BuzzFlash Mailbag for January 18, 2010

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Subject: silence is deafening

Dear BuzzFlash:

I have often wondered why Christian groups are so curiously silent when people like Pat Robertson spew off, pirates like the late Oral Roberts and countless clones rake in millions thanks to gullible followers and the GOP continues its unabated hate of anything that isn't white and rich. I know it isn't because they aren't aware of what's going on. Maybe it's because to comment on any so called Christian wrongdoing is to be viewed as a self-attack, or maybe more ominously, they actually agree with what the pinheads say and are more in lock step with these evil lunatics than anybody wants to know about.

I fear it's the latter, judging from the amount of people I've noticed on blog pages rushing to Robertson's defense over his Haiti analogy. Couple that with the fact that these people are also marching to the beat of the Limbaugh Lemmings and Fox News, and you have a social class that is no better than those that followed Nazi Germany with so much fervor, or the teachings of Mao. We do have that wonderful 1st Amendment that allows these people to speak, and we can argue back, but if the GOP and its shills were ever to tamper with the freedom of speech, there would be absolutely no protest from their devoted herd. Is removing Limbaugh or Robertson from the airwaves possible? Yes, but only with difficulty. Number one, refusing to listen to them isn't enough. We must refuse to patronize any company that sponsors their programs, and take that action to the local markets, where your local talk radio broadcasts from.

If those local sponsors get boycotted in great enough numbers, especially in larger markets, it could create a ripple effect that would send a message to the companies that own the local stations. When common sense won't rule, in this country, lack of profits does, and nothing will kill a program like losing money. It's a long shot, but perhaps worth a try. Disassociation with madness on the level of Robertson, Dobson and the GOP followers in general, including their local businesses and others who empower them could be quite effective.

Scott
Fayetteville, AR

Subject: Let Haitian Immigrants Stay in the U.S. Till Haiti Recovers

As you are no doubt aware, Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake earlier this week. The devastation was amplified by Haiti's unaddressed extreme poverty because Port-au-Prince is crowded with economic refugees from the countryside, forced to live in substandard housing. President Obama has promised that the U.S. will do all it can to help Haiti in this moment of crisis.

But the Obama Administration has a simple tool at its disposal to help Haiti that it has so far refused to use: it can grant Haitians in the U.S. "Temporary Protected Status," allowing them to stay and work in the U.S. until Haiti recovers.

I just wrote to President Obama and my representatives in Congress asking them to grant Haitians Temporary Protected Status. Would you join me?

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/haiti-tps

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Obama - 1 year later

Obama's success might be best described in terms of what didn't happen rather than what did. Although what Obama accomplished is impressive, what didn't happen is the total collapse of the US economy. America was on track to fail the way the formers Soviet Union failed and the entire world economy was on the verge of collapsing with it. Although the economy is still in serious condition the Apocalypse has been averted for now.

Over the last 8 years, Bush and Cheney virtually destroyed this country. No president can undo the damage that the Republicans did in a single year. It will take a long time to recover. We have to stay the course and not go back to the failed policies that created the problems we have today.

Marc Perkel
Gilroy, CA

Subject: Getting Tough

I'd like to point out something that I've always found difficult to admit. Republicans and even the more conservative teabaggers, have got talent for something. I'm not talking about the talent to come across at completely nuts and out of synch with American values and global awareness...we always knew they had that. No I'm afraid that the talent they seem to possess is something we could actually learn from and utilize ourselves if we indeed had the fortitude to do it without worrying about how it might make us look.

What talent could be both embarrassing to a progressive and yet mouth-wateringly appealing that we might need to take another look? In a nutshell (no pun intended), the most conservative members of the Republican party are able to make the rest of the party sweat, jump through hoops and publicly denounce the views that their base doesn't support. Now I know what you're thinking. How on earth is that admirable. We continue to talk about the brown shirt mentality of a mob driven party that is run by the fringes of it's voting bloc. Well then let me explain. I'm sure that most Democrats have seen in the last couple months the disappointing way that our dreams of a progressive policy have been watered down, held hostage, and then dropped by our representatives in Washington DC because they are too eager to reach across the aisle and shake hands with people who have no intention of ever meeting them halfway. The phrase "making nice with the crazy" comes to mind. We as a base of our party seem loathe to try and actually make our representatives stand their high ground while the right has gone so deep into their base that they're having trouble looking up and finding any ground (middle ground or just sea level for that matter).

It's time to employ the carrot and the stick in politics the way FDR did. Reward our representatives when they do as they should and punish them when they don't. We struggle with using 'the stick' because when the right wing does it, it seems so fascist and backwards, but our politicians are taking us for granted mostly because we've never made good on a promise to punish bad behavior. We struggle with the carrot because it seems dirty and unethical to try and reward what our politicians should be doing out of their own sense of duty. Well, I have to say...in recent months, it's been proven time and again that the squeaky wheel gets the oil and trust me, wheels are being greased left and right on Capitol Hill with or without us.

They are in fact OUR representatives. Polls have shown over and over again that our ideals and policy choices are well supported by a majority of Americans - with most of those against our ideals also shown to be relatively clueless about their own needs. "Keep your government hands off my Medicare" - I'm talking to you here. So I think we can learn something helpful from "conservative purity tests" and the like. I think we could get behind the idea of making sure that Democratic candidates sign on to some basic universal moral truths like:

1) I agree that the poor are mostly poor through no fault of their own and need help

2) I agree that corporations may not be the enemy but they are not my constituents and I will ALWAYS listen to the people first in my deliberations and policy decisions.

3) I agree that war is actually not a good choice in most cases and the last choice in all other cases.

4) I agree that tough on defense means keeping us safe without bombing the hell out of some impoverished nation and realize that trying to blow everyone up makes us less safe. I don't take defense advice from 5 year old playground bullies.

5) I agree that if cuts have to be made to the budget, we should cut wasteful spending on things like mercenaries that kill indiscriminately, contractors that gouge indefensibly, and public relations to try and make it all seem OK - before we ever cut social programs that are a lifeline to the less fortunate in our own country.

6) I agree that the government may make mistakes but it is not the 'enemy' and I am not trying to sabotage or bankrupt the very government I seek to work within through unnecessary tax cuts and corporate welfare.

7) I agree in the basic right of EVERY adult to be happy and in love with whomever they want. My life, marriage, children, schools, and health is not threatened by someone else's love for another.

8) I do not need to reach across an aisle or party line and shake hands if that hand is only waiting to stab me in the back. The party of "NO" can go to hell.

Now to me, I would be happy making sure that every candidate I vote for, signed onto these basic principles and were held to account if they proved themselves to have lied when they did sign this.

Felix Felix Polanski
Reno, NV

Subject: Haiti

Haiti: If the UN blocks Cuba's Henry Reeves Brigade which would be solely a political move I will not send a dime. I am waiting on my (humble) donation to Doctors Without Borders: I think more should take a stand on this issue: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/jan/14/haiti-earthquake-us-cuba/print

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: The Bloodshed In Central Asia & The Mideast Could Be Stopped On A Dime

All President Barack Obama has to do is announce that in exchange for a cessation of all violence in these regions, he'll (l) pull the troops out now and (2) demand and secure justice for the Palestinian people. The offer will be accepted, of course, and with these policy changes the days of the Islamic messianic movements of the two regions, including Al Qaeda, will be numbered for the simple reason that the causes for which young Arabs & Moslems have been willing to die will be no more. What will justice for the Palestinians entail? That Jewish colonizer and colonized Palestinian sit down together and figure things out based on one equal one with liberty and justice for all. And what about Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan? Afghan for the Afghanis, Iraq for the Iraqis and Pakistan for the Pakistanis, that's what.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Am I the only one confused about this? How is it that the United States government couldn't afford to give Social Security recipients a cost of living raise this year, yet they miraculously have $100 million to give to Haitian earthquake relief? Also, how come the government can afford to spend $700 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while cutting social programs for the poor? Meanwhile, more and more Americans are losing jobs, losing homes and losing faith in their elected officials. Why are the Democrats so woefully out of touch with their constituents? Don't they know we voted for them so they could end these stupid wars? Could somebody pleeeeeease explain to me why we keep flushing billions of American tax dollars down the toilet with these ridiculous wars that were started for no reason by a retarded dumbass terrorist named Dubya Bush? It never ceases to amaze me! There is always an unlimited supply of money for wars and the military, but very little money to help the poor. It's enough to make you ashamed to be an American.

Shirley Dianne Jackson
Portland, Oregon

Subject: Let Big Tobacco Die

According to The Associated Press, the tobacco industry is pleading with the Justice Department not to go to the Supreme Court fearing a decision that would devastate them. I say that it's time to wipe the tobacco industry out. These people have killed millions of people by lying for decades about the dangers of smoking. So I have no problem giving them a corporate death sentence, letting their stockholder lose their money, and putting their employees and tobacco farmers out on the street. I doubt there is a person in America who doesn't know someone who the tobacco industry has killed. I think it's time we the people struck back. I just hope the Justice Department doesn't sell out the people to protect big tobacco's corporate profits.

Marc Perkel
Gilroy, CA

Subject: The Defense Department Last Week Identified The Following American Military Personell* Killed In Afghanistan And Iraq

Army sergeant Lucas T. Beachnaw of Lowell, Mich.; Army sergeant first class Jason O.B. Hickman of Kingsport, Tenn.; Marine Corps sergeant Christopher R. Hrbek of Westwood, N.J.; Marine Corps staff sergeant Mathew N. Ingham of Altoona, Pa.; Army private first class Michael R. Jarrett of North Platte, Neb.; Marine Corps lance corporal Mark D. Juarez of San Antonio; Marine Corps corporal Jamie R. Lowe of Johnsonvill, Ill.; Marine Corps lance corporal Jacob A. Meinert of Fort Atkinson, Wis.; Army staff sergeant Daniel D. Merriweather of Collierville, Tenn.; Marine Corps corporal Nicholas K. Uzenski of Tomball, Texas; Army private first class Gepffreu A. Whitsitt of Taylors, S.C.; Army specialist Kyle J. Wright of Romeoville, Ill.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, where most of the above mentioned killing occurred, we find a puppet parliament rejecting a puppet president's appointment to a puppet cabinet. For the next act the CIA probably will whisk puppet president Hamid Karzai away to the Central African Republic as per its kidnapping of Haiti's President Bertrand-Jean Aristide five years ago And just think our president could stop** the bloodshed any time he wanted to, merely by pulling the troops out now plus demanding justice for the Palestinian people, but, alas, he won't because without perpetual wars, how's our government going to scare us into giving up our civil liberties, our privacy, public education, any chance for universal health care, not to mention the American dream.

So since Afghanistan continues to be a bloody mess, while back home our democracy is unraveling, what then did our twelve Americans die for last week? Turns out they died that there be no war no more, nowhere, never, not even one.

*note that all but one martyred soldier comes from small town, U.S.A.

**because Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist organizations will whither away from not being able to attract recruits as there'll be no cause that young Arabs and Muslims would be willing to die for

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: mailbag 01/15/10

Tom Wieliczka.....when you get the answer to that, please let me know..and yes, he should be monotored and never given air rights again..he is nuts!!

Buzz reader...wondering about the blonde bimbos on Fox news,..yeah..personally, i think there is a special dumb pill that they prescribe just for the twerpy "Fox Ladies" Jane Hawes...I agree whole heartedly, they never cease to amaze me by their supposed knowledge of God...he must be their personal advisor...at least in their pulpy heads!! And, this is just a comment by me....Lady Ga Ga paid a visit to our town ..it does not matter if you love her or not...Pastor Fred Phelps and his Westboro Bapt.church. warned this town that they would personally come to St.Louis to protest her concert....because "God hates her!" I suppose...he dreamed he got that right from the SOURCE! Personally...I was taught that God loves all, no matter, whom(although it is hard for me to believe he could possibly love Rush or Pat). We left town for a 7 day trip right after Christmas and when we got back..there was a review of her concert...praising it, as i have read before. Since she is new to the business...and considering my age, I do not know anyone who went....if you have seen her, fill me in! I have watched the top 20 countdown on VH1..and she is on it with a not bad song!!! She has her own style...sort of puffy white hair....and as thin as a stick...but we likely all remember Amy Winehouse...and I for one...try to not criticize, unless I know. Amy won a ton of awards...and this girl is much better, just from what i have seen. Just wondering...I think Fred and his followers, got scared away by the horrid weather in the midwest...even though Kansas had it worse than we did....just curious, if any of you have ever seen her, or know....we should fill Pastor Phelps in....course, you gotta consider the source there too.

Lib
SW St. Louis

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