudal manner or was there some sort of hereditary monarchic system in place or was there a rulership by the ape proletariat?

4.) Did the apes feel that they were overly taxed by their rulers? If they did, what did the apes do to express their displeasure? Did they revolt? Did they peacefully assemble? Were their dissident apes who formed grass roots organizations to get their taxes lowered?

If you do not know the answers to any of these questions, then the 'Planet of the Apes' does not, like, 'Animal Farm,' immediately create political associations in your mind. What associations does it create? Apes. That is all. The apes are in charge and mankind was enslaved. We, as the audience, did not care about the apes political structure, because the plight of the lower class apes was not relevant to the narrative. It was a narrative about a guy who had a specific worldview who was transplanted to a world where that worldview was turned on its head and he subsequently struggled against it.

However, most viewers of Planet of the Apes don't even give it the amount of critical thought I just did. They only think of apes. So make no mistake. When Beck trots out Planet of the Apes as the fictional world with which to compare Barack Obama's America versus the worlds of any number of more widely recognized politicized fictional worlds, it is not to create the association of say, Orwell's Oceania in 1984, or the farm on Animal Farm, or Lilliput in Gulliver's Travels. It is to make the audience think of apes. And to think of the president. And to create the association of Obama to an ape.

If you have any compelling evidence otherwise, I'd be more than happy to listen to it.

Sorry Larry but if you believe what Beck says (he is a self named Libertarian) then you have bought into the Beck lies. Beck himself says he's a teabagging republican period. Their is no defence of Beck there's too many videos of him stating who he is.

Last time I checked, liberatarians are the extreme wing of the republican party, an off shoot of right-wing politics.

Jody,

Touche', does Rand ring a bell???? They just do not get it, do they?

Ok.... instead of discussing the points I made were going to have a "Beck is a Republican" "No he's not" debate"?

Nevermind the facts that I made are very true...

As long as we all know that Glen Beck is a "racist" "republican" all is right in the world right?

The left has tried this for years. Just charge everyone who disagrees with them when being a racist. That is supposed to silence all disagreement. But they have used it so many times that it is virtually worthless. No one blinks anymore at the charge. It is just part of the left propaganda. If the left isn't charging you with being a racist, you must be doing the wrong thing.

Jody------- Sunshine you are a hoot. You are a supporter of a political party, whose every program is predicated on stealing money from wage earners and using it for your own ends or handing it to a 3rd party.

I'm not sure that you have place to stand when you speak of some other group lacking honor.

Johnny I don't know you. Jody and I are old friends. Judging by that load of horse pucky you just dropped there I would say that her foundation to stand on when speaking about honor is better than any thing you will ever be able to beg, borrow,steal or understand.

Larry - a great many Republicans have begun calling themselves Libertarians without really understanding the ideals of the party. If Mr. Beck has called himself that, I suspect he is one of them. Ask a true Libertarian sometime, and they will probably say they're tired of the Republicans using their moniker!

Do you believe the politicians in Washington are just power hungry, or might it be that they are entrenched in a system where they are penalized by an ignorant population for doing things that would be considered responsible? The people want more services for less money, and aren't told or don't understand that the two are often contradictory.

Hey Johnny, I agree with IR 100% onthis one. Jody has more honor in her little pinky than you will ever have period. Your post was just more BS and spin.

Thank you, I.R.

As for Johnny Alford, Jody Sunshine is a proud supporter of the party that believes in equal pay for equal work, fairness in the tax system, that people's voices are more important than corporations, and for the party that supports middle class Americans. I stopped buying the GOP tea in the 80's when I realized that every word they spoke was insincere and untrue--tax cuts, small government, fiscal responsibility which translated to tax cuts tilted for the rich, bigger government without paying for it, and 189% addition to the national debt--all at the hands of Ronald Reagan, and that shining city on the hill he promised.

And thank you, US Navy.

IR: Well said. Looks like you said that with some conviction and feeling. I like it.

Feisty,

Great words today. Now let us see if they will practice what they preach or will Glenn Beck be the same old same old on his TV program.

Thanks Ron I did and I meant to. I hope that some folks will take that viewpoint to heart and stop this madness before it gets out of hand to the detrement of us all.

Terrific post, I.R, spoken from the heart!

IR:

I agree 100% with your words this morning. The cowards that you speak of, feed on hate, fear, bigotry and the anger that it breeds. They stalk around in dark corners and hide behind the First Amendment to further their agenda's.

Great post IR, I believe 90% of American feels the same way.

Oh I.R. . . . thanks so much for posting this . . . so much of our "commentary" today seems to completely ignore the lessons of history that mirror much of what we are facing . . . your post moved me very much as the example you cite is very close to home for me indeed . . . thanks again.

Where were all our socialist friends when the church in the South were being burned a few years back. As I recall they were wondering what the Christians had done to instigate the burings. Why are most of the left on here so Christaphobic. Evangelical Christians do not a history of violence like the Muslims.

Ray, I'm a Deacon, Elder, and board member at my church. I'm a congregational representative at an interfaith group that supports everything from homeless shelters to food pantries. I'm on the board of a retirement home backed by my Christian denomination with the purpose of providing care for elderly of limited means. I gave my coin to support the congregations that were burned, and I know of no Liberals who "wondered what they did to instigate the burnings." You insult me and all the other Liberals I know who take their Christian faith very seriously. You don't get to tell me what it means to be a Christian.

You also rewrite history when you claim that Evangelical Christians are free from violent extremists.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/04/13/eric.rudolph/index.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31029377/

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/04/texas-taliban/

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/ideology/christian-identity

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/ideology/christian-identity/the-christian-identity-movement

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/ideology/anti-gay

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/profiles/hal-turner

http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/ideology/neo-confederate

Two things:

Nash Thank you for coming on here almost every day and representing the great state of Tennessee. I’m pretty sure that given a choice the folks out there would rather be known by the fine thoughts and perspective that you consistently bring to us than by a bunch of Yahoo’s who just can’t help themselves but to do vandalism

John B Thank you for giving old Ray there a better answer than I could. Ray what he said goes for me too.

I watched most of both rallies. I didn't hear any real overt hate speech coming from either side.

I heard some dumbassery emerge in the aftermath of it from both sides, but nothing really during the events themselves.

Michael proximity giving me a little more local view on Saturday I would say that you’re right on target. While there were a few instances of a little rhetoric back and forth within what one would expect when you get two such disparate groups together most of the local news organizations choose to high light the several folks of both groups that took advantage to converse and build a few bridges and walk away at the end of the day with a little clearer understanding of where each other were coming from.

Pat: Good to see you up bright and early. Excellent post. So far you and IR have the post of the day.

Here we go again, when the righteous Left doesn't have any point to argue they fall back to the bash/blame religion to make their agnostics excuse to demean someone.

Pat, Boston:

How true your words. Glenn Beck is a racist and bigot. There is proof all over the place on his rants. I do not believe for one minute that anything has changed with him. He tried to walk back his statement(s) that President Obama is a racists. I am not buying it one bit. You cannot unring the bell, so to speak.

Pundits contnue to think that it is ok to say what they want and not be called on it. When called out for what they are, they lie, try to walk it back, pretend they were misunderstood, or at the worst claim it to be journalism. Journalism, as us older folks remember it, just does not exist today. It is more about dividing the country, getting people fired up by playing to their fears, creating outright lies to push an agenda, etc.

Glenn Beck is no Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to try an paint himself in Dr. Kings likeness is repugnant and just wrong.

Passion of conviction, excellent post, Pat.

You people really, are delusional.

Girls, try to remember Beck is a talk show host.

Remember posting disagreement with leftist positions means you are a racist and bigot. Things will never be truly equal until one can disagree honestly without all the bombastic rhetoric and name calling.

I gotta say - it cracks me up to see each side call the other hateful, as the venom drips from the very words they are spitting as they say how hateful the other side is.

I also have to say - that apparently according to these boards EVERYONE is a racist, so why even have a term for it? The Racism gun has long since run out of live ammo. It just shoots blanks at this point.

Seriously - are people here children? Cant you form a sentence without attempting to insult people? Grow up.

But it wasn't about politics!

Glenn Beck told us it wasn't a political rally and you're here to tell us it's all about President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid?

...but he said it wasn't about politics! He promised us it wasn't about politics! Was he wrong?

Brutus is an honorable man.

I repeat:

Politics was not the overarching theme to the rally.

And...there weren't a whole lot of Democratic votes out on the National Mall on Saturday.

The two aren't mutually exclusive...

Are they?

CBS did an actual count--85,000 attended the Beck rally; 80,000 attended the Martin Luther King rally.

On Saturday, Dom and First Read said more than 300,000...

In any event...Dom said a LOT of people were there.

Who are ya gonna believe?

MB, the FR post on Saturday read "The rally has attracted tens of thousands (or many more according to one estimate)"

Dom said in a tweet that he spoke to one, unidentified person who claimed 300,000.

85,000 IS a lot of people. It just isn't the "I have no idea--4, 5, maybe over 600,000 people will be there" that I heard Beck promise on his radio show 8/23. From that perspective it's a dismal failure.

80,000, Jody? Didn't know you could put 80,000 on a high school football field. And, if you think there were only 85,000 at the other rally, you need to get your eyes examined.

John B, Des Moines, IA-

Wow...I guess that, depending on a large number of variables, there are a lot of ways to describe the spectacle on the National Mall on Saturday.

I'm thinking that for most folks with the slightest degree of objectivity..."dismal failure" would be pretty far down the list.

Do you honestly believe that Glenn Beck's harshest critics are pleased with the turnout for this event?

Honestly...?

Still...it's good to hear all points of view..

Dirt. The 85,000 was those who attended the Beck rally; the 80,000 were those at the Sharpton rally. There were other events unrelated to either, thousands of others on the mall some participating in a run, some wandering back and forth, some curious, others were tourists. I did not say there were only 165,000 people there. Read what I wrote.

Jody, Iowa-

Can you cite a source for the 80,000 attendance figure at Al Sharpton's Saturday rally?

Associated Press said "several thousand" attended.

CBS News commissioned a count: 87,000

That 87, 000 was the Beck Rally, sunshine.

The rally if viewed had no political overtones. But to think there are no political implications would be foolish. There is a great deal of anger being generated toward the policies of the Democrats in Washington. Every poll shows that. Republicans say it is because of the Democratic policies. Democrats say these people are angry at everyone or it is being falsely generated by the Republicans. To undersell this ground swell would be foolish. Every poll is showing backlash agains Washington. These Tea Parties are a symptom of the anger not generating it. To undersell it would have dire consequence at the mid term elections.

Here are some crowd pictures from the march lead by Al Sharpton on Saturday:

http://a.imageshack.us/img825/1961/img7018a.jpg

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/08/28/GA2010082802593.html?sid=ST2010082903985

Just posted it because I haven't seen many crowd pics from this rally.

MB, I'm only referring to Glenn Beck's vision of what the rally would be. For a shameless huckster and self-promoter I'd say it's a very favorable number. For a guy who predicted 600,000 it can only be a disappointment--not that he'll let it show. He'll just rewrite expectations and deny ever having predicted more.

Well said.

Ginger same as Jody thank you for saying it better than I ever could. You make me proud.

Thanks Jody and IR! :)

Thanks TRR... I think it's worthy of a repost for those who might have missed it?

Who says a picture isn't worth a thousand words...?

Just more proof why the right wing nitwits are so anti-education! lol

http://www.themudflats.net/wp-content/uploads/fixed.jpg

Shout out to Clara, KC for sharing!

Keeping them "INFROMED" is exactly what FOX does.

I can forgive a private citizen for a bit of misspelling then i can a President of the United States Claiming we have 57 or more States and mispronouncing corpsmen. I mean Really an ivy league Educated man over a common citizen. Yea we understand your point on this one Fiesty

Steve, can you forgive George Bush all his misprouncements? Not to mention the all the less than intellectual observations on a variety of topics?

Pity an Ivy league education was wasted on him.

Good to see you have nothing to talk about this morning Steve, so you have to go back to the Fox talking points of a year ago. What Fox hasn't given you teabaggers your taling points this morning?

Gingerbread,

I just call it as i see it. . It was not me that brought up the sign that feisty has posted on 3 Sites now. You see. all Feisty does is point out mistakes by private Citizens when the leader of the party she supports does things like this. it really would have been better if she had said nothing at all

and yes. it is a pity an Ivy league Education was wasted on Obama

Did it ever occur to anyone that candidate Obama felt as if he'd been travelling to 57 states. Petty, nitpicking. There are American territories that are not states and who knows maybe it totals 57. My petty, nitpicking remark is the inability of Pres Bush to ever say the word nuclear correctly--"nucular"; Sarah Palin has the same inability.

Jody..

he said he had visited 57 states .. and still had 1 more to go.. .. but, again it wasn't me that started the war of words. it was you Liberals, Pointedly Feisty. that used a picture of a Mispelled word by a Private Citizen.. .. you just dont like it when Mispronouncing can be shown by the person that leads your party.. . but if you dont like it. Dont start it then try and change the subject to a President that has not been in Office for 19 months.

Steve,

You should revisit the sign. The fool also spelled America wrong. I mean don't you have to be able to spell your country to be a part of the REAL 'Amercia'?

Come on, you don't see the complete laughability of someone thanking FOX for keeping them INFROMED? The play on words is richly deserved and if you can't laugh, then you clearly don't have a sense of humor!

And, yes, there are 'slips of the tongue' and gaffes when one is worn out from traveling non-stop during a campaign. But I guess it never happens when you stay up late drinking TEA with your friends? Really? He could have meant to say 'stops' and instead said states; but your side wouldn't forgive him the gaffe and I'll be damned if I will show you the same courtesy. Be gone with you before I go all nucular on your politics.

Steve. It doesn't matter. I said my petty remark was just that, petty, just as was yours. Odd that you can pick on Pres Obama's 57 which was a one-time mistake but when someone mentions the previous President, suddenly he's out of office 19 months. Well, the 57 was over 2 years ago.

Jody.

the Corpsemen instead of Corpsmen comment which he said wrong 4 times in the speach was only a few months ago .

Yea. We can't wait till November to get rid of the Liberals/democrats that have Taken this country down the wrong road. The american People will Replace them because of the Terrible Leadership of Obama. The democrats are gonna lose Seats because of Obama.. no one else. Not because of how the Republicans voted in Congress . But because of the Failure of this President to actually Listen to the American People.

and Clara.

you are pretty much Irrelavant come november. you will spew more hatred and still be on this site blaming Republicans for the big Loses that you liberals have taken come november. but really you should Woman up and put the blame exactly where it belongs. ON OBAMA..

I would never blame Obama for weak Dem candidates. And I assure you, I will never be irrelevant, since I VOTE, Pay Taxes AND think for myself.

Yeah, honestly, over the last couple of years I'd reached the conclusion that Charlotte was simply the worst city in the country as far as the quality of its businesses were concerned. Whether it was a fast food restaurant charging you over $10 for a substandard meal served to you grudgingly by a surly employee who could not be bothered and the drinks machine both being out of ice AND out of syrup for the sodas so you had to settle for whichever flavor happened to not just be carbonated water with a little food coloring, etc, to the local cable provider deciding that since its customers are locked into a contract with them, carrying such staple cable programming as ESPN was something that was up for debate to only 2 registers in a supermarket that have 10 available being open, leading to huge lines at such heavy business times as 2:30 in the afternoon, it has been enough to lead me to consider moving back to Rock Hill, SC.

However, I am starting the think that nowhere is really that much better in this particular time in our history. The private companies have probably actually laid so many people off at this point that this is probably just the status quo that we will have to get used to as a society.

Thanks for pointing that out Nash - Ain't that the truth!

As I've mentioned before... Business has figured out that the 'grunts' they have working for them are MORE than willing to do the job's of 2 - 3 people and (in their greedy) minds these 'grunts' should be damn HAPPY to have that job!

Nuff said

The jobs are out there but we have greedy CEOS who refused to hire people.

I am sick of the media and so called experts whose lame excuses for corporations infuriate me to no end.

I can almost garantee that 1st quarter of 2011 will show unprecedented profits and bonuses being paid out while the country burns.

These CEOs don't care one bit about the country...

We went to dinner at a small gourmet cafe in a remote location on Sat. and were so amazed at the high level of service we received--staff was well trained and attentive and there were enough to handle the capacity crowd. So I guess some businesses get it--customer service will win you customer loyalty but you have to invest in the employees to do it. I think this is something smaller businesses get but I wish larger companies got it too.

Great point, Nashville. I avoid WalMart as much as possible lately. The past few trips have been a waste of my time--the spaces for the items I wanted were empty, not once but three trips about a week apart. I went to Walgreens and Hy-Vee where the shelves were well stocked and employees milling about to help.

I know...

What if Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid introduce legislation, outlined in a 20,000-page bill, declaring in detail exactly what the appropriate staffing levels are for every private business (from mom-and-pop outfits to large corporations), in the country?

And then...tell them when, and how many, to hire?

That oughtta take care of that!

Mixed Bag,

How about we just buy whatever it is the corporations are selling this week, and cross our fingers that it isn't tainted!

Works for me.

Agreed, Nash. While there are still exceptions the level of customer service one receives at most places has become worse than dismal. Most anyplace you call for phone support is "experiencing high levels of call volume" and extremely long times on hold. It's nothing to take 20 minutes in the checkout line at my local WalMart. I work in a business-to-business environment and can assure you I'd have no customers if my group did that, but the general public? The rest of us can just lump it because 3rd quarter profit is more important than providing a good service and product at a reasonable price.

Last week I had occasion to call AT&T to correct some upgrades I had ordered on line. It took 3 tries to get it corrected, oh they were very polite, but not very good at their job. I would like to have both, good service and good job performance.....they were Americans.

Hey, Bag Boy ~ That should work about as well as the Bush administration's approach. Which is to say, not at all. But since you're waxing creative today, got anything better to offer?

As I've recommended here before, Barry/Pelosi/Reid should just pass a law requiring every employer in the country to hire 10% more employees IMMEDIATELY.

What the hell good is it to have lefty liberal Dem control of the govt if you can't just make everyone do what you know is best for them??

Unemployment problem solved.

Penny, over the last 25 years, 75% of all new jobs have come from small businesses. Those greedy corporations have not been hiring large amounts of labor for years. If you want the unemployment to drop, you must free small business to hire. Of the small businesses out there, 25% of the most successful will hire 75% of new workers to bring us out of a recession. This is from the Wall Street Journal, I know liberals do not like the WSJ. But it is still the one source with it's ear to the small business community. Right now, the small business community does not trust the Democrats and thinks they are anti-business. They are scared of their policies. Now you can rant and rave, call them names but they aren't going to hire in this climate of higher taxes, regulations, and potential doubling of energy costs.

Yes, Ray W, it makes perfect sense . . . AT & T is a "small business" that is too "uncertain" to hire more than two folks to work weekends . . . whatever you say.

Is "uncertain" French for "cheap"?

lol Nash

Geez, Eric, if name calling were a proxy for the numnber of brain cells a person had, you would be a charter member of Mensa. Since it's not, I'm gonna guess you are a charter member of NAMBLA.

LOL!!!

Good post, Eric.

The latest figure I've been able to verify is over $8 billion unaccounted for.

A billion here... a billion there...

Let's remember that billions ONLY count when there's a Democrat in the White House! ;0)

Bonus points if he happens to be black and a muslim! *insert snark*

Then you weren't listening.

Define "Huge Force".

Eric,

Are your really telling a Southerner that a Southern drawl equals ignorance?

Seriously?

I could not disagree more . . . Southerners are not dumb . . . paranoid and distrustful perhaps (and when you consider the economic conditions in much of the South combined with the politicians who further their career by stoking the culture war in lieu of doing the hard work of economic development, that is pretty understandable) . . . but not dumb.

Don't believe all the stereotypes you see or fall for the fact that the only Southerners most folks see are television caricatures or politicians trying to be as outrageous as possible to win votes.

Southern folks (of all races) have figured out how to make the world's best lemonade out of some of the world's worst lemons. For real.

Eric:

Speaking as a dumb southerner:

Kiss my ass.

Hey Eric as a warm blooded old southern boy with a rather thick Southern Drawl What Nash and Michael said.

Eric, that was unnecessary.

Do us all a favor and drop the stereotypes, you are smarter than that. Just state the facts without insulting people. There can be dumb everywhere including in CA.

That ad has been running for a couple weeks. Portraying everyday Americans claiming the industry has their best interests at heart is laughable--the only interest they have is profits, why worry about the environment or the health of those everyday Americans. "INFROMED" Americans (couldn't resist).

Eric: Are you a slow learner or what. You get collapsed and those around you get collapsed. Don't be dumb!! As an American you have freedom of speech. but not thoughtless speech.

Michael,

I'm beginning to sense a little frustration. Eric is back, after a greatly appreciated hiatus, but his ignorance still knows no bounds. Having spent quite a number of years in the borderline south (Maryland and Virginia), I am aware that the region you're from doesn't determine your intelligence level. Eric's mom needs to give him another timeout.

Nashville

I have rarely seen a more shameless case of an industry attempting to brainwash the American public than the ads MSNBC was running this morning warning that if the oil industry has to pay their taxes, it will hurt job creation.

I honestly thought I was watching Fox when I first saw it since I flip channels. It looks like Comcast is giving US the corporate-bible speak.

Jody

That ad has been running for a couple weeks. Portraying everyday Americans claiming the industry has their best interests at heart is laughable--the only interest they have is profits, why worry about the environment or the health of those everyday Americans. "INFROMED" Americans (couldn't resist)

All very helpful, truthful, and thought provoking posts today.

"Do us all a favor and drop the stereotypes, you are smarter than that."

Ummm, I don't think he is even smarter than a fifth grader.

Ron, my friend, I beg to differ ... freedom of thoughtless speech (as long as it isn't inciteful) is the essence of free speech. But then again, this community is not the government, so free speech is really a misnomer here.

As far as I'm concerned, let Eric babble. Lots of times really good ideas tumble out, too, apparently by sheer random chance. Or maybe not. Anyway, I just hate it when a comment is collapsed and all the witty responses go with it, especially when they're mine. There has to be a better way ... like a big warning sign: Read At Your Own Risk.

Joe in Albany ~

Ummm, I don't think he is even smarter than a fifth grader.

And you're qualified to judge this how? Your own post that got collapsed on the next thread, taking my witty response with it, suggests maybe not.

The capital gains issue is part of the Bush Tax Cuts discussion. It wasn't just income tax that Bush cut, last year capital gains dropped to zero tax. Pres Obama isn't raising taxes--the GOP voted for them to expire in 2010. Is it acceptable that millionaires and billionaires pay no tax on capital gains? Capital gains should be treated like income, that's where most of the rich make their money. Most likely you pay higher taxes than they do.

Jody,

I do not know where you pay your taxes to, but there was capital gains tax last year. The only people who didn't have to pay capital gains tax were people in the bottom two tax brackets (those with TAXABLE income (after all deductions) of $34,000 and less) and on long-term capital gains (these exclude the day traders, or short-term investors). Everyone else still had to pay capital gains tax at some rate. The capital gains tax that will expire in 2010 is the provision that reduced the long-term gains from 20% to 15%. You can fool yourself into thinking it's an expiration, but the reality is the tax still RAISES!

Finally, after doing taxes for people for the last 12 years, I still haven't seen any millionaire pay less taxes than me (can't say that for the billionaires, since I've never done any taxes for billionaires, but I still doubt that they pay less than me).

Sorry, I goofed--I meant the estate tax was down to zero last year, George Stinebrenner's heirs paid no estate tax. Capital gains is still lower than most middle class American's income tax rate which is not a fair.

What is wrong with wealth? Money is a great thing and I try to make as much as possible. You wealth envious parasites sit around and complain about others without trying to make something out of your miserable lives. Is $1,200 per month the way you want to waste your lives? This country was made great because of CAPITALISM AND FREEDOM TO PURSUE YOUR DREAMS!!!! REMEMBER!!!? It was not built on entitlements and lazy, whiny mooches. Are you pissed at your messiah who is a millionaire and elitist? Are you pissed that athletes earn millions for playing games? If you ever had a job, did a poor loser employ you?

Nothing's wrong with wealth. What's wrong is turning the government into the personal playground of the wealthy. What's wrong is dismantling regulations that are necessary for the protection of the "average guy." What's wrong is gaming the system to create a massive redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the already wealthy.

Incidentally, 200 people depend on my management ability, so yes, I have a job.

Nice job hitting ALL the Right wing talking points btw, right down to the "false messiah" label that NO ONE on the Left believes.

John B.

Great response to husky. I like wealth too, and try to make as much as a can, just like John B. My issues are pretty much the same. When wealth is generated by scamming the system (like Wall Street did) I also have a problem. When politicians change the rules (de-regulation) so their supporters can make more money, shelter profits, cut safety (where people die for greed). I have a problem with that.

Anna Molly: You are waaaay tooooo funny!

Good one. I remember the original song. It is still hard to watch the pictures of that tragedy without asking how in the world could that happen in America.

Why, thank you, Ron. But still not funny enough for all the madness today.

Jody ~ It's hard for me to forget that song, these days. How in the world, indeed. Out of this world, you mean.

Hey Anna Molly let me know when we get to the powdering the alligators behind part and I'll join the chorus. Thanks for the giggle this morning

IR ~ In this version the Gator would be played by George W. Bush. If ever there was anyone whose head was filled with cannon balls .... Although, some would say he had lost his mind long before that.

Anna Molly

Not real sure where you’d put the sights on that particular cannon or whether the breech would stand the pressure but I do believe it would be my bound duty to volunteer to touch it off a couple of times just to see what happened. You Betcha

LoL Always love a patriot, IR.

Guys,

Johnny Horton is laughing his butt off.